TAMWORTH BIRDWATCHERS Inc

Crimson Rosella - photo Bob Faulkner

Covid-19 and TBW Outings (V170920)

• It is the aim of the TBW Committee to run TBW Outings in a Covid Safe Way.

• This is in addition to the normal safety rules.

Motion passed at Committee Meeting (28/8/20):-

“While there are Covid restrictions the leader of each outing will be responsible for checking the current Covid restrictions on the NSW Website.

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/what-you-can-and-cant-do-under-rules

The leader will advise participants of the restrictions at the start of the outing.”

Please note:

• It is the responsibility of each participant to follow the Leader(s)’ instructions.

Members & guests agree to this understanding when they sign on.

• The Leaders are volunteers and need your support, especially during this difficult time.

• Pre-booking is essential. Contact the Leader to book your place

PROPOSED EVENTS FOR 2020/1

We have resumed our Tuesday morning bird walks on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.

The contact person is Joan Dunne Phone 6762 4553

SATURDAY OUTINGS

Apr 24 Saturday Outing, Chaffey’s property at Somerton leader Jean Coady, 0428 295 811

May 29 Saturday Outing Curlewis area leader Frances Wright 0413 609235 to be confirmed

For further in formation please contact the President on 0428295811

 INTERESTING AND UNUSUAL SIGHTINGS:

March/April Sightings

Feb 18 Buff-banded Rail, 4 at Goonoo Goonoo Creek, Tamworth, John Homewood

Feb 16 Rainbow Bee-eater x 3, Blue-billed Duck x 2, Hoary-headed Grebe x12, Tree Martin x50+ at Quipolly Dam, Jan Hosking

Feb 22 Double-barred Finch at Gordon St, Calala, Jan Hosking

Feb 25 Rainbow Bee-eater Gordon St, Calala, Jan Hosking

Mar 6 Brown Goshawk at Wollomin Reserve, Joan Dunne and Terri Mower

Mar 27 Weebill, Singing and White-eared Honeyeaters, Golden Whistler, and Leaden Flycatcher at Tamworth Botanic Gardens and 3 Peacocks Strutting down Brisbane St at 8:00 am TBW

James Ardill’s March sightings

8 March 3 x Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Pine Street, Kootingal, Red winged Parrot, Pine Street Kootingal

9 March, 2021 – Yellow-billed Spoonbill in overflow creek O’Briens Lane, Farrer MAHS (seen several times last week) 4 x Brown Quail Back Kootingal Road approximately 2 to 3 km from Dungowan Road,

Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo (escapee) at Dungowan Road and O’Briens Lane, Nemingha Channel-billed Cuckoo flying north, Pine Street, Kootingal, Possible Black Falcon flying over Liberty, Goonoo Goonoo Road, Tamworth, - dark, heavy build, with fast flight heading west

11 March, Brown Falcon at Liberty hunting in back paddock.

12 March, Grey Shrike-Thrush foraging around house in Kootingal.

18 March, Spotted Harrier low flight hunting over paddock at Obriens Lane.

24 March, Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike pair with two young at Sandy Road, Kootingal.

26 March, Australian King-Parrot, 10 including a few juveniles in Kootingal and 15+ Magpie-larks on flats near Seed Company on Back Kootingal Road, also 30+ Crested Pigeons in three groups feeding on side of road near Magpie-larks.

Consistent Birds since 15 February

Nankeen Kestrels along New England Highway, Nemingha and Calala Lane, 30+ Straw-necked Ibis on Nemingha Lucerne flats, 6+ Yellow-rumped Thornbills at Liberty, numerous Zebra Finches at Liberty

Yellow-faced Honeyeater at Pine Street, Kootingal, small flocks of 3 to 5 Musk Lorikeets at Pine Street, Kootingal, Grey Shrike-thrush at Pine Street, Kootingal

Interesting Observation

Early March - A Collared Sparrow hawk has started visiting the chook house, much to the displeasure of our chooks and rooster. Lately it isn't looking for chooks to eat, but mice. The other day I found it sitting on the sealed barrel that we store the chook food in, and discovered that it had consumed a mouse, but left the entire stomach and intestinal tract behind. We don't put poison in the chook shed for the mice, as the chooks love eating them, so no harm would come to native birds which ate them whole. I thought the leaving behind of the parts that could contain poisons (and no doubt do so on most properties) was interesting, and is a definite survival advantage for Sparrow hawks at this time if this behaviour is widespread. Cheers, Gordon Garradd