70 [page number] 
20.4.49. REVIEW OF THE 1948 - 1949 SEASON. 
On the whole it has been a wet season 
and a good season for birds. Summer 
saw large quantities of duck on all 
the areas of water which were abundant 
and full - the Hardhead can be 
mentioned in particular. The main 
item of interest was the breeding of 
the Blue-billed Duck, a unique event as 
far as I can gather. The large areas 
of water have attracted large numbers 
of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, White-headed 
Stilts and Whiskered Terns, while such 
birds as the Gull-billed Terns, Spoonbills 
and Egrets have been more than 
normally in evidence. Quail were 
particularly numerous until the very 
heavy March rains since when the 
shooters have complained of their 
scarcity. 
There has been a good flowering 
of the gums this year which has 
attracted many flocks of Lorikeets, 
