Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from The Australia Birding List > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Thursday, September 2 at 08:15 AM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Cactus Finch,©Barry Kent Mackay

2 Sep RE: RFI Adelaide [Chris Steeles ] 2 Sep Re: First Migrants arrive on Christmas Island ["Mike Carter" ] 2 Sep First Migrants arrive on Christmas Island [Richard Baxter ] 2 Sep Richard Hill ["Deane P. Lewis" ] 2 Sep RE: A report of a first for Australia??? ["Jeff Davies" ] 2 Sep RE: A report of a first for Australia??? [John Graff ] 2 Sep A report of a first for Australia??? [robert morris ] 2 Sep Re: RE: There's always the ones in life that make itharder for others! ["Bill Stent" ] 2 Sep Re: RE: There's always the ones in life that make it harder for others! [David Stowe ] 2 Sep RE: There's always the ones in life that make it harder for others! ["Andrew Stafford" ] 2 Sep Australian Birdfair 2010 programme ["Mike Schultz" ] 2 Sep Correct link [David and Marg Taylor ] 2 Sep There's alway the ones in life who make it harder for others! [David and Marg Taylor ] 2 Sep Re: mystery bird ["Mike Carter" ] 2 Sep Re: mystery bird [] 02 Sep Re: RFI Adelaide [Alan McBride ] 02 Sep RFI Adelaide [Gordon and Pam Cain ] 2 Sep mystery bird [michael wood ] 2 Sep RE: mystery bird ["Jeff Davies" ] 1 Sep RE: mystery bird [John Graff ] 1 Sep Re: mystery bird [Mick Roderick ] 1 Sep mystery bird ["Chris Baxter" ] 1 Sep Hunter Big Year - The Awful Gusts of August [Mick Roderick ] 1 Sep Vic visit ["Greg Little" ] 1 Sep Birdshoot Aus ["Geoffrey Jones" ] 1 Sep Red-necked Phalarope on Rottnest Island, WA [John Graff ] 1 Sep ABC and Parrotss ["Tony Lawson" ] 1 Sep Channel-bills go cuckoo in spring [Laurie Knight ] 1 Sep Inaugural Bruny Island Bird Festival from October 22nd-24th 2010 [Chris Gregory ] 1 Sep The hidden beauty of bird songs [Laurie Knight ] 1 Sep Tracking Marine Animals [Laurie Knight ] 1 Sep Cooktown contacts ["Russ Lamb" ] 01 Sep test only [Jill Dening ] 1 Sep Adelaide to Alice trip report [Tony Crittenden ] 1 Sep Blue Bonnets, Watchem, NW Vic ["Wendy" ] 1 Sep Re: Birdshoot Australia [David Stowe ] 1 Sep Re: Spring has sprung...... ["Wendy" ] 1 Sep Fw: Fw: Rufous Owl at Townsville Palmetum ["Shirley Cook" ] 31 Aug RE: Collective noun for Wedgies? [Tony Crittenden ] 1 Sep Eastern Koel on first day of spring [Frank Hemmings ] 1 Sep Spring has sprung...... [michael wood ] 31 Aug Re: Scarlet-chested Parrot irruption near Kaltukatjara, Northern Territory [Syd Curtis ] 31 Aug Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? ["Roger Giller" ] 31 Aug (no subject) [Elizabeth Shaw ] 31 Aug RE: Collective noun for Wedgies? ["Greg Hunt" ] 31 Aug RFI sarus cranes FNQ [Gavin O'Meara ] 31 Aug Birdshoot Australia ["Gary Oliver" ] 31 Aug RE: Scarlet-chested Parrot irruption near Kaltukatjara, Northern Territory [Chris Steeles ] 31 Aug RE: Collective noun for Wedgies? [Tim Jones ] 31 Aug Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? ["Tom and Mandy Wilson" ] 31 Aug Re: Wonga Pigeon Calling [Peter ] 31 Aug Re: Springs has sprung.... ["Ákos Lumnitzer" ] 31 Aug Re: Springs has sprung.... [Peter Shute ] 31 Aug RE: Collective noun for Wedgies? ["Tony Russell" ] 31 Aug Springs has sprung.... ["Ákos Lumnitzer" ] 31 Aug Unsuccessful search for Princess Parrots [John Reidy ] 31 Aug Re: Scarlet-chested Parrot irruption near Kaltukatjara, Northern Territory ["Mike Carter" ] 31 Aug Scarlet-chested Parrot irruption near Kaltukatjara, Northern Territory [Ian May ] 31 Aug Re: The Science Show, 28 August 2010 [Merrilyn Serong ] 31 Aug Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? [Graham Buchan ] 31 Aug Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? ["Peter Madvig" ] 30 Aug Rufous Owl at Townsville Palmetum [Ben Bright ] 30 Aug Variable birds [Rob Geraghty ] 31 Aug Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? ["Wendy" ] 31 Aug RE: The Science Show, 28 August 2010 [Peter Shute ] 31 Aug The Science Show, 28 August 2010 ["Richard Nowotny" ] 31 Aug optical repairs help [Jill Dening ] 31 Aug Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? [Alan McBride ] 31 Aug Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? [Alan McBride ] 31 Aug Re: FW: Collective noun for Wedgies? [brian fleming ] 31 Aug RE: Collective noun for Wedgies? [Peter Shute ] 31 Aug Re: Re: Question... [Syd Curtis ] 31 Aug Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? ["Wendy" ] 31 Aug FW: Collective noun for Wedgies? ["Tony Russell" ] 31 Aug RFI: Brisbane, bush-hen ["Alan Stuart" ] 31 Aug Southport Pelagics. ["Paul Walbridge" ] Subject: RE: RFI Adelaide From: Chris Steeles <chrissteeles AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 22:34:06 +0930 Hi Gordon, If you manage to get up to the Barossa region, both Kaiserstuhl Conservation Park near Angaston and Altona CSR Landcare Reserve near Lyndoch, offer good easy access and excellent birding. Kaiserstuhl is an especially nice park with two easy loop trails, 2km and 6km through Stringybark forests which also has plenty to offer non-birders as well, plenty of tame roos, nice views etc. Altona CSR Landcare Reserve probably isn't as pretty (being a revegetated sand quarry) as Kaiserstuhl but from a purely birding point of view is probably the better of the two. With two distinct types of habitat occurring within the reserve half is open River Red Gum woodland and the other half more closed native pine scrub, some good birding can be had. This time last year I photographed a Satin Flycatcher in here which is an extremely uncommon visitor to anywhere in the Mt Lofty Ranges ! Also if in this region its worth checking out the Tanunda Sewage Ponds as it often has a good population of Blue-billed Ducks ! Birdpedia is a great place to glean information on what is being seen where in SA : http://www.birdpedia.com/au/bi.dll/bipu01?m=001 For what is seen at Altona: http://www.birdpedia.com/au/bi.dll/bipu04?m=510&id524=1000000002&id509=SA and Kaiserstuhl: http://www.birdpedia.com/au/bi.dll/bipu04?m=510&id524=1000000056&id509=SA Hope this is of help! Good luck Chris Steeles > Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 07:38:34 +1000 > From: gordonandpam AT internode.on.net > To: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au > Subject: [Birding-Aus] RFI Adelaide > > Hi all, > > Heading to Adelaide before long. Will be staying in Dulwich, next to the > park. > > Will have a car, but be limited in time and ability to get around for > birding, as others obligations and people will have priority. However, > should be able to squeeze out the odd moments here and there. > > However, I've been told by my non-birder host that: > > there is a water reserve on Cross Road, not far from here (10 > mins) which has water birds. There'll be the usual seabirds on > the coast, and at Morialta Falls (15 mins) maybe local wrens and others. > > Are these good spots? > > Any other advice (or websites) on: > > 1. Accessible and pleasant locations (including Barossa, S Coast, and > city) for non-birders as well? -- they do love natural beauty and nature > walks, > > and > > 2. What species in general to look out for that I wouldn't be used to > seeing in Sydney, where I live? > > Off-line enquiries are fine, and I can edit and post for the archives. > > Thanks in advance > Gordon Cain > > > > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Re: First Migrants arrive on Christmas Island From: "Mike Carter" <pterodroma AT bigpond.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 21:33:07 +1000 Good springtime news Richard re the wagtails landing on AUSTRALIAN soil already. Just imagine what might happen if we as birders and Australians gave up on Christmas Island! This follows another email relating to Australia's Christmas Island from Deane Lewis. Yet some, well one, would have us cast it aside! Mike Carter 30 Canadian Bay Road Mount Eliza VIC 3930 Tel (03) 9787 7136 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Baxter" Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2010 8:14 PM Hello all, Latest news from Australia's isolated rock in the Northern Indian Ocean is that the first of the avian migrants have landed. A few YELLOW WAGTAILS have been sighted at various locations around the island and two GREY WAGTAILS were recently seen on the road to The Dales. Hopefully a good omen for the coming summer. Cheers Richard Baxter www.birdingtours.com.au =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: First Migrants arrive on Christmas Island From: Richard Baxter <cookilaria AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 03:14:28 -0700 (PDT) Hello all,             Latest news from Australia's isolated rock in the Northern Indian Ocean is that the first of the avian migrants have landed.  A few YELLOW WAGTAILS have been sighted at various locations around the island and two GREY WAGTAILS were recently seen on the road to The Dales.   Hopefully a good omen for the coming summer.   Cheers Richard Baxter www.birdingtours.com.au ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Richard Hill From: "Deane P. Lewis" <deane AT owlpages.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 16:01:40 +1000 Hi folks, does anyone have current contact details for Richard Hill? He did work on population, diet and vocalisations of the Christmas Island Hawk-owl around 1998. Many thanks, Deane P. Lewis =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: RE: A report of a first for Australia??? From: "Jeff Davies" <jeff AT jeffdavies.com.au> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 19:33:28 +1000 G'day Bob, I'll eat my hat if it's an Ivory-breasted Pitta. The specific name of Blue-winged Pitta is moluccensis which may explain Harry Butler's choice of names, this species is migratory the other isn't. Cheers Jeff. -----Original Message----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of robert morris Sent: Thursday, 2 September 2010 7:22 PM To: birding aus Subject: [Birding-Aus] A report of a first for Australia??? All I met Harry Butler today at an Environmental Conference (APPEA - Sunshine Coast) He told me that there is or has been a Moluccan (I assume this is Ivory-breasted) Pitta on Barrow Island. Has anyone else heard about this? This is not a joke or wind-up. cheers Rob Morris Brisbane, Australia ========== 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 http://birding-aus.org =========== =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: RE: A report of a first for Australia??? From: John Graff <jgraff2 AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 17:32:25 +0800 A dead Hooded Pitta was found on Barrow Island quite recently - early this year, I think. Could this be what he was referring to? John > From: robert_p_morris AT hotmail.com > To: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au > Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 09:21:32 +0000 > Subject: [Birding-Aus] A report of a first for Australia??? > > > > All > I met Harry Butler today at an Environmental Conference (APPEA - Sunshine Coast) > He told me that there is or has been a Moluccan (I assume this is Ivory-breasted) Pitta on Barrow Island. > Has anyone else heard about this? > This is not a joke or wind-up. > cheers > > Rob Morris > > > > Brisbane, Australia > > > ========== > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > ========== ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: A report of a first for Australia??? From: robert morris <robert_p_morris AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 09:21:32 +0000 All I met Harry Butler today at an Environmental Conference (APPEA - Sunshine Coast) He told me that there is or has been a Moluccan (I assume this is Ivory-breasted) Pitta on Barrow Island. Has anyone else heard about this? This is not a joke or wind-up. cheers Rob Morris Brisbane, Australia ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Re: RE: There's always the ones in life that make itharder for others! From: "Bill Stent" <billstent AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 14:41:10 +1000 ... "and unsourced and unverified allegations" are not something that we would like to see on this list, please! Bill (moderator) -------------------------------------------------- From: "Andrew Stafford" Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2010 2:33 PM To: Subject: [Birding-Aus] RE: There's always the ones in life that make itharder for others! > David and others, > > I haven't actually heard definitively of even one group of birders since > Ian > and Pat May's report who have gone onto traditional lands without > permission. The birdwatching community is small and it's hard to keep > secrets for long. > > If anyone wants to inform me otherwise, I would be very interested to hear > about it privately (off-list). Otherwise I am concerned that birders are > being tarred by the one dirty brush without cause. At this stage all we > are > seeing is journalism by press release, with a lot of unsourced and > unverified allegations. > > Cheers > > Andrew > > > > > http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2010/09/ ... ion=justin > > I've read all of the princess parrot communication on the forum with > interest > although have been unable to contemplate going out there - when one reads > this > article which states that the primary reason for the permission not being > granted was as a result of some twitchers who appear to have disregarded > the > > rules and went onto the land without permission - sad isn't it - in all > walks > of life including the birders there are those who flaunt the rules and > only > consider their own selfish purposes and as a result others miss out - such > a > > shame that so many responsible and well intended birders have missed out > on > this opportunity to this point as a result. > > Cheers > > David Taylor > > > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: RE: There's always the ones in life that make it harder for others! From: David Stowe <davidstowe AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 14:45:42 +1000 Totally agree on all points Andrew. As someone who was part of the initial rush of applicants and also alot of communication between a number of the parties who were intending to go (and did go), i don't know anyone who went onto traditional lands. And if Ian etc didn't go we would all be none the wiser regarding the irruption of this rare bird. Let's move on everyone. Cheers Dave On 02/09/2010, at 2:33 PM, Andrew Stafford wrote: David and others, I haven't actually heard definitively of even one group of birders since Ian and Pat May's report who have gone onto traditional lands without permission. The birdwatching community is small and it's hard to keep secrets for long. If anyone wants to inform me otherwise, I would be very interested to hear about it privately (off-list). Otherwise I am concerned that birders are being tarred by the one dirty brush without cause. At this stage all we are seeing is journalism by press release, with a lot of unsourced and unverified allegations. Cheers Andrew http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2010/09/ ... ion=justin I've read all of the princess parrot communication on the forum with interest although have been unable to contemplate going out there - when one reads this article which states that the primary reason for the permission not being granted was as a result of some twitchers who appear to have disregarded the rules and went onto the land without permission - sad isn't it - in all walks of life including the birders there are those who flaunt the rules and only consider their own selfish purposes and as a result others miss out - such a shame that so many responsible and well intended birders have missed out on this opportunity to this point as a result. Cheers David Taylor =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: RE: There's always the ones in life that make it harder for others! From: "Andrew Stafford" <pintado AT ozemail.com.au> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 14:33:59 +1000 David and others, I haven't actually heard definitively of even one group of birders since Ian and Pat May's report who have gone onto traditional lands without permission. The birdwatching community is small and it's hard to keep secrets for long. If anyone wants to inform me otherwise, I would be very interested to hear about it privately (off-list). Otherwise I am concerned that birders are being tarred by the one dirty brush without cause. At this stage all we are seeing is journalism by press release, with a lot of unsourced and unverified allegations. Cheers Andrew http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2010/09/ ... ion=justin I've read all of the princess parrot communication on the forum with interest although have been unable to contemplate going out there - when one reads this article which states that the primary reason for the permission not being granted was as a result of some twitchers who appear to have disregarded the rules and went onto the land without permission - sad isn't it - in all walks of life including the birders there are those who flaunt the rules and only consider their own selfish purposes and as a result others miss out - such a shame that so many responsible and well intended birders have missed out on this opportunity to this point as a result. Cheers David Taylor =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Australian Birdfair 2010 programme From: "Mike Schultz" <mschultz AT dragnet.com.au> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 11:55:15 +1000 Hello everyone, The full Australian Birdfair 2010 programme is now available on www.Australianbirdfair.org.au regards Mike =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Correct link From: David and Marg Taylor <davidstaylor1 AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 11:10:35 +1000 http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2010/09/02/3000343.htm?section=justin Sorry - I think the link may be incorrect on my post - above should work Sent from my iPhone =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: There's alway the ones in life who make it harder for others! From: David and Marg Taylor <davidstaylor1 AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 10:57:12 +1000 http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2010/09/ ... ion=justin I've read all of the princess parrot communication on the forum with interest although have been unable to contemplate going out there - when one reads this article which states that the primary reason for the permission not being granted was as a result of some twitchers who appear to have disregarded the rules and went onto the land without permission - sad isn't it - in all walks of life including the birders there are those who flaunt the rules and only consider their own selfish purposes and as a result others miss out - such a shame that so many responsible and well intended birders have missed out on this opportunity to this point as a result. Cheers David Taylor Sent from my iPhone============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Re: mystery bird From: "Mike Carter" <pterodroma AT bigpond.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 09:58:49 +1000 Hi Chris, I am confident that the birds are male Brown Songlarks. Everything fits, jizz, posture, shape (long legs, long pointed tails) and brown plumage, pale legs. I believe that the darker bird is more advanced into adult plumage than the one showing the dark belly patch. Thanks for sending me the photo, much easier to use than looking at a web site. Mike Carter 30 Canadian Bay Road Mount Eliza VIC 3930 Tel (03) 9787 7136 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Baxter" To: "Birding-Aus" Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 11:13 PM > Hi All > I have here an excerpt of email description of a mystery bird seen at > Lorella Springs, Gulf Of Carpentaria, by friends of mine recently. I have > uploaded a poor quality photo at > www.flickr.com/photos/51211480 AT n03/4947680651/ > Please have a look and any id suggestions will be much appreciated. > > Chris Baxter > =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: mystery bird From: <rohan AT wildlifeimages.com.au> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 09:59:41 +1000 My initial thoughts without pouring over it were Brown Songlark. The right bird looks long-tailed but I wonder whether there is small branch alinged with the tail as there seems to be the something forking of the main branch that would match. Description also matches...if correct it isn't the first time that I have seen Brown Songlarks queried as Aust Pratincoles. Cheers, R Rohan Clarke www.wildlifeimages.com.au ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Baxter" To: "Birding-Aus" Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 11:13 PM Subject: [Birding-Aus] mystery bird > Hi All > > > > I have here an excerpt of email description of a mystery bird seen at > Lorella Springs, Gulf Of Carpentaria, by friends of mine recently. I have > uploaded a poor quality photo at > www.flickr.com/photos/51211480 AT n03/4947680651/ > > > > Please have a look and any id suggestions will be much appreciated. > > > > Cheers > > > > Chris Baxter > > > > > > Hi Chris, > hope you are all well and your back into the swing of things. > We got back last night and had a great holiday. > We spent most of our time at Lorella Srings in the Gulf country. When we > were there we went out to the coast and saw a pair of unusual birds > (approx > 1.5 km inland) and I was hoping you could help. > At first we thought they were Aust. Pratincoles and at a closer look we > discounted that. > We had binoculars and the scope so we managed to get a good look. By the > time I went back and got the camera they had flown some distance off > (drat!). > > The birds were 22 >26 cm and very erect in their stance. The back was > brown > and slightly scalloped markings. The chin was white, a white eyebrow and > dark eyes. > They had a longish flesh coloured bill and slightly darker very long legs. > Darkish band on the belly of one of them (see photo). > The tail was very long and tapered and nearly touched the ground. Lot of > tail bobbing. did not fly like Pratincole. were perched on dead shrub. > > We're just not sure what they are after gonig through the guide there was > nothing that seemed to fit the birds features / behaviour. > Any ideas? do you think it is a Pratincole and have we got it wrong > completely? > cheers > > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== > =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: RFI Adelaide From: Alan McBride <amcbride1 AT me.com> Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:10:24 +1000 Gordon, Peter Waanders has an excellent South Australian site that offers sites, tips, tricks and even tours;-) http://www.sabirding.com/ This should get you through South Australia. Best Alan ******************************************************************************* Alan McBride, MBO. Photojournalist | Writer | Traveller | + Member: Australian Photographic Society American Writers & Artists Inc. International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance National Association of Independent Writers & Editors Travelwriters . com Travcom New Zealand Regional Representative Australia: Neotropical Bird Club http://web.me.com/amcbride1 http://www.worldreviewer.com/member/alanmcbride/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmcbride http://www.twitter.com/alanmcbride Good planets are hard to find; until we do, please, be green and read from the screen Tel: + 61 419 414 860 Fax: + 61 2 9973 2306 Skype: mcbird101 P O Box 190 | Newport Beach | NSW 2106 | Australia This e-mail and any files transmitted with it, are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are addressed. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender. This e-mail is also subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, adapted or transmitted without the prior written consent of the copyright owner. *********************************************************************************** On 02/09/2010, at 07:38 , Gordon and Pam Cain wrote: Hi all, Heading to Adelaide before long. Will be staying in Dulwich, next to the park. Will have a car, but be limited in time and ability to get around for birding, as others obligations and people will have priority. However, should be able to squeeze out the odd moments here and there. However, I've been told by my non-birder host that: there is a water reserve on Cross Road, not far from here (10 mins) which has water birds. There'll be the usual seabirds on the coast, and at Morialta Falls (15 mins) maybe local wrens and others. Are these good spots? Any other advice (or websites) on: 1. Accessible and pleasant locations (including Barossa, S Coast, and city) for non-birders as well? -- they do love natural beauty and nature walks, and 2. What species in general to look out for that I wouldn't be used to seeing in Sydney, where I live? Off-line enquiries are fine, and I can edit and post for the archives. Thanks in advance Gordon Cain =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: RFI Adelaide From: Gordon and Pam Cain <gordonandpam AT internode.on.net> Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:38:34 +1000 Hi all, Heading to Adelaide before long. Will be staying in Dulwich, next to the park. Will have a car, but be limited in time and ability to get around for birding, as others obligations and people will have priority. However, should be able to squeeze out the odd moments here and there. However, I've been told by my non-birder host that: there is a water reserve on Cross Road, not far from here (10 mins) which has water birds. There'll be the usual seabirds on the coast, and at Morialta Falls (15 mins) maybe local wrens and others. Are these good spots? Any other advice (or websites) on: 1. Accessible and pleasant locations (including Barossa, S Coast, and city) for non-birders as well? -- they do love natural beauty and nature walks, and 2. What species in general to look out for that I wouldn't be used to seeing in Sydney, where I live? Off-line enquiries are fine, and I can edit and post for the archives. Thanks in advance Gordon Cain =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: mystery bird From: michael wood <mswode AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 06:30:47 +0930 Agree with John G. They look like Brown Songlarks. Regards,Michael ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: RE: mystery bird From: "Jeff Davies" <jeff AT jeffdavies.com.au> Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 00:02:17 +1000 Need more information from your friend Chris, was it definitely long-tailed and not long-winged, what did it look like in flight eg long wings or short wings, but most importantly are there any more photos? They certainly look like passerines! Will have another look tomorrow. Cheers Jeff. -----Original Message----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Chris Baxter Sent: Wednesday, 1 September 2010 11:13 PM To: Birding-Aus Subject: [Birding-Aus] mystery bird Hi All I have here an excerpt of email description of a mystery bird seen at Lorella Springs, Gulf Of Carpentaria, by friends of mine recently. I have uploaded a poor quality photo at www.flickr.com/photos/51211480 AT n03/4947680651/ Please have a look and any id suggestions will be much appreciated. Cheers Chris Baxter Hi Chris, hope you are all well and your back into the swing of things. We got back last night and had a great holiday. We spent most of our time at Lorella Srings in the Gulf country. When we were there we went out to the coast and saw a pair of unusual birds (approx 1.5 km inland) and I was hoping you could help. At first we thought they were Aust. Pratincoles and at a closer look we discounted that. We had binoculars and the scope so we managed to get a good look. By the time I went back and got the camera they had flown some distance off (drat!). The birds were 22 >26 cm and very erect in their stance. The back was brown and slightly scalloped markings. The chin was white, a white eyebrow and dark eyes. They had a longish flesh coloured bill and slightly darker very long legs. Darkish band on the belly of one of them (see photo). The tail was very long and tapered and nearly touched the ground. Lot of tail bobbing. did not fly like Pratincole. were perched on dead shrub. We're just not sure what they are after gonig through the guide there was nothing that seemed to fit the birds features / behaviour. Any ideas? do you think it is a Pratincole and have we got it wrong completely? cheers =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: RE: mystery bird From: John Graff <jgraff2 AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 21:58:26 +0800 Brown Songlark, perhaps? Seems to fit reasonably well - dark belly in particular Cheers, John > Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 06:50:42 -0700 > From: mickhhb AT yahoo.com.au > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] mystery bird > To: cbaxterki AT gmail.com; birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au > > Chris, > > The bird on the right of the image seems to have the jizz of a Wagtail and some > features in the description fit this (white eyebrow, tail-bobbing), but others > do not (eg size, black belly band). > > > Curious to hear others' thoughts - its probably something obvious that I'm > missing - it's late! > > Mick > > ________________________________ > From: Chris Baxter > To: Birding-Aus > Sent: Wed, 1 September, 2010 11:13:26 PM > Subject: [Birding-Aus] mystery bird > > Hi All > > I have here an excerpt of email description of a mystery bird seen at > Lorella Springs, Gulf Of Carpentaria, by friends of mine recently. I have > uploaded a poor quality photo at > www.flickr.com/photos/51211480 AT n03/4947680651/ > > Please have a look and any id suggestions will be much appreciated. > > Cheers > Chris Baxter > > Hi Chris, > hope you are all well and your back into the swing of things. > We got back last night and had a great holiday. > We spent most of our time at Lorella Srings in the Gulf country. When we > were there we went out to the coast and saw a pair of unusual birds (approx > 1.5 km inland) and I was hoping you could help. > At first we thought they were Aust. Pratincoles and at a closer look we > discounted that. > We had binoculars and the scope so we managed to get a good look. By the > time I went back and got the camera they had flown some distance off > (drat!). > > The birds were 22 >26 cm and very erect in their stance. The back was brown > and slightly scalloped markings. The chin was white, a white eyebrow and > dark eyes. > They had a longish flesh coloured bill and slightly darker very long legs. > Darkish band on the belly of one of them (see photo). > The tail was very long and tapered and nearly touched the ground. Lot of > tail bobbing. did not fly like Pratincole. were perched on dead shrub. > > We're just not sure what they are after gonig through the guide there was > nothing that seemed to fit the birds features / behaviour. > Any ideas? do you think it is a Pratincole and have we got it wrong > completely? > cheers > > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Re: mystery bird From: Mick Roderick <mickhhb AT yahoo.com.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 06:50:42 -0700 (PDT) Chris, The bird on the right of the image seems to have the jizz of a Wagtail and some features in the description fit this (white eyebrow, tail-bobbing), but others do not (eg size, black belly band). Curious to hear others' thoughts - its probably something obvious that I'm missing - it's late! Mick ________________________________ From: Chris Baxter To: Birding-Aus Sent: Wed, 1 September, 2010 11:13:26 PM Subject: [Birding-Aus] mystery bird Hi All I have here an excerpt of email description of a mystery bird seen at Lorella Springs, Gulf Of Carpentaria, by friends of mine recently. I have uploaded a poor quality photo at www.flickr.com/photos/51211480 AT n03/4947680651/ Please have a look and any id suggestions will be much appreciated. Cheers Chris Baxter Hi Chris, hope you are all well and your back into the swing of things. We got back last night and had a great holiday. We spent most of our time at Lorella Srings in the Gulf country. When we were there we went out to the coast and saw a pair of unusual birds (approx 1.5 km inland) and I was hoping you could help. At first we thought they were Aust. Pratincoles and at a closer look we discounted that. We had binoculars and the scope so we managed to get a good look. By the time I went back and got the camera they had flown some distance off (drat!). The birds were 22 >26 cm and very erect in their stance. The back was brown and slightly scalloped markings. The chin was white, a white eyebrow and dark eyes. They had a longish flesh coloured bill and slightly darker very long legs. Darkish band on the belly of one of them (see photo). The tail was very long and tapered and nearly touched the ground. Lot of tail bobbing. did not fly like Pratincole. were perched on dead shrub. We're just not sure what they are after gonig through the guide there was nothing that seemed to fit the birds features / behaviour. Any ideas? do you think it is a Pratincole and have we got it wrong completely? cheers =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: mystery bird From: "Chris Baxter" <cbaxterki AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 22:43:26 +0930 Hi All I have here an excerpt of email description of a mystery bird seen at Lorella Springs, Gulf Of Carpentaria, by friends of mine recently. I have uploaded a poor quality photo at www.flickr.com/photos/51211480 AT n03/4947680651/ Please have a look and any id suggestions will be much appreciated. Cheers Chris Baxter Hi Chris, hope you are all well and your back into the swing of things. We got back last night and had a great holiday. We spent most of our time at Lorella Srings in the Gulf country. When we were there we went out to the coast and saw a pair of unusual birds (approx 1.5 km inland) and I was hoping you could help. At first we thought they were Aust. Pratincoles and at a closer look we discounted that. We had binoculars and the scope so we managed to get a good look. By the time I went back and got the camera they had flown some distance off (drat!). The birds were 22 >26 cm and very erect in their stance. The back was brown and slightly scalloped markings. The chin was white, a white eyebrow and dark eyes. They had a longish flesh coloured bill and slightly darker very long legs. Darkish band on the belly of one of them (see photo). The tail was very long and tapered and nearly touched the ground. Lot of tail bobbing. did not fly like Pratincole. were perched on dead shrub. We're just not sure what they are after gonig through the guide there was nothing that seemed to fit the birds features / behaviour. Any ideas? do you think it is a Pratincole and have we got it wrong completely? cheers =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Hunter Big Year - The Awful Gusts of August From: Mick Roderick <mickhhb AT yahoo.com.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 05:54:14 -0700 (PDT) Hi all,   Not much to report from August...still, a little write-up below on my Big Year...   Mick   ---   I know I shouldn’t blame the weather again, but I can’t help myself. Bemoaning the inland rains has gotten me nowhere but August was defined by costly and untimely gusting winds that saw me very nearly go a month without adding a new bird…well, without having to dip into my very modest “bank” of residents that I have intentionally evaded thus far.   As the organiser of the pelagics that run off Port Stephens I take a great deal of interest in sea conditions in the prelude to a planned trip. This month I had a date set for Sun 15th, with a back-up date for Sun 29th. Needless to say, both dates were “blown out” and even more needless-to-say the 8th and 22nd were picture-perfect days for ocean venturing! This really hurt as I am still missing some ‘regular’ winter pelagic birds, most notably the Giant-Petrels. I’ll be skating on thin waves looking for these birds when we (hopefully) head out on the 19th September.   August is often a difficult month for pelagics due to fierce westerly winds that invariably blow within it. These westerlies put pay to one of the pelagics (southerlies to the other) but they also made birding in general very difficult indeed. I have been consoling myself thinking that they might blow some of those inland deserters back to the coast! In reality I did actually think that the westerlies could blow some White-browed and Masked Woodswallows my way, as often when a strong westerly hits in spring we find these birds in the woodlands of the Lower Hunter. It remains to be seen what these guys do in 2010 with life being so good west of the hill.   As it turned out I only added one species to my July tally. How appropriate this month that the only species I added in my tally-room was in the form of a “green Tasmanian” – a Swift Parrot. Chris Tzaros had informed me earlier in the year that we’d be struggling to find Swifties in NSW in 2010 due to conditions in Victoria being so good. He wasn't kidding! It appears that at least 90% of the Swiftie population never got north of Mexico this year, so I had to shift from my theory of “checking regular sites” to having to go twitch Swifties that had been reported from a site.   The best oil was from a caravan park near Tuncurry where about 6 birds had been reported over several weeks. When I arrived at the spot, a single Swiftie was one of the first birds I saw as it flushed from a flowering Red Gum. Despite hearing other birds calling private properties I was not able to get visuals on another Swift Parrot, having to wade through zillions of Scaly-breasted Lorikeets that were clearly running this party. This was during the first week of the month and subsequent searches both at this location and elsewhere (including with Chris himself) were fruitless. I think I was very fortunate to see this bird at all and it was certainly one that I had taken for granted in my predictions.   Now that spring is ‘officially’ here, migrants are returning, westerlies are turning more northerly and the ocean water temp is still cold, I’m very much looking forward to putting August behind me and moving into the business end of the year. I require 14 species in 16 weeks to reach my target of 333 – lets hope the weather is as appealing as the maths!   Mick Roderick ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Vic visit From: "Greg Little" <greg AT gff.com.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 20:26:20 +1000 Gooday birders Over this coming weekend my wife (Judy) and I are visiting our son who lives at Nagambie, about an hour and a half north of Melbourne. This is a snap decision to visit this weekend. I am hoping to get a tick or two while down there. Could a kind person please suggest a good location or two, within reasonable strike of Nagambie, to try and see Blue-winged Parrot, Orange-bellied Parrot (I am happy to drive down to the coast) and possibly Rufous Bristlebird. Thanking you Greg Little Greg Little - Principal Consultant General Flora and Fauna PO Box 526 Wallsend, NSW, 2287, Australia Ph 02 49556609 Fx 02 49556671 www.gff.com.au =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Birdshoot Aus From: "Geoffrey Jones" <gjo48414 AT bigpond.net.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 19:42:06 +1000 Gidday Gary I wish you all the best on your 12 month sojourn, just remember to enjoy the birds as well as photographing them, this is something that I have learnt as I head towards my own goal. On another unrelated matter my website is playing up and I hope to be able to get it fixed tonight, I have found that my recent images, which have been taken with my Canon MK1Vd and the 800 f5.6 Lens are so large that when I downsize them I had not noticed that they had lost their sharpness. I will be deleting and reloading from the shots from South America thru to my last post over the next couple of days and will notify everyone when that is done. Regards Geoff Jones Barraimaging =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Red-necked Phalarope on Rottnest Island, WA From: John Graff <jgraff2 AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 18:46:59 +0800 Hi all, For those who may be interested, Bill Rutherford has reported a Red-necked Phalarope on Lake Baghdad, one of the salt lakes on Rottnest Island off Perth. It was seen on Monday (30 Aug). One or two Red-necked Phalaropes seen almost annually on Rottnest each summer, but they hadn't been reported for a few years. Cheers, John ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: ABC and Parrotss From: "Tony Lawson" <tlawson AT homemail.com.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 19:21:29 +1000 For those who missed it before and have a recording device, on ABC1 TV at 12:50 am tomorrow, Thursday 2 Sept, a repeat of 'Australia: land of parrots' Tony ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Channel-bills go cuckoo in spring From: Laurie Knight <l.knight AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 18:49:01 +1000 An interesting article: http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/09/01/2998461.htm =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Inaugural Bruny Island Bird Festival from October 22nd-24th 2010 From: Chris Gregory <cgregory123 AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 18:22:10 +1000 Not sure if this has been reported before but anyone planning a trip to Tasmania maybe interested in the inaugural Bruny Island Bird Festival from October 22nd-24th 2010 The website reports "The inaugural Bruny Island Bird Festival from October 22nd-24th 2010 is shaping up to be an exciting event! We are sure there will something for everyone to enjoy. On offer are a range of walks and tours, information sessions, opportunities to hear well known wildlife specialists speak and to chat with them about your own insights. Of particular interest to bird enthusiasts are a range of bird watching tours around the island with expert guides and the rarely available boat trips to Pedra Branca, an offshore rock stack and major sea bird breeding area, and flights direct from Bruny Island to Melaleuca in the SW World Heritage Area, to see Orange-bellied Parrots" For more information follow this link http://www.bien.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45&Itemid=46 Chris Gregory =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: The hidden beauty of bird songs From: Laurie Knight <l.knight AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 18:06:37 +1000 see http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/interactive/2010/aug/31/secret-bird-song-british-library =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Tracking Marine Animals From: Laurie Knight <l.knight AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 17:41:14 +1000 see http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100831172441.htm =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Cooktown contacts From: "Russ Lamb" <jayasphere AT skymesh.com.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 17:22:12 +1000 If Dave Houghton and/or Kath Shurcliffe of Cooktown are still on this list could they please reply. If anyone has a current email address could they please contact me direct? Thanks, Russ Lamb, Maleny, SEQ ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: test only From: Jill Dening <jdening AT bigpond.com> Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:21:42 +1000 Trevor, can you read this? I've changed the text. -- Jill Dening Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia 26° 51' 41"S 152° 56' 00"E =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Adelaide to Alice trip report From: Tony Crittenden <goliath_heron AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 04:04:27 +0000 Hi all Just a quick report of the highlights from a trip with George Appleby to Alice. We were originally going to do the Strzlecki and Birdsville Tracks, but they were closed a couple of hours before we got to Lyndhurst. We went via the Flinders where we saw short-tailed Grasswren at Stokes hill Lookout, and Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby at Brachina Gorge. Just south (9Km) of Lyndhurst we saw an Inland Dotterel and Orange Chat Heading north from Port Augusta the countryside is in awesome shape. at 20 - 25Km north of Marla we picked up on a lone Bourke's Parrot, and next stop was the T&T Banded Whiteface site near Erlunda. The weather was wet, windy and cold and we dipped on the whiteface. In Alice we got the Western Bowerbird at the Botanic Gardens and also at Ormiston Gorge. There were plenty of Grey-fronted Honeyeaters around but fewer Grey-headed. In the Eastern MacDonnells we saw a group of 7 Brown Quail, and also Dusky Grasswren at Trephina Gorge. Aslo at Trephina we saw a pair of Spinifexbirds just outside the reserve gate. In the Western MacDonnels we got great views of Dusky Grasswren and Little Woodswallow at Ormiston, Black-flanked Rock Wallaby at Simpsons Gap (there was also a pair of Collared Sparrowhawks nesting in one of the Ghost Gums here) We missed out on Rufous-crowened Emu-wren as we couldn't get allong the santa Teresa road due to the weather. On the way back we saw Pied and Black Honeyeaters at ad hoc roadside stops. Re-trying the T&T site for Banded Whiteface we were successful seeing probably 5-6 individuals - what a difference good weather makes!!. Stopping in Coober Pedy, we saw Cinamon quail-thrush down near the water treatment works, with at least 7 Spotted Crakes in the ditch oposite. A few Km south of coober we saw Chestnut-banded Whiteface (2-3 individuals) and finally called in to Whyalla and saw Thick-billed Grasswren along the Iron Knob Road. A great trip given the restrictions of the weather I am in the process of posting photos on my blog at tcphotosdotnet.blogspot.com Cheers tony Tony Crittenden www.tcphotos.net tcphotosdotnet.blogspot.com Adelaide South Australia ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Blue Bonnets, Watchem, NW Vic From: "Wendy" <woobinda AT pipeline.com.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 12:08:09 +1000 Sunday (Aug 29 2010), I had the pleasure of a quick trip with a friend to a block of remnant Allocasuarina leumanii & Box woodland, with chenopod, grassland, lichen understorey. This is part of her grandparents (family) property which she has bought for conservation purposes. We saw at least 20 Blue Bonnets together with similar numbers of Red Rumps. They were feeding on the ground and casually flying to trees as wee looked about. There is a stunning WT Eagle nest in one of the Allocasuarinas. Not enough food about (we saw no rabbits) for them to be using the nest this season. Locals say the birds use the nest periodically. Other birds include Crested Pigeons, Noisy Miners, Thornbills, S Whiteface, BB Magpie Wendy ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Re: Birdshoot Australia From: David Stowe <davidstowe AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 10:40:34 +1000 Hi Gary, I would think Geoff Jones would have eclipsed that number in the last 12 months. ...Geoff?? Members of the aus bird photography forum www.birdingoz.com.au are having our second annual PhotoTwitch on the first weekend of December too. The aim being to photograph as many species as possible within an 8 hour block. Just need to join - everyone is welcome! A bit of fun that might become bigger in the future with more participants. Hopefully you'll be able to participate Gary! Cheers David Stowe On 31/08/2010, at 6:32 PM, Gary Oliver wrote: Hi all, Starting tomorrow, Sept 1st my wife and I begin a 12 month challenge to photograph as many bird species in Australia as we can. I believe Drew Fulton, an American student has a "record" of 377 species but someone out there might have a personal best that outdoes that. It doesn't matter, this is our challenge and should provide some interesting moments. I'm heading to the Werribee board of Works Farm on Thursday and hopefully a pelagic trip from Portland on Sunday (doesn't look good...). From then it's north to Cape York and slowly back before Xmas. Our blog is at; http://birdshootaustralia.blogspot.com Hope our journey is useful and PLEASE feel freee to contact us on our trip as we'll need all the help we can get! Regards, Gary Oliver =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: Spring has sprung...... From: "Wendy" <woobinda AT pipeline.com.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 10:37:35 +1000 and Willie Wagtail, Swallow and Pardalote nesting ... Topically, I just received the following message from my brother who works in Laverton and lives in Corio, Geelong, Vic. "A few Springs ago the Wagtails built a nest just outside my (Office) window under cover on a horizontal steel member at ceiling height. I noticed some commotion one blustery day and it had blow down and the fresh eggs were broken. Armed with a ladder and some hook-up wire I twitched the nest back in place and they returned and raised a clutch of eggs. They didn't return last year but I've just noticed swallows hanging about and looks like they are packing the nest with mud. At home the pardalotes are again nesting in the compacted law clippings heap. I don't hear them calling lately, but spend any time in the chook yard and you notice them coming and going. /////// John Wendy M =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Fw: Fw: Rufous Owl at Townsville Palmetum From: "Shirley Cook" <shirleycook1 AT bigpond.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 09:51:12 +1000 Dear all, Steve Debus' comment about the injured owl. Regards Shirley Shirley Cook Secretary/Treasurer Birds Australia - Northern NSW Group ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Debus" To: "Shirley Cook" Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 8:42 AM Subject: Re: Fw: [Birding-Aus] Rufous Owl at Townsville Palmetum > Hi Shirley, > > Thanks. Eye injuries are fairly common in owls, but they seem to > cope as long as it's one eye, and I suspect females of mated pairs do > OK because they get fed by the male. > > Cheers, > > Steve > > > > > At 08:06 AM 1/09/10, you wrote: >>fyi >> >>Shirley Cook >>Secretary/Treasurer >>Birds Australia - Northern NSW Group >>----- Original Message ----- From: "Ben Bright" >>To: >>Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 1:44 PM >>Subject: [Birding-Aus] Rufous Owl at Townsville Palmetum >> >> >>I was lucky enough to successfully twitch a single Rufous Owl at the >>Townsville >>Palmetum this morning and a bonus pair of Barking Owls. The Rufous >>Owl seems to >>have one badly injured eye (right), otherwise appearing to be in fairly >>good >>condition, I hope it is able to deal with it's obvious handicap. >> >> >> >>========== >>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 >> >>http://birding-aus.org >>=========== >> >> >>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> >> >>No virus found in this incoming message. >>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >>Version: 9.0.851 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3105 - Release Date: >>09/01/10 04:34:00 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.851 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3105 - Release Date: 09/01/10 04:34:00 =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: RE: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: Tony Crittenden <goliath_heron AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:29:24 +0000 I think Lyrebird was a coloquial term for Black Grouse (which has a lyre shaped tail), which were/are still commonly hunted in the UK Tony Crittenden www.tcphotos.net tcphotosdotnet.blogspot.com Adelaide South Australia > From: rgiller AT optusnet.com.au > To: pshute AT nuw.org.au; woobinda AT pipeline.com.au; l.knight AT optusnet.com.au; albertisyd AT gmail.com > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? > Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:04 +1000 > CC: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au > > Interesting to see that the Wikipedia list attributes "A musket of > Lyrebirds" to The Book of St Albans which was written in the late 15th > century, yet their link to Lyrebirds takes one to the page on Australia's > two Lyrebird species. Was there a bird called by that name in England around > 1480? > > Roger Giller > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Peter Shute" > To: "'Wendy'" ; "Laurie Knight" > ; "Syd Curtis" > Cc: "Birding Aus" > Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 10:48 AM > Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? > > > > Does anyone really use collective nouns for any useful purpose? According > > to Wikipedia (see > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_noun#Terms_of_venery_.28words_for_groups_of_animals.29) > > they date from the 15th century and "were used by gentlemen to distinguish > > themselves from yeomen and others". There are a few that are in common > > enough use to warrant everyone using them, e.g. a pride of lions, or more > > locally, a mob of emus, but for most of the rest, I'd bet that if you have > > to look up which word to use then hardly anyone else is going to know the > > word either, so you're going to look pretentious for using it outside of > > poetry, or for fun. > > > > There's a list of collective nouns for birds here: > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_collective_nouns_for_birds > > > > There aren't many there that wouldn't raise eybrows if you used them. Some > > of them might be in more common use in scientific circles, I wouldn't > > know. I suspect some might be in use in falconry, but none are listed > > there for eagles, maybe because the loose gatherings they apparently > > occasionally form don't really count as a group, they just happen to be in > > the same area, although I'm happy to be corrected about that, I've never > > seen more than 2 or 3. > > > > Peter Shute > > > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au > >> [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Wendy > >> Sent: Tuesday, 31 August 2010 9:50 AM > >> To: Laurie Knight; Syd Curtis > >> Cc: Birding Aus > >> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? > >> > >> How about a Carrion of W-Eagles? given this is often the > >> reason for seeing an aggregation of such birds. > >> > >> Trouble is, > >> all our numerous ex-Pom birders will probably think of this > >> as a 'groan!!' > >> movie(s) i.e. a Carry On > >> > >> I just did a quick look via Google and this site offers 2 > >> suggestions for your question Syd. > >> aerie of eagles > >> convocation of eagles > >> > >> plus a couple of others caught my eye > >> congregation of birds > >> dissimulation of birds (= deceive, disguise ones intentions > >> feelings??? - I don't get this? I initially thought this was > >> - dissemination - and would have thought it a more > >> appropriate at times, especially for Wedgies > >> > >> http://www.rinkworks.com/words/collective.shtml > >> > >> Wendy > >> > >> ps I had meant to contact (to correct) a Radio National show > >> recently on which a panel participant mentioned a collective > >> of Crows being a Murmur. > >> Sadly I have forgotten which show. Could be a good collective > >> noun for some other birds or other animal, but not Crows > >> (ravens) I would have thought > >> > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: "Laurie Knight" > >> To: "Syd Curtis" > >> Cc: "Birding Aus" > >> Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 6:24 AM > >> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? > >> > >> > >> > Do you mean a collective noun or a collective pun, Syd? > >> > > >> > LK > >> > > >> > On 30/08/2010, at 10:28 PM, Syd Curtis wrote: > >> > > >> > > > >> > > Anyone got a collective noun for Wedge-tailed Eagles? > >> > > > >> > > Many (30+) years ago I was inspecting an area out > >> Charleville way for > >> > > possible reservation as a national park. Sandstone country with > >> > > spectacular > >> > > gorges. I sought access through an adjoining grazing > >> property and the > >> > > lessee kindly drove me to the rim of the very large gorge > >> that was the > >> > > boundary of his property. (Porcupine Ck gorge, maybe. > >> My memory is > >> > > a bit > >> > > hazy now.) > >> > > > >> > > But what I do remember very clearly is that we were nearly to the > >> > > rim of the > >> > > gorge when my host spotted a Wedge-tailed Eagle perched in a low > >> > > tree. He > >> > > immediately stopped and shot at it with his rifle. > >> > > > >> > > I was delighted that he missed and the eagle flew off unharmed. I > >> > > was even > >> > > more delighted a few minutes later to look over the gorge > >> and see a > >> > > large > >> > > number of Wedgies wheeling around in the gorge; twenty or > >> thirty or > >> > > so, I > >> > > guess. Flock? Don't think so. "Squadron" maybe? :-) > >> > > > >> > > Cheers > >> > > > >> > > Syd > >> > > > >> > >> From: Alan McBride > >> > >> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:48:08 +1000 > >> > >> To: bob gosford > >> > >> Cc: NT Birds group , > >> "Birding-Aus \(Forum\)" > >> > >> > >> > >> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Spotted Harrier over Alice Springs - > >> > >> Eastside > >> > >> > >> > >> Hi Bob, > >> > >> > >> > >> I think I'd prefer "a rash of Spotted Harriers" ;-) > >> > >> > >> > >> Alan > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > >> ************************************************************** > >> ************** > >> > > **> * > >> > >> Alan McBride, MBO. > >> > >> > >> > >> Photojournalist | Writer | Traveller | + > >> > >> Member: Australian Photographic Society > >> > >> American Writers & Artists Inc. > >> > >> International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance > >> > >> National Association of Independent Writers & Editors > >> > >> Travelwriters . com > >> > >> Travcom New Zealand > >> > >> Regional Representative Australia: Neotropical Bird Club > >> > >> > >> > >> http://web.me.com/amcbride1 > >> > >> http://www.worldreviewer.com/member/alanmcbride/ > >> > >> http://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmcbride > >> > >> http://www.twitter.com/alanmcbride > >> > >> > >> > >> Good planets are hard to find; until we do, please, be green and > >> > >> read from the > >> > >> screen > >> > >> > >> > >> Tel: + 61 419 414 860 > >> > >> Fax: + 61 2 9973 2306 > >> > >> Skype: mcbird101 > >> > >> > >> > >> P O Box 190 | Newport Beach | NSW 2106 | Australia > >> > >> > >> > >> This e-mail and any files transmitted with it, are > >> confidential and > >> > >> intended > >> > >> solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are > >> > >> addressed. If > >> > >> you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender. > >> > >> This e-mail > >> > >> is also subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, > >> > >> adapted or > >> > >> transmitted without the prior written consent of the > >> copyright owner. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> ************************************************************** > >> ************** > >> ** > >> > >> ***** > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> On 30/08/2010, at 18:46 , bob gosford wrote: > >> > >> > >> > >> After Christopher Watson and I saw a mob (a collective noun for a > >> > >> lot of > >> > >> Spotted Harriers please!) of Spotted Harriers (and a > >> pair of Swamp > >> > >> Harriers > >> > >> near the airport) on our long days drive around greater Alice > >> > >> Springs last > >> > >> Friday I'd just like to note that I spotted (geddit!?) a single > >> > >> Spotted > >> > >> Harrier at some distance and height soaring over > >> Eastside in Alice > >> > >> Springs > >> > >> this morning. > >> > >> > >> > >> Black wing-tips and elevated dihedral - and recent sightings give > >> > >> me a > >> > >> reasonable degree of certainty - which I hope to confirm over the > >> > >> next few > >> > >> days. > >> > >> > >> > >> Any other inner suburban sightings in Alice Springs welcome. > >> > >> > >> > >> And I'll be keeping eyes and ears open for the first > >> Channel-billed > >> > >> Cuckoo > >> > >> reports in Alice Springs - or Darwin, Katherine and points in > >> > >> between - over > >> > >> the coming weeks. I note that there was report on Birding-Aus > >> > >> earlier today > >> > >> of a C-bC on the NSW mid-north coast earlier today. > >> > >> > >> > >> Cheers from an ornithologically abundant red centre... > >> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> > >> Bob Gosford > >> > >> Crikey.com > >> > >> The Northern Myth blog > >> > >> http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/ > >> > >> Alice Springs, NT > >> > >> Australia > >> > >> Ph: (+61) 0447024968 > >> > >> Twitter: AT bgosford > >> > >> "The NT Government does not respond to random electronic gossip > >> > >> sites." > >> > >> =============================== > >> > >> > >> > >> 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 > >> > >> > >> > >> http://birding-aus.org > >> > >> =============================== > >> > >> > >> > >> =============================== > >> > >> > >> > >> 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 > >> > >> > >> > >> http://birding-aus.org > >> > >> =============================== > >> > > > >> > > =============================== > >> > > > >> > > 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 > >> > > > >> > > http://birding-aus.org > >> > > =============================== > >> > > >> > =============================== > >> > > >> > 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 > >> > > >> > http://birding-aus.org > >> > =============================== > >> > > >> > > >> > >> =============================== > >> > >> 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 > >> > >> http://birding-aus.org > >> =============================== > >> > > 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 > > > > http://birding-aus.org > > > > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Eastern Koel on first day of spring From: Frank Hemmings <f.hemmings AT unsw.edu.au> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 07:48:45 +1000 Hi all, I'm sure others may turn out to have heard one earlier, but I heard my first Eastern Koel for the season early this morning at Bondi Junction, appropriate for the first day of Spring if not somewhat early! Cheers, Frank Frank Hemmings Curator John T. Waterhouse Herbarium School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales UNSW SYDNEY 2052 AUSTRALIA Tel +61 2 9385 3274 Fax +61 2 9385 1558 CRICOS Provider Code:00098G ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Spring has sprung...... From: michael wood <mswode AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 05:37:24 +0930 Hello Akos and Peter I’ve had similar experiences to Peter with reed-warblers over the winter of this year. On the 27th July one was recorded at a local wetland near Adelaide, and then from around the middle of August they began to be seen and heard much more regularly. The unusual thing about this is that it’s been said that it has been one of the coldest and wettest years for the region in several years. That said, I believe I can recall previous years where the odd bird has been recorded during winter. Michael W ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Re: Scarlet-chested Parrot irruption near Kaltukatjara, Northern Territory From: Syd Curtis <albertisyd AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:01:19 +1000 Aha! yet another collective noun. :-) And what lovely images of a very beautiful bird. Cheers Syd > From: Ian May > Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:51:04 +1000 > To: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au > Subject: [Birding-Aus] Scarlet-chested Parrot irruption near Kaltukatjara, > Northern Territory > > Hi all > > On a recent trip to Central Australia, Pat and I discovered a local > irruption of Scarlet-chested Parrot near Kaltukatjara, Northern > Territory. I have posted some photos on Flickr. Please enjoy. > > See http://www.flickr.com/photos/oo000oo/sets/72157624846161638/ > > Regards > > > Ian May > St Heelens, Tasmania. =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: "Roger Giller" <rgiller AT optusnet.com.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:00:04 +1000 Interesting to see that the Wikipedia list attributes "A musket of Lyrebirds" to The Book of St Albans which was written in the late 15th century, yet their link to Lyrebirds takes one to the page on Australia's two Lyrebird species. Was there a bird called by that name in England around 1480? Roger Giller ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Shute" To: "'Wendy'" ; "Laurie Knight" ; "Syd Curtis" Cc: "Birding Aus" Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 10:48 AM Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? > Does anyone really use collective nouns for any useful purpose? According > to Wikipedia (see > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_noun#Terms_of_venery_.28words_for_groups_of_animals.29) > they date from the 15th century and "were used by gentlemen to distinguish > themselves from yeomen and others". There are a few that are in common > enough use to warrant everyone using them, e.g. a pride of lions, or more > locally, a mob of emus, but for most of the rest, I'd bet that if you have > to look up which word to use then hardly anyone else is going to know the > word either, so you're going to look pretentious for using it outside of > poetry, or for fun. > > There's a list of collective nouns for birds here: > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_collective_nouns_for_birds > > There aren't many there that wouldn't raise eybrows if you used them. Some > of them might be in more common use in scientific circles, I wouldn't > know. I suspect some might be in use in falconry, but none are listed > there for eagles, maybe because the loose gatherings they apparently > occasionally form don't really count as a group, they just happen to be in > the same area, although I'm happy to be corrected about that, I've never > seen more than 2 or 3. > > Peter Shute > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au >> [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Wendy >> Sent: Tuesday, 31 August 2010 9:50 AM >> To: Laurie Knight; Syd Curtis >> Cc: Birding Aus >> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? >> >> How about a Carrion of W-Eagles? given this is often the >> reason for seeing an aggregation of such birds. >> >> Trouble is, >> all our numerous ex-Pom birders will probably think of this >> as a 'groan!!' >> movie(s) i.e. a Carry On >> >> I just did a quick look via Google and this site offers 2 >> suggestions for your question Syd. >> aerie of eagles >> convocation of eagles >> >> plus a couple of others caught my eye >> congregation of birds >> dissimulation of birds (= deceive, disguise ones intentions >> feelings??? - I don't get this? I initially thought this was >> - dissemination - and would have thought it a more >> appropriate at times, especially for Wedgies >> >> http://www.rinkworks.com/words/collective.shtml >> >> Wendy >> >> ps I had meant to contact (to correct) a Radio National show >> recently on which a panel participant mentioned a collective >> of Crows being a Murmur. >> Sadly I have forgotten which show. Could be a good collective >> noun for some other birds or other animal, but not Crows >> (ravens) I would have thought >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Laurie Knight" >> To: "Syd Curtis" >> Cc: "Birding Aus" >> Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 6:24 AM >> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? >> >> >> > Do you mean a collective noun or a collective pun, Syd? >> > >> > LK >> > >> > On 30/08/2010, at 10:28 PM, Syd Curtis wrote: >> > >> > > >> > > Anyone got a collective noun for Wedge-tailed Eagles? >> > > >> > > Many (30+) years ago I was inspecting an area out >> Charleville way for >> > > possible reservation as a national park. Sandstone country with >> > > spectacular >> > > gorges. I sought access through an adjoining grazing >> property and the >> > > lessee kindly drove me to the rim of the very large gorge >> that was the >> > > boundary of his property. (Porcupine Ck gorge, maybe. >> My memory is >> > > a bit >> > > hazy now.) >> > > >> > > But what I do remember very clearly is that we were nearly to the >> > > rim of the >> > > gorge when my host spotted a Wedge-tailed Eagle perched in a low >> > > tree. He >> > > immediately stopped and shot at it with his rifle. >> > > >> > > I was delighted that he missed and the eagle flew off unharmed. I >> > > was even >> > > more delighted a few minutes later to look over the gorge >> and see a >> > > large >> > > number of Wedgies wheeling around in the gorge; twenty or >> thirty or >> > > so, I >> > > guess. Flock? Don't think so. "Squadron" maybe? :-) >> > > >> > > Cheers >> > > >> > > Syd >> > > >> > >> From: Alan McBride >> > >> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:48:08 +1000 >> > >> To: bob gosford >> > >> Cc: NT Birds group , >> "Birding-Aus \(Forum\)" >> > >> >> > >> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Spotted Harrier over Alice Springs - >> > >> Eastside >> > >> >> > >> Hi Bob, >> > >> >> > >> I think I'd prefer "a rash of Spotted Harriers" ;-) >> > >> >> > >> Alan >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > > >> ************************************************************** >> ************** >> > > **> * >> > >> Alan McBride, MBO. >> > >> >> > >> Photojournalist | Writer | Traveller | + >> > >> Member: Australian Photographic Society >> > >> American Writers & Artists Inc. >> > >> International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance >> > >> National Association of Independent Writers & Editors >> > >> Travelwriters . com >> > >> Travcom New Zealand >> > >> Regional Representative Australia: Neotropical Bird Club >> > >> >> > >> http://web.me.com/amcbride1 >> > >> http://www.worldreviewer.com/member/alanmcbride/ >> > >> http://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmcbride >> > >> http://www.twitter.com/alanmcbride >> > >> >> > >> Good planets are hard to find; until we do, please, be green and >> > >> read from the >> > >> screen >> > >> >> > >> Tel: + 61 419 414 860 >> > >> Fax: + 61 2 9973 2306 >> > >> Skype: mcbird101 >> > >> >> > >> P O Box 190 | Newport Beach | NSW 2106 | Australia >> > >> >> > >> This e-mail and any files transmitted with it, are >> confidential and >> > >> intended >> > >> solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are >> > >> addressed. If >> > >> you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender. >> > >> This e-mail >> > >> is also subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, >> > >> adapted or >> > >> transmitted without the prior written consent of the >> copyright owner. >> > >> >> > >> >> ************************************************************** >> ************** >> ** >> > >> ***** >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> On 30/08/2010, at 18:46 , bob gosford wrote: >> > >> >> > >> After Christopher Watson and I saw a mob (a collective noun for a >> > >> lot of >> > >> Spotted Harriers please!) of Spotted Harriers (and a >> pair of Swamp >> > >> Harriers >> > >> near the airport) on our long days drive around greater Alice >> > >> Springs last >> > >> Friday I'd just like to note that I spotted (geddit!?) a single >> > >> Spotted >> > >> Harrier at some distance and height soaring over >> Eastside in Alice >> > >> Springs >> > >> this morning. >> > >> >> > >> Black wing-tips and elevated dihedral - and recent sightings give >> > >> me a >> > >> reasonable degree of certainty - which I hope to confirm over the >> > >> next few >> > >> days. >> > >> >> > >> Any other inner suburban sightings in Alice Springs welcome. >> > >> >> > >> And I'll be keeping eyes and ears open for the first >> Channel-billed >> > >> Cuckoo >> > >> reports in Alice Springs - or Darwin, Katherine and points in >> > >> between - over >> > >> the coming weeks. I note that there was report on Birding-Aus >> > >> earlier today >> > >> of a C-bC on the NSW mid-north coast earlier today. >> > >> >> > >> Cheers from an ornithologically abundant red centre... >> > >> >> > >> -- >> > >> Bob Gosford >> > >> Crikey.com >> > >> The Northern Myth blog >> > >> http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/ >> > >> Alice Springs, NT >> > >> Australia >> > >> Ph: (+61) 0447024968 >> > >> Twitter: AT bgosford >> > >> "The NT Government does not respond to random electronic gossip >> > >> sites." >> > >> =============================== >> > >> >> > >> 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 >> > >> >> > >> http://birding-aus.org >> > >> =============================== >> > >> >> > >> =============================== >> > >> >> > >> 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 >> > >> >> > >> http://birding-aus.org >> > >> =============================== >> > > >> > > =============================== >> > > >> > > 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 >> > > >> > > http://birding-aus.org >> > > =============================== >> > >> > =============================== >> > >> > 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 >> > >> > http://birding-aus.org >> > =============================== >> > >> > >> >> =============================== >> >> 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 >> >> http://birding-aus.org >> =============================== >> > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: (no subject) From: Elizabeth Shaw <surefoot AT waterfront.net.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:23:18 +1000 Hi Everyone, Just finishing my stint at Etadunna Station on the Birdsville Track.  Birds every where and most of them breeding.  Great to see the desert in bloom - even the gibber has a carpet of flowers and is very spongy to walk on! A few people asked me to send contacts for Cowarie (pronounced Cowrie) Station.  Sharon Oldfield is the owner and can be contacted oncowarie AT activ8.net.au.  She welcomes enquiries, but she just left here today and expects the access track from Mungerannie to Cowarie (and Kalamurnia) to be in a very bad state4 for quite a while as the roads people give priority to the main tracks, especially the Birdsville Track.  More rain will make access around the place difficult again and some is possible tomorrow (Wednesday) or later this week so check  the road conditions before heading this was. I took a flight on the helicopter to Lake Eyre from the station (usually from the punt) along the Cooper.  It was a fantastic sight, but not many birds visible from the air.  We saw a probable Little Buttonquail as we were trying to land at one spot. Next stop Mt Skinner Station, NT. Cheers Elizabeth ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: RE: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: "Greg Hunt" <gregmhunt AT bigpond.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:43:30 +1000 Dear Birding Aus, Penguin (fine company name, that) published a book of collective nouns called An Exaltation of Larks or, The Venereal Game by James Lipton in 1977 (ISBN 0 14 00.4536 8). It is silent on the matter of a collective name for eagles. Peter Madvig might be on the money when one considers The Eagle, a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson HE clasps the crag with crooked hands; Close to the sun in lonely lands, Ringed with the azure world, he stands. The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls; He watches from his mountain walls, And like a thunderbolt he falls. But is a grasp of eagles better than a thunderbolt of eagles? Hmmm, depends on whether they are sitting or stooping, I suppose. Cheers Greg hunt -----Original Message----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Graham Buchan Sent: Tuesday, 31 August 2010 2:16 PM To: Peter Madvig Cc: Birding Aus Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? How about a grasp of wedgies? =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: RFI sarus cranes FNQ From: Gavin O'Meara <gom02 AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:27:42 +1000 I am heading to Cairns later this week (have some time free on Thursday afternoon) and would like look for Sarus Cranes Does anyone have any current reliable sites regards Gavin O'Meara ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Birdshoot Australia From: "Gary Oliver" <goliver1 AT iinet.net.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:32:43 +1000 Hi all, Starting tomorrow, Sept 1st my wife and I begin a 12 month challenge to photograph as many bird species in Australia as we can. I believe Drew Fulton, an American student has a "record" of 377 species but someone out there might have a personal best that outdoes that. It doesn't matter, this is our challenge and should provide some interesting moments. I'm heading to the Werribee board of Works Farm on Thursday and hopefully a pelagic trip from Portland on Sunday (doesn't look good...). From then it's north to Cape York and slowly back before Xmas. Our blog is at; http://birdshootaustralia.blogspot.com Hope our journey is useful and PLEASE feel freee to contact us on our trip as we'll need all the help we can get! Regards, Gary Oliver =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: RE: Scarlet-chested Parrot irruption near Kaltukatjara, Northern Territory From: Chris Steeles <chrissteeles AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:26:18 +0930 Aww, c'mon now your just getting annoying!! ;-) Nah, seriously top work!! A irruption of Princess and Scarlets, that's most birders dream come true!! just throw in a Grey Falcon or two..... as well!! (preferably not chasing the Princess or Scarlets though!) Well done! Chris Steeles > Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:51:04 +1000 > From: birding AT ozemail.com.au > To: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au > Subject: [Birding-Aus] Scarlet-chested Parrot irruption near Kaltukatjara, Northern Territory > > Hi all > > On a recent trip to Central Australia, Pat and I discovered a local > irruption of Scarlet-chested Parrot near Kaltukatjara, Northern > Territory. I have posted some photos on Flickr. Please enjoy. > > See http://www.flickr.com/photos/oo000oo/sets/72157624846161638/ > > Regards > > > Ian May > St Heelens, Tasmania. > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: RE: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: Tim Jones <tim_jones8 AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:25:29 +0000 A 'thin end'? > From: pratincole AT esc.net.au > To: birding-aus AT vicnet.net.au > Subject: FW: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? > Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:41:33 +0930 > > > > Tony > > > Best I can find , and this is for raptors in general, is aerie, cast, or > kettle. I think aerie would be the eagle one. > > Tony > > -----Original Message----- > From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au > [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Syd Curtis > Sent: Monday, 30 August 2010 9:58 PM > To: undisclosed-recipients: > Subject: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? > > > Anyone got a collective noun for Wedge-tailed Eagles? > > Many (30+) years ago I was inspecting an area out Charleville way for > possible reservation as a national park. Sandstone country with spectacular > gorges. I sought access through an adjoining grazing property and the > lessee kindly drove me to the rim of the very large gorge that was the > boundary of his property. (Porcupine Ck gorge, maybe. My memory is a bit > hazy now.) > > But what I do remember very clearly is that we were nearly to the rim of the > gorge when my host spotted a Wedge-tailed Eagle perched in a low tree. He > immediately stopped and shot at it with his rifle. > > I was delighted that he missed and the eagle flew off unharmed. I was even > more delighted a few minutes later to look over the gorge and see a large > number of Wedgies wheeling around in the gorge; twenty or thirty or so, I > guess. Flock? Don't think so. "Squadron" maybe? :-) > > Cheers > > Syd > > > From: Alan McBride > > Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:48:08 +1000 > > To: bob gosford > > Cc: NT Birds group , "Birding-Aus \(Forum\)" > > > > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Spotted Harrier over Alice Springs - Eastside > > > > Hi Bob, > > > > I think I'd prefer "a rash of Spotted Harriers" ;-) > > > > Alan > > > > > > > > > **************************************************************************** > **> * > > Alan McBride, MBO. > > > > Photojournalist | Writer | Traveller | + > > Member: Australian Photographic Society > > American Writers & Artists Inc. > > International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance > > National Association of Independent Writers & Editors > > Travelwriters . com > > Travcom New Zealand > > Regional Representative Australia: Neotropical Bird Club > > > > http://web.me.com/amcbride1 > > http://www.worldreviewer.com/member/alanmcbride/ > > http://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmcbride > > http://www.twitter.com/alanmcbride > > > > Good planets are hard to find; until we do, please, be green and read from > the > > screen > > > > Tel: + 61 419 414 860 > > Fax: + 61 2 9973 2306 > > Skype: mcbird101 > > > > P O Box 190 | Newport Beach | NSW 2106 | Australia > > > > This e-mail and any files transmitted with it, are confidential and > intended > > solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are > addressed. If > > you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender. This > e-mail > > is also subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, adapted > or > > transmitted without the prior written consent of the copyright owner. > > > > > **************************************************************************** > ** > > ***** > > > > > > > > On 30/08/2010, at 18:46 , bob gosford wrote: > > > > After Christopher Watson and I saw a mob (a collective noun for a lot of > > Spotted Harriers please!) of Spotted Harriers (and a pair of Swamp > Harriers > > near the airport) on our long days drive around greater Alice Springs last > > Friday I'd just like to note that I spotted (geddit!?) a single Spotted > > Harrier at some distance and height soaring over Eastside in Alice Springs > > this morning. > > > > Black wing-tips and elevated dihedral - and recent sightings give me a > > reasonable degree of certainty - which I hope to confirm over the next few > > days. > > > > Any other inner suburban sightings in Alice Springs welcome. > > > > And I'll be keeping eyes and ears open for the first Channel-billed Cuckoo > > reports in Alice Springs - or Darwin, Katherine and points in between - > over > > the coming weeks. I note that there was report on Birding-Aus earlier > today > > of a C-bC on the NSW mid-north coast earlier today. > > > > Cheers from an ornithologically abundant red centre... > > > > -- > > Bob Gosford > > Crikey.com > > The Northern Myth blog > > http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/ > > Alice Springs, NT > > Australia > > Ph: (+61) 0447024968 > > Twitter: AT bgosford > > "The NT Government does not respond to random electronic gossip sites." > > =============================== > > > > 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 > > > > http://birding-aus.org > > =============================== > > > > =============================== > > > > 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 > > > > http://birding-aus.org > > =============================== > > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== > > > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: "Tom and Mandy Wilson" <tomandmandy AT aapt.net.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:58:45 +1000 Hi all Some bloke in the US, a few years back, was running a webpage with "fun" collective nouns for birds on it and was taking submissions (A psilence of ptarmigans was my effort) but I can't find either that site or the email correspondence (so it must have predated this computer, so at least 3 1/2 years ago). This page (http://baltimorebirdclub.org/gnlist.html) has a list of real ones and a link to some less sensible ones, although it is not the page I was looking for. Cheers Tom Wilson =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: Wonga Pigeon Calling From: Peter <ptb911 AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:31:19 +1000 Thanks Greg. We have a pair that are in the area all year round. We've read that they're monogamous, but recently we often hear 2 birds calling at the same time, so were trying to work out whether it was our pair calling to each other, or another male trying to attract the female away? Peter & Jenny Mt Cooroora Qld On 30/08/2010 8:12 PM, Greg & Val Clancy wrote: > Hi Peter, > > HANZAB states with respect to advertising call "Given by both sexes > (Goodwin); female seldom utters more than five notes in series." > > > Greg Clancy > Ecologist > Coutts Crossing > NSW > www.birdrangers.com > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter" > To: > Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 5:54 PM > Subject: [Birding-Aus] Wonga Pigeon Calling > > >> Can anybody tell me whether both the male & female Wonga Pigeon >> call, or only the male? >> >> Peter & Jenny >> Mt Cooroora Qld >> =============================== >> >> 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 >> >> http://birding-aus.org >> =============================== >> >> >> > > =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: Springs has sprung.... From: "Ákos Lumnitzer" <akos AT amatteroflight.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:22:11 +1000 Interesting. I just had a chat with my friend Graham Turner and he said he heard one at the Sydney Uni campus last week. So I asked whether he thought it could be overwintering and we both concluded yes after a brief discussion. On the other hand, the location I heard them in this morning has been devoid of their calls for pretty much the last four to five months. regards Ákos On Tue, August 31, 2010 5:12 pm, Peter Shute wrote: > I've been hearing them for a week or so in Altona (Vic), but I've been > seeing a few regularly all winter, so no idea if these are new arrivals or > not. > > Peter Shute > > > -------------------------- > Sent using BlackBerry > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au > > To: Birding-Australia Mailing List > Sent: Tue Aug 31 15:56:26 2010 > Subject: [Birding-Aus] Springs has sprung.... > > Howdy birders, > > In case you're interested, I heard at least three Australian > Reed-warblers > this morning near the Penrith STP. My first for this spring.... > > Cheers > Akos > > > -- > Ákos Lumnitzer > http://www.amatteroflight.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 > > http://birding-aus.org > ========== -- Ákos Lumnitzer http://www.amatteroflight.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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Re: Springs has sprung.... From: Peter Shute <pshute AT nuw.org.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:12:40 +1000 I've been hearing them for a week or so in Altona (Vic), but I've been seeing a few regularly all winter, so no idea if these are new arrivals or not. Peter Shute -------------------------- Sent using BlackBerry ----- Original Message ----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au To: Birding-Australia Mailing List Sent: Tue Aug 31 15:56:26 2010 Subject: [Birding-Aus] Springs has sprung.... Howdy birders, In case you're interested, I heard at least three Australian Reed-warblers this morning near the Penrith STP. My first for this spring.... Cheers Akos -- Ákos Lumnitzer http://www.amatteroflight.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 http://birding-aus.org ========================================= 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: RE: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: "Tony Russell" <pratincole AT esc.net.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:33:00 +0930 Hm ! Good list but I can't see Eagles. Tony -----Original Message----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Alan McBride Sent: Tuesday, 31 August 2010 10:28 AM To: Birding Aus Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? Syd et al, One of the best pages on the web is here: http://www.ojohaven.com/collectives/ I warn you though it can take hours to get off this page:-) Very best Alan **************************************************************************** *** Alan McBride, MBO. Photojournalist | Writer | Traveller | + Member: Australian Photographic Society American Writers & Artists Inc. International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance National Association of Independent Writers & Editors Travelwriters . com Travcom New Zealand Regional Representative Australia: Neotropical Bird Club http://web.me.com/amcbride1 http://www.worldreviewer.com/member/alanmcbride/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmcbride http://www.twitter.com/alanmcbride Good planets are hard to find; until we do, please, be green and read from the screen Tel: + 61 419 414 860 Fax: + 61 2 9973 2306 Skype: mcbird101 P O Box 190 | Newport Beach | NSW 2106 | Australia This e-mail and any files transmitted with it, are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are addressed. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender. This e-mail is also subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, adapted or transmitted without the prior written consent of the copyright owner. **************************************************************************** ******* On 30/08/2010, at 22:28 , Syd Curtis wrote: Anyone got a collective noun for Wedge-tailed Eagles?Cheers Syd =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Springs has sprung.... From: "Ákos Lumnitzer" <akos AT amatteroflight.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:56:26 +1000 Howdy birders, In case you're interested, I heard at least three Australian Reed-warblers this morning near the Penrith STP. My first for this spring.... Cheers Akos -- Ákos Lumnitzer http://www.amatteroflight.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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Unsuccessful search for Princess Parrots From: John Reidy <reidyjg AT bigpond.net.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:23:08 +1000 Hi all. Allan Benson, Alan Morris, Rob Benson and I have have just had a very enjoyable but unsuccessful search for the Princess Parrots in the Kings Canyon and Uluru areas. We travelled from Kings Canyon up the Mereenie Loop Road to around the north west extreme of the road. As has been stated, the country was alive with flowering plants, Black and Pied Honeyeaters, Little Button Quail, White-winged Trillers and Rufous Songlarks in profusion. We also encountered some Grey Honeyeaters, a new bird for most of us, near the transmission tower at the NW corner of the Mereenie Loop. We found Bourkes Parrots and Spotted Harriers close to Kings Canyon and had brilliant close and extended views of a pair of Dusky Grasswrens near the beginning of the Kings Canyon walk inside the Canyon, as well as Spinifex Pigeon and Western Bowerbird in the car park. Woodswallows, mostly Masked were seen in most places, Little Woodswallows seen at the Kings Canyon and the Olgas. Crested Bellbirds were everywhere. We only saw one group of Grey Crowned Babblers. We had brilliant views of Black-breasted Buzzards on the road out of Kings Canyon as well as in a number of other places. A pair of Major Mitchells were a delight. We then left the area and travelled to Uluru and further west on the Docker river Road. We travelled about 50Kms along this before deciding that the country was too dry and not improving and not nearly as good as that around the Mereenie Loop. We saw Grey-headed Honeyeaters at Ayers Rock and the Olgas. We also checked the area around Curtin Springs and stopped many times in likely looking habitat. The best area by far is that around the Mereenie Loop and were sorely tempted to head west from there on the track to the closest Princess Parrots. We all hope that the Princess Parrots will breed up and become accessible rather than disappear back into the Gibson Desert. Happy birding. -- John Reidy Sydney Phone 02 9871 4836 Fax 02 9871 2616 =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: Scarlet-chested Parrot irruption near Kaltukatjara, Northern Territory From: "Mike Carter" <pterodroma AT bigpond.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:11:48 +1000 A really beautiful photo there. When you say an 'irruption', how many birds? Gosh, you're having a very successful period. Mike Carter 30 Canadian Bay Road Mount Eliza VIC 3930 Tel (03) 9787 7136 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ian May" To: Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 3:51 PM Subject: [Birding-Aus] Scarlet-chested Parrot irruption near Kaltukatjara,Northern Territory > Hi all > > On a recent trip to Central Australia, Pat and I discovered a local > irruption of Scarlet-chested Parrot near Kaltukatjara, Northern Territory. > I have posted some photos on Flickr. Please enjoy. > See http://www.flickr.com/photos/oo000oo/sets/72157624846161638/ > > Regards > > > Ian May > St Heelens, Tasmania. > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Scarlet-chested Parrot irruption near Kaltukatjara, Northern Territory From: Ian May <birding AT ozemail.com.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:51:04 +1000 Hi all On a recent trip to Central Australia, Pat and I discovered a local irruption of Scarlet-chested Parrot near Kaltukatjara, Northern Territory. I have posted some photos on Flickr. Please enjoy. See http://www.flickr.com/photos/oo000oo/sets/72157624846161638/ Regards Ian May St Heelens, Tasmania. =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: The Science Show, 28 August 2010 From: Merrilyn Serong <merrilyn AT wirejunkie.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:45:32 +1000 Hi Richard and others, David Attenborough's broadcasts that have been aired on the ABC Science Show for some weeks have been collected into a book called 'Life stories'. It is well worth obtaining a copy (Collins 2009). I was fortunate enough to receive one for a present last year. It is beautifully illustrated. BTW, there are some excellent chapters on birds. Cheers, Merrilyn Richard Nowotny wrote: > On the ABC Radio Science Show on Saturday (repeated yesterday) Robin > Williams included an interesting piece on "collecting" by David > Attenborough, the transcript of which I have copied below. It makes some > interesting observations of relevance to the pastime of birdwatching (which, > although not any longer to do with collecting 'objects' [eggs, nests, > feathers, specimens, etc*] is a form of collecting nonetheless - as a > displacement activity for hunting (??), perhaps accounting in part for the > preponderance of males in the ranks of hard-core listers and twitchers?) - > and is interesting for other reasons as well. You might enjoy it. > > [* however, "ticks" in a field-guide, lists, and photos of birds might > indeed be legitimately thought of as collectable 'objects'.] > > > > Richard NOWOTNY > > Port Melbourne, Victoria > > M: 0438 224 456 > > > > > > > > > David Attenborough - Collecting > > > > &d=rn/scienceshow/audio/items&r=ssw_28082010_1247.ram&w=ssw_28082010_1247.as > x&t=David%20Attenborough%20-%20Collecting%20-%2028%20August%202010> LISTEN > NOW > DOWNLOAD AUDIO > > Collecting... Books, coins, shells, beetles, postage stamps, the range is > endless. Bowerbirds also collect objects. But why do we do it? Collectors > are often men. So is there a biological basis for our behaviour? Charles > Darwin's collections led to him proposing his theory of evolution and > natural selection. David Attenborough explores the strange affliction which > he admits affects him as well. > > > Transcript > > > Robyn Williams: Did you see David Attenborough's film about birds in the > Life series last week? He showed the arduous work of the male bowerbird > building his elaborate home over the years, decorating it with collections > of trinkets, all to attract one capricious female and, with luck, to mate > for barely a few seconds. Collections and sex; is that why we do it? > > David Attenborough:: Collecting is a strange affliction. I have to admit to > being a sufferer since childhood; stamps, magazines that were numbered in > sequence, bus tickets, coins, fossils. And advancing years have not really > cured me. So today, for example, I collect books about New Guinea, and if I > find one, no matter how boring it is, I'm likely to buy it for no better > reason than that I don't have it. > > Where does this urge to collect come from? Some animals certainly collect > objects, but all those that I can think of collect things that have a use. > Caddis fly larvae collect tiny sticks or grains of sand with which to build > the little tubes in which they live, and will collect coloured beads if you > keep them in an aquarium and provide them with nothing else. Bowerbirds, the > most spectacular collectors among birds, also assemble coloured objects, but > that is in order to create a display that will impress females. > > Human beings on the other hand collect things that have no practical use and > often they don't even show them to anyone else but keep them secret, hidden > away in a back room. But why? It seems to me that the affliction, if it can > be called that, is by and large more masculine than feminine. There have > been, it's true, one or two spectacular women collectors. Lady Charlotte > Schreiber, for example, who had a passion for little china figures of > shepherds and shepherdesses and suchlike, and left thousands of them to the > Victoria and Albert Museum. But that is nothing compared to Sir Thomas > Phillips who in the 19th century collected books in quite phenomenal > numbers. Most of us, I dare say, are guilty of buying more books than we > actually read, but he bought 40 or 50 a week and by the end of his life had > a collection of 40,000 books and 60,000 manuscripts. And certainly most > active collectors I know who scour shops, auctions and car boot sales for > the objects to which they are addicted are men, and men whose wives look at > them with an affection and even pitying tolerance when they spend yet more > extravagant sums on something that is quite useless but which appeals to > them irresistibly because they haven't got one like it. > > The male emphasis, I think, is an important clue. There can be little doubt > that there was a division of labour between the sexes early in mankind's > history. The long period the human infant needs before it's capable of even > walking by itself, let alone finding food, meant that women by and large > remained in camp or cave and men went off hunting for meat for the family. > So the hunting instinct, the delight in finding prey, tracking it and > catching it, is deep-seated in men. Indeed, it seems to be possible that men > found a positive pleasure in the process and didn't go off hunting only out > of a sense of duty towards their families. In short, I think the process of > collecting objects is a way of satisfying the deep-seated urge to hunt, an > urge that in modern life is not properly satisfied when all that a man > brings back to support his family is a piece of paper or simply the > information that a message has been sent to his bank. > > Natural history objects - shells, birds' eggs, fossils, odd stones, > skeletons - have been collected by people since the beginning of > scholarship. In the 16th century, Aldrovandus, the Italian author of the > first great encyclopaedia of natural history, was said to have had 4,550 > drawers of specimens. Noblemen throughout Europe had their cabinets of > curiosities in which they displayed anything, animal, vegetable or mineral, > that seemed strange and remarkable to them. > > In the 19th century, Lord Walter Rothschild, fuelled by his family wealth, > assembled the biggest collection of natural history objects ever made by one > man, paying over 400 collectors to scoop up things for him from all over the > world. Giant tortoises, bird skins, birds eggs, butterflies, beetles, there > seems to be no product of the natural world that he was unwilling to > acquire. > > Charles Darwin in his youth was a passionate, fanatical collector of > beetles. As an undergraduate at Cambridge he searched for them obsessively. > 'No pursuit gave me more pleasure,' he said. He didn't dissect them, he > simply classified them. That is to say, he learned to recognise different > species. He arranged them, both in practice and in his mind, in some sort of > order. He put those that were most like one another, close to one another. > He divided them into families, and that process must have made him wonder > why there are so many species and what processes might have brought them > into existence. > > He was still at this stage when he was invited to join The Beagle, the naval > surveying ship that was about to set off on a round-the-world voyage to > survey the coast of South America. But he did not go as a beetle collector > or any other kind of naturalist, his official job was simply to be a > companion to Captain Robert Fitzroy, the autocratic and irascible commander > of The Beagle, and to provide him with gentlemanly conversation. But the > collecting mania still possessed him. Everywhere The Beagle went, young Mr > Darwin eagerly went ashore and collected; fossils, plants, mammal skins, > shells, everything natural in fact that was collectable. And it was that > passion and those collections that gave him the raw material for the theory > of evolution by natural selection. > > It may come as a consolation to some of us that on occasion even the great > Darwin was less than perfect as a scientific collector. It's said that the > idea of natural selection was sparked in his mind by the claim made by a > British resident in the Galapagos Islands that he could tell which island a > giant tortoise had come from by the shape of the opening in the front of the > shell through which the animal's head emerges. Those on dry islands which > lacked a reasonable turf on which to graze had front openings with a peak to > them so that owners could crane their exceptionally long necks upwards and > browse from the branches of tall plants. > > Darwin certainly brought back several shells and skeletons of these > extraordinary reptiles, but he had done the unforgivable; he had neglected > to note which of them came from which island. So he couldn't use them to > illustrate his theory. Instead he had to base that on the mockingbirds that > is assistant, Syms Covington, had not only collected but had meticulously > labelled with their place of origin. > > Darwin's son inherited his father's collecting mania, but by now a new > collecting possibility had arrived. Britain had invented the postage stamp > in 1840 and it had spread around the world. In 1862, Darwin wrote to one of > his correspondents, Asa Gray, the professor of botany at Harvard in the > United States, and asked him if he could possibly send his son some stamps. > Not any old stamps of course but the Wells, Fargo Company Pony Express > tuppeny and fourpenny. > > Stamps were still the rage when I was a boy, but I sense that these days the > passion has lessened with the sheer abundance of different issues. Bus > tickets, which back in my boyhood had different colours for different > values, have now gone. Even train numbers, which were once in vogue, are no > longer, I'm told, very interesting. More seriously, collecting many kinds of > natural objects is now forbidden by law. For very good reasons, it is now > illegal to collect birds' eggs or pluck rare wildflowers. Nor is it allowed > on many sites of geological importance for a boy without a permit to go in > search of fossils, as I once did. And I worry about that, for it seems to me > that the collecting impulse was responsible for stimulating an interest in > natural history and ultimately giving people a love and an understanding of > the natural world. Maybe some of us will be able to translate that passion > to accumulate material objects into an equally satisfying way of collecting > photographic images of birds and butterflies and dragonflies and flowers. I > hope so. > > But there is no need for us to feel too guilty about the seemingly > irrational passion for collecting in general. For many of us it is the > trigger that has led us to the deep pleasures that come from an involvement > with the natural world and an insight into how it works. And it led one man > of genius to propose the most important and revolutionary theory in the > whole of natural science. > > > > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== > > =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: Graham Buchan <peregryne AT ozemail.com.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:15:38 +1000 How about a grasp of wedgies? =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: "Peter Madvig" <madvig AT iprimus.com.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:12:28 +1000 Sorry - can't help myself:- Out walking t'other day with a friend, upon laying eyes on 3 British cars of the same make, parked together (a collector?), said, " Ah, a Pride of Jaguars"! Peter Madvig PS. NO, not birding related, I know....:-( ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alan McBride" To: "Birding Aus" Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 10:57 AM Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? > Syd et al, > > One of the best pages on the web is here: > > http://www.ojohaven.com/collectives/ > > I warn you though it can take hours to get off this page:-) > > Very best > > Alan > > > > ******************************************************************************* > Alan McBride, MBO. > > Photojournalist | Writer | Traveller | + > Member: Australian Photographic Society > American Writers & Artists Inc. > International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance > National Association of Independent Writers & > Editors > Travelwriters . com > Travcom New Zealand > Regional Representative Australia: Neotropical Bird Club > > http://web.me.com/amcbride1 > http://www.worldreviewer.com/member/alanmcbride/ > http://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmcbride > http://www.twitter.com/alanmcbride > > Good planets are hard to find; until we do, please, be green and read from > the screen > > Tel: + 61 419 414 860 > Fax: + 61 2 9973 2306 > Skype: mcbird101 > > P O Box 190 | Newport Beach | NSW 2106 | Australia > > This e-mail and any files transmitted with it, are confidential and > intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are > addressed. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the > sender. This e-mail is also subject to copyright. No part of it should be > reproduced, adapted or transmitted without the prior written consent of > the copyright owner. > > *********************************************************************************** > > > > On 30/08/2010, at 22:28 , Syd Curtis wrote: > > Anyone got a collective noun for Wedge-tailed Eagles?Cheers > > Syd > > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== > =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Rufous Owl at Townsville Palmetum From: Ben Bright <notso001 AT yahoo.com.au> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:44:39 -0700 (PDT) I was lucky enough to successfully twitch a single Rufous Owl at the Townsville Palmetum this morning and a bonus pair of Barking Owls.  The Rufous Owl seems to have one badly injured eye (right), otherwise appearing to be in fairly good condition, I hope it is able to deal with it's obvious handicap. ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Variable birds From: Rob Geraghty <the_harper AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:10:57 -0700 (PDT) While visiting Lamington National Park last week, I was excited when I spotted a bird that I couldn't immediately recognise. Having spent a lot of time in the park over the last 20 years, it was a long time since I'd seen a new bird there. Alas, it was only a race of a bird I've seen in the past; the leucocephala race of the Varied Sitella. I suppose I should be excited about seeing that new race for the first time but somehow it's not as exciting as a new species for my list. On the bright side, I did get to tick some new species in central Australia despite not having much time to look. :) Rob ======= Rob Geraghty the_harper AT yahoo.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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: "Wendy" <woobinda AT pipeline.com.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:47:59 +1000 "I guess 3,000 - 4,000 would warrant a collective noun." In that situation surely it should be a 'Wow!', 'Gasp!' or 'Awe' of eagles. I had also wondered about a 'Thermal' of WTEagles? BUT I cannot, when I read the thread heading, stop thinking that an 'Ouch' of Wedgies is most appropriate!!! Wendy ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: RE: The Science Show, 28 August 2010 From: Peter Shute <pshute AT nuw.org.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:40:39 +1000 I've often thought that "ticking" was a form of collecting - one is presumably trying to tick as many as possible or, preferably, all of them. I wonder if it's the drive to complete the task that drives collectors, rather than just the accumulation of whatever one is collecting. Being able to complete a task would be an evolutionary advantage, I assume. But I'm guessing that there are many more motivations than simply collecting ticks that drive birdwatchers. The desire to be able to identify them all is one. You could argue that being able to identify something gives you a degree of power and control over your environment, and there's no doubt that humans tend to like a bit of power, preferably more than anyone else. While my observations aren't likely to be as useful as Darwin's, it would be nice to think that by altassing as well as ticking they're of at least some use to someone. As for Attenborough's regret that children are prevented from collecting feathers, eggs, etc, by wildlife protection laws these days, you only have to look at a modern child's action figure collection to see that collecting is alive and well, albeit quite a bit more expensive. Peter Shute > -----Original Message----- > From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au > [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of > Richard Nowotny > Sent: Tuesday, 31 August 2010 11:32 AM > To: 'Birding Aus' > Subject: [Birding-Aus] The Science Show, 28 August 2010 > > On the ABC Radio Science Show on Saturday (repeated > yesterday) Robin Williams included an interesting piece on > "collecting" by David Attenborough, the transcript of which I > have copied below. It makes some interesting observations of > relevance to the pastime of birdwatching (which, although not > any longer to do with collecting 'objects' [eggs, nests, > feathers, specimens, etc*] is a form of collecting > nonetheless - as a displacement activity for hunting (??), > perhaps accounting in part for the preponderance of males in > the ranks of hard-core listers and twitchers?) - and is > interesting for other reasons as well. You might enjoy it. > > [* however, "ticks" in a field-guide, lists, and photos of > birds might indeed be legitimately thought of as collectable > 'objects'.] > > > > Richard NOWOTNY > > Port Melbourne, Victoria ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: The Science Show, 28 August 2010 From: "Richard Nowotny" <richard.nowotny AT bigpond.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:32:13 +1000 On the ABC Radio Science Show on Saturday (repeated yesterday) Robin Williams included an interesting piece on "collecting" by David Attenborough, the transcript of which I have copied below. It makes some interesting observations of relevance to the pastime of birdwatching (which, although not any longer to do with collecting 'objects' [eggs, nests, feathers, specimens, etc*] is a form of collecting nonetheless - as a displacement activity for hunting (??), perhaps accounting in part for the preponderance of males in the ranks of hard-core listers and twitchers?) - and is interesting for other reasons as well. You might enjoy it. [* however, "ticks" in a field-guide, lists, and photos of birds might indeed be legitimately thought of as collectable 'objects'.] Richard NOWOTNY Port Melbourne, Victoria M: 0438 224 456 David Attenborough - Collecting LISTEN NOW DOWNLOAD AUDIO Collecting... Books, coins, shells, beetles, postage stamps, the range is endless. Bowerbirds also collect objects. But why do we do it? Collectors are often men. So is there a biological basis for our behaviour? Charles Darwin's collections led to him proposing his theory of evolution and natural selection. David Attenborough explores the strange affliction which he admits affects him as well. Transcript Robyn Williams: Did you see David Attenborough's film about birds in the Life series last week? He showed the arduous work of the male bowerbird building his elaborate home over the years, decorating it with collections of trinkets, all to attract one capricious female and, with luck, to mate for barely a few seconds. Collections and sex; is that why we do it? David Attenborough:: Collecting is a strange affliction. I have to admit to being a sufferer since childhood; stamps, magazines that were numbered in sequence, bus tickets, coins, fossils. And advancing years have not really cured me. So today, for example, I collect books about New Guinea, and if I find one, no matter how boring it is, I'm likely to buy it for no better reason than that I don't have it. Where does this urge to collect come from? Some animals certainly collect objects, but all those that I can think of collect things that have a use. Caddis fly larvae collect tiny sticks or grains of sand with which to build the little tubes in which they live, and will collect coloured beads if you keep them in an aquarium and provide them with nothing else. Bowerbirds, the most spectacular collectors among birds, also assemble coloured objects, but that is in order to create a display that will impress females. Human beings on the other hand collect things that have no practical use and often they don't even show them to anyone else but keep them secret, hidden away in a back room. But why? It seems to me that the affliction, if it can be called that, is by and large more masculine than feminine. There have been, it's true, one or two spectacular women collectors. Lady Charlotte Schreiber, for example, who had a passion for little china figures of shepherds and shepherdesses and suchlike, and left thousands of them to the Victoria and Albert Museum. But that is nothing compared to Sir Thomas Phillips who in the 19th century collected books in quite phenomenal numbers. Most of us, I dare say, are guilty of buying more books than we actually read, but he bought 40 or 50 a week and by the end of his life had a collection of 40,000 books and 60,000 manuscripts. And certainly most active collectors I know who scour shops, auctions and car boot sales for the objects to which they are addicted are men, and men whose wives look at them with an affection and even pitying tolerance when they spend yet more extravagant sums on something that is quite useless but which appeals to them irresistibly because they haven't got one like it. The male emphasis, I think, is an important clue. There can be little doubt that there was a division of labour between the sexes early in mankind's history. The long period the human infant needs before it's capable of even walking by itself, let alone finding food, meant that women by and large remained in camp or cave and men went off hunting for meat for the family. So the hunting instinct, the delight in finding prey, tracking it and catching it, is deep-seated in men. Indeed, it seems to be possible that men found a positive pleasure in the process and didn't go off hunting only out of a sense of duty towards their families. In short, I think the process of collecting objects is a way of satisfying the deep-seated urge to hunt, an urge that in modern life is not properly satisfied when all that a man brings back to support his family is a piece of paper or simply the information that a message has been sent to his bank. Natural history objects - shells, birds' eggs, fossils, odd stones, skeletons - have been collected by people since the beginning of scholarship. In the 16th century, Aldrovandus, the Italian author of the first great encyclopaedia of natural history, was said to have had 4,550 drawers of specimens. Noblemen throughout Europe had their cabinets of curiosities in which they displayed anything, animal, vegetable or mineral, that seemed strange and remarkable to them. In the 19th century, Lord Walter Rothschild, fuelled by his family wealth, assembled the biggest collection of natural history objects ever made by one man, paying over 400 collectors to scoop up things for him from all over the world. Giant tortoises, bird skins, birds eggs, butterflies, beetles, there seems to be no product of the natural world that he was unwilling to acquire. Charles Darwin in his youth was a passionate, fanatical collector of beetles. As an undergraduate at Cambridge he searched for them obsessively. 'No pursuit gave me more pleasure,' he said. He didn't dissect them, he simply classified them. That is to say, he learned to recognise different species. He arranged them, both in practice and in his mind, in some sort of order. He put those that were most like one another, close to one another. He divided them into families, and that process must have made him wonder why there are so many species and what processes might have brought them into existence. He was still at this stage when he was invited to join The Beagle, the naval surveying ship that was about to set off on a round-the-world voyage to survey the coast of South America. But he did not go as a beetle collector or any other kind of naturalist, his official job was simply to be a companion to Captain Robert Fitzroy, the autocratic and irascible commander of The Beagle, and to provide him with gentlemanly conversation. But the collecting mania still possessed him. Everywhere The Beagle went, young Mr Darwin eagerly went ashore and collected; fossils, plants, mammal skins, shells, everything natural in fact that was collectable. And it was that passion and those collections that gave him the raw material for the theory of evolution by natural selection. It may come as a consolation to some of us that on occasion even the great Darwin was less than perfect as a scientific collector. It's said that the idea of natural selection was sparked in his mind by the claim made by a British resident in the Galapagos Islands that he could tell which island a giant tortoise had come from by the shape of the opening in the front of the shell through which the animal's head emerges. Those on dry islands which lacked a reasonable turf on which to graze had front openings with a peak to them so that owners could crane their exceptionally long necks upwards and browse from the branches of tall plants. Darwin certainly brought back several shells and skeletons of these extraordinary reptiles, but he had done the unforgivable; he had neglected to note which of them came from which island. So he couldn't use them to illustrate his theory. Instead he had to base that on the mockingbirds that is assistant, Syms Covington, had not only collected but had meticulously labelled with their place of origin. Darwin's son inherited his father's collecting mania, but by now a new collecting possibility had arrived. Britain had invented the postage stamp in 1840 and it had spread around the world. In 1862, Darwin wrote to one of his correspondents, Asa Gray, the professor of botany at Harvard in the United States, and asked him if he could possibly send his son some stamps. Not any old stamps of course but the Wells, Fargo Company Pony Express tuppeny and fourpenny. Stamps were still the rage when I was a boy, but I sense that these days the passion has lessened with the sheer abundance of different issues. Bus tickets, which back in my boyhood had different colours for different values, have now gone. Even train numbers, which were once in vogue, are no longer, I'm told, very interesting. More seriously, collecting many kinds of natural objects is now forbidden by law. For very good reasons, it is now illegal to collect birds' eggs or pluck rare wildflowers. Nor is it allowed on many sites of geological importance for a boy without a permit to go in search of fossils, as I once did. And I worry about that, for it seems to me that the collecting impulse was responsible for stimulating an interest in natural history and ultimately giving people a love and an understanding of the natural world. Maybe some of us will be able to translate that passion to accumulate material objects into an equally satisfying way of collecting photographic images of birds and butterflies and dragonflies and flowers. I hope so. But there is no need for us to feel too guilty about the seemingly irrational passion for collecting in general. For many of us it is the trigger that has led us to the deep pleasures that come from an involvement with the natural world and an insight into how it works. And it led one man of genius to propose the most important and revolutionary theory in the whole of natural science. =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: optical repairs help From: Jill Dening <jdening AT bigpond.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:24:12 +1000 =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: Alan McBride <amcbride1 AT me.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:14:51 +1000 hi all, This site should give you a good idea of how many eagles can occur in one area. http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/eagle/eagle1.html I guess 3,000 - 4,000 would warrant a collective noun. Collective nouns are indeed in old English usage and have been adapted the world over via the wonderful language of English, i.e US people probably coined the Kettle of hawks as they see that effect more than British people. aerie or eyrie means "flat" or "a platform", hence the nest. It is nothing to do with the young other than coincidental. I have lots of friends who love collective nouns and indeed they are great fun and useful in the way we communicate with each other, hence the interest already here with a flurry of e-mails;-) >From earlier today: One of the best pages on the web is here: http://www.ojohaven.com/collectives/ I warn you though it can take hours to get off this page:-) Best Alan On 31/08/2010, at 10:48 , Peter Shute wrote: Does anyone really use collective nouns for any useful purpose? According to Wikipedia (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_noun#Terms_of_venery_.28words_for_groups_of_animals.29) they date from the 15th century and "were used by gentlemen to distinguish themselves from yeomen and others". There are a few that are in common enough use to warrant everyone using them, e.g. a pride of lions, or more locally, a mob of emus, but for most of the rest, I'd bet that if you have to look up which word to use then hardly anyone else is going to know the word either, so you're going to look pretentious for using it outside of poetry, or for fun. There's a list of collective nouns for birds here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_collective_nouns_for_birds There aren't many there that wouldn't raise eybrows if you used them. Some of them might be in more common use in scientific circles, I wouldn't know. I suspect some might be in use in falconry, but none are listed there for eagles, maybe because the loose gatherings they apparently occasionally form don't really count as a group, they just happen to be in the same area, although I'm happy to be corrected about that, I've never seen more than 2 or 3. Peter Shute ******************************************************************************* Alan McBride, MBO. Photojournalist | Writer | Traveller | + Member: Australian Photographic Society American Writers & Artists Inc. International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance National Association of Independent Writers & Editors Travelwriters . com Travcom New Zealand Regional Representative Australia: Neotropical Bird Club http://web.me.com/amcbride1 http://www.worldreviewer.com/member/alanmcbride/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmcbride http://www.twitter.com/alanmcbride Good planets are hard to find; until we do, please, be green and read from the screen Tel: + 61 419 414 860 Fax: + 61 2 9973 2306 Skype: mcbird101 P O Box 190 | Newport Beach | NSW 2106 | Australia This e-mail and any files transmitted with it, are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are addressed. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender. This e-mail is also subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, adapted or transmitted without the prior written consent of the copyright owner. *********************************************************************************** =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: Alan McBride <amcbride1 AT me.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:57:40 +1000 Syd et al, One of the best pages on the web is here: http://www.ojohaven.com/collectives/ I warn you though it can take hours to get off this page:-) Very best Alan ******************************************************************************* Alan McBride, MBO. Photojournalist | Writer | Traveller | + Member: Australian Photographic Society American Writers & Artists Inc. International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance National Association of Independent Writers & Editors Travelwriters . com Travcom New Zealand Regional Representative Australia: Neotropical Bird Club http://web.me.com/amcbride1 http://www.worldreviewer.com/member/alanmcbride/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmcbride http://www.twitter.com/alanmcbride Good planets are hard to find; until we do, please, be green and read from the screen Tel: + 61 419 414 860 Fax: + 61 2 9973 2306 Skype: mcbird101 P O Box 190 | Newport Beach | NSW 2106 | Australia This e-mail and any files transmitted with it, are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are addressed. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender. This e-mail is also subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, adapted or transmitted without the prior written consent of the copyright owner. *********************************************************************************** On 30/08/2010, at 22:28 , Syd Curtis wrote: Anyone got a collective noun for Wedge-tailed Eagles?Cheers Syd =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: FW: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: brian fleming <flambeau AT labyrinth.net.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:54:05 +1000 As far as I am concerned , Syd's suggestion of Squadron for Wedgies will do me. Though it sounds a little more organized than a party of Wedgetails usually are. Aerie or eyrie really means the nest of an eagle, and therefore its brood, if it has more than one young one. A cast of any raptors is a falconer's term, meaning a number of them flown at once, usually two in mutual support. A kettle of eagles or hawks seems to be an American birdwatcher's term, which I have not seen defined. I believe it means a number of them circling up in a thermal, to rise high enough to get over a mountain range on migration. At places like Hawk Mountain, thousands can be seen at a time. Anthea Fleming On 31/08/2010 9:11 AM, Tony Russell wrote: > > > Tony > > > Best I can find , and this is for raptors in general, is aerie, cast, or > kettle. I think aerie would be the eagle one. > > Tony > > > > > I was delighted that he missed and the eagle flew off unharmed. I was even > more delighted a few minutes later to look over the gorge and see a large > number of Wedgies wheeling around in the gorge; twenty or thirty or so, I > guess. Flock? Don't think so. "Squadron" maybe? :-) > > Cheers > > Syd > > > =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: RE: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: Peter Shute <pshute AT nuw.org.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:48:01 +1000 Does anyone really use collective nouns for any useful purpose? According to Wikipedia (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_noun#Terms_of_venery_.28words_for_groups_of_animals.29) they date from the 15th century and "were used by gentlemen to distinguish themselves from yeomen and others". There are a few that are in common enough use to warrant everyone using them, e.g. a pride of lions, or more locally, a mob of emus, but for most of the rest, I'd bet that if you have to look up which word to use then hardly anyone else is going to know the word either, so you're going to look pretentious for using it outside of poetry, or for fun. There's a list of collective nouns for birds here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_collective_nouns_for_birds There aren't many there that wouldn't raise eybrows if you used them. Some of them might be in more common use in scientific circles, I wouldn't know. I suspect some might be in use in falconry, but none are listed there for eagles, maybe because the loose gatherings they apparently occasionally form don't really count as a group, they just happen to be in the same area, although I'm happy to be corrected about that, I've never seen more than 2 or 3. Peter Shute > -----Original Message----- > From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au > [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Wendy > Sent: Tuesday, 31 August 2010 9:50 AM > To: Laurie Knight; Syd Curtis > Cc: Birding Aus > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? > > How about a Carrion of W-Eagles? given this is often the > reason for seeing an aggregation of such birds. > > Trouble is, > all our numerous ex-Pom birders will probably think of this > as a 'groan!!' > movie(s) i.e. a Carry On > > I just did a quick look via Google and this site offers 2 > suggestions for your question Syd. > aerie of eagles > convocation of eagles > > plus a couple of others caught my eye > congregation of birds > dissimulation of birds (= deceive, disguise ones intentions > feelings??? - I don't get this? I initially thought this was > - dissemination - and would have thought it a more > appropriate at times, especially for Wedgies > > http://www.rinkworks.com/words/collective.shtml > > Wendy > > ps I had meant to contact (to correct) a Radio National show > recently on which a panel participant mentioned a collective > of Crows being a Murmur. > Sadly I have forgotten which show. Could be a good collective > noun for some other birds or other animal, but not Crows > (ravens) I would have thought > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Laurie Knight" > To: "Syd Curtis" > Cc: "Birding Aus" > Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 6:24 AM > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? > > > > Do you mean a collective noun or a collective pun, Syd? > > > > LK > > > > On 30/08/2010, at 10:28 PM, Syd Curtis wrote: > > > > > > > > Anyone got a collective noun for Wedge-tailed Eagles? > > > > > > Many (30+) years ago I was inspecting an area out > Charleville way for > > > possible reservation as a national park. Sandstone country with > > > spectacular > > > gorges. I sought access through an adjoining grazing > property and the > > > lessee kindly drove me to the rim of the very large gorge > that was the > > > boundary of his property. (Porcupine Ck gorge, maybe. > My memory is > > > a bit > > > hazy now.) > > > > > > But what I do remember very clearly is that we were nearly to the > > > rim of the > > > gorge when my host spotted a Wedge-tailed Eagle perched in a low > > > tree. He > > > immediately stopped and shot at it with his rifle. > > > > > > I was delighted that he missed and the eagle flew off unharmed. I > > > was even > > > more delighted a few minutes later to look over the gorge > and see a > > > large > > > number of Wedgies wheeling around in the gorge; twenty or > thirty or > > > so, I > > > guess. Flock? Don't think so. "Squadron" maybe? :-) > > > > > > Cheers > > > > > > Syd > > > > > >> From: Alan McBride > > >> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:48:08 +1000 > > >> To: bob gosford > > >> Cc: NT Birds group , > "Birding-Aus \(Forum\)" > > >> > > >> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Spotted Harrier over Alice Springs - > > >> Eastside > > >> > > >> Hi Bob, > > >> > > >> I think I'd prefer "a rash of Spotted Harriers" ;-) > > >> > > >> Alan > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > > ************************************************************** > ************** > > > **> * > > >> Alan McBride, MBO. > > >> > > >> Photojournalist | Writer | Traveller | + > > >> Member: Australian Photographic Society > > >> American Writers & Artists Inc. > > >> International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance > > >> National Association of Independent Writers & Editors > > >> Travelwriters . com > > >> Travcom New Zealand > > >> Regional Representative Australia: Neotropical Bird Club > > >> > > >> http://web.me.com/amcbride1 > > >> http://www.worldreviewer.com/member/alanmcbride/ > > >> http://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmcbride > > >> http://www.twitter.com/alanmcbride > > >> > > >> Good planets are hard to find; until we do, please, be green and > > >> read from the > > >> screen > > >> > > >> Tel: + 61 419 414 860 > > >> Fax: + 61 2 9973 2306 > > >> Skype: mcbird101 > > >> > > >> P O Box 190 | Newport Beach | NSW 2106 | Australia > > >> > > >> This e-mail and any files transmitted with it, are > confidential and > > >> intended > > >> solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are > > >> addressed. If > > >> you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender. > > >> This e-mail > > >> is also subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, > > >> adapted or > > >> transmitted without the prior written consent of the > copyright owner. > > >> > > >> > ************************************************************** > ************** > ** > > >> ***** > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> On 30/08/2010, at 18:46 , bob gosford wrote: > > >> > > >> After Christopher Watson and I saw a mob (a collective noun for a > > >> lot of > > >> Spotted Harriers please!) of Spotted Harriers (and a > pair of Swamp > > >> Harriers > > >> near the airport) on our long days drive around greater Alice > > >> Springs last > > >> Friday I'd just like to note that I spotted (geddit!?) a single > > >> Spotted > > >> Harrier at some distance and height soaring over > Eastside in Alice > > >> Springs > > >> this morning. > > >> > > >> Black wing-tips and elevated dihedral - and recent sightings give > > >> me a > > >> reasonable degree of certainty - which I hope to confirm over the > > >> next few > > >> days. > > >> > > >> Any other inner suburban sightings in Alice Springs welcome. > > >> > > >> And I'll be keeping eyes and ears open for the first > Channel-billed > > >> Cuckoo > > >> reports in Alice Springs - or Darwin, Katherine and points in > > >> between - over > > >> the coming weeks. I note that there was report on Birding-Aus > > >> earlier today > > >> of a C-bC on the NSW mid-north coast earlier today. > > >> > > >> Cheers from an ornithologically abundant red centre... > > >> > > >> -- > > >> Bob Gosford > > >> Crikey.com > > >> The Northern Myth blog > > >> http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/ > > >> Alice Springs, NT > > >> Australia > > >> Ph: (+61) 0447024968 > > >> Twitter: AT bgosford > > >> "The NT Government does not respond to random electronic gossip > > >> sites." > > >> =============================== > > >> > > >> 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 > > >> > > >> http://birding-aus.org > > >> =============================== > > >> > > >> =============================== > > >> > > >> 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 > > >> > > >> http://birding-aus.org > > >> =============================== > > > > > > =============================== > > > > > > 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 > > > > > > http://birding-aus.org > > > =============================== > > > > =============================== > > > > 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 > > > > http://birding-aus.org > > =============================== > > > > > > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== > ============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org ============================== Subject: Re: Re: Question... From: Syd Curtis <albertisyd AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:49:22 +1000 Take your word for it that Djigirridjdjigirridj is onomatopoeic, Denise. Haven't tried to pronounce it. But without doing so, without attributing sounds to letters, the printed word somehow 'looks' like a W W's call. Beaut! Syd > From: Denise Goodfellow > Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:30:54 +0930 > To: Christopher Watson , Birding Aus > > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Re: Question... > > Kunwinjku people of western Arnhem Land have many bird names, > for example Djigirridjdjigirridj, for Willie Wagtail. Other names relate to > colour, eg Dalgerowgen, for Crimson Finch. However, my relatives do not > appear to have such wonderfully descriptive names for birds of prey as the > Western Desert peoples. > Denise L Goodfellow =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Re: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: "Wendy" <woobinda AT pipeline.com.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:49:44 +1000 How about a Carrion of W-Eagles? given this is often the reason for seeing an aggregation of such birds. Trouble is, all our numerous ex-Pom birders will probably think of this as a 'groan!!' movie(s) i.e. a Carry On I just did a quick look via Google and this site offers 2 suggestions for your question Syd. aerie of eagles convocation of eagles plus a couple of others caught my eye congregation of birds dissimulation of birds (= deceive, disguise ones intentions feelings??? - I don't get this? I initially thought this was - dissemination - and would have thought it a more appropriate at times, especially for Wedgies http://www.rinkworks.com/words/collective.shtml Wendy ps I had meant to contact (to correct) a Radio National show recently on which a panel participant mentioned a collective of Crows being a Murmur. Sadly I have forgotten which show. Could be a good collective noun for some other birds or other animal, but not Crows (ravens) I would have thought ----- Original Message ----- From: "Laurie Knight" To: "Syd Curtis" Cc: "Birding Aus" Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 6:24 AM Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? > Do you mean a collective noun or a collective pun, Syd? > > LK > > On 30/08/2010, at 10:28 PM, Syd Curtis wrote: > > > > > Anyone got a collective noun for Wedge-tailed Eagles? > > > > Many (30+) years ago I was inspecting an area out Charleville way for > > possible reservation as a national park. Sandstone country with > > spectacular > > gorges. I sought access through an adjoining grazing property and the > > lessee kindly drove me to the rim of the very large gorge that was the > > boundary of his property. (Porcupine Ck gorge, maybe. My memory is > > a bit > > hazy now.) > > > > But what I do remember very clearly is that we were nearly to the > > rim of the > > gorge when my host spotted a Wedge-tailed Eagle perched in a low > > tree. He > > immediately stopped and shot at it with his rifle. > > > > I was delighted that he missed and the eagle flew off unharmed. I > > was even > > more delighted a few minutes later to look over the gorge and see a > > large > > number of Wedgies wheeling around in the gorge; twenty or thirty or > > so, I > > guess. Flock? Don't think so. "Squadron" maybe? :-) > > > > Cheers > > > > Syd > > > >> From: Alan McBride > >> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:48:08 +1000 > >> To: bob gosford > >> Cc: NT Birds group , "Birding-Aus \(Forum\)" > >> > >> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Spotted Harrier over Alice Springs - > >> Eastside > >> > >> Hi Bob, > >> > >> I think I'd prefer "a rash of Spotted Harriers" ;-) > >> > >> Alan > >> > >> > >> > >> > > **************************************************************************** > > **> * > >> Alan McBride, MBO. > >> > >> Photojournalist | Writer | Traveller | + > >> Member: Australian Photographic Society > >> American Writers & Artists Inc. > >> International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance > >> National Association of Independent Writers & Editors > >> Travelwriters . com > >> Travcom New Zealand > >> Regional Representative Australia: Neotropical Bird Club > >> > >> http://web.me.com/amcbride1 > >> http://www.worldreviewer.com/member/alanmcbride/ > >> http://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmcbride > >> http://www.twitter.com/alanmcbride > >> > >> Good planets are hard to find; until we do, please, be green and > >> read from the > >> screen > >> > >> Tel: + 61 419 414 860 > >> Fax: + 61 2 9973 2306 > >> Skype: mcbird101 > >> > >> P O Box 190 | Newport Beach | NSW 2106 | Australia > >> > >> This e-mail and any files transmitted with it, are confidential and > >> intended > >> solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are > >> addressed. If > >> you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender. > >> This e-mail > >> is also subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, > >> adapted or > >> transmitted without the prior written consent of the copyright owner. > >> > >> **************************************************************************** ** > >> ***** > >> > >> > >> > >> On 30/08/2010, at 18:46 , bob gosford wrote: > >> > >> After Christopher Watson and I saw a mob (a collective noun for a > >> lot of > >> Spotted Harriers please!) of Spotted Harriers (and a pair of Swamp > >> Harriers > >> near the airport) on our long days drive around greater Alice > >> Springs last > >> Friday I'd just like to note that I spotted (geddit!?) a single > >> Spotted > >> Harrier at some distance and height soaring over Eastside in Alice > >> Springs > >> this morning. > >> > >> Black wing-tips and elevated dihedral - and recent sightings give > >> me a > >> reasonable degree of certainty - which I hope to confirm over the > >> next few > >> days. > >> > >> Any other inner suburban sightings in Alice Springs welcome. > >> > >> And I'll be keeping eyes and ears open for the first Channel-billed > >> Cuckoo > >> reports in Alice Springs - or Darwin, Katherine and points in > >> between - over > >> the coming weeks. I note that there was report on Birding-Aus > >> earlier today > >> of a C-bC on the NSW mid-north coast earlier today. > >> > >> Cheers from an ornithologically abundant red centre... > >> > >> -- > >> Bob Gosford > >> Crikey.com > >> The Northern Myth blog > >> http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/ > >> Alice Springs, NT > >> Australia > >> Ph: (+61) 0447024968 > >> Twitter: AT bgosford > >> "The NT Government does not respond to random electronic gossip > >> sites." > >> =============================== > >> > >> 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 > >> > >> http://birding-aus.org > >> =============================== > >> > >> =============================== > >> > >> 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 > >> > >> http://birding-aus.org > >> =============================== > > > > =============================== > > > > 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 > > > > http://birding-aus.org > > =============================== > > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== > > =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: FW: Collective noun for Wedgies? From: "Tony Russell" <pratincole AT esc.net.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:41:33 +0930 Tony Best I can find , and this is for raptors in general, is aerie, cast, or kettle. I think aerie would be the eagle one. Tony -----Original Message----- From: birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au [mailto:birding-aus-bounces AT vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Syd Curtis Sent: Monday, 30 August 2010 9:58 PM To: undisclosed-recipients: Subject: [Birding-Aus] Collective noun for Wedgies? Anyone got a collective noun for Wedge-tailed Eagles? Many (30+) years ago I was inspecting an area out Charleville way for possible reservation as a national park. Sandstone country with spectacular gorges. I sought access through an adjoining grazing property and the lessee kindly drove me to the rim of the very large gorge that was the boundary of his property. (Porcupine Ck gorge, maybe. My memory is a bit hazy now.) But what I do remember very clearly is that we were nearly to the rim of the gorge when my host spotted a Wedge-tailed Eagle perched in a low tree. He immediately stopped and shot at it with his rifle. I was delighted that he missed and the eagle flew off unharmed. I was even more delighted a few minutes later to look over the gorge and see a large number of Wedgies wheeling around in the gorge; twenty or thirty or so, I guess. Flock? Don't think so. "Squadron" maybe? :-) Cheers Syd > From: Alan McBride > Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:48:08 +1000 > To: bob gosford > Cc: NT Birds group , "Birding-Aus \(Forum\)" > > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Spotted Harrier over Alice Springs - Eastside > > Hi Bob, > > I think I'd prefer "a rash of Spotted Harriers" ;-) > > Alan > > > > **************************************************************************** **> * > Alan McBride, MBO. > > Photojournalist | Writer | Traveller | + > Member: Australian Photographic Society > American Writers & Artists Inc. > International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance > National Association of Independent Writers & Editors > Travelwriters . com > Travcom New Zealand > Regional Representative Australia: Neotropical Bird Club > > http://web.me.com/amcbride1 > http://www.worldreviewer.com/member/alanmcbride/ > http://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmcbride > http://www.twitter.com/alanmcbride > > Good planets are hard to find; until we do, please, be green and read from the > screen > > Tel: + 61 419 414 860 > Fax: + 61 2 9973 2306 > Skype: mcbird101 > > P O Box 190 | Newport Beach | NSW 2106 | Australia > > This e-mail and any files transmitted with it, are confidential and intended > solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are addressed. If > you have received this e-mail in error please notify the sender. This e-mail > is also subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, adapted or > transmitted without the prior written consent of the copyright owner. > > **************************************************************************** ** > ***** > > > > On 30/08/2010, at 18:46 , bob gosford wrote: > > After Christopher Watson and I saw a mob (a collective noun for a lot of > Spotted Harriers please!) of Spotted Harriers (and a pair of Swamp Harriers > near the airport) on our long days drive around greater Alice Springs last > Friday I'd just like to note that I spotted (geddit!?) a single Spotted > Harrier at some distance and height soaring over Eastside in Alice Springs > this morning. > > Black wing-tips and elevated dihedral - and recent sightings give me a > reasonable degree of certainty - which I hope to confirm over the next few > days. > > Any other inner suburban sightings in Alice Springs welcome. > > And I'll be keeping eyes and ears open for the first Channel-billed Cuckoo > reports in Alice Springs - or Darwin, Katherine and points in between - over > the coming weeks. I note that there was report on Birding-Aus earlier today > of a C-bC on the NSW mid-north coast earlier today. > > Cheers from an ornithologically abundant red centre... > > -- > Bob Gosford > Crikey.com > The Northern Myth blog > http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/ > Alice Springs, NT > Australia > Ph: (+61) 0447024968 > Twitter: AT bgosford > "The NT Government does not respond to random electronic gossip sites." > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== > > =============================== > > 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 > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: RFI: Brisbane, bush-hen From: "Alan Stuart" <almarosa AT bigpond.com> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:35:03 +1000 I'll be in Brisbane soon for several days for work but I will have Saturday free and am hoping to get out to some good birding spots that day. Can anybody suggest places to go within a day trip from Brisbane? And, if there is a spot where I have a moderate chance of a Bush-hen, that would be of particular interest! Thanks Alan Stuart =============================== 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 http://birding-aus.org =============================== Subject: Southport Pelagics. From: "Paul Walbridge" <paul_walbridge AT health.qld.gov.au> Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:52:11 +1000 Hi All, there is a Southport Pelagic on September 18th, with several spots still open for anyone interested. Contact, Paul Walbridge on PH: (H) 07 3256 4124 (W) 07 3139 4258 E-mail: Paul_Walbridge AT health.qld.gov.au Cheers - Paul W. ******************************************************************************** This email, including any attachments sent with it, is confidential and for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). This confidentiality is not waived or lost, if you receive it and you are not the intended recipient(s), or if it is transmitted/received in error. Any unauthorised use, alteration, disclosure, distribution or review of this email is strictly prohibited. The information contained in this email, including any attachment sent with it, may be subject to a statutory duty of confidentiality if it relates to health service matters. If you are not the intended recipient(s), or if you have received this email in error, you are asked to immediately notify the sender by telephone collect on Australia +61 1800 198 175 or by return email. 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