VOL. 16 (1) MARCH 1995 3

AUSTRALIAN BIRD WATCHER 1995, 16, 3- 10

Cape York in the Wet (Part Two)

by GORDON R. BERULDSENl and KLAUS UHLENHUP

1P.O. Box 387, Kenmore, Queensland 4069 2P.O. Box 133, Silkwood, Queensland 4856

In a previous paper, Beruldsen (1990) reported on selected species observed on over the years 1986 to 1989 inclusive, with descriptions of habitats, seasonal conditions, nesting and migration. The two present authors have since made a series of trips to that area north of the Jardine River and here record further observations. Uhlenhut is a professional natural-history guide specialising in birds, and was the resident naturalist at the Cape York Wilderness Lodge (now Pajinka Wilderness Lodge) from April 1986 to February 1988.

Selected systematic list

Australian Brush-turkey Alectura lathami On 18 January 1994, along the road from to the Jardine River crossing on the road to Cairns, a Brush-turkey broke cover and flew across the road just in front of the vehicle, to disappear on the other side. The area was tropical woodland and some kilometres from the nearest (small) patches of monsoon . It was a considerable distance from any extensive monsoon forest. The bird's wattle was pinkish white, not bright yellow. It was the breeding season and several of the Brush-turkey mounds seen over the previous few days were being worked. This observation is in contrast with the previous observation of a bird with a yellow wattle near this site, in January 1992 (Beruldsen 1992). The bird was probably a male. At Iron Range the purple/pink-wattled birds are found as far inland as Musgrave, well beyond the monsoon forest areas. In females the wattle is more or less incomplete, none or very little showing at the back of the neck (Uhlenhut pers. obs.). Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalnulta In January 1994 frequently, particularly in the late afternoon, small groups of this species were seen flying south down the coast past Seisea, almost certainly on migration and probably from New Guinea. Groups consisted generally of eight to 20 birds. Long-tailed Buzzard Henicopemis longicauda (?) In January 1993, Beruldsen was driving on the road from Bamaga to Seisea with participants in the Cape York Bird Week. A large raptor was observed in the distance near the settlement of New Mapoon. The raptor flapped and glided slowly, diagonally across the road, ultimately disappearing over the top of dense monsoon forest covering the next ridge. Beruldsen, having made a life-long study of the identification of raptors on the wing and at a distance, immediately recognised that this bird was 'strange'. The particular features that stood out were the large size, the almost uniformly dark (black) colour, the large wings held horizontally in glide with prominent fingers, and a very long tail. It was not possible to stop and pursue the bird, for it was proceeding to fly over dense monsoon forest and soon disappeared behind a ridge. The bird was not a Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax, for the wings were held horizontally in glide and the tail was not wedge-shaped. It was not a dark morph of the Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides, for the tail was far too long and slightly rounded, not slightly fanned with a square tip as in the Little Eagle, and the wing position in glide was too flat. It was not a dark phase of the Black-breasted Buzzard Hamirostra melanostemon, for the tail was far too long (short in the Black-breasted Buzzard), the wings were held horizontally not upswept, and there was no evidence of colour in the wing. It was not a Swamp Harrier Circus approximans, for that species' wings are held in a steep dihedral in glide. It was not a Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus or an immature Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus, for it was far too dark (appeared black) and the tail was far too long. It was not an immature White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster, for again the tail was far too long and the wings were flat and not in a dihedral as in the Sea-Eagle. One is left with little option but to consider a vagrant from New Guinea, and all the indications at the time fitted the Long-tailed Buzzard. AUSTRALIAN 4 BERULDSEN & UHLENHUT BIRD WATCHER

This observation is not published for the purpose of claiming a new species for , but rather as an incentive to others to be alert for a similar bird, or any unusual bird of prey, at the tip of Australia. Gurney's Eagle Aquila gumeyi (?) In January 1991 Beruldsen, with a group of guests, was at the western end of Frangipanni Beach which is on the western side of the tip of Cape York. A large bird of prey, which none of us could identify, was observed flying low over a rocky headland beyond the end of the beach. At first it looked like a Black-breasted Buzzard but the white 'windows' in the wings were indistinct and irregular, and the bird soared on horizontal instead of upswept wings. It was overcast and showery at the time, and we could not risk crossing the creek at the end of the beach where there were several large crocodiles. We had to retreat without an adequate identification, the bird being too far away and the light too poor. Several days later, Beruldsen was in the vicinity of the headland but this time on the western side, at the eastern end of Punsand Bay. A similar bird was observed again in poor conditions, but this time a little closer and in slightly better light. Again the perception was of a Black-breasted Buzzard but the white in the wings was indistinct and irregular, the tail was too long and too fanned, and the wings in glide were held horizontally and not upswept as in the Black-breasted Buzzard. The bird appeared to be the size of, or slightly smaller than, a White-bellied Sea-Eagle (which was also in the vicinity on that day) and uniformly dark, although lighting was poor, and glided on wings held flat . In January 1993 whilst walking along Frangipanni Beach, Beruldsen noticed a large raptor flying from the vicinity of the same headland towards York Island which is just off the tip of the Cape. The bird flew slowly with long, loping wing-beats, and was identical in appearance to the bird that had been seen two years previously. The bird was observed for 10 minutes, during which time it reached the island and commenced flying back and forth along the shore, apparently foraging. Each time the bird ceased flapping and went into glide, the wings were held horizontally. Ultimately the bird rounded the eastern end of the island and disappeared from sight. It was close in size to a Wedge-tailed Eagle or a White-bellied Sea-Eagle although it was definitely not either, for both those species glide with the wings swept upwards. Likewise it was not a Black-breasted Buzzard, for again that species glides with wings swept upwards, and has a short rounded tail. It was too large to be anything else and one had to conclude that it was a Gurney's Eagle. Again, this sighting is published to encourage others to keep watch. Several other people have reported a similar-looking bird, around the same location, over the past few years. There are records of Gurney's Eagle for Boigu Island in Torres Strait (Garnett 1987) and Cape York (Young in Britton 1992). Red-necked Crake Rnllina tricolor This species is relatively common both in the monsoon forest and elsewhere where there are creeks or water, and breeds freely in the wet season. On one occasion Uhlenhut heard one calling, and eventually located it high on a rocky hillside well away from water, but nevertheless still within monsoon forest. This species appears to wait until after the pre-Wet storms have passed and the monsoon sets in in earnest before it commences breeding. Nests have been found in a dense mat of lawyer vines, at the base of the leaf stem against the trunk of low-growing Pandmzus, and on the ground between the buttresses of a monsoon-forest tree. All nests were close to running streams. Bush-hen Amauromis olivaceus Both authors have searched for this bird, or listened for its call, on most occasions without success. On 14 January 1994 in the evening at Seisea, Beruldsen heard the typical and familiar 'braying' call of a Bush-hen coming from the long grass in a hollow that becomes flooded through the wet season. A search was made the next morning but, as anticipated from the dry conditions, none was found. A few days later, about a kilometre to the south in another area that floods through the Wet, the 'braying' call was again heard, this time at about 0900 h. A search was made of the area several days later, but no bird was seen although the typical 'clucking' call was heard coming from long grass. The locality appeared suited to the species but for the lack of water, and it would have been only a few days to a week or so before sufficient rain would have filled the area. In January 1994, Uhlenhut heard calls and flushed one in rank grass close to Pajinka Wildnerness Lodge just south of the tip of Cape York. Later, the species was also calling several times in the same vicinity. These records help to define the species' distribution in northern Queensland (cf. Marchant & Higgins 1993). Superb Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus superbus Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus regina Both these species are relatively common in the monsoon forest where they feed. However, they breed in different habitats. Whereas the Superb Fruit-Dove breeds in and along the edge of the monsoon forest , where it feeds , the Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove flies to the mangroves, often a considerable distance from its feeding range in the monsoon forest. Why they do that, when farther south they nest in and adjacent to the rainforest, is unknown. VOL. 16 (1) MARCH 1995 Cape York in the Wet 5

Zoe Imperial-Pigeon Ducula zoeae (?) In January 1988, whilst in the monsoon forest near what is known as 'Big Creek', Beruldsen heard a pigeon calling from the canopy a short distance in from the road. The call continued for some time and a note was made of the type of call. Feeding in the same tree from which the call was coming were Pied Imperial-Pigeons Ducula bicolor, and significant quantities of fruit were dropping to the forest floor. As the tree was approached, many Pied Imperial-Pigeons left and immediately the call ceased. Some time after the observer's retreat to the road, Pied Imperial-Pigeons returned and again the call commenced. Once again an attempt was made to walk in to try to identify the call, but again the Pied Imperial-Pigeons became disturbed and the call ceased. A third attempt was made, and then the observation discontinued. That evening, the call was described to a number of prominent ornithologists who were attending that year's Bird Week. Beruldsen was directed to the description of the call of the Zoe Imperial-Pigeon from New Guinea, which fitted the call that had been heard. Again, this is not recorded other than to encourage people to listen carefully for pigeon calls, for the call is quite distinct from that of the Pied Imperial-Pigeon. In New Guinea the Zoe Imperial-Pigeon is generally regarded as occurring singly or in pairs, is generally found in the lowlands and is sometimes seen in association with other pigeons in fruiting figs, which was the situation at the time of this observation. A good description of the call has been given by Coates (1985). Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo Cacorrumtis castaneiventris On 12 January 1994, Beruldsen noticed the nest of a Tropical Scrubwren Sericomis beccarii about a metre above the ground in a small shrub, within a tangle of lawyer vine close to Laradeenya Creek in the Lockerbie Scrub. The nest appeared to be in good condition but the top had caved in, apparently as a result of heavy rain which had fallen in late December 1993. The nest contained an egg that was clearly not that of a Tropical Scrubwren. The egg was similar in shape, base colour and fine markings to a typical egg of the Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantisjlabellifonnis, although it appeared to be slightly smaller, the base colour paler and the markings much more pink. On returning to Brisbane, Beruldsen consulted John Young who has had experience with the Chestnut­ breasted Cuckoo in the Iron Range area. On previous occasions Young had seen six separate nests, four of the Tropical Scrubwren and two of the Lovely Fairy-wren Malurus amabilis, each containing a single cuckoo's egg, similar to the egg of the Fan-tailed Cuckoo but smaller and with 'pinker' markings. Young said that he had never seen the Fan-tailed Cuckoo in the Iron Range region, despite numerous trips to the area, but indicated that the Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo was a resident in the Iron Range vicinity and became particularly active from June to August or September, the months in which most Tropical Scrubwrens apparently choose to nest. Likewise, Uhlenhut noticed at Cape York that the Chestnut-breasted Cuckoos were also particularly active in those same months. Beruldsen observed that in the wet season the Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo was active. In January 1988 the courtship routine, very similar to that of the Fan-tailed Cuckoo, was observed. Two birds, presumably a male pursuing a female, were seen flying swiftly in and out of the treetops, weaving and twisting, all the time uttering loud, high-pitched variable calls. There is no evidence that the Fan-tailed Cuckoo breeds on Cape York either at Iron Range or at the tip of the Cape. However, there is much evidence that the Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo breeds; the typical chestnut-coloured immatures are frequently seen, including in the area where this nest was found. Little Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx minutillus Gould's Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx russatus Beruldsen has made a life-long study of identification of bird calls. In 1986, and in subsequent years at Cape York, a difference in the call of these bronze-cuckoos (see Beruldsen 1990) was noticed between the monsoon forest and mangroves, and the open forest. It was no more than a perception and put down at first to habitat variation, but over time was recognised as consistent between closed and open habitats. It was found that on every occasion in the monsoon forest, and in the mangroves, the author of the call was the Gould's form whereas on every occasion in the open forest the author of the call was the Little form. Whether one form prefers the closed canopy and the other form prefers the open canopy has not been determined, but it does appear that the Gould's form almost invariably parasitises the Fairy (Black-throated) Gerygone Gerygone palpebrosa, which nests in the closed-canopy and mangroves, or the Large-billed Gerygone G. magnirostris, which nests in the mangroves (large mangroves along creek edges), whereas the Little form selects the White-throated Gerygone G. olivacea, in open forests and woodland. Brooker & Brooker (1989) did not make this distinction. These observations support the separation of these cuckoos as different species (Christidis & Boles 1994). Barking Owl Ninox connivens The species is common at the top of the Cape and breeds in the dry season. Most are aggressive, particularly if playback of their calls is used or if they are approached too closely when they have nestlings or fledglings. Most of the literature indicates that the northern birds are browner, darker and smaller than southern birds. Browner they certainly are, but they do not appear smaller, quite AUSTRALIAN 6 BERULDSEN & UHLENHUT BIRD WATCHER

Adult White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea Plate 2 Photo: Neville Male the reverse. Some of the Barking Owls seen by the authors have been of very large proportions, particularly one pair that was feeding young in the vicinity of Seisea in January 1994. Each evening the four, two adults and two young, hawked insects under a street light, the adults frequently feeding their catch to the begging young. They allowed close approach but the adults became aggressive when the young became agitated. One of the adults was a particularly large bird and very reddish in colour, showing almost no white in its plumage. Uniform Swiftlet Collocalia vanikorensis (?) On previous occasions Beruldsen saw swifts, generally in company with Fork-tailed Swifts Apus pacificus, that he felt sure were of this species. Early on the afternoon of 12January 1994, huge numbers of Fork-tailed Swifts were in the Lockerbie area. With the Fork-tailed Swifts was an unknown number of smaller birds that appeared to be uniformly dark, without any white on the top or the underside. VOL. 16 (1) MARCH 1995 Cape York in the Wet 7

Barking Owl Ninox connivens Plate 3 Painting: Steve Tredinnick

Beruldsen watched these birds for probably 10 minutes before noticing two of the smaller swifts flying low in a clearing (just outside the southern end of Lockerbie Scrub). One of the two was followed with binoculars for probably 10 or 15 seconds as it flew around the clearing, frequently below the level of the treetops in the surrounding monsoon forest. The light was good and the colour shading on the bird clearly discernible. Underneath, despite appearing to be all dark, when closely observed it was noted that the throat, rump and under-tail coverts were paler but definitely not white. Otherwise, the bird seemed to be a greyish black or bluish black with flashes of sheen, depending on the angle of the sun. The silhouette was smaller than that of the Fork-tailed Swifts, the body more slender and the wings appeared to be longer and more slender in proportion. Later that afternoon, back at Seisea, AUSTRALIAN 8 BERULDSEN & UHLENHUT BIRD WATCHER

there were huge numbers of Fork-tailed Swifts flying around and again an occasional, smaller all-dark swift. This may well have been the same group that had been seen some hours earlier at Lockerbie. Red-bellied Pitta Pitta erythrogaster On one occasion Beruldsen and his wife were in the forest observing Red-bellied Pittas, when a male suddenly flew down to the forest floor and joined a female that had been under observation. The female immediately approached the male to within a metre or two, then commenced a series of slow, deliberate bows commencing from a bolt-upright stance and concluding in a bow so low that the female actually pressed her breast to the floor of the forest. When the male failed to respond, she persisted for some time until disturbed. It appeared that she had called the male to the forest floor, for he had been in the canopy calling for some time. He immediately descended upon the first three calls made by the female: calls that are quite distinct from the normal territory call, and very similar to the single mournful whistle (usually given three times in a row) by the female of the Noisy Pitta Pitta versicolor. On occasions the female gives this call several times before the male responds. The mournful call of the Red-bellied Pitta, although appearing to be quite different from the 'walk­ to-work' of the Noisy Pitta, is in fact similar and could be described as 'walk-to-work' if one listens carefully. The difference is that the first note in the call of the Red-bellied Pitta is a long, drawn-out call as distinct from the shorter 'walk' call of the Noisy Pitta. White-streaked Honeyeater Trichodere cockerelli In April 1989, Beruldsen noticed a number of small cup-shaped nests built in low shrubs in tropical woodland on the southern bank of the Jardine River. All the nests were built within a metre of the ground and in quite open, small-leaved shrubs, and the nests appeared to have been used recently. They were of a relatively open structure, allowing the monsoon rain to run through without saturating the nest, and were in good condition but showed evidence of young having departed. The nests were of a relatively frail structure and sufficiently fragile not to have survived through the whole year. They were apparently the nests of this species, for they were very similar to two nests that were observed under construction the previous January in tropical heathland farther north. In January 1994, similar habitat was located along the north bank of the Jardine River west of the pump station. The country is tropical woodland with a thin strip of riverine vegetation, and areas of small-leaved shrubs to several metres high. The species was quite common in the area; in one particular patch about 12-14 pairs were displaying. Ten nests were located, all new and ready for eggs. The species was actively displaying, the display flight being similar to that of the White-cheeked Honeyeater Phylidonyris nigra (see Longmore 1991). These observations indicate that the main nesting season of this species is the Wet and not the post-Wet season as has been reported previously (Beruldsen 1990, Longmore 1991). It is also interesting to note that all of the nests that have been found have been clearly visible, sometimes from as far as 10 or 15 metres, and not well hidden as literature suggests (Longmore 1991). This species appears to be locally nomadic into forests and adjacent clearings. Yellow-legged Flycatcher Microeca griseoceps It would appear from our observations that this species delays nesting until the monsoon sets in, for several nests have been found under construction during the pre-Wet storm season, yet not proceeded with. Those nests that have proceeded have done so only when the Wet has set in in earnest. This is a similar situation to the Red-necked Crake and the Red-bellied Pitta. White-faced Robin Tregellasia leucops As previously reported (Beruldsen 1990), the authors have been able to find this species only in one particular location in Lockerbie Scrub and then only in small numbers. Subsequent detailed searches of other areas, in particular a stream in what is known as Cody Pocket, proved fruitless. The one suitable location that has not been thoroughly examined is along Mew Creek, so there may yet be another location at the top of the Cape for this species. The contrast between this and the large number of White-faced Robins to be found in the forest at Iron Range is most noticeable, although a reason for the restricted numbers at Cape York is not apparent. Mangrove Robin Eopsaltria pulverulenta To be sure of seeing this species, one had to either visit Mount Adolphus Island off the tip of the Cape or visit by boat the huge mangrove forests surrounding Jackey Jackey Inlet. On one occasion a call was heard from the mangroves surrounding Crocodile Creek at the end of Frangipanni Beach, but otherwise the birds could not be found on the mainland. On 20 January 1994 around midday on the landward side of mangroves at the mouth of Mew Creek at Muddy Bay, just north of Somerset, calls of the species were heard. There were at least eight Mangrove Robins, and probably more, in those mangroves. Mimicking of their call brought them up to view, causing them some consternation. Later it was discovered that two pairs were feeding young. In 1910, Barnard (1911) was in the same mangroves but failed to record having seen this species there. VOL. 16 (1) MARCH 1995 Cape York in the Wet 9

Adult male Red-backed Fairy-wren Malurus melanocephalus Plate 4 Photo: Neville Male

Wbite-browed Robin Poecilodryas superciliosa There have been reports of this species north of the Jardine River, but despite frequent searches no evidence of the bird could be found until January 1994, when Uhlenhut located a pair and heard another calling in dense riverine vegetation on the north bank of the Jardine River. Several days later, Beruldsen investigated and found three pairs in that relatively small pocket of thick vegetation. Black-winged Monarch Monarcha frater Outside the migration season (September to November on the southward movement and March to May on the northward movement), there has been only an occasional record of this species at Cape York and then only a fleeting observation that could not be repeated the following day. Why all Blad winged Monarchs go to the scrubs at Iron Range and none appears to remain at the Cape is a puzzl that is yet to be resolved. AUSTRALIAN 10 BERULDSEN & UHLENHUT BIRD WATCHER

Cicadabird Coracina tenuirostris On Cape York Peninsula, at least from the latitude of about Weipa north, the call of this species is different from that of southern birds. This unfamiliar (at least to Beruldsen) call has been heard on several occasions at Cape York, most frequently in January 1994. The call is similar to the cicada­ like kree-kree-kree-kree, with a slightly downward or diminishing trend, but the notes are long and drawn out and do not have the tapering-off in the call typical of the southern bird. A careful field observation could not detect any apparent difference in the plumage of the northern birds. However, the Kimberly, Top End (Northern Territory) and Cape York Peninsula birds are a separate subspecies from the southern population (Schodde & Tidemann 1986). Like this tropical race, some resident races in the New Guinea region·utter a slow call (Beehler et al. 1986, Coates 1990). Black Butcherbird Cracticus quoyi North of the Jardine River we have only seen black, not rufous, individuals. They are common in monsoon forest and nearby open forest and less so in the mangroves. Although some juveniles in north-eastern Queensland are rufous (e.g. Schodde & Tidemann 1986), this is not the case on Cape York. Cisticola Cisticola sp. At about 0900 h on 18 January 1994, three small birds that were clearly of this genus were observed. They were active in tall new-season grass around a small palm in a clearing, just outside monsoon forest at the southern end of Lockerbie Scrub. Beruldsen and a companion observed these birds for some five minutes or more, for none of the three had a golden head nor did they have any black streaks or any marks on the head. Otherwise they were fuirly typical of a male Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis with a pale buff-coloured head rather than a golden head. They resembled a female in breeding plumage, but without the streaked crown. The pale buff colour up the sides and over the nape extended unifonnly over the whole head down to the line of the eye and from there faded out to whitish on the throat. Neither author has seen cisticolas in this location before, nor anywhere near this location despite frequent visits. Although the three birds were active in climbing around the tall grasses and hopping around among the branches of the palm tree (with a small party of Red-backed Fairy-wrens Malurus melanocephalus), they did not make any call. They appeared to be typical cisticola size. Later, Beruldsen discussed the sighting with Uhlenhut, and further visits were made to the area by both authors over the next few days without seeing the birds again. Whether the birds were Golden-headed Cisticolas in an intermediate plumage phase or whether they were something else we cannot determine. This was the commencement of the wet season and they should have been in breeding plumage or, alternatively, one or more should have had black streaks on the top of the head. This observation is recorded to encourage others to observe carefully any cisticola seen on Cape York north of the Jardine River. The authors' only records of Golden-headed Cisticolas here are one at Black Swamp (despite frequent visits there) and a small population in the grasslands surrounding the airstrip at the Bamaga (Jackey Jackey) airport. References Barnard, H.G. (1911), 'Field notes from Cape York', Emu 11, 17-32. Beehler, B.M., Pratt, T.K. & Zimmerman, D.A. , (1986) , Birds ofNew Guinea, Princeton University Press, Princeton. Beruldsen, G.R. (1990), 'Cape York in the Wet', Aust. Bird Uiltcher 13, 209-217. --(1992), 'Wattle colour of Australian Brush-turkey on Cape York', Aust. Bird Watcher 14, 317. Britton, P.L. (1992), 'The Queensland Ornithological Society bird report, 1991', Sunbird 22, 51-83. Brooker, M.G. & Brooker, L.C. (1989), 'Cuckoo hosts in Australia', Aust. Zool. Reviews 2, 1-67. Christidis, L. & Boles, W.E. (1994), The Taxonomy and Species ofBirds ofAustralia and Its Territories, RAOU Monograph 2, Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, Melbourne. Coates, B.J. (1985, 1990), The Birds of Papua New Guinea, vols I & 2, Dove, Brisbane. Garnett, S. (1987), 'An Australian record of Gurney's Eagle', Aust. Bird Uiltcher 12, 134. Longmore, W. (1991) , Honeyeaters & their Allies of Australia, Angus & Robertson, Sydney. Marchant, S. & Higgins P.J. (Eds) (1993), Handbook ofAustralian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, vol. 2, Oxford University Press, Melbourne. Schodde, R. & Tidemann, S.C. (Eds) (1986), Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds, 2nd edn, Reader's Digest Services, Sydney. Received 31 March 1994 •