Hello All,
I found this topic of interest for a lonely birder way up north here at
Cape York "Tip" at Bamaga. On May 7th I submitted the following to Eremaea
Birdline:
*Willie Wagtail Bamaga Hospital Grounds and Surrounds 10 53S 142 23E 1'
Cell, Queensland, AU*
*2 adults. First records for the Tip of Cape York since 8/1995 (at Pajinka
Wilderness Lodge) and 1909 (McLennan who spent June and July in the area
and saw a single specimen - published in EMU 1911). Another record 8/2011
at Capt. Billy's landing turnoff approx. 120km south. I note there was an
e-bird record 2 days ago at Mission River approx. 230km south perhaps
indicating northward migration. Draffan (1983, EMU) reports that they are
found on NW Torres Strait Islands (presumably resident and race melaleuca
of PNG). Atlas has 1 record for ?Torres Strait and HANZAB has CY Tip as
blank. eBird checklist
<http://ebird.org/ebird/australia/view/checklist?subID=S23281674>*
*Rob Reed 7/5 #223170*
Even non-birders, including those that have lived locally since birth, have
enquired whether it is unusual to see this bird so far north and no one has
even seen it here in the past (on casual observation).
I don't know if I have missed them in my prior 6 years here, an unusual
year or it a sign of things to come?
Grey fantails do venture this far north each year but only for a few weeks
every June/July. Huge numbers seem to arrive all at once, then all gone a
few weeks later.
Rob Reed, Bamaga
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