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Information for inclusion in Night Parrot flyer

To: Chris Watson <>
Subject: Information for inclusion in Night Parrot flyer
From: Laurie Knight <>
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2013 16:33:01 +1000
Thanks Chris,

I think a grader operator would be in an excellent position to flush and spot a Night Parrot - graders are slow moving, they are moving at the edge of the vegetation and have bright lights. They might also be more likely to get a ground bird to fly rather than run away, which might be the case if one were walking the same line ...

Regards, Laurie.


On 09/04/2013, at 4:05 PM, Chris Watson wrote:

G'day all,

I was chatting to an Alice Springs grader driver who is well-known
(locally) for preferring to conduct his work during the night. He does a lot of nocturnal grading in the areas to the near north and east of Alice
Springs and mentioned that he has seen Night Parrots flushing in the
spotlights, from the spinifex before his blade. I'm sure we've all heard similar claims over the years, but I try to keep an open mind, and figure that those who aren't birders or ornithologists have nothing to gain by fabricating sightings of rare birds. There's arguable bragging rights that might come from being associated with the legend of the Night Parrot, but I think folks who make a living driving heavy machinery in the outback have other things they'd rather brag about in the company of their mates, than seeing a few parrots. This area is between a 1 and 3 hour drive of Alice Springs, so is potentially able to be surveyed from here within a short time of receiving notification, if people are equipped with the correct
information.

Anyway, I'm sure this has been done before, but I'm putting together an information flyer that I intend to distribute through the CLMA (Centralian Land Management Association) which has contacts throughout the Centralian
pastoral industry who employ grader drivers and similar remote workers
throughout the region. It seems like they might be a handy group to target.

The National Night Parrot Network, who I'm sure it's been noted before, seem to be as elusive and shrouded in mystery as the bird itself, don't seem to have any online presence. If someone on this list could forward me
the best contact details to include in the flyer that would be a great
help. Better still, if the Men In Black who constitute the NNPN would like to step briefly from the shadows and consult with me on the composition of
the flyer, I'm sure it would be a better production all-round.

As photos aren't an option, if anyone has some decent artwork that they are
able to grant permission for me to use, it'd be much appreciated as my
efforts with the crayolas so far have been less than stunning in their
reproduction of a realistic portrait of the Spinifex Chook. This'll be
funded from my own hip-pocket so there's no funds available I'm afraid, but
needless to say all artwork will be fully acknowledged.

I'm not giving up on the fat parrot.

Cheers,

Keyser Soze (aka Chris Watson)

--
*BIRDS CENTRAL AUSTRALIA*
*Central Australian birding resource*
*Guiding, writing, and the latest site information*
*from Alice Springs*
www.comebirdwatching.blogspot.com
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