Australian Field Ornithology 2015, 32, 1–14

Fairy Tern breeding on French , ,

Geoff Lacey1 and Martin O’Brien2*

1Department of Resource Management and Geography, University of , Parkville VIC 3010, 2Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne VIC 3002, Australia *Corresponding author. Email: martin.o’[email protected]

Summary. Breeding of Fairy Terns Sternula nereis at the two current breeding sites in Western Port, both on , Victoria, has been documented over more than four decades. At the main site, Rams Island, there has been great variability annually in the numbers of Terns breeding but no significant trend. This breeding colony has persisted for over 40 years, which has not happened at any other Fairy Tern colony in Victoria. There are only three breeding records for Tortoise Head. Current management of the breeding sites appears to be successful and this pattern should be maintained. Priorities include continued monitoring of breeding, and control of feral cats and weeds.

Introduction The Fairy Tern Sternula nereis is found in Australia along the southern and western coasts, including Tasmania. It also occurs in New Zealand and New Caledonia (Higgins & Davies 1996). It is classified as Endangered in Victoria (DSE 2013) and as Vulnerable globally (BirdLife International 2013), and it is also listed as a threatened species under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. It is threatened by predation, human disturbance on beaches, and sometimes high (DSEWPaC 2013). In Victoria, Fairy Terns are mainly recorded from central Victorian bays and sheltered coastal waters (Emison et al. 1987). They now breed mainly in two distinct regions: (1) South and East and (2) Western Port. Until 1988, they used to breed annually in Bay as well: at The Spit (Western Treatment Plant), and, especially, on Mud . The last recorded breeding event on was in 1997, when only two young fledged, although Fairy Terns are still regularly observed at this site outside the breeding season (Menkhorst 2010). Some observations suggest that until the early 1980s the species also bred at other sites in Port Phillip Bay, in particular Altona Bay, near Avalon, Corio Bay and (Lane 1981; Victorian Biodiversity Atlas). In 2003, breeding resumed in Port Phillip Bay and has been recorded at Edwards Point, Moolap Saltworks and Lake Victoria (Minton et al. 2003; Hewish 2004, 2006), but no further breeding has been reported from these sites since c. 2005. The two Fairy Tern breeding sites in Western Port are on French Island. The main site is Rams Island, a tiny island on the southern tip of French Island. The 2 Australian Field Ornithology G. Lacey & M. O’Brien second site, used on a few occasions, is at Tortoise Head, the promontory on the south-western corner of French Island (see Figure 1). There has also been at least one unconfirmed breeding record on Reef Island, 6 km south of Corinella in Western Port (T. Dolby pers. comm.). When not breeding, Fairy Terns have also been recorded at other sites in Western Port, including , Fairhaven, Stockyard Point and Rhyll Inlet. The Bird Observers Club of Australia (BOCA; now incorporated in BirdLife Australia) Western Port Survey found that the Terns tend to leave Western Port in winter (BOCA 2003). Following a preliminary study, Lane (1981) recommended further research into documenting the productivity of Victorian Fairy Tern colonies and a system of at least annual counts in Port Phillip Bay and Western Port. Among the research priorities identified for the species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act 2011) were: undertaking survey work and more precisely assessing population size, distribution, ecological requirements and relative impacts of threatening processes. The current study will address some of these priorities from a Victorian perspective. The main aims of this paper are to document and discuss the breeding history of Fairy Terns at two French Island locations in 1967–2013; examine the factors contributing to breeding success or failure at these sites; check for any trends, such as a decline; and discuss management history and assess priorities.

Study areas and methods

Rams Island Rams Island, ~75 m in length, is located off Long Point, the southernmost point on French Island. Rosengren (1984, p. 426) described it as ‘a small basalt knob surrounded by gravel beaches. A gravel ridge or swashway about 200 metres long connects the island to French Island.’ This ridge is submerged at high . On the western side of the swashway and to a lesser extent on the eastern side is a rocky platform dominating the in this part of Western Port. The island is a raised oval-shaped shallow bowl, rimmed with a rocky ridge containing sand, numerous shells, and pieces of driftwood. Vegetation on this rim varies from time to time in species, height and density. The most common indigenous plants are spinach Tetragonia spp., Variable Groundsel Senecio pinnatifolius and Australian Salt-grass Distichlis distichophylla. There are two big patches of Coast Saltbush Atriplex cinerea. Weeds on the rim include thistles Cirsium spp. and sometimes Sea Spurge Euphorbia paralias. The open centre of the bowl contains much Australian Salt-grass. It also used to be thickly covered with weeds, wood-sorrel Oxalis sp. and Hastate Orache Atriplex prostrata being conspicuous, but these have been greatly reduced by weed control activities undertaken by Parks Victoria and volunteers. Surrounding the island, though less on the northern side, is a large expanse of rocks, sloping down from the rim and many times the size of the bowl. The rocky slopes are covered with short indigenous vegetation extending well down towards the water, including Austral Seablite Sueda australis, Trailing Jointweed Hemichroa pentandra, spinach, Beaded Glasswort Sarcocornia quinqueflora and Prickly Spear-grass Austrostipa stipoides. There are also broad patches of dried seagrass Zostera spp. (see Figure 2). Fairy Tern breeding on French Island, Vic. 3

Figure 1. Locations of breeding Fairy Terns in Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, Victoria.

Figure 2. Prickly Spear-grass, Trailing Jointweed and Austral Seablite thrive on the edge of the rocky slope of Rams Island below the Fairy Tern nesting area. Note the patches of dried seagrass. July 2012. Photo: Wal Mitchell 4 Australian Field Ornithology G. Lacey & M. O’Brien

Though small in size, Rams Island is one of the most important shorebird sites in Western Port. It is a major high-tide roost for , as well as providing a rookery for Fairy Terns and breeding sites for several other bird species that nest there each year (BOCA 2003).

Tortoise Head The other Fairy Tern nesting site on French Island is at Tortoise Head. This is a basalt headland on the south-western extremity of the island. Separated from the main island by mangroves and a saltmarsh, it is virtually an island itself at high tide, as the adjacent part of the saltmarsh is often covered in water. A narrow rocky spit juts out from the western side of Tortoise Head, with shorter tongues stretching north and south. It has a few large patches of vegetation, including Coast Saltbush, Coast Boobialla Myoporum insulare, Shrubby Glasswort Sclerostegia arbuscula and Prickly Spear-grass. Australian Salt-grass occurs in patches, and Beaded Glasswort grows over much of the rock in the intertidal zone. There are considerable areas of bare rock, rounded fragments and pebbles, with some sand and shells. The western side of Tortoise Head, especially the rocky spit, is a major high-tide roost for waders, and is also the site where Fairy Terns have nested on a few occasions.

Methods Detailed records of breeding behaviour, site conditions and management activities have been kept for over four decades. The records of Friends of French Island National Park (FOFI) have been supplemented with those from all available other sources, including relevant references from the literature (e.g. Victorian Study Group Bulletins), records from BirdLife Australia’s Birdata database, records from the Department of Environment and Primary Industries’ Victorian Biodiversity Atlas (VBA), and the Western Port Survey. Using all the data, the breeding patterns and management activities are carefully examined.

Results

Early monitoring of Rams Island Monitoring of Rams Island began in January 1974, when members of the Bird Observers Club (later the BOCA, now incorporated in BirdLife Australia) and local resident Chris Chandler visited the site and recorded 21 Fairy Terns, including juveniles. In November that year, Chandler recorded 30 Terns breeding. Since that time, the site has been regularly monitored by the BOCA Western Port Survey (Loyn 1978; Dann et al. 1994; Hansen et al. 2011) and by members of the FOFI (Quinn & Lacey 1999). Breeding records are in Appendix 1. Grazing by sheep and cattle on Rams Island in the 1970s kept the vegetation short most of the time. The island was also visited by people collecting seagrass (C. Chandler pers. comm.). In 1977, the Lands Department, BOCA and some local residents built a 1-m-high barbed-wire fence across the causeway in an attempt to keep out sheep and cattle. In September 1980, a group of volunteers removed weeds that had built up, and also collected shellgrit from the nearby beach and spread it in the higher part of the island to make suitable nesting sites for the Fairy Terns (Swan 1977; Lane 1981). Shortly afterwards, the fence was cut, allowing seagrass collection to continue, but grazing animals were also able to regain Fairy Tern breeding on French Island, Vic. 5 access. A new fence was installed by the Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands in 1988 (Anon. 1989). In the late 1990s, Parks Victoria replaced this with a more robust fence on the sand- along this part of the French Island coast, and access to the beach is now via a stile. In February 1984, Des Quinn (who was undertaking a detailed study of birds on French Island) and Chris Chandler invited some people to French Island and they established the FOFI, which is responsible for monitoring the Rams Island environment, in co-operation with the park rangers. Rams Island was part of French Island State Park, which became French Island National Park in 1997. The group also organised an annual working bee on Rams Island, generally in August to avoid disrupting the spring nesting of other species.

Site-management procedures On Rams Island, the Fairy Terns nest directly on sand or shellgrit, on the rim of the island, and also (especially since c. 2000) on dried seagrass on the rocky slopes. During the working bees (outside the Terns’ breeding season), FOFI members removed weeds, especially the taller ones, throughout the island. From c. 2000, botanists Clive and Fay Gordes, who live on French Island and organise weed control for Parks Victoria, took on a major role in this work. Weeding makes space for nests and (through removal of taller weeds) allows adult Terns to alight directly at their nests, but it has to be balanced with the need to maintain biodiversity and to provide some shelter for the birds. As chicks must hide from predators after leaving the nest, all of the indigenous plants (and also the naturalised Sea Rocket Cakile maritima) were left undisturbed. FOFI members also collected shellgrit from the adjacent coast and spread it on potential nest-sites to help camouflage eggs and chicks. (Fairy Tern chicks are even more difficult to detect than the eggs and, if they are old enough, they can move to cover when threatened.) After distributing the shellgrit, rocks and driftwood were scattered about to provide ‘nest-identification’ aids and windbreaks for the birds. Each year, Fairy Terns and other bird species were counted on several occasions and any breeding recorded by members of the BOCA Western Port survey, FOFI, the rangers, some local residents and occasional visitors. Data from all observations were collated and forwarded for inclusion in the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas (VBA).

History of Fairy Terns nesting Nesting of Fairy Terns on Rams Island varies from year to year, but mainly takes place between November and February. Incubation and nestling periods are each ~20 days (Higgins & Davies 1996). From the time that they were first observed in 1974, the Terns came to breed nearly every summer up to 1985–1986. A 5-year gap followed, and breeding did not resume at the site until 1991–1992, although Fairy Terns bred on Mud Islands, Port Phillip Bay, during this gap (early in 1987 and again in 1988: VBA unpublished data). Breeding of Fairy Terns then continued nearly every year until 1996–1997, 6 Australian Field Ornithology G. Lacey & M. O’Brien after which there was another gap, until 2000–2001. Breeding occurred in the following two seasons, 2001–2002 and 2002–2003, although it was not successful. In the latter case, the nests on Rams Island were destroyed in a storm surge on 13 December 2002. A month later, however, Terns were observed on 18 January 2003 nesting at Tortoise Head, apparently successfully this time. Fairy Terns nested on Rams Island again the following season. On 28 November 2003, their nests contained eggs, but six dead adults were nearby, apparently killed by Cats Felis catus, two of which were subsequently trapped on the nearby beach (M. Douglas pers. comm.). On 10 January 2004, the remains of an additional 12 dead adult Terns were found; only the wings were left, in pairs and neatly snipped off at the shoulder joint. The wings were next to the nests, suggesting a nocturnal predator, as Terns fly around rapidly during any daylight disturbance. A possible explanation comes from comparable events at Mud Islands where Australian Barn Owls Tyto alba delicatula sometimes prey on White-faced Storm- Petrels Pelagodroma marina and dispose of them in a similar way (P. Menkhorst pers. comm.). Barn Owls are recorded for French Island (VBA unpublished data), even being trapped in cages set for feral cats (D. Stephenson pers. comm.). However, this predation event did not deter Fairy Terns from breeding again at Tortoise Head in January 2004, apparently successfully. There was no nesting of Fairy Terns the following three summers. Breeding resumed in 2007–2008. However, breeding was unsuccessful in 2008–2009; on 9 December 2008, one pair of Tern’s wings was found, cleanly nipped off, and eggshell fragments were observed near the remains of 10 Tern nests. Ten Silver Gulls Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae were present and had probably consumed the Terns’ eggs. Breeding of Fairy Terns continued in subsequent summers (except 2011–2012) up to 2012–2013. The number of Fairy Terns breeding varies greatly from year to year. Eighty or more adults were counted several times between 1980 and 1995 but not since then. The maximum number of nests counted was 40–45, in December 1993. Adults (Figure 3) are extremely difficult to count because they fly around fast, and some are out at sea catching fish. Nests (Figure 4) and small chicks (Front cover) are also difficult to see and count as they blend in with their surroundings, and counting of nests must be done quickly to minimise disturbance to the birds. Clutch-size was either one or two eggs. Fairy Terns normally have only one brood per season (Higgins & Davies 1996), but they have been recorded re-nesting after failure, at the same site. At Rams Island, they did not always breed simultaneously but sometimes showed a staggered cycle. There were two breeding sessions in 1991–1992, at least two the following season, and probably three in 2012–2013. In all these cases, the sessions may have overlapped without a distinct break. There are only three records of Fairy Terns breeding at Tortoise Head, on the rocky spit. The first record of their nesting on French Island was at this site in November 1967 (40 adults and three nests: Quinn & Lacey 1999). The other two occasions, in January 2003 and January 2004, followed unsuccessful breeding on Rams Island in those two seasons. Fairy Tern breeding on French Island, Vic. 7

Figure 3. Adult Fairy Tern, in full breeding plumage, flying over nest-site, Rams Island, French Island, January 2013. Photo: Michael Douglas

Figure 4. Fairy Tern nest with eggs on dried seagrass, Rams Island, French Island, January 2013. Photo: Michael Douglas 8 Australian Field Ornithology G. Lacey & M. O’Brien

Nest-sites Fairy Tern nest-sites changed over time. For many years, the Terns nested on top of the rim of the island (the highest part), mainly on the southern and western sides. They utilised the areas where FOFI had weeded and placed shellgrit. An exception to this behaviour was recorded at the end of December 1992, when the eight active nests were on green vegetation on the southern side of the island below the rim (Des Quinn pers. obs.). In 2001–2002, a distinct change was observed: the Fairy Terns nested on dried seagrass rather than shellgrit, and usually not on top of the rim but a little lower on the seaward side. As before, the nests were generally along the southern and western sides of the island, and roughly in two rows. The Terns have nested on seagrass every year from that time onwards. In 2003, FOFI members ceased spreading shellgrit. However, in 2009 and 2010, they spread seagrass from the edge of the island or nearby beach onto the top of the rim, to encourage Fairy Terns to nest on the highest part of the island and lower the risk of being caught in a storm surge. It is unknown if this made any difference to the Terns’ behaviour. It is not clear why the Fairy Terns stopped nesting on shellgrit. It appears that they prefer seagrass, which has built up since harvesting of seagrass ceased on Rams Island in the 1980s (M. Douglas pers. comm.). Furthermore, there have been changes in the state of the seagrass throughout Western Port. Blake & Ball (2001) determined from aerial photographs (taken between 1956 and 1999 at four sites around Western Port) that seagrass declined from the late 1970s and through the 1980s, although with some recovery in the late 1990s. This pattern was consistent with Walker’s (2013) observation that ~70% of the total area of seagrass and macroalgae was lost in Western Port between 1973 and 1984, although there was some recovery by 1994 and more by 1999.

Breeding pattern of Fairy Terns To assess if there has been a decline in Fairy Tern breeding in Western Port, the numbers of adults involved in each breeding season between 1973–1974 and 2012–2013 at Rams Island are plotted in Figure 5. In each case, the number used is the largest number of Terns observed together during the season. (Cases when chicks did not survive are included in Appendix 1 as it was generally difficult to verify success. Furthermore, two known failures at Rams Island were followed by successful breeding at Tortoise Head.) Eighty or more adult Fairy Terns were recorded in 1980–1981 and in three of the years in the early 1990s but not since that time. (These numbers are estimates made when the birds were flying around very rapidly and while there may have been many others fishing at sea.) There were some periods when no breeding occurred, the longest being a 5-year gap at the end of the 1980s. However, a regression analysis indicated that there was no significant trend in this variability of breeding pattern. Fairy Tern breeding on French Island, Vic. 9

100

90

80

70

60

50

40 Number of of adults Number

Number of adults 30

20

10

0 73-74 74-75 75-76 76-77 77-78 78-79 79-80 80-81 81-82 82-83 83-84 84-85 85-86 86-87 87-88 88-89 89-90 90-91 91-92 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96 96-97 97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 04-05 BreedingBreeding season season

Figure 5. Fairy Terns breeding on Rams Island, Western Port. Number of adults observed in each breeding season between 1973–1974 and 2012–2013.

Discussion Proximity of other breeding species Rams Island is frequented by many bird species. It is a major high-tide roost for waders, and single pairs of several bird species nest there. The Australian Haematopus longirostris and Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia both nest on the rim of the island, between August and December. The Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus and Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles nest there occasionally. Since c. 2007, a pair of Cape Barren Geese Cereopsis novaehollandiae has nested on the rim in winter, and a pair of Black Swans Cygnus atratus has sometimes nested there between July and November. We have seen no evidence that the presence of these larger birds disturbs the Fairy Terns. In fact some of them, especially Caspian Terns (which vigorously repel any human intruder), may help ward off predators such as Silver Gulls. In 2012, Swamp Rat Rattus lutreolus diggings were observed on Rams Island, but there is no evidence that these animals disturb Fairy Terns.

Management issues Fairy Terns often experience threats during breeding. Higgins & Davies (1996) noted that gulls take eggs from nests vacated when people disturb colonies, and that storms, floods and high tides destroy colonies. Garnett et al. (2011) pointed out that nesting often fails because of interference by people and introduced 10 Australian Field Ornithology G. Lacey & M. O’Brien predators. We have recorded instances of Fairy Tern breeding failure on Rams Island caused by storm surges, cats and avian predators. Garnett et al. (2011) also recommended the monitoring of demographic trends, the control of introduced mammals and other predators and the restriction of human access to breeding colonies. The French Island National Park Management Plan specifies that Rams Island should be protected from disturbance by boats and that access should be prohibited (Parks Victoria 1998). As far as possible, given limited staffing, these measures are being implemented at Rams Island. In recent years, Parks Victoria staff have trapped feral cats on the beach near Rams Island. This work needs to be continued. Occasional weeding is important on Rams Island, especially to ensure that potential nest-sites are clear. This must be continued by Parks Victoria and the contractors, with FOFI continuing to have some role in this. The FOFI practice of weeding out only the exotic plants is supported by a study by Kohout et al. (2013) of vegetation at Little Tern Sternula albifrons and Fairy Tern breeding sites at Lake Tyers, Victoria. That study found that that the terns nested in areas with a vegetation cover of 82–85%, measured by the point quadrat method; plants there were mainly saltmarsh species and native grasses, and the cover appeared higher than on Rams Island.

Persistence of the Rams Island colony The Fairy Tern breeding colony on Rams Island has persisted for over 40 years since it was first detected in 1974. This has not happened with any other Fairy Tern colony in Victoria. The preference for this site, rather than other islands and promontories along the central Victorian coast, may involve several factors. In addition to the safety provided by an island, it is possible that certain geographic and ecological features are particularly attractive, or even vital, to the Terns. Given our lack of knowledge about such factors, it is advisable to maintain this site in its present condition, continuing current management procedures.

Conclusions Regular monitoring of Fairy Tern breeding sites and the keeping of detailed records have proved very important in the conservation of the Fairy Tern in Western Port. They have made possible the documentation of the complex breeding patterns and the effectiveness of management procedures, such as weeding. There is a lesson in this for the conservation of other threatened bird species in other places. In the four decades of monitoring, there has been great annual variability in the numbers of Fairy Terns breeding on Rams Island. Sometimes there is no breeding and this may even continue for several years. There is no significant trend. There are only three breeding records for Tortoise Head, and two of these shortly followed breeding failure on Rams Island. There has been a shift in the preferred nest-sites on Rams Island. Fairy Terns used to nest on shellgrit, but since 2001–2002 they have nested on dried seagrass, which has become more abundant in Western Port and on the island. Fairy Tern breeding on French Island, Vic. 11

Recorded causes of breeding failure of Fairy Terns on Rams Island include storm surge and predation. There are three definite records of predation, involving (1) cat(s), (2) a nocturnal predator and (3) the destruction of Tern eggs by Silver Gulls. However, the presence of other bird species breeding on Rams Island, in some cases overlapping the Fairy Terns’ breeding period, appears to have no adverse effects. Comparative studies of the different Fairy Tern breeding colonies in Victoria are needed to discover why Rams Island is such a successful site. Given this success, the present pattern of management of this site should be continued.

Acknowledgements Michael Douglas, former Parks Victoria ranger, French Island National Park, provided advice and information on various management activities. Chris Chandler provided some early breeding records of the Fairy Tern on French Island. Bette Mitchell, Murray Bourchier and David Murphy played a major role in collecting later records. Yvette Baker kindly created the map for Figure 1. Elise King assisted in the production of Figure 5. Christie Boyle (Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Melbourne) provided access to Fairy Tern data in the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas, and the Western Port Survey made available their data. Murray Peel helped in the statistical analysis.

References Anon. (1989). Island news. Friends of French Island Newsletter 7 (April), 6. BirdLife International (2013). Species factsheet: Sterna nereis. Available online: http:// www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3281 (retrieved August 2013). Blake, S. & Ball, D. (2001). Victorian Marine Habitat Database: Seagrass Mapping of Western Port. Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute Report No. 29. BOCA (2003). Wings over Western Port: Three Decades Surveying Wetland Birds 1973- 2003. Bird Observers Club of Australia, Melbourne. Dann, P., Loyn, R.H. & Bingham, P. (1994). Ten years of waterbird counts in Western Port, Victoria: 2. Waders, gulls and terns. Australian Bird Watcher 15, 351–365. DEPI (2013). Victorian Biodiversity Atlas. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne (retrieved 5 July 2013). DSE (2013). Advisory List of Threatened Vertebrate Fauna in Victoria 2013. Department of Sustainability & Environment, Victoria. DSEWPaC (2013). Australian Fairy Tern Sternula nereis nereis in Species Profile and Threats Database. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population & Communities, Canberra. Available online: http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=82950 (retrieved 28 August 2013). Emison, W.B., Beardsell, C.M., Norman, F.I., Loyn, R.H. & Bennett, S.C. (1987). Atlas of Victorian Birds. Department of Conservation, Forests & Lands and Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, Melbourne. EPBC Act (2011). Approved conservation advice for Sternula nereis nereis (Fairy Tern). Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Section 266B. Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population & Communities, Canberra. Available online: http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/ species/pubs/82950-conservation-advice.pdf (retrieved 18 August 2013). Garnett, S.T., Szabo, J.K. & Dutson, G. (2011). The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne. 12 Australian Field Ornithology G. Lacey & M. O’Brien

Hansen, B., Menkhorst, P. & Loyn, R. (2011). Western Port Welcomes Waterbirds: Waterbird Usage of Western Port. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Sustainability & Environment, Melbourne. Hewish, M. (Ed.) (2004). Geelong Bird Report 2003. Geelong Field Naturalists Club, Geelong, Vic. Hewish, M. (Ed.) (2006). Geelong Bird Report 2005. Geelong Field Naturalists Club, Geelong, Vic. Higgins, P.J. & Davies, S.J.J.F. (Eds) (1996). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds, Volume 3: Snipe to Pigeons. Oxford University Press, Melbourne. Kohout, M., Zimmer, H. & Turner, V. (2013). Nesting habitat of the Little Tern and Fairy Tern at Lake Tyers, Victoria. Victorian Naturalist 130, 192–201. Lane, B.A. (1981). A Preliminary Report on the Fairy Tern Breeding Colonies in Victoria. Unpublished report to Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, Melbourne. Loyn, R.H. (1978). A survey of birds in Westernport Bay, Victoria, 1973-74. Emu 78, 11–19. Menkhorst, P. (2010). A Survey of Colonially-breeding Birds on Mud Islands, Port Phillip, Victoria. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Sustainability & Environment, Melbourne. Minton, C., Jessop, R. & Collins, P. (2003). Tern breeding and banding report 2002/03. Victorian Wader Study Group Bulletin 26, 70–72. Parks Victoria (1998). French Island National Park. Parks Victoria, Melbourne. Quinn, D. & Lacey, G. (1999). Birds of French Island Wetlands. Spectrum Publications, Melbourne. Rosengren, N.J. (1984). Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance in the Westernport Bay Catchment. Department of Conservation, Forests & Lands, Melbourne. Swan, A. (1977). Tern nesting at Rams Island. Bird Observer 544, 19. Walker, D.I. (2013). Seagrasses. In: Anon. Understanding the Western Port Environment: A Summary of Current Knowledge and Priorities for Future Research, pp. 134–141. Melbourne Water, Melbourne.

Received 26 September 2013

Note added in proof. Tania Ireton and Roz Jessop recently reported that Fairy Terns have again bred on Mud Islands (Port Phillip Bay) in the summers of 2013–2014 and 2014–2015. This news does not alter the conclusions of this paper about the consistent importance of Rams Island.

Richard Loyn Fairy Tern breeding on French Island, Vic. 13

Appendix 1. Records of Fairy Terns [numbers of adults (A), young able to fly (Y), chicks out of nests (C), and nests] breeding on French Island, Western Port. Data are from Friends of French Island National Park (FOFI) and the Bird Observers Club of Australia (BOCA). Site: RI = Rams Island, TH = Tortoise Head. In some cases, immature birds may have been counted with adults. Abbreviations in comments: A = adults, J = juveniles, I = immatures; WP = Western Port.

Date A Y C Nests Site Comments

4.11.67 40 3 TH 14.1.74 21 RI Includes J 22.11.74 30 4 RI 14.12.74 40+ 30 RI 22.11.75 15+ 5 RI 10.12.77 50 5 RI 6.12.80 85 5 RI 12.10.81 40 7 RI Dec. 81 ? 40 RI 2.1.82 14 5 RI Includes I 10.10.82 20 RI 28.12.82 45 29 RI 3.12.83 16 3 RI 25.11.84 14 6 2 RI 30.11.85 8+ 2 RI 14.12.85 50 12 RI 11.1.86 30 25 RI 10.9.88 21 RI No breeding. No breeding WP mid 1986–mid 1991. 7.12.91 28 RI 26.12.91 30–35 7 RI 2nd breeding of season 12.12.92 60–80 30 RI 29.12.92 15 2 8 RI 7.2.93 80–100 10 36 RI Includes I? C from previous hatching. 12.12.93 85 40–45 RI 14.2.95 80 7 14 RI 8.2.97 60 25 5 3 RI 35 nests reported 3 weeks earlier. Then no breeding WP until Nov. 2000. 14 Australian Field Ornithology G. Lacey & M. O’Brien

Appendix 1 continued

Date A Y C Nests Site Comments

Nov. 32 16 RI A arrived end Oct., raised chicks, 2000 departed end Dec. Nov. 32 16 RI Breeding unsuccessful, because of 2001 storm surge? 22.11.02 38 28 RI All nests destroyed in storm surge 13.12.02

18.1.03 50–60 6+ 20–30 TH

28.11.03 24 14 RI Also 6 dead A (killed by cat/s). Wings (pairs) of 12 more dead A found 10.1.04. 10.1.04 36 ? TH Nests not counted. 2 A still present, feeding 1 J 27.2.04. No further breed- ing WP until Nov. 2007. 24.11.07 20 RI 9.12.07 15+ RI A were flying in with fish, obviously feeding Y 15.11.08 24 RI 9.12.08 2 RI Remains of 6–10 nests, fragments of eggshell. 10 Silver Gulls present. Wings of 1 A at a Tern’s nest. 21.11.09 20 8 RI 8.12.09 20 6 RI More chicks? By 31.12.09, all Terns had gone. No sign of predation, so breeding probably successful.

20.11.10 40 13 RI 2.12.10 22+ 10 RI More nests? 23.12.10 2 RI Pair obviously attending hidden Y. Other A had left, no sign of predation. No more breeding WP until Dec. 2012. 1.12.12 12 6 RI 21.12.12 40+ 7 RI 9.1.13 30 31 RI 9.2.13 50+ RI A flying rapidly around island. Y obviously present.