Wednesday 3 December 2014

Shelly Point to Scamander sand spit





Bird List:

Black Swan Cygnusa atratus
Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
White-bellied Sea-eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
Australian Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris
Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus
Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus
Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Sanderling Calidris alba
Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
Little Tern Sterna albifrons
Fairy Tern Sterna nereis
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii
Pacific Gull Larus pacificus
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus
Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus
Tasmanian Scrubwren Sericornis humilis
White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons
Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Wednesday 5 November 2014

St Helens Urban Walk



Bird list:


Black Swan Cygnus atratus
Wedge-tailed eagle Aquila audax
Tasmanian Native Hen Tribonyx mortierii
Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii
Pacific Gull Larus pacificus
Kelp Gull
Larus dominicanus
Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Green Rosella Platycercus caledonicus
Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor
Fan-tailed cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
Superb Fairywren (Tas) Malurus cyaneus cyaneus
Brown Thornbill (Tas) Acanthia pusilla diemensis
Striated Pardalote (Tas) Pardalotus striatus striatus
Little Wattlebird (Tas) Anthochaera chrysoptera tasminica
New Holland Honeyeater (Tas) Phylidonyris novaehollandiae canescens
Black-faced Cucoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Grey Shrike-thrush (Tas) Colluricincla harmonica strigata
Grey Fantail (Tas) Rhipidura fuliginosa albiscapa
Welcome Swallow (Eastern) Hirundo neoxena neoxena
Common Blackbird Turdus merula
Australian Pipit (Tas) Anthus novaeseelandiae bistriatus 

Wednesday 1 October 2014

Winifred Curtis Reserve



Biography


from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winifred_Curtis

Curtis was born on 15 June 1905 in London, the only child of Herbert John Curtis and Elizabeth Winifred Curtis (née Baker).
Curtis lived in India for several years as a child after her father was posted there. She was a gifted student, and studied science at University College, London from 1924, winning various awards and scholarships. She graduated in 1927 and completed an honours degree in Botany the following year for research on Spartinia townsendii, and Taraxacum (dandelions). This was followed by several years of travel through Europe and teaching in Manchester and Hampstead.
In 1939 she emigrated to Australia with her family on the TSS Ascania where she initially took a teaching position as Science Mistress at the private girls' school Fahan School in Hobart. She later joined the Department of Biology at the University of Tasmania and took part in the creation of the Department of Botany there in 1945. In 1943 she started work on her The Students' Flora of Tasmania, a well known work on Tasmanian flora. The first volume was published in 1956; the fifth and final volume was published in 1994, more than 50 years after its commencement. From the early 1960s much of this was a close scientific collaboration with botanist and plant collector Dennis Ivor Morris (1924–2005) with whom she also shared a close friendship.[1]
In 1944 Curtis published Variations in Pultenaea juniperina, the first record of polyploidy in an Australian native plant. This led to her PhD from London University which was awarded in 1950. Her doctoral thesis was titled Studies in Experimental Taxonomy and Variation in Certain Tasmanian Plants which was a pioneering work in cytology and polyploidy. Following from her doctoral award in London she travelled to the United States visiting various herbaria.
She was appointed University of Tasmania Senior Lecturer in Botany in 1951 and Reader in Botany in 1956, the most senior position held by a woman at the university at that time. Curtis also acted as Head of the Department on several occasions.
She submitted her published works to the University of London for a Doctor of Science degree in 1967 which was conferred in 1968.
From 1967 to 1978 she wrote the six-volume The Endemic Flora of Tasmania, with illustrations by Margaret Stones, a commission sponsored by Lord Talbot de Malahide.
Her mother died in 1962 and she nursed her father at home until his death in 1967. Dr. Curtis retired from the Department of Botany in 1966 and was appointed Honorary Research Fellow; she was made an Honorary Research Associate in the Department of Plant Science in 1998.
She died on 14 October 2005 in Hobart.[2][3]


Bird List:


Black Swan Cygnus atratus
Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides
Chestnut Teal Anas castanea
Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Pacific Gull Larus pacificus
Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor
Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo Chalcites basalis
Pallid Cuckoo Cacomantis pallidus
Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus
Brown Thornbill (Tas. Subspecies) Acanthiza pusilla diemenensis
Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus
Eastern Spinebill (Tas. Subspecies) Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris dubius
Yellow-throated Honeyeater Lichenostomus flavicollis
Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera tasmanica
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica
Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus
Grey Fantail (Tas. Subspecies) Rhipidura fuliginosa albiscapa
Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus

Wednesday 3 September 2014

Old Train Line, Taylors Beach, Bay of Fires



Bird list:

Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus
Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Glyciphila melanops
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus
Southern Emu-wren Stipiturus malachurus
Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Australasian Gannet Morus serrator
Australian Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
Striated Fieldwren Calamanthus fuliginosus

Wednesday 2 July 2014

Loila Tier

We had a great walk around Basin Creek Road and Loila Tier on a beautiful winter's morning.
Attached is the bird list, thanks Des!
 Best birding wishes,
Liz



Loila Tier, the hill:

Superb Fairy Wren Malurus cyaneus
Grey Shrike Thrush Colluricincla harmonica
New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera
Yellow Throated Honeyeater Lichenostomus flavicollis
Yellow Wattlebird Anthochaera paradoxa
Black Headed Honeyeater Melithreptus affinis
Tasmanian Scrubwren Sericornis humilis
Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus
Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus
Scarlet Robin Petroica boodang


Coach Road, the flat:

Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
Yellow Throated Honeyeater Lichenostomus flavicollis
Tasmanian Scrubwren Sericornis humilis
Green Rosella Platycercus caledonicus
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Superb Fairy Wren Malurus cyaneus
Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus
Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus

Wednesday 4 June 2014

Chain of Lagoons and Little Beach

Another sunny Wednesday with an array of birds, great morning tea and a keen mob of birders/morning tea lovers! This time we visited 2 locations; Little Beach and Lagoons Beach so it was a full morning of birds. 
 
You will notice on this list that frogs are included, so brush up on your frog calls so we can keep adding their distribution to the data set.
 
July walk location to follow soon.
 
Enjoy the winter chill.
 
Best birding wishes,
Liz





Bird list: 

Little Beach:
Australasian Gannet Morus serrator
White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
Australian Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris
Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis
Green Rosella Platycercus caledonicus
Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Yellow-throated Honeyeater Lichenostomus flavicollis
Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
Yellow Wattlebird Anthochaera paradoxa
White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons
New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus
Common Blackbird Turdus merula
Common Greenfinch Chloris chloris
Frogs
Common Froglet Crinia signifera
Chain of Lagoons
Black Swan Cygnus atratus
Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Black-faced Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscescens
Australian Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris
Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus
Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus
Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Green Rosella Platycercus caledonicus
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Yellow Wattlebird Anthochaera paradoxa
Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor
Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus

Wednesday 7 May 2014

Beris's Property – Goulds Country

It was a lovely morning at Beris's, our first walk in Gould's Country.
Great to see so many birds, 20 species is a good effort for a brisk morning. I hope everyone glimpsed at least a Pink Robin or listened to the Scrubtit. Thanks for the list Des.
Thanks to Annette for the photos attached and Beris for her hospitality.
 
Best birding wishes,
 
Liz







Bird List:

Green Rosella Platycercus caledonicus
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus
Scrubtit Acanthornis magus
Tasmanian Scrubwren Sericornis humilis
Tasmanian Thornbill Acanthiza ewingii
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica
Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus
Australian Magpie Cracticus tibicen
Black Currawong Strepera fuliginosa
Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor
Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Scarlet Robin Petroica boodang
Pink Robin Petroica rodinogaster
Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
Common Blackbird Turdus merula

Wednesday 2 April 2014

Pelican Point

It was a great morning at France's property. We added a few new species from our last visit and the highlight was the Eastern Curlew and Swamp Harrier encounter. The Swamp Harrier had 'put up' the birds off the mudflat, then separated out with the Eastern Curlew. With the curlew calling  loudly, it quickly ensured the Swamp Harrier departed the area. 
 
Thanks to Fran for hosting the walk venue and the morning tea hospitality. Also thanks to Des for recording the birds sighted.
 
Best birding wishes,
 
Liz



Bird List:

Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora
Musk Duck Biziura lobata
Black Swan Cygnus atratus
Grey Teal Anas gracilis
Chestnut Teal Anas castanea
Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
Swamp Harrier Circus approximans
Australian Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris
Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus
Double-banded Plover Charadrius bicinctus
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii
Pacific Gull Larus pacificus
Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus
Green Rosella Platycercus caledonicus
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Striated Fieldwren Calamanthus fuliginosus
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Yellow-throated Honeyeater Lichenostomus flavicollis
Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
Yellow Wattlebird Anthochaera paradoxa
White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons
New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus
Scarlet Robin Petroica boodang
Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Common Starling Sterna vulgaris
Beautiful Firetail Stagonopleura bella

Wednesday 5 March 2014

Mt Echo Quarry Road




Bird List:

Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorynchus funereus
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
Tasmanian Scrubwren Sericornis humilis
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Yellow-throated Honeyeater Lichenostomus flavicollis
Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
Yellow Wattlebird Anthochaera paradoxa
Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus
Black Headed Honeyeater Melithreptus affinis
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus
Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica
Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus
Scarlet Robin Petroica boodang

Wednesday 8 January 2014

Medea Cove

Attached is the birding list from our January walk.
Quite a few highlights with the occasional sighting of the Grey Goshawk, Satin Flycatchers and a Dusky Woodswallow nest with chicks.
 
Also a nice find....as the photos from Annette will show, a kayak pulled from the wetland reeds. I am sure Nick and Annette would be happy to share the sea going craft with any interested parties.
 
Best birding wishes,
 
Liz









Bird List:

Brush Bronzewing Phaps elegans
Grey Goshawk (white morph) Accipiter novaehollandiae
Swamp Harrier Circus approximans
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
Tasmanian Native-hen  Tribonyx mortierii
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Pacific Gull Larus pacificus
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus
Green Rosella Platycercus caledonicus
Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus
Tasmanian Scrubwren Sericornis humilis
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus
Yellow Wattlebird Anthochaera paradoxa
New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica
Dusky Woodswallow Artarmus cyanopterus
Black Currawong Strepera fuliginosa
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus
Satin Flycatcher Myiagra cyanoleuca
Scarlet Robin Petroica boodang
Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea
Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Common Blackbird Turdus merula
Beautiful Firetail Stagonopleura bella
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis