q6 Fletcher, Bird Notes from Boat Harbour District. [,.i''"o,i. 



Bird Notes from the Boat Harbour (Tasmania) 



District. 



By (Miss) J. A. Fletcher, R.A.O.L'., Boat Harbour, Tasmania. 



This district has the name of being one of the most fertile in 

 Tasmania, feeing composed of deep red soil, with an occasional 

 outcrop of barren land. This latter is in ridges, and is a grt^it 

 resort of the Honey-eaters, on account of the numl)ei- of wild 

 flowering plants. The fertile soil runs to high-tide mark, l)ut 

 sea-birds are very iew in number and limited in species. Silver 

 Gulls {Lams novcF-hollandio') and Pacific Gulls {Gabianiis pacifictis) 

 range along the coast, and nest on an island not far distant, Mhilst 

 Gannets [Sula aiistralis) follow various shoals of fish out at sea. 

 The Little Penguin {Endyptnla minor) is present, but not in 

 numbers. The main haunt of the sea-birds is some miles further 

 west, on the shores of The Sisters and Rocky Hills, where the 

 food supply is decidedly more abundant. 



Diurnal birds of prey {Accipitres) are well represented, and have 

 a fine range of farming land, river flats, and scrub over which to 

 forage. I have identified the following : — 



Swamp Hawk [Circus goiildi), of which there are some fine 

 specimens about. It is interesting to note the increase in the 

 numbers of Hawks these past few years, particularly in the above. 

 The Goshawk {Astiir approximans) and Sparrow-Hawk [Accipiier 

 torquatiis) constantly search along the hedges for the smaller 

 birds, particularly the Sparrows, who have many an anxious 

 moment whilst these enemies are about. 



A pair of Brown Hawks [Hieracidea herigora) built a nest last 

 season in the fork of a gum-tree on the edge of the hills over- 

 looking the sea. Intruders were promptly chased off by them, 

 but one day I witnessed a funny incident. I heard a Hawk 

 calling, and, looking up, saw one of the Brown pair flying towards 

 its nest with a snake dangling from its claws. Then, with a 

 lightning shot from over the hill-crest dashed a Little Falcon 

 {Falco litnnlatus) and caught up the hanging end of the snake 

 and essayed to fly away. But the Brown Hawk held fast, and 

 thus they flew along the hillside above me, each trying to make 

 off in its own direction, and each screeching. The rightful 

 owner's mate flew up, then the would-be robber let go and 

 retired to a tree to preen his feathers, whilst the two Hawks 

 flew down to the ground round the base of the hill. They 

 returned minus the snake, and one went up to the nest. There 

 are several nests of the Brown Hawk about, and I heard of one 

 last season which had used a quantity of fencing wire in the con- 

 struction of its home, which was Iniilt in the top of a broken-off 

 tree. 



Black-cheeked F'alcon {Falco melanogenys). — Several pairs of 

 these splendid birds frequent our district. Last season I was 

 shown the home of a jiair for man\- vears, and, as the birds were 



