Scarlet Robin in the Mt Lofty Ranges
Male Scarlet Robin
Last night a local television channel (ABCTV1) showed a special item on the endangered Scarlet Robin in the Mt Lofty Ranges here in South Australia. I can recall only ever seeing this Robin once in the Adelaide Hills. The photo above does not do the species justice; it is a beautiful bird. It is not at all common here in in our state.
The main thrust if the short documentary was to highlight the plight of this lovely bird, and many other species of small bush birds. With the massive clearances made over the last 150 years for agriculture there is little room left for this little bird, and many others like it. One of the speakers claimed that only 7% of original bushland was still available for such birds as the Scarlet Robin. It is facing extinction in this part of Australia.
Related articles:
- Great Birding Moments: Scarlet Robin
- My first visit to Round Hill Nature Reserve
- Top 5 Great Birding Moments
- Birds in Backyards: Scarlet Robin - read this article for more information about this species
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October 4th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Fortunately still common around here. For how much longer, who can tell?
October 4th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Let’s hope they hang on forever - such a beautiful bird.
October 4th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Still a sweet photo though Trevor, and I managed to
catch Stateline last night too.
I’ve spotted the Scarlet Robin only rarely down
here in the South East, maybe twice in the last 15 to 20 years. However I haven’t been looking very hard but will
make an effort to go for walks in the scrub more often.
October 4th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Where in the SE are you?
Our daughter used to teach at Lucindale and I found some great birding spots around there. I’ve just checked my database: I recorded it at Pritchards on the Glenelg River, in Big Heath CP and near the farm house she rented (”Stoneleigh”) 7km north of Lucindale.
October 5th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Naracoorte, not far from Lucindale at all… did you visit
the caves and Bool Lagoon while you were down this way?
Both spots are wonderful for bird spotting, although Bool
Lagoon hasn’t been full for years which is bad in
some ways and good in others…..the bad speaks
for itself but the good is there is NO duck shooting allowed there anymore…well not until we get some
good rains again, whenever that will be who knows.
Then the slaughter will start all over again…unless
the powers that be decide to ban it forever.
Duck shooting at a bird sanctuary!!!! Where is the sense
in that…how hypocritical can ya get!
October 5th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Yes - I did try Bool Lagoon a few times but was disappointed with the lack of water - this was back in the late 1990s.
Interestingly, I watched Landline on ABC TV today - hardly ever watch that programme. It has a long item about the Field and Game Hunters group in Victoria (I think they said they are an Australia wide group). Malcolm Fraser was interviewed as their patron.
They claim to have maintained many wetlands as bird sanctuaries in Victoria that would otherwise have been drained back in the 1950s and 1960s. They see their efforts as being far more effective than most conservation groups. Then they go and shoot the wild fowl. Seems a strange attitude to me. You save something so you can shoot it???
I prefer to do my shooting with my camera - and let the bird live so someone else can enjoy it too.
And before anyone jumps down my throat - I do my bit for conservation and the environment. This blog is partially educational helping people get a better understanding of the bird life of Australia. I also help my wife and her native plant nursery - she grows several thousand plants annually and has done so for over a decade.