I'm briefly on the Australian birding list, and I thought I would
forward a few of the more interesting messages. They have even more
introduced species than we do, but the native predators seem to be on
the job. Speaking of predators, there's a Cooper's Hawk soaring in
the afternoon breeze right above my window.
Dennis

>Hi all
>
>I have recently moved to a new house in Chadstone, Melbourne and
>into what can only be described as the feral capital of the area.
>The first 7 species on the house list were all introduced and up
>until yesterday the only natives that had made the grade were the
>usual culprits of miner, magpie and rainbow lorikeet. I was trying
>to do some work yesterday when i heard the call of a hobby so i
>bolted to the window to see a very smart hobby on the back fence
>with a still twitching starling in one talon which it then proceded
>to tear apart until the kids from next door disturbed it, causing it
>to fly off. This morning there was more squawking of starlings and
>mynas so i looked out again and there was a grey butcherbird beating
>a sparrow against a branch which it then proceded to eat.
>
>Maybe there is hope yet
>Cheers
>Tim

--
Dennis Paulson, Director phone 253-879-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 253-879-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
1500 N. Warner, #1088
Tacoma, WA 98416-1088
http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html