Great news about the Masked owl obs. Here is hoping that there will be many
more to come Keep up the Good work!!
Robyn
-------Original Message-------
From: Craig Williams
Date: 03/12/06 01:36:59
To:
Subject: Awaba Masked Owls (and Open Cut Mine Proposals)
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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