Everyone Welcome What to Watch out for This Month
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Gang-gang JULY 2014 Newsletter of the Canberra Ornithologists Group Inc. JULY MEETING What to watch out for this month Wednesday 9 July 2014 Despite the continuing mild winter, during the first week of June it appeared that the winter was going to be a very quiet time for observing 7.30 pm. birds in Canberra, as judged from the low level of reporting on the COG Canberra Girls Grammar School, chatline. This was changed by one very significant post on 9 June, that Multi-media centre, corner Gawler Cres by Duncan McCaskill of an Australasian Bittern on Ginninderra Creek. and Melbourne Ave, Deakin This bird was subsequently seen by a number of observers on this creek and associated ponds, with others dipping out but recording an There will again be three shorter Australian Little Bittern instead. Over the next couple of weeks both presentations at the July meeting. were observed; in fact it seems clear from photos taken that there were The first presentation on an aspect at least two Little Bitterns in the area. The Australasian Bittern was also of COG’s history in relation to later reported at the AIS pond several kilometres away, but whether COG’s 50th Anniversary there were actually two remains unclear. celebrations will be by Michael Lenz on "History of COG's Continued Page 2 waterbird surveys: Lake George and Lake Bathurst". Next Geoffrey Dabb will give one of his unique Bird of the Month presentations, entitled “A few points about Governor King’s Parrot”. The final presentation will also be by Michael Lenz on “Roost flight observations at Mt Majura”. A number of species of birds roost communally outside the breeding season. Examples of this behaviour can be readily observed in Canberra. For example, all our parrots, Welcome Swallows, Crested Pigeons, Pied Currawongs, Continued Page 2 Everyone welcome Australian Little Bittern Photo: Christine D. 1 Gang-gang — July 2014 July Meeting—continued from Page 1 Common Starlings, and Common Mynas go to sleep in groups. However, even for common species, we often have only limited information on aspects of their roosting habits and associated behaviours. In this short presentation, Michael will present his observations on roost flight for five bird species. What to watch out for this month—continued from Page 1 The significance of the first observation cannot be numbers this winter than the previous few, as does the underestimated; indeed it could be the first White-naped Honeyeater, with a few Grey Fantails, authenticated record for the ACT rather than COG’s Yellow-faced and Fuscous Honeyeaters also area of interest, or at least the first photographed one overwintering. The Superb Parrot also still seems to be here. Steve Wilson’s book Birds of the ACT: Two present in reasonable numbers, especially around the Centuries of Change includes two records, both from AIS. There have been fewer reports of the Olive- the 1940s, and which were the subject of discussion in backed Oriole and the Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike and, Canberra Bird Notes in the 1980s, with only one of apart from a single report of the Mistletoebird, none them subsequently accepted as likely to be this species. that I can find of other spring/summer migrants during Interestingly it also seems that the Australian Little June. Overall, despite the mild winter so far, it doesn’t Bittern is our official first winter record, with all appear very large numbers of spring/summer migrants previous records being from October to March. are overwintering, so please keep a special watch out Whether this is an artefact is unclear to me; in fact, it is and report any observations of these species. possible either species could be present at any time but Of the winter altitudinal migrants the Flame Robin still due to their cryptic nature they are overlooked, with seems to be in present in only low numbers close to the best way of finding them wading through the water. suburban Canberra, and not was seen in my local patch Not many bird watchers would be keen to do this, in June. Surprisingly I can find only a couple of records especially in winter. of the Rose Robin from the ANBG early in June, and Chatline posts pointed out that a major reason may be there still don’t seem to be any reports of the Pink the proliferation of constructed wetlands in the Robin. However, there have been two reports of the northern part of Canberra, with lots of them providing Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, and several of the Crescent the shelter which species such as these (and crakes) Honeyeater, which some observers have noted are require, which not that long ago was only afforded by fewer than usual this winter. I have heard one calling Kelly Swamp and associated wetlands. However, they loudly at the same spot in Chapman a number of times don’t seem to be the reason why a number of the during June, but it hasn’t been recorded in my GBS site, inland open water duck species, such as the Australian less than 200 metres away. The Brown Gerygone was Shoveler, Hardhead, Freckled and particularly the Pink confirmed from the ANBG in the second half of June, -eared Duck (including in places where they are but there have been no further reports of the Swift seldom seen such as Lake Tuggeranong), are still being Parrot, and I expect the vast majority of them will be reported, despite the relatively wet conditions to the at the South Coast again this year. west of the ACT. Mixed feeding flocks (MFFs) were still being reported in The other unexpected species has been the Musk June, though increasingly in smaller numbers. These Lorikeet, which too has been observed at two will break up with the commencement of breeding, locations, Wanniassa/Kambah and Hughes, where they such as by the early starters like the Yellow-rumped have been present since early June, sometimes in the Thornbill. Reports of bush bird breeding in June seem presence of the Rainbow Lorikeet. Interestingly John to be confined to a pair of Australian Ravens pulling Leonard reports that there seems to be very little branches out of one old nest to repair another old nest flowering in Hughes to attract them. The former was nearby. However, there have been further reports of also present in Canberra last winter but, as I noted very young Australian Wood Ducklings as well as Purple then, there were only about 25 previous formal records Swamphens during June, and the Black-shouldered on the COG database, scattered throughout the year. Kites at the Jerrabomberra Wetlands were reported as raising two juveniles by the end of the month. On the Of the spring/summer migrant species the Dusky last full weekend in June a Masked Lapwing was flushed Woodswallow seems to have stayed over in larger Gang-gang — July 2014 2 off a nest near the pool in a backyard in Percy Crescent Chapman Australian on three successive mornings. As it was off during the rest of the Ornithological day (though still nearby) I suspect it may have been egg laying. Services This species has nested here most years since the 2003 fires, though colder weather after similar behaviour at the same time PO Box 385 last year stopped breeding activity for a month. So keep a lookout South Yarra 3141 for any winter breeding, as well as further MFFs. Victoria Tel: 03 9820 4223 One very conspicuous winter phenomenon again this year is of Mob: 04173 10200 flocks of birds, with Leo Berzins reporting a flock of thousands of Galahs aggregating in a paddock near the Molonglo River in Fyshwick. Geoffrey Dabb posted that the thousands of Sulphur- crested Cockatoos around South Canberra at the moment are [email protected] feeding on capeweed Arctotheca calendula, noting that recent conditions have produced a lush crop of these, and that the plant 2014 tours is uprooted and the fleshy root eaten completely. Given that they 3 — 10 August are a weed they might be performing an environment benefit, New Caledonia with Martin Butterfield posting a photo of the level of tillage they had created in a paddock in the Snow Gums area below Aranda 6 — 25 September Bushland. While flocks of Little Corellas and Yellow-tailed Black- Strzelecki Track 35th tour Cockatoos have also been reported, winter flocks have not been The 4 states outback expedition limited to cockies, with Lindell Emerton reporting between 60-70 (1 place left) White-winged Choughs seen on the Royal Canberra Golf Course. With the much shorter days another phenomenon which is easier 30 September — 8 October to observe in winter is birds flying to their roosts, as well as roosting. In preparation for Michael Lenz’ presentation on this at NSW Central Coast. Gloucester Tops the July meeting, please look out for this behaviour with any NP, Barren Grounds NR, species in your GBS etc, to see if they coincide with those Michael has been observing. So while July may be mid winter there are 10 – 19 December still plenty of things to look out for, whether they are unusual SW Western Australia species, spring/summer migrants overwintering, altitudinal winter 2015 tours migrants, MFFs, the first bush birds to commence breeding, or aspects of birds roosting behaviour. As usual please ensure that 31 January — 7 February all significant observations end up on the COG database. Tasmania birding & mammal tour Jack Holland February/March New Zealand: South & Stewart Is- lands & North incl. Hauraki Gulf pelagic 18 — 25 April Alice Springs 24 May — 7 June Top End Part 1: Darwin to Katherine Part 2: Katherine to Kununurra Part 3: Mitchell Plateau July Iron Range & Atherton Tablelands September: Strzelecki Track outback tour Please see itineraries, checklists and latest news on our website Australian Little Bittern Photo: Julian Robinson www.philipmaher.com 3 Gang-gang — July 2014 CONSERVATION COUNCIL ACT REGION The Conservation Council is a non-profit, non-government organisation and a peak body for more than 40 natural history, environment, conservation and landcare groups in the Canberra Region.