I feel Jeff and Rob have made some good recommendations here. The next
specimen of Night Parrot should not be preserved chemically (or some
feathers should be preserved naturally). As Jeff points out both recent
specimens come from the Diamantina-this is the clearest lead. As Rob points
out the flood seasons two years in a row are a unique opportunity for some
well organized community birding based follow up surveys using all the
techniques at the disposal of a scientific birding community-camera
traps-sound recorders-observers both human and canine and give the mystery
the support it deserves. Why not draw a 300 km radius within both recent
specimens-hit it with a GIS analysis-martial a team of observers when the
dry returns and give it a good go. There is everything to gain. Putting the
parrot on the map.
-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Murray
Sent: Wednesday, 6 June 2012 7:47 PM
To: 'Jeff Davies'; 'robert morris'; 'dion hobcroft'; 'birding aus'
Subject: Using a people??? for Night Parrots
Jeff. I'm sorry but I'm having a bit of trouble with: " We know they have
been in the region of Boulia and Diamantina for a couple of decades" How do
we know this? Are you saying there have been enough confirmed sightings
from this region to indicate they have been consistently present for that
period of time? If that's so, then there must be an awful lot of suppressed
sightings I don't know about.
Steve Murray
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Jeff Davies
Sent: Wednesday, 6 June 2012 6:51 PM
To: 'robert morris'; 'dion hobcroft'; 'birding aus'
Subject: Using a people??? for Night Parrots
Dion has made a good suggestion and it has already been discussed between
myself and friends as being something we think would be worth investigating,
not that I have any power or authority over any of this actually happening.
Probably a good reason why the next dead Night Parrot should be just freeze
dried rather than boraxed.
All of the literature leaves me with a strong impression that Night Parrot
is almost impossible to flush when secreted away during daylight hours,
unless fire is an option.
I also can find no evidence Night parrot is genuinely nomadic, it would
certainly be dispersive after good times and possibly shift around locally
within a region. We know they have been in the region of Boulia and
Diamantina for a couple of decades and add hock possible reports by locals
would suggest they have always been there. Is scarlet-chested Parrot really
nomadic?
Cheers Jeff.
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of robert morris
Sent: Wednesday, 6 June 2012 4:53 PM
To: dion hobcroft; birding aus
Subject: Using a people??? for Night Parrots
Hi Dion
An interesting idea! But I don't rate your chances getting that one up and
running!
But before we go down that route (even hypothetically) - has anyone (e.g.
the National Nigh Parrot Network) actually really tried to coordinate a
large number of birders on a roster to systematically survey likely areas?
For the last 3 years for example - Western Qld has had a lot of rain.
Conditions must be as good now as they ever have been (ignoring the pest
issues). But is anyone actually looking? A few minutes of research on
habitats, rainfall and historic records and likely areas could be
identified. I think a lot of people would respond and assist.
I genuinely believe that areas will currently exist under the recent wet
conditions (and I mean the last 3-4 years of above average rainfalls) where
there are night parrots breeding. We just do not interact with them
geographically and temporally.
It would be good if someone would respond and let us know about the National
Night Parrot Network, their remit, plans etc. Could birdwatcher power be
captured to actually help rediscovered Night Parrots at a time they may be
on the up? Are we about to miss this opportunity?
All I hear is silence - perhaps birders have to organise this themselves?
Rob Morris
Brisbane, Australia
> From:
> To:
> Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2012 15:59:18 +1000
> Subject: [Birding-Aus] Using a dog for Night Parrots
>
> I have often wondered why no-one has trained a dog to search for Night
> Parrot. Get them tracking Ground Parrots and then move to the desert
> with a muzzle (to avoid eating 1080 baits and Night Parrots). Our Kiwi
> friends use this strategy successfully for finding Kakapo.
>
> ===============================
>
> To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message:
> unsubscribe
> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
> to:
>
> http://birding-aus.org
> ===============================
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
http://birding-aus.org
===============================
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
http://birding-aus.org
===============================
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
http://birding-aus.org
===============================
|
