Deniliquin
and district latest news
Latitude:-35.5269 S Longitude: 144.9520
E
Elevation: 93.0 m
February 2004
to October 2004
Philip Maher
Note:
There was 53.8 mm (2.1 inches) of rain in November which should make
the next Latest News a bit more interesting.
November and December's Latest News will appear on this page
in January.
OVERVIEW
It has been a tough year. Drought has again ravaged the Riverina with
the longest dry spell I can recall–with almost no rain from January
to May. Late May saw the best rain for the year when 11.8 mm (0.46
inches) fell. The dry conditions, coupled with heatwaves in February,
have knocked the district's bird life, and probably few of the passerine
juveniles from last year's excellent season survived the dry spell.
To the end of October we have received 188.4 mm/7.4 inches of rain,
which is less than half the district's mean annual rainfal (405.7
mm/15.9 inches).
There is evidence of redgum and blackbox trees,
which require flooding, dead or dying throughout the district. Again,
there has been little flooding in the Murray/Darling system for the
fourth consecutive spring and very little waterbird breeding has occurred
in south-east Australia in that period. This situation is dire for
many species of waterbird.
Even though conditions are less than ideal,
bird life, tenaciously, is hanging on, albeit in reduced numbers and
there have been some good sightings in the district.
EMU
Despite the dry conditions, emus
have
bred well, presumedly because they were in good nick after the rain
in November and December 2003. Many clutches of young have been seen
this spring, some clutches with up to ten chicks. Breeding has occurred
in both the river redgum forest and out on the plains. This is probably
the best breeding result in ten years.
QUAIL
Stubble quails were
out on the plains in reasonable numbers in the late winter but a dry
September/October saw an exodus. Even where there's still good cover
on the plains, there doesn't appear to be any stubble quail. Possibly,
there are still some around the irrigated crops closer to town.
A few brown
quail have been seen and heard calling
during October around the swamp at Wanganella; and my son, Philip,
recorded a clutch of young (in October) along the Forest Creek, west
of Wanganella.
GEESE!
On 27 July, a pair of Cape
Barren geese was on the lagoon behind the pre-school kindergarten,
first noticed by the pre-school head mistress. The birds were not
banded but appeared to be quite tame. While I can't say whether they
were wild birds or not, the species did formerly occur in the district
with records from Victor Robb in the Caldwell area in the 1960s, and
I believe John Hobbs received records of birds seen on floodwater
in the Morago area in the 1950s.
DUCKS
There being little surface water about, ducks are pretty much a non-event.
The few ducks present have congregated on sewage treatment works (STW)
and other artificial impoundments. There was a recent report of a
freckled duck on an irrigation canal east of Deniliquin,
which shows a level of desperation.
WATERBIRDS
Waterbirds, as I indicated in the overview,
are scarce. About 80 glossy ibis
were seen at the Finley STW on 28 September and a flock of
about 20 was seen on several occasions around the Wanganella swamps.
The first Australasian
bittern for the season was seen east
of Deniliquin on 21 August and since then a few have been seen regularly;
a maximum of three birds was seen on 25 October. They are feeding
in highly marginal habitat along the drains and living in water storages.
There are only a few rice crops in the district because of the water
situation but the bitterns will, I expect, move into these as soon
as the rice is high enough. No little
bitterns have
been seen to date.
In October, a pair of great-crested
grebes was
seen in a wetland along the Gulpa Creek, which is being kept full
to encourage waterbird breeding.
RAPTORS
There is a moderate number of mice about the district attracting a
few raptors, mostly black-shouldered kites
and brown falcons. Rabbits are
plaguing again in the sandhill country out on the plains, bringing
in wedge-tailed eagles, black
and whistling kites
and a few little eagles
have also reappeared in the district. This is the first rabbit
plague we have had since the rabbit calicivirus was introduced about
eight years ago. Wedge-tailed eagles are breeding well with several
nests seen, although with only one young in each.
The mice, so far, have not attracted any letter-winged
kites. The last sighting (J Nevinson) was in heatwave conditions
in mid-February. Reflecting the lack of ground birds in the district,
spotted harriers have been fairly
scarce with just a few passing through in October.
Black falcons are more common at present in the irrigation
country than out on the plains. They are still seen regularly at the
Deniliquin rubbish tip where a pair was seen in September doing a
mating display.
A pair of brown
goshawks was
seen doing a display flight in Gulpa Island SF on 10 October. In late
October, three active Australian
hobby nests were located in the district
and one active peregrine
falcon nest
was seen near the Edward River, downstream from Deniliquin.
CRANES
Again, the Wanganella pair of brolgas
is attempting to nest in the swamps. It was mainly the male seen during
October, then the pair on 17 October, after which again it was only
the male. The Rural Lands Protection Board has been laying a lot of
fox bait so perhaps the brolgas have a fighting chance of successfully
breeding. I'm told that another pair of brolgas has been seen with
a nest in the Caldwell area south-west of Deniliquin. They appeared
to be nesting in an all but dry swamp so I'm not holding out much
hope for them. Another pair on 26 October, south of Savernake was
standing beside a tiny pool of water — all that remained of their
breeding swamp. Another bad year for brolgas in this district.
CRAKES
Quite a few crakes were about, mainly hanging out in irrigation water
table swamps. On several occasions in October we had all three (spotless,
spotted and Baillon's)
on the one day. It is usually only in times
of drought that these species occur together in the district.
Black-tailed native hens
returned in September after an absence of some months, suggesting
that the inland breeding swamps have dried out (what few there had
been). Lately I've noticed this species feeding on the seed heads
of a type of native millet, suggesting a diverse diet.
BUTTON-QUAIL
So far little
button-quails have been a non-event
with just a few passing through in late September — early October.
It is too dry for them out on the plains and they have probably moved
north or south to areas that have had more rain. (Hopefully the
rain we had early November will tempt them back to the district.)
Likewise, red-chested
button-quails were seen moving through the district in
late September. It will take a big rain to bring them back. Painted
Button-quails have been about in reasonable numbers in
the Gulpa and Pretty Pine areas and some breeding was attempted in
early October but they seem to have gone off the boil and no young
have been seen so far. (Again, the November rain should get them
going again).
PLAINS-WANDERER
Plains-wanderers have remained
in some of their old haunts over winter. Some paddocks have not regained
their structure or diversity since the big drought of 2002—2003
although some plains-wanderers did move back into these areas briefly
last spring/summer but moved out during the long dry spell earlier
this year. They have attempted to nest with the first mating pairs
seen in mid-September and they were still mating in mid-October. No
young have been seen yet. (Once more, the November rain will be
of enormous benefit to them).
WADERS
Inland dotterels continue to be
sporadic with one seen on 18 February, then nothing until one or two
were seen on 15 September. They seem to have disappeared again despite
much of the plain looking ideal for them. I guess that with such a
vast area of the riverine plain bare to the north of Hay they have
spread far and wide.
The last Australian pratincoles
for last season were three birds seen on 12 February and the first
for this season was seen on 20 October. By October's end they were
present in most suitable paddocks. Banded
lapwings have been reasonably scarce for most of the year.
The spring, so far, has been too dry for them and only low numbers
have bred.
A few migratory waders passed through the district in about mid September,
mainly sharp-tailed sandpipers and
the odd marsh sandpiper.
PIGEONS & DOVES
The last diamond dove
for the season, a juvenile, was recorded at Booroorban on 12
February. They have not turned up this season as yet. Common
bronzewings have not bred so far this spring.
PARROTS
Most of the budgerigars had left
the district by the end of February. One small flock was seen in suitable
habitat on 7 March. No budgies have been seen so far this spring.
A few small flocks of cockatiels
were seen about the district in early October but most had left the
district by the end of that month.
During autumn and winter, flocks of up to 30 superb
parrots, adults and immatures, were present in the boree
country north of Deniliquin and in yellow box country south-east of
Deniliquin. By September they were back in the Gulpa area, feeding
initially on the Hill Plain TSR on small flowered onion weed Romulea
minutiflora bulbs (dug up by long-billed
corellas?) and probably on blue crowfoot Erodium
crinitum. This area became very dry
and by mid October most of the superbs had retreated to the redgum
forest where they were feeding mainly on smooth catsear Hypochaeris
glabra. At this point they were very approachable. Their food
supply had run out by late October and they resorted to feeding in
a ripening wheat crop, which they rarely do. There are quite a few
nesting and it will be interesting to see how many young can be raised
in the current harsh conditions.
A few flocks of blue-winged parrots were
present on the plains north of Wanganella during September. On 15
September about 20 were feeding on blue
crowfoot on a sandy rise. They seemed to be moving south by 10 October
when two were feeding on a sandhill near Wanganella and another was
seen east of Deniliquin around this time. These were the last records
for the season.
CUCKOOS
Cuckoos are scarce at present. A few pallids
were seen in September and quite a few Horsfield's
were about in August and September. There is the odd juvenile still
about but the adults have mostly departed.
KINGKISHERS
Azure kingfishers have been about
in good numbers of late, probably due to the Edward River and Gulpa
Creek running a bit clearer than they often do in the spring. One
active nest was seen on the Edward River in Gulpa Island SF and another
possible nest on the Gulpa Creek.
There are quite a few pairs of sacred kingfishers
in the redgum forest. I have seen only one red-backed kingfisher so
far this spring (mid October), east of Deniliquin.
DOLLARBIRD
Dollarbirds appear to be rather
scarce again this year. So far I have only seen one bird in Gulpa,
heard one in town and heard another at Steven's Weir, west of town.
PASSERINE
MIGRANTS
Summer migrants have been disappointing so far this spring with the
exception of rufous songlarks,
which have been breeding on the roadsides mainly east of town during
October. A few flocks of masked
and white-browed woodswallows
have appeared in the district in October but were mostly on the move
with just a few white-browed possibly settling down in the black box
country in the Booroorban area.
HONEYEATERS
Only one black honeyeater was
seen during October, a female, in flowering Eremophila longifolia
near Wanganella on 30 October. Striped honeyeaters
are breeding east of town in roadside boree. Two active nests were
seen in October.
ROBINS
Red-capped robins are very scarce
in the district at present with just a few pairs having bred in Gulpa
Island and elsewhere in the district. The best population at present
is probably in pine woodland near Booroorban, ironically one of the
driest parts of the district. Much of the woodland closer to town
is getting choked up with introduced weeds making it impossible for
them to feed. A pair of hooded robins
has been seen in Gulpa Island and another pair in box woodland near
Pretty Pine. The Gulpa pair are known to have raised young.
WHISTLERS
Gilbert whistlers have been elusive
in Gulpa of late. The old pair at Langman's has shifted across the
river to a thick patch of dwarf cherry after living on the sand hills
for at least 25 years. It appears the sand hills have become too dry
and choked up with introduced weeds for them. Another male was located
about 300 metres further north from the usual nesting territory north
of the sand hills, and may be nesting at that locality. No young have
been seen yet.
CUCKOO-SHRIKES
Just a few sightings of ground cuckoo shrikes
north of town over winter and early spring. My sister, Susan, was
seeing a group on her farm for a while but hasn't seen them of late.
There were a few sightings on the plains north of Wanganella at about
the same time but they also seemed to have disappeared.
FINCHES
Diamond firetails have become
very scarce again. A few were seen along the Tuppal Creek in September
and one pair seen on occasions in Gulpa Island during October. The
recent rain should get them breeding.
_______________________________________________________
June
2003 to January 2004
Philip
Maher
Overview
While at last we can say the recurring theme of drought
in these Deniliquin district updates is over, at least for the moment,
the continuing drought in much of Queensland and western NSW still
influences the avifauna turning up in this district.
We had our first good rains in July and August. The plains became
so wet that plains-wandering activities were adjourned on a couple
of occasions. However, September, October and most of November were
dry and it seemed we were returning to drought mode, but then summer
thunderstorms in late November/mid December saw deluges around the
district totalling 3 to 5 inches (76 mm —
127 mm).
The rains have revitalised the bird life and many species (mostly
passerines) are still busy breeding. However, worryingly, this will
be the third consecutive summer when no rivers in the Murray/Darling
system have flooded to any significant extent. Waterbird breeding
has been very limited in south eastern Australia—the main breeding
ground for most of our waterbirds. As far as I can ascertain, very
few colonial nesting waterbirds (ibis, egrets etc) have breed since
the summer of 2000/01.
EMU
Some emus bred after the breaking of the drought. Out on the
plains not a lot bred successfully with only a few small clutches
seen—probably the rains came too late. They were more successful
in Gulpa Island State Forest where a male with six chicks was seen
on several occasions feeding on the fruits of dwarf cherry Exocarpus
strictus during December.
QUAIL
Stubble quail were out on the plains north of Wanganella in
moderate numbers in late winter/early spring. After it turned dry
in October most left the area with just a few remaining to breed.
An adult female with five half-grown young was seen on 10 November.
After the late November/early December rain some returned to the area
and they are probably still breeding.
Brown quail have not been recorded in the district this season
DUCKS
A few plumed whistle-ducks, which have become very scarce in
the district over the last 10 years, have been about over the spring/summer
with a couple of pairs seen east of town in October. A single injured
(lame) bird was at a small wetland in town during November and December.
Four more birds were seen at the same locality on 20 December.
Freckled duck continue to be scarce, mainly due to lack of
surface water. A pair was seen at the Corowa Sewage Treatment Works
(STW) on 26 October and two pairs at the Deniliquin STW on 5 January.
About 10 pairs of blue-billed duck have been on the Gulpa Creek
wetlands during the spring/summer, where presumedly they have been
breeding, or at least attempting to breed. To my knowledge, this is
the first record at this locality since the early 1980s. Water levels
have been maintained in these wetlands this season, which augurs well
for breeding success.
An adult female musk duck with well-grown young was seen on
12 January on the Gulpa Creek about 15 km downstream from the breeding
swamps. Musk ducks commonly bred in the Murray swamps a couple of
decades ago but it is now a rare event.
WATERBIRDS
A few little and intermediate egrets were seen in rice
crops north and east of town in November and December. The little
egret, in particular, is uncommon in the district and their presence
in rice crops, which is not their preferred feeding habitat, would
indicate that there is not much habitat available to them elsewhere.
Neither species has bred in the district since the summer of 2000/01.
With all the rivers dammed up for irrigation it is difficult to see
how the intermediate egret, which once bred in colonies of 1000+ pairs
on the Murray and its tributaries, will survive in the longer term.
In desperation, the great egrets have again set up a colony
on a backwater of the Edward River in Deniliquin, with about 50 nesting
pairs creating a spectacular sight in the middle of town. They are
flying at least 30 km to feed on the few rice crops that are about
and it will be interesting to see how these distances affect breeding
success.
Australasian bittern sightings have been sporadic with just
a handful of birds seen east of town in October and November. There
was little available habitat for them during that time and I suspect
there were better numbers in the Berrigan/Savernake area where they
had good rain and many of the rainwater swamps had filled. Three were
seen at one of these swamps on 26 October and they possibly bred there.
A few have been calling in rice crops north and east of Deniliquin
in January so some belated breeding is being attempted; however, they
will need to be quick to raise young before the crops are harvested.
Fortunately the rice is also late due to the cold weather in October.
Little bittern (black-backed bittern) was first seen on 24
November when an adult female was flushed from cumbungi (Typha
sp) east of town. The first male was heard calling at the same locality
on 29 November and was seen, and heard calling, on several occasions
from that time to mid December. The habitat is marginal at this locality
so they may not have bred successfully.
Another hybrid straw-necked/Australian white ibis was seen
at the Wanganella swamps in early November. The bird in flight was
reminiscent of a magpie goose.
Glossy ibis has been scarce. A few were seen on rice crops
east of town in early December, and about 30 at the Wanganella swamps
on 16 January.
RAPTORS
Black-shouldered kites continue to be conspicuous by their
absence, the lack of mice in the district being the likely cause.
A single letter-wing kite was seen on the plains north of Wanganella
on a couple of occasions in September; the last sighting being 21
September.
There was a major influx of spotted harriers in September and
October. Most had moved through by November; however at least one
pair nested on the plains north of Wanganella, making it the first
breeding record for some years.
White-breasted sea-eagles have been sighted regularly at the
Wanganella swamp in the last 12 months and it is possible that they
bred in the area. Two immatures were sighted early February 2004.
Little eagles continue to be scarce with ostensibly only transient
birds in the district over summer. (Rabbits, the main prey of little
eagles, declined with the introduction of the rabbit calicivirus in
the mid-1990s, and more recently the drought has kept the rabbit population
down).
Raptor numbers in general appear to be well down in the district,
particularly brown falcon and kestrel. The exceptions
are black kite and wedge-tailed eagle, which have both
bred at a number of localities this season. No less than four black
falcons pirating food from black kites was a memorable sighting at
the Deniliquin tip on 21 August. (I only ever saw them with food that
had been pirated from black kites and ravens at that locality). Later
in the day another black falcon was seen in irrigation country north
east of town. One or two black falcons were present for most of the
year at the tip, but have dispersed since the rains. They are now
back out on the plains although not in any numbers.
CRANES
The resident pair of Wanganella swamp brolgas nested this year
and was seen with a small chick in early October; however, the chick
disappeared soon after and was not seen again—most probably taken
by foxes. Mathew Herring has been studying brolgas in the Riverina
and northern Victoria in recent years and has kept tabs on about 22
pairs that bred this season in those districts. Only one pair, located
south of Berrigan, still has a young surviving. Foxes, I believe,
take most of them. A pair near Jerilderie is attempting to nest for
the third time. Given the woeful replenishment of numbers, the brolga
population in this district must be aging and could be gone from the
district in my lifetime.
CRAKES
Crakes have been fairly scarce in the district over summer; it being
neither wet enough nor dry enough to bring them in. There have been
sporadic sightings of Australian spotted crake at a couple
of small wetlands and more regular sightings of spotless crakes
in the Wanganella swamps, although these have been uncooperative of
late.
Locally, Baillon's crake has been particularly scarce over
summer with not one sighting. This species breeds well at times in
the rainwater swamps in the Berrigan/Savernake area and that probably
accounts for their scarcity in the Deniliquin district.
Black-tailed native-hens have been about in reasonable numbers
over summer indicating that most of the lignum Muehlenbeckia cunninghamii
and nitre goosefoot Chenopodium nitrariaceum swamps, their
preferred breeding habitat, are still dry. Their desperation to breed
was evident when a pair nested beside a small dam with a few goosefoot
bushes around the perimeter— highly unusual. There has been no
major breeding of this species in the district since about 1990.
BUTTON-QUAIL
Little button-quail have been about through the district in
good numbers this season with the first bird seen on the plains north
of Wanganella on 21 September. Their numbers built up and they have
been in various locations including the Gulpa area where at least
one pair nested in an area we are revegetating. Out on the plains
a male with four tiny chicks was seen on 27 October. Over the next
few weeks many clutches of young were recorded and many more would
have nested since the November/December rain.
There has been only one sighting of red-chested button-quail
on the plains so far this season. It will take several good seasons
for numbers to recover to pre-drought levels.
Painted button-quail have returned to Gulpa Island in good
numbers after being all but absent during the drought. During November
and up until mid December at least one female was calling in an area
of redgum Eucalyptus camaldulensis and grey box Eucalyptus
microcarpa. On 9 December, an adult male with four large young
was located not far from the female.
PLAINS-WANDERER
The bareness of the plains had a significant impact on plains-wanderers
and by June they were present in very low numbers. They moved
into paddocks that most years would have been too thick for them —
an adult female was seen on 5 August in one such paddock. Their usual
haunts had been bare for about 12 months but after the good rains
in July and August vegetation was re-establishing and a female had
returned to one of the old haunts by 21 September. I was surprised
that they recolonised so quickly. They continued to build up as cover
improved, although they were slow to start breeding, probably because
the country was still bare and very wet in July and August.
The first female heard calling was on 8 October. By mid-to-late October
at least six adult females were calling in their territories, although
their density was low and they were still hard to locate. At this
time we spotlighted on foot and were often able to locate a female
by her call at dusk.
By about mid November, with no significant rain since August, it was
starting to become dry again. The plains-wanderers stopped calling
about this time, presumedly indicating that that round of breeding
was over. On 20 November the heavens opened and the plains received
three to five inches (76 mm — 127 mm) over the next month, prompting
the recommencement of breeding.
While they were not calling as well as they were in late October and
November, several mating pairs were seen in December. They should
continue breeding well into summer and re-establish numbers after
having hit rock bottom.
So far this season four nests with eggs have been seen: two nests
with four eggs each on 27 October, only about 70 m apart so probably
both males/nests were aligned to the one female. Another nest with
four eggs was seen on 14 November and another with five eggs on 6
December. I think this is the first nest I have seen with five eggs
although I have seen males with five and even six young in good seasons.
On 9 December an adult male with four well-grown young, about three
weeks old, was located. The first independent juvenile, about two
months old, was seen on 15 December.
WADERS
Inland dotterels have been sporadic. They had been present
on the plains north of Wanganella for about thee years but became
scarce before the July rain when the plains were desolate. There was
the odd sighting when the ground cover was re-establishing after the
rain. A group of 12 was seen on 5 August but numbers dropped off as
the vegetation became thicker. Again, there was a bit of movement
with the odd bird or two turning up here and there during November.
In December they became more reliable with small groups of up to three
regularly seen; however they seem to have disappeared again recently.
No breeding has been recorded this season.
Competition for bare ground from banded lapwings, which were
in their hundreds and bred well, may be the reason for the dotterels
lack of breeding activity, and perhaps forced the dots to move on.
The first clutch of young banded lapwings was seen on 5 August and
clutches of small young were recorded well into December. Numbers
diminished in January.
One of the largest influxes for many years of Australian pratincoles
was present on the plains this spring. Although a few birds were seen
in September and October, they appeared en masse around 10 November.
Quite a few moved on but many settled and nested semi-colonially on
every available bit of bare ground. (The first egg was recorded 18
November). In contrast to 2002 when bare ground was everywhere, this
year it is hard to come by and banded lapwings, Australian pratincoles
and inland dotterels may have been competing for space.
The little curlew invasion
On 19 October Steven Seymour and I were watering trees on a sandhill
that we are revegetating beside the Wanganella swamps when a large,
noisy wader flew over. As it was overcast and our binoculars were
out of reach we were unable to identify it. However, on 25 October
a little curlew was located feeding with banded lapwings on
the plains north or Wanganella and I realised when the bird flew off
calling loudly that this was our mystery bird. Another bird was located
over a month later in the same area as the bird seen 25 October. Again,
the bird was feeding and flying with around 200 banded lapwings. Towards
the end of December a group of five and a group of11 were seen in
a nearby paddock. The sightings were sporadic with no birds seen on
two consecutive days. In early to mid January, Dave Webb located a
group of three and then a group of 28 in plains country south east
of Jerilderie. The group of 28 has been roosting in the afternoon
for a couple hours around a drying out swamp. This is by far the largest
invasion I have seen, or heard of, in the Riverina. It's assumed that
drought conditions in western Queensland and the Gulf have forced
them further south than normal.
We located the nest of a bush stone-curlew in black box woodland
near Booroorban on 25 October. This was an exciting find as I had
not seen a nest in the district since the early 1990s. We did not
go back near the nest for fear of disturbing them; however, they disappeared
soon after and it is almost certain that breeding failed.
PIGEONS
AND DOVES
A couple of pairs of diamond doves were seen in grey box and
redgum in Gulpa Island SF on 10 November. The following day a couple
more pairs were recorded in black box country near Booroorban. A male
was also heard calling in remnant pine woodland east of Deniliquin
during December and January. They were breeding at all three localities
and were definitely successful at Gulpa and Booroorban where fledged
juveniles were seen. It is extraordinary that the district can have
no diamond doves one day, and they can be throughout the district
the next - a phenomenon that occurs with most of the inland migrants.
PARROTS
The first budgerigars were recorded on the plains north of
Wanganella on about 25 October; thereafter, small flocks appeared
throughout most of the district. Flocks of around a hundred birds
were seen in black box country near Booroorban and around the rosewood
Alectryon oleifolius and pine Callitris glaucophylla clumps
north of Wanganella. These larger flocks seemed not to breed although
some of the smaller flocks did. On my sister Susan's property north
east of Deniliquin six pairs nested in a black box Eucalyptus largiflorens
/ rosewood clump. Some, I think, also bred on the edge of the redgum
forest at Gulpa Island SF. (At least one was still present at that
locality 16 January). A far cry from the 1920s and 30s when budgerigars
occurred in their thousands in this district (as witnessed by my father
as a boy); now we get excited about a hundred!
Cockatiels invaded the district during October. They were reasonably
numerous on the plains country north of Wanganella. Numbers dropped
off in November and December although a few small flocks have appeared
again in January. Some at least must have bred this season in the
district.
Superb parrots have bred quite well in Gulpa Island SF this
season. A survey undertaken by NSW State Forests during October located
around 35 nests, which is probably around half the number of pairs
that nest in that locality. Some of the nests were located about 10
km further north than previously recorded. The nesting was more staggered
than usual, probably due to the drought and cold weather in October.
During that month up to 60 males were feeding on blue crowfoot Erodium
crinitum in the Hill Plain area. In November they fed more in
the redgum forest and were seen feeding on smooth cats-ear Hypocharis
glabra on at least one occasion.
The
first clutch of fledged young was seen on 24 November, a bit earlier
than normal. On this occasion the adults were feeding on green seedpods
of Acacia hakeoides. About a week later a pair was feeding
on the green seedpods of Acacia pycnantha. (The pycnantha had
been planted about 10 years ago with the hope that the superbs would
one day feed on it). On 9 December about 25 adults and juveniles were
feeding on the bulbs of small flowered onion grass Romulea minutiflora
that had been uncovered by a grader along the highway near Gulpa.
On 5 January at least 80 adults and juveniles were feeding on ruby
saltbush Enchylaena tomentosa berries in grey box woodland
on the Travelling Stock Route (TSR) at Gulpa. The superbs stayed in
the Gulpa area much longer this season than the last few — no
doubt due to the good rains in the area in November/December.
The most blue-winged parrots for many years were present on
the plains in the winter and spring. Up to 30 birds were feeding on
bladder saltbush Atriplex versicaria seed on the TSR, north
of Wanganella on 27 July. These or other birds were present in varying
numbers until at least 25 October when about six birds were seen feeding
in flowering lignum. They probably stayed in the area longer this
year because most of the plains country north of Hay and further inland
was still dry at that time.
CUCKOOS
Cuckoos made a welcome reappearance this spring after being scarce
during the drought. A few fantailed and pallid were
seen in boree and box country out on the plains in winter/spring.
In October and November there was a few shining bronze-cuckoo calling
at Gulpa Island and around the town — the first for some years.
Horsfield's have bred well in the district this season. Quite
a few juveniles being fed by fairy-wrens were seen around the goosefoot
swamps out the on the plains.
KINGFISHERS
There are still a few azures along the Edward River. I saw
one on 14 December in the Island Sanctuary and about six were seen
in early January by my partner when she was kayaking along the Edward
from Taylor's Bridge to the junction of the Gulpa Creek. The species
suffered a dramatic decline in the mid1970s and the 80s.
Just a few red-backed kingfishers passed through the district
this season; two were seen near Gulpa on 15 October. None have bred
in the district for several years to my knowledge.
Dollarbirds are scarce this season. I have only seen two birds
and heard reports of at least two other pairs along the river in town.
PASSERINE MIGRANTS
The good rains in July and August generated the best summer migrant
influx for years. The first rufous songlarks were seen on 27
July and by 21 September the district was full of singing males. Juveniles
were everywhere from mid-to-late December and the singing ceased.
Similarly, brown songlarks have bred in tremendous numbers
out on the plains. There's been good numbers of white-winged trillers
about and they have also raised plenty of young.
There was an eruption in September of crimson chats out of
the inland. The first bird, an adult male, was seen in a goosefoot
swamp on the plains north of Wanganella on 21 September. Another
10 were seen in the Tullakool area the following day. Then they seemed
to disappear for a few weeks and I didn't see them again until 16
October when a single bird was seen near Booroorban with a migrating
flock of about 50 white-winged trillers. On 25 October a migrating
flock of about 10 crimson chats, in company with several orange
chats and white-fronted chats, was seen in saltbush country
north of Wanganella. (This was my only sighting of orange chat in
the district all spring/summer). Over the following week migrating
flocks of crimson chats were encountered on several occasions
and on 4 November the first nest with eggs was located in goosefoot
and black box country near Booroorban. At least six pairs nested in
this area. Pairs probably bred around most dry goosefoot swamps on
the plains north of Wanganella. Although they appear on the plains
every five years or so, it is quite rare for them to nest. The flush
of insect life after the drought was, I suspect, the stimulus required
to get them breeding (along with all the other migrants that bred
in great numbers). Only one group of crimson chats was seen south
of Billabong Creek— in the boree country in the Monimail area
on 4 November. The pairs around Booroorban bred successfully and many
juveniles were still present on 27 December.
In early November huge flocks of masked and white-browed
woodswallows appeared in the district. In the Booroorban area
masks were well in the majority and I thought great numbers would
nest in the box and pine country; however, as is the wont of woodswallows,
only smaller flocks finished up breeding in the area — along
with a similar number of white-browed. (It was still the largest nesting
of masks that I had seen in the district). South of Deniliquin, quite
good numbers of white-browed woodswallows successfully bred in the
river redgum forests at Gulpa; these had departed by mid January.
On 6 December, after storms the previous week had animated hordes
of flying insects, five species of woodswallow (all but little) were
seen hawking over box woodland near Booroorban.
FAIRY-WRENS
A group of variegated fairy-wren were seen in goosefoot bushes at
the Wanganella swamps on 13 December — a locality where I have
not recorded them for several years. Another group was recorded in
pine country near Booroorban in October.
HONEYEATERS
Pied and black honeyeaters appeared this summer. I hadn't
expected to see the pieds but it just confirms that much of the inland
was still in drought in November and December. The first of both species
was seen 10 November at a small Eremophila longifolia clump
east of Deniliquin. At least two male pieds and about six black honeyeaters
were present with two white-fronted honeyeaters, a species
we rarely see in this district. A painted honeyeater was sighted briefly
on the same day in an adjacent area of boree Acacia pendula.
Up to three male pied honeyeaters were seen on 18 November. They seemed
to alternate between two clumps of Eremophila about 10 km apart,
until the last sighting, a brown bird, was seen on 10 December. The
last black honeyeater was seen on 18 December. The white-fronted honeyeaters
were still present on 5 January at the same locality where they were
first sighted on 10 November.
Apart from the already mentioned painted honeyeater, this species
was late coming in this season. No other was located until 16 January
when a single female was seen in boree country north of Deniliquin.
It's hoped that the male was on a nest as we heard a male calling
prior to locating the female.
ROBINS
Black box woodland near Pretty Pine produced my first ever record
of pink robin for the district on 24 August. It was only a
brown bird but observed closely. The bird when first encountered was
skulking low down in a nitre goosefoot bush and not at first so easy
to see; however, it flew to the lower branches of a large black box
and was much easier to observe. We studied it for some time and considered
the possibility of it being a rose robin. However, its buff coloration
with pale buff wingbars along with its constant flicking of wings
and tail, and hunting from a low perch rather than hunting along branches
as does the rose robin persuaded us it was a female or immature pink
robin. Possibly it had been pushed out of the mountains by fire or
drought. This species may be an irregular migrant but in such low
numbers it is rarely encountered. It can also be easily overlooked
or identified incorrectly. A bird seen by Richard Loyn over 20 years
ago in the Barmah forest is the only other pink robin record I'm aware
of for this district. It's a regular but rare migrant to the Chiltern
area, which is only a short distance from the Murray River of which
the Edward River is an anabranch. The black box woodland that our
bird was seen in is a few kilometres from the Edward R.
BABBLERS
My first record west of Deniliquin of white-browed babblers occurred
near the Wakool River bridge on 22 September. The species will live
in thick redgum saplings so there may be some suitable habitat for
them along the Wakool. (They are mainly confined to the river redgum
country south of Deniliquin). A couple of years ago I recorded chestnut-crowned
a few kilometres north of the Wakool river and grey-crowned
are resident in the area, making a trifecta of babbler species in
this area
WHISTLERS
In early October only one pair of Gilbert's whistler in Gulpa
Island SF could be located. (Prior to the drought there were four
pairs). By late October another pair was back in their old haunts
in the dwarf cherry. Both pairs nested in October and November but
I don't think they were successful. Both pairs nested again in December.
On 13 December a third male was heard calling, so there may be three
pairs back in Gulpa Island.
CUCKOO-SHRIKES
The drought has had an impact on white-bellied with no records in
Gulpa Island for the last couple of years. There was a pair of ground
cuckoo-shrikes seen for a while in the Monimail area, north of town,
in early October. The odd group was seen on the plains north of Wanganella
over summer, but they are scarce, probably because the plains are
a bit too grassy for them.
FINCHES
Diamond firetails are still in their old haunts but in very low numbers
due to the drought; however, they are breeding at present so their
numbers should get back up if the good season continues. Juveniles
were seen in two localities in December including a clutch with six
juveniles being fed by adults in black box woodland near Booroorban.
Another juvenile was seen in grey box woodland on the TSR at Gulpa.
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