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Why have a bird note book?

No Comments »6th October, 2006; Category: Bush birds, Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions about birding #12

What do I write in the notebook?

So you have decided to always carry a notebook and pen or pencil while out birding in the field.

What do you write in the notebook?

I usually write the date, the time, the location, the GPS reading, a list of every species seen and an estimate of how many birds present eg 30 pink Galahs, 3 Wood Ducks, 2 Crested Pigeons and a Partridge in a pear tree – oops – a partridge? I’d better take a few notes and do a quick sketch of its main features.

Here is another use for the notebook. I know that there are no partridges in Australia so I take notes. That way I can check in my field guides later when I get home and check my notes against the field guide notes. Oh – that should have been Partridge Pigeon. Of course.

If I had seen a Partridge Pigeon I would have been very excited. They are only found in the extreme northern edge of Australia, a long way from home. Any seen around here in Murray Bridge, South Australia would have to have escaped from someone’s aviary. I’m not sure if this species is kept in aviaries here in South Australia. One would have to have a special permit because this bird in vulnerable in its natural habitat.

This post was updated on 22nd October 2015.

A Cloud of Kites

5 Comments »5th October, 2006; Category: Bird Behaviour, Raptors

I am trying to go for a morning walk every day.

For the good of my health.

Morning walks are very productive birding times here in Australia. Yesterday I saw and heard the usual suspects: honeyeaters, Galahs, Crested Pigeons, Little Ravens, Yellow Rumped Thornbills, House Sparrows and Common Starlings.

From time to time we have the odd Black Kite or two glide silently over head as we work in the garden. Rarely more than two but sometimes three or four can be seen at the one time. I was taken a bit by surprise to count a loose flock of 22 Black Kites circling at a spot nearby. This is unusual around here, though on one occasion a few years ago I did see at least 50 in one location. I assumed that there was a dead animal lying somewhere nearby, or perhaps a rubbish dump in the vicinity.

My experience with this species in Australia is for single birds or up to 3 or 4 together. I understand that they can congregate in large numbers elsewhere in Australia and in other parts of the world. On my visit to Thailand and Nepal last December-January I saw small flocks only. It seemed to be the main raptor in Kathmandu.

There probably isn’t a collective noun for Black Kites so I’ve made one up. A “Cloud of Kites” sounds good to me – it is perhaps an act of apt alliteration and acidic assonance? Kites are not mentioned in the Wikipedia entry on collective nouns for birds.

What is a bird note book?

No Comments »4th October, 2006; Category: Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions about birding #11

What is a bird note book?

This can be any note book you find convenient to carry with in the field. I prefer small 5cm x 3cm spiral bound notebooks that slip easily into my shirt pocket.

Find something that works for you, is cheap, easily written in while birding and meets your needs. You may dispense with a notebook if you are not going to take notes or make a list of species seen, but I would strongly encourage you to add note taking and list making as an extra aspect of your hobby.

Brown Snakes and Woodswallows

4 Comments »3rd October, 2006; Category: General

Lately I have been trying to go for an early morning walk for the good of my health. Now that the days are beginning to warm up and most of the frosty mornings seem to have gone these are a little more pleasant. First thing in the morning is usually the best time for birding anyway.

Hot days

We have had the occasional day in recent weeks where the temperature has soared into the low 30s. This means that some of our Australian reptiles are on the move again. Lizards are actively appearing in different parts of the garden and we usually delight to see them as they make their way around.

Stumpy Tailed Lizard

Stumpy Tailed Lizard

Brown snakes

What I didn’t enjoy seeing on a recent morning walk was a Brown Snake. This species is widespread throughout our region and relatively common. It is also one of the deadliest snakes in the world. While snake bites in Australia can be fatal, the death rate is low because very few people ever get bitten. If they do, it is often their own fault, usually as a result of cornering the snake or trying to kill it. Naturally it will try to defend itself. Most snakes in Australia are intent on getting out of your way as quickly as possible.

Now the snake in question was dead when I saw it as it had been run over while crossing the road I was walking on. In the days that followed I saw two other dead Brown Snakes in nearby roads.

Dusky Woodswallow

Dusky Woodswallow

Woodswallows

Just a little further on I saw several Dusky Woodswallows. These lovely little birds are widespread in southern and eastern Australia and always a delight to see. Often they can form congregations numbering in the hundreds or even thousands within a relatively small area. On my recent morning rambles, however, I have only ever seen two or three. They have appeared in the same spot along the road now on a number of days. I must watch more attentively to check out if they are nesting somewhere near.

Birding when travelling

No Comments »2nd October, 2006; Category: Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Birding #10:

I’m going overseas. What field guide should I buy?

This can be a daunting task.

I would compromise and not buy a single guide for every country I plan to visit. If your budget stretches that far, fantastic. I’d be worried about the weight in my luggage, however.

Instead, do what I did in early 2006. I went trekking in Nepal for three weeks. I bought the “Field Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent.” This covered the birds of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and parts of Tibet and other neighbouring countries. It included all the species I was likely to encounter in Nepal, plus a wider area for potential future travels. For example, I would love to visit India, not just for the birds but also for the cultural experiences.

Do your homework:

Don’t forget to buy the field guide at least six months before departure and do your homework, studying the birds you are likely to see. It makes identification in the field so much easier. I studied my field guide on the long flight over.

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