WHITE-THROATED NEEDLETAIL (_HIRUNDAPUS CAUDACUTUS_) REPORT FOR
2012/13 SEASON.
Your records for the past season indicate that the weird extremes of
weather did correlate with unusual swift behaviour. Needletails
arrived in Victoria about their usual date and many were seen December
to February, but the extreme heat and dryness of Vic. appears to have
reduced their numbers, with more clumped sightings in part of the
Hunter Valley and closer to Brisbane, during March and April. This
behaviour nearly doubled the number of sightings from Qld compared to
last year. This same weather produced more FTS sightings in Victoria
than has been normal over recent years.
The 1,686 records I have obtained or that have been sent to me so far
are 386 more than received for the previous season. Thank you so
much for the extra effort in making & sharing these records.
The first needletail record was of 3 birds at Cabramatta (NSW) on
20.9.2012 seen by Mark Cachia. There had been an undefined
sighting sometime in August from Qld and only one other September
sighting also in Qld.
The first report from Victoria was of 5 birds seen on 16th Oct. by
Ron Becker a veteran swift observer from Maramingo.
There were 2 (0 last year) reports from the NT this season.
There was 1 (5 last year) record from WA, 3 (9) records from SA, 39
(29) from ACT, 11 (21) from TAS, 436 (217) from Qld, 343 (327) from
Vic, & 876 (714) from NSW.
The WA record was not at Cocos or Christmas (as they were last
year) but near Cape Naturalist in the SW of WA. This is a most
unusual sighting, but was made by Des Palmer an observer from Vic.
and experienced with both species. The sighting was on 4th April
indicating that the early exodus from Vic. did not take all birds
through NSW to Qld.
With needletails clumping more than is usual in NSW & Qld three
flocks of 2,000 birds were recorded compared to last years one.
There were seven sightings of a thousand or more birds. Sadly there
were also too many reports of “lots” “many” “huge
flocks” and we will never know how big these flocks were. One of
the “lots” was reported from Yorkeys Knob Rd, Qld 10th June by
Luke Jackson. So the unseasonal weather was still influencing
unusual behaviour in Australia in Winter. One needletail was so
upset by our weather that it went to Britain, to the Isle of Harris,
where many jubilant birders saw it 25th June. Even more saw it the
following day as observers came from all over the UK to see such a
rare bird for those parts. Then some of them saw it fly into the
only wind turbine on the island and they picked it up dead. So, do
we blame the turbine or the really hot & dry Australian summer?
The average flock size this season was 41 compared to 40 for last
year & 44 for the year before. All figures are lower than the mean
of 52 for the last decade. So not even the clumping caused by the
extrememly hot dry weather in southern and central Australia, was able
to raise the mean flock size by more than one
Once again the top recorder for the season was Irene Allan, making
121 sightings., Len & Jacquie Axen saw 45 flocks, Paul Jones 40, Andy
Jensen 37 , Peter Alexander 36, Allan Morris 35, Ross Smith 30, Tim
Morris 29, Tom Wilson 29, Mike Tarburton 29, Dave Flumm 27, Mick
Roderick, 27, Phil Gilmour 26 Liz Hawkins 26, Bas Hensen 23, Julie
Sarna 22, Matthew Stanton 17, Rod Gardner 17, & Michael Ramsey 13.
Thanks again to all those who have taken the trouble to send me
your sightings. It does not matter whether you sent in 1 report or
more than 100, they are all useful in helping determine the WTNT
population status and defining other aspects of their behaviour.
Contributing Observers: (# of observations for this season given in
brackets).
ABBOTT, Carol (2), ABBOTT, Peter (1), ABBOTTS, Sue (2), ACTON,
Marlene (2), ADAMS, D. (10), ADAMS, Jack (1), AIREY, Jackson (1),
ALCORN, Richard & Margaret (1), ALEXANDER, Peter (36), ALLAN, Irene
(121), ALLAN, Robert (8), ALLSOP, John (9), ALTING, Therese (2),
ANDERSON, Bill (3), ANDERSON, Craig (3), ANTRAM, Frank (1), ARMSTRONG,
Chris. (8), ASHTON, Tony (2), ATZENI, Mick (2), AVERY, John (2), AXEN,
Jacquie & Len (45), AYRE, Gavin (1), BAKER, George & Teresa (2),
BAKER, Scott (1), BARNES, Chris (4), BARTRAM, Kevin (1), BAWDEN, Tim
(1), BAXTER, Richard (1), BECKER, Freddie (1), BECKER, Ron (10),
BELLING, Neil (2), BENNETT, Mark (7), BENSON, Allan, (2), BERGMARK,
Joshua (3), BILNEY, Rohan (1), BIRKHEAD, Joseph (1), BLQ (2), BLSQ
(13), BOEKEL, Con. (1), BOYD, Glenn (2), BQ (5), BRANDWOOD, Keith (3),
BRECKENRIDGE, Max (5), BROOKS, Paul (1), BROSIE, Grant (8), BROWN, Ian
& Jill (2), BROWN, Warren (2), BRUCE, Niel (7), Brunswick Valley
Birdwatchers (1), BULLEN, Lyn (1), BULTRYS, Enoch (3), BUNCE, Ian
(1), BURCHER, Paul & Jacqueline (4), BURROWS, Todd (3), BUTLER, Jim
(3), BUTTERFIELD, Martin (6), CACHARD, Martin (2), CACHIA, Mark (1),
CAMERON, Margaret, (7), CAREW, Arthur (1), CARPENTER, Carole & John
(6), CARSON, Nick (1), CHARLEY, David (2), CHICKSEN, Mal (5), CLANCEY,
Greg (5), CLARK, David (2), CLARK, Rae (2), CLARKE, Rohan (1),
CLAYTON, Simon (1), CLOG, Jan (7), COCKERELL, John (5), COMER, Ray
(1), COOK, Bob (1), CORBETT, Larry & Chris (3), CORKE, David (1),
CORMACK, Will (1), CRAWFORD, Liz (13), CROSLAND, Michael (1), CURSON,
Clive (1), D. Christine (1), DAVIDSON, Steven (13), DAVIES, Aaron (1),
DAVIES, Ian (1), DAWE, Tony & Stephanie (1), de KLERK, Paddy (1),
DEAN, Barry (1), DENING, Jill (1), DENNETT, Xenia (2), DICK, Adrian
(1), DOECKE, Nathan (2), DOLBY, Tim (1), DOOLEY, Sean (1), DOUGHERTY,
Robert (1), DRAKE, Alistair & Carmen (2), DUKE, Steve & Judi (6),
EARL, Hedley & Irena (2), EDVARDSSON, Martin (1), EGGINS, Darryl (4),
EGGINS, Gary (1), ENGEL, Deryk & Paul (3), EVANS, Andrew (7), EWIN,
John & Denise (1), EZZY, Len & Chris (2), FARIAS, Alex (1), FARIS,
James (2), FARNES, R. (1) Fasssifern Field Nats (2), FAULKNER, Tim
(1), FERGUSON, Patricia (1), FINLEY, Eric (1), FISHER, Keith & Lindsay
(13), FLUMM, Dave (27), FORD, Stewart (1), FRASER, Ian. (1), FRAZER,
Ed. (1), FRENCH, John (1), FRISWELL, Neil (1), FULLER, Mark (2),
FUNNELL, Dominic (1), GALLIENNE, Sandra (11), GARDNER, Rod (17),
GARDNER, John (3), GIBSON, Tony (3), GILL, Norton (1), GILLANDERS,
Alan (8), GILLER, Roger (1), GILMOUR, Phil (26), GOODYEAR, Gavin (10),
GORTA, Simon (10), GOTLEY, W & J (2), GRAHAM, Bill (3), GREGORY, Beth
(1), GREGORY, Chris (2), GREGORY, Phil (1), GROSS, Steve (3), HAASS,
Nikolas & Raja (2), HALL, Beth (1), HALL, Lachlan (3), HARMAN, Brett
(1), HARMS, Benjamin (1), HARRIS, John (2), HARTSHORN, Angus (2),
HAVENS, Maria (1), HAWKINS, Liz (26), HAYNE, Curtis (4), HAYWOOD, B &
T. (2), HEALEY, Chris (7), HEFERNAN, R. (3), HEMPSTEAD, Janice (1),
HENSEN, Bastiaan (23), HENSHAW, Jono (2), HERBERT, Kim (1), HERBERT,
Chris (2), HERRINGTON, Doug (5), HEYWOOD, Jan (1), HIGGINS, Peter (1),
HILL, Rachel (1), HINGSTON, Andrew (1), HOBCROFT, Dion (1), HOLLAND,
Jack (1), HOLLIDAY, Steve (1), HORLER, Peter (8), HOSKEN, Lesley (1),
HOSKING, Peter (1), HOUSSENLODGE, John (1), HOUTON, Dave (2), HUNTER,
Michael (1), ILES, Carol (2), IRETON, Tania (1), JACKETT, Carla (3),
JACKSON, Luke (1), JAMES, David (6), JAMES, Max (4), JENKIN, Dick (4),
JENSEN, Andy (37), JOHNSTON, Lorne (1), JOHNSTON, Matt. (1),
JOHNSTONE, Richard (4), JOLLY, William (3), JONES, Barbara (3), JONES,
David (1), JONES, Paul (40), JOYCE, R. (1), KATON, Anthony & Vicki
(2), KEATES, Sheryl (1), KELLY, Damian (1), KING, Des (1), KNIGHT,
Laurie (6), KUHL, Mike (3), KYNE, Peter (1), L. Ian (1), LAMB, Russel
(3), LAMBERT, D. (1), LARMOUR, Kim & Geoff (7), LASHKO, Sue (2),
LATTAWAY, Jude (9), LAWS, Peter (1), LAYTON, John K. (4), LEE, Sue
(7), LEITCH, Judy (3), LEONARD, John (7), LEWIS, George (3), LEY, Mark
(4), LINDSAY, Kurtis (2), LINKLATER, Bernard (1), LISHMUND, Owen (2),
LITTLE, Greg (3), LOFGREN, Oskar (1), LONERGAN, Noel (3), LUMNITZER,
Ákos (6), LYELL, Marlene (1), MACKNIGHT, M. (1), MADVIG, Peter (2),
MARTINEZ, Chris (1), MASON, Lee (1), MASON, Melissa (2), MASTERS,
Gavin (13), McBRIDE, Steve (6), McCONNELL, Pat (2), McKELLAR, Tim (2),
McKENZIE, Kim (6), McLACHLAN, Greg (6), McLENNAN, John (1), McNABB, Ed
(2), McNAGTEN, Michael (1), McRITCHIE, Bernie (3), MANTLE, Daniel (1),
MERIGAN, Rosalie (1), MIHARA, S (1), MILLER, Richard (6), MINCHIN,
Lisa (1), MITFORD, David (5), MOFFATT, Bob (2), MORICE, Geoffrey (1),
MORRIS, Allan (35), MORRIS, Tim (29), MORRISON, N & J (7), MOSES, Kim
(1), MULHOLLAND, Ross (1), MULLANEY, Matt (6), MURPHY, Fran (3),
MURRAY, Steve (9), MUTTON, Troy (3), NEILL, Greg (2), NEWMAN, Mike
(4), NICKHOLDS, Tim (1), NILAND, David (2), NORMAN, Sean (2), NORRIS
Ken (4), NORRIS, Michael (1), O’BRIAN, Danny (1), O’DONNELL, Kath
(1), O’MALLEY, Pat (3), OSBORN, Paul (6), OXENHAM, Katie (1), PACEY,
Glen (1), PALMER, Des (3), PAYET, Rosemary (6), Pearson, John (1),
PEEL, Philip (1), PENDAVINGH, Daniel (1), PENLINGTON, Phil. (2),
PERKINS, Harvey (3), PERRIN, Christian (2), PICKERING, Stuart (2),
PIERCE, Ed. (1), PILAT, Gosia (1), PITT, Andrew (1), PORT, Christina
(3), POTTER, Martin & Penny (1), PRESTON, Ivor (1), PRICE, Robyn (4),
PROWSE, Owen (1), RAMSEY. Michael (13), RAWSTHORNE, John (4), REED, J.
(1), REID, Colin (3), REIFENSTEIN, Jacqueline (1), RICHARDSON, Allan
(5), RIJZ Matt. (5), RIJZ, Vanessa (1), ROBERTS, Greg (1), ROBERTS,
Harry (1), ROBINO, Janet (1), RODERICK, Mick (27) RODERICK, Steve (4),
ROGERS, Colin (1), ROLLAND, Vivien (3), Romane, S. (1), RONAN, Michael
(1), ROPER, Brian (1), ROPER, Marion (7), Rose, Allan & Sandy (1),
ROSS, Chris (7), ROUNSEVELL, Darin (1), RUDDER, Ashwin (5), RYAN,
Bebecca (1), RYAN, Scott (1), SANDERSON, Chris (1), SARNA, Julie (22),
SAWYER, Peter (3), SAWYER, Ron (1), SEMMENS, Bob (4), SEQ Banding Grp
(3), SHEEAN, Brendan (1), SHELLEY, Luke (3), SHELLEY, Neil (1),
SHELLEY, Paul (1), SHERRING, Ken (5), SHURCLIFF, Kath (2), SIMKUS,
Elizabeth (8), SMALLS, Matthew (1), SMART, Jim (6), SMITH, Alastair
(3), SMITH Graham & Brenda (3), SMITH, Rob (1), SMITH, Ross (30),
SPRY, Jenny (3), STAFFORD, Andrew (1), STANTON, Matthew (17), STARR,
Simon (2), STEPHENSON, Mathew (2), STEWART, David (3), STILES, Jenny
(15), STOWE, David (1), STUART, Alan (7), STUART, Dave (1), SUTCLIFFE,
M. (1), SZUCS, Lorand (2), TALBOT, Nicholas (2), TARBURTON, Mike (29),
TARRANT, Marie (5), TARRANT, Tom (3), TAYLOR, Andrew (2), TEH, Julian
(1), THOMPSON, Sue (1), THOMPSON, Warren (1), TIERNEY, Peter (2),
TIMEWELL, Chris &(1), TORR, Dave (2), TRANTER, Ged (2), TYNAN, Brian
(2), VALENTINE, Peter (1), VANDERDUYS, Eric (1), VEERMAN, Philip (2),
VELLA, Edwin (2), WALDON, D. (2), WALKER, Robin (2), WALLACE, Darren
(1), WALLACE, Rowena (2), WALLIS, C. (4), WALMSLEY, Ben (3), WALSH,
Stephen (3), WARE, Peter (1), WATSON, Christopher (1), WEEKS, Matt.
(2), WEIGEL, John (2), WELLER, Dan (1), WELLS, Dezmond (1), WHARTON,
Joan (3), WHELAN, David (1), WHITFIELD, Dave (1), WHITING, Jack (8),
WHYLIE, rook (1), WICKER, Falk (1), WILK, Kathy & Peter (11),
WILLIAMS, Dan (9), WILLIAMS, Roger (1), WILSON, Tom (29), WNOROWSKI,
Ted (3), WOEHLER, Eric (1), WOHLMUTH, Hans (5), WOOD, Michael (14),
WOOD, Paul (1), WRIGHT, Ian & Meryl (2), XIMENES, Arwen (3), YOUNG,
Mark (4), ZANETTI, Carmen (DRAKE) (1), ZILLMANN, Eric (2),
Mike Tarburton
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