tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92135207143974819312024-03-05T08:46:16.819-08:00BIRDS OF ALLEN ROADThe Backyard List of birds seen on our 7½-acres property at 63 Allen Road, NANANGO, Queensland, Australia. It includes sightings made while walking/driving along Allen Road.Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-13079410048287890242014-02-07T09:55:00.001-08:002014-02-07T09:55:16.415-08:00January 2014: Farewell
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Q-1fq5t9_Ny9tHX9ZJq9LzqH27qZZkfXvuYJKf7tUBmDK3Ii6hd9O2_vz7xETHKYzCQdCS9adkZJAAHhmoka2DdfbedF60SNqDIiBKrAioaM72gezxgGEFz07_1mWN6jBkjNa66muNg/s1600/honeyeater+blue-faced+140207z+(684+x+490).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Q-1fq5t9_Ny9tHX9ZJq9LzqH27qZZkfXvuYJKf7tUBmDK3Ii6hd9O2_vz7xETHKYzCQdCS9adkZJAAHhmoka2DdfbedF60SNqDIiBKrAioaM72gezxgGEFz07_1mWN6jBkjNa66muNg/s1600/honeyeater+blue-faced+140207z+(684+x+490).jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Welcome to 2014.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May all those elusive birds you have strived
hard to see [but not yet succeeded in seeing] dance before you binoculars or
telescope during this year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I did have ambitious plans for
the new year; a new format, a different way of keeping any remaining public
audience interested in the Birds of Allen Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It hasn’t come about so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
that additional time that virtual retirement was supposed to bestow on me just
fizzled out, like a wet squib at a fireworks display.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Having the time on your hands
does not necessarily equate to more time for writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, most of our additional time has been
squandered in increased birding!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
someone once quipped, you can’t have your cake and eat it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Looking through the January 2014
birding statistics for Allen Road it seems glaringly apparent that while Fay
and I continue to be in earnest about our “backyard birds”, there is little new
data to report that wasn’t covered back in January 2013; nor, for that matter,
are the 2014 stats that much different to those in January 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an example:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">January 2012<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>61 species<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">January 2013<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>70 species<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">January 2014<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>61 species<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To add further pressure to an
already anxious mind, I am desperately attempting to maintain three blogs: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Birding the South Burnett</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Birding Beyond the Pale </i>in addition to
Birds of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Allen Road</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each has a reason for being there but
combined they create a formidable challenge and in the end I cannot use any one
of them to give the full birding picture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take January 2014 as a
pointer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Allen Road tally amounts to
61 species; the South Burnett tally runs to an impressive 146 species.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the overall January tally is
actually<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>170 species; a record
in itself, clearly over-hauling the previous best January score of 145 in 2007<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Birding Beyond the Pale</i>, designed primarily as an outlet for all
those planned trips beyond the South Burnett, including overseas jaunts, ended
January with a meagre 42 species.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mice and men!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were only three trips beyond the pale:
on 7 January to Toowoomba; 14 January when we raced across to our former
stomping grounds, Redcliffe, to consult our tax accountant and the weekend of
17-19 January, our annual foray to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book
Fest</i> on the South Bank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To complicate matters, Allen Road
is of course really only a subset of the South Burnett so those birds are
doubled up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All three together amount to
simple subsets of the Queensland folder – which does register 170 species for
the month!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As loathe as I am to pull myself
away from an enjoyable pastime – and you have to understand my deep-rooted
passion for writing to fully appreciate the enormity of the wrench- I have
decided that the time has arrived to put <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Allen
Road</i> to bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This will be the last blog for
Allen Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Farewell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Keep an eye out for developments
at:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">http://birdingsouthburnett.com/<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-38948990015540170342014-01-10T01:04:00.001-08:002014-01-10T01:04:37.859-08:00ALLEN ROAD 2013: A REVIEW
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5s_pFES4XTNSA-3C9C6q8jV9xNUmBLDQob0R0_px4rjBhmJuLprUWPOrF8JtsrbofwMJSvFyAL1f9sb2_pChDqJ7lOU_6bfXChXyMFaRHRLBPzdZJYDQ3oYgkagJQK8aLUjcCYTDR170/s1600/cormorant+great48+(1228+x+816).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLNjPWmzd0BDNZ_UswcpRMZIXj9EYhOOp2TaMVcinn5E3PhyphenhyphenQxErSHQZVURFOjHB9x17o04tpPF2eNXwVvoB3s1YF75MJxYN588k8GHVKIskLd0BHGFznmVdKPz2v1luT7AoxpU3wQXg/s1600/misty+dam02+(1228+x+816)aa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLNjPWmzd0BDNZ_UswcpRMZIXj9EYhOOp2TaMVcinn5E3PhyphenhyphenQxErSHQZVURFOjHB9x17o04tpPF2eNXwVvoB3s1YF75MJxYN588k8GHVKIskLd0BHGFznmVdKPz2v1luT7AoxpU3wQXg/s1600/misty+dam02+(1228+x+816)aa.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Farewell 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long live 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The tail end of 2013 was a
struggle for all three of my blogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Birds of Allen Road</i> and </span><a href="http://www.birdingsouthburnett.blogspot.com.au/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Birding the South Burnett</span></i></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> were weeks behind schedule for the
last three months of the year; </span><a href="http://www.birdingbeyondthepale.blogspot.com.au/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Birding Beyond the Pale</span></i></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> barely managed to raise its head above
the maelstrom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was hustle and bustle
from all quarters – all seemingly designed to keep me away from one of my
favourite activities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Matters should improve during
2014.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To begin with, as I’ve mentioned
on previous occasions, I am now effectively retired; a long career in teaching,
stretching back to the UK in September 1970 has more or less closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, Down Under in Australia, it is the long
summer vacation which, at least for teachers at Blackbutt State School, ends
when they return for “pupil-free days” on 24 January; I’ll take long-service
leave from that point until 25 April [ANZAC Day] when I officially retire.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Plans are already afoot to change
the day-to-day format of the blogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
monthly reports could be increased to weekly reports, or better still!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.birdingbeyondthepale.blogspot.com.au/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Birding Beyond the Pale</span></i></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> should become more prominent during the
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully my meagre photographic
endeavours should improve; I have a new SIGMA 120-400mm APO DG OS lens which on
my SONY [A100 and/or A55] should effectively give me a 500mm+ telephoto
lens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might even delve into
digiscoping.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Never having attempted to give an
overall review of a year’s birding at one specific location I may not get this
right but will, nevertheless, persevere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Random thoughts of a random birder at his Backyard Patch [made in or out
of heaven] may be of some interest to others.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the whole, at 101 species,
2013 was not a particularly outstanding year at Allen Road, nor, conversely,
was it the worst year on record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It fell
well below the all-time record year of 2006 [110 species] or 2002 [102 species]
but it was equal to 2011 and 2007 [both also coming in at 101] and surpassed
all other years since 2001.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter">
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0">
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0">
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1">
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2">
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth">
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight">
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1">
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2">
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth">
</v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:formulas></v:stroke></v:shapetype></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The high of 2006 [110 species] is
at least partly explained by the fact that it was the first year in which Fay
and I moved to Nanango, rather than used Allen Road as a temporary
weekend/holiday hideaway; Fay, having secured employment with a small research
company subcontracted to the Peanut Company of Australia [PCA], had moved here
on a permanent basis in March 2005. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had to await the confirmation of my transfer to nearby Blackbutt State School
and moved here at the end of that school year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The low of 2008 [87 species] can
be partly accounted for by my knee replacement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the months leading up to the operation I had become virtually
housebound, unable to walk from the front door to the front gate without
experiencing excruciating pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Concentrated birding was not a viable option and there are only so many
species one can “tick” from the front verandah. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In terms of monthly tallies during the year, January [70
species] outshone all the other months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Indeed, in three of the past eight years [2006-2013] January has topped
the monthly tallies; December has equalled this while in 2009, in which only
four tallies exceeded a count of 50,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>October
[58] was the highest month and 2006 [the record year] saw November top the
months with 72 species [a record in itself].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape id="Chart_x0020_3" o:gfxdata="UEsDBBQABgAIAAAAIQDC7q8uFgEAAKECAAATAAAAW0NvbnRlbnRfVHlwZXNdLnhtbKySy07DMBBF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" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 133.5pt; visibility: visible; width: 288.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\osprey\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.png">
<o:lock aspectratio="f" v:ext="edit">
</o:lock></v:imagedata></v:shape></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Obviously all 70 of the species
tallied in January were new to the 2013 Year List and it would be cumbersome to
attempt a comment on each and every one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would however border on ornithological
negligence not to mention that the Leaden Flycatcher </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Myiagra
rubecula</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> [8 January] and Black-eared Cuckoo </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Chrysococcyx
osculans</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">[15 January] put in their only appearance for the year but both
were over-shadowed by the humble Pale-vented Bush-hen </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Amaurornis
moluccana</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It had been a wet day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been steadily raining for several days;
thoughts of January 2011, when Fay and I became marooned on our own property
for three days, loomed large.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During a
respite in the rain we sipped a glass of wine [almost invariably an Australian
shiraz] on the east verandah, overlooking the oval garden patch we refer to as
the ”Doughnut,” when simultaneously we spotted movement in behind the rose
bushes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A moment later the bush-hen
emerged, a juvenile happily foraging amongst the leaf litter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We froze, awed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could there be a Pale-vented Bush-hen
here, on the southern outskirts of Nanango and more specially, in our front
yard?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Almost immediately the bird raced
off to crash into the Middle Compound fence and that’s when we saw the adult,
foraging among discarded chicken and duck feed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They remained together long enough for the shiraz in our glasses to warm
up, demanding a cooler refill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then they were gone.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">February produced two species
that made only one appearance during the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Caspian Tern </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Hydroprogne
caspia</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, last seen at Allen Road in February 2005, a gap of eight
years, was noted flying by over the property, traveling SW-NE, on 4 February.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A pair of Ground Cuckoo-shrike </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Coracina maxima</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, last seen here in
October 2012, was observed flying over the property and like the tern,
travelling SW-NE.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Dh3cqshKRZ0iIXMYnHApzAuPthiNCQqdNP0HMeyMcl1UQbj7T01oqoT0tkV-yE6OVmly_boRdFnhUF-xFQqcngEtYVM-w9_hfgIRgn1rtM-32NzghDi4MPtOomTE2q0fQmvFoB0TdJQ/s1600/cormorant+great48+(1228+x+816).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Dh3cqshKRZ0iIXMYnHApzAuPthiNCQqdNP0HMeyMcl1UQbj7T01oqoT0tkV-yE6OVmly_boRdFnhUF-xFQqcngEtYVM-w9_hfgIRgn1rtM-32NzghDi4MPtOomTE2q0fQmvFoB0TdJQ/s1600/cormorant+great48+(1228+x+816).jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Brown Goshawk </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Accipiter fasciatus</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> put in two
appearances during the year, one in February, the other in March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both the Common Myna </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Acridotheres
tristis</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">and Great Cormorant </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Phalacrocorax
carbo </span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">managed three appearances during 2013, in each case the
initial showing was in February.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
The mega addition to the Year
List in March was the Intermediate Egret <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Egretta intermedia</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only was it new to the Backyard List but
it put in only the one appearance during 2013: noted on small dam along Allen
Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While not new to Allen Road, the
Powerful Owl <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Ninox strenua, o</span></i>n 19 March was the first
since September 2011 and only the fifth since originally noted here in October
2008.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Like the Intermediate Egret, the
Zebra Finch <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Taeniopygia guttata</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span>on
10 March was new to the Allen Road Backyard List but unlike the owl lingering
doubts remain as to its veracity: our near neighbour, an ex-Vietnam veteran,
used to keep caged Zebra Finches. He released them all some time ago but
continues to feed them in his backyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The jury is still out on this one.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>April, in
comparison, was somewhat duller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Admittedly the Red-rumped <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Parrot </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Psephotus haematonotus </span></i>showed well on 5
April, it’s first visit since January 2012 and although numbers have never
regained the glorious seven appearances in May 2003 [three in March 2008 the
nearest to that] they have shown, albeit in dribs and dabs, on a fairly regular
basis since 2003.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Similarly, the Collared
Sparrowhawk <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Accipiter cirrocephalus</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span>graced
the skies above us on 25 April, its first visit since December 2012; it came
again on 28 April and yet again on 16 August and 1 September.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>The Whistling Kite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Haliastur
sphenurus</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span>did put in its second showing for 2013 [the first being in
February] on 26 April.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>May was the month of the Black
Kite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Milvus migrans</span></i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Up until August 2011 the species had never
been recorded in South Burnett, let alone Allen Road, since our records started
back in 2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nor did local, long-time
birder, Colleen Fingland, have any record of Black Kite in or around the
immediate area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2011, while at
Blackbutt, I wrote “On Nanango side of Nukku turn-off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being "escorted" by pair of
Torresian Crows”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost exactly a year
later to the day [August 2012] Fay and I spotted one at the Tarong Power
Station being harassed by Whistling Kites.: <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Nothing more was seen of them
until 24 March of this year when we were returning from Kingaroy: my notes
record “Stopped to have a good look as the bird flew off towards Nanango.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forked tail quite clear.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spotted the kite again at almost the same
spot, near Horse Creek, on 30 March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
appeared here again on 20 April.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>By the end of April it was
becoming increasingly clear that we were experiencing an irruption of Black
Kite into the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On 28 April I wrote:
“Circling overhead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further evidence
that the species is entering the area…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>By May the species was being
recorded from Blackbutt to Nanango to Kingaroy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On 5 May 2013 Fay and I noted Black Kite flying around top end of Allen
Road and appeared to be associated with a pair of Whistling Kite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the first record of the bird for Allen
Road!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>The Wedge-tailed Eagle <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Aquila audax</span></i> showed on the same day,
reappearing on 22 May.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The humble Rufous
Whistler <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Pachycephala rufiventris</span></i>, last heard
here in August 2012, called sweetly on two consecutive days, 11<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
and 12<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>June was as dull as
dishwater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>July fared only marginally
better.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Birding improved a little during
August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Collared Sparrowhawk put in
its penultimate appearance on the 16<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Red-winged Parrot <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Aprosmictus
erythropterus</span></i> put in its first showing for 2013, on 29 August; it
went on to reappear once again in September, twice in October, once in November
and finally on 4 December.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>The Olive-backed Oriole <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Oriolus sagittatus </span></i>provided some food
for thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having arrived with a bang
last August 2012 and delighting the Dawn Chorus almost non-stop for the next
nine months, it suddenly disappeared from the scene during June and July
2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that this disappearing act was
totally unexpected, in the previous season [2011-12] the oriole had arrived
towards the end of September to vanish by mid-March and reappeared in
August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It repeated the performance this
season.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where does the oriole go for those two or
three months?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLplYqJmSIEMf7ms-G8s7oKsVSY1WkIQ_fdzANITWyxfoXoIhR3_ZII4vKaeK7J4oGP_JdhRxRrIHzj57GfVTQfJzMsXqL_mNWox-heH4NZSZV5DyIInTro4ZeY0WpCAsHD8-6H8isoE/s1600/frogmouth+tawny07+(855+x+1278).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwLplYqJmSIEMf7ms-G8s7oKsVSY1WkIQ_fdzANITWyxfoXoIhR3_ZII4vKaeK7J4oGP_JdhRxRrIHzj57GfVTQfJzMsXqL_mNWox-heH4NZSZV5DyIInTro4ZeY0WpCAsHD8-6H8isoE/s1600/frogmouth+tawny07+(855+x+1278).jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>And then suddenly it was
September; oddly enough one of my favourite times of the year [autumn] when I
was domicile in the UK and remains so Down Under when it is spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Year List blossomed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On 12 September the Tawny Frogmouth <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Podargus strigoides</span></i> put in its first
appearance since January 2013; it called again on 29 September and again in
each of the following months – calling twice in December.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two days later, having last called on 29
January 2013, the Australasian Figbird <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Sphecotheres
vieilloti</span></i> was heard calling loudly from just beyond the house; it
called again on 14 September, missed out October but was present in November
and December.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>The Plumed Whistling-Duck <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Dendrocygna eytoni</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span>absent
since early February 2013 flew by overhead on 15 September; it returned on
three occasions, both in October and November but only twice in December.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>The Sacred Kingfisher <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Todiramphus sanctus</span></i> returned to theses
southern climes on 18 September and three days later the Leaden Flycatcher was
seen for only the second time [it had called on 18 January] since 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A week later the Oriental Dollarbird <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Eurystomus orientalis</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span>made
its way back to this area and a Spotted Pardalote <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Pardalotus
punctatus</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span>called on 28 September, its first visit to Allen Road since
January 2011.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>September was always going to be
a hard act to follow.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>October tried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As early as the 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> the Great
Cormorant put in the last of its three appearances for the year; its first on 2
February and its second on 9 March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
last appearance for the year was also put in by the Little Lorikeet <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Glossopsitta pusilla</span></i> on 30 October.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>The Brush Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Cacomantis variolosus</span></i> followed its
established pattern; it appears in this area around October or November each
year, although in 2005 and 2008 it arrived as early as September and in 2009 it
was delayed until December. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2013 it
was recorded on 9 February [its last appearance for the 2012-13 season] and
reappeared [for its 2013-14 season] on 2 October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A truly summer migrant.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>It would be a rank fallacy to
accuse November 2013 of being a sluggish month; it came in with a final tally
of sixty [60] species, in equal 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> place with February and
December.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless few species not
already mentioned elsewhere in this review stood out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>The Australasian Grebe <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Tachybaptus novaehollandiae</span></i>, putting in
only its fourth ever appearance and its first since December 2006, showed well
on our own small dam, as distinct from viewing the bird elsewhere along Allen
Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a magic moment.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>The Scarlet Honeyeater <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Myzomela sanguinolenta</span></i> bettered
this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It showed for only the third time
along Allen Road on 27 November; its first showing since September 2012, following
its original visit in March 2004.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>By December the Allen Road Year
List stood at 99 species and mounting school work in the first two weeks of the
month left little time in which to seek out that looked for 100<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
bird. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end the century came up
while Fay and I were sitting up in bed enjoying an early breakfast and cup of
tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Little Bronze-Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Chrysococcyx minutillus</span></i> came to us on 7
December, its visit here since October 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Australian Pied Cormorant <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Phalacrocorax
varius</span></i> on Boxing Day was the first since July 2012.<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>As indicated at the outset of
this review, 2013 was not among the more prolific of recorded years but neither
was it the sparsest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given the mounting
classroom pressures of the Australian Curriculum in Education Queensland it is
hardly surprising that birding opportunities, both in 2012 and 2013, became
rather restricted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is difficult to
appreciate the finer nuances of a male Australian King-Parrot perched on the
verandah rail while trying to mark a dozen or more semi-legible essays written by
9-year olds on the geo-political significance of “first contact” between early
Europeans and the indigenous peoples of Australia.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>If it has any significance above
and beyond the norm, it is that 2013 marks the end of my 43-year long teaching
career and opens the gate towards extended birding activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roll on 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>BIRD OF THE YEAR: <span style="color: red;"><strong>Pale-vented
Bush-hen</strong></span> in January.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-49631602037377659452014-01-04T19:09:00.000-08:002014-01-04T19:09:06.472-08:00DECIDEDLY DECEMBER
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">DECIDEDLY DECEMBER<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">December was going to be a month
of two halves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Up to and including Friday 13<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
birding was to be decidedly patchy in birding terms; final report cards to
compose – how do you tell a doting mother that her beloved daughter is
decidedly a sandwich short of a full picnic, or, how do you find a way of
pointing out to the obviously unwashed father whose every other utterance is a
four-lettered expletive that he can’t really hold the school responsible for
the decidedly foul language used by his macho 9-year old son?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that it’s all that way inclined; for the
vast majority it’s just finding another way of repeating more or less what you
maintained at the end of the first semester.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Leopards and spots?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From Saturday 14 December it was
to be a decidedly more birdy period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was effectively retired after 43 years in teaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Summer vacation and long-service leave would
keep me out of the classroom until my actual retirement on 25 April 2014.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My time was my own and birding was decidedly
on the horizon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the other hand - and no doubt
Papa Hemmingway would have penned it in a far more appropriate style, something
about the best laid plans of mice and men- there was always the unexpected; the
long list of chores that had somehow slipped below my radar while my head was
buried in schoolbooks and report cards: the verandahs needed ceilings; the
bannister rails needed repairing and painting; the henhouse leaked; there was a
carpet snake housed under the pigeon loft; there was weeding to be done and
holes to be dug for new plants and of course the house needed cleaning up in
preparation for Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I mention
Christmas cards to write and post and presents to be wrapped?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It wasn’t the lowest December on
record [46 in 2002] but it was decidedly not among the best and fell ten [10]
short of the 70 species tallied in December 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 60 species it equalled the 2009 tally; in
6<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> place over thirteen [13] years of records.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The three regularly nocturnal
raptors maintained their presence: White-throated Nightjar <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;">Eurostopodus
mystacalis</span></span></i> [1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup>, 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> and 24<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>];
Southern Boobook <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;">Ninox boobook</span></span></i>
[1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> and 7<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>] and the Tawny Frogmouth <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;">Podargus</span></span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;">trigoides</span></span></i> [5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>,
14<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and 15<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>].<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The cuckoos also put in a
reasonable showing with the Brush Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;">Cacomantis variolosus</span></span></i> [26<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>,
28<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and 29<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>] making the largest contribution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Fan-tailed Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;">Cacomantis</span></span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;">flabelliformis</span></span></i> and Little
Bronze-Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: lime;">Chrysococcyx minutillus</span></i>
both showed on 7<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> December.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Red-winged Parrot <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;">Aprosmictus
erythropterus</span></span></i> made a solitary appearance on 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> December.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That left the month’s limelight
to the Black-Cockatoos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Yellow-tailed
Black-Cockatoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;">Calyptorhynchus
funereus</span></span></i></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">[16<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, 17<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, 18<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and 19<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>]
and the darlings of our Backyard Birds, the Glossy Black-Cockatoo <span style="color: lime;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Calyptorhynchus</span></i>
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;">l</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: lime;">athami</span></span></i> [14<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>,
16<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, 28<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and 29<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>], put in some decidedly
spectacular appearances, seeming to time their arrival as Fay and I sat on the verandah
sipping a glass or two of Australia’s decidedly finest reds.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAMivXMPm4e6KwhYZnICQNF9YRBY3AAVd_E6SQxoX6gde0eJ0vUVkmgALA4NN6YnyZ39RoKKits3PPL5SFaKcIadGTCV08g2Kwa11cuHgXBonKu9fwEsFkCY-2d1s54LEnLg1FALtaLY/s1600/black-c+yellt001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAMivXMPm4e6KwhYZnICQNF9YRBY3AAVd_E6SQxoX6gde0eJ0vUVkmgALA4NN6YnyZ39RoKKits3PPL5SFaKcIadGTCV08g2Kwa11cuHgXBonKu9fwEsFkCY-2d1s54LEnLg1FALtaLY/s320/black-c+yellt001.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKtN-bYTZ4SMhv8XLVMm0Yqm44ErDhRPTDiW7C2mQ3D35L_iMdf7ZbfZT_gq9vEBH-4_Fm7BIoiOgE4AcKxHu2PBUIZ86rdtNGbL5W8ddMwQb2DimaA3v0gGRQYSSv3HiGXB3pbDOYSSA/s1600/cockatoo+y-t001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKtN-bYTZ4SMhv8XLVMm0Yqm44ErDhRPTDiW7C2mQ3D35L_iMdf7ZbfZT_gq9vEBH-4_Fm7BIoiOgE4AcKxHu2PBUIZ86rdtNGbL5W8ddMwQb2DimaA3v0gGRQYSSv3HiGXB3pbDOYSSA/s320/cockatoo+y-t001.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-74065483398573923902013-12-24T20:23:00.002-08:002013-12-24T20:23:45.476-08:00NOVEMBER NOTES
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qsh3Ahv37IhJRY5brPWZpTKLv4fnNuZN08sPgC24mKoR_lUS1Dup6OO__QfV3Lp0uXkooHftPXo-iJGB2dxOdmDLKzuCZJL29tHQoq1dW4dCEWGZOOW93EDvci6A6-oSao0ehaQGEJM/s1600/allen+road01bb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qsh3Ahv37IhJRY5brPWZpTKLv4fnNuZN08sPgC24mKoR_lUS1Dup6OO__QfV3Lp0uXkooHftPXo-iJGB2dxOdmDLKzuCZJL29tHQoq1dW4dCEWGZOOW93EDvci6A6-oSao0ehaQGEJM/s320/allen+road01bb.jpg" width="320" /></a>Again, preparing the notes for a
November report on Allen Road ran into the same brick wall as October had done
– school, tests, marking and the accursed report cards which nowadays follow a
set [long] format.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It blighted any hope
of having the October or November reports out into the bloggersphere on
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had considered abandoning the
whole project until the end of December or even waiting until the beginning of
the new year, 2014.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The urge to write,
to record and report overpowered any lingering hesitations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Overall, incorporating all our
birding for the month around Queensland [we didn’t venture Beyond the Pale],
November has turned up trumps; at 138 species it even topped the previous
overall 2013 high of 135 in October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
broad terms, November was a good birding month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, this did not filter down
to Allen Road itself- no doubt at least partly because I spent much of my time
indoors, poring over the aforementioned school work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 59 species, November 2013 fell well short
of the all-time Allen Road November monthly tally record of 72 species [set in
November 2006].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In terms of November
species tallies since the inception of Allen Road records [2001], November 3013
crawled into 6<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> overall place; neither the worst [45 in November
2004] nor even second worst [52 in November 2008 and 2012].</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2kHsc29oRoLZacxM9eSei5d4GNrvGsS7oV2ZlcnszBO5EGrMyKv7xQo-2joUuUaBvYxwWyBHpz-7VO4tAkNAZSjz67fj-cHWR9Fn1aSCZ4m92o1DcQir5IMEPvLgpAnmNEVg3igM7Kw4/s1600/bronzewing+common131225+%2528968+x+648%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2kHsc29oRoLZacxM9eSei5d4GNrvGsS7oV2ZlcnszBO5EGrMyKv7xQo-2joUuUaBvYxwWyBHpz-7VO4tAkNAZSjz67fj-cHWR9Fn1aSCZ4m92o1DcQir5IMEPvLgpAnmNEVg3igM7Kw4/s320/bronzewing+common131225+%2528968+x+648%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="justify" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not that the birds themselves let
us down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The regulars were always there:
Torresian Crow <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Corvus orru</i>, Laughing
Kookaburra <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dacelo novaguineae</i>,
Australian Magpie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cracticus tibicen</i>,
Grey Butcherbird <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cracticus torquatus</i> and
Pied Currawong <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Strepera graculina</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along with the smaller fry – Noisy Miner <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Manorina melancephala</i>, Apostlebird <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Struthidea cinerea</i>, Galah <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eolophus roseicapillus</i>, Rainbow Lorikeet
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trichoglossus haematodus</i>,
Bar-shouldered Dove <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Geopelia humeralis</i>
and Crested Pigeon <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ocyphaps lophotes</i>
they formed the backbone of the Allen Road natural diurnal aviary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0L_fcStDxy7jlSnsBZTZt8NbpXXcLw9uV9A3gqjOxhKTfyzV5lawe6r__8xzLyW9blrzwrxzsHOx3BixH37dgdWNew8xVBnfNy0uwdnSJApDR24aJm6BrdW2k519EXFe0hTrBsnvAIE/s1600/currawong+pied+11aa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0L_fcStDxy7jlSnsBZTZt8NbpXXcLw9uV9A3gqjOxhKTfyzV5lawe6r__8xzLyW9blrzwrxzsHOx3BixH37dgdWNew8xVBnfNy0uwdnSJApDR24aJm6BrdW2k519EXFe0hTrBsnvAIE/s320/currawong+pied+11aa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Their nocturnal counterparts held
up their end of the avian spectrum although the Australian Owlet-nightjar <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aegotheles cristatus</i> disappeared
altogether during November [last reported on 25 September this year].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand, both the White-throated
Nightjar <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eurostopodus mystacalis</i> [5
appearances] and Southern Boobook <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox
novaeseelandiae</i> [7 appearances] shone brightly on the tally list. The touch
of cream topping the avian cake came in the form of the Tawny Frogmouth <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Podargus strigoides</i> which put in two
appearances during the month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bush
Stone-curlew <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Burhinus grallarius</i>,
albeit considered more crepuscular than truly nocturnal by some observers,
managed to put in four appearances during the month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of particular note was the Grey
Shrike-thrush <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Colluricincla harmonica </i>on
10th November, the first of six appearances during the month; it equalled the
six in December 2004.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The history of the
species along Allen Road has a rather chequered history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no recorded observations during
2001 and only the single record in April 2002.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>During 2003 two were noted, in July and September [the only time the
species has appeared in those particular months].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a relative population explosion in
2004 with one bird in February and March, three in June, one in November and a
previously unheralded six during December; a total of twelve [12] for the year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The 2004 tally was halved the
following year, 2005, with only six Grey Shrike-thrushes putting in a show:
four in January and one each in February and April.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a total drought in 2006 followed by
four appearances over the next two years [three during 2007 and only one in
2008] before 2009 and 2010 came in with zero scores. Matters improved with a
solitary observation in August 2011 and two shrike-thrushes noted in 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As of at the end of November
2013, there had been observations in February [1], March [1], October [1] and
November [6].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To keep us on our toes, November
did provide a number of one-off sightings well worth the recording.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The early part of the month was slow in
showing anything but the day-to-day regulars however on the 17<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> a
White-faced Heron <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Egretta picata</i> flew
by overhead; it never returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two days
later a pair of Red-winged Parrots <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aprosmictus
erythropterus</i> flew across the property, travelling from west to east.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On 23 November a Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Acanthagenys rufogularis</i> put in a brief
appearance while on the 25<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> a Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Calyptorhynchus funereus</i> called loudly
as it passed by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, on 27<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
November we tracked down and saw the raucous Brush Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cacomantis variolosus</i>; it was only the second observation since
February [one had called in October]. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
In many respects November could be seen as a
rather disappointing moth but given the constraints imposed upon both Fay [who
always poor-reads my work] and I it gave of its best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The silver lining along this particular black
cloud is that I effectively retired on 13 December which means no more testing,
marking or writing report cards; more birding and no doubt a glass or two of
addition red wine awaits- once I’ve started on that long list of chores around
the place that Fay has compiled for me!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPM4mHuruuJq_7y7GCeSe3a6SeWZay3Iso98PcJEFZUr7Sj34816L7lAoK25PSUi_3inQPWDI1z-ws_DnPZFVz7MgyYeLOuEwRbvLUZk5fDBikQCPch8e-4iv8sbBVIgLOypQjGLET9EI/s1600/sunlit+flora42+(968+x+648).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPM4mHuruuJq_7y7GCeSe3a6SeWZay3Iso98PcJEFZUr7Sj34816L7lAoK25PSUi_3inQPWDI1z-ws_DnPZFVz7MgyYeLOuEwRbvLUZk5fDBikQCPch8e-4iv8sbBVIgLOypQjGLET9EI/s320/sunlit+flora42+(968+x+648).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
To the Christian amongst you, a
very Merry Christmas.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
To all the others, a Merry Winter
[northern hemisphere] or Summer [southern hemisphere] Solstice.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-37228419010610853482013-12-17T11:01:00.000-08:002013-12-17T11:07:48.089-08:00OCTOBER OFFERINGS<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Given that it is now mid-December, some might well consider
this monthly report a mite on the tardy side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, going on the
premise of better late than never, it is present here with an brief explanation
as to why it has taken this long to emerge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was actually written by the end of the first week in November and
awaited a few textual adjustments and the addition of the photographs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Piece of cake; like falling off a log.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the enormity of the new Australian
Curriculum dropped on me like the proverbial lead balloon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Testing, marking and of course report writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gone are the days when teachers could simply
comment “worked well” or “could do better.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>November and early December [when the November report would normally be
prepared] became lost in a mountain of schoolwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drowned in a deluge of data that had to be
prepared and transferred to varius computer files – and then forwarded to
various areas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">‘nough said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
October report for Allen Road is here.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Z95XpowYX1CvFCHM4mLm-eD3aFnhcQWl8KU82eznYcxtMOsXNbOeqhRmhJAztZoNl4Gi7LLu5pjrsFWNwIZLzXxBU67t1BjPxf4f7_G0i-GD1UUS-aMh0Hum_CwiPoAEM-ykD7YOR4c/s1600/red-backed00adj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Z95XpowYX1CvFCHM4mLm-eD3aFnhcQWl8KU82eznYcxtMOsXNbOeqhRmhJAztZoNl4Gi7LLu5pjrsFWNwIZLzXxBU67t1BjPxf4f7_G0i-GD1UUS-aMh0Hum_CwiPoAEM-ykD7YOR4c/s320/red-backed00adj.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a blog designed primarily to record bird species noted
along Allen Road over a given calendar month, this month I’ll start by
referring to a species not actually observed during October 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The idea for the anomaly was originally suggested
by the unexpected appearance of the Superb Fair-wren on the 23<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>rd</sup> of
the month; the Variegated Fairy-wren had already put in two separate
appearances [12<sup>th</sup> and 13<sup>th</sup>] by then and showed well again
on the 26<sup>th</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The latter fairy-wren
was recorded almost without a twitch; it’s an Allen Road regular and even
inhabits the bushland area around our dam on the southern edge of the 7½-acre
property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Superb on the other hand
did raise the proverbial eyebrow – its previous sighting had been back in December
2011!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSuZgoWt2CuM2HNmrdK-feFwAZLiHxuGc10ce-4ym19hprz0BSgqggJTjfDEi3qdLuComKiN8GBow2nTRniGVHITN4qomEVD_pDO0C471aSXrtwhi5YESgkAvql1O1Xz6ntxCgOeVGWY/s1600/fairy-wren+superb1111+pixed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSuZgoWt2CuM2HNmrdK-feFwAZLiHxuGc10ce-4ym19hprz0BSgqggJTjfDEi3qdLuComKiN8GBow2nTRniGVHITN4qomEVD_pDO0C471aSXrtwhi5YESgkAvql1O1Xz6ntxCgOeVGWY/s320/fairy-wren+superb1111+pixed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This led us to wander a little down Memory Lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our early, pioneering, days on Allen Road
we had often experienced the pleasure of having the magnificent fairy-wren
trinity on display; the Variegated, Superb and the Red-backed Fairy-wren. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It wasn’t so much that the Red-backed had not put in an
appearance during October 2013 [it last showed in January 2013] but the
realization that the Red-backed Fairy-wren has NEVER been recorded in any
October since the commencement of Allen Road records back in April 2001.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That inspired us to delve a little
deeper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The species has also failed to
put in a showing during any May, June or July, with only a solitary appearance
during August, over all those years.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8JBGwRvb_Top1aRO9i2C93tOyp1TTUHZ8BVOd47q4EGdXtsEVPa8aSy9YDtP7Ydq2U6__uvuzruJRrCBJvsoWj6l5YpvKzuKBz6KQa3XiqakhRYs_kPfPmQ28EoGlih6IcwxE6AbbpM/s1600/008c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8JBGwRvb_Top1aRO9i2C93tOyp1TTUHZ8BVOd47q4EGdXtsEVPa8aSy9YDtP7Ydq2U6__uvuzruJRrCBJvsoWj6l5YpvKzuKBz6KQa3XiqakhRYs_kPfPmQ28EoGlih6IcwxE6AbbpM/s320/008c.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not that the Red-backed Fairy-wren has ever been a prolific
species along Allen Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In total we
have only ever recorded the Red-backed on 29 occasions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Compare that to the 55 computer entries for
the Superb and 356 for the Variegated.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over October 2013 we recorded 24 daily entries [a little less
than a birding trip per day] for a total of 59 species, ranging from the 37
species noted on the 6<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> to the solitary Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater on
the 18<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 42% [71 species]
the passerines again dominated the species order tally; in second place, on 9%
[15 species], are the parrots and allies with the pelicans and allies and
raptors sharing third spot on 7% [12 species each].<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Among the passerines, the honeyeaters continue to dominate
the charts with fifteen species [9%]; a little ahead of the raptors on 12
species [7%].<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And speaking of honeyeaters along Allen Road brings to mind
the anomaly of the regular triumvirate of backyard Meliphagidae: the
Yellow-faced, Blue-faced and Striped Honeyeaters; particularly the battle
between the two coloured face species.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By the end of our first year at Allen Road, 2001, the Yellow-faced
Honeyeater<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>was clearly the dominant
species; 56 appearances compared to the 26 records for the Blue-faced Honeyeater.
In 2002 the gap was even more glaring, 62 to 18 sightings.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thus the mindset was established, the Yellow-faced was our
most prolific honeyeater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The thought
continued for many a year before the proverbial penny dropped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old, perceived wisdom rankled in the back
of the mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was clearly something
amiss with the concrete tale of the Yellow-faced dominance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weren’t we in fact seeing more Blue-faces?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A cursory review of our handwritten records confirmed the
accuracy of the gnawing misgivings; in 2006 we had recorded only 12
Yellow-faces compared to 159 sighting of the Blue-face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The arrival of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bird Journal</i> software soon added substance to the suspicions: in
2003 we had recorded both species on 56 occasions [a tie] but thereafter the
Blue-faces simply soared ahead of the Yellow-faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2010 the tally was 9-133 in favour of the
Blue-faces and even last year [2012] the disparity glared at 9-106.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At some point in the debate someone queried the Striped
Honeyeater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bird Journal</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, this
species was there in 2001, on 53 sightings compared to the 56 for Yellow-faces
and 26 for Blue-faces but by 2002 it had unassumingly passed both its
Meliphagidae rivals; 83 sightings compared to 62 Yellow-faces and a mere 18
Blue-faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It retained its undisputed
leadership until 2006 when, at 142 separate entries, it slipped beneath the 159
for the Blue-faces – Yellow-face records lingered at 12 sightings that year.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Striped Honeyeaters made a brief resurgence in 2008 and 2009,
155/148 and 108/107 respectively] but from thereon lagged behind the Blue-faces
until 2012 when they suddenly re-emerged as the leading Meliphagidae with 124
sightings compared to the 106 for Blue-faces [9 Yellow-faced appearances]. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Was there more to say? <o:p></o:p></span></span>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-62084246863705434492013-10-12T20:07:00.000-07:002013-10-12T20:07:02.609-07:00September Sundries<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9xydAGZIwfk6aWx4Q3JhT5lfPH-lGB6maJzHcxLW2MIU0Xq03_WRavfo4uMs6-nWad44-yPVzjysx2xZspuCA_NeJHsl6vyu9qkPDreMBYmTj8eB4ltHx-N-stWhU_c4GYjGLKkxdt8/s1600/kingfisher+sacred110314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9xydAGZIwfk6aWx4Q3JhT5lfPH-lGB6maJzHcxLW2MIU0Xq03_WRavfo4uMs6-nWad44-yPVzjysx2xZspuCA_NeJHsl6vyu9qkPDreMBYmTj8eB4ltHx-N-stWhU_c4GYjGLKkxdt8/s320/kingfisher+sacred110314.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This report has been a little
longer than usual in going to press.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
end of September is again one of those busy times for teachers and even though
there was a holiday in the last week of the month there was also the need to
prepare for the last term of school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
it will be the last term!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Retirement
beckons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is of course no retirement
among the avifauna of Allen Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the
usual species, the resident or at least frequent visitors to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Café Avian</i>, remained a constant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Torresian Crows <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Corvus orru</i> continue to patrol the Middle Compound and Orchard,
always on the lookout for opportunities to steal our chicken eggs; the male
Australian Magpie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cracticus tibicen</i>
risks life and limb in attempting to surreptiously share Boz’s bones and/or his
dry biscuits; the Grey Butcherbirds <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cracticus
torquatus</i> [the older of the two juveniles appears to have left the family
circle] habitually demand their morsels of cheese; the Aposlebirds <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Struthidea cinerea</i> and Grey-crowned
Babblers <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pomatostomus temporalis</i> still
dominate the scene, the former on the verandah and the Drian[n] area, the
latter in and around the Doughnut<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>birdbath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now we are blessed with a one-legged male
Australian King-Parrot <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alisterus
scapularis</i>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At 58 species September 2013 surpassed
the 50 of September 2012, although it lags behind the 61 of September 2006
[which topped the previous best of 60 in September 2002].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As in all previous recorded
years, the passerines, at 48% of total September sightings, overshadowed all other
species orders. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This group, ranging from
a low of 46% [2012] to a high of 61% [2010] has never been topped in the
species order distribution charts for Allen Road; their nearest rivals, the
parrots and allies, managed only an impoverished 14% of sightings.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Among the passerines of Allen
Road, September is always a good month for the honeyeaters. In eleven of the
past twelve years [91.66%] this group has dominated the species family
distribution charts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have topped
the September records in all but one of the past </span><span class="st"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">duodecuple</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">years, ranging between 10 and 18%
of total sightings and even in the year they were not exclusively dominant it
was not that they faltered, the pigeons and dove group simply equalled them on 10%
of sightings [five species each]. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">September was good for the local nocturnal
species.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Tawny Frogmouth <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Podargus strigoides</i> called on two
occasions [the first since January 2013]; the White-throated Nightjar <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eurostopdus mystacalis</i> called on four
occasions during the month; the Australian Owlet-nightjar <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aegotheles cristatus</i> managed to call only once [25<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> of
month] while the Southern Boobook <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninox
novaeseelandiae</i> put in frequent vocal performances.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7UExf1gG03bxbM1ZR0sEuPqMn1RSzreg0_feHfcVzJdAHq4wkC7JgCanZSV7EwUm4PAyam_-NFrlCvLEYSv_5qxNp5eptOMhNEIK6pca_tpxov8AA5_Ekz6z5y-0ubdQ7BbuJUhwNHo/s1600/baza03010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7UExf1gG03bxbM1ZR0sEuPqMn1RSzreg0_feHfcVzJdAHq4wkC7JgCanZSV7EwUm4PAyam_-NFrlCvLEYSv_5qxNp5eptOMhNEIK6pca_tpxov8AA5_Ekz6z5y-0ubdQ7BbuJUhwNHo/s320/baza03010.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
Diurnal raptors were less
numerous but the Pacific Baza <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aviceda
subcristata</i>, our first since July 2013, was a welcome addition to the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>monthly lists as was the Collared Sparrowhawk
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Accipiter cirrocephalus</i> which showed
magnificently on very first day of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>September.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following a minor flurry of activity in and
around Allen Road since May 2013, the Black Kites <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Milvus migrans</i> put in a solitary appearance in September; their unexpected
heyday is waning in the South Burnett region.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>The arrival of the first Sacred
Kingfisher <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Todiramphus sanctus </i>along
Allen Road heralded the arrival of spring, even if the weather itself vacillated
between winter and mid-summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Australasian Figbird <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sphecotheres vielloti</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>played its usual antics, it arrived on the 14<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>,
called throughout the day and then promptly disappeared before Fay and I could
mount an organized search for the bird. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It did more or less the same in 2012, putting
in three brief appearances before going elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2009 it failed altogether.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>Other less than common birds included
the Plumed Whistling-Duck <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dendrocygna
eytoni</i> which flew overhead on 15 September, their first flyby since
February 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Little Lorikeets <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Glossopsiita pusilla </i>showed well on the
4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and 28<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> while the Shining Bronze-Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chalcites licidus</i> seems to have taken a
liking to the place, remaining in the immediate vicinity through the month and
even into October. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Leaden Flycatcher
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Myiagra rubecula</i> was heard once
during the month, on the 24<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> while the Spotted Pardalote <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pardalotus punctatus</i> called only on the
28<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqn9k-41CU6ZaFnUBEJMV_EnMFd-exkFkJvzKdHeBfX67S8HcL_k72mpMK1Ngl9kfzuq4heEyGtoahRTwq4La5TzKNe43S8hfGpMDfPdkcbBPHgH0wMnJ6OMld6xI7WWYOY-nR02qtpE0/s1600/baza03010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpfhNHlBtrdk7NxYM5IeEOQkfLToE0DeqyvRJ0kGGg_8K1tthkDpxApoa7p7SLRRGkIEaybsD3-8xVJQFuehL2o4O1XZRUjWtNAGtRLTnaspPWdaWeOiWLQUX-bhPXTb2icoKYNeff34/s1600/butterfly93a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpfhNHlBtrdk7NxYM5IeEOQkfLToE0DeqyvRJ0kGGg_8K1tthkDpxApoa7p7SLRRGkIEaybsD3-8xVJQFuehL2o4O1XZRUjWtNAGtRLTnaspPWdaWeOiWLQUX-bhPXTb2icoKYNeff34/s320/butterfly93a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75"
coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe"
filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75"
style='width:149.25pt;height:150.75pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\osprey\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><o:p></o:p><br /></div>
Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-43121064367383613112013-09-06T10:45:00.001-07:002013-09-06T11:10:25.444-07:00All Quiet on the Home Front<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All Quiet on the Home Front<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8RHeIZ45G4NSIsYN5c0te8lC56u4BxwKh86lvdz4pmOVJY_aaWppB1kqhdZzFYfDNehDZRwz7MKFYb2maaGMBj2AlEAotustapz2LZXA0GT3POVdgrWdLfgmE6FH_Te6Pd-Ie2F3mmsI/s1600/julian+essex+3+(634+x+845).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8RHeIZ45G4NSIsYN5c0te8lC56u4BxwKh86lvdz4pmOVJY_aaWppB1kqhdZzFYfDNehDZRwz7MKFYb2maaGMBj2AlEAotustapz2LZXA0GT3POVdgrWdLfgmE6FH_Te6Pd-Ie2F3mmsI/s1600/julian+essex+3+(634+x+845).jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600"
o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f"
stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1028" type="#_x0000_t75"
style='width:231.75pt;height:166.5pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\osprey\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38wxc9HCCznDUtGjUb8h2uyXAExDqqFgRtE84ZsnV0J58UKporVSDljhv1kM6j54KNqtFUcTcoA4DarJPaXCeHDOrY8CUxuteZQp8bcfPLL4j2mRsHSE4nfMejyA4Rk1AFfW__VTrofQ/s1600/Fay+with+bins+%25281368+x+912%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38wxc9HCCznDUtGjUb8h2uyXAExDqqFgRtE84ZsnV0J58UKporVSDljhv1kM6j54KNqtFUcTcoA4DarJPaXCeHDOrY8CUxuteZQp8bcfPLL4j2mRsHSE4nfMejyA4Rk1AFfW__VTrofQ/s1600/Fay+with+bins+%25281368+x+912%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2"
o:spid="_x0000_i1027" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:153.75pt;height:165.75pt;
visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\osprey\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLx_2B-6SrTFumrPaE4xVHIDtd5ScWmjq9_y4ndMoDJpjiMxr9mQccuQU8XccFI3uSdFm-7tqjIrJqkVnT4pO0dqHmnvFL6ZgJvhfidmIJ_JGYQRSm6yDm2pOaajpvGPIMrmV383-0QQ/s1600/casuarina01+(968+x+648).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oddly enough, while August, with 137 species, went on to top
the eight-month tally board, avian matters at Allen Road itself remained
somewhat on the quiet side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 46
species recorded here was a whisker below the current 46.8 average; equal to
Augusts in 2010 and 2009, above the 39 of 2004, the 44 of 2005 and the 45 of
2008 but below August 2012 [47], 2003 and 2001 [48 each] and the 49 species of
2011 and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2002.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>August 2006, with 53 species, remains the
only year in which the monthly tally exceeded the 50 mark.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps not really that odd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a month in which Fay and I spread out our wings a little further
and while not quite reaching the frenzied heights our halcyon birding days
during the 1990s we did put in more bird outings than in the immediate
past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our South Burnet August tally
reached new records.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ventured even
further afield, </span></span><a href="http://birdingbeyondthepale.blogspot.com.au/"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Birding Beyond the Pale</span></span></a><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> in the Lockyer Valley and along the
Wambo Bird Trails.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All this gallivanting around the ridges had its repercussions
on Allen Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To reach other birding
destinations we had to sacrifice at least one of the two days of the
weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our habit became to sneak off
on Saturdays, leaving Sundays for work on and around the house and
property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further, to enhance our
chances of good birding at the intended venue we set off early, usually before
sunrise and that immediately impacted on our EARLY BIRDS [part of the Allen
Road tally] surveys. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLx_2B-6SrTFumrPaE4xVHIDtd5ScWmjq9_y4ndMoDJpjiMxr9mQccuQU8XccFI3uSdFm-7tqjIrJqkVnT4pO0dqHmnvFL6ZgJvhfidmIJ_JGYQRSm6yDm2pOaajpvGPIMrmV383-0QQ/s1600/casuarina01+(968+x+648).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLx_2B-6SrTFumrPaE4xVHIDtd5ScWmjq9_y4ndMoDJpjiMxr9mQccuQU8XccFI3uSdFm-7tqjIrJqkVnT4pO0dqHmnvFL6ZgJvhfidmIJ_JGYQRSm6yDm2pOaajpvGPIMrmV383-0QQ/s1600/casuarina01+(968+x+648).jpg" width="214" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Nevertheless August did manage to provide us with a few
species outside the norm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The month
opened with the return of the Olive-backed Oriole </span><i><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Oriolus sagittatus </span></i><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">2
August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that the bird ever really
went away; with a few exceptions it was noted throughout the year, even if only
rarely in some months or elsewhere in other months.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Straw-necked
Ibis <i>Threskiornis spinicollis is </i>an infrequent</span></span><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">visitor
to Allen Road during August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year
it put in its solitary appearance on 10 August; the first August sighting of
this species in two years and only the seventh August sighting since 2004 –
three of those coming in August 2008.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
flew across the property, travelling east to west, proffering the narrowest of
glimpses. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Two days later the
Australian Owlet-nightjar </span><i><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Aegotheles cristatus</span></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">called.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a notable absence in July, this year the
owlet-nightjar has called at least once every month since March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On 16 August the
first of only two raptors to appear over Allen Road during the month, the
Collared Sparrowhawk <i>Accipiter cirrocephalus,</i> [its third appearance of
the year] seemed to be experiencing a few difficulties as it was persistently
harassed by a small flock of Noisy Miners <i>Manorina melanocephala</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It eventually beat a hasty retreat to the
northwest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A week later the Brown Falcon
<i>Falco berigora</i> put in its first appearance in almost exactly two years,
having previously graced our local skies on 7 August 2011- and that had been
only its sixth ever showing at Allen Road.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Matters improved
marginally towards the end of the month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fay saw a single Red-winged Parrot </span><i><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Aprosmictus erythropterus </span></i><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">on
29 August.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The following day the
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater </span><i><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Acanthagenys rufogularis </span></i><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">made
its presence known for the first time since early May but the <i>grand finale</i>
of the month had to be the Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo <i>Calyptorhynchus
funereus </i>of 30 August.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I said at the
outset, August was rather a quiet month on the birding front.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsxZxyO0ma9Tt7QvscMmylZdYnNpy0zW-NzlpTr8BXd7MOt9vA6ak0iOyFZ8frt6bcx-xErUnWYuVuHbia3-kwoc9nQb-yF0o_FIlPgzCbEuhDNJqLEbBlJZbr3UxtsZ1IIbT2aFR7I8/s1600/rosella+pale-headed0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsxZxyO0ma9Tt7QvscMmylZdYnNpy0zW-NzlpTr8BXd7MOt9vA6ak0iOyFZ8frt6bcx-xErUnWYuVuHbia3-kwoc9nQb-yF0o_FIlPgzCbEuhDNJqLEbBlJZbr3UxtsZ1IIbT2aFR7I8/s1600/rosella+pale-headed0000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_6" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:355.5pt;
height:312.75pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\osprey\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image007.jpg"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-414905819484399122013-08-08T09:23:00.000-07:002013-08-08T09:23:24.197-07:00Allen Road in July
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTcYqBOu9kRNoGUz0US1Bynl0p2wbC6iXaRNEhSILM5Jf91p_7QQ917it4m4IP7rDvKnEwvbA_HA38VCDNbS11T9ucRMmiVPXw6aRn3Y6umsZfgPuTFVXhvcgMPhZ0dNQuSv33fMR7gg/s1600/dove+bar-shouldered100822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HWYlCe_arsrb9jVo7GPADGAzZEkvVNVd90Ypmy_QMMv_I413lNVYqyYAiZkuJNHj-gOVJhTAM9-0SJxR7x-OKYHRHSs2cinHFitxXPWO88HdzqBsEDgR8DDw2sw6sbVZvWhH6vMhtx0/s1600/dove+bar-shouldered11a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HWYlCe_arsrb9jVo7GPADGAzZEkvVNVd90Ypmy_QMMv_I413lNVYqyYAiZkuJNHj-gOVJhTAM9-0SJxR7x-OKYHRHSs2cinHFitxXPWO88HdzqBsEDgR8DDw2sw6sbVZvWhH6vMhtx0/s320/dove+bar-shouldered11a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">July was cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given that this is winter it is hardly
surprising but the thing about winter is that the days become shorter, the
nights longer and the temperatures lower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Marry this to the fact that I’m usually on the road to school by 0545
hours [before sunrise] and can on occasions return home at around 1745 hours
[near, if not always after] sunset, it is never a month of great avian
expectations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have not, for example,
ever topped the half century [50] species in the total July tally [compare that
to the 70 species recorded in January this year].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nevertheless, for a July the
tally reached a reasonably respectable 46; the best tally since the 46 of 2004-
and the 46 of 2003 and 2002!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We had to wait until the end of
the first week of the month to report anything out of the ordinary<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for Allen Road; a Fan-tailed Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Caacomantis flabelliformis</i> calling on
the morning of 7 July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Yellow-tailed
Black-Cockatoos <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Calyptorhynchus funereus</i>
appeared the following day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, it
seemed to arrive on an almost weekly basis thereafter, presenting good views on
13, 21 and 28 July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On 13 July the
White-faced <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heron Egretta novaehollandiae</i>
put in the first of its two visits for the month; it also appeared at the edge
of Denis’s small front dam [its favourite haunt in the immediate vicinity] on
28 July.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzj53ES1BREvZ1GU4QCh5dcg2fns3RcORUs7uwjCmT088ISsfC9QJjkeBOTVirlpIhUZtHTnkv-G0XesDSGr8JJo8fnY3EJBJvP0S-yxI7vVMFZ1AS-HQOHDs8u4k2fJGhH3J-Vs2_1CU/s1600/heron+white-faced4ci.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzj53ES1BREvZ1GU4QCh5dcg2fns3RcORUs7uwjCmT088ISsfC9QJjkeBOTVirlpIhUZtHTnkv-G0XesDSGr8JJo8fnY3EJBJvP0S-yxI7vVMFZ1AS-HQOHDs8u4k2fJGhH3J-Vs2_1CU/s320/heron+white-faced4ci.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The recently-arrived Black Kite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Milvus migrans</i> graced Allen Road on 14
July, the same day as the Little Lorikeets <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;">Glossopsitta pusilla</span></i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By the third week of the month
matters seemed to be taking a turn for the better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Little Friarbird <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Philemon citreovulgaris</i> suddenly called on 21 July: the Southern
Boobook <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninos</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">novaeseelandiae</i> returned for its only performance on 23 July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bush Stone-curlew <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Burhinus</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">grallarius</i> called
on 29 July, with a repeat performance the following day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">During the last week of the month
we scored the Glossy Black-Cockatoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Calyptorhynchus</i>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lathami</i> on 31 July, the same day as
the magnificent Pacific Baza <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aviceda
subcristata</i>!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winter can be a quiet period along
Allen Road.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-83810675917808419092013-07-02T22:35:00.000-07:002013-07-02T22:35:34.515-07:00June Jottings
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2WX3yaQdQZytaiHnLUpHUKO52x11L51kp28iFnjmZHY3VCSqLbjPt7F9TfSbwXaa4psWiGl9FBBQmwnTAOj-E-2xeAt-njO-5iNDEOulcMTxc2syTMt2wZ7PFQYlvf_J76Can1f6FdY/s1228/Fay+birding+woodland+(816+x+1228).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYnQQOLi6w3d18qXmKgPmzsfc0aOoIbRf-8_jGql9fI79wP1AQkmujlxFiBV6yT5IoGXss_J7pAHiU4KQ2wun_a7a5su_svkUcCGVImCAumnUI3uMnTba3Ij3s1RJUgGf8aFuVEkYOzM/s484/allen+road+looking+E+(484+x+324).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYnQQOLi6w3d18qXmKgPmzsfc0aOoIbRf-8_jGql9fI79wP1AQkmujlxFiBV6yT5IoGXss_J7pAHiU4KQ2wun_a7a5su_svkUcCGVImCAumnUI3uMnTba3Ij3s1RJUgGf8aFuVEkYOzM/s400/allen+road+looking+E+(484+x+324).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">J</span></span>une was never going to be a record-breaking
month for birds along Allen Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here,
Down Under, in the austral half of the world, it’s winter but equally important
– at least for birders whose profession centres on teaching- it heralds the
approach of the end of the first school semester: a time for report cards; a
time to burn the midnight oil; to spend weekends at school rather than out in
the field watching birds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Throughout June, Fay and I managed a
mere eleven outings along the road, gathering a tally of 41 species and not a
rarity amongst them all.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of the nocturnal stalkers, the
Australian Owlet-nightjar <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aegotheies
cristatus</i> put in three appearances, or rather was heard calling from quite
close to the house on three separate occasions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Bush Stone-curlew <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Burhinus
grallarius</i> called on the one occasion only.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The diurnal raptors were equally
slack in flying over or around the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Whistling Kite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Haliastur
sphenurus</i> appeared once on 15 June, soaring high above the dam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Wedge-tailed Eagle <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aquila audax</i> [22 June] soared even higher.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Glossy Black-Cockatoos <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Calyptorhynchus lathami</i> held up their
end, a pair appeared over Scott’s property [next-door neighbour].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their counterpart, the Yellow-tailed Black
Cockatoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Calyptorhynchus funereus</i> ,
was a “heard only” bird on two occasions during the month.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The White-winged Choughs Corcorax
Melanorhamphus appears to be making something of a comeback.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Overall, a disappointing month for
birding BUT those report cards have been completed, signed, proverbially sealed
and delivered into the loving hands of loving parents.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">July could be better.</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2WX3yaQdQZytaiHnLUpHUKO52x11L51kp28iFnjmZHY3VCSqLbjPt7F9TfSbwXaa4psWiGl9FBBQmwnTAOj-E-2xeAt-njO-5iNDEOulcMTxc2syTMt2wZ7PFQYlvf_J76Can1f6FdY/s1228/Fay+birding+woodland+(816+x+1228).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2WX3yaQdQZytaiHnLUpHUKO52x11L51kp28iFnjmZHY3VCSqLbjPt7F9TfSbwXaa4psWiGl9FBBQmwnTAOj-E-2xeAt-njO-5iNDEOulcMTxc2syTMt2wZ7PFQYlvf_J76Can1f6FdY/s320/Fay+birding+woodland+(816+x+1228).jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
</div>
Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-23295736700964042992013-06-10T00:03:00.000-07:002013-06-10T00:03:41.164-07:00May Moments on Allen Road
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UiYQsyVK0uxHPOhgtZUZVKbNOw2KZk1mbBXmjkPPbp4ZxPSKrTu8x1oWre5BDH_FzD0PWA7lEC09ZBTQKfXgU8LIahNmKBmXxhlX68ZfJDKG_KjrhyphenhyphenuwGstt_XuvAmKHcO5jmnO2LTg/s1600/dam+@+allen+road+(1278+x+855).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UiYQsyVK0uxHPOhgtZUZVKbNOw2KZk1mbBXmjkPPbp4ZxPSKrTu8x1oWre5BDH_FzD0PWA7lEC09ZBTQKfXgU8LIahNmKBmXxhlX68ZfJDKG_KjrhyphenhyphenuwGstt_XuvAmKHcO5jmnO2LTg/s400/dam+@+allen+road+(1278+x+855).jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">t
was always going to be rather doubtful that May would produce anything
outstanding, or indeed come up with any real species diversity or abundance in
numbers of any given species. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May is
late autumn in the southern hemisphere and we have already experienced some
rather chilly evenings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does not
auger well for the rapidly approaching austral winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And birds tend to be scarcer during the
colder spells.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not
that May 2013 was numerical retarded on previous Mays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 49 species was admittedly well below the
63 of May 2003 [the current record] but only one behind the 50 species of May 2004.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was one better than the 48 of 2010 and two
ahead of the 47 species in May 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
clearly overshadowed the 30 species of May 2006 [still the lowest May on record
for Allen Road].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There were, as always, the regular faces, or should that
read, ”the regular feathers”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
there each and every day: the Laughing Kookaburra <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dacelo novaeguineae</i> and Torresian Crow <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Corvus orru</i>; the Australian Magpie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cracticus tibicen</i> and Magpie-lark <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Grallina cyanoleuca</i>; the Galah <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eolophus
roseicapillus</i> and Grey Butcherbird <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cracticus
torquatus</i>; the Rainbow Lorikeet <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trichoglossus
haematodus</i>; the Apostlebird <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Struthidea
cinerea</i> and Noisy Miner <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Manorina
melanocephala</i>; the Crested Pigeon <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ocyphaps
lophotes</i> and Bar-shouldered Dove <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Geopelia
humeralis</i>; etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">They
were accompanied by the less frequent but nevertheless reasonably
well-presented regulars: the Australian Wood Duck <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chenonetta jubata</i>; the Masked Lapwing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vanellus miles</i>; the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cacatua galerita</i> and Australian King-Parrot <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alisterus scapularis</i>; the Blue-faced <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Entomyzon cyanotis</i> and Striped Honeyeaters <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Plectorhyncha lanceolata</i>; the Striated Pardalote <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pardalotus striatus</i>; etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On
the other hand, a number of species managed to put in only the one appearance
throughout the entire month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Australian
Owlet-nightjar <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aegotheles cristatus</i>
[never known to outstay its welcome] called on20 May; the Bush Stone-curlew <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Burhinus grallarius</i> early in the month,
on 2 May; the Scaly-breasted Lorikeet <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trichoglossus
chlorolepidotus</i> on 5 May; the Fan-tailed Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cacomantis flablliformis</i>, while in evidence all around us in the
broader South Burnett, visited us only on the 24<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> of the month; the
Pied Butcherbird <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cracticus nigrogularis</i>,
always in the shadow of its smaller cousin, the Grey Butcherbird, called only
on the last day, 31<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> May.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then
there was the Black Kite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Milvus migrans</i>
on 5 May.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the first new addition
to the Backyard List in a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d
walked to the “top” end of Allen Road [to its junction with the
Nanango-Maidenwell Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spotted the “crow”
flying across; Fay corrected the call to Black Kite on seeing the distinctive
forked tail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oddly enough, two Whistling
Kites, perhaps a breeding pair, were in the same airspace at the same time and
to all intents and purposes it appeared as if the Black Kite was “associating”
with the Whistling Kites.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8Ly0o6iHjFVuNUtN5o-odNLcUIfRLwQJ8TbUPoDIyVW0MQssQ6iSZfe7AH5-WeJIVzK9J40E_etoSkesybw7VCEK53EUHiYpXjrcGEKYNTKiKvkWeaDKfa4ZDgaKrUkmTeTmKiC-xTA/s1600/black_kite_94238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8Ly0o6iHjFVuNUtN5o-odNLcUIfRLwQJ8TbUPoDIyVW0MQssQ6iSZfe7AH5-WeJIVzK9J40E_etoSkesybw7VCEK53EUHiYpXjrcGEKYNTKiKvkWeaDKfa4ZDgaKrUkmTeTmKiC-xTA/s320/black_kite_94238.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Photograph from <span class="irchd1"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&docid=IoK9LmRjH9DlHM&tbnid=nzYVjqvWb4hP5M:&ved=0CAQQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.birdway.com.au%2Faccipitridae%2Fblack_kite%2Findex.htm&ei=Aye1UcCADoaMkwX7t4H4BA&bvm=bv.47534661,d.dGI&psig=AFQjCNE7S7-Cat5KUl2deVz1_NEPsp2oyQ&ust=1370912809554289"><span class="ircho1"><span style="color: windowtext;">www.birdway.com.au</span></span></a></span></span><span style="color: #7d7d7d;"><span class="ircdim2"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span class="ircdim2"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The sudden appearance of the Black Kites in and around Nanango is a tale for another place at another time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: currentColor; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 1pt solid windowtext; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 268.7pt;" valign="top" width="448"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="color: #7d7d7d;"><span class="ircdim2"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span> </div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
</o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
</div>
Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-29634075171274742042013-05-03T11:52:00.000-07:002013-05-03T11:52:05.960-07:00April Report<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyrLqpxGN-ceucOX5DK-4atUKohXF-2IOVU85-0PH-ovhdjH-4rCXuhn5ey1Uux1DgxBEeHxwHUM4qhV8BxUQ5513Iue6xkFMAvxQKYE9vGKdwm1592dosHFzm-oukRTUds7vHxcoEh8Y/s320/cockatoo+y-t001.jpg" width="215" /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">On a number of occasions throughout the month it
appeared to be a real struggle to survive April – in birding terms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much of our monitoring was restricted to the
weekends but with several major projects in hand [e.g. completing the new pigeon
loft; lining the inside of the garage to prepare for a brewing area] at times
the tallies became quite meagre [only two species recorded on 26 April].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless we managed 19 surveys which
produced a tally of 53 species; our lowest average [2.78] species-per-survey
score since 2008 when we finished April with an average of 1.60 species per
survey [45 species over 28 surveys]. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
was our third lowest species-per-survey average since Allen Road records began
in 2002 [2007 came in at 2.63, 50 species over 19 surveys].<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-size: small;">There were nevertheless some notable highlights,
not the least of which being the sudden and unexpected return of the Olive-backed Oriole <em>Oriolus sagittatus</em></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">
<em><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVVef3NXGt3g_er7f3bZuGsF07VRXUW_Eq9t3HaLO8XM1F9uDjjM1hwh9VSccXeG5JidoBcqhXK0Vpw4sxOP5x135RKqMIBNm12o25FN_LDNkpKFPTb_VZF9FcJYgaviU3iD9Z58IEp0/s1600/oriole,+olive-backed01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVVef3NXGt3g_er7f3bZuGsF07VRXUW_Eq9t3HaLO8XM1F9uDjjM1hwh9VSccXeG5JidoBcqhXK0Vpw4sxOP5x135RKqMIBNm12o25FN_LDNkpKFPTb_VZF9FcJYgaviU3iD9Z58IEp0/s320/oriole,+olive-backed01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</em><span style="font-size: small;">which
we thought had made its swansong appearance in the area back on 22 February 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It surprised with a brief vocal entrance on 6
April at the Nanango Fauna Sanctuary, followed by four whirlwind encores at
Allen Road on 21, 25, 27 and 28 of the month.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">The
Australian Owlet-nightjar </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>Aegotheles cristatus</em></span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">
which had first reappeared on 16 March [following an absence since 16 September
2012] called on three occasions during April; 21, 25 and 28. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Southern Boobook </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>Ninox boobook</em></span></b><em>
</em>called
on 4 and 27 April.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">The
Pacific Baza </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>Aviceda subcristata</em></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">
put in two consecutive appearances; 13 and 14 April.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On 25 April we were graced by a Whistling
Kite </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>Haliastur sphenurus</em></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"> and a Collared
Sparrowhawk </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>Accipiter cirrocephalus</em></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">;
the latter returned on 28 April.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMP8W1mAyKxnW77uTZAFyGc3mUwKZu_DqWwT72MkkDGhhT2kgaYjgUtzzftaCk5gTLT2BMDGFm4tvBD3dJqOV1EO67C2w0uZIfBn64SRGLJXdzJciMf80gprX1nTphW3lEqBJGcKI64Pk/s1600/glossy02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMP8W1mAyKxnW77uTZAFyGc3mUwKZu_DqWwT72MkkDGhhT2kgaYjgUtzzftaCk5gTLT2BMDGFm4tvBD3dJqOV1EO67C2w0uZIfBn64SRGLJXdzJciMf80gprX1nTphW3lEqBJGcKI64Pk/s320/glossy02.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">A
pair of our “Backyard Darlings”, the Glossy Black-Cockatoos </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Calyptorhynchus lathami</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">,
was noted flying east to west across our property on 8<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>April.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Yellow-tailed
Black-Cockatoo </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Calyptorhynchus funereus</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">
called towards the end of the month [28<sup>th</sup>].<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Six
Little Lorikeets </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Glossopsitta pusilla</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">
their first visit since 24 March, flew over on 4 April.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The following day we noted a trio of
Red-rumped Parrots </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Psephotus haematonotus</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: small;">at the Andrews Road end of Allen Road.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">A
Fan-tailed Cuckoo </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cacomantis flabelliformis</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">
was prominent on 21 April; a week later [28<sup>th</sup>] the Spiny-cheeked
Honeyeater called for the first time since 23 January.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Grey Fantail </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rhipidura albiscapa</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-size: small;">on 25 April was its first appearance here since July 2012!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yes,
April may have felt slow but there was quality in the species that put in an
appearance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May is an entirely new
month.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-72621245935189210202013-04-19T03:05:00.001-07:002013-04-19T03:05:37.215-07:00
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">PALE RIDERS – AVIAN
STYLE<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGHDJuosXTgMjdyLNxheFxSZ_C6KWbEFU5JXCvOHhHHZXBE9OV0u7i_qvvZc2BKkZOciPVzVdi0xFDnQVVifvKkFhwY5n69w1VOum1KGcpF6xdiwZa02DpnOhHg8e4hOKhRUEpc9mHLE/s1600/allen+google.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGHDJuosXTgMjdyLNxheFxSZ_C6KWbEFU5JXCvOHhHHZXBE9OV0u7i_qvvZc2BKkZOciPVzVdi0xFDnQVVifvKkFhwY5n69w1VOum1KGcpF6xdiwZa02DpnOhHg8e4hOKhRUEpc9mHLE/s320/allen+google.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t"
path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="il_fi" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75"
style='width:329.4pt;height:215.4pt'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\jbiel1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"
o:href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBek5_68rY-yi03fB9O_j4u6YhChb1-j-cqFAbnmnhjz3ftVahhgVvC9pVW5SWkeIzxdyeaj_9KNVJSUq2M2PXMmYWI0Q7V9Li2Sz8KioJmq88XU5rHy6RK9Ah81StH7LB7ny3uyi7FL4/s1600/Allen+Rd_Nanango+%25282%2529.JPG"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: "Bodoni MT Poster Compressed","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Allen Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look for the circular dam surrounded by
woodland.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: "Bodoni MT Poster Compressed","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well,
it has been a long weekend!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For those
unfamiliar with this between-wars expression it refers to the long break
between the two World Wars; in this case I note with some horror that my last
blog was on 4 April 2012- a year ago!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
did hint at the possibility in a couple of past blogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pressure of work since Education Queensland
took on board the Australian Curriculum; 10- to 12-hour days are not as
uncommon as some may believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Squeezing
the proverbial quart into a pint pot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
bad for a bunch of nerds who only work 9 to 3, get ten weeks a year paid
holidays and do little more but throw out prepared worksheets for their
students to complete while “Sir” sits back to read the sporting pages of the
local rag!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Still,
that’s education, this is birds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I
wanted to talk education I’d start a more appropriate blog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not
that readers have missed much during the interim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>April 2012 saw a monthly tally of 44 species
for Allen Road with only the trio of night visitors [Tawny Frogmouth </span><span class="st1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Podargus strigoides</span></i></span><span class="st1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">, White-throated
Nightjar <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eurostopodus mystacalis</i> and
Australian Owlet-Nightjar <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aegotheles
cristatus</i>] being worth the mention.</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Neither
May [32 species], June [36 species] nor July [38 species] fared much better,
although the Owlet-nightjar turned up again in the first two of those months
and the diurnal Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo </span><span class="st1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Calyptorhynchus funereus</span></i></span><span class="st1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> in May along with the
crepuscular Bush Stone-curlew <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Burhinus
grallarius</i> [July] did cause a momentary flutter of the heart.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span class="st1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It took
until September to break the half century mark and until December to spill over
the 50 mark [63].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>August [47 species]
brought forth some avian beauties: the Pacific Baza <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aviceda subcristata</i>, a Brown Goshawk <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Accipiter fasciatus</i> and one of the locally iconic Wedge-tailed
Eagle <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aquila audax</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both the Bush Stone-curlew and Yellow-tailed
Black-Cockatoo put in another appearance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Olive-backed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oriole Oriolus</i>
sagittatus became the first of the summer migrants to announce that warmer days
were upon us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span class="st1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Among a
few other notable worthies, September 2012 produced only the sixth Eastern Barn
Owl </span></span><i><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tyto delicatula
</span></span></i><span class="st1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">for Allen Road [although up until recently it was considered no
more than a subspecies of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tyto alba</i>].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second [and third] of the summer heralds,
the Channel-billed Cuckoo and Eastern Koel </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Eudynamys orientalis </span></i><span class="st1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">appeared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Little Bronze-Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chrysococcyx minutillus </i>was present on three consecutive days,
something it had not done since November 2007.</span></span><span class="st1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSShZWfdqcDZuVRLgzPUR6KyfbmD2CPEep3nhvq2O7JnKPwOI6weilGg77g1LVuj_ost1ODYM946ZQA7AIihx8V7T7OJWk8atDZY3wdwIkMqn0No9cLfPTsvYvpfRlpjxnxKL271JsFrU/s1600/currawong+spit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSShZWfdqcDZuVRLgzPUR6KyfbmD2CPEep3nhvq2O7JnKPwOI6weilGg77g1LVuj_ost1ODYM946ZQA7AIihx8V7T7OJWk8atDZY3wdwIkMqn0No9cLfPTsvYvpfRlpjxnxKL271JsFrU/s320/currawong+spit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:286.8pt;height:177pt'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\jbiel1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg"
o:href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywsT9bAc3UKj8m2nJSnoLSQ2SvvauQOrNauXWYGscOeu0lSyEjw-Hq7L-5xmhAWlq2yyJAdmJz7aw7lRPmXvutYTzw5PQDYjA0e_KtuZdwPs8SNwuF5wqjgVMJ8VWHkKFchZBR1q2ENM/s1600/currawong+pied001.jpg"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span class="st1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">October
2012 was the month of the cuckoos. The Little Bronze and the Channel-billed had
already been here a month but now it was the turn of the Black-eared Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chrysococcyx osculans,</i> Horsfield’s
Bronze-Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chrysococcyx basalis</i>
and Shining Bronze-Cuckoo </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chrysococcyx lucidus</span></i><span class="st1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> to have us draw in breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first appearance of the Ground
Cuckoo-shrike <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coracina maxima</i> since
September 2011 was a pleasant bonus- outstripped only by the Australian Hobby <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Falco longipennis</i>, last seen here in
June 2006!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span class="st1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">November
and December were somewhat truncated months while Fay and I gallivanted and
birded our way across Goa in India.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nevertheless before our departure in late November we managed to add Fan-tailed
Cuckoo <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cacomantis flabelliformis</i> and
Brush Cuckoo </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cacomantis variolosus</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span class="st1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">to the growing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cuculid</i>
list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The raptor list was further graced
by the Collared Sparrowhawk </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Accipiter cirrocephalus</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span class="st1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">and Grey Goshawk </span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Accipiter novaehollandiae</span></i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And so 2012 came to an end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For those interested in such matters, the final Year List for Allen Road
was 96 species, our fifth best year [with 2006, at 110 species, still reigning
supreme].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">January 2013 opened with the axiomatic bang in more ways than
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To begin with the monthly tally
reached 70 species, our highest ever January count in 12 years of monitoring; it
surpassed the previous record [January 2007] by three.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Both the Wonga Pigeon and Yellow-rumped Thornbill put in their first
appearance since December 2010.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As if
having the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo fly by on 10 January wasn’t exciting
enough, the bird re-appeared on the 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But wait, there was more; the Yellow-tailed
Black-Cockatoo also put in a duet of appearances during the month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And still more, the darlings of our Backyard
List, the Glossy Black-Cockatoo, were here on the 6<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and 7<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
of January.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little surprising therefore
that in January we felt that our </span><span class="subfamily"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Calyptorhynchid</span></i><b><span style="color: black;"> </span></b></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">cup runneth over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Towards the end of the month we had our Allen Road
megatick!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9SZ4zQTtzeSf5EuzTUFZcSGQI9WhaO24KO4IhicTLfBQ-QHcYDmtR2VOqhTLMi6r96ex4siXONyvPntdIbKB6xjPy2jCcCuQiLo7U-5sLaLcNwVMkyTLs3cLhB54YHoacJ__94lTA0Q/s1600/bush-hen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP9SZ4zQTtzeSf5EuzTUFZcSGQI9WhaO24KO4IhicTLfBQ-QHcYDmtR2VOqhTLMi6r96ex4siXONyvPntdIbKB6xjPy2jCcCuQiLo7U-5sLaLcNwVMkyTLs3cLhB54YHoacJ__94lTA0Q/s320/bush-hen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="_x0000_i1027" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:308.4pt;height:196.8pt'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\jbiel1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.jpg"
o:href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj99gigBsCgeEwb1k6Q3rqpnKP9gGiMDuNpK6U-nu6TWwcdLs85XBUxTqGH2WXzaCpRGSzWibmEfzmDRa2yFqeGGwHKCUKXky-dDeRnY2re8DhfJZle9CovK4mx2ktIKYvYQmRFFtKCBE01/s1600/bushhen1000IMG_5642.JPG"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: "Bodoni MT Poster Compressed","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Photograph taken by
tytotony.blogspot.com</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We weren’t even seriously birding, simply enjoying a cup of tea
on the east verandah overlooking The Doughnut and observing a small troupe of
Apostlebirds </span><span class="st1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Struthidea cinerea</span></i></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> frolicking about in the Middle Compound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no doubt some perfectly sound
scientific explanation as to what the birds were actually engaged in [birds
don’t have a sense of humour, nor do they “play”] but one of them grabbed a
small length of yellow tape in its beak and somersaulted over itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It repeated this unusual behaviour a number
of times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fay was the first to notice the strange birds among the weeds,
towards the front of The Doughnut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
immediately drew my attention to it and after a moment’s hesitation – we’d last
seen it back in January 1995 at Noela Marr’s and Cyril Hembrow’s Kin Kin
property- identified them as Pale-vented Bush-hen; an adult with a
juvenile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the first ever record
of the species for Allen Road and new ticks no longer flow as they did in the
early years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Almost in the same breath, the pair raced off east towards the
Middle Compound; one immediately passed through the mesh wire, the second
bounced off the fence before succeeding on its second attempt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the blink of an eye they disappeared in
the long grass, never to be seen again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That was, remains, a hard act to follow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nor did February manage to rival its predecessor; a more humble
tally of 60 species.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>March continued the
downward trend, reaching only 58 species,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I pen these few words together, the current month’s tally [at 16
April] stands at 47 species but that does include a magnificent flyover by a
pair of Glossy Black-Cockatoos a week ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span class="st1"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">.</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-87561980146588238112012-04-04T12:44:00.001-07:002012-04-04T12:44:38.727-07:00A Matter of Grey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQP_qWaif4Ka-MN8easMEN2Gx7u9QDLFRXV8KMCqnAvX4Ll-RG9A8t3WEjCKmO5Arc0oNnlYR1bcY1h0pijeUGAXHlLEGTfvWpCGO8G5X2TgRORkInWxIsMuiYclhBMl9-x8DtksVwy4I/s1600/goshawk+grey.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQP_qWaif4Ka-MN8easMEN2Gx7u9QDLFRXV8KMCqnAvX4Ll-RG9A8t3WEjCKmO5Arc0oNnlYR1bcY1h0pijeUGAXHlLEGTfvWpCGO8G5X2TgRORkInWxIsMuiYclhBMl9-x8DtksVwy4I/s1600/goshawk+grey.bmp" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-no-proof: yes;"><shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="color: purple;">Grey Goshawk in flight</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="color: purple;">Photo by Russell Jenkins, available at the Australian Bird Images Database: </span><a href="http://www.aviceda.org/abid/index.php"><span style="color: purple;">http://www.aviceda.org/abid/index.php</span></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Seeing one Grey Goshawk <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Accipiter novaehollandiae</i> in a week [http://www.birdingsouthburnett.blogspot.com.au/] is joy enough for the soul of most Queensland birders but to see three over the same weekend – and two of those as a pair- is rapture beyond reckoning!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the more as at the time we were not birding, simply enjoying a respite from a number of household and backyard chores that needed doing before the sun became too fierce to work in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were sitting on the front verandah with a cuppa each.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was the Noisy Miners <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Manorina melanocephala</i> that first attracted our attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The species has a number of alarm calls, one distinctly warning of the approach of a raptor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It becomes almost second nature to look up when the Miners alert you to the presence of some danger.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fay spotted them first, pair of Grey Goshawks just beyond the roofline of our neighbour’s house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They dipped below our line of vision, reappeared momentarily as they flew towards the wooded area between our two properties, vanished from view again and then suddenly burst out into the open sky.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was the briefest of glimpses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rare views of any delightful bird are never long enough to satisfy the inner being of a birder but it was long enough to note the deeply veed wings as the pair cavorted around each other, dropped from view and reappeared, still in gracefully slow motion before going on their way beyond our line of sight.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We didn’t even have the binoculars at hand but then the pair had been close enough to fully appreciate with the naked eye. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It remains the gem of the 35 backyard species, including the Australian Owlet-nightjar <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aegotheles cristatus</i> of the evening, recorded that day.</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
</div>
</span></span></shapetype></span></span></span>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-9993923036113389362012-03-17T13:18:00.005-07:002012-03-17T13:58:22.198-07:00Glossy Black-Cockatoo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuF5cFTKR-g1gXszN6809ubztJBSd8C2_xE5UCbS7yef6zTs_I2P4E046qPgIFlELL4Stwi8GspU5wft8txIbyqWWCDFKrkNaakW0yHyOf8jgfJLBJfA8__PufBHah1syOXKyjMuJkH54/s1600/glossy13Ci.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 198px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuF5cFTKR-g1gXszN6809ubztJBSd8C2_xE5UCbS7yef6zTs_I2P4E046qPgIFlELL4Stwi8GspU5wft8txIbyqWWCDFKrkNaakW0yHyOf8jgfJLBJfA8__PufBHah1syOXKyjMuJkH54/s400/glossy13Ci.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5720971856901789458" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify">That’s life! Sometimes the end result of a search is another tick to your Lifelist, or simply another good view of a favourite avian species. On the other hand, on occasions, the fruits of diligent observation and searching can amount to little more than a memory, the fading excitement of what might have been.<br /><br />We experienced the latter on Saturday [17 March]. Not that we were birding avidly at the time. Far from it. There were too many tasks around the Allen Road property listed as needing urgent attention to allow for any serious birding. Nevertheless, as a matter of habit, even while filling in another deepening rut [clay soil and heavy rainfall make for sloppy track surfaces that rapidly degenerate into seeming chasms] eyes and ears remained alert to the possibility of new, or at least interesting, birds passing by.<br /><br /><div align="justify">It was during one of a number of tea breaks that our attention was alerted. Or rather, Fay’s attention was brought into focus. I was inside, continuing to redefine our Lifelist; Fay was on the north verandah reading another chapter of yet another book [she can read the average who-dun-it novel in a couple of days].<br /><br />Fay called me out on the second call of the Glossy Black-Cockatoo <em>Calyptorhynchus lathami</em>.<br /><br />You need to understand that unlike its near local relatives, the more common Yellow-tailed <em>C. funereus</em> and the rarer Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo <em>C. banksii</em>, both raucous variants of the family, the Glossy [actually a brown rather than a black cockatoo] is a comparatively quiet bird. Its call could go undetected; its arrival unnoticed as it locates a suitable tree to silently chew away on seed pods. <br /><div align="justify"><br />We both ceased whatever it was we were engaged in doing at the time, grabbed our binoculars [never too far from hand], raced down the front steps and cautiously approached what we refer to as the “Northwest Quadrant” of the property [not that the property is actually divided into four equal parts, nor indeed are there four definable segments]. Fay had heard the bird call from this section; our last sighting of it had been here.<br /><br /><div align="justify">It wasn’t new; it wasn’t going to be a “megatick”. My records indicate that since first seeing the species at Glen Innis [northern New South Wales] back in May 1999 [July 2001 for Allen Road] we had 93 subsequent sightings recorded – the last [at Allen Road] as recently as October 2011.<br /><br />But it was always going to be exciting! As I have written elsewhere, they remain the darlings of our backyard bird species.<br /><br /><div align="justify">We walked, we stopped, we listened for the tell-tale sound of casuarina seed pods being chewed. Nothing. We walked on, we stopped at intervals and again listened intently for any giveaway indications of their presence – they often travel in trios although we have noted pairs and on one occasion a solitary bird.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Nothing.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">We crossed the track and explored along the eastern fence line, heading back south towards the house. Our neighbour, not a birder, has an impressive stand of casuarinas in the northwest corner of his property [abutting our “Northeast Quadrant”]. It was the original source of the seeds used to start our own planting program.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Nothing.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Clearly the Glossy had merely been passing through and to add insult to injury, the rain started to come down. Those remaining ruts and potholes will have to await another day, as of course will our next sighting of the Glossy Black-Cockatoo. </div><br />Glossy Black-Cockatoo<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAKXmKg3tHXMP9a2UpfUb2777EhXJk1RGQ03TfAB5tzjvWIJGr9lUMzvKfXusnBUXrMQrgXQMo6aqHSSZdgI61h8Y-MJImqhz1DNs4rUQhtr64JWLcmDAzK8AfOW3ZhDt7Aa4EC1jYsE/s1600/glossy19.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 315px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5720965365975410338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAKXmKg3tHXMP9a2UpfUb2777EhXJk1RGQ03TfAB5tzjvWIJGr9lUMzvKfXusnBUXrMQrgXQMo6aqHSSZdgI61h8Y-MJImqhz1DNs4rUQhtr64JWLcmDAzK8AfOW3ZhDt7Aa4EC1jYsE/s400/glossy19.jpg" /></a><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-53196525350962201302012-02-19T15:50:00.000-08:002012-02-19T16:38:55.975-08:00Over the Summer Hump<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKml0j-MygL5EFnrKxQataxMwlUeMkKUChtuHWA6Bdi-UYjFjw6lqQTZZaoWY5QVGje6TIGuolgQImBshDHwPDFHGUsd7yx79fWgw3ALFsWYUiLKAvKYV6qBXfTDdPlzETfYB5_HMMu-s/s1600/oriole%252C+olive-backed01.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 311px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711005683995401458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKml0j-MygL5EFnrKxQataxMwlUeMkKUChtuHWA6Bdi-UYjFjw6lqQTZZaoWY5QVGje6TIGuolgQImBshDHwPDFHGUsd7yx79fWgw3ALFsWYUiLKAvKYV6qBXfTDdPlzETfYB5_HMMu-s/s400/oriole%252C+olive-backed01.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div align="justify">It has been a rather unusual austral summer. We were warned to expect a very wet period and even though there have been patches of heavy rainfall – 40mm in the space of a little over an hour on one particular day- the predicted wetness has failed to eventuate. It may of course still come in the remaining days of summer but it would have to come down in proverbial bucketsful to come within coo-ee [Australian slang term] of last January’s deluge. No one is complaining. Mostly we remain grateful that Mother Nature has seen fit to control her vagaries. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify">The waning of summer heralds the gradual departure of our regular seasonal migrants. At its peak we can boast anything up to a dozen or so visitors, ranging from those that reappear almost as regular as clockwork to those that put in an occasional appearance. The Cuculidian trinity of Horsfield’s <em>Chalcites basalis</em>, Little <em>Chalcites minutillus</em> and Shining Bronze-Cuckoos <em>Chalcites lucidus</em> are examples of the latter. None has been observed during this current summer but on the other hand the Brush Cuckoo <em>Cacomantis variolosus</em> has been more prominent than in previous years and the Black-eared Cuckoo<em> Chalcites osculans</em> made its first ever appearance on Allen Road [13 November 2011] and was last heard as recently as 15 February 2012. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify">One of the earliest indicators of summer has been the raucous Channel-billed Cuckoo <em>Scythrops novaehollandiae</em>. This season it was first heard along Allen Road on 11 October 2011 and remained a regular feature of the dawn chorus [and later in the day] until the end of January 2012. Following a brief pause it reappeared and was last heard on 8 February which in itself raises an eyebrow -last year it was still here until mid-March. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify">The Australasian Figbird <em>Sphecotheres vielloti</em> has always been something of an anomaly. It arrives, hangs around for a couple of days before disappearing to then put in an occasional subsequent visit before departing to wherever it is figbirds depart to when not along Allen Road. It arrived on 24 September 2011, remained on an almost continuous basis until mid-October, disappeared for the best part of a month, reappearing on 12 November, only to disappear again. It put in a brief appearance on 29 December, vanished and called for the last time on 28 January 2012. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify">Alongside the Figbird, Fay and I often pair the Olive-backed Oriole <em>Oriolus sagittatus</em> although its stay with us is more settled. It arrived at the end of September 2011 and was still with us, albeit rather less vocal, a couple of days ago. However, Fay and I are beginning to suspect that this species is perhaps not as migratory as originally suspected. In 2010 it was recorded at least half a dozen times in every month barring June; there is one record of the Oriole at Allen Road in June 2008! Food for thought? </div><br /><br /><div align="justify">Both the Little <em>Philemon citreogularis</em> and Noisy Friarbird <em>Philemon corniculatus</em> remain iconic heralds of summer. The former was among the first three birds we noted when looking over the property as a potential purchase back in April 2001. The Noisy has been known to arrive in early July and hang around until mid-April. The Little can be a month later in arriving but can linger a little longer than its cousin. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify">No summer would surely be complete in this neck of the woods without the temporary stay of the Dollarbird <em>Eurystomus orientalis</em> and the Eastern Koel <em>Eudynamys orientalis</em> [the iconic “Stormbird”]. This season we have been blessed with two breeding pairs of Dollarbirds on the property. The first appeared on 11 October 2011 and are expected to depart any time soon, although in both 2003 and 2010 they were still about as late as March. Similarly, the Koels are expected to leave sometime in February, although they too have been known to stay until March – indeed, we have one record in the South Burnett of Eastern Koel in May!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYtsTrX48s2sxWQn2TJe2unKsQNYy-Dc0qV0jxwvcm_uTH4Za20mHtcOc5KcL1VNTnKeBuRqTmBuzOCqqhVazechv8LuRQI-MwVst0zp_hlCCGOgKKyRIsV_mKEwetgl2YTGbuu7Dlf0/s1600/kingfisher+sacred110314.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 227px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711006150575024002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYtsTrX48s2sxWQn2TJe2unKsQNYy-Dc0qV0jxwvcm_uTH4Za20mHtcOc5KcL1VNTnKeBuRqTmBuzOCqqhVazechv8LuRQI-MwVst0zp_hlCCGOgKKyRIsV_mKEwetgl2YTGbuu7Dlf0/s400/kingfisher+sacred110314.jpg" /></a><br />Finally we touch upon one of mine and Fay’s favourite summer migrants, the Sacred Kingfisher <em>Todiramphus sanctus</em>. We almost thought that it had deserted us this season: last year it nested in the tree right on the southern boundary fence of the property; in earlier years it has nested in the old ironbark within ten metres of the house. However, it was simply a matter of seeking out its new location, in the northeast quadrant. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify">The kingfisher usually arrives in September, although we have a record of one in the South Burnett at the end of August 2009. Most remain through to February/March although, again, there is a record as late as May 2010 [distance of locations makes it unlikely to be the early 2009 arrival]. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify">They come, they linger a while, they go. For many of our summer migrants that time of the season is upon them. Even when they remain that while longer they normally become more subdued, less raucous in their call. All adding to the unescapable reality that summer is over the hump and on the downward slide into autumn [fall]. </div>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-79765282133151212512012-01-03T14:05:00.000-08:002012-01-03T14:54:18.283-08:00NEIGHBOURLY SURPRISES<div align="justify">Yes, it’s been a long time between drinks. There is of course the usual array of excuses, primarily centred on an increasing workload at school and the coming of the Australian Curriculum to Queensland in 2012. The quinquennial colonoscopy put paid to a few days before Christmas.<br /><br />Nevertheless, throughout, birding along Allen Road has continued where circumstances permitted, with the unexpected arrival of a Black-eared Cuckoo <em>Chalcites osculans</em> as one of the season’s highlights.<br /></div><br /><p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIcL1fAYsCzm9gW7hXqEyyLY7EFB9f5zsWFnC4L0nK6557kYzlWW-x1iT6JJZGej5EWXbeipjd04D0xeqO5NM6HD8DmR8V5Cviav2gsNYGk6gLkNxKQ_dAg1UIF3jOs6phmoyiU1tvBXQ/s1600/black-eared+cuckoo.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 360px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693540630132165442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIcL1fAYsCzm9gW7hXqEyyLY7EFB9f5zsWFnC4L0nK6557kYzlWW-x1iT6JJZGej5EWXbeipjd04D0xeqO5NM6HD8DmR8V5Cviav2gsNYGk6gLkNxKQ_dAg1UIF3jOs6phmoyiU1tvBXQ/s400/black-eared+cuckoo.jpg" /></a> <em><span style="color:#990000;">Photograph by Graeme Chapman. http://graemechapman.com.au<br /></span><br /></em>Frustratingly, while we have heard it call from all points of the compass around the property all our efforts to actually locate the bird, with the exception of one fleeting view as the bird raced away, have proved fruitless.<br /><br />We console ourselves with the knowledge that the same was true of its relative, the Brush Cuckoo <em>Cacomantis variolosus</em> which, in a similar manner, eluded our binoculars for months. Then, on Thursday 29 December 2011, during one of our customary early morning walks along Allen Road, we spotted the bird calling from a smallish tree to our left. The walk was suspended for a few moments while we savoured the view.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicn-UFJYxdjobyBp1q8OGvJzZdXFWbOlCK2YCR-eySFhnvwz3lLJFr3CsOoyOyvIldbUU7kuSoCURiFVc4JZnEL0Hf7SdJ-9muXtr0igZhASDsm637X0lyHlkTZLdXIL0IKhYFcwlt2kI/s1600/brush_cuckoo_65539.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693532988114707890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicn-UFJYxdjobyBp1q8OGvJzZdXFWbOlCK2YCR-eySFhnvwz3lLJFr3CsOoyOyvIldbUU7kuSoCURiFVc4JZnEL0Hf7SdJ-9muXtr0igZhASDsm637X0lyHlkTZLdXIL0IKhYFcwlt2kI/s400/brush_cuckoo_65539.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#990000;"><em>Photograph by Ian Montgomery. birdway.com.au</em><br /></span><br />That’s all part and parcel of birding along Allen Road. On a daily basis you see and/or hear the regular residents, the Torresian Crows<em> Corvus orru</em> and Noisy Miners <em>Manorina melanocephala</em>, the Australian Magpies <em>Cracticus tibicen</em> and Striped Honeyeaters <em>Plectorhyncha lanceolata</em> but every now and then you come across the more unusual – the Australasian Bittern <em>Botaurus poiciloptilus</em> [4 November 2001] flying over your head, the Black-faced Monarch <em>Monarcha melanopsis</em> [new to the Backyard List in December 2011],<br /><br />Similarly, summer has its regulars. The Sacred Kingfisher <em>Todiramphus sancta</em> and Channel-billed Cuckoo <em>Scythrops novaehollandiae</em>, the Little Friarbird <em>Philemon citreogularis</em> and Olive-backed Oriole <em>Oriolus sagittatus</em> but again, there can be the unexpected – the Rainbow Bee-eater <em>Merops ornatus</em> and Australasian Figbird <em>Sphecotheres vielloti</em> which comes, remains a day or two and disappears to occasionally put in a rare repeat visit in the one season.<br /><br />And then of course there are always the part-time birding neighbours who simply floor you with a totally unexpected revelation.<br /><br />It was back in July 2009 that Les, an ex-Vietnam Veteran two blocks away, first informed us of the aberrant flock of Budgerigars <em>Melopsittacus undulatus</em> he’d noted along Allen Road a number of years earlier By the time he appreciated that Fay and I were more than simply interested, more akin to obsessed, he could recall few further details. The report is duly entered in our computer records in the hope that the birds return to Allen Road one day.<br /></p><br /><p align="justify">We were in for an even greater surprise during the last weeks of 2011 when we walked over to our neighbours, Denis & Jeanette, both avid backyard bird feeders with a tabletop fieldguide but who play little part in active birding. It was the evidence of the photographs that stunned us.<br /></p><br /><p align="justify">The Rose-ringed Parakeet <em>Psittacula krameri</em>, clearly an escapee and therefore probably failing to meet the “viable population” criterion, had, on and off, been visiting their backyard birdtable for the past two or three years. Jeanette photographed it on one of those occasions. Its continued presence over that period leaves many unanswered questions.<br /></p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzhXBvrITIEamTQ2J2nL3bVWNyRhPvg0h8r7IU7_WipIsOJ7NfyHeyJFhAZ_MxniztiTIXPIiYw5RAW4el6wrvykZOHvWrzvA9QB7bH6hJA9pFshgfqHiBI-0JSFxmjbcsnd1xLKGMdI/s1600/parrot.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 255px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693534620967416450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzhXBvrITIEamTQ2J2nL3bVWNyRhPvg0h8r7IU7_WipIsOJ7NfyHeyJFhAZ_MxniztiTIXPIiYw5RAW4el6wrvykZOHvWrzvA9QB7bH6hJA9pFshgfqHiBI-0JSFxmjbcsnd1xLKGMdI/s400/parrot.jpg" /></a> <em><span style="color:#990000;">Photograph by Jeanette McBryde</span></em>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify">As if the parakeet wasn’t enough of a jolt to the system, Jeanette then proudly handed over her photograph of a “strange bird” she had photographed on the morning of 5 December 2011. She had spotted it skulking on the edge of their small front dam, under the pipe leading from pump to water – a Striated Heron <em>Butorides striata</em>!<br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwwylCOy8S_IUtzbiHxWiVj5n0D64VD6wpsk7rozafoBTCLYXlDApObFeCvUXpJaVWZl9jKr90ZvLPDnyw1Z3q2EQ_LWWg6pBKfoP31JSbhJiSD1Rn9KnP4UuK4aPgQNDB_nHshsrWld0/s1600/striated+heron.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693535452972060738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwwylCOy8S_IUtzbiHxWiVj5n0D64VD6wpsk7rozafoBTCLYXlDApObFeCvUXpJaVWZl9jKr90ZvLPDnyw1Z3q2EQ_LWWg6pBKfoP31JSbhJiSD1Rn9KnP4UuK4aPgQNDB_nHshsrWld0/s400/striated+heron.jpg" /></a> <em><span style="color:#990000;">Photograph by Jeanette McBryde.<br /><br /></span></em><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify">Happy 2012 to one and all. May the new year bring you all those as yet unticked species and may all your birding experiences be pleasant but challenging. </div>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-46107812951855206172011-11-09T10:43:00.000-08:002011-11-09T11:48:19.851-08:00The Cycle of Life<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESMN7chbI0mT1V0wms3gY_WUDhFaUbysvMY5BxM_Wr_hOxrYAulLfq9WJuKjk8YGlfkKWof0MTS0DYqslok48fgOyDzdVlD_SZKm3qy8AChJpX5ybCtbRGgNoZudA0z7pcsRD2eQvUiY/s1600/magpie-lark110327b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673073974981133506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 372px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESMN7chbI0mT1V0wms3gY_WUDhFaUbysvMY5BxM_Wr_hOxrYAulLfq9WJuKjk8YGlfkKWof0MTS0DYqslok48fgOyDzdVlD_SZKm3qy8AChJpX5ybCtbRGgNoZudA0z7pcsRD2eQvUiY/s400/magpie-lark110327b.jpg" border="0" /></a> It is no longer appropriate to suggest that spring is on its way. It’s here! All around Allen Road there are the indisputable signs that, at least as far as the birds are concerned, it is spring and spring is the time of regrowth; a time for rebirth and the propagation of the next generation.<br /><br />The Magpie-larks <em>Grallina cyanoleuca</em> have very conveniently chosen a tree immediately across from the front [east] verandah in which to build their nest – last year it was atop a tall tree up by the front gate, some 600m from the house and near impossible to spot even when standing directly beneath the nest. This year’s nest site is far more expedient for observation purposes; the telescope is already trained on the birds and nest-watching has become a regular breakfast-time activity.</div><br /><div align="justify">Both birds work hard to feed the as yet indiscernible number of youngsters. The change-over routine has become an established pattern. The “off duty” partner returns to an outer branch of the Smooth-barked Apple tree <em>Angophora leiocarpa</em>, always announcing its arrival with that familiar Magpie-lark call; the “on duty” partner leaves the nest and the other takes over sitting/minding duties.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Their constant battle appears to be with the unwanted close attention of a Pied Currawong <em>Strepera graculina</em>, clearly determined to appease its own needs at the cost of the Magpie-larks’. At the moment the smaller larks appear to be holding their own against their larger adversary. On the approach of the currawong one or the other of the larks will immediately attack the predator and in this they are, on occasions, ably assisted by the Noisy Miners <em>Manorina melanocephala </em>who have their own youngsters nearby and therefore their own quarrels with the marauding Artamidid.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywsT9bAc3UKj8m2nJSnoLSQ2SvvauQOrNauXWYGscOeu0lSyEjw-Hq7L-5xmhAWlq2yyJAdmJz7aw7lRPmXvutYTzw5PQDYjA0e_KtuZdwPs8SNwuF5wqjgVMJ8VWHkKFchZBR1q2ENM/s1600/currawong+pied001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673075563292735474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 247px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywsT9bAc3UKj8m2nJSnoLSQ2SvvauQOrNauXWYGscOeu0lSyEjw-Hq7L-5xmhAWlq2yyJAdmJz7aw7lRPmXvutYTzw5PQDYjA0e_KtuZdwPs8SNwuF5wqjgVMJ8VWHkKFchZBR1q2ENM/s400/currawong+pied001.jpg" border="0" /></a> Their cause could also be aided by the fact that one of the two regular currawongs has lost its left eye. Oddly enough our good neighbours, Denis & Jeanette, two blocks away, report feeding what surely must be the same one-eyed bird. Even more curious, they have heard that friends of theirs, living a couple of kilometres away, as the crow [or rather, currawong] flies, have also been feeding a large, black and white one-eyed bird. What odds of two Pied Currawongs with a missing left eye in so small an area?<br /><br />While seated, breakfasting on the east verandah, we are also at times privileged in being able to observe a pair of Dollarbirds <em>Eurystomus orientalis</em> in their courtship. In spite of their rather unassuming common name they are magnificent rollers [no doubt awaiting the moment some taxonomist will see them as Australian, Australasian or even Eastern Rollers- one calls even as I tap out the keys].</div><br /><div align="justify">Their renowned aerial courtship display is in abeyance but they continue to perch on the dead outer limb of another of our angphoras – no more than five metres from the corner of the eastern and southern verandahs and again clearly visible while having breakfast or sipping a post-work glass of shiraz. Only yesterday we watched as first one and then the other alighted on the bare outer branch. The first bird appeared to touch bills with the later arrival but if this was an exchange of food the morsel was too small to be seen by the naked human eye. They have been seen allo-feeding on previous occasions so perhaps this was a simple bill-touching ceremony to strengthen bonding previously established between them.</div><br /><div align="justify">Somewhere to the southwest we hear the desperate begging call of a young Torresian Crow <em>Corvus orru</em> and no doubt the loss of our chicken and duck eggs can at least in part be attributed to this. They have been noted flying away from the area of the henhouse with an egg in their bill, or we have come across empty, discarded shells on our walks between house and large dam on the southern boundary.</div><br /><div align="justify">The Willie Wagtails <em>Rhipidura leucophrys</em> , Sacred Kingfishers <em>Todiramphus s</em>anctus and Grey Butcherbirds <em>Cracticus torquatus</em> are active as pairs although as yet we have no direct evidence of actual nesting or the rearing of young. The Striped Honeyeaters <em>Plectorhyncha lanceolata</em> have become more vociferous than previously noted, as indeed have the Olive-backed Orioles <em>Oriolus sagittatus</em>. Could these increased vocal displays indicate courting and/or more engaged nesting activities?</div><br /><div align="justify">Whatever, clearly the cycle of avian life continues to flourish here at Allen Road.</div>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-29936736928192239952011-10-03T12:44:00.000-07:002011-10-03T13:07:40.668-07:00Juggling Act<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVihfNR51VdcbLqW2diDIflL7-cfMQHtdNhWPXu_a-e1SeWdf68K08D-kcTsTb_waSBT-K10qDX9O5BdprWZPvpY485UAmCcEDFTTIOW4gp94Uwk2_0AKGfSQR0rmj8rEyMZ9wW-SxZo/s1600/oriole%252C+olive-backed01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659355288103268306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 311px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVihfNR51VdcbLqW2diDIflL7-cfMQHtdNhWPXu_a-e1SeWdf68K08D-kcTsTb_waSBT-K10qDX9O5BdprWZPvpY485UAmCcEDFTTIOW4gp94Uwk2_0AKGfSQR0rmj8rEyMZ9wW-SxZo/s400/oriole%252C+olive-backed01.jpg" border="0" /></a> The more I become involved, the more it seems to me that running a regular birding blog has become akin to being a circus juggler. The most dominant ball of the act has to be one’s job and career, perhaps all the more so if that involves children [although no doubt there would be others, in different occupations, who could argue the same case for their particular line of work]. There remains the expected maintenance and upkeep of your property, exasperated if you deliberately elect to buy an older building that needs time, effort and increasing amounts of energy to renovate and modify.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">Almost undoubtedly, it is perhaps my pedantic need to list, to write, that creates the greatest hurdles to blogging. With me it is not simply a matter of seeing and/or hearing a bird and committing the species to paper.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">Yes, I do that.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">Take Allen Road. Some years back I produced a simple recording sheet with columns for species name, number of birds noted, a H/S column to indicate whether the species was “Seen” or “Heard” [the former always taking precedence]. The last, and widest, column allows me to jot down a few notes as to location or observed behavioural traits. I even acquired a clipboard to provide a reasonable writing surface when recording this data.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">All that, in itself, may have readers pondering the root cause of my professed dilemma. With a few adaptations, moderations, I have few doubts that most birders engage in some such system.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">My difficulties, my obsession, starts later when I come to transcribe those basic “field” notes to a more substantial format. In the old days, before computers and the Internet invaded the 20th century, I simply copied rough notes into my journal – no self-respecting male birder back in those dim and distant days would ever have admitted to having a diary. Diaries were girls’ stuff, secret women’s business!<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">A number of birders I know have just dropped the journal entries and enter their bird records directly into a personal computer file, or record their sightings onto one of the growing number of public databases available online [<em>Eremaea</em> comes to mind as a widely used Australian example]. I have done this in the past and to a lesser extent, usually limited to the rarer species, I occasionally still commit sightings too the Birds Queensland <em>Newsletter</em> and/or their website.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">However, unlike many of the above-mentioned birders, I have been unable to drop my old handwritten journal. My Allen Road records alone date back to April 2001, in an era before I had access to my own personal computer. I had access at school but that created another set of problems. Thus, I continued to keep a diary of birds noted on each visit to Allen Road and even to this day, when Fay and I live on the property rather than pay occasional visits, I continue the habit. Those records now run to three volumes and I would be loathe to suddenly drop that format.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">I of course keep my own electronic records, a practice enhanced when I recently acquired a copy of Bluebird Technology’s simple, but very effective, Bird Journal [currently at version 2.3].<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">So, my records start with the basic field notes which are then transcribed to a handwritten journal and finally added to Bird Journal.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">And the Allen Road records are the simplest of the birding records I keep! The South Burnett region becomes a mite more complicated while any birding trips further afield [e.g. our recent venture out to Sundown National Park] take on huge proportions. My handwritten entries are not merely simple notes, each trip is written up in full.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">Which brings me to the original thrust of this blog. I had intended to keep a weekly account of our activities at Allen Road [as I had intended to do with the South Burnett in general] but one or more of the balls in the delicate juggling act keep slipping, spilling over, rolling away.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Once a month is now on trial.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">This is a particular good month for birding activity in this neck of the woods. It is spring and that is the season of regeneration, of new life emerging into the world. I have written elsewhere [http://www.birdingsouthburnett.blogspot.com/] of the advent of spring. Allen Road has been mentioned in passing.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">As with the South Burnett in general [always remembering that Allen Road is but a small corner within that entire region] Allen Road also displays clear signs that winter, albeit reluctantly judging by some of our more recent overnight lows, is waning.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">The arrival of the Little Friarbird <em>Philemon citreogularis</em> as early as mid-August became the scout, the indicator that we were in for an early spring. A day later the Noisy Friarbird <em>Philemon corniculatus</em> made its presence known; in both instances we had heard these species elsewhere in the South Burnett – the Little as early as 3 July, the Noisy at school on 28 July- and July is normally considered to be mid-winter.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">At the end of September the Olive-backed Oriole <em>Oriolus sagittatus</em> arrived. Later that same day [26 September] while walking back from the dam we heard the Australasian Figbird <em>Sphecotheres vieilloti</em>. Another duo of signs that spring is springing upon us.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZU2GJrLT2wDuN5kf18dIQmDC6PZJm9ztgl4EusA01YHjhhozmTDo3p5SIW_Rtk42vi3SskgvVfuzrZGoDn3A6dNuY6viRprv0Oh0021KJlOh9-9HYSbUS5_3Zo1mQNsNk0AILJl0-ads/s1600/kingfisher+sacred110314.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659356064046636754" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 227px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZU2GJrLT2wDuN5kf18dIQmDC6PZJm9ztgl4EusA01YHjhhozmTDo3p5SIW_Rtk42vi3SskgvVfuzrZGoDn3A6dNuY6viRprv0Oh0021KJlOh9-9HYSbUS5_3Zo1mQNsNk0AILJl0-ads/s400/kingfisher+sacred110314.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Nevertheless, in secret Fay and I always await the arrival of one particular species before we are prepared to openly declare that winter has gone, that summer is around the corner. Not that we had long to wait. The first Sacred Kingfisher <em>Todiramphus sanctus</em> of the season was heard the following day, 27 September and later that same day we saw it perched on overhead wires along Allen Road.<br />Spring is here. We await the arrival of another handful of iconic species between now and the advent of summer.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">The Spangled Drongo <em>Dicrurus bracteatus</em> we know is present a few kilometres down the road, in open woodland on the edge of Tarong Power Station. The Channel-billed Cuckoo <em>Scythrops novaehollandiae</em> and Eastern Koel <em>Eudynamys orientalis</em> have yet to make their presence known. </div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWcXQTY6km_LrbZGvSew6NKwXJGgGNyy5OyOnUJZ3ffj91bSMOXOmRk1w6J3e6CdNTSZoe58LgIijQPXhIOq_2N5JtfEqJNHtXZJX65GhceOtuLFOtnMrf5k0mA5rZxU1sXGAis6E5aw/s1600/drongo+spangled06a.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659356480371675490" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 268px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWcXQTY6km_LrbZGvSew6NKwXJGgGNyy5OyOnUJZ3ffj91bSMOXOmRk1w6J3e6CdNTSZoe58LgIijQPXhIOq_2N5JtfEqJNHtXZJX65GhceOtuLFOtnMrf5k0mA5rZxU1sXGAis6E5aw/s400/drongo+spangled06a.jpg" border="0" /></a>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-17103846023250401642011-09-03T11:53:00.000-07:002011-09-03T12:11:13.736-07:00WET but not so WILD<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZU23FQAuobBnJjNPvoxY-TQiKBxRL67a99ZU3vkjhGFqGHvlVGmexNecnYGXC4yNTV_wEBcF_SJ8xDbsvkGwzMFm_p9kStnVOnwvom5vhHqNCXeIsYy-TotXcKn2r7dZVp3l8YR3Hww/s1600/dove+bar-shouldered11a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZU23FQAuobBnJjNPvoxY-TQiKBxRL67a99ZU3vkjhGFqGHvlVGmexNecnYGXC4yNTV_wEBcF_SJ8xDbsvkGwzMFm_p9kStnVOnwvom5vhHqNCXeIsYy-TotXcKn2r7dZVp3l8YR3Hww/s400/dove+bar-shouldered11a.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648211662653984146" /></a>
<br />
<br /><div align="justify">It rained. It rained. Now I know that is simply repeating the same short sentence twice but I felt the point needed emphasising. It rained. And then it rained some more. By day’s end the rain gauge registered 41.5mm of rain. To put this figure in perspective, August comes in as Nanango’s driest month with an average of 32.2mm. An overnight fall in excess of 40mm is, in anyone’s experience of an austral winter, a substantial amount of the wet stuff from the Heavens.
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">A number of possibilities immediately spring to mind when one arises on a Saturday morning to dark, threatening, clouds blanketing the world around you. As a birder you instinctively appreciate that any plans to go birding around the ridges is out of the question. No right-minded bird would risk a thorough drenching simply to oblige a passing human with the opportunity to focus a pair of binoculars on the finer points of its plumage. Both avian subject and human observer would return to base camp all the worse for the inclemency of the morning.
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">A second thought occurred almost as quickly: the Utility Room cupboard remains incomplete; indeed, has remained incomplete since originally blueprinted back in 2001! It could have been attended to during the recent January floods when Fay and I became isolated on our property but I was literally up to my neck, well, okay, up to my knees, in muck, mud, water and occasional enemy sniper fire. I sporadically drift into realms of fantasy.
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">Not that the persistent rainfall eliminated all possibilities of birding. When your accustomed hour of arising is somewhere between 0330 and 0400 hours - don’t ask, it’s a long tale of general lifestyle, diabetes and our continuing research into the local early birds - there is always time to listen out for, if not actually see, birds. The Tawny Frogmouth <em>Podargus strigoides</em> obliged. The Bush Stone-curlews <em>Burhinus grallarius</em>, crepuscular creatures, were howling by 0526 hours from somewhere east of the house.
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">Heavy overnight downpours have lead to an untested theory Fay and I are developing.
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">As a preamble I should point out that we are both unashamedly feeders of birds. We have been since our days in the U.K. My first introduction to serious birding was back in the days of my mid-teens, when Fay was merely my girlfriend [yes, we can be classed as childhood sweethearts even though we didn’t actually attend the same school- Fay was clever and went to the local grammar school; I was thick and went to the nearby secondary modern, although thereafter it seems to have become a comprehensive].
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">Boreal readers may well wonder why the above point is stressed. In the U.K. almost everyone we know feeds birds in one form or another. Our good friends, Keith & Jen of Albrighton, Shropshire, have established a rather elaborate feeder system in their back yard which can be observed at leisure from their conservatory. Les and Sandy of Tewkesbury, Gloustershire, have a simpler but very effective backyard feeder. In the USA feeding birds has become a multi-million dollar business. It is encouraged by birding authorities.
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">That is not the case here in Australia. Birds Australia, soon to be merged with Bird Observation & Conservation of Australia [formerly Bird Observers Club of Australia], more commonly referred to as BOCA, to form Birdlife Australia, actively discourages the feeding of wild birds. Or at least the organization does not encourage the feeding of wild birds. That same message is oft repeated at gatherings of Australian birders all around the country. The exponents of this particular “anti-ism” range from scientists with genuine but untested concerns to the ranters who could just as easily protest the universal acceptance that the Earth is an oblate sphere when in reality it is flat and all archival evidence from Outer Space to the contrary is a diabolical fabrication instigated by a perverse American government, hell-bent on the de-Christianization of the world.
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">We smile, we ignore and we continue to feed our local backyard birds. We are aware of the work by Brittingham et al. [1985] as we are aware of the work by Bromley & Geis [1998].
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">We note that no more than a few hours after gorging itself on titbits of cheese from our verandah, the male Grey Butcherbird <em>Cracticus torquatus</em> honoured us with a magnificent display of hawking. It perched on the east side of the tall angophora [the site of one feeder] and launched itself out into the open sky between tree and grapevine fence to catch small black insects that were visible to the naked human eye. At one point it landed atop the newel post of the front steps before swallowing its prey. The Noisy Miners <em>Manorina melanocephala</em> and Magpie-larks <em>Grallina cyanoleuca</em>, also regular visitors to Café Avian, joined in on the action. The humble juvenile Australian Magpie <em>Cracticus tibicen</em>, seemingly lacking the required aerial acrobatics, simply jumped into the air in an attempt to catch its share of black insects. We cannot comment on its success rate as it had its back turned to us.
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">I drift. Back to the developing, if as yet untested, theory.
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify"><strong><em>Wild birds become more desperate for food supplements following a heavy overnight downpour.
<br /></em></strong></div>
<br /><div align="justify">We have no empirical evidence, no quantitative measures of seed, cheese or biscuit crumb mixture consumed during a post overnight rain session as compared to a “normal” [no overnight rain] feeding session. Currently it is no more than conjecture based on the evidence of our own eyes and the number of birds visiting our feeders.
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">Allen Road data date back to 2001. As well as species present we record climatic conditions; minimum and maximum temperatures along with rainfall figures and almost invariable the data indicates an escalation of the feeding frenzy on mornings following heavy overnight rainfall. Apostlebird <em>Struthidea cinerea</em> numbers explode. Rainbow Lorikeet <em>Trichoglossus haematodus</em> numbers fulminate. Crested Pigeon <em>Ocyphaps lophotes</em> and Bar-shouldered Dove <em>Geopelia humeralis</em> numbers increase dramatically. White-winged Choughs <em>Corcorax melanorhamphos</em> numbers can double. Galahs <em>Eolophus roseicapillus</em> seemingly emerge from out of the woodwork to engorge themselves on the proffered feast.
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">If not merely a climatic coincidence, why the sudden increase in numbers following heavy overnight rainfall? Are the birds simply hungrier? Does the amount of rainfall impact deleteriously on their normal food sources? Is it that the wet condition demand greater energy reserves and these are easiest procured from <em>Café Avian</em> than from out in the wild?
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">Or is it that heavy overnight falls of rain deleteriously effect insects, a major food source of many birds in our area?
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">Whatever, it seems a simple equation: the heavier the overnight rain the more frenzied the ensuing scramble for food at Café Avian. When we are presented with incontrovertible evidence to the contrary [that it is better for our backyard birds to starve than be provided with a supplementary food source] we may consider demolishing the feeders.
<br /></div>
<br /><div align="justify">On the other hand, their presence around the place, amid the grevilleas and banksias, makes for a more pleasant life in general. </div>
<br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pVhkoKxzJcxctqirnCDTgQpDPk7uFtr0rse0HLMF5axQq5inr8JtSU4EILp14beJbXKcPo23TVjBnq5kqL32-F2qJE2_0O4Gocbm9L1s02-C-qJgqKzM8ZqA6DZ_JJ8XM8aToQTRF7E/s1600/feeder%252C+south.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pVhkoKxzJcxctqirnCDTgQpDPk7uFtr0rse0HLMF5axQq5inr8JtSU4EILp14beJbXKcPo23TVjBnq5kqL32-F2qJE2_0O4Gocbm9L1s02-C-qJgqKzM8ZqA6DZ_JJ8XM8aToQTRF7E/s400/feeder%252C+south.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648212774647478002" /></a>
<br />Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-30933962656933822882011-08-02T11:21:00.000-07:002011-08-02T11:45:46.504-07:00Battling Butcherbirds<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMGfA5UQXvZDs1Se62KVXUbDD2Wj62Z6uOg57PzqtXV34x77jIKuKpor3Mi_lrYdUYOkFWvRNkynS8rt7C5hcGQ4EJuZjLZfTuCQZVuLRCAqnIpRg-133vNEknC2_CAj8ObqqFYd6YnE/s1600/004b1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636325987732134754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 324px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQMGfA5UQXvZDs1Se62KVXUbDD2Wj62Z6uOg57PzqtXV34x77jIKuKpor3Mi_lrYdUYOkFWvRNkynS8rt7C5hcGQ4EJuZjLZfTuCQZVuLRCAqnIpRg-133vNEknC2_CAj8ObqqFYd6YnE/s400/004b1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />As I may have said on a few previous occasions, there is one clear advantage of having your own “backyard” patch, a place you either visit regularly or, and some could argue better still, the place you actually live in. Allen Road comes into the latter category. Each day’s birding inevitably starts out as a list of birds Fay and I can hear while still lying in bed enjoying the morning’s first cup of tea. I often get to see the first bird while making the tea – yes, I’m old-fashioned enough!<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">In birding your own local patch you soon become familiar with the regular birds of that patch. You get to know them almost as individuals; indeed, I know some of my local birds better than I know some of my neighbours along Allen Road.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">Take the two species of butcherbirds, part of the Artamidae family available in this neck of the woods; we have both the Grey <em>Cracticus torquatus</em> and the Pied Butcherbird <em>C. nigrogularis</em> present as residents. However, the former is a daily visitor to our verandahs in search of titbits of cheese or simply using the verandah roof as shelter from more inclement weather while the Pied is, with one notable exception, a bird that we only hear from our property although it is often encountered on our walks along Allen Road.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">It has become a regular routine. Our third cup of tea [well, perhaps a few more cups during the shorter, colder mornings of winter] we have on an old miner’s couch on the east verandah. Almost invariably, within minutes of settling down, one or the other of the Grey Butcherbirds, usually the male –you can differentiate between the sexes when both are sitting a metre of less from you- arrives to perch on the top rail. It never makes a sound; it simply sits there looking at us. One or the other of us gets up to cut up the cheese, usually tasty cheddar [for those interested in the piddling minutia]. We toss bits of cheese into the air and enjoy the spectacle of the butcherbirds’ aerial acrobatics as they snatch the morsels from mid air.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">In contrast, the Pied Butcherbird, a much larger species, with the one aforementioned exception, has only ever been recorded as “heard only” on our property bird records. We simply don’t expect to see it until our winter weekend or summer evening walks along the road.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">That is until the other day. The weather was abysmal. It was cold, ground temperatures plumbing perilously close to zero. It had rained heavily overnight, bringing back memories of last January when Fay and I became isolated on our own property for three days. The morning light was impossible. All was gloom and climatic doom.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">As we sat with that welcome cup of tea the male Grey Butcherbird suddenly alighted on the top rail of the east verandah; we could see its mate perched in the nearby angophora. The normal routine ensued. I tossed the male a piece of cheese and then leaned over the rail to toss a piece towards the female in the tree. She never stood a chance. In a flash the cheese was snatched in mid air by a Pied Butcherbird, a much larger close cousin, which clearly had been waiting on the roof. Fay and I were stunned.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">Apart from the exceptional agility displayed by the bird, how had the Pied learnt that this was the local <em>Café Avian</em>? It had never previously sought additional food supplements from us. I tossed a second piece to the male Grey and again tossed a piece towards the female in the tree. The Pied intercepted it.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">This continued for several throws until both Grey and Pied departed; the former to return later that afternoon.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">We were granted a second showing of the Pied Butcherbird’s lissom acrobatic prowess the following day when again it swooped down from the rooftop to intercept pieces of cheese intended for the Grey Butcherbirds. My fingers worked overtime tapping in this newly discovered data into the Bird Journal program.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">This week we experienced a repeat performance but with rather a sharp twist to the tale. The Pied Butcherbird arrived earlier than the pair of Grey Butcherbirds and duly took the first morsel of proffered cheese. It perched on the corner of the east and north verandahs and I had just turned away to resume drinking my tea when a flash of feathers skimmed by close to my left ear; there was a distinct <strong><em>clack</em></strong> of wing beats. I stopped, amazed, puzzled. Had I just been attacked, warned off by some unseen bird?<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">I spotted a Grey Butcherbird in the sapling at the edge of the track leading to the house. Had it been the culprit, the unseen attacker? The question was answered a moment later when the Grey took off and swooped in on the verandah corner – straight at the Pied, only averting certain collision at the last moment. Again, the <strong><em>clack</em></strong> of wings indicted that this was no chance encounter but a deliberate assault by the Grey Butcherbird on its close cousin, the Pied Butcherbird.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Again, moments later, the Grey attacked the Pied in a deliberate offensive. On the next assault the Pied Butcherbird clearly decided that discretion was the better part of valour and beat a hasty retreat back towards the west of the property.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">There has been no repeat appearance by the Pied Butcherbird since that ignominious defeat.<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9ua8QJKYFdvRjzDYRVTDvs0ZABpIYqUARXjYEv9bkhsAzWXD95fZmmgCwWcc5F9OWHgRAFy7Z58lOMBEIdroRkrvFmIhfCydyIwGizm0ZTJ-G5QSGo1IBzmLzKB2D_usSW6jBEjr2qo/s1600/18bi.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636326415420694946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 364px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm9ua8QJKYFdvRjzDYRVTDvs0ZABpIYqUARXjYEv9bkhsAzWXD95fZmmgCwWcc5F9OWHgRAFy7Z58lOMBEIdroRkrvFmIhfCydyIwGizm0ZTJ-G5QSGo1IBzmLzKB2D_usSW6jBEjr2qo/s400/18bi.jpg" border="0" /></a>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-19175149627852761552011-07-18T11:25:00.000-07:002011-07-18T11:48:46.187-07:00Mellow Yellow<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieooNg64R5w9XTnZHUOZ-b78eUYt4f5zGFS28JFbWau8wWy5enX1gLygjupZOHDBLNPmvDnnh0Jx4jfZZvGArpnQyUR2rpLbSBSc6sT5PGHHSo1wYoSszSJPcU8zxEylzq0HSD1xSoJMs/s1600/yellow-tailed002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630763402011791554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 340px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieooNg64R5w9XTnZHUOZ-b78eUYt4f5zGFS28JFbWau8wWy5enX1gLygjupZOHDBLNPmvDnnh0Jx4jfZZvGArpnQyUR2rpLbSBSc6sT5PGHHSo1wYoSszSJPcU8zxEylzq0HSD1xSoJMs/s400/yellow-tailed002.jpg" border="0" /></a> As I may well have said before, there is one outstanding advantage in having your own “backyard” birding patch; you get to know your local avifauna. The regulars are there or, if they suddenly cease to be there – and it’s not the migratory season- then you soon notice. You may never know the why this or that particular species has suddenly stopped being among the more common residents or at least frequent visitors but you become aware of the situation and mull over the possibilities. Fay and I continue to mull over the sudden exit of our Yellow-faced Honeyeaters <em>Lichenostomus chrysops</em>; the demise of the Speckled Warblers <em>Chthonicola sagittata</em> and White-throated Scrubwrens <em>Sericornis frontalis</em> could be feasibly accounted for because of the decade-long drought which decimated the understorey, thus depriving these skulkers of adequate cover. </div><br /><div align="justify">Nevertheless, overall, a backyard patch allows you to become intimately familiar with your local birds.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Occasionally the set routines are pleasantly disturbed by the unexpected arrival of an avian stranger, or at least an infrequent caller.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">The other day, while walking through the wooded northwest quadrant of our property, an area set aside as sacrosanct to the wildlife and not to be interfered with by us throughout our sojourn at Allen Road, we suddenly heard the distinctive call of Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo <em>Calyptorhynchus funereus</em>. It took a little craning of necks, bending of backs to see around or over various shrubs and trees but we soon spotted movement further down [west] Allen Road. Fay counted four flying across the road. A moment later and we heard the plaintive cry of a juvenile cockatoo wanting to be fed.</div><br /><div align="justify">By the time we had returned to the house, a long list of chores awaited our attention, the Yellow-tails sounded as if they had swung around and were closer to our own property; then on our property, somewhere in the wooded southwest quadrant and another calling from directly west [in Rudolf’s former place]. Fay spotted the two from the southwest; I saw one alight in a tree just on the other side of the western fence.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">We stopped our various tasks and looked closer. One Yellow-tailed flew across to the tall, but sadly dead, tree on the edge of the track leading to the front gate. From this lookout post it called incessantly and before long five other Yellow-tails flew across the property, collected the lone pleader and all six disappeared further east along Allen Road.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos are more an uncommon than a rare occurrence along Allen Road but they come infrequently enough to cause at least a mild stir in the bosom of any local birders.</div>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-45105199555751994182011-06-30T18:25:00.000-07:002011-06-30T21:41:58.299-07:00ROOTLING ALONG<div align="justify">Matters rootle along at a steady pace down Allen Road. There is always the odd excitement, such as a Pacific Baza <em>Aviceda subcristata</em> suddenly sweeping into view from over the tin shed. Its presence had, of course, long since been advertised by the raucous din of the Noisy Miners <em>Manorina melanocephala</em>. However, in general, avian life follows a fairly set routine. One day can be very much like another.</div><br /><br /><div align="justify">Not that Fay and I are complaining. It’s the bread-and-butter birds of your local patch that set the overall ambience. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify">We may object to the Torresian Crows <em>Corvus orru</em> which continually steals our chicken and duck eggs but where would the local ecology be without their presence? As scavengers they are second to none among the birds.</div><br /><br /><div align="justify">The Apostlebirds <em>Struthidea cinerea</em> may be the bullies of the Verandah Feeder, often harassing the attractive Australian King-Parrots <em>Alisterus scapularis</em> from off the terracotta plant saucer itself but their communal co-operation remains a spectacle par excellence. The vocal gymnastics of the Australian Magpies <em>Cracticus tibicen</em> continues to bring auditory pleasure to our ears, just as does the amazing sight of two male magpies sharing a feeding spot together.</div><br /><br /><div align="justify">Other “regulars” present themselves each and every day. A pair of Grey Butcherbirds <em>Cracticus torquatus</em> has successfully trained Fay and I to provide them with slivers of cheese when they alight on the verandah rail. The Grey-crowned Babblers <em>Pomatostomus temporalis</em> have learnt how to extract discarded sunflower seeds from between the cracks in the verandah decking. The more aggressive of the Rainbow Lorikeets <em>Trichoglossus haematodus</em> appears to have either taken anger-management consultation, moved out of the immediate area or perhaps has even passed on to wherever it is deceased birds go.</div><br /><br /><div align="justify">No, oddities and rarities are all very well but the non-appearance of our everyday species would be of real concern. We still vividly recall the shock of learning that the humble Tree Sparrow <em>Passer montanus</em> population in the United Kingdom has plummeted; we’ve heard rumours that a similar fate is befalling the even humbler House Sparrow <em>Passer domesticus</em>. Worse yet, consider the Passenger Pigeon <em>Ectopistes migratorius</em>; in its millions one day, extinct the next.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Yet, in spite of all the above, the unexpected appearance of the Red-winged Parrot <em>Aprosmictus erythropterus</em>, quietly perched in a small Wren Garden sapling, next to our angophora tree, was more than mildly exciting. It was only the 17th sighting of this bird on our property since its first appearance back at the end of August 2008.</div><br /><br /><div align="justify">Its timing was awkward. Fay and I were sitting on the east verandah, sipping coffee, when we suddenly spotted the obvious flash of red wing partly hidden behind foliage. It didn’t need past experience to warn us that Red-wings tend to be skittish, will fly at the least provocation. Fortunately both binoculars and cameras were to hand. I carefully picked up one of the latter, switched on and slowly dropped to my knees on the verandah decking. The southside balustrades would act as partial cover.</div><br /><br /><div align="justify">On reaching the southeast corner of the verandah I eased myself up, for all the world trying to look a mere extension of the corner post. I fired in the first shot. The Red-wing twitched the photograph was rubbish. I tried a second shot, no mean feat when you’re trying to be a wooden post keeping movement to a minimum. The Red-wing shifted uneasily; the photograph was only marginally better. </div><br /><p><br /><br /></p><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0ufI3_7SmG_PJcUqt6aAhy_BVhA4uAaRHzxxDpnD108jDSeuHlUbo_RSsEk4Ffe73Srp0bUtjYt3H2rMPAPUVbtCn3QbQXsTtyv2T4oWQX7rTarqgJEMFMI77ns9HpYB-eMxLnP0544/s1600/parrot+red-winged01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624194371626568338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 246px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 165px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0ufI3_7SmG_PJcUqt6aAhy_BVhA4uAaRHzxxDpnD108jDSeuHlUbo_RSsEk4Ffe73Srp0bUtjYt3H2rMPAPUVbtCn3QbQXsTtyv2T4oWQX7rTarqgJEMFMI77ns9HpYB-eMxLnP0544/s200/parrot+red-winged01.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><br /><p>I got in a third shot; the bird was distinctly jittery by now.<br /></p><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><p align="right"><span style="font-size:78%;">The second shot, a “D”.</span></p><br /><p align="right"></p><br /><p align="right"><br /></p><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMWOH6p_mbE-GjMBzoDv6KR7ox04gBKkq90yAgkc2iqiBZD0cuNQpoZBhlx5nOcQf1ROpCgki6eqtVfk00eTxqsf-AnO85CMstzTaSnREE-Zo40FxkIfK1YjzAfsYDA-23rtaD65-LzPw/s1600/parrot+red-winged03.jpg"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#000000;">The third shot for which I award myself a “C”, more for the effort than the photographic niceties.</span></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624237239357033506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMWOH6p_mbE-GjMBzoDv6KR7ox04gBKkq90yAgkc2iqiBZD0cuNQpoZBhlx5nOcQf1ROpCgki6eqtVfk00eTxqsf-AnO85CMstzTaSnREE-Zo40FxkIfK1YjzAfsYDA-23rtaD65-LzPw/s200/parrot+red-winged03.jpg" border="0" /><br /></p><br /><div align="justify">I backed off. It didn’t need a PhD to reason that my next shot could be my last shot and for a long moment I hesitated. Did I need another shot that would surely drive the bird away? Would it be more ethical to abandon photography to allow the bird space?<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">I needed another shot but a Pied Currawong <em>Strepera graculina</em> suddenly alighting atop the same sapling settled the issue; the Red-wing flew off to the east and I was left with three rather poor shots, ranging from a barely passable “C” to a disappointing “D-minus“.</div><br /><br /><div align="justify">The pair of Magpie-larks <em>Grallina cyanoleuca</em> reminded me of what really matters along Allen Road.</div>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-29375014235879112542011-06-23T12:22:00.000-07:002011-06-23T13:18:36.547-07:00EARLY RISERS<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rZeLI5acQCEhWa5YWs6SeEy-MwTSje5qwUfTgGBfY_9B2SppZwwopry54e35gKGL9Xld1xitgSBZyOeCV7Lb70ZY56ON6RxF-5o8jT4xWFRkSqZrmfY6T2mjxDPjGFUK1hwaG_hNagM/s1600/allen+road01.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621500701650122866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 340px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 194px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rZeLI5acQCEhWa5YWs6SeEy-MwTSje5qwUfTgGBfY_9B2SppZwwopry54e35gKGL9Xld1xitgSBZyOeCV7Lb70ZY56ON6RxF-5o8jT4xWFRkSqZrmfY6T2mjxDPjGFUK1hwaG_hNagM/s200/allen+road01.JPG" border="0" /></a>Our residence in Allen Road has a history dating back to April 2001 when we initially inspected the vacant block [the tin shed was empty at the time]. The house, from a Toowoomba “house yard,” was moved <em>in situ</em> the following year; weekends were fully occupied in renovating, first the exterior, later the interior. In March 2005 Fay left her position with QML [after more than 20 years with the company] to take up employment with a small research company attached to PCA in Kingaroy. I sought, and was granted, a teaching transfer into the region at the end of 2005. The renovations to the house and improvements to the property in general continued, still continue to this day. </div><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify">The Backyard List starts from that first cursory inspection back on 13 April 2001. In those early days, when we still lived in Redcliffe and merely visited on every second or third weekend –and that, after all, was the original purpose of the property, a place to which we could escape when the inclination came- we recorded the birds for the sheer pleasure of learning which species we had as permanent residents, as seasonal migrants or as accidental occurrences. Those early data entries are basic presence/absence records. </div><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify">They evolved to include numbers present, behaviours noted, etc. No doubt one day Fay and I will collate the growing mass of data, design a few pertinent graphs to highlight the major trends and perhaps even offer the resulting mass for publication. <em>Bird Journal</em> makes the earlier processes much simpler these days.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Sunrise over Queensland. Taken from: www.mii.org/Rec/GoldMiningVignettes/GoldVign.html </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zAkuhf_WioeovM5xjeWJWa613fDmGbvyJYMTWmnp7SkBrPUbxVNQvJcIkBYPdd_dn85_49wz1o07pQN3JcDopNVb_-4ZpjLvx2B_f9c5lJKo7Uq4hr-Pf3lkyan6s541qbV4P_XCwww/s1600/sunrise.jpg"><br /></div><br /><br /><p align="justify"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621498936899397970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 269px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 193px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zAkuhf_WioeovM5xjeWJWa613fDmGbvyJYMTWmnp7SkBrPUbxVNQvJcIkBYPdd_dn85_49wz1o07pQN3JcDopNVb_-4ZpjLvx2B_f9c5lJKo7Uq4hr-Pf3lkyan6s541qbV4P_XCwww/s200/sunrise.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />In more recent times, while the steady accumulation of data for its own sake continues, Fay and I have come to recording the early morning avian risers. Not the songs themselves [we don’t have the equipment to venture along that path] but the actual species involved in our local Dawn Chorus. </p><br /><br /><p align="justify">If you asked the average Australian, birder or non-birder, to venture a guess as to which species would be “Top of the Dawn Chorus Pops,” I’d be more than mildly surprised if the over-whelming response was anything other than Laughing Kookaburra <em>Dacelo novaeguineae</em>. Many of the Indigenous peoples of Australia share the same Dreamtime tale of how the Spirits, having discovered the wonder of sunrise, asked Kookaburra if he would herald its arrival each morning so that all the creatures could enjoy this phenomenon. </p><br /><br /><p align="justify">And, of course, within certain caveats, they are all right. On average, over the space of a year, the Laughing Kookaburra is almost invariable the earliest precursor of dawn. Almost always… but not quite always. </p><br /><br /><p align="justify">It is, on occasions, bettered by other species. The Masked lapwing <em>Vanellus miles</em> springs immediately to mind. The Australian Wood Duck <em>Chenonetta jubata</em> is another serious contender for the title of Early Bird Champion. The humble Australian Magpie <em>Cracticus tibicen</em> and Torresian Crow <em>Corvus orru</em> have been known to call before old kookaburra stirred from his slumbers. Even the diminutive Willie Wagtail <em>Rhipidura leucophrys</em> was once heard well before the official setting for sunrise, albeit from across the other side of Allen Road where neighbours were holding an all-night party. The Pied Currawong <em>Strepera graculina</em> was among the first early risers recorded to have ousted the Laughing Kookaburra from it near unassailable throne.<br />On at least two occasions in January this year alone the Common Bronzewing <em>Phaps chalcoptera</em> has pipped them all to the post. The Eastern Koel <em>Eudynamys orientalis</em>, a summer migrant, has been recorded as the earliest caller on at least one occasion in the past couple of years. </p><br /><br /><p align="justify">Yet, in spite of all these excepti0ns to the case, as already stated, in general, at least along Allen Road, the Laughing Kookaburra can often call several times prior to any other bird acknowledging the advent of dawn.<br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4w2kaO9OIdxDKkkdo6Vs-JFVEHTUjvS36mP-g4po9qO6_C_Uu7ZbqqS8kz-Gk29VamhSKGKg_n2rQEAvLmTsDfXlnqwYp-s46AH3lWaOYcd-dh3A5rmi_EE0-kam5_F4_DuScFl3zc2I/s1600/kookaburra+laughing03ci.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621500235174417986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 161px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4w2kaO9OIdxDKkkdo6Vs-JFVEHTUjvS36mP-g4po9qO6_C_Uu7ZbqqS8kz-Gk29VamhSKGKg_n2rQEAvLmTsDfXlnqwYp-s46AH3lWaOYcd-dh3A5rmi_EE0-kam5_F4_DuScFl3zc2I/s200/kookaburra+laughing03ci.jpg" border="0" /></a>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-54152933700351943662011-06-11T11:56:00.000-07:002011-06-11T12:11:47.516-07:00Losses & Gains<div align="justify">Now that was a long weekend!<br /><br />We all have our own slings and shots that cause us to tarry along life’s highway. Among mine over the past few weeks has been school. More precisely, testing, marking and collating a mountain of data on which to base report cards. The days when a teacher could simply write “<em>Could do better</em>” or “<em>Working well</em>” have gone. I’m not complaining, merely informing.<br /><br />But I’m back.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZKGLRzxLlXqd9SjtK9-V3bMyC_nyDEErXOeOhk_YAaMFswxPYrrwbEKDbbUJV63SxNe0U3-LAqEU4mtT-vaCkmqHxqsnj3IplGr88DrNmiskWNExP2E7aq7MgU6yt2ODCI-79CZFoBw/s1600/030b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617040982744846898" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 444px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 218px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZKGLRzxLlXqd9SjtK9-V3bMyC_nyDEErXOeOhk_YAaMFswxPYrrwbEKDbbUJV63SxNe0U3-LAqEU4mtT-vaCkmqHxqsnj3IplGr88DrNmiskWNExP2E7aq7MgU6yt2ODCI-79CZFoBw/s200/030b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />It would be gratifying to report that while I was buried beneath an avalanche of test papers the birds merely got on with whatever it is birds do when their human observers are occupied elsewhere. And it might be that that s exactly what they were doing but…<br /><br />The Yellow-faced Honeyeater <em>Lichenostomus chrysops</em> which seemed to be making a welcomed comeback only weeks ago has again disappeared. Admittedly our observations have been limited to brief weekend windows but at one point back there we could here this bird when simply lying in bed.<br /><br />It rival, the Blue-faced Honeyeater <em>Entomyzon cyanotis</em>, while still flitting between north and south feeders, is greatly reduced in numbers.<br /><br />The Sulphur-crested Cockatoos <em>Cacatua galerita</em> had been on the decline for some time but now only occasionally fly by overhead. Perhaps even more alarming is the apparent disappearance of our Galahs <em>Eolophus roseicapillus</em>. They had, at one time, made regular appearances at poultry-feeding time; there would be anything up to 30 specimens competing with the Silver-grey Dorkings for the scattered mixed grain. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFkZsmVtA8a3H9lXcgtb5H2sthz8syYnALhBiGu1HRA798Emzk3CGYozdzEEyVuBbTnbhBh71dVb9BAHC3Zw2bR-hLI0iV0qU340y_8kOC8UESeglRTBk7nfFr0s3eqVkIxACo36sbBY/s1600/017c.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617040134765266786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 239px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 164px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFkZsmVtA8a3H9lXcgtb5H2sthz8syYnALhBiGu1HRA798Emzk3CGYozdzEEyVuBbTnbhBh71dVb9BAHC3Zw2bR-hLI0iV0qU340y_8kOC8UESeglRTBk7nfFr0s3eqVkIxACo36sbBY/s200/017c.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><div align="justify">We noted a pair flying through overhead yesterday.<br /><br />It’s puzzling, it’s concerning but hopefully it is no more than an avian reaction to the bitterly cold winter snap we are currently experiencing in the South Burnett region. It bottomed out at 5.5 Celsius the other day and it can get even colder in August!<br /><br />On the other hand, we seem to have acquired a friendly male Australian Magpie <em>Cracticus tibicen</em>. It has been coming around for some time now. We first noticed him on one of the occasions when the local Grey Butcherbirds <em>Cracticus torquatus</em> arrived on the verandah rail for its usual feed of cheese. We tend to toss small fragments into the air to enjoy the aerobatics of the butcherbirds as they take the morsel in mid air. On the odd occasion the butcherbirds miss the proffered titbit which lands on the verandah decking. It was on one of these instances that we first noted the magpie. It suddenly swooped in, gathered up the piece of cheese and flew off into the nearby angophora.<br /><br />Nowadays it will readily take split dog biscuit crumbs and indeed can often be seen in the 40x25m dog compound pecking at unguarded old bones in search of some overlooked fragment of meat. We have observed the magpies actually carry off an entire segment of wizened bone.<br /><br />Yesterday, Fay had it taking cheese out of her hand! </div>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9213520714397481931.post-70695216295415053832011-04-11T05:37:00.000-07:002011-04-11T06:14:43.811-07:00Glorious Morning at Allen Road<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLo1byOFcJL42moE2Dudlg-IZI9ZORzJJEIKdB0IDkeQheRHdDuI5m7-GRR8KxY959xTs-Qqy6-IlNKlsOE74F7p-4LKv599Vp2LVPzanpt-SjHTr_A8hMX4glPShxdaLxJ1ifjLv27I/s1600/apos05.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594308801408306882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 186px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLo1byOFcJL42moE2Dudlg-IZI9ZORzJJEIKdB0IDkeQheRHdDuI5m7-GRR8KxY959xTs-Qqy6-IlNKlsOE74F7p-4LKv599Vp2LVPzanpt-SjHTr_A8hMX4glPShxdaLxJ1ifjLv27I/s200/apos05.jpg" border="0" /></a> I remain a humble Pom at heart [<strong>aside:</strong> <em>for those overseas readers who may be unfamiliar with the term, Pom is an endearing term often used by Australians when referring to those of us who arrived in this country from England</em>]. I find it difficult to resist a wry smile when I listen to the natives, particularly those enamoured of Queensland [the Sunshine State], wax lyrically that this is “<em>God’s own</em>.” More often than not these sentiments are expressed when the ambient temperature is searing in the high thirties to mid-forties, with humidity at 100% or better. No wonder God chose the Middle East rather than Outback Australia as the earthbound home of His only begotton son!</div><br /><div align="justify">This past Sunday however, we did experience a truly glorious morning. The temperature only grudgingly crawled above 15 Celsius; there was a crispness to the air that invigorated not only the lungs but the entire spirit. A slight mist came up from nearby watercourses setting an eerie tone to the immediate surroundings.</div><br /><div align="justify">Admittedly the early part of the morning was not the best for birding, vision was limited to perhaps ten metres all around. On the other hand, where visual impressions were perhaps curtailed, aural perceptions seemed correspondingly enhanced.</div><br /><div align="justify">In those pre-dawn hours before first light filtered through we could hear the distinctive call of the Southern Boobook <em>Ninox novaeseelandiae</em> [an owl of the Strigiformes], accompanied by the deep boom of the Tawny Frogmouth <em>Podargus strigoides</em> [a nightjar of the Caprimulgiformes]. Oddly enough the next call we heard, at 0555 hours [70 minutes prior to official sunrise that day] was the rather plaintive call of the Australian Wood [Maned] Duck <em>Chenonetta jubata</em>, followed a few minutes later by the somewhat harsh alarm call of the Masked Lapwing <em>Vanellus miles</em>. </div><br /><div align="justify">The Laughing Kookaburra <em>Dacelo novaeguineae</em>, often the earliest herald of the dawn, was late that morning; its initial call coming only 42 minutes before sunrise rather than its more customary 50+ minutes prior to daybreak. Almost invariably it was followed by the truly melodic song of the Australian Magpie <em>Cracticus tibicen</em>.</div><br /><div align="justify">By 0546 hours, still nineteen minutes before sunrise, the Yellow-faced Honeyeater <em>Lichenostomus chrysops</em> announced its presence. This honeyeater has featured almost regularly over the past week as part of the “Dawn Chorus”. To gauge the significance of this bird please note my earlier blog, <em>Reflections on Some Honeyeaters</em>.</div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_3ccA0lT0RaMMeJHtm3I6LNy29XNnQoWN5nmb9heKb9LLIFD8m4WrT4SAn-zUX_HQmV3MVSvLo9FO-WqzzCNdArmbU6PfXwarhYFWRpWrk0eJjklUvQwBWzeEhhyphenhyphent-brB5vex4AUfu0/s1600/005c.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594309196843849490" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 116px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_3ccA0lT0RaMMeJHtm3I6LNy29XNnQoWN5nmb9heKb9LLIFD8m4WrT4SAn-zUX_HQmV3MVSvLo9FO-WqzzCNdArmbU6PfXwarhYFWRpWrk0eJjklUvQwBWzeEhhyphenhyphent-brB5vex4AUfu0/s200/005c.jpg" border="0" /></a>At 0554 hours the White-winged Choughs <em>Corcorax melanorhamphos</em> announced their arrival at the southern feeder, followed two minutes later by the raucous Apostlebirds <em>Struthidea cinerea </em>and finally, at 0557 hours [eight minutes before the time set for sunrise] a solitary Australian King-Parrot <em>Alisterus scapularis</em> added its sultry tones to the mounting cacophony around us.</div><br /><div align="justify">That amounted to eighteen species from the first call of the Boobook to daybreak – and all mostly tallied while Fay and I lay in bed enjoying the first cup of tea for the day. Almost all. The earliest birds were down to me and my diabetic insomnia.</div><br /><div align="justify">With daylight abroad came the Magpie-lark <em>Grallina cyanoleuca</em> and the endearing Willie Wagtail <em>Rhipidura leucophrys</em>. The Common Bronzewing <em>Phaps chalcoptera</em>, Variegated Fairy-wren <em>Malurus lamberti</em> and Little Lorikeet <em>Glossopsitta pusilla</em> added to the morning’s total. Sometime during the mid-morning, with temperatures still well below 20C, the White-browed Scrubwren <em>Sericornis frontalis</em> [see <em>Missing in Action</em>] and Striped Honeyeater <em>Plectorhyncha lanceolata</em> began flexing their vocal muscles.</div><br /><div align="justify">From somewhere far off to the east Fay, whose hearing is far superior to mine, heard a Fan-tailed Cuckoo <em>Cacomantis flabelliformis</em>, a rarity at this time of the year; a little later the Eastern Whipbird <em>Psophodes olivaceus</em> was heard and finally, as we strolled around the dam we spotted a single White-faced Heron <em>Egretta novaehollandiae</em> perched high in a tall gum overlooking the water. It was around 10.30am, the temperature a little above 15C and a long list of chores awaited our attention but it had been a glorious morning for birds with a final tally of 36 species before we laid aside binoculars and notebook. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcTA7sxUh8qlEsgnHsdJQTcP4H0IqR7cZ2zoT5mzhaYDUQYPCRt6S2iyP1AdRvP0gR-jO4sYOoKQofqAKj18QB-dxWyaGb9-rI4z6Gr7sxeeNPeEM0WYhzHrYlfRxHGpZrL8lCfqTQUk/s1600/heron+white-faced4ci.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594310852436904338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 174px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcTA7sxUh8qlEsgnHsdJQTcP4H0IqR7cZ2zoT5mzhaYDUQYPCRt6S2iyP1AdRvP0gR-jO4sYOoKQofqAKj18QB-dxWyaGb9-rI4z6Gr7sxeeNPeEM0WYhzHrYlfRxHGpZrL8lCfqTQUk/s200/heron+white-faced4ci.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div align="justify">Try that while sweltering under a blazing sun with the mercury already in the mid to high 20s by mid-morning!</div>Julian Bielewiczhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06550355404789425309noreply@blogger.com0