Huge effort needed to better last year's total!

Same rules apply as for the "250 in 2006" Challenge. Seems 250's no pushover locally, especially in a drought! Nevertheless, 250's achievable and will continue to remain our annual target. Report sightings ASAP for everyone's benefit.

And from now on we'll just refer to it as "The Challenge".

Moderator: Mick Atzeni

Post Reply
User avatar
Mick Atzeni
Posts: 1843
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 9:08 pm

Huge effort needed to better last year's total!

Post by Mick Atzeni »

How are we going with this year's Challenge? Frankly, not so good.

We're 12 spp down compared to this time last year. And I can tell you right now we really have our work cut out to better last year's final tally, which stalled at 227 spp on 21 November, with Brahminy Kite the last addition.

One problematic group this year has been the button-quails. By the end of March last year we had all five species on the club list nailed, which was extraordinary! But no more extraordinary than the way things are panning out this year: we haven't even got one!

We're also missing some fairly easy ones e.g. Latham's Snipe, Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo, Owlet Nightjar and Spectacled Monarch.

I encourage you all to put in a big effort this Spring, taking note of where unreported species have been seen historically. If you want information for specific species please post a request on the forum.

Here's the current situation:

Total 2006: 227
Total 2007: 203 to date.

Reported 1 Jan 2006 - 15 Aug 2006: 215spp
Reported 1 Jan 2007 - 15 Aug 2007: 203spp

Reported 2006, but not yet in 2007 (30 spp):

Brahminy Kite 21/11/2006 Flagstone Ck Rd, Toowoomba Rod Hobson
White-eared Monarch 10/11/2006 Redwood Park Michael Wood, Michael Atzeni
Masked Woodswallow 29/10/2006 Thomas Rd, Lockyer Siding Pat McConnell, Kath O'Donnell
Painted Honeyeater 26/10/2006 Magpie Lane, Gowrie Junction Gloria Glass, Diana Beal (New bird for the club)
Topknot Pigeon 14/10/2006 Silver Pinch Rd, Iredale Rod Hobson
Banded Lapwing 3/10/2006 Abberton, Helidon Bill Jolly
Turquoise Parrot 2/09/2006 Highfields Falls Rod Hobson
Pied Cormorant 11/07/2006 Helidon Bill Jolly
White-backed Swallow 25/06/2006 Stockyard Ck Rd Mick Atzeni & others
Black-chinned Honeyeater 21/05/2006 Connors Rd, Helidon Mick Atzeni
White-browed Woodswallow 1/04/2006 Highfields Pat McConnell
Australian Owlet-nightjar 30/03/2006 Sutcliffe's Rd, Flagstone Creek Rod Hobson
Red-backed Button-quail 29/03/2006 Baillie Henderson Hospital grounds Rod Hobson
Black-breasted Button-quail 27/03/2006 Redwood Park Michael Wood
Red-kneed Dotterel 26/03/2006 Helidon Spa Gloria Glass & others
Spotless Crake 19/03/2006 Spa-Iredale Pat McConnell, Kath O'Donnell
Sooty Owl 17/03/2006 Location withheld Pat McConnell, Kath O'Donnell
Tawny Grassbird 8/03/2006 Ma Ma Rd, Lilydale Michael Wood
Red-chested Button-quail 21/02/2006 Table Top Drive Rod Hobson
Painted Button-quail 9/02/2006 Redwood Park Michael Wood
Spectacled Monarch 4/02/2006 Redwood Park Michael Wood
Latham's Snipe 18/01/2006 T'mba Waterbird Habitat Rod Hobson
Blue Bonnet 11/01/2006 Back Flagstone Ck Rd, Helidon Bill Jolly
Black-eared Cuckoo 8/01/2006 Abberton, Helidon Bill Jolly
Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo 8/01/2006 Mount Table Top Rod Hobson
Fork-tailed Swift 6/01/2006 Rangeville Mick Atzeni
Bush-Hen 4/01/2006 Abberton, Helidon Bill Jolly
Little Egret 1/01/2006 Abberton, Helidon Bill Jolly
Little Button-quail 1/01/2006 Abberton, Helidon Bill Jolly
Crimson Rosella 1/01/2006 Queen's Park, T'mba Mick Atzeni

But looking on the bright side ...

Reported 2007, but not 2006 (7 spp):

Masked Owl 01/08/07 2 Stonehaven St, East Toowoomba
Mallard 17/06/2007 Lockyer Ck @ Murphy Bridge, Helidon
White-plumed Honeyeater 20/5/2007 Glen Lomond Pk, Tooowoomba (New bird for the club)
Australian Pratincole 2/05/2007 Abberton, Helidon (New bird for the club)
Stubble Quail 24/03/2007 Mt Table Top
Oriental Cuckoo 24/02/2007 Mt Table Top
Diamond Dove 9/02/2007 Westbrook

Cheers
Michael Atzeni
7 Woden St, Murphys Creek 4352
Mob: 0499 395 485
Post Reply

Return to “The Challenge - 2007”