Photo: Pauline Follett The Rainbow

Volume 5 Number 4 November 2016 Issue: 88

Contents

1. Cattle Egrets 11. Grey Plover

2. Tawny Frogmouths 12. Falcons

3. Wind Farms 13. Magpie Attacks

Cattle Egrets 4. Leafless Ballart 14. Waterbirds as Parents

th 5. Kelso Block 15. Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos On 20 September Jayna reported to the club that she had seen two Cattle Egrets in the paddock adjoining the Etiwanda 6. Owlet-Nightjar 16. Trip to Nelson wetlands. Cattle Egrets aren’t often seen in this district and are 7. Emu-Wrens 17. Passing of Barry McLean more often seen close to the coast. They are usually seen 8. Outing to Murray-Sunset 18. Declining Bird Numbers accompanying cattle. 9. Outing to Margooya Lagoon 19. Outing to Kelso Block Perhaps the small numbers of grazing cattle around these parts 10. Kemendok 20. in Back yards aren’t sufficient to lure them north very often. It would seem 21. Club Calendar/ Sightings that they find paddocks that have a little surface water attractive. Tawny Frogmouths

The coloured bird below is one of the birds Jayna saw and is in Tawny Frogmouths are relatively abundant nocturnal birds which, due to their flecked , are not easily seen. When approached they, most commonly, partial breeding plumage. A bird in non-breeding plumage is all straighten their bodies by liftig their heads and this action, combined with the white. streaked markings on their feathers, makes them hard to distinguish from a broken limb.

Golf courses are a favoured haunt of Tawny Frogmouths due to the existence of open fairways that are surrounded by trees. The trees provide a vantage point from which they can look for prey on the open parts of the golf course.

Col. Stewart and other golfers at the Wentworth Golf Course found a pair last season and they have nested there again this year. Golf Club had resident frogmouths for many years.

Red Cliffs Golf Club is very proud of its resident frogmouths. The pair that has roosted there for many years has moved across to the opposite side of the course to their historical nesting area to make way for another pair. One of this latter pair is, presumably, their offspring and this pair were nesting from late August.

Apparently, both sexes incubate their eggs and feed each other at nesting time.

BirdLife P. O. Box 1722, Mildura, VIC 3502 The Rainbow Bird Editors: Allan Taylor, [email protected] Finley Japp, [email protected]

Wind Farms Leafless Ballart Or Leafless Cherry, aphyllus Roger mentioned, last night the 2nd August, about the impact that existing and proposed wind farms are having on birdlife. There is no doubt that birds and bats During the club’s outing to the Kelso Block, I mentioned that Gilbert’s are being killed by contact with the huge blades of windmills. Whistlers favour habitat which consists mainly of belar and leafless ballart. The birds use the tree (it is really little more than large bush) as cover when In order to get some idea of the extent of the problem, I had a quick look though they feel threatened. I think that they also nest in the bush. several internet websites. The subject was discussed on the ABC science show. A Recently Jayna found a Crested Bellbird’s nest in a small leafless cherry and this caused me to think back and I remembered that I had seen a lady who was hired by the Tasmanian Hydro authority to look into the matter similar bellbirds’nest in a ballart tree elsewhere in the Kelso Block. mentioned a report that was linked from the ABC website to that of the Hydro The Leafless Ballart or “cherry”gets its name from the small red fruit authority but, when I tried to access it, the report had gone. Perhaps there are which appear for a short while during spring/summer. I have seen Striped solid facts available but my cursory attempt didn’t unearth them. Honeyeaters eating the fruit and doubtless a number of other bird species will do so as well. The fruit of the related Native Cherry or Cherry Ballart My knowledge on the subject is almost nil but my understanding is that the was reportedly a delicacy for the aboriginal people and the plant was blades turn relatively slowly. I would have thought that expert fliers like birds and spread by means of birds eating the fruit. The pod of the fruit isn’t digested bats would have little trouble seeing and avoiding the turning blades. Bats, in by the bird and passes though it in a softened state that will, sometimes particular with their solar flying equipment are known to manoeuvre around germinate to produce a new tree. Apparently the sap of the Native Cherry each other and various other small objects in caves and the like in complete was used by the aboriginals as a remedy for snake bite poison. darkness. Both species of Ballart are semi-parasitic and their roots will seek out the roots of a host tree to gain nutrients that will supplement other food Perhaps it is the configuration of the various mills that constitute the farm that gathered up by their own roots. I have seen a leafess ballart tree growing cause the problem. Maybe the farm creates wind turbulence that unsettles the well away from any other tree but, on closer inspection, it became obvious that the original host tree had died. The ballart tree had outlived it. flight of the birds and bats. Another explanation is that the blades kill birds and Apparently, the ballart roots will send up a new tree if they are disturbed. bats that become unwary due to the stress caused when hunting prey or being Belar roots have a similar property. hunted. Yet another is that the sound waves or electrical discharge that the The “leaves” are actually branchlets and the actual leaves are simply small motors give off disorientate the birds and bats. scales that are, apparently, shed.

Some people residing close to wind farms tell of having much stress due to something related to the turbines. At the same time, their neighbours don’t Kelso Block experience any adverse side-effects at all. It is hotly disputed by the experts that wind turbines create some sort of electrical field that can be heard or felt by The property that is now known as the “Kelso Block” is, in fact, the remainder of what was the Coomealla Station lease. Over the years, the humans. Coomealla Irrigation Area extended into it and the Buronga Hill Winery and Botanical Gardens have also been excised from it’s area. Of course, most of the experts don’t live adjacent to the farms. It is, sometimes, The lease was administered by the Western Lands Commission, as were a little too easy to dismiss claims of adverse health and nervous system most of the station properties in the Western Division of NSW. conditions as the result of hypochondria or over-imagination. I well remember The Western Division encompasses all the area in the far west of NSW and the effect that an electrical appliance had on me many years’ ago. In the early includes the towns of Balranald, Wentworth, , Cobar, days of computers we experienced a lot of trouble with electrical interference on Wanaaring, Bourke, Brewarinna and Tibooburra. the performance of the early computers which, at that time, didn’t have in-built The Western Lands Commission was set up to protect the pastoral filters to even out the flow of electricity from the wall switch to the computer. properties in the west from further degradation resulting from over- After much trouble, we came to the conclusion that we needed to buy a filter or stocking. When the Division was first settled by squatters in the mid- line conditioner which was then installed between the switch and the computer. 1800s, there were very few white people and the grazing holdings were The filter was quite large (to the extent that it was hard to lift) but worked away huge. For example the area that is now the was all day without us giving it any thought. At the close of day, it was switched off comprised of only Lake , Avoca, Para, Cuthero, Moorna, Bunnerungie, Tapio, Garnpang, and one or two other stations. with the computer and I can still remember the feeling of a heavy load being Weather conditions were, apparently, relatively good initially and large lifted off my shoulders at that time. It had, unknown to us, been affecting us to numbers of sheep were run on those properties. Pastures were eventually some extent all day. The “experts” denied that the power supply would affect degraded and when the large stations were later divided into smaller computers. In fact, though, I heard on some authority, that, at that time holdings, further land degradation occurred as the selectors/settlers Mildura’s TV station STV8 was put off the air by a power surge. endeavoured to make their smaller holdings viable. The inevitable droughts occurred in the 1890’s and the already degraded land became more so. Voltages delivered to the consumer vary all day and every day. It is not these The Western Lands Commission was set up as part of the NSW Lands variations that are any cause of concern. They are caused by the average needs Department to limit the over-grazing in the leases it was to control. Station of towns and consumers varying from time to time. The “spikes” that I am properties were allocated carrying capacity limits to which they had to referring to are the result of the worker next door who is using an arc welder or adhere. The carrying capacities were calculated on the basis of the types of the sawmill plant or packing plant being switched on and off. You might recall, country that constituted each property. For example, the portion of a station particularly in the older TVs, the row of little dots that flowed across the screen that might be covered by dense mallee might have a carrying capacity of 1 from time to time. These were the result of power spikes. I wonder how many sheep to 20 acres. Land with open country with good grass or herb cover birds are killed by farm windmills. Their blades turn much faster than those of the wind farms. It’s a matter to which I had never given any thought. might be 1 sheep to 8 to 10 acres, and so on. Mavis Preisig’s father owned the Coomealla lease for some 20 years from 1954. The lease was later taken over by the McLeod brothers from “Kelso Station, immediately north of Wentworth”. The lease was later relinquished by the McLeods, largely because of the continuing losses from town dogs savaging their sheep. An attempt was then made to have the area made an Aboriginal Biosphere but government funds weren’t forthcoming so, recently, the lease reverted 2 Newsletter Headine back to the Lands Department and became known as the “Kelso Block”. Australian Owlet-Nightjar bushfires wiped out the entire populations of Mallee Emu-wrens in Ngarkat and Billiatt Conservation Parks in South . On a recent visit to Ken Rix in hospital, Ken and I got into conversation with a nurse who was shovelling dozens of pills into Ken. The conversation quickly These losses have resulted in Mallee Emu-wren colonies being turned from the subject of Ken’s health to more important matters, namely, birds confined to isolated pockets of mallee forest in Wyperfield, in the nurse’s backyard. It transpired that she regularly had many Mistletoe Birds Murray Sunset and Hattah Kulkyne National Parks. and Owlet-nightjars visit her garden. The garden was in Cardross, adjoining the Cardross Lakes area so it attracted many bush birds. She said that she has had as many as four families of Owlet-nightjar nesting in The main purpose of the current bird-count is to determine her backyard in one season. She had encouraged this by installing nesting boxes. which areas of these three National Parks should be protected The boxes were obtained over the internet. Various internet sites provide nesting boxes or specifications for nesting box from bushfire-prevention back-burns and the like. I don’t think, construction. One such site is “birdsinbackyards”. But there are several others at this stage, serious consideration has been given to the such as Latrobe Uiversity and, even, ebay. The Owlet-nightjar is a small (about the size of a Noisy Miner) nocturnal bird that possibility of re-locating colonies or families within those is found all over Australia, although it prefers the warmer climates. It nests in colonies. tree hollows and is known to go into a state of torpor during cold periods. The state of torpor is a state where the body’s metabolism slows down, thus using up less energy in the colder times when insect prey is less abundant. It would seem to me that the various procedures to try to ensure the future of this species should include trials in relocating the birds.

I don’t have an extensive enough knowledge of the habitats in the various National Parks and Reserves adjacent to the three mentioned above but, ostensibly, Mallee Cliffs NP, Scotia Reserve and Tarawi Nature Reserve in NSW and Gluepot, Calperum and Danggali in S.A. would appear to have pockets of old-growth mallee. These mallee areas have the under-story of Triodia that is necessary for Mallee Emu-wrens to nest and forage.

I have no idea of what insects the Mallee Emu-wrens feed but I wouldn’t imagine the tiny insects, beetles, grubs and the like on which they feed would differ much from those existing in the N.S.W. and S.A. parks that I have mentioned above. I have a feeling that the birds aren’t specialist feeders in that they would eat any small fauna that they could comfortably swallow.

Mallee Emu-Wrens

Birdlife Threatened Bird Network team are in the process of determining the estimated numbers and distribution of the Mallee Emu-wren. In due course, the team will have a fairly good idea of the sites at which Mallee Emu-wren colonies exist and the densities of the populations within those sites. This male Mallee Emu-wren has caught, for him, a large butterfly. I didn’t see it drop the There is much concern over the future of these little birds as butterfly so, presumably it was eaten their habitat is vulnerable to bushfires. In fact, the 2014

Month 2012 3

If ever re-location of the birds is attempted, it would need to be Trip to Murray Sunset determined whether single pairs would breed in isolation or whether a family group or even an entire colony would be needed. In the previous issue of Birdlife Australia’s publication there was an article on the decline in the number of sightings of the various Australian Grasswren Species. I would imagine that, when sightings occur, it is often of a family group The grasswren that is seen locally, that is in the Victorian and South Australian of around four. Is it possible that the female needs helpers to raise the Mallee, the Striated Grasswren has, anecdotally, declined in numbers along with young birds? the other species.

I, once, saw a group of four which seemed to be comprised only of Don and Chris Lill, members of the Field Nats., who Birdlife Mildura young males but, I guess, that group wouldn’t, by itself, be of much use members will know from the recent trip to Barmera and from some of our for breeding purposes. previous combined excursions in our District, have found the reported decline in sightings of the Striated Grasswren over the last 6 to 10 years to be a fact in their experience. In fact, to their knowledge, no sightings of the species have occurred There are many people who would oppose moving the Mallee Emu- in Riverland Mallee north of the for several years. wrens to locations that they haven’t traditionally inhabited. Ideally this may be preferable but I feel, if there is a choice between broadening the On 12th July, in an effort to, again, have a sighting of the Grasswren and, areas in which they can live and breed and the possibility of their habitat hopefully, also the Mallee Emu-wren, they made the long journey from the being reduced to such a small area that their existence can be Riverland to the eastern end of Pheeney’s Track. The Victorian part of their threatened by a few large fires, I think the first option is the best one. In journey commenced when they entered the Murray Sunset NP onto Pheeney’s any case, it is possible, although unlikely, that Mallee Emu-wrens existed Track. They, shortly, turned north into Stubby Track until they came to an old windmill and dam. There were quite a few mallee birds at that spot, including the in far more extensive areas of mallee country in the time before white Southern Scrub-robin, Shy Hylacola and Hooded Robins. settlement. This certainly was the case with mammals. For example Tasmanian Tigers and Devils were found in this District in years gone by After returning to Pheeney’s Track they journeyed on past North-South as were bilbies and other smaller mammals that have long since been Settlement Road to a spot 5 km further on where a pair of quail-thrush ran across extinct in the area. the road. Bird sightings decreased as they went further eastwards. Unfortunately, the Striated Grasswrens and Mallee Emu-wrens decided to remain hidden. It was interesting to read, recently, that some thought has been given to re-introducing Tasmanian Devils into Victoria in order to attempt to From watching the nightly weather reports, it seems that recent rain belts from reduce the populations of feral cats that are, in turn, at present reducing , as has been the case for several years now, have diverted south once they entered the western edge of Victoria, leaving less rain around the numbers of Eastern Quolls. . This might account for reports of recent bird sightings having suggested that it is better birding as you travel west along Pheeney’s Track. However, most of the mallee along Pheeney’s Track appeared in good health and the Lills had several sightings of flowering eromphila oppositifolia ssp purprea near the corner of Pheeney’s and Bambill South Track.

When travelling around the Murray Sunset National Park, time soon flies because the long distances involved so they soon had to turn for home. Further hunting for Striated Grasswrens and Emu-wrens, perhaps in Hattah Kulkyne National Park, will have to wait for another day.

BIRDLIFE MILDURA OUTING TO MARGOOYA / LAKE POWELL / WANDOWN – 7th August, 2016.

We met at “The Hub” at 8.30. There were 10 in total in 4 vehicles (3 larger 4WD The above photo of a male mallee emu-wren was supplied by Mike Todd after he & a smaller AWD). There was some discussion regarding the details for the day saw the bird at Hattah on around 30th July 2016. This bird is a great image and the formalities of “signing in” were attended to. Alec Hawtin was our leader. because the bird is nicely posed away from the triodia in which it inhabits. On most occasions the little birds move quickly in and out of the triodia, givig the We drove to via Euston and then on to the road. Side- photographer little time to focus on and snap the birds. The resulting photos, tracking to the smaller Tol Tol road took us closer to the river Murray. We went in therefore, have an image of the bird that is partly obscured by or shaded by the to a small wetland / swamp area near the river that had (possibly) been filled triodia. with environmental water which was now receding. Several Regent Parrots with Thanks for the image, Mike – It’s a beauty! their flash of yellow and distinctive flight were sighted. We had a 30 minute or longer walk in amongst some magnificent old Red Gums. There were some small native plants but also introduced species (weeds!) around the water edge. Also

some signs of “visitors” with discarded bottles some of which clearly had the potential to be a fire hazard through their magnifying effect.

Bird Sightings at Margooya: Hoary-headed Grebe, Australasian Grebe, Australian Pelican, Darter, Great Cormorant, Little Pied Cormorant, White-faced Heron,

4 Newsletter Headine Sacred Ibis, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Black Swan, Australian Shelduck, Pacific Black And yes, there was an incident. Although I am rather proud of my small AWD Duck, Grey Teal, Wood Duck, Whistling Kite, Galah, Little Corella, Sulphur-crested Subaru’s ability to allow me to access many locations, I became well & truly Cockatoo, Yellow Rosella, Red-rumped Parrot, Laughing Kookaburra, Rufous “bogged” on one of the sandy rises in the road. I was possibly too close behind Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Noisy Miner, Striated the preceding vehicle and failed to take the best line over a small hill, so that the Pardalote, White-winged Chough, Magpie, Regent Parrot (total of 29) car became lodged on the sandy central ridge. Some concerted pushing couldn’t dislodge the car, nor were the wheels gripping. With the welcome assistance and experience of the others and their 4WD equipment (shovels, etc) as well as know-how, by using Geoff’s snatch-strap and attaching to “Roger’s magnificent We did not have to detour very far off the bitumen roads to access Lake Powell. bull-bar” (quote) the car was pulled backwards off the ridge. Through judicious It appeared to have had a substantial fill of environmental water which also choice of track and a bit of accelerator to develop momentum, I managed to seemed to be slowly receding. There were small saplings (Red Gums?) at the negotiate further sandy sections and was happy to reach the gravel “highway” of edge of the water with more mature trees (seedlings from 2010?) well into the Koorkab Road. Pauline described it as the “light-hearted entertainment” for the water. At the lake there were quite a few good sightings of a variety of birds from day. I found it sobering and I reflected on the potential consequences of being small black-fronted dotterels on nearby sand bars to a number of yellow-billed stranded in a remote spoonbills in the distance. The club’s scope & tripod were brought into action and location. My thanks to all adjusted with care. Also present were black swans, various distant ducks, of my companions for Australasian & hoary-headed grebes as well as a flock of around twenty Regent getting me out of the Parrots. A wedge-tailed eagle flew high overhead. There were also the sounds of predicament. As far as I nearby “scrub birds” whose song characteristics tested and challenged the know, no damage has experts to identify. been done, my clutch still does its job and I Additional Bird Sightings at Lake Powell or travelling: Straw-necked Ibis, Black may invest in some Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Australian Kestrel, Eurasian Coot, Masked Lapwing, simple “recovery” Black-fronted Dotterel, Silver Gull, Caspian Tern, Crested Pigeon, Mallee equipment to carry with Ringneck, Blue Bonnet, Welcome Swallow, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Crested me. I accept some Bellbird, Willie Wagtail, Splendid Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, Brown Tree- locations are “4WD …and creeper, , Striped Honeyeater, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Singing require good clearance! Honeyeater, Brown-headed Honeyeater, Magpie-lark, Grey , Pied Butcherbird, Australian Raven, Little Raven (total of 29) Overall it was a successful day’s birding with 68 different species sighted at the various locations and while travelling. The diverse range of habitats clearly From Lake Powell we moved on to Wandown FFR (Flora & Fauna Reserve). We contributed to this number. We had mainly pleasant sunny, blue sky Mallee reach it by driving on weather. After an afternoon tea-break near Moss Tank, we arrived back at gravel roads for some around 5.30pm. distance which eventually turned in to the sandy and undulating Meridian Report by Alasdair track. There was not Campbell. the same variety of birds in this area, but the remote nature of the reserve with its extensive area of remnant native mallee seemed to be attractive to Malleefowl. We were guided, through precise GPS navigation by Finley, and Alec’s experience with the map, to five Malleefowl nesting sites in different stages of “use”, located within about 100metres of the Meridian track. Two of the nests were in current use with leaf / stick litter in the centre of the earth mound, two others had an open earth mound but no vegetation litter, while one was quite flat with no signs of recent use, possibly a disused nest from a number of years ago. We did not see any Malleefowl, although we used our tracking skills to try and read such signs as emu tracks, the presence of foxes and possibly other fauna.

Bird Sightings at Wandown: Emu, Common Bronzewing, Jacky Winter, Gilbert’s Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Fantail, Weebill, Yellow-throated Miner, Yellow-rumped Pardalote, Grey , Spotted Harrier (total of 11)

Month 2012 5

Kemendok

A fairly recent development, on the NSW side of Sunraysia has Falcons been the proclamation of Kemendok National Park. In March 1988, approximately, 1000 ha of river bend country was excised Lindsay Cupper has told me that no falcon builds its own nest. On thinking about from Mallee Cliffs National Park and called Kemendok Reserve. this, I remember that I have seen Kestrels nesting in tree hollows - for example, This reserve is situated on the NSW side of the Murray from on Ryan and McSwain Roads off Meridian Road - (both nests found by Lindsay); Colignan. Subsequently, in July 2010, a further area of around an old magpies’nest on Meridian Road, a little south of the Road (found 10,000 ha was taken from Mallee Cliffs National Park and by Ken Job); a small knot-hole in a dead tree on the north side of Thegoa Lagoon; named Kemendok National Park. The new park is situated and the window ledge at the Coomealla branch of the old Mildura Co-op building. opposite Nangiloc in Victoria and south to surround the Australian Hobbys nested in an old magpies’ nest at the Wentworth Golf Course Kemendok Reserve. last season. It is well known that Peregrine Falcons often nest on ledges on cliff faces. One pair nested in an old tree across the river from Dareton last season and the previous year. The relevant website states that the park contains around 50% Recently I came across a Brown Falcon nesting in what appeared to be a disused of the known nesting sites in NSW for Regent Parrots. Some of magpies’ nest in the Kelso block. I have a feeling that it may have nested there in the nesting sites would, undoubtedly, serve as the base for previous years as falcons have been seen in that general vicinity on a challenge Regent Parrot families that forage for food around Nangiloc, Bird Count and on other occasions. Colignan and Hattah Kulkyne National Park as well as further west to Murray Sunset National Park.

The website also states that the riverine areas of Kemendok are home to Sugar Gliders, Feather Tailed Gliders, Koala and Platypus. However I doubt that.

Late last year Pauline Follett, Jayna and I went to Kemendok and, eventually, located a pair of Dollarbirds that appear to visit the area annually. They can be seen with some difficulty from the opposite side of the River at Watts Bend. On that visit we also saw a White-Bellied Sea Eagle.

Incidentally, “KemendoK” was the name of the local aboriginal tribe in that area. At least this was the name by which tribal members knew themselves. Their neighbours, the Barkinji peoples, knew them as the “Kureiji”. The tribe was located between the Maraura tribe of the lower Darling and the Euston tribes. Peregrine Falcon - Photo: Pauline Follett Also, while mentioning the aboriginal connection to place- Magpie Attacks names, I might mention that “Colignan” was apparently the name of an aboriginal leader in the area and “Nangiloc” is We have just come through another magpie breeding season. I was swooped by a “Colignan” spelt backwards. magpie at Dareton but I couldn’t see the nest that he was defending. The attack started me wondering whether there have been any deaths resulting from similar attacks. Grey Plover I seem to recall that a man died in Twelfth Street some 12 to 15 years ago after being struck in the face by an attacking bird. I think that the man had a heart I have received an email from Mike Todd, a conservation officer with the NSW condition and that he probably died from shock, rather than the injuries arising Office of Environment and Heritage arising from the article in the August from the attack. newsletter about the Grey Plover. Mike has stated that sightings of Grey Plovers in Most attacks don’t involve actually striking the victim but involve that clicking Western NSW are very rare. The ones that he is aware occurred at Kinchega NP in sound close to your ear as the bird flies past. However, there have reports of December 1980, ours in December 2011 and one by him at Nearie Nature Reserve relatively serious injuries when a particularly aggressive bird is involved. Other on 1st October 2014. Mike has also supplied me with information of a tracking injuries have been reported when a victim tries to escape an attack and, for operation on two Grey Plovers. Thanks for that information, Mike, and example, falls off a bike or trips. congratulations on your sighting. People riding bikes are, apparently, more often attacked than walkers. It is said The two plovers mentioned above were fitted with satellite tracking devices and that keeping an eye on the attacker will discourage it, although this isn’t always leg bands and released at Adelaide in March last year. The two birds took different the case. The drawing of large eyes on bike helmets might serve this purpose flight paths but both ended up at Wrangel Island, I tiny island off the north east although, again, this doesn’t always work. The tying of steel cable ties on bike cost of Russia in the Arctic Circle. One bird had flown, firstly, to Kununurra, WA helmets is said to work as a deterrent, particularly if the ties are allowed to and then to Timor, Philippines, Taiwan, the Yellow Sea and finally to Russia. The dangle downward from the helmet. other had flown the mainland China route. Birds are known to target some people rather than others, as magpies can When captured again at Thompson Beach, north of Adelaide, in January 2016, the birds had flown 13000 kms. distinguish between various peoples’ faces. It is important not to run from an Bill Williams has been to Thompson Beach several times in recent years and has attacking bird as that action only encourages the bird to further aggression. seen a Grey Plover there. He says that the bird was a pale colour, having not Magpies aren’t the only birds that will attack humans at nesting time although obtained the black front that distinguishes a bird in breeding plumage. they are, by far, the chief culprits. It is fairly well known that pied will sometimes attack. I have been swooped by black-faced , masked lapwings, silver gulls and a very aggressive noisy minor. Occasionally a mallee ringneck parrot will fly directly at you and veer away at the last moment. I tend to think that this sort of behaviour is just the result of high spirits.

6 Newsletter Headine

Waterbirds as Parents

Ev. reported to the last meeting that she had seen Australian Shelducks at Merbein’s Brickworks Lagoon stirring up the water around their ducklings. The juveniles were fairly large so she surmises that the parents were making prey such as small fish more accessable to the young ones as part of schooling them how to hunt and survive. Many species teach their young how to hunt and kill but I’m not sure how many waterbirds do this. Young Wood Ducks, Eurasian Coots and Purple Swamphens and the like would watch their parents graze and would, as a matter of course, imitate the parents’ behaviour. As pelicans and cormorants mature, they would participate in the group herding of fish that we often see. I have seen a grey teal parent doing the “broken wing” display – splashing around as though the bird is in distress – thus trying to distract me from getting close to their young ducklings.

Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos

Peter and Chris recently reported seeing a very large flock of red-tailed black cockatoos in North-west NSW in August. I was speaking to a Mr McKenzie today (10th October) and he said that there was a very large flock at Lochnagar Station, north-west of Ivanhoe (N.S.W.). The flock had come from the Talywalka Creek which is now in flood, being more than half the width of the Murray at present. Talywalka is a small anabranch of the Darling that leaves the river just south of Wilcannia and fills several lakes in times of high rivers. Red-tailed Black Cockatoos are, apparently, often seen at Menindee and, on rarer occasions, at – the most southern edge of their range for this, the Queensland race. The cockatoos, apparently, move down the from Queensland when conditions are favourable. I guess those conditions would include such as maturing pine cones and casuarina seed pods. Friday 9th We awoke to a cool and showery day but we resolved that this was not going to deter us and so we set at 8.00 am into the Lower Glenelg National Park. We travelled along the middle track in the park through stringybark forest and various undergrowth, including many wattles which were in full bloom, however birds were very scarce until we stopped at Sapling Creek Landing. The rain stopped and the birds appeared with Scrub Wrens, Superb Wrens and Red Browed Finches all around our feet. It was wonderful to see these birds at close range and many a photograph was taken. Geoff and Mavis wandered off a short distance and returned with a photograph that needed identification. It turned out to be a Bassian Thrush so everyone then hunted around to see this bird. In doing so we Grey weather on the way back from Nelson also found Rufous Bristlebirds. Not a bad start to the day Moving on we stopped at several landings including Pritchards Landing NELSON CAMPOUT 8TH-9TH-10TH-11TH SEPTEMBER 2016 th for lunch. The rain had held off and we had seen a lot of other birds Thursday 8 including Yellow Robins, Olive and Golden Whistlers, Brush Allan, Ian, Chris and I set off from Carwarp on our journey to Nelson. Bronzewing, Pied and Grey , and . After We travelled south to Hopetoun where we stopped at lake Lascelles for lunch we headed we headed back to Nelson stopping to admire a few morning tea. On the way we had observed several birds including Koalas and then seeing 100 plus Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos and a Kestral, Major Mitchell Cockatoo and Zebra Finches. Wedge-tailed Eagle being chased by a pair of Pied Currawongs. The Lunch was taken at a roadside stop called Cherrypool about 20 km south sight of all those Cockatoos will be remembered by all. of Horsham. The Glenelg river crosses the highway here and several Back at Nelson we drove to the Estuary of the Glenelg River but the tide birds including Yellow Robin, Sacred Kingfisher and Musk Duck were was well in and all the shorebirds were a long way off, however we did sighted whilst having lunch. With the weather starting to close in we see Swans, a Great-crested Grebe and Musk Ducks. With the help of the headed off south towards Hamilton where the rain started and kept up for scope we saw plenty of Pied Oystercatchers, Sanderlings and Red- the rest of the trip to Nelson. We did see Emus and a pair of Brolgas near capped plovers. We were then invited back to the Woods for afternoon Digby but the rain was too heavy to stop. tea. The house where they were staying is located near the Caravan park We arrived at the Kywong Caravan Park about 4.00 pm to be informed and it has bird feeders set up in the garden. Chris informed us that a that it had been raining all day which dampened our spirits a little. We condition when staying there is to feed the birds at 5.00 pm everyday. met up Geoff, Mavis and the Woods family, who had travelled down We were treated to close up views of Galahs, Crimson Rosellas, Red- early, and made plans for the following day. Month 2012 7

browed Finches and Common Bronzewings with photo opportunities th th galore. Thank you to Doug, Betty and Chris as it ended a very enjoyable 8 to 11 September 2016 day. Emu Cape Barren Goose

Black Swan Musk Duck

Australian Wood Duck Chestnut Teal

Australian Shelduck Hardhead

Pacific Black Duck Mallard

Australasian Grebe Great Crested Grebe

Great Cormorant Little Black Cormorant

Little Pied Cormorant Pied Cormorant

th Saturday 10 Australian Pelican Cape Gannet Again we assembled at 8.00 am and set off for Port Fairy. The rain had kept up and much of the countryside was indeed getting very Australasian Gannet Great Egret waterlogged and this changed our plans a little bit as all the estuaries we had planned to visit were flooded. White-faced Heron White-necked Heron Not to be deterred we had morning tea at Port Fairy and then walked around the wetlands which provided us with views of nesting Swans, Yellow-billed Spoonbill Australian White Ibis Black-winged Stilts with chicks and Chestnut Teal with Chicks. Other birds to be seen were Silvereyes, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and White- Brolga Whistling Kite fronted Chat. If the weather had been a bit better I am sure we would have seen far more birds at these wetlands. Wedge-tailed Eagle Swamp Harrier We then headed back to Portland stopping at Mt Clay for lunch. This area had been burnt last year in a bushfire and is only just starting to Nankeen Kestrel Hooded Plover regenerate. The rain had stopped and few short walks yielded Gang-gang Cockatoos, Scarlet Robin and Eastern Rosella. Dusky Moorhen Purple Swamphen Back to Portland and out to the Point Danger Gannet Colony. It seemed not only the weather was against us but anyone who has been to the Eurasian Coot Sanderling colony knows you have to walk through a rifle range to get close to the birds. Well the range was being used so we could not get to the colony Black-winged Stilt Pied Oystercatcher without be shot so we stayed well clear and watched the gannets from the clifftop. The gannets were busy collecting seaweed for their nests and Sooty Oystercatcher Red-capped Plover apparently good looking seaweed attracts the females so all the birds we saw flying around were males trying to impress their ladies. Masked Lapwing Kelp Gull To rub salt into our wounds a chap turned up and he had a key to the fence that surrounds the rookery and we could have got right among the Silver Gull Crested Tern birds except we had to past the bullets first. No one was game to try. This chap then took us back to the Alcoa wetlands and acted as a guide Caspian Tern Crested Pigeon with a wealth of local knowledge. We found White-naped Honeyeaters, Crested Shrike-tits and other bush birds in this large area. Time was Common Bronzewing Brush Bronzewing running out and we had to head back to Nelson for Dinner at the Nelson Hotel. Spotted Turtle-dove Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo Sunday 11th Homeward bound for most us with Ian, Mavis and Geoff heading back Gang-gang Cockatoo Long-billed Corella through Mt Gambier. Allan and ourselves going back the way we had come through Hamilton and Horsham. Little Corella Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Although the weather had been against us the trip was deemed a great success by those who went and I was pleased to lead such an enjoyable Major Mitchells Cockatoo Galah group. I had set a target of 130 birds all up and 30 target birds and we ended up with 113 species and 20 of our target birds. We missed out on a Crimson Rosella Yellow Rosella lot of seabirds due to the flooded rivers and the windy and wet weather on the coast. Eastern Rosella Fan-tailed Cuckoo I look forward to showing you the group photo’s at the December meeting Azure Kingfisher Sacred Kingfisher Peter Dunstan Laughing Kookaburra Rufous Bristlebird

Mildura Birdlife – Nelson Trip Bird White-throated Treecreeper Superb Fairy-wren List Striated Pardalote White-browed Scrubwren Weebill Brown Thornbill

8 Newsletter Headine Red Wattlebird Little Wattlebird Barry, with three others, ran the Mallee 4*4 Tours from – going into the Sunset Country, Hattah, etc, and when he and Roberta went Yellow-throated Miner Yellow-faced Honeyeater overseas for three months he let me drive his troupy as a fourth driver Singing Honeyeater White-eared Honeyeater for their tours.

New Holland Honeyeater White-naped Honeyeater He, then, ran independent tours in his troupy from Mildura for a few years until he moved from Mildura to Violet Town. The property at Brown-headed Honeyeater Eastern Spinebill Violet Town was much larger than that at Mildura and this gave Roberta White-fronted Chat Scarlet Robin room in which to grow herbs, heirloom vegies and flowers.

Eastern Yellow Robin White-browed Babbler Sharon and I called on them a few years ’ back when we passing and saw the rocky ground that made the property difficult to mow, resulting Crested Shrike-tit Olive Whistler in plenty of grass nearby. Golden Whistler Grey Shrike-thrush One time when Barry was inspecting the back paddock he parked the Restless Flycatcher Grey Fantail troupy on the bank of the dam. While looking at the adjoining fence, the troupy went for a swim – drowning the motor, his binoculars and other Willie Wagtail Magpie-lark stuff. He looked back from the fence to see that the troupy had

Black-faced Cuckoo-shike Grey Butcherbird disappeared. He realised that he hadn’t put the hand break on – expensive lesson learned! Pied Butcherbird The house at Violet Town had pleasant surrounds and wrens used to Grey Currawong feed around them while they were sitting outside the back door – sometimes perching on their knees to feed. As well as wrens there was a Australian Raven White-winged Chough good complement of other birds around their house. Skylark Austalian Pipit Our condolences and love to Roberta and family from all of the Zebra Finch Red-browed Finch members of Sunraysia BOCA (now Birdlife Mildura).

House Sparrow European Goldfinch Regards European Greenfinch Welcome Swallow Alec and Sharon Fairy Martin Silvereye P.S. Barry and I joined the Victorian Mallee Fowl Recovery Group VMRG Bassian Thrush Common Starling and enjoyed monitoring nests at several marked grids in the Murray Sunset National Park – often camping out at the South Bore, Bambill Little Raven Blackbird South, and Pheenys grids. We slept in Barry’s small caravan Bar-tailed Godwit overnight.

Total Species 113 Barry McLean - past President of Sunboca

A large group of family, friends, birdos, fire fighters and locals gathered

at Euroa on Thursday, 13th October to celebrate Barry's life. Vale Barry McLean Barry was president of Sunboca between 1994 and 1998 until his retirement from the Education Department. He had a great love of the river and its environs and made the most of it through birding, camping, fishing and boating. He loved the ordinary birds and didn't just chase the Sharon and I have known Barry and Roberta for many years. Barry "specials". For a short time after retirement he ran a bird tour enterprise joined Sunraysia BOCA and after several years served a further few using his "troupie". It was this troupie that he used to convey our club years as president of the club. members on the various outings. Many an enjoyable outing was had bouncing along in the back of the troupie. (The troupie unfortunately He led a number of outings, including one to Colignan where he and ended its days in the bottom of a dam due to an unfortunate mishap.) Roberta canoed us in relays across the Murray River to do some birding Barry and Roberta then went on a two year travelling odyssey around Australia in a combi van before deciding to settle on a 60 acre bush block and then canoed us back from NSW to the Victorian side. in the hills near Violet Town where the birds were plentiful. There he joined Goulburn/Murray Birdlife and was president for some time. After Barry and Roberta sold their Eleventh Street house they bush- Barry had his local fairy-wrens coming to eat out of his hand and it gave camped near the Cardross lake where they planned to canoe us around him great pleasure to have them there right to his death from Alzheimers the lake but some rotters had stolen their two canoes overnight. disease.

Len Jeffers

Month 2012 9

Declining Bird Numbers

Anecdotally, there has been a steady decline in the number of birds in the Mildura District over the last 20, or so, years. Laurie Jones, just prior to leaving Mildura in 2008, said that he had noticed this over the period of his stay in Mildura. I, and other members of Birdlife Mildura, have noticed a perceived decline since that time. At the time, it was thought that the decline was caused, mainly, by the effects of the 10 year drought that ceased several years’ ago. However, the increase in bird numbers that was expected as the result of the onset of the better climatic conditions in and around Mildura doesn’t appear to have occurred.

Detailed statistics of annual rainfall and temperature over the last, say, 50 years don’t appear to be available on the internet. However, average annual rainfall figures appear to be fairly consistently around Mildura’s average of around 291 mls per annum. For example, the average to 1981 was 301 mls while the average for the period after 1981 is 271 mls. Average annual temperatures since 1960 have increased by a little over 1 degree Celsius.

Neither the slight decrease in average rainfalls nor the increase in average temperatures would, on the face of it, result in particularly adverse living conditions for birds or the insects on which they feed.

Feral cat and fox populations were, I guess, fairly much the same during the last 20 years. Rabbit populations would have declined during the period due to the introduction of the calici virus so losses of grasses and herbs as a result of rabbits feeding on them should have decreased.

The impacts of rabbits, foxes and cats on the environment and its flora and fauna, therefore, shouldn’t have been a significant factor in the decline of the bird populations.

From a cursory inspection of old club newsletters, it seems that the period 1983 to 1987 were good years for the sighting of waders with Common, Wood, and Pectoral Sandpipers, Ruff, Ruddy Turnstones, Black-tailed Godwits, Little Curlew, Great and Red Knots, Long-toed Stints, Bush Stone-curlews, Double-banded Plovers, as well as Latham’s Snipe, Gull-billed Terns and Brolgas being sighted. Since that time, several swamps have, probably, ceased to exist. Fletchers Lake, Meridian Swamps, Buronga Swamp, Gol Gol Swamp, Wentworth Sewage Ponds, Ryan’s Swamp and others now carry little or no water. Mildura Sewage Farm has been at a low level for several years. The Great Anabranch of the Darling has been replaced by a pipeline. Also, some of the earth tanks that were located in National Parks have been filled in. These factors would partly account for a drop in the number of water birds seen in recent years but, it would seem, not be the only reason.

Bush Stone-curlew, Brolga, Spotted Bowerbird and Diamond Firetail, Redthroat and Western Whipbird have, seemingly, all disappeared from this District while, the Curlew Sandpiper, Latham’s Snipe, Ground Cuckoo-shrike and Bustard are now a rarity. Nankeen Night-herons, White-necked Herons, Australian Pratincoles and Brown Goshawks are not often seen now. Even Cockatiel and Budgerigar sightings are down. Also, Red-backed Kingfishers?

Several Birdlife Mildura club members have commented on the fact that there seem to be fewer Rainbow Bee-eaters visiting the District in each of the last few years. Bee-eaters seem to have a preference for dragonflies as their prey. Since dragonflies are found, chiefly, close to water, the reduction in farm run-off and swamp water may have an impact on this source of food. However, the lower incidence of the Bee-eaters seems be District-wide, not just in areas near water.

In the mallee country, even though this is country where birds don’t rely over-much on ground water for survival, Striated Grasswren and, I feel, Red-lored Whistler and Southern Scrub-robin sightings are fewer. Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters seemed, once, to be a fixture in some mallee areas but not so today. I haven’t seen a Jackie Winter in the Kelso Block for several years.

Around the orchards and vineyards Zebra Finch and Silvereye populations are very considerably smaller. Changes in irrigation and weed control methods would account for a lot of the decline, but not for all of it.

Even in the more urbanised areas, House Sparrows and Starlings are markedly down. The greatly reduced levels of long grass might have contributed to the decline in numbers of Starlings.

There have been some increases in numbers of certain species. Blue-faced Honeyeaters came to this District, I am told, in the early 1980s and stayed. Similarly, Red Wattlebirds have become a fixture in a similar period. Rainbow Lorikeets have

10 Newsletter Headine become widely established in this District over the last 10 years and Silver Gull populations have increased from almost nil to becoming very common within the last 60 to 70 years. I have just read a summary of the “interesting bird species” for 1965/66 in the club’s newsletter. It states that the Superb Blue Fairy-wren had been moving upstream (of the Murray) and had been seen in Mildura. It seems as though the species hadn’t previously been sighted in Mildura although, I feel sure, that I used to see them in Curlwaa in the 1940s or 1950s. The reduction of insects on which the birds feed must be one of the main factors influencing the declines mentioned above. For some reason, which I can’t fully understand, insect and spider numbers don’t seem to have recovered since the “millennium drought”. Perhaps they need a run of uniformly good years in which to recover, as do the grasses and herbs on which they, predominantly, live. The lack of water in the Murray River system which led to most river bends and billabongs remaining dry for years on end must have resulted in a huge decline in fauna, including spiders, insects and small reptiles, even though the environmental watering regime has counteracted some of that decline in selected billabongs and lakes along the river. Birds that rely on those spiders and insects and small reptiles must, I guess, take several years in which to establish territories and breed up to large numbers, even when the insects and spiders are plentiful. The loss of bird habitat, by way of land clearing; the loss of water from the rivers and creeks; the death of gum and box trees; and bushfires and bushfire-breaks are further factors that impact on bird numbers. For example, the land around the Dareton patch used to support two colonies of Chestnut-crowned Babblers. Now it supports one colony, probably because the box trees on which they used to build nests, have died. Another example is a small area of mallee east of Gol Gol that used to support Crested Bellbirds but from which they now have disappeared, probably because of the reduction in the their territory due to land clearing for wheat-growing purposes. Similarly, a colony of Mallee Emu-wrens at the Nowingi Line Track-Rocket Lake Track corner seems to have disappeared due to the loss of their territory caused by fire-break burning. None of the factors discussed above would seem to be the total cause of the reduction in bird numbers. Perhaps other factors, such as the change in the nature of the ground cover could be contributors. It is, perhaps, surprising that the majority of our local grasses which we regard as natives are, in fact, exotic and were introduced from overseas, often, in the early 1800s. Is it possible that, after extreme events, such as over-grazing by livestock or rabbits, bushfires or prolonged drought, the incidence of native grasses is further reduced and predominate even more? Native insects might not breed as successfully on the replacement grasses and herbs or, if they are replaced by other native or exotic insects, local bird species might not have a liking for those replacement insects. Most people wouldn’t realise that, for example, Bathurst and Noogoora Burrs aren’t native to Australia. They are known in the US as Spiny and Common Cocklebur, respectively, and are also pest weeds there, having been introduced from South America. The insects and other parasites that feed on those plants in Argentina, for example, presumably wouldn’t occur in Australia. In fact, attempts to introduce to Australia insects that are parasitic to the burrs have largely been unsuccessful. Dodder is parasitic plant which can live on “cockleburs” but, ironically, it too is regarded as a noxious weed in Australia. Incidentally, the Noogoora Burr and its capacity to grip, almost, anything was the inspiration behind the invention of Velcro. If you want to see the effects of the proliferation of Noogoora Burr take a visit to the Mildura Sewage Ponds. There is a sea of burr plants between the tree-line and the water. I don’t remember insects flying off them when I have made my way through the plants.

Some introduced plants (above)

Two other factors that could account for the lower insect numbers have occurred to me. The first reason – a change in the sunshine UV factor – seems unlikely to affect insects as they are deemed to be much hardier than humans. The second – the change in the rainfall patterns – is more likely. Club members would have noticed that rain-bearing weather patterns have consistently slid to the south of Mildura in recent years. This could mean that we rely more on weather patterns from the north to maintain our annual average. In other words, we seem to have more large rainfalls at the expense of the regular showers that might, conceivably, support more vigorous plant growth. Weeds that germinate after larger rains might subsequently burn off before further rains occur. At the last meeting (October) of the club Alec mentioned to me that a spray programme instigated in 1974 to combat Murray Valley Encephalitis killed a large number of birds. The chemical “Abate”, an organophosphate, was aeriel sprayed over billabongs and swamps in the area with the intent of killing the large numbers of mosquitoes that had bred up during the 1974 floods. Mosquitoes transmit the encephalitis virus from water birds (the carriers) to humans. Thirteen people had died as the result of the encephalitis infection so such drastic measures were deemed necessary. As can be seen above, there have been many factors contributing to the reduction of bird numbers in the Mildura District over the last 30 or 40 years.

Month 2012 11

Outing to Botanic Gardens and Kelso Block

Sunday 9th October proved to be another overcast day, following on from many other similar mornings this spring. The cold start to the day was in contrast to the forecasted 35 degrees and mid-morning looked more like a rainy day than a hot one. We headed for a spot in the Kelso Block where the leader for the day had promised sightings of a White- winged Trillers’and Brown Falcons’nests. During the preceding week, however, a storm had dislodged a Willie Wagtails’ nest that was only a few meters from that of the Trillers’and the Trillers’ nest had been abandoned for some reason – possibly storm-related. Fortunately, enroute to that location, a birding “hot spot” presented itself. We quickly spotted a female Rufous Whistler and Geoff, again, proved his worth by spotting a juvenile whistler that looked for all the world like a stick. It transpired that there were two juveniles being fed by the female adult. Our group split into two and one group pursued some Varied Sittellas to a tree where Luca spied a nest which they were constructing. We saw various other birds, including Mulga Parrots, Southern Whiteface, Rainbow Bee-eaters and Grey Shrike-thrush before deciding to revisit the Varied Sittella nest in order that all the group could see it. Peter took us to the group of belar trees where the Varied Sittellas had been working but spent some 10 minutes trying to find the nest again. The nests are superbly camouflaged and can be difficult to see, even when you are familiar with their exact location. The nest is egg-cup -shaped and -sized, is usually in the V where two limbs meet and is made of pulped material that is patted into shape so that it looks like an extension of the tree. Under instruction from Sue we moved on to the next destination to have smoko. On the way, a White-winged Triller was, briefly, seen. On our arrival at the smoko spot we, immediately, saw two Red-backed Kingfishers. We also had a glimpse of a pair of Hooded Robins. We could see the Brown Falcons’ nest in a tall tree in the distance but we decided not to go nearer for fear of disturbing the nesting bird. We turned back and travelled through the eastern part of the reserve until we came out near the western edge of the Australian Inland Botanic Gardens. On arrival, we looked at an Apostlebird sitting on a nest in an acacia tree and then went off in search of a Sacred Kingfisher which had been seen near the Kiosk on the previous day. The Kingfisher refused to call until most of the club members had gone home but we did see a Rufous Songlark, a young Bearded Dragon, some young (almost adult) Red-rumped Parrots and a group of White-browed Babblers which appeared to contain some members that had just become adults. Luca spotted a Grey Shrike-thrush moving about deep in a bush. I think that this may have been a juvenile that had been seen the previous day. We called it a day at around 12 p.m., although some members then went over to look at the ponds in the garden and others stayed to have a bite to eat. Despite the miserable weather, I think, the morning was an enjoyable one. I went back the next day to try to find the Varied Sittellas nest in order to get a photo for this article but couldn’t find it. However, I did see the following at that spot: Mulga Parrot; Rainbow Bee-eater; Grey Shrike-thrush; Splendid Fairy-wren; Little Eagle; Crested Bellbird; Yellow-rumped Thornbill; Chestnut- rumped Thronbill; Southern Whiteface; Brown Treecreeper; Rufous Whistler; Red-backed Kingfisher; Hooded Robin and Red-capped Robin. Some of these species hadn’t been seen by us on the prior morning. The treecreeper and bellbird were both juveniles. This shows how random, by necessity of course, our sightings are. Usually what is a “hot spot”one time will be as dead as a doornail shortly after. Two thoughts occur to me as a result of this outing, though. The first is that, when there is a large group of birdwatchers, all members should have a hand-held radio. The reason for this is that large groups invariably divide up into smaller groups. These smaller groups often see different bird species from each other. It seems, to me, to be a shame if some members of outing miss out on something special due to the lack of the ability to communicate between each group. The other thought is that the best time for birding is in the springtime. Perhaps we could increase the number of outings in the second half of the year at the expense of the first half. Late winter and springtime not only sees the arrival of the bird migrations from the north but also the birth of young most of the young birds for the year. February and March are usually very hot and not great for birdwatching.

Red-backed Kingfisher (right) and tree root where Red-backed Kingfishers have nested in previous years and appear to be doing so again this season. Young Crested Bellbird (image at top of page).

12 Newsletter Headine Month 2012 13

On the previous page there is a collage of images from this spring season.

On the page before that, the details of the outing to the Kelso block and the Inland Botanic Gardens were outined. On the day following the outing I went back to try to find the Varied Sittella’s nest that was mentioned in that article. I eventually found it, only to discover that the nest appears to have been abandoned. I think it extremely unlikely that us being in the area would have caused this. I seem to remember that the night after our visit there was a little rain and this might have contributed to the abandonment. This was the third time that I have seen a nest abandoned and I wonder if, rather than the weather or lack of a suitable food source around the nest area, the Varied Sittellas are simply unhappy with the construction of the nest. The nest is a dainty thing which is constructed, usually, in the fork of two branches. It is patted down with pieces of bark until it closely resembles the surrounding tree branch surfaces.

The abandoned nest (top right) Another nest at Ellerslie several years’ago (right)

Birds in Back Yards

On 6th October, Lower Murray Water held an information afternoon on the subject of “Attracting Birds to Backyards”. Barrie continues the story:

There were 50 to 60 in the audience, who were at Lower Murray Water as part of the MRCC Seniors Festival. LMW had organised speakers on other topics and had conducted a walk-thru of LMW gardens.

The day had obviously been well organised by LMW.

Pauline Bartels, Alec Hawtin and myself presented on different bird topics and we had been allocated 45mins. in total and presented on Backyard Birds. We chose the topics independent of LMW

Pauline focussed on the advantages and information on bird baths. This included explanations on the design, placement, advantages of bird baths and also for householders to be wary of predators, especially in the placement of bird baths. Pauline also dealt with the risks to birds of householders feeding birds with meat, seeds etc that can have detrimental effects on birdlife.

Alec concentrated on attracting birdlife to backyard gardens by utilizing native plants to provide nectar from flowers and seeds for birds. He described a range of native plants, Eremophila etc that perform this role especially for the range of honeyeaters we enjoy here, some of which are resident, others visiting seasonally etc. Alec also brought with him, a range of different coloured flowers produced by different species of Eremophila.

I spoke on the range of vegetation types, from grasses/lawns through to trees that provide towards birds requirements of food, shelter, and nesting sites. Also the range of birds that could be expected in backyards in our region. I also conveyed the added interest to urban living that was provided by an increased interest in observing birds.

We answered a range of questions during and after the presentation and also received some acknowledgements of our talks.

We gave a summary of Birdlife activities and that we focus on both bird observing and conservation.

Barrie MacMillan

Thanks Barrie, it seems as though I could have learnt a lot. It also seems as though we have uncovered three good and interesting speakers for our Club meetings…ed.

Below are two images of bearded dragons taken at the Inland Gardens on the day of the club outing and the previous day, respectively. Maybe the one on the left is a young beared dragon?

14 Newsletter Headine Kookaburras

Jayna, Pauline and I found a kookaburra’s nest at Wentworth Golf Course recently. The kookaburras were a pair that Col had alerted us to last year but they had moved the nesting hole from last year’s tree to a gum tree some 150 meters away.

The following photo shows a Grey Butcherbird taking an interest in the hole and its contents – some young kookaburras. I thought that the butcherbird might have been eyeing off a meal but it didn’t go into the hole. The parent kookaburra flew back to the nest tree and I thought that there might have been a confrontation between the two species. However, the kookaburra totally ignored the butcherbird.

Apparently, the young kookaburras were too large to become a butcherbird meal and both birds seemed to know this.

Month 2012 15

Hats

I’ve done a bit of thinking about thinking. I don’t mean to say that I intend to think one day – I mean that I’m thinking about the thought process. All of us are continually thinking – about doing the shopping, or deciding not to do the shopping till later or spending less when we do the shopping – that kind of thing.

My thought processes, for the most part, are completely random and incoherent. Over the years I have never come up with anything that advances the pool of human knowledge. Science, maths, biology, art, literature and the like are all foreign countries to me. However, I have just had a few thoughts on the subject of “hats” which I would like to share with you before those thoughts join all those zillions of others that become lost memories.

In a birdwatching context, birds are a handy accessory. They keep out the sun. Feathers and badges can be adhered to them by the more flamboyant among us. It is important, however, that those new to birdwatching don’t telegraph this fact to the more seasoned twitchers by having an, obviously, brand new hat. Attempts to disguise our greenhorn status can be made by stomping on the hat till it submits.

I remember when I had a new hat and I thought that I looked quite dapper – it had camouflage colouring and everything. However, the inevitable occurred as the result of the fullness of time and the brim of the hat began to sag. In fact, so badly did it sag at the front that I had difficulty seeing anything so I had to wear it on sideways.

Those with distinctive shaped heads should be aware that birds can distinguish those heads and are likely to fly away – the birds, not the heads, that is. Hats can disguise the differences between us so that we all become uniformly drab and blend in with the landscape.

My problem is not so much the shape of the head but its lack of covering by way of hair. It thus has a propensity to burn and flake. Attempts to stop this burning are sometimes thwarted by the fact that windy days play havoc with hats. You might say that a string from the hat downwards under the chin can thwart the thwarting but this involves the (in my case) non-existent thinking process mentioned above.

Wind has played a large part in my life. I am not referring only to my digestive system but also the large amount of time I have spent chasing my headgear. One hat is located in the middle of Mildura Sewage Ponds due to a sudden gust of wind. Anyone who comes across it (the hat, not the wind) is welcome to keep it. I digress a bit to tell you of a shoe of mine that is somewhere in the mud at Mourquong Swamps. Anyone finding it is, similarly, most welcome to keep it.

I know of a prominent birder of days gone by who used to collect birds’ eggs and keep them on his head, covered by his hat. I’m not sure what he did when he robbed an Emu’s nest.

Alec sits on his hat so that when he gets up out of his chair he doesn’t forget it (the hat, that is). This seems to me to show a profound lack of respect for the hat.

I have, in a previous newsletter, told you of the valuable work my hat did when it blew of and landed on a samphire bush and, in the process, flushed out a Rufous Field-wren (you had forgotten, hadn’t you?! – what’s the use of telling you anything?).

I often use my hat to swish at flies. It’s not that I don’t value my hat, I just don’t value the flies.

I found another use for a hat when I was flown in an ultralite plane to Pooncarie. We were nearly there when I had an attack of air-sickness. A quick decision had to be made as to where to be sick – on my lap; on the pilot’s lap; or in my hat. The pilot, to this day, doesn’t know how close he was to severe discomfort because I was very fond of my hat.

Cockatoos

The name “Cockatoo” is not an aboriginal word but comes from the Malayan “Kakatua “. It was first used in England and, with some modification of spelling, in other European countries more than 200 years’ago. It is thought to have come originally from the cry of one or other of species of Indonesian cockatoos.

Ian Harman – contributor to the book “Great Bird Stories of Australia and New Zealand” which has been given to the club by the estate of the late Norman Favaloro.

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Club Calendar

Nov Tues 1st Club meeting at Carnegie Centre, 74 Deakin Ave., Mildura at 7.30 pm

Sat 5th Outing – Hattah-Kulkyne National Park; meet at bike hub, Pine Ave., at 8.30 am. Leader George Kerridge Dec Sat 3rd/Sun 4th Challenge Bird Count

Tues 6th Club meeting at Carnegie Centre, 74 Deakin Ave., Mildura at 7.30 pm.

Sun 11th Outing – Christmas get-together

Interesting Sightings

24/7/16 Olive-Backed Oriole 1 Dareton Township A Taylor, P Follett & J Podgorski 24/7/16 Olive-Backed Oriole 2 Thegoa Lagoon A Taylor, P Follett & J Podgorski 17/7/16 Striated Grasswren 3 Nowingi Track – Calling along the west ridge near junction to Old F Japp 30/7/16 Black-eared Cuckoo 1 Double Tank Track – Murray Sunset NP A & S Hawtin 30/7/16 Pink Cockatoos Murray Sunset National Park – calling A & S Hawtin 15/7/16 Babblers 4 Merbein Common – 2 Young being fed by parents G & M Preisig 13/7/16 Major Mitchell Cockatoo 1 1 km North of Mittyack – Flying and calling among trees C Macgillivray 17/7/16 Whistling Kite 1 Wemen, across river opposite the store C Macgillivray 19/7/16 Gilbert’s Whistler 1 Nangiloc, 3km NW of, next river – Sitting on bush branches C Macgillivray 28/8/16 Tawny Frogmouths 2 Nesting at Red Cliffs Golf Course F Japp, B Palmer, A Taylor 19/9/16 Cattle Egrets 2 Paddock adjoin the Etiwanda Wetlands J Podgorski Sept Variegated Wrens Sandalong Ave., Irymple – as the result of weed and shrub Growth in cleared vine blocks S Hawtin 1/10/16 Blue-Billed Ducks Buronga Sewage Ponds F Japp 1st to 4th Oct Rainbow Bee Eaters Mildura Native Gardens, Mourquong Botanic Gardens and Iraak P & C Dunstan, J Podgorski & S Hawtin 2/10/16 Collared Sparrowhawk 1 At bird-bath at Mansell Drive, Mildura G Kerridge 2/10/16 Osprey 1 At Iraak P Dunstan 4/10/16 Black Shouldered Kites 5 Iraak/Karadoc area P Dunstan 4/10/16 Tawny Fogmouth & Black Kite Both nesting at Wentworth Golf Course C Stewart Late Sept Rufous Songlark numerous Australian Inland Botanic Gardens S Hawtin 8/10/16 Red-Backed Kingfishers 2 Kelso Block J Podgorski, P Follett & A Taylor 11/10/16 Brown Goshawk 2 Kelso Block A Taylor 9/10/16 Little Eagle 1 Kelso Block A Taylor 15/10/16 Wedge-Tailed Eagles 2 Settlement Road –Originally seen building a new nest by Geoff and Mavis around late July – now with young chicks in the nest A Taylor, G & M Preisig

Month 2012 17

Finally….

Just prior to sending out this newsletter, I checked on a Crested Bellbird’s nest that Jayna had found in the Kelso Block. The nest was in a leafless cherry tree, only a couple of feet from the ground. In all, I visited the nest area four times. On the third visit I noticed that the nest had contained three eggs. I decided to park my car some 30 meters from the nest and photograph the birds coming and going from the nest. As long as I kept that distance, although a little wary, the birds came and went from the nest several times. The next day, I decided to do the same thing again but, this time, in the morning when the sun was coming from the right quarter for photograhs. I waited in the car for the Crested Bellbirds to appear. After, at least, three-quarters of an hour I decided to inspect the nest and found the eggs had disappeared with only a piece of shell on the ground. I have heard of occasions when predators have watched humans and later followed their tracks to a nest site where the predators have then devoured the eggs. Lindsay Cupper has heard similar stories of goannas following humans to a nest in order to predate eggs. I have, therefore, checked the internet for further information on the subject and found, to my relief, that such occurences are very rare, In fact, I could see no reference to goannas following human tracks. Apparently, predators such as foxes, are far more likely to avoid tracks that have human scent, unless the track is a convenient pathway through dense scrub. Overseas studies of predation by avaian predators of the eggs of ground-nesting sea birds that had been visited by reseachers over a period of two years found that there was no discernible increase in predation in one year and only a little increase in the other. There were some species of predator-birds that, in isolated instances, watched the researchers and used the humans as trackers to a nest while other species didn’t do so. Apparently, abandonment of nests because of the proximity of humans is rare, particularly if the nest or nesting area isn’t interfered with. However, commonsense must be exercised and visits to the nest area kept to a minmum. When approaching a nest, it is best not to walk directly to it, and only make a casual inspection of the nest area. The nesting birds are most likely to regard the intruder as just another animal species around the area.

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