Hi all,
An excited post here: a small team of locals recently spotted a male Masked Owl
in forest near the town of Awaba in Western Lake Macquarie. Specific location
details will be atlassed with NSW Department of Environment and Conservation.
On 7 March, about 11pm we noticed a distinctive rasping call drowning out the
sound of grey-headed flying foxes and yapping gliders (probably sugar gliders)
feeding on flowering Red Bloodwood in the vicinity: following a succession of
these rasping calls separated by a few minutes, a male bird launched into a
fascinating circular flight pattern above us, and some 10-15m above the
treetops, calling constantly. The call was very strange to my ears having
never witnessed this behaviour before: my best description - a penetrating,
high-pitched, short-burst, staccato call, reminiscent of some diurnal raptors.
This was carried for some ten minutes (maybe more), with the bird circling
around the general area above us - seemed to be a bit of a pattern/cycle to the
flight. It's not clear whether the first and familiar single rasping call came
from the same male or another bird (male or female). Any expert opinion on
call behaviour very welcome. I've read a little about aerial courtship
displays in this species and I'm curious as to whether this might have been one
explanation of the behaviour we witnessed.
It should be noted that the forest in question faces an extremely uncertain
future because of an open cut mining proposal currently in progress with the
New South Wales Department of Planning. Submission of the environmental
assessment in support of the mining application is due sometime after July this
year and I will keep the list posted as to developments in the lead up to
exhibition for public (and scientific) submissions.
Evidence is mounting that this area represents key regional habitat for the
Masked Owl and should be reserved to facilitate conservation of the species.
If anyone is interested in more information as to what can be done to contest
the open cut mine proposal, or has any suggestions in terms of lobbying
strategies and the like, feel free to contact me by email.
regards
Craig Williams
(No1 Masked Owl Fan!!)
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