|
I had the opportunity today to visit Bustard
Island, a small island off the North-east Coast of Arnhem Land today between
Connexion, Winchelsea Islands and Groote Eylandt. It was named Bustard
Island by Matthew Flinders in January 1803 because he obviously saw Bustards on
the island (Noske, R., Brennan, G.,(2002) The Birds of Groote Eylandt, NTU Press
Darwin). There were no bustards today, but it's only a really small island
but it's easy to see how there would have been bustards. It's sparesly vegetated
and mostly grassy because of the shallow stony soils on the island.
There was little bird life on the island but did
manage to find an active Osprey's nest on top of a rocky headland on the island
and also a small colony of nesting Black-naped Terns. Also saw
Pied-imperial Pigeons, Brown Honeyeaters, a Pheasant Coucal, Bridled Terns,
Crested Terns, Brahminy Kites, a pair of Beach Stone Curlews, light and dark
morph Eastern Reef Egrets, Darter and Pied Cormorants.
Back at Alyangula (around the Gemco manganese mine
wharf and boat ramp) there were good numbers of Black-naped Terns and Crested
Terns.
Last night at the Alyangula Golf Club on Groote we
got both Beach and Bush Stone-curlews. Angurugu football oval (a town to
the south of Alyangula on Groote Eylandt) also had a few Little
Curlew.
Cheers
Marc
Numbulwar NT
Cheers
Marc
|
