White-throated Needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus) Report for 2007/08
Season.
[Summary of 371 sightings sent to me or published where I could
find them]
First thing to note is that sightings number 211 less than last
year. The 6 birds that Alastair McKeough saw at Ryde in Sydney on 29
July were probably overstayers or non-breeders - at a guess.
Considering those that are more likely to be migrants, ten of the
first 11 sightings came from Qld while the second sighting was of 4
birds near Melbourne’s Western Treatment Plant - made by Paul Dodd &
Ruth Woodrow on 2 Sept.
The first sighting was made by Alan Gillanders & was of 1 or more
birds near Innisfail 29 August.
The first sighting made in NSW was of 1+ birds seen by Michael Hensen
& Kasey Pearce, at Katoomba on 23 Oct.
The first sightings in SA were made on 12 January by R. Green (500+
birds E of Coonawarra) and by D. Harley (5 birds at Mt Schank) - both
records per Bryan Haywood.
The first Tas sighting was of just 1 bird seen by Russell Lamb 23 Feb
on Bruny Island. Russel made several sightings in Tas but I know of
no other records for that state for the last season.
The last sighting I have for the year was of 4 birds heading W at
Katoomba, recorded by Carol Probets on 12 April. The second and
third last sightings were made in south-east SA by Bryan Haywood (20
birds) at Glencoe on 2 April, and J. Campbell (1 bird) at Day’s Hill
5 April.
The largest estimated flock size was of 1000+ birds seen at
Pottsville, NSW 26 Feb by Brian Johnston. 500+ were seen by R. Green
East of Coonawarra, SA 12 January. 450 were observed at Nelson (Vic)
2 March by Jane and 400+ observed at South Sawtell on 5 January by
Peter Higgins.
The average flock size last season was 53, up on the previous year
(34) which was equal lowest with the 2001/02 season. These flock
size data are for data collected since the 1995/96 season.
I wish to acknowledge and thank those who collect regional sightings
and forward the swift details to me or publish them in local
newsletters or journals: people such as Carol Probets, John Turner,
Bryan Haywood, and Alan Morris. I also thank the following observers
for sending in reports or publishing them where I could find them.
Each observers number of reported sightings is given in parenthesis.
Peter Ball (1), Peter Barrand (1), Mike Barth (1), Richard Baxter
(6), Liz Benson (2), Dimitris Bertzelotos (1), Greg Bortolussi (1),
Keith Brandwood (1), Grant Brosie (1), J. Campbell (1), Greg Clancey
(1), Reg Clark (2), Rohan Clarke (3), Col Collins (22), Carl Corden
(1), Bruce Cox (1), Peter Crow (1), Chris Dahlberg (6), Jill Dark
(1), Steve Davidson (2), Cliff Dent (3), Paul Dodd (4), Tim Dolby
(30), Colin Driscoll (4), Penny Evans (2), Damien Farine, Liz Field,
Tom Fletcher (1), Duncan Fraser (10), Matthew Frawley (1), Alan
Gillanders (8), Graham Gould (1), R. Green (2), Phil Hansbro (1), D.
Harley (1), June Harris (1), Simon Hayes (4), Bryan Haywood (3), Bas
Hansen(2), Michael Hansen (1), P. Hiddins (1), Peter Higgins (23),
Michael Hunter (1), Dean Ingwersen (1), Michael Jarman (1), Lorne
Johnston (2), Brian Johnston (1), Neil Kirby (1), Laurie Knight (2),
David Kuyken, Pete Kyne (6), Russell Lamb, (7), Gil Langfield (1),
Ben Lawson (3), John Layton (1), Deane Lewis (1), Mark Ley (4), Barry
Lingham (1), Andrew MacNamara (1) Tony MacNamara (10), Ray Marston
(1), Lee Mason (3), Barry McLean (2), Clive Meadows (3), David
Mitford (1), Alan Morris (7), Tim Morris (1), Paul Osborne (12), J.
Paul (1), Carol Probets (4), Michael Ramsay (1), John Rawsthorne (2),
D. Redhead (1), Colin Reid (1), Harry Roberts (6), Chris Sanderson
(2), John Seale (1), Elizabeth Shaw (1), Ken Shingleton (2), Peter
Shute (1), Jeffery Simmonds (3), Alastair Smedley (1), Den Smith (1),
Jennifer Spry (2), Simon Starr (1), Alan Stuart (1), Joy Tansey (1),
Mike Tarburton (38), Tom Tarrant (2), Warren Thompson, Dick Turner
(1), Graham Turner (6), John Turner (1), Philip (1), Edwin Vella (3),
Craig Williams(6), Tom Wilson (10), Arwen Ximenes (1), Marnix
Zwankhuizen (5).
Many thanks for sending in your observations. Keep making them and
please keep sending them in.
Mike
Michael Tarburton
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