Vol. 56 No. 02 November 1989

STERN The Los Angeles Chapter of The National Audubon Society TANAGEIL Volume 56 Number 2 November 1989 PAPUA-AUSTRALIA OVERVIEW by James Clements, Ph.D. NEW GUINEA PAPUA 'JEW GUINEA "Thunder rumbles across theheavens... the atmosphereis still and pensive. Suddenly there is a break in the gathering clouds and a shaft of late afternoon sun chances upon a huge and ancient tree, transforming what seemed moments before a mere shadow into a creature of unparalleled beauty. As if animated by the hands of the gods, a bird of paradise takes wing, its exquisitevelvet-blackplumageembellished withpatches of iridescence and its elongated, ribbon-white feathers flare outward against the darkening sky. BIRD U 8 his then is New Guinea, the home This was just one of 20 species of Harpy Eagle, plus intimate views of of a family of birds of paradise of birds of paradise, 40 parrots, 32 pi- Doria's Hawk, the rarest Papuan rap- T such beauty and complexity that geons and doves (including some in- tor, posing on an exposed branch above they defy simple description. When ex- credibly beautiful Ptilinopus fruit plorers first brought back the legless doves), 15 kingfishers (including the Continuedon next page skins of these fabulous birds, recipients magnificent, misnamed Common Para- took them to be wanderers from a ce- dise Kingfisher), and an unbelievable lestial paradise, an idea that persisted assortment of 57 honeyeaters that the IN THIS ISSUE for over 200 years." Papuan-Australian segment of BIRD I listened enthralled as my friend QUEST '89 recorded. Tips and Tides for Rails and and New Guinea expert David Bishop My most exciting ornithological ex- Others 2 described the Ribbon-tailed Astrapia perience was sighting the Papuan Special Thanks to Ruth Lohr.....3 we had just watched fly into a nearby Whipbird (Androphobus viridis), a rare Board Members Attend pandanus. The bird's body had totally skulker known previously from only Biennial in Tucson 3 disappeared, leaving only the three- four specimens from Irian Jaya and the New Column: Dear Tanager 3 foot-long white tail streamers dangling first record for Papua New Guinea. Some of Us Haven't Been from the pandanus like that of an out- This was almost overshadowed by inti- Listening .4 rageous tissue-paper decorating party! mate views of a hunting New Guinea Hot (off the press) CenterfoldLC Christmas Count - Early Bird Gets the Better Habitat 6 BIRD QUEST '89 65% 2 New, 2 Back, and Some Great Holiday Gift Ideas .7 Open House and Reception.......8 January August 26 • December "Rage Over Trees" Wins 73% Despite Timber lndustry......8 1990 Pelagic Trips 9 Grouse Dance - Idaho Style 10 2,914 Species To Date A 4,000 Annual Photo Contest 12 Western Tanager November 1989 ernment the creation of a 10,000 square Winter High Tides At Upper Newport Bay mile national park extending from the by William C. Bakewell Fly River lowlands over the central range to the upper Sepik basin. November, December, January and Each day as I read articles in the February are the best months for search- Papua New Guinea press about chemi- ing for rails and other birds at Upper 07:32 Sunday the 12th cal spills, landslides and pollution of Newport Bay. American Bitterns, Clap- 08:11 Monday the 13th the Fly from mine tailings, I was re- per, Virginia and Sora Rails are most 08:53 Tuesday the 14th minded of a warning note Jared often seen during these months; and 09:38 Wednesday the 15th sounded 15 years ago: "The Fly is also the rare Black Rail is a possibility. These 10:26 Thursday the 16th the region that will be affected by any birds are by far most easily found at downstream consequences of mining about the times of the highest high December 1989 at Ok Tedi arising from transportation waters during the times of the spring 07:57 Tuesday the 12th routes, infrastructure and pollution," tides of this season. There are no tide the UCLA scientist wrote. How pro- gauges in Upper Newport Bay, but most 08:43 Wednesday the 13th phetic his warning turned out to be! local biologists seem to agree that the 09:25 Thursday the 14th On Thursday, August 24, the head- times and heights of higher high wa- 10:14 Friday the 15th line of the largest New Guinea daily ters at Upper Newport Bay and Los 07:57 Wednesday the 27th newspaper screamed out, "LAND- Angeles Outer Harbor may be taken to 08:31 Thursday the 28th SLIDE FORCES OK TEDI MINE TO be about the same. In the charts at right, 09:06 Friday the 29th CLOSE." With the Ok Tedi mine in the times of favorable high waters January 199Q western Papua New Guinea closed by during this season are set forth. the landslide and the Panguna mine in The heights of the tide for the times 07:54 Wednesday the 10th Bougainville closed due to armed in- given are all at least 6.2 feet. On 13 No- 08:36 Thursday the 11th surrection by local landowners, Papua vember and 12 December, 1989 the 09:18 Friday the 12th New Guinea is faced with an immedi- heights of the higher high waters reach 07:46 Thursday the 25th ate loss of over 40% of its income. this season's two maxima of 7.2 feet. 08:21 Friday the 26th Despite the fact that the Australian Jean Brandt, in her earlier article on 08:59 Saturday the 27th government is alarmed at the potential Upper Newport Bay (Western Tanager, damages to the Great Barrier Reef from October 1977), advises birders looking February 199& the chemical pollution of the Fly River for rails to be on station half an hour 07:49 Thursday the 8th system and the Arafura Sea, Papua New before the time of higher high water 08:31 Friday the 9th Guinea depends so heavily on the reve- and to stay for at least one hour. For nues from these two mines that imme- that reason, the times given are all for All of these data are from the 1989 diate restoration of mining operations higher high waters that occur more and 1990 editions of Tide Tables West is the country's number one priority... than half an hour after sunrise. Coast of North and South America. These regardless of the ecological conse- The first two highest high waters books are published by the National quences. during the entire season of good birding Ocean Survey of the National Oceanic As I watched a sylvan scene on the occur on November 13th and Decem- and Atmospheric Administration. Bensbach River one evening, I was ber 12th, both at heights of 7.2 feet. Good Birding! reminded again of Jared's dire mes- sage. Herds of indigenous wallabies romped about the soft, flooded mead- ows, leaving almost no sign of their Overview presence. But the Java deer (Cervus ti- moriensis), introduced by the Dutch into Continued from previous page With virtually no overlapping Irian Jaya in 1914, have increased to an us with a monitor lizard grasped in its avifauna, New Guinea, coupled with estimated 600,000 animals, and their claws. our two days in New Britain and a sharp hooves unmercifully tear up the New Guinea is the second largest week in eastern Australia, raised the unprotected turf. island in the world, and our VENT tour BIRD QUEST '89 total to a world-rec- This is the home of the Fly River itinerary included the eucalypt forests ord-breaking 2,914 species. Grassbird (Magalurus albolimbatus), a of the Port Moresby region, the vast Besides the 465 species, however, small warbler whose entire range com- lowlands of the Fly River, the foothills we were privileged to see some of the prises no more than a few hectares of adjacent to the Irian Jaya border and a most pristine forests still extant on the specialized grass in this vast wilder- week at the luxurious and highly pro- face of the earth. Along with the Manu ness. ductive Ambua Lodge in the central National Park in Peru and the Congo Watching the sun set on this idyl- highlands. Out of a total avifauna of forests in Zaire, these three forests lic spot, with a grassbird clinging to a 590 resident species, New Guinea probably constitute the three largest small shoot and treating David and me boasts one of the highest percentages of tracts of undisturbed tropical areas left to his evening vespers, I wondered if I endemic birds any where in the world, on the globe. was possibly watching the sun set on with an incredible 393 endemic spe- In 1976, Dr. Jared Diamond recom- yet another unique product of this cies. mended to the Papua New Guinea gov- planet's millions of years of evolution. Western Tanager November 1989 federal and state levels and environ- Audubon Leaders mental policy analysis. The organiza- tion publishes the highly-acclaimed Meet In Arizona for Audubon magazine and produces the Biennial Convention award-winning National Audubon Society Specials seen on the Turner Leaders of National Audubon Society Broadcasting System and PBS stations chapters nationwide gathered at The nationwide. Doubletree Hotel in Tucson, Arizona, from September 12-16 for the Society's biennial national convention of Audubon's Southwest Region. Dear Tanager, Los Angeles Audubon President For issues of mutual concern, write to Bob Van Meter, Executive Secretary Western Tanager at Audubon House. Millie Newton, Recording Secretary Melanie Ingalls, and Western Tanager Dear Tanager, Editor Jesse Moorman were among The interesting article by Helen environmental activists who met with Matelson in the October Tanager says National AudubonPresidentPeterA.A.

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