tonyk38

As has been previously stated this is a Grey Butcherbird. Although it has been split into more than one species now, I'm pretty certainly it's the 'type' species.

Someone mentioned earlier in the thread that someone had told them that Aus magpies are butcherbirds. It's more accurate to say that they're related to Butcherbirds rather than actually being Butcherbirds, as they are in a different genus. Together with Currawongs they are in a group of their own (once a separate family), but according to the modern Sibley and Monroe classification are now lumped in with miscellaneous other Aus birds including Wood Swallows, Apostlebirds, White-winged Choughs and Magpie Larks. They are only distantly related to European Magpies, and perhaps unsurprisingly share the name due to being large black and white birds; but that's where the similarity ends.

Great pics of that Grey Butcherbird btw!

Two really good bird field guides I can recommend (as they cover every Aus species), are Slater's guide and Simpson and Day's. The former is more portable in the field, but the latter probably edges it in the quality of most of the illustrations. Anyone who wants to take up birdwatching in Aus really should invest in a good guide.

The best guide for reptiles and frogs is the one by Cogger. Again it covers every species and is very comprehensive, but is also extremely expensive! It is very easy to be caught out by the 'every day' guides on this stuff as they cannot even begin to cover the range of species found in Aus.

I'm still looking for a decent guide on the mammals! I'm sure there must be one...There are however some excellent websites too. Just google the information you want. Maybe even try it for local natural history websites for your area, as there are loads out there.

annqldau

OK i'm new only been here 9 months so to me a possum was a possum now realise since your helpful hint that there are lots of possums... .

http://www.knowyoursto.com/diprodontia.html

Genus Acrobates - Feather-tail Gliders
Genus Burramys - Mountain Pygmy Possum
Genus Cercartetus - Pygmy Possums
Genus Dactylopsila - Striped Possum
Genus Distoechurus - Feather-tail Possum
Genus Gymnobelideus - Leadbeater's Possum
Genus Hemibelideus - Lemuroid Ringtail Possum
Genus Petaurus - Gliders
Genus Petauroides - Greater Glider
Genus Petropseudes - Rock Ringtail Possum
Genus Phalanger - Southern Common Cuscus
Genus Pseudocheirus - Ringtail Possums
Genus Spilocuscus - Common Spotted Cuscus
Genus Tarsipes - Honey Possum
Genus Trichosurus - Brush-tail Possum
Genus Wyulda - Scaly-Tailed Possum

Can now even build it a nest box http://www.tvwc.org/HTML/building%20...%20possums.htm

Possums getting as complicated as the Butcher Bird. I do know there are three types of Magpie and they interbreed. Will check out the recommended bird books when near a good book shop as for frogs and toads I know a tree frog but not sure about the toads... I'm probably thinking anything that looks like a toad is a cane toad when it's not.

cresta57

I've got 2 copies of Simpson & Day I'll drop one off for you Ann, semi permanent loan, I won't need it again until Oct 2008 when Deb's Oldies come over [for 6 months :scared:]for a tour around the whole of Aust.
In return I may need a bolt hole.
I've got a heap of Australian gardening books, palms, trees and shrubs etc. you may enjoy looking through as well.

annqldau

Cheers matey I may be able to figure out what birds and plants I've got in the garden.

Vash the Stampede

It's a puff-chested arkon, known throughout the rural districts for its distinctive territorial call: "Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap.... craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap..."

We had a brown one last week, and a pigeon on the weekend. We would have had another one, but I think it took fright when it saw the chavs next door.

annqldau

Are you suggesting the first bird on this thread is not a butcher bird... now you've done it they'll have you for that as they all say butcher bird...will hae to look an arkon up.

LesleyM

And here's me thinking a possum is a possum. Crikey I didn't realise how many types you could see. It's wonderful to see all the animals. I'm trying to see if we can get a chance to see the whales.

annqldau

Apparantly the white one is on it's way up at the moment but boats not allowed to go to close. We went to hervey bay had excellent time last July but other half parents went out Redcliffe early June and saw only a couple but was early in season.

My camera got knicked on frazer island so don't have the photos anymore that we took ours were like performing whales.

LesleyM

Sorry to hear you got your camera knicked. Whenever I think of Frazer Island I think of dingoes because our friends landed up scared witless and wading into the sea to get away from them. Thanks for the info.

annqldau

Did see one dingo at 6am on beach picked up large stick and returned to holiday complex.

My fault the camera left in cafe at 9am by accident (only 2 customers inside and 3 about to come in and 2 staff and in a holiday complex on an island) returned by 9.20 when realised I'd left it and strangely no customers and the staff knew nothing and when I went to complex reception nothing handed in to them either. Gits.....had all our visa validation photos on... .

LesleyM

Gits !!!!

annqldau

Mmmm...did I put this in lifestyle...can you move it to the Barbie or should it be here what do you think?

cresta57

It's O.K here for now as long as it stays on topic

tonyk38

The Coppery Brushtail is the northern subspecies of the ubiquitous Common Brushtail. The main difference is it's brownish rather than grey. The taxonomist folks are splitting a lot of species at the mo'. The mahogany glider was recently split from the squirrel glider for example, and instantly became an endangered species as it's only found in tropical lowland dry forest between Townsville and Cairns, of which there is bugger all left.

You can do 'pelagic' boat trips to look for whales and dolphins at a number of localities around Aus. I know the ones from the West coast, the Bass Strait and NSW coast can be excellent. Do a search to see if there's one in your area.

Jimclevs

Yep...... Migaloo (Aboriginal for "White Fella")) is already off the Queeensland coast - but I'm not sure exactly where. He passed Coffs Harbour last Saturday so should now be well along the coast towards your area.

Jim