"The problem with doing nothing is not knowing when you're finished" - Benjamin Franklin

Plendo · Guru

Understanding the migration routes of the Grey Nomad

bill12 · Guru

Sounds like a good idea for a tv program"the life and times of the Grey nomad". Perhaps we could get David Bellamy to do a spoof of the mateing rituals and drinking habits, also. It might be entertaining...........Bill

Happywanderer · The Master

They head north in Winter and south in Summer, mainly Plendo. Same as the whales??
They can also be seen crossing the waters in the summer as they venture to the smaller islands off the southern coast of the mainland of Australia.

vk6tnc · Guru

I believe the mating ritual of the male Grey Nomad is quite rare. Unless it is in close proximity to a totally different species; the Swedish Backpackerus and the drinking habits have been witnessed

Plendo · Guru

I believe studying the mating habits of the GN without using catalytic bait (Swedish Backpackerus), would be like waiting for grass to grown after it had been sprayed with roundup. Studying the drinking habits on the other hand should be much less time consuming, as these events are believed to happen according to a much more rigid cycle.

I believe all one would need to would be to find a suitable elevated platform close to the colony and to set out some suitable bait like beer to attract the males, or SCAN to attract the shier but noisier female variety.

vk6tnc · Guru

I understand the common bait called BEER, but what is SCAN ????

Dougwe · Chief one feather

"Scan" Perhaps it is Scan the surrounds for interesting human or native habitat.

I am sure our mate wombat will have the answer to that one.

yeoeleven · Guru

The only scan I know is the Senior Citizen's Afternoon Nap but that is far from a promotional method used to attract the shier but noisier female variety.

But then it might work...............................let's have a scan together...........................

John

Gerty Dancer · Guru

The breeding colonies seem to be in the suburbs of cities, and GN's appear to be in a non-breeding phase during migrations. Perhaps this is the reason mating habits are very difficult to discover and record. Swedish or French Backpackerus species appear to prefer their own species but their mating habits are much easier to witness.

spida · Guru

From My experience the Rodeo Grounds at Mareeba from July - September seems to be a good time. The problem would seem to be that they are VERY hard to find in amongst the thousands of other migrating types who seem to land there at the same time. The nests are similar and the actual GN's from this site blend in very well with the other GNs from a different genus. They do not seem to have a very distinctive call although I am finding that the PM tracking device seems to be working OK and I have managed to find 2 solo males and one who did not have his mate in the nest at the time. This of course does not help with your mating studies and I did not take the opportunity to ask any relevant questions that could have helped you.

spida · Guru

SCAN - sugar coated almond nuts? Sweets, Candys, Alcohol, Nuts?