Our trip reports are not quite ready for posting but please note that it was
not an Indian Roller that we saw, it was a EUROPEAN ROLLER.
As to John Leonard's email below I am sure that we all endorse the
sentiments he expressed in paragraph 1.
David James has again demonstrated that these island groups are not in the
suggested biogeographical regions (para 2).
Re para 3 on the field guide issue, I prefer complete fieldguides showing
everything. On a daily basis I may get up to 4 queries on the ID of birds
sent me directly (I do not go to websites) and a frequent response when I
tell them it is a common bird they should know but in an uncommon plumage or
place, they blame their fieldguides for letting them down! For beginners or
the general public there usually are local booklets available. John's
suggested title for one for Cocos & Christmas already exists 'Christmas &
Cocos Keeling Islands Birding Guide' published by Island Explorer Holidays
in 2008. Thirty pages long it has maps & photos and contributions from many
of us. Prior to that there was Ghes Valenzuela & David James (2006),
'Christmas Island Birding Guide' a 20 page booklet by the same publisher. So
the common folk are well catered for. It is us that need larger, more
complete field guides not smaller.
A good example has occurred today. McCrie & Watson's Birds of the Top End
does not include Short-tailed Shearwater. So a shearwater seen yesterday was
assumed to be a Wedge-tailed as that was listed although rare. Nevertheless,
if I'm right, it was a Short-tailed!
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC 3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
|
