Common Blackbird in Toowoomba City

Just how many Common Blackbirds have infiltrated Toowoomba and surrounds? And whereabouts are they? To help control this latest threat, please post details of all positive and possible sightings (date, time, numbers, ->O, exact location, behaviour) here. If unsure about your ID, please provide a description of the features you noted ...

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Rod Hobson
Posts: 509
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:03 am

Common Blackbird in Toowoomba City

Post by Rod Hobson »

Folks,

An adult male Common Blackbird was seen by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service employee Richard Johnson in the grounds of Vacy Hall, 135 Russell Street, Toowoomba SEQ early this morning, 23 Jun., 2006. Thanks for passing on this sighting, Richard.

Regards,
Rod Hobson
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Mick Atzeni
Posts: 1843
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 9:08 pm

Wilsonton's Blackbirds

Post by Mick Atzeni »

The Wilsonton birds have resurfaced after having not been reported since the start of the year. Olive Booth and I saw a male fly across Tara St near Bach St T-junction around 2pm today and could hear at least one other bird calling in a yard further along Tara St towards Fitzpatrick St.

It looks like this introduced species is breeding in Toowoomba and Highfields but is still at very low densities. I am also told this species has been seen in Millmerran. Whether this was a one off I'm not sure but the alarm bells are well and truly ringing and I feel compelled to share my concerns.

Out of principle, despite a soft spot for this glorious songster, I feel these Qld incursions, which are way ahead of the northern front (around Glen Innes??), should be actively controlled. If we don't, blackbirds will most likely colonise our whole region and dominate the suburban dawn chorus one day, as they do elsewhere. If you've lived in Canberra, you'll know what I mean!

That would be a sad day for Toowoomba and definitely something I don't want as a permanent reminder that I sat back and watched it happen when I could have helped prevent it - or at least stalled it for as long as possible!

And mark my words, if we don't take action, we are leaving ourselves open to criticism because Toowoomba may well become the springboard for accelerated establishment of this species throughout southern Qld.

Whether you agree with me or not, I encourage you to share your thoughts on this issue.
Michael Atzeni
7 Woden St, Murphys Creek 4352
Mob: 0499 395 485
mickbirder
Posts: 24
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 10:00 pm
Location: gatton

Post by mickbirder »

I agree 100% with the eradication/control of introduced species in australia. In fact, i do a bit of [legal] eradication myself when i can get out onto a property. However, the red tape and the requirements that have been put in place make the process a very hard one. At uni here in gatton, we attempted to set up an eradication progam for the indian mynah, however, the only process that was passed by the ethics commitee was a trapping system involving costly traps, and a 'humane' method of 'putting them to sleep', involving gassing. The university funded a couple of these traps, but it has been foud through the experiance here and in other studies, that the mynas are too smart and are extremely hard to trap, once u have trapped 1, te others tend to wise up, meaning traps have to be constantly moved and have to be set when the birds are not around. A very time cosuming process for the results gained. Im in favour of .22s or air rifles. often a much cleaner/swift kill (such small birds succum very easily to these small projectiles in the hands of a skilled operator). The birds undergo less stress and this method is more efficient. However, i dontthink that we will be seeing this sort of eradication much anymore, as the councils etc are more and more influenced by the greenie vote and 'ethics commitees'
I guess what im saying is that the barrow is getting harder and harder to push in relation to these matters and councils are going to be less inclined to co-operate due to increasing costs etc.
Just my thoughts
cheers
Contact on 0419609156
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