Dare I say it’s been busy? Well, I must because it has. We have seen a ‘run’ of Swamp Harriers, from chicks to juveniles to adults, mostly from nesting injuries due to farm machinery. However, I would like to share an interesting and positive story with you all. Yellow Throat A farmer ran over a Swampy nest in a paddock and crushed all the eggs bar one, The newsletter of BirdLife Tasmania which the farmer’s wife got hold of and promptly put under a broody chook. Four days later it hatched. I received it on day one and set about raising it until we found a nest a branch of BirdLife Australia where it could be surrogate parented. Juliet, a TAFE student from Bonorong who works Number 86, March April 2016 here one day a week, was given the task of feeding — match-head size pieces of meat 4 or 5 times a day. It was touch-and-go but successful; hats off to Juliet. We then had Chickadee (as we called it) taken to a nest in northern Tasmania by renowned ‘Harrier man’ Peter Tonelli, who knew of a nest with similar-sized chicks; the rest is history and the photo (left) shows what a beautiful story it is... Editor’s apology I am sorry that issue 86 of Yellow Throat is so very late. I’m afraid it’s been a com- bination of family chaos (nothing bad, you understand, just truly chaotic) and me and then my husband suffering through nasty and long-lived summer colds. Anyway, the end result is that this will be a somewhat shorter newsletter than usual, but I promise to do you proud and get issue 87 out on time. Meanwhile, please remember that the next General Meeting will be held in Lecture Theatre 1, Life Sciences Building, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay Campus, at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday, 12 May 2016. The guest speaker will be announced in the May edition of Yellow Throat.
From the Raptor Refuge
‘Monty’, the Masked Owlet, in his very early days. © Raptor Refuge On the subject of chicks, we have some resident unreleasable Masked Owls and they have sat on eggs three times in the last 8 months. The first clutch didn’t hatch but the Chickadee, the Swamp Harrier chick, sprouting a few pinfeathers. © Raptor Refuge second did and two chicks were visible via webcam. Sadly, both simply disappeared after 1 7 days. What happened is a mystery, but it was a sad day to discover the outcome. The I must say that it is an absolute privilege to be amongst these creatures every day. You third clutch of two eggs arrived and, with high hopes, we patiently waited the 33 days. would be amazed at how many other raptors pay a visit here due to the many rehab and Joyously we watched as two chicks were seemingly being raised well by both parents, resident birds. Drop-ins range from Wedgies to goshawks to Masked Owls screeching at the male always supplying oodles of tucker to mum’s nesting box. (These cameras in night: unless I had seen and heard it, I would find it hard to believe; in a nutshell, it’s strategic positions are simply wonderful [Birdlife Tasmania sponsored them; thanks bloody spectacular. I believe the terminology is kleptoparasitism when birds are hanging again to you all].) But this time also one chick simply vanished. The remaining chick around to pinch a feed. Whatever it is called, a myriad (or so it seems) raptors constantly was looking quite strong, but I had lost confidence and took it out after three weeks to come to the refuge for a ‘free lunch’. Last year it was reversed when a male Brown hand rear and, hopefully, become an amazing part of ‘Team Raptor’ here at the refuge for Goshawk was feeding an adult female through the slats — fabulous to see. educating and furthering the understanding of these amazing Tasmanian owls to school groups and visitors alike. So we are proud to say that Montgomery is doing very well... So far so good, as you can see in the photos.
‘Monty’, almost completely transformed to Montgomery. © Raptor Refuge So, as always, lots is going on, from rehabbing birds to doing private walks ’n’ talks and ongoing construction of facilities — this week it was a pair of new hospital boxes in the hospital shed. These are great areas as a first port of call for patients needing warmth, quiet, darkness and special TLC. They will also get cameras fitted in due course. A partly fledged ‘Monty’. © Raptor Refuge Until next time, raptor fans, happy birding! Craig Webb, 25 January 2016 2 additional efforts to engage with school children on the island. A wide range of activities More on Myrtle Rust and events will be conducted during the festival to attract greater numbers of visitors. From Biosecurity Tasmania: You will get updates in Yellow Throat as they come in, or you can go to the festival’s Home gardeners and property owners are reminded to be on the look out for signs of the Facebook page: fungal disease Myrtle Rust. Bruny Island Bird Festival Facebook Page. Continuing surveillance by DPIPWE has detected two recent cases in private gardens in north-west Tasmania. Control action on infected plants has been undertaken with the removal and disposal of the plants. While the disease lies dormant over winter, DPIPWE anticipated it could again be an issue in summer, and is continuing its surveillance program across the state. No evidence of the disease has been found in the wild at this stage; however, the latest detections in home gardens highlight the need for continued community vigilance, particularly during warm weather and humid conditions that create an ideal environment for Myrtle Rust. Tell-tale signs of the disease include bright yellow powdery patches on soft growing tips, leaves and stems of Myrtaceae species such as Lophomyrtus cultivars ‘Black Stallion’, ‘Red Dragon’ and willow myrtles, Chilean guava and native tea-trees, paper- barks and bottlebrushes. Biosecurity Tasmania is working closely with nurseries to ensure signs of the disease are reported immediately. Measures are in place to stop the spread of Myrtle Rust between nurseries. Note that there are no human health risks associated with Myrtle Rust. If you see what you think might be Myrtle Rust, please take a photograph, record the location and details of the suspected plant, and contact the Myrtle Rust Hotline (03) 6165 3785. Further information about Myrtle Rust, including photographs of infected plants showing the symptoms, are available at: http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity/plant-biosecurity/pests-and-diseases/myrtle-rust
Freycinet Management Plan Rob Hamilton sent in this lovely picture of a Grey Plover, Pluvialis squatarola. He saw it at Beer BirdLife Tasmania has lodged a submission opposing the extension of the Freycinet Barrel Beach, St Helens Point. It is the first Grey Plover that Rob has seen in Tasmania, which made it particularly special. © Dr Robert Hamilton Lodge lease inside the Freycinet National Park. The proposed changes to the existing management plan remove all restrictions on accommodation and associated infrastructure inside the Coles Bay Visitor Services Zone, and potentially open the entire Orientation Week (‘O Week’) at UTas area to accommodation inside the National Park. BirdLife Tasmania supports commercial interests operating from outside the National Park rather than from within. For the first time, BirdLife Tasmania participated during the University of Tasmania's Orientation Week ("O Week") for incoming students. We shared a table with a number of local Wildcare groups as part of a collaborative University of Tasmania project looking Bruny Bird Festival 2016 to engage community groups with university academics. Despite very gusty conditions Planning is underway for the 2016 Bruny Island Bird Festival, to be held from Friday 14 that blew everybody's materials all around the area on the Monday, the table and our October to Monday 17 October. The festival will be held a week earlier than in the past handouts drew plenty of attention and interest from students. Many were international to avoid conflicting with the Hobart Show weekend. BirdLife Tasmania is proud to be students keen to see our endemic birds. We hope that by engaging with undergraduates, supporting the festival with the Bruny Island Environment Network and Inala Nature Birdlife Tasmania can introduce birds to the next generation of researchers and bird Tours for the fourth time. A preliminary schedule of events has been prepared, with observers. (See picture on page 4.) 3 In the first instance the juvenile cuckoo was perched, calling incessantly, from a dead tree in the middle of an Emu farm off Gellibrand Drive on the third of December. Suddenly at least three Black-headed Honeyeaters fed the cuckoo in quick succession. It then flew to an exposed perch in an area of roadside vegetation and the process was repeated with the cuckoo rapidly turning its head to take successive offerings from the queue of honeyeaters. The second observation was on 16 December on Gellibrand Drive, opposite Paroa Court, about 5 km from the Emu farm. Again at least three Black-headed Honeyeaters were feeding a constantly calling juvenile. In both instances I was amazed by the extent to which the young cuckoo dwarfed its hosts (see photographs that follow, both provided by Murray Lord).
Eric Woehler and Carol Markby during a rare break at UTas’s O Week. © Elizabeth Shannon, Wildcare, Deslacs Have you seen a dead seabird on the beach? Lauren Roman, PhD Student, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania I am currently undertaking a study on plastic ingestion in Australian and New Zealand seabirds through IMAS. I am interested to collect dead seabirds such as shearwaters, prions, petrels and albatross that are found dead on the beach. If you see a dead seabird in the Hobart area, or multiple birds beach-wrecked anywhere in Tasmania, please send me a message on this Facebook page with species, location and, if possible, a photo so that I can collect the bird if it is appropriate for the study: https://www.facebook.com/seabirdsdebris/ . (DPIPWE permit TFA15120. I will also pass on notification of any rare or unusual birds of interest to DPIPWE and TMAG. I will be collecting birds over the next couple of years, so please like the Facebook page if you are interested in the research or if you think you are likely find a beach-washed bird in the future.) Black-headed Honeyeaters a Pallid Cuckoo brood host Mike Newman Black-headed Honeyeater feeding juvenile Pallid Cuckoo. © Murray Lord. Pallid Cuckoos are extremely common on the South Arm Peninsula and during After making these observations there was a comment on a forum I follow on the December I observed two separate instances of Black-headed Honeyeaters hosting a birds of the Hunter Valley, NSW, which suggested that the high proportion of collab- juvenile Pallid Cuckoo. Based on differences in the juvenile cuckoo’s plumage and the orative breeding species in Australia, like the Black-headed Honeyeater, is a consequence dates of the observations, I am confident these were two separate instances. of the diversity of cuckoo species found in the region. The underlying premise being that 4 a host species is more effective in detecting replacement eggs and avoiding being accidental interaction between two species, resulting in an advantageous outcome for one cuckolded when there are more birds to spot the deception in the breeding unit. I have of the species. In trawling past Tasmanian Bird Reports I found the following accounts of some doubts about the strength of this argument. However, there is a clear advantage for bizarre interactions between breeding species that I observed many years ago. a juvenile Pallid Cuckoo with a voracious appetite in being hosted by a collaborative An adult Crescent Honeyeater set out to dislodge three perched juvenile Strong-billed breeder like the Black-headed Honeyeater in terms of the rate food is supplied. Honeyeaters from a horizontal branch: it tried to push them off shoulder to shoulder. This was unsuccessful. The Crescent then hung below the branch pecking up at the Strong- bills. It then tried again the shoulder to shoulder technique and finally jumped on the back of one of the Strong-bills. Throughout this, the Strong-bills clamoured for and tried to take food from the Crescent. Imagine a different outcome in which a paternalistic Crescent Honeyeater fed the Strong-bills, whose parents might seek to exploit this possibility in later years starting the evolution of Strong-billed Cuckoos. (Based on the Crescent Honeyeater account in the systematic list for 1977 in Tasmanian Bird Report No. 7). Perhaps closer to what actually happened when brood parasitic behaviour evolved is described in Tasmanian Bird Report No. 17 (pages 16–18) in which a pair of Australian Pied Oystercatchers incubated a mixed clutch of two oystercatcher and three Masked Lapwing eggs in October 1987 at Pipeclay Lagoon. Both oystercatcher eggs hatched and the young left the nest, but were not subsequently fledged. Examination of the unhatched Masked Lapwing eggs indicated that one had a developed embryo. Imagine a situation where the Masked Lapwing eggs hatched first and the runners were nurtured by the oystercatchers, upon which opportunistic lapwings appreciated the advantage and became cuckoos. Indeed, it is suggested that brood parasitic behaviour may have evolved from a bird mistakenly laying an egg in the nest of another species. Ponder further the thought that evolution is a matter of chance and the coincidence that the first filming of a cuckoo ejecting the young of its host from the nest was filmed by Edgar Chance in 1920. This was probably the world’s first wildlife film documentary to capture the public imagination. Footnotes 1. Tasmanian Bird Report No. 17 also notes that Mrs P. Park performed the odious task of examining the lapwing eggs, one of which exploded. Well done, Priscilla. How long did the stench persist? Finally, I have no recollection of making the Crescent Honey- eater/Strong-billed Honeyeater interaction observation, which shows the advantage of producing Annual Bird Reports where behavioural information can be placed on record. Strong-billed Honeyeater feeding a voracious juvenile Pallid Cuckoo. © Murray Lord 2. Murray Lord kindly provided photographs of both Black-headed and Strong-billed Honeyeaters feeding a juvenile Pallid Cuckoo, apparently the same bird. This was, Cuckoos have been a personal interest since the 1970s when I gave a talk to the club apparently, the subject of a long-ago Yellow Throat article. (BOAT in those days) on the Tasmanian cuckoo species. At the end of last year I purchased a book by Nick Davies, Cuckoo: Cheating by Nature, to get an update on the latest understanding of this behaviour. It is a wonderful account of studies into cuckoos, 2016 Annual General Meeting providing insights into how cuckoos evolved as species that derived benefit from The Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday, 10 March. Dr Eric Woehler has been allowing another species to raise their young. It is a terrific read about the work of a returned as Convenor, and Sue Drake and Allan Patman have been returned as Secretary Cambridge academic who turns back the clock and shows just how effective bird study and Treasurer respectively. Andrew Darby (webmaster), Maureen Duffy (excursions), can be by a person with just a pair of binoculars, a notebook and an inquiring mind. Loris Patman, Dr Rosemary Sandford, Dr Geoff Shannon (northern Tasmania), Andrew It is suggested that the origins of the cuckoo behaviour probably resulted from an 5 Walter and Wynne Webber comprise the committee. Mike Newman has accepted the role of convening a subcommittee to investigate how to organise production of a manageable systematic list. The Convenor’s report shows how the scale of Birdlife Tasmania’s activities and its influence is expanding. Hazel Britton in the north-west, Margaret Bennett on King Island, Ralph and Barbara Cooper in the north and Liz Znidersic in the north-east continue to make considerable and important contributions through gathering and disseminating information and conducting wader counts. Mona Loofs-Samorzewski has undertaken to continue organisation of an annual twitchathon (probably some time in spring) in conjunction with the national office of Birdlife Australia. Anyone who would like to contact her can email her at: [email protected].
Royal Albatross rookery Judy Bills This is the only mainland Royal Albatross, Diomedea epomophora, rookery, at Pukekura/ Taiaroa Head close to Dunedin. The chick, hatched on 21 January, is weighed each Tuesday at midday our time (2.00 p.m. local NZ time). These are stills I took today whilst the chick was having its weekly weigh-in. The live camera is at: During the weigh-in. © Judy Bills http://www.doc.govt.nz/royalcam. In closing... There are many more stories and links, but I will make sure that they get to you in good time early in May. Again, I apologise. But it takes me quite a long time to put Yellow Throat together, and I find myself unequal to the concentration needed when my thoughts are scattered on all sorts of other things. Page 8 includes the current calendar of excursions for the south and north-east. The timescales for each are given. Cheers to you all, and I’ll be back soon with the next issue. Wynne Webber
The Royal Albatross chick after its last weigh-in in March. © Judy Bills 6 Yellow Throat is produced every alternate month beginning in January. Contributions, BirdLife Tasmania Directory 2016–17 including articles, sightings, birdwatching sites, letters and news, are welcome, and will GPO Box 68, Hobart 7001 be published subject to space and interest or relevance to BirdLife Tasmania members, at the Editor’s discretion. Views expressed in Yellow Throat are not necessarily those of www.birdlife.org.au/tasmania BirdLife Tasmania, or of the Editor, unless explicitly stated. Chair Dr Eric Woehler
TASMANIA
7 2016 Excursions–South, April to June 2016 Excursions–North-east All walks 2 to 3 hours unless otherwise stated. Please ring leaders to confirm details. Here is the birding walks calendar through till October. The walks are always held on the Sunday 10/04/16 Eaglehawk Neck. This outing takes participants to a key point on first Wednesday of each month. the Tasman Peninsula for birds of the sea, shore, water and bush. Unless advised otherwise, please bring along morning tea to share. Also wear Meet opposite the Sorell police station at 8.30 a.m. to arrange car- enclosed shoes suitable for walking on uneven ground. pooling. Contact Ruth on 62503268, 0409503268 or email See you out there! [email protected] 2/03/16 Green Point, Scamander. Meet at Mouth Cafe carpark 9.00. Bayside Saturday 23/04/16 Meehan Range. Just off the Tasman Highway east of Hobart, the 8.30am. Morning tea at Pam’s. Meehan Range Nature Recreation Area is home to many dry-forest 604/16 Reids road river track. Meet at Bayside car park at 8.45 a.m. bush birds. Meet at the end of Belbin’s Road, Cambridge. Contact: Maureen on 62750832 or 0409253834 or email 4/05/16 Eureka Farm, Upper Scamander. Meet at 8.30 a.m. at Bayside car park, [email protected] Eureka 9.00 a.m. Morning tea at the coffee shop in appreciation of Sunday 15/05/16 Risdon Brook Dam. This freshwater reservoir in the foothills of exploring the property. Mount Direction has a 4 km perimeter that is easy walking. The 1/06/16 Diana’s Basin. Meet 8.30 a.m. at Bayside car park, beachside car park track is mostly flat, with many good chances to see waterbirds as 8.50 a.m. well as bush birds. Like all BirdLife Tasmania excursions it is 6/07/16 Taylor’s Beach bush. Meet Bayside car park at 8.45 a.m. conducted by a knowledgeable volunteer, and free. Meet at the dam car park at 8:30am. Contact: Judith on 62437148 or email 3/08/16 Stieglitz sewage pond. Meet at Bayside at 8.45 a.m. [email protected] Saturday 28/05/16 Claremont River Walk. See a side of the Derwent that’s sometimes overlooked—the Claremont shoreline. Meet at the car park, Box 7/09/16 Winifred Curtis Reserve, Scamander. Meet at Bayside at 8.45 a.m., Hill Rd on Windermere Bay at 8:30am. Contact: Maureen on 6275 Winifred Curtis 9.00 a.m. 0832 or 0409253834 or email [email protected] Sunday 12/06/16 Winter Gull Count. Not only is the SE Winter Gull Count a good 5/10/16 St Patricks Head (Irishtown Road). Bayside car park 8.30 a.m. chance to get cold in the cause of bird conservation, it’s also very useful science. This survey has been conducted for 35 years, and Liz Znidersic produces important data on trends in populations of Silver, Kelp St Helens, Tasmania 7216 and Pacific gulls. Contact Eric on 0438204565 or email 0409123322 [email protected] 0363763040 Sunday 19/06/16 Lower Pipeline Track. Ever seen a Crescent Honeyeater? The Pipeline Track in winter is a great place to try. The lower section of this walk is a gently sloping ramble down towards Waterworks Reserve. Meet at the Chimney Pot Hill Road turn-off from Huon Road at 8.30 a.m.. Contact: Maureen on 62750832 or 0409253 834 or email [email protected] Saturday 25/06/16 Winter Wader Count. Many of our precious migratory waders have gone north, but there are still resident birds, and some winter visitors to keep track of. North and South counts are being conducted today. South: Contact Eric on 0438204565 or email [email protected] North: Contact Ralph on 63301255 or email [email protected] 8