WhistlerThe Features Brahminy Kite Beach Stone-curlew Black-necked Stork Regent Honeyeater Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Pallid Cuckoo Sooty Oystercatcher Birds of Tahlee, Gloucester Tops, Ash Island An annual publication of the Number 13 2019 The Whistler is the scientific journal of the Hunter Bird Observers Club Inc. ISSN 2208-9845 (electronic copy); ISSN 1835-7385 (hard copy) All papers are peer-reviewed prior to publication. The aims of the Hunter Bird Observers Club (HBOC), which is affiliated with BirdLife Australia, are: • To encourage and further the study and conservation of Australian birds and their habitat • To encourage bird observing as a leisure-time activity HBOC is administered by a Committee: Executive: President: Bob Stewart, Vice-President: Mick Roderick, Secretary: Marg Clarke, Treasurer: Helen McCall. Committee Members: Lucas Grenadier, Andrzej Karpiel, Rob Kyte, Greg Little, Judy Little, Lene Parashou. Publication of The Whistler is managed by a team: Alan Stuart (Joint Editor), Neil Fraser (Joint Editor) Liz Crawford (Production Manager), Rob Kyte (Cover design) Printed by NCP Printing, Newcastle Authors wishing to submit manuscripts for consideration for publication should consult Instructions for Authors on page 95 and then submit their manuscripts to the Editors at [email protected] © Hunter Bird Observers Club Inc. PO Box 24, New Lambton NSW 2305 www.hboc.org.au Front cover: Beach Stone-curlew Esacus magnirostris - Photo: Trevor Murray Back cover: Pallid Cuckoo Heteroscenes pallidus - Photo: Chris Tzaros Spine: Sharp-tailed Sandpipers Calidris acuminata - Photo: Rob Palazzi The Whistler is proudly supported by Editorial The Whistler 13 (2019): i-ii Editorial This is the first issue of The Whistler after the joint Cuckoo has a large home range and is vulnerable retirement of long-term editors Harold Tarrant and directly (effects on adults) and indirectly (effects Mike Newman. As the incoming editors, our aim is on host species) to changes in the status of the to maintain the high standards achieved in previous local habitat. Alan Stuart demonstrates the issues. We think we’ve done that with this issue, importance of the Hunter Estuary in the past but readers can decide that for themselves. decade for the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. Internationally significant numbers of them have We have introduced two policy changes, both visited every non-breeding season since 2013 and aimed at increasing the impact of The Whistler. the estuary has become one of the most important The first of those is on-line publishing of each Australian sites. Trevor Murray’s study of Beach article when it is finalised. In that way, the Stone-Curlews has been spread over almost a information in the article is immediately available decade. From his work it is now confirmed that a for others to use. On-line articles are available at pair breeds in Port Stephens; he also has made this link: www.hboc.org.au/publications/the- valuable new observations about the transition whistler/. The second change, with the support of from immature to adult plumage. HBOC’s Management Committee, has been to remove the 64-page limit to the size of hard copy The final single species paper in this issue takes a issues of the journal. Although printing and different approach. Ross Crates challenges the postage costs have risen as a result, the change has accepted wisdom that the Regent Honeyeater is an allowed us to include more articles into this issue, accomplished mimic and presents solid evidence with obvious benefits to authors and to readers. It that its mimicry is a maladaptive outcome of the has also allowed more use of illustrative drastic population decline for this species. It is also photographs, for which there previously was very noteworthy that part of Ross’s study was supported little space. Note though that the policy eschews by a Wilma Barden Memorial Grant from HBOC. gratuitous use of images; they must add value to the article. Three papers capture the contemporary status of the birdlife of a particular local area. Stuart Two of the papers in this issue report on in-depth Fleming documents his four-year study of the birds studies of the breeding biology of local species. at Tahlee on the western side of Port Stephens, Lois Wooding’s study of a pair of Brahminy Kite showcasing the high species diversity and at their nest at Lemon Tree Passage, spanning two importance for several threatened or migratory breeding seasons, has added considerably to our species. Alan Stuart and Mike Newman present a knowledge about this species and is an excellent nine-year study of the Gloucester Tops, where six follow-up to her preliminary report published in species are high altitude specialists and there is Volume 11. Similarly, Ann Lindsey’s study of a evidence of altitudinal stratification for many other pair of Black-necked Stork across two breeding species. Phil Reid documents the changes that have seasons documents many previously unreported occurred at an area on Ash Island where behaviours by adult birds and their chicks. Ann’s mangroves have been removed and salt marsh work is also a case study in Citizen Science; many habitat is re-emerging. Several shorebird species local birdwatchers assisted with observations or have now begun to utilise the area. followed with interest her regular updates on Hunterbirding. In this issue, we also present several short notes, on a variety of topics: Black-necked Stork Four other full-length papers make important dispersal; a new Cattle Egret colony; a colonial contributions to our knowledge of well-known breeding colony at the Wetlands Centre; Grey Hunter Region species. Lois Wooding’s review of Fantail foraging behaviour. We encourage more the status of the Sooty Oystercatcher highlights the people to submit articles of this type – they are importance of offshore islands for their breeding comparatively easy to write (and to read) and they and confirms our region’s overall importance for capture aspects of bird behaviour that otherwise this little-studied species. Mike Newman’s review often go unreported. We would like The Whistler of the Pallid Cuckoo identifies an alarming decline to become a forum for short notes about our local locally, and he contrasts this with the Tasmanian species. situation where the population appears to be stable. Mike’s insightful paper suggests that the Pallid i Editorial The Whistler 13 (2019): i-ii We note two unifying themes for the articles in this Many people must be acknowledged for helping issue: detailed field observations, and citizen this issue of The Whistler to see the light of day. science. Because of careful field work, we are Our particular thanks go to all the authors for their much clearer now about the regional status of the efforts; it takes time and commitment to put pen to Brahminy Kite, Black-necked Stork and Beach paper (or fingers to keyboard). Mention must also Stone-Curlew. And because of HBOC members be made of the referees, whose constructive ('citizen scientists') carefully analysing their own comments invariably lead to an improved product. records or those in Birdata, we have learnt many Liz Crawford, despite her peripatetic sailor’s things about other species at either a local or lifestyle, continues to proof-read each manuscript regional level. In particular, the efforts by Lois and turn it into an eye-catching final product. And Wooding on the Sooty Oystercatcher and Mike then once again Rob Kyte has assembled the hard Newman on the Pallid Cuckoo stand out as copy product and he also organises its printing and excellent examples of how to use records of distribution. multiple types to analyse the occurrence of a species at the local and regional level. Neil Fraser and Alan Stuart Joint Editors ii Brahminy Kite breeding Port Stephens The Whistler 13 (2019): 1-9 Brahminy Kite: two consecutive breeding seasons at Port Stephens, NSW, compared Lois Wooding 14/4 Muller Street, Salamander Bay, NSW 2317, Australia [email protected] Received 3 June 2018; accepted 17 January 2019; published on-line 10 March 2019. The nesting behaviour of a pair of Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus at Lemon Tree Passage, NSW, was compared over two consecutive breeding seasons (2016 and 2017), following close observation of the entire cycle from nest-building to juvenile independence in 2017. Incubation took 34-36 days, and the nestling period 50 days. New or supplementary nest building, courtship, parental and juvenile behaviours are described, and a fledged juvenile was followed for 38 days. An attempt was made to study the adult birds when they were away from the nest, and to define their general territory and hunting range throughout the breeding cycle. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Additional time spent tracking the fledged juvenile once it left the nest site was not recorded. The area was visited A pair of Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus has been regularly. The duration of observation periods varied, as recorded at Lemon Tree Passage, at the expanding did the time of day when they were conducted. Most nest observations were made from a vehicle parked southern limit of the species’ breeding distribution in approximately 50 m from the base of the nest tree at a NSW, since 2010 (Stuart 2011-2016; Wooding viewing angle of approximately 75˚ to the nest. Off-nest 2017). Local residents were aware of nesting observations were made from six different locations, five activity during that time, but confirmation of an of which enabled localised scanning of shorelines, creeks, active nest was not reported until May 2016 islands and bays. The elevation of the sixth site provided (Wooding 2017). A new nest, constructed in 2017, an overall view of the estuary in the region of Lemon Tree presented an opportunity to observe nest Passage.