Once widely known as the Summer Bird, the Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike is in the main (as the old name implies), a Summer migrant to Tasmania. Locally, there's always a few that overwinter, mostly in coastal areas. During a recent drive around the South Arm area, I noted about 7 or 8 birds, all off which were alone. There was a time when there would be small flocks, of around half a dozen birds in each flock, wintering locally. Whether the smaller numbers represent a decline in the overall population or there are just less of them overwintering, is hard to gauge. My feeling is that I just don't see them as often these days, at any time of the year. In past Winters a small flock regularly sat on the powerline above a large Photinia bush in my front garden, flying down to catch insects off the foliage, but not this year. The accompanying image was taken at Clifton Beach.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Wintering Summer Birds
Once widely known as the Summer Bird, the Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike is in the main (as the old name implies), a Summer migrant to Tasmania. Locally, there's always a few that overwinter, mostly in coastal areas. During a recent drive around the South Arm area, I noted about 7 or 8 birds, all off which were alone. There was a time when there would be small flocks, of around half a dozen birds in each flock, wintering locally. Whether the smaller numbers represent a decline in the overall population or there are just less of them overwintering, is hard to gauge. My feeling is that I just don't see them as often these days, at any time of the year. In past Winters a small flock regularly sat on the powerline above a large Photinia bush in my front garden, flying down to catch insects off the foliage, but not this year. The accompanying image was taken at Clifton Beach.
There are a couple at Bream Creeek too. Did you get my sparrow email, I guess it might have got spammed.
ReplyDelete