The Burdekin-Lynd divide in NQ is an interesting area and has cropped up in
this discussion a couple of times. It is a significant barrier to migration
and probably accounts for the lack of Wagtails observed by Lloyd around
Lynd.
Although nearly 30 years old this abstract from Emu is worth a read.
"Avian Hybridization and Allopatry in the Region of the Einasleigh Uplands
and Burdekin-Lynd Divide, North-eastern Queensland" J. Ford. Emu 1986
(Selected quotes)
The Einasleigh Uplands and Burdekin-Lynd Divide comprise an elevated
section of the Great Dividing Range in north- eastern Queensland. About
twenty avian species of eucalypt forest, woodland and grassland habitats
have range gaps, hybrid zones or stepped size-clines in the region of these
uplands. Species and species-pairs with a discontinuous or partly
discontinuous range include the Lemon-bellied Flycatcher *Microeca
flavigaster*, Restless Flycatcher....
.....Though some of the hybrid zones and steps might have been produced by
nearby geographical barriers consisting of low rainfall salients, the
upland-divide is an active barrier at present. A cooler climate in the
upland-divide now, and presumably in past times, appears to be the cause of
present and past range gaps because relevant habitats are continuous
throughout north-eastern Queensland.
......Most geographical barriers between isolated avian populations on the
Australian mainland to consist of arid or low-rainfall belts extending to
the coast but other cold upland sections of the Great Dividing Range
besides the Einasleigh Uplands and Burdekin-Lynd have operated as barriers.
These include the McPherson Range and Blue Mountains-Snowy Mountains chain.
Full abstract: http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/MU9860087.htm
Chris gregory
On 15 July 2015 at 13:22, Chris Corben <> wrote:
> Interesting! So to what extent could this pattern just reflect breeding?
> Couldn't that happen without any movement? Could the influx to northern
> areas be young birds?
>
>
>
>
> On 7/15/2015 3:29 AM, Mike Carter wrote:
>
>> So where does the winter influx of Willie Wagtails to northern and
>> outback NSW and Queensland emanate from? Not it would appear from lowland
>> areas of southern Victoria as might be assumed. Perhaps it is an
>> altitudinal rather than a latitudinal movement.
>> I say that because an analysis of the fluctuation of bird numbers at
>> Melbourne Water's Eastern Treatment Plant (where it is a common resident
>> bird) over the years 1998-2011 by Sudbury & Carter showed that numbers of
>> Willie Wagtails present during winter were slightly higher than those in
>> summer and were double those in spring when numbers were lowest. There were
>> two peaks in numbers, a very marked one in September and another in April
>> perhaps suggesting a spring and autumn passage. So on a very small scale, I
>> would also regard them as winter visitors to SE Melbourne!
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Mike Carter, 03 9787 7136
>> 30 Canadian Bay Road
>> Mount Eliza, VIC 3930, Australia
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Birding-Aus On Behalf
>> Of Greg and Val Clancy
>> Sent: Monday, 13 July 2015 5:24 PM
>> To: Greg and Val Clancy
>> Cc: Birding-aus
>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Willie Wagtail migration
>>
>> Further to our recent discussion on Willie Wagtail migration I have been
>> counting numbers of the species on recent day trips. On a trip from Coutts
>> Crossing to Shark Creek then Tullymorgan on 18 June we counted a total of
>> 24 WWs, on 20 June from Coutts Crossing to Tucabia then to Minnie Water and
>> return we counted 10; on 25 June from Coutts Crossing to the Coldstream
>> wetlands and Tucabia we recorded 58 WWs, 15 of them on the Tucabia
>> sportsfield; on 2 July from Coutts Crossing to Jackadgery then back to
>> Grafton and on to Ulmarra we had 40 WW.
>>
>> Other species that have increased numbers in our area during the
>> autumn-winter months are the Restless Flycatcher, Black-faced
>> Cuckoo-shrike, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike and Grey Shrike-thrush however
>> the increases in the Flycatcher and Shrike-thrush numbers are not high.
>>
>> 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: Greg and Val Clancy
>> Sent: Monday, June 15, 2015 5:08 PM
>> To: martin cachard ; Lloyd Nielsen ;
>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Willie Wagtail migration
>>
>> Hi Martin,
>>
>> I observe groups, usually scattered individuals, in a variety of habitats
>> from the edge of grazing paddocks, on fences and roads, as well as along
>> gravel roads in state forests. Roads seem to be an attraction but then I
>> am usually driving along the roads, although if they were gathering away
>> from
>> roads I would also see them there at times. Unfortunately I haven’t
>> recorded these observations in any systematic way but most roads in open
>> country and lightly forested country seem to have these birds. I have just
>> finished 3 months work in northern New South Wales which involved driving
>> many back roads. Willie Wagtails were a common sight along many of them,
>> often foraging on the road and flying to a perch nearby as we drove by. I
>> will note the numbers and locations of them in the future as it would be
>> good to document this regular irruption. Like Lloyd I have also seen them
>> spread along roads spaced at about 100 m from each other.
>>
>>
>> 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/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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> --
>
> Chris Corben.
>
>
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