tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post3048008592235416358..comments2024-03-09T18:27:46.282+11:00Comments on The Nature of Robertson: Pacific Baza found at Calderwood (near Albion Park) NOW UPDATEDDenis Wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10031115992910569116noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post-30116433477400169912011-08-04T15:09:37.656+10:002011-08-04T15:09:37.656+10:00Thanks Joy
Glad to see you also post the occasiona...Thanks Joy<br />Glad to see you also post the occasional informative images of birds, even if dead. Loved your Gannet, for example. Perfectly stream-lined head and beak, for diving into water.<br />I remember beach combing in Victoria as a kid, and always finding Prions and Shearwaters. Fascinating.<br />We can learn so much about these creatures, provided we are prepared to examine them carefully, and respectfully.<br />I will add your blog to my list of "Aussie Nature Bloggers". Lots of good people out there, doing good work, and good reporting.<br />They need to be encouraged, by spreading the word.<br />Cheers<br />DenisDenis Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10031115992910569116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post-89983199087581228552011-08-04T14:54:13.725+10:002011-08-04T14:54:13.725+10:00I'm in northern NSW and several times I've...I'm in northern NSW and several times I've heard a green tree frog screaming as a snake devours it - it's a very disturbing sound, especially the first time you hear it and don't know what it is, and it can go on for a long time. Since ithe frog's been in my roof, I haven't been able to rescue it, but wouldn't anyway - the snake needs to eat, too.<br /><br />We've had a baza regulary fly across the paddock from the rainforest remnant to the trees near the house, crash violently into them, and stay there feeding. My theory was that the bird was disturbing the insects so it could grab them more easily, but who knows? They are beautiful to see alive, but the details are, alas, easier to inspect if you can find a dead one. I'm on the lookout for a pheasant coucal at the moment - things are warming up and they are sooo sloow getting across the road that, unfortunately, I'm bound to be able to find one that has collected a car and get a good look at it.Joy Windowhttp://arovingiwillgo.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post-61028729277124590572011-07-31T18:52:13.887+10:002011-07-31T18:52:13.887+10:00Oh, stop it Martin.
Confusion reigns already, OK?...Oh, stop it Martin. <br />Confusion reigns already, OK?<br />Leave the Hindi texts out of it, Pls.<br />Cheers<br />DenisDenis Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10031115992910569116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post-90605866267851370852011-07-31T18:47:40.770+10:002011-07-31T18:47:40.770+10:00Denis
I would be interested to know who is now ca...Denis<br /><br />I would be interested to know who is now calling the Pacific Baza a Crested Hawk. The latter is one of the old vernacular names of the Baza but all the 'authorities' listed in http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?lang=EN&avibaseid=010AC9945B51D324 now say Pacific Baza is the 'proper English name. <br /><br />However if you want to be really confused - or perhaps return from where you started - I see from HANZAB that "Baza is a modern Latinization (sic) of <i>baz</i> a Hindi word for 'Goshawk'"! <br /><br /><br />MartinFlabmeisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934077052437339591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post-71001536051554107362011-07-30T20:28:05.088+10:002011-07-30T20:28:05.088+10:00Thanks Dave.
But you are trying to confuse me now....Thanks Dave.<br />But you are trying to confuse me now.<br />Not only are they maybe not grass moths after all (that was only ever a guess on my part); <br />but a Baza ain't even a Baza any more.<br />I am referring the caterpillars to Don Herbison-Evans for advice, as you suggested him as a good reference point (in another context) two weeks ago. I shall await his advice.Denis Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10031115992910569116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post-35184901414457460272011-07-30T14:49:18.513+10:002011-07-30T14:49:18.513+10:00Denis
My guess is that the caterpillars came from ...Denis<br />My guess is that the caterpillars came from the canopy not the grass. Noctuids and geometrids are found there and a skilled Baza would be able to work out which trees are worth a look.<br /><br />Some people now prefer to call the poor bird a Crested Hawk with the Baza found elsewhere.Mr. Smileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01081316465993172523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post-83330217447670443002011-07-29T17:10:33.005+10:002011-07-29T17:10:33.005+10:00Rightly so, Kirsten.
You should feel proud of this...Rightly so, Kirsten.<br />You should feel proud of this one.<br />Stopping for road kills is a disease, though.<br />You'll want to stop in the middle of a freeway, one day.<br />Its a sign of maturity, (or something).<br />I will send you (privately) several more images which are now 100% diagnostic.<br />DenisDenis Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10031115992910569116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post-6857363839085483992011-07-29T16:50:49.502+10:002011-07-29T16:50:49.502+10:00I feel totally justified in my odd habit of inspec...I feel totally justified in my odd habit of inspecting roadkill now I have found something truly interesting lol<br />KirstenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post-66186346281088715482011-07-29T10:25:30.812+10:002011-07-29T10:25:30.812+10:00Thanks Dave.
Interesting you mentioned Stick Insec...Thanks Dave.<br />Interesting you mentioned Stick Insects (hardly surprising, though).<br />I made a comment when a Baza was first suggested by the Canberra Ornithologists, that it ought not have grass-eating Caterpillars in its beak, but Katydids or Stick Insects.<br />It has lost all but two tail feathers. Makes me wonder if it had been damaged already, (little other sign of moult), if it was walking around in a dairy farm picking up Caterpillars from grasses.<br />I didn't know Tree Frogs could scream in pain. Sounds nasty.<br />These birds are famous for their habit of crashing though the canopy to disturb things up there, just as you describe.<br />I have only ever seen one before, near Coffs Harbour, NSW north coast.<br />Cheers<br />DenisDenis Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10031115992910569116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post-27844006167624506022011-07-29T09:56:52.325+10:002011-07-29T09:56:52.325+10:00Thanks for that, Martin.
It seems sad that those r...Thanks for that, Martin.<br />It seems sad that those records exist, but the general "system" (especially Birds Australia) does not know about them.<br />In the Internet age we ought be able to do better, surely?<br />At least my record will be available via Google.<br />Cheers<br />DenisDenis Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10031115992910569116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post-869644725740376692011-07-29T09:32:45.059+10:002011-07-29T09:32:45.059+10:00Denis
It has been very cold here this morning so ...Denis<br /><br />It has been very cold here this morning so it has taken several hours for my brain to start "working". When it finally kicked in I recalled something about bazas on the South Coast being on the COG chatline in this interglacial epoch. <br /><br />Using the very excellent Archive of that site I found this, http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/archives/html/canberrabirds/2007-02/msg00163.html which I post here as being of possible interest to a number of your readers.<br /><br />MartinFlabmeisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934077052437339591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19288377.post-36680859717058789482011-07-29T05:45:26.783+10:002011-07-29T05:45:26.783+10:00You are a good detective, Denis. up here in Kurand...You are a good detective, Denis. up here in Kuranda, these birds seem to specialise on stick insects. They search the trees carefully and then pounce. They also fly into the leaves and branches to attempt to stir up any sticks that might be there. On a less pleasant note, they capture White-lipped and Green Treefrogs and devour the poor things as they scream in pain. Not a pleasant sound in the rainforest but you know exactly what is happening when you hear it.Mr. Smileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01081316465993172523noreply@blogger.com