Boyce's Rainforest & Gardens, Mt Lofty (Daryl Mears)

Sightings of local rarities (those asterisked on the club's official Species List and any species not listed. That includes Paradise Parrots!!!) Post your non-local rare or unusual sightings here too.

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Mick Atzeni
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Boyce's Rainforest & Gardens, Mt Lofty (Daryl Mears)

Post by Mick Atzeni »

Some interesting historical records in our Toowoomba area that have surfaced, thanks to caretaker Daryl Mear's meticulous record-keeping and a chance meeting yesterday morning in the rainforest, when I stopped on the way to work, hoping for a Satin Flycatcher for the Challenge.
From: Daryl Mears [mailto:d.mears@uq.edu.au]
Sent: Thursday, 16 October 2008 3:10 PM

Hi Michael,

Here is some of the information you asked for today, from our records.

Little Wattlebird:

During 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976, birds were observed, identified and recorded by L.A. Boyce, C.E. Vicary, and D.J. Mears assisted by Mr. W.H. Jolly.


The Little Wattlebird, Anthochaera chysoptera was recorded to be here in September 1974 and again in March 1976.

We started recording bird sightings on the Boyce Estate and submitted this list to the Toowoomba Bird Club in/from 1977. I have recorded sightings of this bird in 1979, in September, October and December of 1994, August through to November of 1995, April, July and August through to December 1997, March 1999, and April 2000 which was the last recorded sighting.

From memory, I believed it was the Little Wattlebird because was smaller than the Red Wattlebird and had no wattle or yellow on the stomach, but, as you say it could have been immature Red Wattlebirds.

Note: The Little Wattlebird is recorded, as with the Red Wattlebird in the book of The Birds of 6 Range Street though, which I had no part of.

My first recorded sighting here of the Red Wattlebird is in 1980.

Port Lincoln Parrot:

This bird was first recorded here in 1989, although I incorrectly identified it as a Twenty-eight Parrot (in 1989 I reported “From March through to October we observed a Twenty-eight Parrot, Barnardius barnardi in the garden about the house. This bird is very similar and often mistaken for the Port Lincoln Parrot. It is generally found further west of the Dividing Range in most parts of open country including mallee. So it is possible the one we saw was a caged bird that escaped.”

In the calendar year of 1991 I recorded, “Amendment – Bird Lists in 22nd & 23rd Reports: In the 22nd Annual Report (Calendar Year 1989) P.12 and the 23rd Annual Report (1990) P.8, the Twenty-eight Parrot was incorrectly recorded as being sighted. The bird seen on both occasions has been identified from my photographs by Mr. R.G. Hobson, Records Officer for the Toowoomba Bird Club as a Port Lincoln Parrot (Barnardius zonarius). This bird is usually confined to the Western part of Australia, therefore, adding more weight to my theory that this bird was a caged bird that escaped.” Also recorded in the same Report on Page 15, “The Port Lincoln Parrot was again here this year in the company of Pale-headed Roselle’s, but later in the year it was seen with three immature birds. On the 26-11-91, I observed one adult and what I assumed to be three immature Port Lincoln Parrots and two Pale-headed Roselle’s. Is it possible the Port Lincoln mated with a Pale-headed?. I don’t know and I will not get into an argument about genetics as I am no authority on the subject. But let’s assume Mr. R.G. Hobson, Records Officer, Toowoomba Bird Club, has a valid explanation. His answer to my question, above, is “Your photographs clearly define an adult male Port Lincoln. As to the other three birds, would you consider the composition to be a female and two immature, rather than three immature?. The female is very like the young of the species and this could offer an explanation to your observations. The Port Lincoln is a popular aviary bird and, over the years, odd reports of their presence in Toowoomba filter through the “Grape Vine”. Yours is the first report, however, of a family of these birds”.

This bird was again sighted in October and November 1993, in Jan, Feb, Mar, Jun, Oct & Nov 1994, in Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec 1995, (although it was recorded that there was 1 mature and 1 immature in company with Pale-headed’s adding weight to Mr. Hobson’s theory) in Mar, April, May, Jun, Oct & Nov 1996, Feb & Oct 1997, Feb & Nov 1998, June 1999, Nov 2000 and has not been seen since.

I still have not come across the photographs as yet, but if I do I’ll get them to you.

New Holland Honeyeater: (White-eyed Honeyeater)

This bird was first recorded to be seen here on the 2nd & 3rd of July, 1980 and has not been recorded again.

Adelaide Rosella:

This bird was seen during 1989 and 1990 in the company of Pale-headed Rosellas.

From my 23rd Annual Report 1990 – “During the first three months of the year I saw a bird that I can only assume to be an Adelaide Rosella (Platycerus adelaidae). I have not included this bird in our list of birds seen here, it is out of its territory and I could not positively identify it. For any one that is interested, this bird was definitely a Rosella. It had orange underparts, dark blue patch under bill, dark orange to red head and orange mottled black back and wings with distinctive blue underwings.

I have not seen this bird here again.

Spectacled Monarch:

This bird was seen here on January 9, 1984 near our front entrance flittering about the Senico grandiflora. I recall a picture taken of this bird at the time that I have not come across as yet, but if I do I’ll get it to you.

It was again sighted here in November 1994 and September 2000.

Hope this is of value.

Cheers,

Daryl Mears
I am aware of only one other local record of Little Wattlebird, at Blanchview in the late-seventies.

The presence of Australian Ringnecks in the area for over 10 years means there is a case for claiming a viable feral population has established locally. I raised this matter on the Challenge when a "black-crowned" pair were seen, and one of them photographed, by Gayle Lee in Vacy St near Clifford Gardens this winter. It would be prudent to locate and monitor a nesting pair, or a group containing immature birds, if possible before an informed decision could be made. Does anyone know where these birds have nested to date?

I have only ever recorded Spectacled Monarch in the vine scrub in Redwood Park and only recently heard one below Prince Henry Drive. Daryl's record is possibly the one and only one elsewhere in the area.

Regards
Michael Atzeni
7 Woden St, Murphys Creek 4352
Mob: 0499 395 485
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