Birding Bloopers #19
Over the last few weeks I have featured many birding bloopers courtesy of the contributors to the Birding-Aus forum. All that I have approached have agreed for me to publish their mistakes in identification here on my blog.
Here is the latest contribution:
I attended a field day in the WA wheatbelt a few years back where the principal researcher was explaining about water table monitoring and the use of piezometers (visible as white PVC pipes extending half a metre or so out of the ground).
He went on to say that the closest one was about 100m out into the paddock from where we were standing. I confirmed that I could just make it out, whereupon it immediately grew wings, turned into an egret and flew off over the hill.
Quickly, I pointed out that the bore I was referring to was way beyond the egret …….
Strange how a piece of PVC pipe can suddenly take to the wing. Still, stranger identifications have occurred, and will continue to be made by eager birders.
Thanks to Peter for permission to use this.
Read more birding bloopers here.
Bird Word: Irruption
- Irruption: when large numbers of a particular species move to an area where they are not commonly found in large numbers, often in response to drought, rainfall or other environmental changes. In Australia, some species of hawks and kites can irrupt into areas experiencing mouse plagues or locusts. Water birds irrupt into areas experiencing sudden flooding.
An irruption of birds can be a spectacular event. This is something that happens quite regularly in Australia, often as a result of our wildly fluctuating environmental conditions.
Mouse Plague
I can remember back to about 1990 when there was a serious mouse plague in the wheat growing areas east of home. Millions of mice infested sheds and barns on the local farms. During this time we went on a camping holiday to Hattah-Kulkyne National Park.We drove through this area and it was impossible not to run over hundreds of mice as we drove along. In fact, there were so many dead mice on the road, they caused corrugations. It was a rough ride.
Letter-winged Kites:
While we were travelling along we kept looking out for Letter-winged Kites. This species is usually confined to areas much further north. Because of the mice plagues they had moved south in significant numbers and were seen in the area we drove through. This Kite is a rather hard species to find normally. I was excited at the prospect of seeing at least one. I still haven’t seen one. [sigh]
Black-tailed Native-hens:
On other occasions I have seen large numbers of other species. I remember seeing literally thousands of Black-tailed Native-hens on the road south of home on our way to Meningie. Normally we might see two or three. At other times Australian Pelicans have been known to breed up in huge numbers, especially after flooding in some areas.
Lake Eyre in flood:
As I write this in mid-March (2007) Lake Eyre in far north South Australia is filling with flood waters from heavy rain in parts of Queensland. This lake is usually a dry salt lake. Over coming months, many species of water birds will breed in massive numbers in response to this water. In a year or two, as the lake dries out, there may well be an irruption of some of these species as they move in large numbers to other parts of the country.
The Birds of Shakespeare
Did you know that William Shakespeare included many different references to birds in his writing? In fact, according to one blog site, Shakespeare mentions at least 45 different species in his works. Now I’m going to trust this authority and not go and read every word that Shakespeare wrote in order to check out this fact.
Here is the full list. By clicking on the species name you will go to the article on that species with full references to where that species is mentioned in Shakespeare’s work.
The Birds of Shakespeare
by Sir Archibald GeikieBlackbird – Bunting – Buzzard – Chough – Cock (Rooster) – Cormorant – Crow – Cuckoo
Dive-dapper – Dove and Pigeon – Duck (Mallard) – Eagle – Falcon and Sparrowhawk – Finch
Goose – Hedge Sparrow (Dunnock) – House Martin – Jackdaw – Jay – Kite – Lapwing – Lark
Loon – Magpie – Nightingale – Osprey – Ostrich – Owl – Parrot – Partridge – Peacock – Pelican
Pheasant – Quail – Raven – Robin (Redbreast) – Snipe – Sparrow – Starling – Swallow – Swan
After looking at those references you may want to wander over to Trevor’s Writing, my blog about writing, books and blogging. You may even want to stay long enough to read some of my poetry and short fiction. Many of my haiku poems are about birds.
Links: