Hi Lloyd,
Thank you for supporting my view that Willie Wagtails are likely to be a
latitudinal migrant during the autumn-winter. The number that can be seen
along roads and tracks in northern NSW in the cooler months is certainly
greater than what the local population with the year's offspring would make.
Your detailed observations have added greatly to this topic.
Regards
Greg
Dr Greg. P. Clancy
Ecologist and Birding-wildlife Guide
| PO Box 63 Coutts Crossing NSW 2460
| 02 6649 3153 | 0429 601 960
http://www.gregclancyecologistguide.com
http://gregswildliferamblings.blogspot.com.au/
-----Original Message-----
From: Lloyd Nielsen
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2015 2:08 PM
To:
Subject: Migration in Willie Wagtails
There is a greater winter migration in Willie Wagtails than is realised.
On the vast near treeless plains in central western Queensland during
winter, e.g. Hughenden, Longreach, Winton, Boulia, Bedourie, there are
thousands of Willie Wagtails which spend the winter in basically
scattered low shrubbery, along fencelines and in grasslands. Driving the
roads, Wagtails are about every 100-200 metres. One will see several
hundred in a 100 km stretch.
When I lived at Jandowae on the Darling Downs in the 1960-70s, thousands
of Willie Wagtails would move in to harvested sorghum crops and spend
the winter in the stubble - right up until the paddocks were ploughed.
There must have been many thousands across those grain growing areas of
the Darling Downs. By about late August, they were all gone. The summer
population in the woodlands away from the open plains was normal - just
an odd pair here and there.
Lloyd Nielsen,
Mt Molloy, Nth Qld
www.birdingaustralia.com.au
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