birding-aus

Birding-Aus Digest, Vol 93, Issue 4

To:
Subject: Birding-Aus Digest, Vol 93, Issue 4
From: Michael Hunter <>
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2021 16:27:20 +1000
Re Peewees.

                        Lockdown research indicates that large flocks of Magpie 
larks seasonally migrate to the North of Australia and back,   probably  
accounting for the Townsville mangrove mob.

                         But not for the Bellarine Peninsula nighttime roost.   
Doesn’t seem to be like the grouping of single young male Magpies but a real 
group behavioural trait. Presumably doesn’t happen during breeding. Maybe the 
removal of nearby Cypressus also removed previous roosts. Will be interesting 
to see if this roosting continues over the years David.


          Michael Hunter
                         
                        

Sent from my iPhone

> On 15 Jul 2021, at 2:00 am,  wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
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>   1. Re: Birding-Aus Digest, Vol 93, Issue 3 (JOAN WHARTON)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2021 13:59:39 +1000
> From: JOAN WHARTON <>
> To: 
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Birding-Aus Digest, Vol 93, Issue 3
> Message-ID:
>    <>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
> Roasting Aggregation of Magpie Larks
> I don't remember what time of the year but at least 6 years ago I saw
> hundreds of Magpie Larks come into roost in Mangroves at Rowes Bay in
> Townsville.
> 
> Joan Wharton
> 
>> On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 2:00 AM <> wrote:
>> 
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>> Today's Topics:
>> 
>>   1. Re: Birding-Aus Digest, Vol 93, Issue 2 (Michael Hunter)
>>   2. Mascarene Petrel in Australian waters (Phil Gregory)
>> 
>> 
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> 
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2021 04:24:05 +1000
>> From: Michael Hunter <>
>> To: 
>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Birding-Aus Digest, Vol 93, Issue 2
>> Message-ID: <>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>> 
>> Re roosting Magpie larks.
>> 
>> Were these Seasonal roosts ? Alan suggests that they are.
>> Any sex bias ?
>> 
>>          Thanks
>> 
>>                Michael
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>>> On 13 Jul 2021, at 2:00 am,  wrote:
>>> 
>>> ?Send Birding-Aus mailing list submissions to
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>>> Today's Topics:
>>> 
>>>  1. Roosting aggregation of Magpie larks (David Clark)
>>>  2. Re: Roosting aggregation of Magpie larks (Alan Gillanders)
>>>  3. Re: Roosting aggregation of Magpie larks (David Clark)
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> 
>>> Message: 1
>>> Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 17:16:41 +1000
>>> From: David Clark <>
>>> To: birding-aus <>
>>> Subject: [Birding-Aus] Roosting aggregation of Magpie larks
>>> Message-ID:
>>>   <CALdqC2C0dxe_C=>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>>> 
>>> I'm looking out my study window at the gathering of Magpie Larks that
>>> occurs around this time every day on our property on the Bellarine
>>> Peninsula.
>>> 
>>> There are usually two pairs of Magpie Larks on our property and last
>> summer
>>> one pair fledged three young so we could see up to five quite
>> regularly.  A
>>> few months ago, I noticed quite a few more arriving an hour or so before
>>> dusk.  This was accompanied by lots of calling, group flights and the
>>> occasional scrap between individuals.
>>> 
>>> As I'm writing this, at least ten Magpie Larks have flown to the bare
>> lower
>>> branches of our large Cypress trees and are perched there.  Later on they
>>> will move higher up among the foliage and will be joined by others until
>>> there are at least 30 Magpie Larks roosting there overnight.  They seem
>> to
>>> disperse at first light and we're left with two pairs.
>>> 
>>> Some of the neighbouring farms had large Cypress trees but many have been
>>> removed over the last 12 months and there aren't many other large trees
>>> with extensive canopies.
>>> 
>>> I have seen aggregations of Magpie Larks, most notably at Kakadu where I
>>> counted 50 perched together in a huge gum during the day, but I was not
>>> aware that Magpie Larks roosted communally.
>>> 
>>> Have our Cypress trees become the dormitory for the neighbourhood's
>> Magpie
>>> Larks?
>>> 
>>> Cheers
>>> 
>>> David
>>> -------------- next part --------------
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>>> 
>>> ------------------------------
>>> 
>>> Message: 2
>>> Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 21:51:18 +1000
>>> From: Alan Gillanders <>
>>> To: 
>>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Roosting aggregation of Magpie larks
>>> Message-ID:
>>>   <>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; Format="flowed"
>>> 
>>> David,
>>> 
>>> Here in north Queensland young Magpie Larks form flocks at this time of
>>> year and are often joined by Common Mynahs. I wonder if you could check
>>> out if they are first year birds.
>>> 
>>> Regards,
>>> 
>>> Alan
>>> 
>>> Alan's Wildlife Tours
>>> 2 Mather Road
>>> Yungaburra 4884
>>> 
>>> Phone 07 4095 3784
>>> Mobile 0408 953 786
>>> http://www.alanswildlifetours.com.au
>>> 
>>>> On 12/07/2021 5:16 pm, David Clark wrote:
>>>> I'm looking out my study window at the gathering of Magpie Larks that
>>>> occurs around this time every day on our?property on the Bellarine
>>>> Peninsula.
>>>> 
>>>> There are usually two pairs of Magpie Larks on our property and last
>>>> summer one pair fledged three young so we could see up to five quite
>>>> regularly.? A few months ago, I noticed quite a few more arriving an
>>>> hour or so before dusk.? This was accompanied by lots of calling,
>>>> group flights and the occasional scrap between individuals.
>>>> 
>>>> As I'm writing this, at least ten Magpie Larks have flown to the bare
>>>> lower branches of our large Cypress trees and are?perched there.?
>>>> Later on they will move higher up among the foliage and will be joined
>>>> by others until there are at least 30 Magpie Larks roosting there
>>>> overnight.? They seem to disperse at first light and we're left with
>>>> two pairs.
>>>> 
>>>> Some of the neighbouring farms had large Cypress trees but many have
>>>> been removed over the last 12 months and there aren't many other large
>>>> trees with extensive canopies.
>>>> 
>>>> I have seen aggregations of Magpie Larks, most notably at Kakadu where
>>>> I counted 50 perched together in a huge gum during the day, but I was
>>>> not aware that Magpie Larks roosted communally.
>>>> 
>>>> Have our Cypress trees become the dormitory for the neighbourhood's
>>>> Magpie Larks?
>>>> 
>>>> Cheers
>>>> 
>>>> David
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> <HR>
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>>> ------------------------------
>>> 
>>> Message: 3
>>> Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2021 23:25:26 +1000
>>> From: David Clark <>
>>> To: Alan Gillanders <>
>>> Cc: birding-aus <>
>>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Roosting aggregation of Magpie larks
>>> Message-ID:
>>>   <CALdqC2AaXJH5HXb=>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>>> 
>>> I'm not sure that I could tell Alan but the two established pairs are
>>> involved and they would have to be 4-5 years old.
>>> 
>>> Common Mynahs have only appeared here recently and they don't seem to go
>>> near the Cypress trees.  Little Ravens, Red Wattlebirds, Black Kites and
>>> Brown Falcons regularly roost there.
>>> 
>>> Cheers
>>> 
>>> David
>>> 
>>> On Mon, Jul 12, 2021 at 9:52 PM Alan Gillanders <
>>> > wrote:
>>> 
>>>> David,
>>>> 
>>>> Here in north Queensland young Magpie Larks form flocks at this time of
>>>> year and are often joined by Common Mynahs. I wonder if you could check
>> out
>>>> if they are first year birds.
>>>> 
>>>> Regards,
>>>> 
>>>> Alan
>>>> 
>>>> Alan's Wildlife Tours
>>>> 2 Mather Road
>>>> Yungaburra 4884
>>>> 
>>>> Phone 07 4095 3784
>>>> Mobile 0408 953 786http://www.alanswildlifetours.com.au
>>>> 
>>>> On 12/07/2021 5:16 pm, David Clark wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> I'm looking out my study window at the gathering of Magpie Larks that
>>>> occurs around this time every day on our property on the Bellarine
>>>> Peninsula.
>>>> 
>>>> There are usually two pairs of Magpie Larks on our property and last
>>>> summer one pair fledged three young so we could see up to five quite
>>>> regularly.  A few months ago, I noticed quite a few more arriving an
>> hour
>>>> or so before dusk.  This was accompanied by lots of calling, group
>> flights
>>>> and the occasional scrap between individuals.
>>>> 
>>>> As I'm writing this, at least ten Magpie Larks have flown to the bare
>>>> lower branches of our large Cypress trees and are perched there.  Later
>> on
>>>> they will move higher up among the foliage and will be joined by others
>>>> until there are at least 30 Magpie Larks roosting there overnight.  They
>>>> seem to disperse at first light and we're left with two pairs.
>>>> 
>>>> Some of the neighbouring farms had large Cypress trees but many have
>> been
>>>> removed over the last 12 months and there aren't many other large trees
>>>> with extensive canopies.
>>>> 
>>>> I have seen aggregations of Magpie Larks, most notably at Kakadu where I
>>>> counted 50 perched together in a huge gum during the day, but I was not
>>>> aware that Magpie Larks roosted communally.
>>>> 
>>>> Have our Cypress trees become the dormitory for the neighbourhood's
>> Magpie
>>>> Larks?
>>>> 
>>>> Cheers
>>>> 
>>>> David
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> <HR>
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>>> End of Birding-Aus Digest, Vol 93, Issue 2
>>> ******************************************
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ------------------------------
>> 
>> Message: 2
>> Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2021 09:33:59 +1000
>> From: Phil Gregory <>
>> To: Birding-aus NEW <>
>> Subject: [Birding-Aus] Mascarene Petrel in Australian waters
>> Message-ID: <>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>> 
>> Just found this tucked away in the section about new books on Birdforum,
>> from Harrison?s new Seabirds Guide (Lynx), quite amazing news: From
>> satellite tracking data of 14 individuals of the critically endangered
>> seabird from Reunion, it was found to be dispersing in the Arabian Sea to
>> NW Australia (Saunier et al 2021) and the LIFE+ petrels project.
>> Another reason to do a pelagic off NW Oz?...
>> 
>> Phil Gregory
>>  <>
>> ornithological writer/tour leader/tour facilitator
>> Field Guides / Sicklebill Safaris / Cassowary Tours
>> PO Box 597
>> Malanda
>> QLD 4885
>> Australia
>> 
>> Ph: +61 7 4096 8063
>> 
>> Email:  <>
>> Website1: http://www.sicklebillsafaris.com <
>> http://www.sicklebillsafaris.com/> OR www.birder.travel <
>> http://www.birder.travel/>
>> Website 2: http://www.cassowarytours.com.au <
>> http://www.cassowarytours.com.au/>
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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