Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from The Australia Birding List > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Thursday, August 21 at 08:46 AM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Greater Sage Grouse,©Tony Disley

21 Aug Re: Pacific Gull ["Philip Veerman" ] 21 Aug RFI Eden area NSW [] 21 Aug Re: Bats in the bird nests ["Alan Gillanders" ] 21 Aug Re: Poetry about birds ["Graham Turner" ] 21 Aug Fw: long paddock scientists' statement ["Graham Turner" ] 21 Aug red goshawk sightings [Euan Ritchie ] 21 Aug 'Caring' in birds - Thank You ["Bob Ashford" ] 21 Aug Advice on trip to the Northern Territory ["Richard Allen" ] 21 Aug Re: Bats in the bird nests ["John Harris" ] 21 Aug Re: Bats in the bird nests ["Greg & Val Clancy" ] 21 Aug Wikipedia [Denise Goodfellow ] 21 Aug Bats in the bird nests [Syd Curtis ] 20 Aug Bird Articles in Nature [Chris Charles ] 20 Aug European Magpies can recognise their reflections [L&L Knight ] 19 Aug Re: Help with bird calls! ["Jill Dark" ] 20 Aug Re: Poetry about birds [L&L Knight ] 20 Aug Re: birding-aus Digest, Vol 29, Issue 13 [] 20 Aug Re: Visiting Sydney and Brisbane in Sept. from Texas [Scot Mcphee ] 20 Aug Re: New bird species discovered in Africa [peter crow ] 20 Aug RE: New bird species discovered in Africa ["Tony Russell" ] 19 Aug Visiting Sydney and Brisbane in Sept. from Texas ["BTompkins" ] 20 Aug Archived messages [Russell Woodford ] 19 Aug Spring.... [] 20 Aug RE: RFI: Photographing Tassie endemics. ["Marlene Lyell" ] 20 Aug Re: New bird species discovered in Africa [L&L Knight ] 19 Aug Re: RFI: Photographing Tassie endemics. [John Tongue ] 19 Aug Re: New bird species discovered in Africa [John Tongue ] 19 Aug RFI Macquarie Marshes [scott butcher ] 19 Aug Re: RFI: Photographing Tassie endemics. [] 19 Aug RE: Comments on Itinerary in SEQ [Peter Ewin ] 19 Aug Comments on Itinerary in SEQ [Peter Ewin ] 19 Aug RFI: Photographing Tassie endemics. ["Marlene Lyell" ] 19 Aug RE: New bird species discovered in Africa ["John Murray Penhallurick" ] 19 Aug Re: New bird species discovered in Africa ["Chris Sanderson" ] 19 Aug Re: new bird species discovered ["Tony Ashton" ] 19 Aug RE: New bird species discovered in Africa ["Alastair Smith" ] 19 Aug Re: Road Trip - Blueys, Hunter, Border Ranges, Kaputar ["Evan Beaver" ] 19 Aug Re: New bird species discovered in Africa [John Tongue ] 19 Aug Re: New bird species discovered in Africa ["Evan Beaver" ] 19 Aug New bird species discovered in Africa ["Terry Bishop" ] 19 Aug Migrants ["kbrandwood" ] 19 Aug RE: cape barron geese ["Billinghurst, David \(RTATECH\)" ] 19 Aug FNQ ["Lorne Johnson" ] 19 Aug Re: Pacific Gull, Birdlists and Biodiversity ["Dave Torr" ] 18 Aug Re: cape barren geese [] 18 Aug Re: ID a bird? [Syd Curtis ] 18 Aug Latham's Snipe, Stanmore,SEQ ["russ lamb" ] 18 Aug Re : birding poetry ["Tony Ashton" ] 18 Aug Re: suburban pheasant coucals ["Rosemary Royle" ] 18 Aug RE: Pacific Gull, Birdlists and Biodiversity ["Tim Dolby" ] 18 Aug Re: Unknown call ["Rosemary Royle" ] 18 Aug Atlas of Living Australia [Carl Clifford ] Subject: Re: Pacific Gull From: "Philip Veerman" <pveerman AT pcug.org.au> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:34:45 +1000 Yes, Probably true enough. One of many silly ideas: doves are symbols of peace, like owls are symbols of wisdom. I thought of mentioning that but didn't go so far. Philip ----- Original Message ----- From: Alan Gillanders To: Philip Veerman Cc: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2008 11:46 AM Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Pacific Gull Philip wrote, "After all we have a Peaceful Dove." Yes, and isn't that a misnomer. Alan ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: RFI Eden area NSW From: <jennifer.spry AT bigpond.com> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:08:28 +1000 Hi all, I am off to the Eden, NSW, area (Wonboyn Lake) for a few days. I am looking for two birds in particular; Sooty Owl and Glossy-black Cockatoo. Has anyone seen either in this corner of NSW recently? Thanks Jen =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: Bats in the bird nests From: "Alan Gillanders" <alan AT alanswildlifetours.com.au> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:36:09 +1000 Don't know if Les has retired but he was up on the Atherton Tablelands last week. Golden Tipped bats visit the midaltitude rainforests of the Atherton Tablelands at this time of year. Most of the time I think they are found at the higher altitudes where they were first trapped. They like spiders so a not often caught in mist nets. =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: Poetry about birds From: "Graham Turner" <origma AT ozemail.com.au> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:54:56 +1000 No offence, but I didn't realise there were so many Vogons on the list. Or maybe its just that all I can manage is bad puns. Cheers Graham Turner =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Fw: long paddock scientists' statement From: "Graham Turner" <origma AT ozemail.com.au> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:15:13 +1000 Fwd: long paddock scientists' statementG'day Birders I think this subject has been raised on the list before, but I don't think it can get too much attention. While this email is targeted to 'Fellow Scientists' I believe it has a broader appeal. I don't know if there is a similar petition for non scientists, maybe one should be started if one can't be found. Cheers Graham Turner ---------------------------- Original Message ---------------------------- Subject: long paddock From: "Hugh Possingham" Date: Sat, August 16, 2008 10:55 am -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Fellow Scientists, We are writing to request your support for a statement by scientists articulating the values of Australia's travelling stock route network as well as concern at threats it currently faces in both NSW and Queensland. The Travelling Stock Route network provides a critical resource for biodiversity in our highly modified landscape. The urgency of this situation requires us to compile signatures by noon on 27th August, for formal launching of the statement on the 28th, and we apologise for that timeline. These things always take a huge effort and we don't control political timelines. Since the 19th Century, the routes have provided an important resource to graziers. More recently it has been recognised that in extensively cleared landscapes, the network contains some of the best remaining examples of threatened vegetation, such as grassy white box woodlands. Being fairly straight lines they tend to sample the vegetation types fairly evenly, often better than our reserve system. Furthermore, the network of routes and reserves provides important connectivity over a vast area (over 3 000 000 ha across the two states). It is already well known to provide important resources for birds moving across the eastern states. The value of the network for movement of individuals and genetic material is heightened in an environment now adapting to changed climate conditions. The network contains important historic and cultural heritage values. Administrative changes imminent in NSW and Qld pose a threat to the network. In Queensland, it is likely that large areas will be subject to long term leases, allowing permanent grazing that is incompatible with the maintenance of biodiversity values. In NSW, the threat is even greater, as changes to the administering Act, likely to occur in September will make it probable that much of the network may be handed back to the Department of Lands and then leased for the long term or sold. We thus ask you to read the attached statement and consider adding your support to that of other concerned Australian scientists in this 'Long Paddock Scientists' Statement'. Your professional details are not required, as we are asking for your personal support. However, we respectfully ask that in your reply you list your tertiary qualifications, as we feel this will add weight to the statement. Further, we would appreciate your help in sending this statement to fellow scientists with formal qualifications. For supporting scientists to be included in the statement we will require a return email from each, rather than a list of names. If you wish to sign then please send a reply email with your name and qualifications to longpaddockscientists AT gmail.com. With thanks and best regards, Hugh Possingham and Henry Nix ___________________________ Dr Hugh Possingham FAA: ARC Federation Fellow 2006-2011 If you want to talk to me or make an appointment - please email Jane Breeding j.breeding AT uq.edu.au Director of The Ecology Centre and AEDA Professor of Mathematics, Professor of Ecology www.uq.edu.au/spatialecology/ (lab web site) www.aeda.edu.au (Applied Environmental Decision Analysis centre) + 61 7 3365 9766 (w): 0434 079 061 (m) ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: red goshawk sightings From: Euan Ritchie <euan.ritchie AT jcu.edu.au> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:11:18 +1000 Dear All, I've just begun field work in Cape York and I'm told this is a good place to see red goshawks, among many other great birds! If I recall, somewhere near Musgrave is good? I'd appreciate any advice about good places to see this bird in Nth. Qld. Many thanks, Euan Dr. Euan G. Ritchie ARC Postdoctoral Research Associate School of Marine and Tropical Biology James Cook University Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia ph: +61 7 4781 4133 fax: +61 7 4725 1570 Room123, Old Biological Sciences Building http://www.jcu.edu.au/school/tropbiol/ =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: 'Caring' in birds - Thank You From: "Bob Ashford" <bobash AT tpg.com.au> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:55:59 +1000 Hi All I had a lot of replies following my story regarding a 'caring' Spinebill.Following some suggestions I did some trawling on the net - its obviously an interesting point of discussion and I shall be doing more exploring on the matter. Thank you to all who responded, I really appreciated your thoughts. It never ceases to amaze me how willing people are to share and help on Birding-Aus. Many, many thanks Bob Ashford ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Advice on trip to the Northern Territory From: "Richard Allen" <allenrj AT netspeed.com.au> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:25:17 +1000 In September I will be going on a school trip to the Northern Territory. Places I'm going to include Uluru, Kings Canyon, The Olgas, Katherine Gorge, Ubirr Rock, Yellow Waters Lagoon, Adelaide River and Litchfield N.P. Birds I'm hoping to see include: Pied Heron Radjah Shelduck Brolga Black Necked Stork Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon Partridge Pigeon Red Tailed Black Cockatoo Red Winged Parrot Pheasant Coucal Little Kingfisher Forest Kingfisher Black Tailed Treecreeper Helmeted/Silver Crowned Friarbird Bar-Breasted/Rufous Banded/Rufous Throated/White Throated/Banded/Dusky/Grey Headed Honeyeater Crimson Chat Shining/Broad Billed/Restless Flycatcher Yellow Oriole Great Bowerbird Long Tailed/Masked/Crimson Finch Any recent info on any of these birds at the places I'm visiting would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Cheers Mark ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Re: Bats in the bird nests From: "John Harris" <Harrjoh AT mail.donvale.vic.edu.au> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:19:58 +1000 Hi Syd and Greg, Another possibility is Golden-tipped Bat, Kerivoula papuensis, is also known for residing in abandoned nests. Definitely in the right location as i have trapped them at O'Reilly's. From memory, i think that Strachan and or Menkhorst/Knight mentions this residing habit. A great little bat to see in the hand :) Yours in all things "green" Regards John Harris President, Victorian Association for Environmental Education (VAEE) Environmental Education Officer Donvale Christian College 155 Tindals Rd Donvale 3111 03 9844 2471 0409 090 955 harrjoh AT mail.donvale.vic.edu.au >>> "Greg & Val Clancy" 21/08/2008 8:27 am >>> Hi Syd, The taxonomy and distribution of the Eptesicus bats has changed greatly since the Australian Museum Mammal Book was first published. Australian members of Eptesicus are now referred to as Vespadelus and Vespadelus darlingtoni (Large Forest Bat), Vespadelus pumilus (Eastern Forest Bat), Vespadelus regulus (Regal Vespadelus) and Vespadelus troughtoni (Troughton's Vespadelus) all occur in south-east Queensland. Vespadelus vulturnus (Pale Vespadelus or Little Forest Bat) occurs up to the Queensland border so probably also creeps into the area. Regards Greg Clancy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Syd Curtis" To: "Graham Turner" ; "bird" Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:57 AM Subject: [Birding-Aus] Bats in the bird nests > > Hello Graham, > > I'm assuming that Russell will tell us if he'd prefer we didn't discuss > bats > that roost in bird nests on b-aus. I'm hoping it is of interest to some > subscribers and therefore acceptable. > > My information on bats roosting in abandoned Yellow-throated > Scrub-wren nests was from Les Hall, a scientist at the University of > Queensland. In my old age I don't now remember the contact, and it's so > long ago that I surmise that he would have retired by now. > > All I have is my hand-written note which I put in the "Bats" section of my > copy of the "Complete Book of Australian Mammals" (edited by Ronald > Strahan, > Aus. Museum). The note reads: > > Eptesicus > Chalinolobus morio > > Bats in Devil-bird nests > > Les Hall 377 3933 > > (So the information predates the time when we changed from 7-digit to > 8-digit phone numbers.) > > The book gives "Chocolate Wattle Bat" as the common name for C. morio. > > The book includes five species of Eptesicus, but only one, the Little Cave > Eptesicus (E. pumilus) has a distribution that includes south-east > Queensland. So that must surely be the one to use old Yellow-throated > Scrub-wren nests. > > > "Eptesicus" is used for the vernacular names for the several species. The > book lists as "Other Common Names", Little Bat, Little Brown Bat, and > Common > Little Bat" for E. morio. None of them in anyway distinctive, so > Eptesicus does seem preferable. (Some other species in the genus also get > called "Little Bat"). > > Recent synonyms are given as Eptesicus darlingtoni and Scotophilus > pumilus. > My 1946 copy of Troughton's "Furred Animals of Australia" does not include > either of those genera, so I assume Eptesicus has been described as a new > genus since then. > > > > > Cheers > > Syd =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Re: Bats in the bird nests From: "Greg & Val Clancy" <gclancy AT tpg.com.au> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:27:38 +1000 Hi Syd, The taxonomy and distribution of the Eptesicus bats has changed greatly since the Australian Museum Mammal Book was first published. Australian members of Eptesicus are now referred to as Vespadelus and Vespadelus darlingtoni (Large Forest Bat), Vespadelus pumilus (Eastern Forest Bat), Vespadelus regulus (Regal Vespadelus) and Vespadelus troughtoni (Troughton's Vespadelus) all occur in south-east Queensland. Vespadelus vulturnus (Pale Vespadelus or Little Forest Bat) occurs up to the Queensland border so probably also creeps into the area. Regards Greg Clancy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Syd Curtis" To: "Graham Turner" ; "bird" Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 12:57 AM Subject: [Birding-Aus] Bats in the bird nests > > Hello Graham, > > I'm assuming that Russell will tell us if he'd prefer we didn't discuss > bats > that roost in bird nests on b-aus. I'm hoping it is of interest to some > subscribers and therefore acceptable. > > My information on bats roosting in abandoned Yellow-throated > Scrub-wren nests was from Les Hall, a scientist at the University of > Queensland. In my old age I don't now remember the contact, and it's so > long ago that I surmise that he would have retired by now. > > All I have is my hand-written note which I put in the "Bats" section of my > copy of the "Complete Book of Australian Mammals" (edited by Ronald > Strahan, > Aus. Museum). The note reads: > > Eptesicus > Chalinolobus morio > > Bats in Devil-bird nests > > Les Hall 377 3933 > > (So the information predates the time when we changed from 7-digit to > 8-digit phone numbers.) > > The book gives "Chocolate Wattle Bat" as the common name for C. morio. > > The book includes five species of Eptesicus, but only one, the Little Cave > Eptesicus (E. pumilus) has a distribution that includes south-east > Queensland. So that must surely be the one to use old Yellow-throated > Scrub-wren nests. > > > "Eptesicus" is used for the vernacular names for the several species. The > book lists as "Other Common Names", Little Bat, Little Brown Bat, and > Common > Little Bat" for E. morio. None of them in anyway distinctive, so > Eptesicus does seem preferable. (Some other species in the genus also get > called "Little Bat"). > > Recent synonyms are given as Eptesicus darlingtoni and Scotophilus > pumilus. > My 1946 copy of Troughton's "Furred Animals of Australia" does not include > either of those genera, so I assume Eptesicus has been described as a new > genus since then. > > > > > Cheers > > Syd =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Wikipedia From: Denise Goodfellow <goodfellow AT bigpond.com.au> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:22:39 +0930 Would the people who were writing a bird entry for Wikipedia contact me please? Regards Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow PO Box 3460 NT 0832 Ph. 61 08 89 328306 Birdwatching and Indigenous tourism consultant PhD Candidate http:// www.denisegoodfellow.com http://web.mac.com/goodfellowdl http://www.earthfoot.org http://groups.yahoo.com/group/baby-dreaming http://www.ausbird.com http://birderstravel.com =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Bats in the bird nests From: Syd Curtis <sydc AT ozemail.com.au> Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:57:12 +1000 Hello Graham, I'm assuming that Russell will tell us if he'd prefer we didn't discuss bats that roost in bird nests on b-aus. I'm hoping it is of interest to some subscribers and therefore acceptable. My information on bats roosting in abandoned Yellow-throated Scrub-wren nests was from Les Hall, a scientist at the University of Queensland. In my old age I don't now remember the contact, and it's so long ago that I surmise that he would have retired by now. All I have is my hand-written note which I put in the "Bats" section of my copy of the "Complete Book of Australian Mammals" (edited by Ronald Strahan, Aus. Museum). The note reads: Eptesicus Chalinolobus morio Bats in Devil-bird nests Les Hall 377 3933 (So the information predates the time when we changed from 7-digit to 8-digit phone numbers.) The book gives "Chocolate Wattle Bat" as the common name for C. morio. The book includes five species of Eptesicus, but only one, the Little Cave Eptesicus (E. pumilus) has a distribution that includes south-east Queensland. So that must surely be the one to use old Yellow-throated Scrub-wren nests. "Eptesicus" is used for the vernacular names for the several species. The book lists as "Other Common Names", Little Bat, Little Brown Bat, and Common Little Bat" for E. morio. None of them in anyway distinctive, so Eptesicus does seem preferable. (Some other species in the genus also get called "Little Bat"). Recent synonyms are given as Eptesicus darlingtoni and Scotophilus pumilus. My 1946 copy of Troughton's "Furred Animals of Australia" does not include either of those genera, so I assume Eptesicus has been described as a new genus since then. Now as to your advice of Golden-tipped Bats: It seems that the Y-t S-wren is found up most of eastern Australia. So whereabouts for your Golden-tipped Bats? I note that my (1983) Museum book says of Phoniscus papuensis: "Until its capture in the Cairns hinterland in September 1981, there were reasonable grounds for believing that the Golden-tipped Bat was extinct in Australia. Since then it has been trapped in several other areas of coastal forest, the southern-most being in New South Wales close to the Victorian border." So it's likely that you will be giving me a location not included in my reference books. TIA. Cheers Syd > From: "Graham Turner" > Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:27:41 +1000 > To: "Syd Curtis" > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] ID a bird? > > Giday Sid, that's quite a remarkable bit of info re the scrub wren, but what > really got me was the reference to 2 bat species using the nests. I knew > that golden tipped bats roosted in scrub wren nests, but I thought they were > the only ones. Do you know what they other bats are??? > > Cheers > Graham Turner > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Syd Curtis" > To: "Jennifer Smith" ; > > Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 10:58 PM > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] ID a bird? > > >> Hello Jennifer, >> >> A couple of comments re your Scrubwren: >> >> --------- >>> From: Jennifer Smith >>> Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:17:50 +1000 >>> To: >>> Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] ID a bird? >>> >>> Thank you all. Seems it must definintely be a Yellow-throated Scrubwren. >>> Joalah National Park, Mt Tambourine last January it was. >>> >>> Much appreciated. >>> >>> Cheers, >>> Jennifer> >> -------------- >> >> When next in Joalah, keep a look out for their nests. >> >> Many bird species try to make their nests inconspicuous, no doubt to >> minimise predation. Your Y-t S-w adopts a different strategy: the nest is >> conspicuous, but dangling from the end of a thin branchlet, and not >> obviously a nest. Beruldson (Nests & Eggs of Aus. Birds) says "often >> built >> over a watercourse ... sometimes resemble flood debris". >> >> The nest is usually pear-shaped with a dangling tail and its upward >> sloping >> entrance is very inconspicuous. So it's not obvious as a bird-nest to >> avian >> predators; and snakes, quolls, etc., can't get at it because the thin twig >> won't support their weight. Very effective, I'd reckon. >> >> On Tamborine Mountain at least, the nests are largely constructed of the >> mycelium of the Horse-hair Fungus (Marasmius equicrinus), which is black >> and >> indeed is very like horse-hair. It is very durable, and so old nests last >> a >> long time. You should have no difficulty in finding them along the creek. >> >> My mother's family moved to Tamborine Mountain in 1898 when she was 8 >> years >> old. No bird-books, so she learnt about the birds from the birds. Had to >> give them her own names. Quite appropriately the Y-t S-w was the >> "Black-nest Bird" to her. (As a child, that was the name I knew for >> them.) >> >> Mum was always interested, with any bird nest, to know whether it had eggs >> or young or neither. For domed nests with side-entrances she would very >> gently insert a finger to feel for eggs. Now there are two species of >> small >> bats that sometimes 'roost' in old Y-t S-w nests. And of course it was >> rather startling to touch a nest and have a bat fly out at you. Whether >> or >> not that was the origin of the other name for them, "Devil-bird" I do not >> know. (Back when I was a child one didn't ask one's mother whether it was >> an illusion to "a bat out of hell".) >> >> Bats weren't the only creatures to inhabit Y-t S-w nests once the chicks >> had >> left. Another to use them was a very large, and spiky, native cricket. >> Mum >> said it gave her a great feeling of revulsion when her probing finger >> encountered one. >> >> BTW you will find that the horse-hair fungus is quite common in the >> Tamborine rainforests. Superficially, it looks very like hair, unless you >> look more closely and see that it branches. Look on any small trees and >> shrubs. And if you are very lucky, you may find its fruiting body - a >> perfect little 'mushroom' less than two millimetres in diameter. >> (Probably >> not at this, the driest time, of the year, though.) >> >> "Joalah" is a word from the local Aboriginal language meaning haunt of the >> lyrebird. Should still have Albert's Lyrebirds, though you're not likely >> to >> see them. Along the track behind the Cemetery in Witches' Falls N P, is a >> better bet. It seems they sometimes forage in adjoining gardens there. >> >> Cheers >> >> Syd Curtis (Brisbane) >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> =============================== >> www.birding-aus.org >> birding-aus.blogspot.com >> >> To unsubscribe from this mailing list, >> send the message: >> unsubscribe >> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) >> to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au >> =============================== >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Bird Articles in Nature From: Chris Charles <licole AT ozemail.com.au> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:12:35 +1000 Bird brained? - August 19, 2008 Posted on behalf of Katrina Charles, BA Media Fellow Five European Magpies (Pica pica) have provided the “first evidence that non-mammals can recognise themselves”, says the Daily Mail. In the paper published online at Plos Biology the level of self- recognition of Gerti, Goldie, Harvey, Lilly and Schatzi was measured in “mark tests”. Each of the magpies was observed when it had a brightly coloured mark placed on the throat, under the beak, that could only be seen in a mirror. The observations were made in a cage with a mirror and a cage with a grey non-reflective plate instead of the mirror, and then repeated with ‘sham’ markings, black dots which were not visible against the black of the birds feathers. You can see videos of the birds in the supporting information online............ http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/2008/08/bird_brained.html Also Eco-friendly roof coverings are being poorly installed because of research gap. Many 'green roof' schemes, which aim to make buildings more eco- friendly by turning rooftops into gardens, are failing because of a lack of basic research on their efficient installation and maintenance. Government subsidies have caused a flowering of green roofs across Europe and North America, as people hope to cash in on their aesthetic, environmental and economic benefits. And research certainly supports the idea that they can reduce the need for air conditioning or heating; cut the amount of rain that runs off the roof, helping to mitigate flooding; and even provide urban habitat for insects and birds. But there has been little work on establishing a basic standard for such roofs, says Stephan Brenneisen, an ecologist at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland....... Some of the ecological implications of the failure of these roofs are only just starting to come to light. "Ground-nesting birds in Switzerland, such as the northern lapwings, are using the green roofs as breeding grounds," says Brenneisen, "but the chicks are usually dying because there is not enough water and food on the roofs." His Zurich colleagues Nathalie Baumann and Doris Tausendpfund will be presenting this research at the World Green Roof Congress in London on 18 September....... http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080819/full/news.2008.1048.html Chris Charles 0412 911 184 licole AT ozemail.com.au 33deg 47'30"S 151deg10'09"E ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: European Magpies can recognise their reflections From: L&L Knight <l.knight AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:41:17 +1000 An interesting experiment ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7570291.stm =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: Help with bird calls! From: "Jill Dark" <jilldark AT pnc.com.au> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:05:49 +1000 I have heard the Whistling Kite's call described as "One more rabbit and I'll spew!" Jill ----- Original Message ----- From: "Boyd" To: Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2008 11:09 PM Subject: [Birding-Aus] Help with bird calls! > We are artists from the Burragorang Valley NSW. A bird heaven! > We are working on an sound/sculpture installation for Goulburn Gallery > NSW in > October entitled 'Bird Cry from the Grassy Box Woodlands.' > We are wanting to collect mnemonics and onomatopoeias for Australian > birds. > We have the obvious bird books which tend to be better for onomatopoeias, > though the Friar birds' "an extraordinary jumble of > notes one of which has been interpreted as 4 o'clock" has always been a > favourite. > The plan is to use the sound descriptions as a score to be interpreted by > musicians, this 'recreated' bird sound is what we hear in the exhibition. > If we don't save our birds from extinction only the human record remains. > For instance the call of the Dodo may have been doo doo! or not... > > Do any of you have words you use to describe or help remember bird calls? > > To see/hear an example of our previous work with birds: http:// > www.burragorang.org/ossature/Ossature.html > > Thanks for your help Boyd and Alison. > boyd AT burragorang.org > =============================== > www.birding-aus.org > birding-aus.blogspot.com > > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: > unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au > =============================== > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.526 / Virus Database: 270.6.4 - Release Date: > 16/08/2008 12:00 AM > > =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: Poetry about birds From: L&L Knight <l.knight AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:11:06 +1000 G'day Lawrie To respond to your challenge, here is a poem I composed while on my lunchtime perambulation during today's glorious lunchtime weather. It has the requisite number and pattern of syllables. Regards, Laurie. The kookaburra chuckling sentinel for a waking daylight crew On 18/08/2008, at 4:23 PM, Lawrie Conole wrote: > This will make some readers cringe, so apologies in advance. A lot of > the chat here is a bit on the dry side, so let's have a few of your > favourite bird poems to lighten it up. I'll kick off with this one > from Pablo Neruda, Chilean poet from the early-mid 20th century ... > > > *Slender-billed Parakeet > Enicognathus leptorhynchus* > > The tree had so many leaves > it was toppling with treasure, > from so much green it blinked > and never closed its eyes. > > That's no way to sleep. > > But the fluttering foliage > went flying off green and alive, > each bud learned to fly, > and the tree was left naked, > weeping in the winter rain. > > +++++++++++ > > [Pablo Neruda (1962-5), from 'Arte de Pájaros'. > Translated from Spanish by Jack Schmidt] > > Even allowing for the sometimes clunky translation from Spanish, not > too bad - it puts me in mind of a tree full of Budgerigars. > > The original Spanish version is better in ways that translation will > never quite match; see for yourselves ... > > > Tuvo tantas hojas el árbol > que se caía de riqueza, > con tanto verde parpadeaba > y nunca cerraba los ojos. > > Así no se puede dormir. > > Pero el follaje palpitante > se fue volando verde y vivo, > cada brote aprendió a volar, > y el árbol se quedo desnudo > llorando en la lluvia del invierno. > > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > send the message: > unsubscribe > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au > ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Re: birding-aus Digest, Vol 29, Issue 13 From: Lynton.Auld AT dubbo.nsw.gov.au Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:25:15 +1000 A late response to the discussion re the Murray lakes. All the following is basically correct, however a crucial point is being missed in the discussion. The barrages at the mouth of the Murray prevent sea water flowing upstream, this would have been a natural phenomenon in droughts gone by, when the river was a "Chain of Ponds" environment. The additional chemical inputs upstream have exacerbated a naturally acid sulphate soil situation, allowing these acid sulphate soils to dry out allows them to acidify, returning freshwater to these systems activates the acid, effectively creating sulphuric acid. Opening the barrages allows water to rehydrate the soils, preventing acid formation. It also prevents irrigation form the lower lakes. Without allowing sea water into the system, assuming worst case a "normal" season (normal inputs into dry storages = limited downstream flow) the same farmers who are resisting sea water incursion in the short term will face a long term irrigation future with battery acid for irrigation water - short sighted short term politicised decision making again threatens a natural asset. Regards, Lynton Auld, Manager, Landcare Services, Dubbo City Council birding-aus-reque st AT vicnet.net.au Sent by: To birding-aus-bounc birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au es AT vicnet.net.au cc Subject 08/08/2008 12:00 birding-aus Digest, Vol 29, Issue PM 13 Please respond to birding-aus AT vicne t.net.au Send birding-aus mailing list submissions to birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.vicnet.net.au/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au You can reach the person managing the list at birding-aus-owner AT vicnet.net.au When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of birding-aus digest..." Today's Topics: 1. RE: Murray lakes (Tony Russell) 2. Re: Murray lakes (Peter Waanders) 3. RE: Melbourne (Vic) City Kookaburra (Liz Headland) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2008 10:32:12 +0930 From: "Tony Russell" Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Murray lakes To: "'Gregory Little'" , "'Steve Potter'" , Message-ID: <001001c8f8f2$63fbce80$0200a8c0 AT Fred> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I think Greg has it right, it's the farming activities upstream and a lack of controls which has allowed them to cause the problem. But clearly , those people are going to hang on to their livelihoods by continuing to take water and add chemicals and devil take the others downstream. T. -----Original Message----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Gregory Little Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 10:14 AM To: 'Steve Potter'; birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Murray lakes Steve Yes, I think most realise that over thousands of years, and longer of course, many of our rivers would naturally experience periods of prolonged dry and flooding flows etc. The wildlife dependent on the rivers would be adapted to this condition. The trouble from my understanding for the Murray system is that there is now less water getting through to the ocean as a flush because it is being taken out for irrigation or redirected for other purposes. In addition in the water there are more chemicals from fertilizers and herbicides etc and effluent from people and stock plus the regular flooding and drying regimes required by the adjacent natural native vegetation does not now occur and a lot of that native vegetation is now cleared or disturbed. Greg Little Greg Little - Principal Consultant General Flora and Fauna PO Box 526 Wallsend, NSW, 2287, Australia Ph 02 49 556609 Fx 02 49 556671 www.gff.com.au -----Original Message----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Steve Potter Sent: Friday, 8 August 2008 10:14 AM To: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au Subject: [Birding-Aus] Murray lakes Peter et al, Questions in my mind. I am under the impression from farmers over 60 years old who remember this stuff, that prior to the building of weirs etc, the "river" Murray was actually not a river all. It was in a time of abundance of rain, but in times of some very dry seasons, just a series of pools. True?? As a surfer in this area I have many memories (last 25 years) of times when the river mouth was closed and times when they opened the barrages (usually around every 10 years) and cut a nice channel through the mouth. I know as we all waited for it as it produced an excellent sand headland for surfing!! With this in mind, is the current lack of water in the lower lakes such a big deal? If the above is true then this has been happening for decades and is cyclic?? If we look at the last flood stats over the last 60 years, there seems to have been some big ones even in the 1990's so who to say we wont have another "clean up" flood in the next 5 years?? Thoughts? Steve Potter Blackwood, South Australia =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.5.12/1597 - Release Date: 8/7/2008 5:54 AM =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2008 11:30:26 +1000 From: "Peter Waanders" Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Murray lakes To: "Steve Potter" , "birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au" AT mx.vicnet.net.au Message-ID: <20080808113026.5437.489BA07031DDB-489B AT webmail.dodo.com.au> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.vicnet.net.au/mailman/private/birding-aus/attachments/20080808/a6dcb267/attachment-0001.htm ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:53:02 +1000 From: Liz Headland Subject: [Birding-Aus] RE: Melbourne (Vic) City Kookaburra To: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au Message-ID: <489BA6FE.6050700 AT optusnet.com.au> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Hi Wendy, I heard some Kookaburra's laughing in the Botanical Gardens (South Yarra) Tuesday morning when I was riding along the Yarra to work. Such a lovely sound! I've heard them a few times in the last few weeks, also along the riverbank parklands. Cheers, Liz ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ birding-aus mailing list birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au http://lists.vicnet.net.au/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus End of birding-aus Digest, Vol 29, Issue 13 ******************************************* ###################################################################### This e-mail, together with any attachments, is for the exclusive and confidential use of the addressee(s). Any other distribution, use of, or reproduction without prior written consent is strictly prohibited. Views expressed in this e-mail are those of the individual, except where specifically stated otherwise. Dubbo City Council does not warrant or guarantee this message to be free of errors, interference or viruses. This e-mail message has been scanned for viruses and cleared by: McAfee Command Line Scanner (Ver 4.5) The content of this e-mail message has been scanned and cleared by: MailMarshal ######################################################################=============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: Visiting Sydney and Brisbane in Sept. from Texas From: Scot Mcphee <scot.mcphee AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:06:33 +1000 BTompkins wrote: > We will be staying in the North Hyde district of Sydney. Do you mean North Ryde or Hyde Park in the CBD? regs scot =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: New bird species discovered in Africa From: peter crow <corvusp AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:47:14 +1000 John, From my very uneducated reading of C& B this doesn't appear to be the case in their opinion. I am not taking any side but would like to know more. Is this new species more recent than C&Bs publication? Are they remiss? RegardsPeter On 19/08/2008, at 5:01 PM, John Murray Penhallurick wrote: > Hi all, > Australia does have a new species! It's the Australian Boobook, Ninox > boobook, whose DNA shows it to be a sister-clade to the Barking > Owl, Ninox > connivens, and a separate species from the Morepork Ninox > novaeseelandiae. > The Tasmanian form does group with the New Zealand taxon. > > J =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: RE: New bird species discovered in Africa From: "Tony Russell" <pratincole AT esc.net.au> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:39:39 +0930 That's just to show how clever they are. -----Original Message----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Alastair Smith Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 3:51 PM To: 'Terry Bishop'; 'Birding Australia' Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] New bird species discovered in Africa Brand new species, unknown to science and yet they 'collected' several specimens? Why is this day and age do we need to collect specimens? -----Original Message----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Terry Bishop Sent: Tuesday, 19 August 2008 12:20 PM To: Birding Australia Subject: [Birding-Aus] New bird species discovered in Africa The newly found olive-backed forest robin (Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080815130415.htm =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Visiting Sydney and Brisbane in Sept. from Texas From: "BTompkins" <bkt53 AT tx.rr.com> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:11:12 -0500 I am a avid birder who lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas, USA, who will be traveling to Australia for the first time. In September, I have an opportunity to visit Australia with my husband who will be coming on business. When he is busy each day, I am hoping to go out to local birding locations near Sydney and Brisbane while we are staying in those cities. I would welcome the opportunity to bird with local birders in Sydney September 15th, 16th, and the 19th if anyone is available to go out those days. We will be staying in the North Hyde district of Sydney. In Brisbane, I am looking for a birding companion for Tuesday, September 23rd. We will not be renting a car during these days since my husband will primarily be busy with work. I can utilize the public transportation system for meeting individuals, if that is necessary and a viable option. I am certainly open to paying for fuel and meals for anyone interested in going out for the day. Please contact me at bkt53 AT tx.rr.com if you are interested in showing me around your favorite spots for one of these days. Since practically everything except Rock Dove, House Sparrow, Cattle Egret, Barn Swallow, Mallard, and a few gulls, terns, and shorebirds will be lifers, you will have a captive audience. I am particularly interested in seeing parrots, kookaburras, wrens, and rainforest specialties while I am near the coastal regions. Anything uniquely Australian would be a pleasure to see. Thanks and "g'day"... Barbara T ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Archived messages From: Russell Woodford <rwood AT shc.melb.catholic.edu.au> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:28:36 +1000 Dear birding-aus contributors Please be careful about including your personal details in messages to the mailing list. All messages are archived at http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/birding-aus/ and they appear as feeds on a couple of websites that I have no control over, such as birdingonthe.net If you include your street address and phone number, etc, in your footer, then those details go online and probably can't be removed. Even if the owners of other websites that take birding-aus feeds delete the messages, the sites are archived by other sites, such as the very useful Wayback Machine, where you can see what almost any website looked like months or years ago. People asking for info about forthcoming trips should be particularly careful not to disclose their home addresses: that's much the same as saying to the whole Internet "I live at ...... and I'm going to be away for two weeks from next Monday"! Russell Woodford Birding-Aus List Owner russell AT birding-aus.org Geelong Victoria Australia http://www.birding-aus.org -- This email and any attachments may be confidential and if you are not the intended recipient, you must not disclose or use the information in this email. If received in error, please notify us immediately and delete the email and all copies. The College does not guarantee that this email is virus or error free. The attached files are provided, and may only be used, on the basis that the user assumes all responsibility for any loss, damage or consequence resulting directly from the use of the attached files, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not. The content and opinions in this email are not necessarily those of the College. =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Spring.... From: AKOSGL AT primusonline.com.au Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:55:17 +0000 Further to Keith Brandwood's note of the lone Latham's Snipe at Little Wheeny Lagoon yesterday, a mate has observed loads of Cattle Egrets up his way near Newcastle starting to develop their breeding colors. Also, my better half told me of the pair of Spotted Pardalotes building their nest inside a tyre at the edge of a horse riding arena at Cranebrook, which is great as I did see a male and female checking out this tyre a couple of Saturdays ago. What a wonderful time of the year. Cheers Akos http://australasiaforum.net =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: RE: RFI: Photographing Tassie endemics. From: "Marlene Lyell" <lyell AT iprimus.com.au> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:29:02 +1000 Hi John, Thanks for info. I'll certainly have time to check out some of those recommendations. And, I'll make sure this time that I don't send excitement ripples through Tassie with sightings of 40-spotted Pardalotes in new locations :-) Thanks and all the best Marlene. -----Original Message----- From: John Tongue [mailto:jspk AT iprimus.com.au] Sent: Tuesday, 19 August 2008 11:04 PM To: lyell AT iprimus.com.au Cc: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] RFI: Photographing Tassie endemics. Hi Marlene, Not all that familiar with the East Coast, per se. Around St. Helen's area should be pretty good. Ian May would have some good ideas. In the South East, the REd Gate Section of the Meehan Range Conservation area is good for honeyeaters. Coming OUT of Hobart towards the airport, take the Cambridge turnoff, and turn left again straight away into Belbins Rd. A couple of hundred metres along,park in the parking area, and walk into the park and up the gully. Should get Yellow Wattlebirds, Yellow Throated, and probably Strong-billed and Black- headed Honeyeaters, probably Green Rosellas, and possibly Black Currawong. Native Hens are all over the place. Dusky Robins are a bit harder to be certain, but open farming areas around Seven Mile Beach/Lauderdale are likely spots. Tasmanian Thornbills, Scrubwrens and Scrubtits are probably most likely in fern gullies on Mt Wellington, or along Sandspit River Track in Weilangta State Forest, between Orford and Copping. ========================= =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: New bird species discovered in Africa From: L&L Knight <l.knight AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:21:29 +1000 I think the cost of the travel to Gabon would be a fair bit more than the depreciated worth of the binoculars owned by most twitchers. On 19/08/2008, at 3:32 PM, Evan Beaver wrote: > Any Twitcher worth their binoculars is looking up travel arrangements > right now... > > On 8/19/08, Terry Bishop wrote: >> >> The newly found olive-backed forest robin (Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus) >> >> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080815130415.htm >> >> =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: RFI: Photographing Tassie endemics. From: John Tongue <jspk AT iprimus.com.au> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:04:25 +1000 Hi Marlene, Not all that familiar with the East Coast, per se. Around St. Helen's area should be pretty good. Ian May would have some good ideas. In the South East, the REd Gate Section of the Meehan Range Conservation area is good for honeyeaters. Coming OUT of Hobart towards the airport, take the Cambridge turnoff, and turn left again straight away into Belbins Rd. A couple of hundred metres along,park in the parking area, and walk into the park and up the gully. Should get Yellow Wattlebirds, Yellow Throated, and probably Strong-billed and Black- headed Honeyeaters, probably Green Rosellas, and possibly Black Currawong. Native Hens are all over the place. Dusky Robins are a bit harder to be certain, but open farming areas around Seven Mile Beach/Lauderdale are likely spots. Tasmanian Thornbills, Scrubwrens and Scrubtits are probably most likely in fern gullies on Mt Wellington, or along Sandspit River Track in Weilangta State Forest, between Orford and Copping. Hope you get onto some good pics. Cheers, John Tongue Uverstone, Tas. On 19/08/2008, at 5:30 PM, Marlene Lyell wrote: > Hi All, > > > > I'll be in Tassie in mid September (pelagic) and hoping to > photograph > as many endemics as possible. > > I'm giving a talk in March about Tassie birds, including pelagics > and , > whilst I've photos of Albatross etc, that are suitable, I've a short > supply of decent photos of Tassie bush birds. > > We'll have about 7 days (2 of which will be taken up with the > pelagic) and > the intended route, after leaving the ferry, is down the east coast to > Eaglehawk Neck. I'll visit Peter Murrell reserve after the pelagic > and then > be heading back up to Wynyard/Devonport.. > > Would anyone have any other recommendations as to sites along the east > coast, eg: caravan parks or parks, that might provide photographic > opportunities for the endemics please. > > I know there are honeyeaters along the Inglis River in Wynyard, but > they > tend to stay high in the foliage and difficult to photograph. > > Any help with sites will be gratefully received. > > Thanks and Happy Birding > > Marlene. > > > > > > =============================== > www.birding-aus.org > birding-aus.blogspot.com > > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > send the message: > unsubscribe > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au > =============================== =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: New bird species discovered in Africa From: John Tongue <jspk AT iprimus.com.au> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:56:41 +1000 Thanks John, Does that mean the Australian Boobook and the Tasmanian Boobook are separate species? John Tongue Ulverstone, Tas. On 19/08/2008, at 5:01 PM, John Murray Penhallurick wrote: > Hi all, > Australia does have a new species! It's the Australian Boobook, Ninox > boobook, whose DNA shows it to be a sister-clade to the Barking Owl, > Ninox > connivens, and a separate species from the Morepork Ninox > novaeseelandiae. > The Tasmanian form does group with the New Zealand taxon. > > John Penhallurick > 86 Bingley Crescent > FRASER, A.C.T. 2615 > AUSTRALIA > S 35° 11' 40.2" > E 149° 03' 26.2" > Home Telephone: (61 2) 6258 5428 > Mobile 0408 585428 > Please visit my website http://worldbirdinfo.net > > > -----Original Message----- > From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au > [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of John Tongue > Sent: Tuesday, 19 August 2008 3:45 PM > To: Terry Bishop > Cc: Birding Australia > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] New bird species discovered in Africa > > Aawwww, > I got all excited, thinking it was a new species for AUSTRALIA! > > John Tongue > Ulverstone, Tas. > > On 19/08/2008, at 12:19 PM, Terry Bishop wrote: > >> >> The newly found olive-backed forest robin (Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus) >> >> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080815130415.htm >> >> >> =============================== >> www.birding-aus.org >> birding-aus.blogspot.com >> >> To unsubscribe from this mailing list, >> send the message: >> unsubscribe >> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) >> to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au >> =============================== > > =============================== > www.birding-aus.org > birding-aus.blogspot.com > > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > send the message: > unsubscribe > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au > =============================== > ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: RFI Macquarie Marshes From: scott butcher <butcher_scott AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:15:29 +0000 Hi There Can anybody supply me with information about good spots for birding at the Maquarie Marshes. I would like to head from Sydney out there this weekend. I rang someone today who basically said not to bother as they are pretty much dry. Would really appreciate any advice from anyone whos been there recently and also the best places to access with only a 2 wheel drive car. What about access across private land as well are there any landowners that anyone can recommend me getting in touch with. Thanks, Scott Butcher _________________________________________________________________ Find singles in your area with Match. http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fmatch%2Enz%2Emsn%2Ecom%2Fchannel%2Findex%2Easpx%3Ftrackingid%3D1043416&_r=WL_EMAL_TAG&_m=EXT==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Re: RFI: Photographing Tassie endemics. From: David.Clark AT dpcd.vic.gov.au Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:43:39 +1000 Marlene Maria Island is great for Tasmanian Native Hens - in fact you can't avoid them. They are pretty common elsewhere but don't have the lack of fear of humans of the Maria Island birds. Cape Barren Geese are very sociable on Maria Island too. I only managed to see Forty-spotted Pardalotes on Bruny Island and too far up in the canopy for my camera. The other endemics just appeared without too much effort on my part but, again, didn't really co-operate with my attempt to capture a photographic record. Have a great trip. David "Marlene Lyell" To Sent by: birding-aus-bounc cc es AT vicnet.net.au Subject [Birding-Aus] RFI: Photographing 19/08/08 05:30 PM Tassie endemics. Please respond to lyell AT iprimus.com .au Hi All, I'll be in Tassie in mid September (pelagic) and hoping to photograph as many endemics as possible. I'm giving a talk in March about Tassie birds, including pelagics and , whilst I've photos of Albatross etc, that are suitable, I've a short supply of decent photos of Tassie bush birds. We'll have about 7 days (2 of which will be taken up with the pelagic) and the intended route, after leaving the ferry, is down the east coast to Eaglehawk Neck. I'll visit Peter Murrell reserve after the pelagic and then be heading back up to Wynyard/Devonport.. Would anyone have any other recommendations as to sites along the east coast, eg: caravan parks or parks, that might provide photographic opportunities for the endemics please. I know there are honeyeaters along the Inglis River in Wynyard, but they tend to stay high in the foliage and difficult to photograph. Any help with sites will be gratefully received. Thanks and Happy Birding Marlene. =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: RE: Comments on Itinerary in SEQ From: Peter Ewin <sittella AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:37:09 +1000 I forgot to add - I am also keen to try and track down the White-headed race of the Varied Sittella, so if anyone can suggest a location for that within the same vicinity it would be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Peter> From: sittella AT hotmail.com> To: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:28:30 +1000> Subject: [Birding-Aus] Comments on Itinerary in SEQ> > > Next month I will be heading up to Brisbane for my sisters wedding and I have promised my Dad for his 70th birthday that I would take him on a trip for a few days to try and pick up a few species he is missing off his list. Of course they are all the usual suspects around SEQ that are usually quite hard to see. I also have a few sites in northern NSW (where he lives) to try and pick up a few of the species as well.> The list of species is:> Black-breasted Button-quail> Red-backed Button-quail (this is one I am after as well)> Cotton Pygmy-goose> > Brown-headed Honeyeater (though I am hoping to track this one down near Mildura in the next few days)> Mangrove Honeyeater> Little Bronze-cuckoo> Tawny Grassbird> Eastern Grass Owl> Masked Owl> Sooty Owl> Fairy Gerygone> Shining Flycatcher> Black Bittern> Green Pygmy-goose> Lemon-bellied Flycatcher> Obviously some of these are harder than others (and a few are nigh on impossible in SEQ). Hopefully he will head up north soon and pick up a few of the ones we miss.> I have gone through the archives and have roughly planned an itinerary as follows, though I am unsure whether we will have my Outback or his motor home:> Day 1 Murwillumbah to the Lockyer Valley (Gatton) maybe as far as Kingaroy> Day 2 Travel to Inksip Point/Rainbow Beach/Great Sandy NP> Day 3 Same araea and maybe to somewhere just north of Brisbane (or possibly the Conodales)> Day 4 Travel back to Murwillumbah via Brisbane and a few sites (Samsonvale, Wynnum, etc.)> I also may have another chance in Brisbane later in the week when we are back up there for the wedding.> Any recent info on any of these species and potential sites would be greatly appreciated (also on the feasability of this trip).> Cheers,> Peter> > _________________________________________________________________> Are you paid what you're worth? Find out: SEEK Salary Centre> http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fninemsn%2Eseek%2Ecom%2Eau%2Fcareer%2Dresources%2Fsalary%2Dcentre%2F%3Ftracking%3Dsk%3Ahet%3Asc%3Anine%3A0%3Ahot%3Atext&_t=764565661&_r=OCT07_endtext_salary&_m=EXT==========www.birding-aus.org> birding-aus.blogspot.com> > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > send the message:> unsubscribe > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)> to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au> ========== _________________________________________________________________ Win a Nokia E51 with mobile Hotmail SMS alerts  http://www.livelife.ninemsn.com.au/compIntro.aspx?compId=4589==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Comments on Itinerary in SEQ From: Peter Ewin <sittella AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:28:30 +1000 Next month I will be heading up to Brisbane for my sisters wedding and I have promised my Dad for his 70th birthday that I would take him on a trip for a few days to try and pick up a few species he is missing off his list. Of course they are all the usual suspects around SEQ that are usually quite hard to see. I also have a few sites in northern NSW (where he lives) to try and pick up a few of the species as well. The list of species is: Black-breasted Button-quail Red-backed Button-quail (this is one I am after as well) Cotton Pygmy-goose Brown-headed Honeyeater (though I am hoping to track this one down near Mildura in the next few days) Mangrove Honeyeater Little Bronze-cuckoo Tawny Grassbird Eastern Grass Owl Masked Owl Sooty Owl Fairy Gerygone Shining Flycatcher Black Bittern Green Pygmy-goose Lemon-bellied Flycatcher Obviously some of these are harder than others (and a few are nigh on impossible in SEQ). Hopefully he will head up north soon and pick up a few of the ones we miss. I have gone through the archives and have roughly planned an itinerary as follows, though I am unsure whether we will have my Outback or his motor home: Day 1 Murwillumbah to the Lockyer Valley (Gatton) maybe as far as Kingaroy Day 2 Travel to Inksip Point/Rainbow Beach/Great Sandy NP Day 3 Same araea and maybe to somewhere just north of Brisbane (or possibly the Conodales) Day 4 Travel back to Murwillumbah via Brisbane and a few sites (Samsonvale, Wynnum, etc.) I also may have another chance in Brisbane later in the week when we are back up there for the wedding. Any recent info on any of these species and potential sites would be greatly appreciated (also on the feasability of this trip). Cheers, Peter _________________________________________________________________ Are you paid what you're worth? Find out: SEEK Salary Centre http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fninemsn%2Eseek%2Ecom%2Eau%2Fcareer%2Dresources%2Fsalary%2Dcentre%2F%3Ftracking%3Dsk%3Ahet%3Asc%3Anine%3A0%3Ahot%3Atext&_t=764565661&_r=OCT07_endtext_salary&_m=EXT==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: RFI: Photographing Tassie endemics. From: "Marlene Lyell" <lyell AT iprimus.com.au> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:30:49 +1000 Hi All, I'll be in Tassie in mid September (pelagic) and hoping to photograph as many endemics as possible. I'm giving a talk in March about Tassie birds, including pelagics and , whilst I've photos of Albatross etc, that are suitable, I've a short supply of decent photos of Tassie bush birds. We'll have about 7 days (2 of which will be taken up with the pelagic) and the intended route, after leaving the ferry, is down the east coast to Eaglehawk Neck. I'll visit Peter Murrell reserve after the pelagic and then be heading back up to Wynyard/Devonport.. Would anyone have any other recommendations as to sites along the east coast, eg: caravan parks or parks, that might provide photographic opportunities for the endemics please. I know there are honeyeaters along the Inglis River in Wynyard, but they tend to stay high in the foliage and difficult to photograph. Any help with sites will be gratefully received. Thanks and Happy Birding Marlene. =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: RE: New bird species discovered in Africa From: "John Murray Penhallurick" <jpenhall AT bigpond.net.au> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:01:11 +1000 Hi all, Australia does have a new species! It's the Australian Boobook, Ninox boobook, whose DNA shows it to be a sister-clade to the Barking Owl, Ninox connivens, and a separate species from the Morepork Ninox novaeseelandiae. The Tasmanian form does group with the New Zealand taxon. John Penhallurick 86 Bingley Crescent FRASER, A.C.T. 2615 AUSTRALIA S 35° 11' 40.2" E 149° 03' 26.2" Home Telephone: (61 2) 6258 5428 Mobile 0408 585428 Please visit my website http://worldbirdinfo.net -----Original Message----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of John Tongue Sent: Tuesday, 19 August 2008 3:45 PM To: Terry Bishop Cc: Birding Australia Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] New bird species discovered in Africa Aawwww, I got all excited, thinking it was a new species for AUSTRALIA! John Tongue Ulverstone, Tas. On 19/08/2008, at 12:19 PM, Terry Bishop wrote: > > The newly found olive-backed forest robin (Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus) > > http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080815130415.htm > > > =============================== > www.birding-aus.org > birding-aus.blogspot.com > > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > send the message: > unsubscribe > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au > =============================== =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Re: New bird species discovered in Africa From: "Chris Sanderson" <chris.sanderson AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:30:02 +1000 Hi Alistair, I had the same thoughts. You would think given they only seemed to need DNA for confirmation they could have taken bloods or even clipped a couple of feathers. This collectors mentality that a museum collection needs to be "complete" was already the downfall of the Great Auk, it would be a shame if another, poorly known species were to fall the same way. Regards, Chris On Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 4:21 PM, Alastair Smith wrote: > Brand new species, unknown to science and yet they 'collected' several > specimens? Why is this day and age do we need to collect specimens? > > -----Original Message----- > From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au > [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Terry Bishop > Sent: Tuesday, 19 August 2008 12:20 PM > To: Birding Australia > Subject: [Birding-Aus] New bird species discovered in Africa > > > The newly found olive-backed forest robin (Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus) > > http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080815130415.htm > > > =============================== > www.birding-aus.org > birding-aus.blogspot.com > > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > send the message: > unsubscribe > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au > =============================== > > > =============================== > www.birding-aus.org > birding-aus.blogspot.com > > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > send the message: > unsubscribe > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au > =============================== > =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: new bird species discovered From: "Tony Ashton" <tonyashton1 AT bigpond.com> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:28:51 +1000 Hi all, So, "several specimens" of Gabon's newly ID'd Olive-backed Forest Robin now in the Smithsonian. Is this a bit disturbing? Good thing it wasn't Australia's Night Parrot! Tony Ashton ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: RE: New bird species discovered in Africa From: "Alastair Smith" <alastair AT homemail.com.au> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:21:29 +1000 Brand new species, unknown to science and yet they 'collected' several specimens? Why is this day and age do we need to collect specimens? -----Original Message----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Terry Bishop Sent: Tuesday, 19 August 2008 12:20 PM To: Birding Australia Subject: [Birding-Aus] New bird species discovered in Africa The newly found olive-backed forest robin (Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080815130415.htm =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: Road Trip - Blueys, Hunter, Border Ranges, Kaputar From: "Evan Beaver" <evcricket AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:48:54 +1000 Thanks a lot to Kurtis and Greg for some thorough analysis. Mammals are hard to ID, especially the myriad hopping things. I didn't even consider dimorphism with the Wallaroo (Euro? What's the consensus there?), and clearly in hindsight they were females and little-uns. The Parma Wallaby sounds rare, and I'll freely admit that my sighting wasn't the best, and the ID was mostly based on habitat and approximate shape. I thought it was a bit taller than a Pademelon, much closer to 700mm tall when standing that 400mm. The other possible I've noted was a Black-Striped Wallaby or Whiptail. I suspect the hoppers on the way to Mt Lindesay were Whiptails, the ones shuffling around at dusk will have to remain as 'id not confirmed' RE the Bettong. I'm pretty confident of this one, and probably didn't describe the habitat very well. We were camped in the walk in campsites right down on the fringe of Border Ranges NP, where it butts up against farm land. It is definitely dry sclerophyl there with a native grassy understory, as the true RF doesn't start till much further up in the gully of Sheepstation Creek. The silver was fairly obvious in the moonlight as well. Quite a different shaped snout to the Pademelons too. Thanks again for the critique. Could have been embarrassing in a few years time, telling people about how i saw a Parma Wallaby, possibly the only record for the state.... EB =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: New bird species discovered in Africa From: John Tongue <jspk AT iprimus.com.au> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:45:29 +1000 Aawwww, I got all excited, thinking it was a new species for AUSTRALIA! John Tongue Ulverstone, Tas. On 19/08/2008, at 12:19 PM, Terry Bishop wrote: > > The newly found olive-backed forest robin (Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus) > > http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080815130415.htm > > > =============================== > www.birding-aus.org > birding-aus.blogspot.com > > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > send the message: > unsubscribe > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au > =============================== =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: New bird species discovered in Africa From: "Evan Beaver" <evcricket AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:32:33 +1000 Any Twitcher worth their binoculars is looking up travel arrangements right now... On 8/19/08, Terry Bishop wrote: > > The newly found olive-backed forest robin (Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus) > > http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080815130415.htm > > > =============================== > www.birding-aus.org > birding-aus.blogspot.com > > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > send the message: > unsubscribe > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au > =============================== > -- Evan Beaver Lapstone, Blue Mountains, NSW lat=-33.77, lon=150.64 =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: New bird species discovered in Africa From: "Terry Bishop" <tabishop1 AT bigpond.com> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:19:59 +1000 The newly found olive-backed forest robin (Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080815130415.htm =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Migrants From: "kbrandwood" <kbrandwood AT bigpond.com> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:12:41 +1000 Hello everyone, Lathams Snipe returned to the Hawkesbury today, lone bird at Little Wheeny Lagoon Cattai. keith b the beautiful Hawkesbury 60km N/W of Sydney ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: RE: cape barron geese From: "Billinghurst, David \(RTATECH\)" <David.Billinghurst AT riotinto.com> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:24:24 +1000 > From: julie > > We have on our farm a pair of cape barron geese that have > arrived and made them selfs very happy there is two of them > we are in pearcedale vic 3912 just wonderd where they are > from are they wild or have we someones escaped pets There are a couple of pairs "based" at Moonlit Sanctuary, on the Tyabb-Tooradin Rd in Pearcedale. They are free to come and go as they please. David NOTICE This e-mail and any attachments are private and confidential and may contain privileged information. If you are not an authorised recipient, the copying or distribution of this e-mail and any attachments is prohibited and you must not read, print or act in reliance on this e-mail or attachments. This notice should not be removed. ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: FNQ From: "Lorne Johnson" <ljohnson AT loretonh.nsw.edu.au> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:43:09 +1000 Hi bird lovers, I'm back from twelve days in far North Queensland. I was up there with students and staff from the school where I teach. We visited many places from Normanby Island to Cape Tribulation. Check out Eremaea's North Queensland webpage for the birding highlights. I saw eight lifers, including a red goshawk at Rocky Creek War Memorial, Tolga. I encourage anyone who's visiting Undara to keep their eyes peeled for grey falcons, as I'm 95% sure I saw one there about 10 days ago. I only had a five second view as it shot above the campsite canopy there, so I couldn't swear it was. Peace and light to all, Lorne ###################################################################### Attention: This e-mail message is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient please delete the message and notify the sender. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author. This email was scanned and cleared by NetIQ MailMarshal. ###################################################################### ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Re: Pacific Gull, Birdlists and Biodiversity From: "Dave Torr" <davidtorr AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 06:36:47 +1000 I agree with your last point on subspecies Tim - it is unfortunate that C&B do not list ssp as many organisations and birding databases recognise only the C&B species and so we are not recording any ssp information in most cases. Not sure how we solve that problem though! 2008/8/18 Tim Dolby > <> > > I also agree with Simon (the person, not the bird), we do need to recognize > fine-scale taxonomic differences for conservation management. You need think > only of the Helmeted Honeyeater in Victoria, and both Mallee Emu-wren and > Black-eared Miner, which were both once considered subspecies. > > Cheers, > > Tim > > > > =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: cape barren geese From: David.Clark AT dpcd.vic.gov.au Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:46:46 +1000 Julie What wonderful visitors you have! Cape Barren Geese are making a good recovery from their use as a food source by early explorers, sealers and whalers and just about everyone else until it was realised that they were on the brink of extinction. They are now classed as vulnerable but the population is quite large thanks to breeding programs, re-introductions and their liking for agricultural pastures. Their normal range is the Bass Strait islands and the coastal areas of Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania although they have been introduced to places like Bool Lagoon in South Australia that are some way from the coast. There is also a sub-species found in the Recherche Archipelago off Western Australia. Pearcedale is probably within their normal range now but may not have been a suitable environment for them before land clearing took place. You can learn more about them from the Birds in Backyards website: http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/finder/display.cfm?id=208 Regards David "julie" To Sent by: birding-aus-bounc cc es AT vicnet.net.au Subject [Birding-Aus] cape barron geese 18/08/08 06:37 PM We have on our farm a pair of cape barron geese that have arrived and made them selfs very happy there is two of them we are in pearcedale vic 3912 just wonderd where they are from are they wild or have we someones escaped pets thks julie ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Re: ID a bird? From: Syd Curtis <sydc AT ozemail.com.au> Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:58:19 +1000 Hello Jennifer, A couple of comments re your Scrubwren: --------- > From: Jennifer Smith > Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:17:50 +1000 > To: > Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] ID a bird? > > Thank you all. Seems it must definintely be a Yellow-throated Scrubwren. > Joalah National Park, Mt Tambourine last January it was. > > Much appreciated. > > Cheers, > Jennifer> -------------- When next in Joalah, keep a look out for their nests. Many bird species try to make their nests inconspicuous, no doubt to minimise predation. Your Y-t S-w adopts a different strategy: the nest is conspicuous, but dangling from the end of a thin branchlet, and not obviously a nest. Beruldson (Nests & Eggs of Aus. Birds) says "often built over a watercourse ... sometimes resemble flood debris". The nest is usually pear-shaped with a dangling tail and its upward sloping entrance is very inconspicuous. So it's not obvious as a bird-nest to avian predators; and snakes, quolls, etc., can't get at it because the thin twig won't support their weight. Very effective, I'd reckon. On Tamborine Mountain at least, the nests are largely constructed of the mycelium of the Horse-hair Fungus (Marasmius equicrinus), which is black and indeed is very like horse-hair. It is very durable, and so old nests last a long time. You should have no difficulty in finding them along the creek. My mother's family moved to Tamborine Mountain in 1898 when she was 8 years old. No bird-books, so she learnt about the birds from the birds. Had to give them her own names. Quite appropriately the Y-t S-w was the "Black-nest Bird" to her. (As a child, that was the name I knew for them.) Mum was always interested, with any bird nest, to know whether it had eggs or young or neither. For domed nests with side-entrances she would very gently insert a finger to feel for eggs. Now there are two species of small bats that sometimes 'roost' in old Y-t S-w nests. And of course it was rather startling to touch a nest and have a bat fly out at you. Whether or not that was the origin of the other name for them, "Devil-bird" I do not know. (Back when I was a child one didn't ask one's mother whether it was an illusion to "a bat out of hell".) Bats weren't the only creatures to inhabit Y-t S-w nests once the chicks had left. Another to use them was a very large, and spiky, native cricket. Mum said it gave her a great feeling of revulsion when her probing finger encountered one. BTW you will find that the horse-hair fungus is quite common in the Tamborine rainforests. Superficially, it looks very like hair, unless you look more closely and see that it branches. Look on any small trees and shrubs. And if you are very lucky, you may find its fruiting body - a perfect little 'mushroom' less than two millimetres in diameter. (Probably not at this, the driest time, of the year, though.) "Joalah" is a word from the local Aboriginal language meaning haunt of the lyrebird. Should still have Albert's Lyrebirds, though you're not likely to see them. Along the track behind the Cemetery in Witches' Falls N P, is a better bet. It seems they sometimes forage in adjoining gardens there. Cheers Syd Curtis (Brisbane) =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== Subject: Latham's Snipe, Stanmore,SEQ From: "russ lamb" <jayasphere AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:56:00 +1000 Have started to regularly survey an 8km stretch of Cove Road, Stanmore , a locality situated between Beerwah and Woodford (behind the Glasshouse Mountains).Cove Road traverses a number of wetlands, some natural low-lying swamp/shallow lagoons, and a number of dams. At the Beerwah end it passes close to the Stanley River. Painted Snipe (up to five) were seen at one of these wetlands for a few months from September last year. On Saturday we recorded 61 species along this stretch, three more than in July. A pair of Latham's Snipe were present at the same wetland where the Painted Snipe were seen last year. We also got three Glossy Ibis, all the egrets, Great Crested Grebe (one only), though no sign (yet) of the Cotton Pygmy-geese which bred there last year. A single White-necked Heron (three last month) but no spoonbills. Straw-necked Ibis were plentiful and one area had five Black-fronted Dotterel. I'ts obviously a good spot for waterbirds (Magpie Geese, Brolga and Jabiru have visited in past years) Nothing unusual in the way of bush birds, though it was good to pick-up our first White-naped Honeyeaters for the year. No sign of the Grey-crowned Babblers occasionally seen along the route. Russ Lamb, Maleny,SEQ ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Re : birding poetry From: "Tony Ashton" <tonyashton1 AT bigpond.com> Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:18:39 +1000 Hi all, Can one submit their own? Verse to accompany picture of white-lipped tree frog with two Willie Wagtail fledglings in mouth (pix, tale): http://tytotony.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html Frog ravenous/ maw cavernous/ birds nutritious/ frog 2 ambitious/ birds cumbrous/ fall, slumbrous/ frog cavernous/ more ravenous. Haiku: Azure kingfishers streak/ sunshot stream: memories mine/ cobalt copper gold Sorry to lower the tone, Lawrie! Cheers, Tony Ashton ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Re: suburban pheasant coucals From: "Rosemary Royle" <rosemaryroyle AT tiscali.co.uk> Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:33:32 +0100 We saw a pheasant coucal in a patch of vegetation alongside a stream close to the big campsite in Newmarket in northern Brisbane in 2006. There was an active brush turkey nest nearby too. This was also in the middle of the suburbs. Rosemary Royle Wales, UK ----- Original Message ----- From: Scot Mcphee To: 'Birding-Aus' Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 2:58 AM Subject: [Birding-Aus] suburban pheasant coucals Yesterday got a glimpse at at a juvenile pheasant coucal in our backyard in Auchenflower, Brisbane (inner western suburbs, about 2 km east of Mt Cootha). My wife had earlier got an excellent look at it as it rummaged around in our garden beds - it flew up to the fence where she saw it quite clearly and then it clumsily flew up into the neighbor's macadamia tree. A bit later a pair of currawongs were chasing it away from a nearby tree - I saw it crash back into the dense protection of the macadamia. About a year ago we saw an adult shoot across our backyard into the hedge so would it be right to assume they are breeding in leafy suburbia? The next door backyard was quite dense and overgrown until recent weeks when yard "improvements" have seen it all cleared out (thank god the trees were spared). But it was always fairly dense with brush turkeys so I would have thought the big male would have chased other ground dwelling birds away - he's aggressive enough even to the magpies. =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.6.4/1617 - Release Date: 8/17/2008 12:58 PM ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: RE: Pacific Gull, Birdlists and Biodiversity From: "Tim Dolby" <Tim.Dolby AT vu.edu.au> Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:26:18 +1000 Not bad Phillip. I really like your suggestion Peaceful Gull - because it seems shier than other more aggressive gulls and the meaning of the word pacific. It get's my vote, except of course for Dolby's Gull and 'Simon'. And, by the way, Simon Mustoe's suggestion that we should call it 'Simon's Gull' is just silly and narcissistic (as opposed to Dolby's Gull, which is selfless). I also like Troo-gad-dill, an aboriginal name. However once again it raises the question about the many different aboriginal languages, and from which does this name come from? A mid-NSW one? Is that appropriate? Would it be more appropriate to use the name used in Tasmania or Victoria, where Simon are far more common. In terms of scientific / binomial names, these are often even sillier than the vernaculars. As someone mentioned they often have little or no relationship to the species in questions. The best example I can think of is Monarcha infelix (Manus Monarch), which means 'unhappy monarch' - and indeed it is known as the Unhappy Monarch. The only reason it has this name in the first place is because the original specimen sent to the taxonomist was in a particularly tatty condition. In the same way I have seen it written that 'Larus pacificus' is actually a perfect nomenclature (as opposed a silly one - which I contend) because Larus pacificus literally means Pacific Gull. By contrast Larus articilla (Laughing Gull) means black-tailed gull, and Larus crassirostris (Black-tailed Gull) means large-billed gull. Finally Jeff does make a really important point re the status of the western race L. p. georgii (sometimes described as the 'Western Gull'). The population does seem small when compared to the nominate race L. p. pacific, and it is prone to disturbance while breeding and feeding. Where does this subspecies really stand in terms of it conservation status and its IUCN Red Listing (currently listed as 'Least Concern'). I also agree with Simon (the person, not the bird), we do need to recognize fine-scale taxonomic differences for conservation management. You need think only of the Helmeted Honeyeater in Victoria, and both Mallee Emu-wren and Black-eared Miner, which were both once considered subspecies. Cheers, Tim -----Original Message----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au on behalf of Simon Mustoe Sent: Sat 16/08/2008 17:12 To: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au Subject: [Birding-Aus] Pacific Gull, Birdlists and Biodiversity Hi, Jeff Davies made an interesting point. Far more interesting in fact, than the last 24 hours discussing vernaculars. Simon's gull is the one I would go with anyway - what does it matter, there is little or no recognition of the species in the statutory listing. I will go on record by saying that the recognition of finer-scale taxonomic differences from a conservation management perspective in Australia is poor. Jeff raises a very important point because I would doubt anyone on birding-aus would ever seek to lobby against development on the grounds that the species, or a subspecies of Pacific Gull were present. However, this is a coastal bird of great significance for southern Australia. We have some considerable biogeographic barriers to dispersal between subspecies in different parts of the country and Pacific Gulls are not a bad example. The national legislation identifies subspecies as a component of biodiversity but the species lists are in an awful mess. Hardly any subspecies are actually listed. First, the lists are not updated often enough. Second, what higher authority is there to guide the powers that be to recognise subspecies as of conservation importance? The current taxonomic processes don't do this. I have great respect for the taxonomists in Australia, so I mean no disrespect here. However, I liken the work to geomorphology, another science I regularly come into contact with as a consultant. Geomorphology can operate in either an immediate short-term, or long-term context. Applied to biodiversity management, it is about the character and change in landscapes that effects distributions and behaviour of animals. However, the classic academic interpretation is of the construction of landscape form over geological time - a reasonable approach but quite unrelated to management problems. Whilst taxonomists are preoccupied with identifying evolutionary make-up and lineages between the species (a long term historic view), this is rather academic when it comes to the immediate issues of managing existing populations at the subspecific level. It would help if the government understood this and the listing process was better, and perhaps our learned taxonomist colleagues were given the incentive and resources to look into these other matters in more detail. The OECD recently criticised Australia for its failure to perform sustainably and drew partly on a lack of baseline knowledge. I have just written a paper on Fairy Terns in the Coral Sea, which we couldn't even get published in Emu. Probably the first new breeding subspecies for Australia in a decade or more and a subspecies that is critically declining elsewhere in its range. The recognition of biodiversity as more than just threatened species was the biggest outcome of a recent survey of 176 environmental professionals in Australia. For this reason, I was personally very disappointed with the recent taxonomic listing of Australian avifauna. By avoiding the most important context for this work, we continue to contribute to the demise of many regionally important subspecies. Uncommon (dare I say "rare") mainland breeders like Pacific Gull, which have distinctly separate and identifiable populations are obvious candidates for attention. There are many others. Regards, Simon Mustoe. _________________________________________________________________ Win New York holidays with Kellogg's & Live Search http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/107571440/direct/01/==========www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ========== ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Re: Unknown call From: "Rosemary Royle" <rosemaryroyle AT tiscali.co.uk> Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:28:02 +0100 Ah, the Chew Chew call!! This drove me mad during our 2006 camper van trip to eastern Oz. I would lie there in bed hearing this call at dawn and would throw on some clothes and try to track it down as soon as it got light enough - but then it always stopped!! I worked it out by a process of elimination as we heard it in several different places which had rather different sets of birds - there were only a few in common. Then I eventually clinched it by seeing a bird doing it during the day - but that was after about a fortnight of frustration!. Certainly brings back memories! Rosemary Royle Wales, UK ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul & Irene Osborn To: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 2:56 AM Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Unknown call I agree with Sean, Eastern Yellow Robin. We have heaps of them around our place. They seem to mostly make the "chew-chew" call in spring. Paul Osborn Bulahdelah NSW =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au =============================== No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.6.4/1617 - Release Date: 8/17/2008 12:58 PM ==============================www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ============================== Subject: Atlas of Living Australia From: Carl Clifford <carlsclifford AT mac.com> Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:22:50 +1000 Dear All, An interesting new project under the umbrella of the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy, is the Atlas of Living Australia http://www.ala.org.au/ The aim o the project is "to develop a biodiversity data management system which will link Australia’s biological knowledge with its scientific and agricultural reference collections and other custodians of biological information" . It might be an interesting site to keep an eye on. Cheers, Carl Clifford//// =============================== www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request AT vicnet.net.au ===============================