Kedron Brook Wetlands pressive species tally is a unique site in the for this site—currently inner suburbs. standing at 200! Ked- Accessed via a rounda- ron Brook Wetlands bout at the eastern end Reserve is renowned for of Toombul Rd, it is a flat one special in the site made up of wetlands, Brisbane LGA – the grasslands, mangroves, Australasian Grass scattered clumps of Owl, a species sought woodland trees and lan- after by birders from - tana thickets in patches far and wide. Accord- along the perimeter. ingly, the site is visited Pathways form a circuit at dusk by observers all around the area and link eager to locate it and with the bike path along the species has a rela- . There are tively high site observa- many mown strips tion rate of 14.6%* with amongst the grasslands many ebird lists con- to act as firebreaks in taining just that 1 spe- Black-shouldered Kites breed at - dry times and these can cies. Caution is needed Kedron Brook. Here a juvenile be walked when the area though, because Barn devours dinner. Photograph on is not inundated after Owls have recently 25th May 2019 by Ged Tranter. heavy rains. been discovered at the site, and confusion be- owl species currently This variety of habitats tween the species is cer- have... (Continued p. 4) has resulted in an im- tainly possible. The other · -

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· The standout bird in east of the Dividing June was a fine Red- Range, and the bird was rumped Parrot found by widely twitched by local · Brad Woodworth at birders keen to add it to Swan Lake (Port of Bris- their Brisbane tally. At · nd bane) on 2 , and ulti- least 37 observers went · Adult male Red-rumped Parrot mately staying until the to see the bird (and re- at Swan Lake, Port of Brisbane last day of the month. ported their sighting to on 2nd June. Photograph by · - This species is scarce eBird), demonstrating Richard Fuller. how much interest there is in local rarities such as this. The bird showed no obvious signs of a cap- tive origin, and the time of year is consistent with a coastward move- ment of several other dry country species. An excellent find by Brad Woodworth, although the bird was also possibly seen by other observ- ers in the days leading up to Brad’s discovery. Otherwise, June was a rather sub- dued month in Brisbane birding, with the cooler months not yet bringing in too many rare inland Barn Owl at Kedron Brook Wetlands Reserve on 18th June. Photograph vagrants and the vast majority of by Terence Alexander. summer migrants gone as well. Nevertheless, a band of dedicated birders did manage to pick up in reporting rate between 2005 some goodies over the course of and 2017. Although there hasn’t year (RS). the month. been a blank year in this period, it Nocturnals were around in good Shorebirds, as would be expected has come very close, and for what- numbers for those who searched, for June, were not around in high ever reason, the species now ap- with Barn Owl at Kedron (TA, numbers, although the majority of pears to have become very rare in MD) on the 18th, Grass Owl at regular species for the city were Brisbane. Just outside our city Kedron throughout the month, still picked up over the course of boundary, up to six Lesser Crested Powerful Owl at Mt Coot-tha on the month, mostly owing to dedi- Terns were at Wellington Point 30th (JO) and Hawkesbury Road cated shorebird observations by (Redland) during June. on the 24th (RG), and Southern the Wader Study A sprinkling of migrant passerines Boobook at Hawkesbury Road on Group at the Port of Brisbane and graced the mainland, with a Spec- the 24th (RG), and Kenmore on the Manly Wader Roost. Shorebirds tacled Monarch at Kenmore Hills 30th (JB). Owlet-Nightjars were encountered over the month in- on 2nd (JB), and a Black-faced around in several locations, in- cluded (but not limited to) Terek Monarch at Anstead on 6th (JD, cluding Enoggera Reservoir on the Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, KB). These records are interest- 12th (NB), on the 8th Lesser Sand- and Double- ing, as little is known about the (JC) and England Creek on the banded Plover. Also on the coast, a overwintering habits of some of 26th (LB). Tawny Frogmouth were Lesser Crested Tern was seen on our landbird summer migrants. reported in good numbers across st the 1 at Manly (BW) and then on Keep an eye out for more! the city. No-one ventured up to the the 2nd at Wynnum (KC), a good highland rainforest at night. record for the city, although a Several notable scarce species Most of the common raptor species handful of make it to Manly around the city were recorded around the city were reported annually. There are Lesser Crest- throughout the month too, with a throughout the month, while scar- ed Tern records from all months in Black-necked Stork at Oxley cities included Square-tailed Kites Brisbane, but it is distinctly a win- Creek Common on the 18th (LB, at Boondall, Dowse Lagoon and ter visitor, presumably from Great MB), Red-backed Buttonquail at Brookfield, Little Eagle at Dowse Barrier Reef breeding grounds fur- Hawkesbury Road on the 4th (RG), Lagoon, Port of Brisbane, Kedron ther north. The main peak of rec- Painted Buttonquail also at th Brook, Enoggera Reservoir and ords is from May to August, but it Hawkesbury Road on the 24 (RG) Common, Spotted is a rare bird even in winter. And and at Lake Manchester on the 2nd Harrier at Tinchi Tamba, Bris- apparently becoming rarer in the (CB), and Little Bronze-Cuckoo at bane Airport, Oxley Creek Com- last few years, with a distinct drop Fitzgibbon on the 28th – a highly unusual record for this time of mon and Shelley Road Park. Black

Falcons at Dowse Lagoon on the 24th (GT, SM) and Oxley Creek Common on the 17-18th (JV, MGi, JC) were probably the highlights for the month. This species is enig- matic in Brisbane, with one or two birds being frequently seen, but not yet pinned down to any partic- ular location. Perhaps that will change in the future should a breeding event occur. Finally, some noteworthy winter nomads were reported throughout the month. These included Red Spot the odd one out! Eagle-eyed Ged Tranter noticed this Wattlebird photographed at Sandy Rock Pigeon flying with Topknot Pigeons over Dowse La- Camp on the 29th and 30th (GD) goon on 16th June. and Whites Hill on the 22nd (GN), continuing the fantastic year for this species locally. Other winter passerines included Jacky Winter at Kholo Road (CB, JC, AN); Dusky Woodswallow at Gold Creek (CB), Kholo (AN) and Lake Manchester (CB, AN, JC, WS); Musk Lorikeet at Prior’s Pocket (RG) and Lake Manchester (CM, AN). All in all, not a bad 30 days for the city’s birds, but lets hope July brings more rarities!

Round-up by Louis Backstrom, Richard Fuller and Sandra Gal- lienne. Note that sightings report- ed here may or may not be con- firmed, and records of rarities are pending acceptance by relevant rarities committees.

This pair of Red-backed Fairywrens at Adavale Street on 28th June was engaged in mutual preening, a pair bonding behaviour. Photograph by Ed Frazer.

a much lower reporting rate— Southern Boobook has just 3 sight- ings (0.35%) and Barn Owl, four (0.46%), the most recent record for it being on 18th Jun 2019 by Mi- chael Daley and Terence Alexan- der.

Other than the Australasian Grass Owl, the site is special for the diversity of waterbird species, especially the waders that inhabit the wetland areas in the summer months with the most prolific be- ing the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, currently reported at 35.5% and Marsh Sandpiper at 11%. This exceptional nocturnal photograph of an Australasian Grass-Owl Past records indicate there is al- was taken at Kedron Brook Wetlands Reserve by Ged Tranter on 14th ways a chance of something rare August 2018. The long, trailing legs are one of the identification features. appearing. Unusual species such as Long-toed Stint have appeared twice – first reported just once in Pacific Black following about 10% Pelican fourth at 73.7% and 2004 by Dez Wells and not seen behind on (47.6%). Some of the Masked fifth at 70%. again until 2018 when up to 3 in- more unusual species seen are dividual birds were reported an- Plumed and Wandering Whistling- Eurasian Coot have not yet been other 51 times, currently it is rec- Ducks with only 5 records each recorded in 2019 and numbers orded at a rate of 6.1%. Australian (0.6%), Freckled Duck which was much lower than might be ex- Spotted Crake has also appeared reported 9 times in April/May pected for a Brisbane wetland twice and was first reported on 2013 giving it a reporting rate of with a reporting rate of just 3%. Birdline on 29th August 2013 by 1.05%, Australasian Shoveler on It’s also not a site favoured by Roger Jaensch. The species reap- 3.6%, Pink-eared Duck x 35 on Comb-crested Jacana with just 7 peared in January 2018 and up to 3.9% and the Australian Wood records and no reports since 2013, 3 individuals were reported anoth- Duck comes in at a surprisingly Black-necked Stork has only 3 rec- er 39 times in that year between low rate of just 4% despite being ords and has not been seen since January and November giving it a one of the most widely encoun- 2015. current reporting rate of 4.7%. tered species around Brisbane! There are no records for 2019. Red-necked Avocets, , Dot- Some relatively common Brisbane Pectoral Sandpiper was first re- terels, Gulls, Cormorants, Austral- species have only ever been report- ported in October 2011 by Dez ian Pelicans, Egrets, Herons and ed at Kedron Brook Wetlands Re- Wells, there were a further 2 rec- Spoonbills all call the wetlands serve once – Australian Pied Oys- ords in 2015 by Roy Sonnenburg, 9 home. Black Swans appear at a tercatcher, Pale-headed Rosella, records from September to Novem- rate of about 25% whilst Magpie White-throated Treecreeper, Little ber in 2017 and 24 records in Geese, currently reported at a rate Wattlebird and Eastern Whipbird 2018. The species has a current of just 5.3%, seem to have recently being amongst those, keeping com- reporting rate of 4.2%. discovered the site for a night pany with other one-time and roost with up to 560 birds being much less common species such as Despite the euphoria of locating reported by Ged Tranter and John Pallid Cuckoo, Great Knot, Black- some of these unusual species, O’Shea in May of 2019, 450 report- faced Monarch, Shining Flycatch- many dedicated birders have tak- ed by Malcolm Graham and Steve er, Little Grassbird, House Spar- en the time to provide more gen- Pratt and 500 by J&P Manins on row and Wedge-tailed Eagle – all eral data to eBird which also gen- recent June lists. Pied Stilt are 0.11%. erates other interesting statistics: the most frequently reported spe- Along with the waders, many cies on 82.85% jostling for position Kedron Brook Wetlands Reserve is ducks frequent the wetlands. with Australian White Ibis on exceptional for raptors with Black- Chestnut Teal are the most com- 82.5%, whilst shouldered Kite being reported monly reported at (57.7%), with ranks third at 78.5%, Australian 466 times – 54%, Brahminy Kite x

354 (49%) Whistling Kite x 256 bird, Spotted Pardalote, White- Superb Fairywren 45.8% and Red- (29.9%), White-bellied Sea-Eagle x throated Gerygone, Pied Curra- backed Fairywren 41.6% occur in 247 (28.9%) and x wong, Golden Whistler, Olive- predictably high concentrations. 159 (18.3%). Both Square-tailed backed Oriole, and Rufous Fantail Even some of the more western Kite and Pacific Baza have even all reported at less than 3%. grassland specialists have put in been seen 3 times or 0.3%, Black Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo, report- an appearance at the site with rec- Falcon and Grey Goshawk x 6 ed at a rate of 11.08% has not yet ords of Rufous Songlark at 1.2%, (0.7%), Peregrine Falcon x 12 been seen in 2019 but is the most Brown Songlark at 1% and Aus- (1.4%), Little Eagle x 14 (1.6%), prolific of the cuckoo family with tralian Bushlark at 0.6%. Finches Collared Sparrowhawk x 18 (2%), all the others lagging well behind are surprisingly scarce apart from Black Kite x 23 (2.5%) with Niko- and in fact, Pheasant Coucal has Chestnut-breasted Mannikin at las Haass reporting the first rec- only been reported 3 times. 39.4% with 29 records for Double- ord for the site of a barred Finch at massive 85 birds 3.4%, 11 for Red on 14/8/2013, Spot- -browed Finch ted Harrier x 27 (1.3%), 4 for (3.2%), Nankeen Scaly-breasted Kestrel x 32 Munia (.5%) (3.8%), Australian and 1 for Zebra Hobby x 33 (3.9%), Finch (0.11%). Brown Falcon x 39 Plum-headed (4.6%), Osprey x Finch which 42 (5%), and does occasional- Brown Goshawk x ly occur at sites 86 (10%). around Bris- bane has never Parrot species are been reported represented by here. Galahs, Long- billed and Little About 70% of Corellas, Sulphur- the species rec- crested Cockatoos, orded at the site Rainbow and Scaly have been pho- -breasted Lori- tographed at keets all in reason- least once but Kedron Brook Wetlands Reserve supports one of the highest densities of able numbers with there are still Little Lorikeets Red-kneed Dotterels in Brisbane. This photograph was taken on 10th some notable just getting a look- February 2018 by Hayley Alexander. omissions such in with 2 sightings as Australian only. Thornbill species are almost miss- Wood Duck, Hardhead, Crested Apart from the Black and White ing with Brown Thornbill only re- Pigeon, Dusky Moorhen, Pied Brigade of Pied Butcherbird, Aus- ported 4 times and Yellow-rumped Butcherbird and Mistletoebird but tralian Magpie, Willie Wagtail and Thornbill only twice. the biggest lack in the media de- Magpie-Lark, bush birds are gen- partment is sound recordings with erally uncommon at this site ex- Other usual species, missing so far the only species ever recorded at cept for those that favour man- for 2019, are Glossy Ibis 12.5%, this site being: King Quail by a groves with Mangrove Gerygone at Marsh Sandpiper 11% and Aus- very diligent Michael Daley. 56.5%, Brown Honeyeater at tralasian Grebe 9.9%. 50.6%, Mangrove Honeyeater at Further details of other photo- 36.5% Silvereye at 35.4% and Tor- Species that favour grasslands are graphs and sound recordings miss- resian Kingfisher at 15.6% report- in healthy numbers with Brown ing can be seen by viewing the Il- ed far more frequently than any- Quail reported at 22.8% and the lustrated Checklist for the site on thing else. Noisy Miner is only re- scarce and elusive King Quail at a eBird. ported at a rate of 7.5%, with surprising high for the region of Noisy Friarbird at less than 4% 2.2%. Other grass-loving birds Story by Sandra Gallienne and Lewin’s, Yellow-faced and such as Tawny Grassbird 68%, Scarlet Honeyeaters, Little Friar- Golden-headed Cisticola 60.5%,

Equipment to make sound recordings recording, for example between in- · Include voice announcements on of bird vocalisations is now widely and termittent calls of a bird. Full guide- your recording, such as species, date, relatively cheaply available. Good lines on editing sound files in Audac- time, and location information, as quality recordings can even be made ity for eBird can be found on the well as any other important notes on a smartphone, and audio editing eBird help pages. about behaviour, habitat, recording software is freely available, e.g. Au- · Group multiple recordings of the equipment, and weather. dacity. same individual into the same sound · Save copies of your original sound There is extensive help on this topic file files before editing. on the eBird website, and here are Avoid filtering or cosmetically edit- some notes to help get you started. · The guiding principle is that the file ing the file. Sound editing software you upload should be an accurate copy allows you to "erase" background of an original field recording. This birds, loud insects, raindrops, stom- means doing a minimal amount of ach growls, etc. But this can inter- editing to sound files. fere with many aspects of the sound file. Filter only where a critical Key points for audio media include: sound is being masked. · Create and submit .WAV Files · Adjust the level of each recording so · Trim the start and end of recordings. that the level of the peak bird sound reaches -3 dB. Michael Daley’s sound recording of Don’t trim silent periods within the King Quail at Kedron Brook Wet- lands on 18th November 2018.

Last month’s challenge was clearly a kingfisher, but which one? There are three candidates in Brisbane—Forest, Sacred and Torresian. Forest is strongly blue in colour, and doesn’t normally occur perched on mudflats. Sacred does often perch on mudflats, but has an ill-defined streak, rather than spot, above the lores (the word “lores” refers to the area between the bill base and the eye), which is often Torresian Kingfisher at Toondah Can you identify this bird? The picture buffy. The bird in this photograph is Harbour (OK, just outside Brisbane!) was taken in Brisbane. Answer next primarily green, has a robust bill, a on 26th April 2019 (RAF). month. crisp white supraloral (“above the lores”) spot, and clean white under- parts. A Torresian Kingfisher.

If you can, please donate your time ed in the Atlas. If you have old records and expertise to help make the Atlas stored away on notebooks and such, of the Birds of Brisbane the best it can you can enter them into eBird too! “All eBird records in Brisbane be. For full details, see the Contrib- will be automatically included uting section of the Atlas website— Write some text for the Atlas, or edit in the Atlas” http://brisbanebirds.com. Here are and improve the existing text. Full some of the key things you can do to instructions are in the Contributing help create this landmark resource. section of the Atlas website, or contact an administrator for a Word document Go birdwatching in the Brisbane City that you can edit. ([email protected]) or Rich- Council area and enter your observa- ard Fuller ([email protected]) tions on eBird, a free tool for recording Contact the Atlas administrators with bird observations. All eBird records in any questions or suggestions: Louis Brisbane will be automatically includ- Backstrom

Brisbane is divided into 2 x will notch up an im- ments. 2 km Atlas squares. Each pressive species list Try square has a target of 12 here, it is important bird- birdwatching visits in each to survey these sorts ing in of the four seasons. of squares as they some of the patches of green Very little data currently inform us about how visible on the map, or just submitted for this industri- birds are adapting to around the industrial estates. al grid square. While it is Only 33 species increasingly human- Nocturnal work also needed. unlikely that the Atlasser known from this dominated environ- Download the survey sheet square so far. here.

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Widespread resident of cooler, dense forests around the city. Occasionally ventures into urban parks and gardens, but prefers remnant habitat. Not of conservation concern, but vulnerable to habitat modifi1cation and rising temperatures. Photo by Louis Backstrom, Gold Creek Reservoir, 22 Feb 2018.

Each month we will reproduce a A familiar parrot to many Austral- counts of up to 20 have been rec- draft species account from the At- ians, both birders and non-birders orded. They are widely distributed las. If you spot errors, or see any alike, the Australian King-Parrot across suitable habitat in Bris- additions that can be made, con- is a large, distinctive endemic with bane, and do wander occasionally. tact an editor—see back cover. Or bright red and green plumaged email Richard Fuller males and vibrant green females. A widespread species of parrot, the ([email protected]) for a Word They are typically found in pairs Australian King-Parrot is a famil- Document that you can edit. or small family groups, although iar site to birders from Cooktown

mon in wet sclerophyll, where they are reported on over 50% of check- lists, with a secondary preference shown for rainforest (28% of com- plete checklists). They are rarely reported from dry woodland, and only scarcely from anywhere else; presumably such records are of birds moving through an area in search of food or new habitat.

King-Parrots have been reported from nearly every filled Atlas grid square west of the city, indicating that the species is likely common in the north to Melbourne in the remnant denser forest habitats across the whole of the D’Aguilar south, with some evidence for local this species is at a low risk of habi- and Taylor Ranges, including the increases in abundance across its tat loss and degradation across its sections of the Camel’s Head and range. Within Brisbane, they are range in Brisbane, but given the Body which currently have no data an uncommon yet widely distribut- large amount of habitat still avail- available from them. As such, the ed species, although they can be able to them, as well as their abil- species is likely more common in moderately common in the right ity to adapt to urban habitats Brisbane than the data suggest, habitat. There is no apparent across other parts of their range, e but is typically found further away trend in their population size cur- birds are not currently of any sig- from human disturbance. rently. nificant conservation concern. The distribution of King-Parrots in King-Parrots are widely distribut- Distribution and Habitat Brisbane shows no clear seasonal ed across much of the city, but are variation, with birds being found mostly concentrated around the Australian King-Parrots are found in roughly the same areas across forested western suburbs north of across a large area of Brisbane, the year, and at the same eleva- the river, from Enoggera in the but are mostly found in the west- tions as discussed above. Given north east to Anstead in the south ern forests of the D’Aguilar Range. the scarcity of breeding data cur- west; there is also evidence to sug- They are also occasionally report- rently available, it is possible that gest they are common throughout ed from the remnant tracts of birds move to less-surveyed areas the Camel’s Head and Body, but bushland on the Southside, includ- (or regions beyond Brisbane) to currently very little data exist for ing White’s Hill, Forest Lake and breed, but this seems less likely this region so this is unverified. Toohey Forest. They are mostly than the alternative that birds are Although never occuring in large absent from the lowlands near the simply less conspicuous when numbers in Brisbane, counts of up coast and on Moreton Island, nesting, as with most species. to 20 birds have been reported, where the species has never been More data are needed to confirm with a high count in July 2015 at reported. this. Gold Creek Reservoir (Prowse 2015), a key location for this spe- With regard to elevational distri- cies. Counts of over a dozen birds bution, King-Parrots are a mid- have been recorded from a further range species withing Brisbane, 8 locations, including Anstead occurring at an average elevation Bushland Reserve, Sherwood Ar- of approximately 100m, although boretum and Araucaria Circuit at they have been reported from sea Enoggera Reservoir. level all the way up to the highest parts of the LGA over 600m. Birds Birds are present in Brisbane do not appear to move across ele- year-round, with no clear seasonal vational gradients on a seasonal changes in their abundance. Cur- scale. rently very few breeding data exist for the species, with only one re- King-Parrots have been recorded port of nest-building activity at from a variety of different habi- Bellbird Grove in late October. As tats, but are by far the most com- a species somewhat dependent on

Seasonality Information Gaps

Not much is currently known from · Collect more breeding data the data regarding Australian · Determine whether birds re- King-Parrot’s breeding habits main in Brisbane to breed, and within Brisbane. The current lim- if so why they are more diffi- ited data suggest a spring-summer cult to detect nesting period, in line with the broader literature (Higgins 1999). · Ascertain the reason behind Interestingly, the two months with the slight dip in reporting rate the lowest reporting rate for this toward the end of the year species, November and December, · Collect distribution data from are during this period, so it is pos- within unsurveyed Atlas sible that birds are more difficult squares in the western forests. to observe or simply less abundant during the breeding period. How- Key Conservation Needs ever, more data are needed to as- certain the nature and cause of · Protect old growth forests from this minor pattern. being cleared · Monitor population size for Trends any local or large-scale de- clines The annual reporting rate for King-Parrots has been quite varia- Contributors to Species Ac- ble over the last decade, with some count years having birds reported on nearly 15% of all complete check- list and others having fewer than 5% of all checklists reporting the species. Additionally, over the past “If you spot errors, or see any 5 years each successive year has additions that can be made, had a lower reporting rate than contact an editor—see back the previous, indicating that these cover.” birds may be declining somewhat. Given the overall variation seen in the long-term data it is hard to be sure of this, but the abundance of these birds should be monitored into the future to ensure no large- scale population decline is occur- ring.

The species is not of any broader conservation concern across Aus- tralia, and given Brisbane’s popu- lation is somewhat peripheral to the bulk of this species range along the forests of the Great Di- viding Range it is unlikely that local declines in Brisbane, if they are occurring, are necessarily re- lated to broader declines across the entire population. Nonethe- less, large-scale deforestation and land clearing do threaten this spe- cies, as with many others.

AN Andrew Naumann; BW Brad Woodworth; CB Chris Burwell; GD Geoff Dennis; GN Greg Neill; GT Ged Tranter; JB Jim Butler; JC Jo Culican; JD Jill Duncan; JO John O’Shea; JV Jason Vassallo; KB Ken Bissett; KC Katherine Clark; LB Louis Backstrom; MB Mike Bennett; MD Michael Daley; MGi Mat Gilfedder; NB Niel Bruce; RG Rod Gardner; RS Ross Smith; SM Stephen Murray; TA Terence Alex- ander; WS Wayne Schulz.