birding-aus

Pied Currawongs in Docklands (Melbourne)

To: Peter Shute <>, "'James Mustafa'" <>, Paul Dodd <>
Subject: Pied Currawongs in Docklands (Melbourne)
From: Tim Dolby <>
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 04:20:47 +0000
Actually Pete - in terms of inner urban Melbourne - your observation isn't all 
that obvious. At this stage Pied Currawong are mainly limited to the eastern 
and northern suburbs of inner Melbourne, with the Docklands basically 
representing the dividing point of their  Melbourne range. There are found in 
the west, at places such as Newport Lakes Park etc., but at this stage there 
not all that common (yet).

By contrast though, where I live in Northcote, Pied Currawong is now a daily 
backyard birds. This, along with other 'native' species such as Little Raven, 
Australian Magpie, Pied Butcherbird, Noisy Miner, Crested Pigeon, Galah, Silver 
Gull, Welcome Swallow, Magpie Lark, Willie Wagtail, Red and Little Wattlebird, 
Red-rumped Parrot, Rainbow Lorikeet and, occasionally, Brown Thornbill, Spotted 
Pardalote, Musk, Little and Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Little Corella, 
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Pacific Black Duck (overhead), Australian Darter 
(high overhead), Peregrine, Australian Hobby and Tawny Frogmouth (had one in 
the garden last week). I even saw a Swift Parrot (next door at the pool) a few 
months ago. Not bad! Also had a Marbled Gecko in the garden a few days ago - 
you often hear them barking at night. In terms of native mammals I get 
Brushtail and Ringtail Possum, and Grey-headed Flying Fox. (I call them the 
"Northcote Big Three" when going for a walk at night :-) Northcote's version of 
the Serengeti  "Big Five".)

This is a far cry from the days (and it wasn't that long ago) when the only 
urban birds you'd see in places like Northcote or Brunswick were House Sparrow, 
European Starling, Spotted and Rock Dove, Common Myna and Eurasian Blackbird. 
For fun, sometimes, I walk out into my backyard and see how many native species 
I can see before I see an introduced species. I think my best is 7.

Cheers,

Tim

-----Original Message-----
From: Birding-Aus  On Behalf Of 
Peter Shute
Sent: Monday, 15 September 2014 12:50 PM
To: 'James Mustafa'; Paul Dodd
Cc: 
Subject: Pied Currawongs in Docklands (Melbourne)

Thanks everyone, it's sounds like it's surprising I haven't seen one here 
before. It just came back a second time, so it looks like it might be a regular 
now.

Peter Shute

> -----Original Message-----
> From: James Mustafa 
> Sent: Monday, 15 September 2014 11:54 AM
> To: Paul Dodd
> Cc: Janine Duffy; Peter Shute; 
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Pied Currawongs in Docklands (Melbourne)
>
> I know they're regularly seen in the botanical gardens. Very common in
> there now.
>
> On Mon, Sep 15, 2014 at 11:13 AM, Paul Dodd <>
> wrote:
>
>
>       I see them reasonably frequently in South Melbourne (Dorcas St, Moray
> St and
>       Bank St) too. I would be surprised if they weren't in Docklands,
> Albert
>       Park, Middle Park, Albert Park Lake and even in the Royal Botanical
> Gardens
>       also.
>
>       Paul Dodd
>       Docklands, Victoria
>
>       -----Original Message-----
>       From: Birding-Aus
>  On Behalf Of
>       Janine Duffy
>       Sent: Monday, 15 September 2014 10:20 AM
>       To: Peter Shute; 
>       Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Pied Currawongs in Docklands
> (Melbourne)
>
>          Hi Peter
>          We've been seeing them on and off around Port Melbourne for a few
> years
>          now.  So I wouldn't be surprised if they are coming through
> Docklands
>          as well.
>          Janine
>
>          --
>
>          JANINE DUFFY Director Marketing ECHIDNA WALKABOUT PO Box 370 Port
>          Melbourne,  Victoria  3207  AUSTRALIA
>          E:      Web:
>          [2]www.echidnawalkabout.com.au
>          Ph: +61 (0)3 9646 8249
> <tel:%2B61%20%280%293%209646%208249>     Mob: +61 (0)427 808
> 747 <tel:%2B61%20%280%29427%20808%20747>  Fax: +61 (0)3 9681
>          9177
>          OPERATIONS & GROUP enquiries contact:  [3]Roger [4]Smith Director
>          Operations A.B.N.  72 716 985 505
>
>          [5]Peter Shute
>          Monday, 15 September 2014 9:58 AM
>
>          Last week I heard a Pied Currawong calling near the casuarina
>          plantation in Navigation Drive in Docklands, and just now one
> landed on
>          the roof of the builidng opposite where I work.
>          I submitted a Birdline for last week's bird, but it was rejected
> on the
>          grounds that PC sightings around the CBD are common now. Fair
> enough,
>          especially as they've been regularly seen around the zoo for years
> now,
>          but it was my first sighting of them in Docklands that I've had in
> the
>          6 years since we moved here.
>          I'm wondering if this is just part of a general spreading of their
>          range, or a sign that the trees in Docklands, most of which are
> less
>          than 10 years old, are maturing to the point that they are now
>          attractive to them. Or possibly just that residents are now
> feeding
>          them. Have others seen them in Docklands before?
>          Peter Shute
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>       References
>
>          1. 
>          2. http://www.echidnawalkabout.com.au/
>          3. 
>          4. 
>          5. 
>          6. 
>          7.
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>
> --
>
> All the best,
>
> James Mustafa
>
> 0400 951 517
> www.jamesmustafajazzorchestra.com
>
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