No. 11 September 2002. ISSN 1175-1916 Berrying Culls "Lying under an acacia tree with the sound During a stay at Pakawau, Golden Bay in late February/early March we of dawn around me, I realized more clearly observed about ten Red-billed Gulls involved in odd behaviour. They, the facts that man should never overlook: together with two immature Black-backed Gulls, were feeding in a beachside that the construction of an airplane, for Coprosma tree. To achieve this they were precariously perching/balancing on instance, is simple when compared [with] the branches and pluchg the berries. A few were less successful with this a bird; that airplanes depend on an method and instead "hovered" over a berry cluster, plucking perhaps one berry advanced civilization, and that where before lifting off, flying around and back to the same spot, where they might civilization is most advanced, few birds hover again, or try to perch. Even the more successful "perching" gulls often exist. I realized that if1had to choose, I lost their balance whilst plucking a berry. would rather have birds than airplanes" The two Black-backed Gulls were noticeably less skilled. We observed a few unsuccessful perching attempts. In the main they tried to hover. This CHARLESLINDBERGH, behaviour was noted at the same tree over the course of two days. shortly before his death, in 1974. WAYNE TWYDLE Ornithology post-gads pp. 6-7 I Canterbury Native Hen 1:. - - I Prion wreck P. 9 Regional roundup pp. 12-15 Lake Hood is a recently-created water recreation area east of Tinwald (near Ashburton) in an area otherwise bereft of large areas of standing water. Perhaps this was the draw for the Black-tailed Native Hen found there by Peter Howden, and Noeline and Henery Sinclair on 9th August. The bird was found whilst the three were atlassing in the area on a cold and Front - shagslcomorants are largely windy winter afternoon. When first seen the bird was running for cover - in variations on a black-and-white theme. a very distinctive manner. The head was stretched straight out, and the black This Spotted Shag photographed in tail was held up along its body. August this year near the Grey River Before being flushed the bird had been feeding in newly-sown grass, and mouth, and resplendent infull breeding ran through some shallow water to come to a stand in the shade in front of a plumage, proves perhaps the world's most flax bush. striking exception. Peter's first thoughts were that the bird might have been a Spotless Crake, Back - spring Whitejaced Hmns also a species he was not familiar with. However, on checking notes made in the sport breeding plumes. This one takes care field with a field guide at home, they did not fit this species, but fitted exact- of them on the Wellington south coast in ly the much rarer Black-tailed Native Hen - an Australian species with three August last year previous New Zealand records. The bird has remained around the same flax-surrounded small pool Both photographs by Peter Reese adjacent to the main water body up to the time of writing. Peter's initial description of the bird was: greenish beak, yellow-orange eye, dun underparts, dark greenish back and sides, orange legs, and a black tail that stood up along the body. On examining footprints left by the bird in the mud where it ran the toes were found to be approximately two inches long. The feet were not webbed. Published on behalfof the members of the Others saw the red area at the base of the lower mandible, and the white Ornithological Society of New Zealand (Inc), flank spots. The latter two features were less than obvious, explaining why PO. Box 12397 Wellington, New Zealand. they were not picked up initially. To me the most obvious field marks were Email: [email protected] the constantly flicked black tail that contrasted with the slightly paler body, Edited by Tony Crocker, 118 Cones Road, the pale green-yellow beak, the bright orange-red legs, and the yellow iris. Ashley, RD2 Rangiora. Tel(03) 313 4995, This bird may have been another refugee of the drought currently affecting Fax (03) 364 2057, Australia. The White-necked Heron found near Hokitika a few weeks previ- email: [email protected] ously was probably also on this side of the Tasman Sea for the same reason. Wewelcome advertising enquiries. Website: unow.osnz.orgnz NICK ALLEN BA staff and officials. Lines of communication Scientific Committee - between OSNZ and BA have been established. Kerry-Jayne is a member of the standing committee Annual Report that will oversee future Australasian Ornithological Conferences. The need for a Scientific Committee was recognised at The Checklist Committee has been reactivated. The the October 2000 Council meeting and Kerry-Jayne following have been appointed to that committee, Wilson was asked to form an interim committee, which Brian Gill (convenor),Alan Tennyson, Trevor Worthy, met in Christchurch on 11 February 2001. This interim Ricardo Palma, Geoff Chambers and Brian Bell. committee consisted of Richard Holdaway (Notornis editor), Ralph Powlesland, Hugh Robertson, Paul Sagar, KERRY-JAYNE WILSON Kerry-Jayne Wilson with Tony Crocker (ex officio as Chairperson, OSNZ Scientific Committee. convener of the Way Forward Team). The Scientific Committee was officially inaugurated at the June 2001 Council meeting retaining the same membership except Appendix I.OSNZ data that David Medway (ex officio as President) replaced Tony Crocker. held by members. Since the 2001 AGM the Scientific Committee has met once on 12 October 2001. This was a split meeting with In response to the request published in Southern Bird in the Christchurch-based members meeting in the December 2001, the following people informed me that morning and with Kerry-Jayne meeting with Hugh the data listed below are in their possession. Robertson in Wellington that afternoon. Other business has been conducted via email. Peter Schweigman, Dunedin The Scientific Committee has identified the following Brown creeper survey data, early 1980s, priorities for action in the immediate future: see OSNZ News Nos 28 and 38. To raise the profile of research in OSNZ. This can be Kaikorai Estuary survey data, 1989-91, achieved by promoting Scientific Days and see Notornis 40; 273-284. encouraging some leading ornithological researchers Kingfisher survey, Otago, Southland, 1989/90. to speak at these. To provide forums where professional ornithologists can meet. Manuherikia River Survey November 1991. To compile and archive the data accumulated over Unpublished DOC report, raw data. the last 60 years by the various local and national Mohua survey, Waikaia Forest September 1995, original data. schemes. To convert this to an electronic format so National Royal Spoonbill Census, 1991-1996 and 2000. that it is available for use by members or (at a price) All original data archived. by researchers or other users. Okia Bird Survey, 1991/92. Unpublished report for the To establish closer links with Birds Australia, in Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust. Original data archived. particular their Research Committee. Otago Harbour survey, 1977/78 and 1988/89, monthly To re-establish a Checklist Committee with the aim of counts, raw data archived. publishing a revised checklist by 2005. Otago Wader Census, summer and winter, 1984 - 2001. Original data archived. To date the following progress has been made on each of - - these matters: Waitaki River Survey, 1995 and 1997, black-billed gull The 2002 Scientific Day has attracted an interesting and tern census. 2000 survey of all birds on lower line-up of high profile researchers, students, DOC stretch. Original data. fieldworkers and amateur ornithologists. Michael Taylor, Auckland OSNZ will host the 2005 Australasian Ornithological Various Auckland Regional material originally held by Conference. Karl Evans, a post-doctoral fellow at Lincoln Sylvia Reed, RR (1969-1982) added to by Michael Taylor. University, has agreed to enter all nest record cards Includes duplicates of wader census, beach patrol etc for introduced svecies and some of the native svecies the originals of which were submitted to National cards into the sAme electronic database used for the Schemes. British Nest Records Scheme. This is being done at no Little Shag colony data, data from national survey of cost to the SocietvJ in return for his use of the data in little shag plumages. a comparison of reproductive parameters of selected 50th Anniversary (1989) conference material. species in New Zealand and Britain. Once completed Sylvia Reed's field notebooks. copies of the electronic database will be held at two Material on waders and terns and waterbirds has been ormore locations. passed onto Adrian Riegen and Gwenda Pulham Efforts to locate all Society data from national and respectively. regional schemes have been initiated. A request has been made that members holding Society data Regional newsletters, complete set. inform Kerry-Jape Wilson about whgt recordk are in Chris Challies, Christchurch, informed me that their possession. The information supplied in response to this request is shown in Appendix 1. between 1963 and 1970, when CSN were not published, Kerry-Jayne attended the First Australian (sic) Sandy Edgar ran a Recording Scheme where Ornithological Conference in Bathurst, NSW in miscellaneous unpublished ornithological information December 2001. She meet with the BA president, was archived. Notornis vol 19 (Supplement) apparently chair of their Research Committee and certain other makes reference to this scheme. date of the record. I have visited most of the islands, but Nest Record Scheme my records are somewhat dated, so it would be good to Report for the two years to 30th April 2002 have more recent ones. There is a great deal of data on some islands but not I am reporting on all the nest record cards that I have very much for others.