Birds SA Newsletter No 219 August 2011

Birds SA is the operating name of The South Australian Ornithological Association Inc. c/- South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000 The Aims of the Association are: To promote the conservation of Australian birds and their habitats. To encourage interest in, and develop knowledge of the birds of South Australia. To record the results of research in regard to all aspects of bird life. To maintain a public fund called the “Birds SA Conservation Fund” for the specific purpose of supporting the Association’s environmental objects.

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Four Quail-thrushes Photographed by Greg Dare

2 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 CONTENTS SAOA COMMITTEE 2011 – 2012 Birds SA Notes & News ………..………….…4 President Jeremy Robertson 8278 1217 Miscellaneous Items ……………..…..…….…5 Vice President John Hatch 8362 2820 Giving them Wings ...... 6 Vice President Merilyn Browne 8339 6839 Past and Future Meetings ...…….………...... 10 Secretary Brian Blaylock 8370 3349 Treasurer Brian Walker 8263 3433 Past Excursions ...…………….…...... …...14 Assistant Secretary Robert Rowland 83881790 Future Excursions ………...……….…...……16 Journal Editor Colin Rogers 8336 3325 Bird Records …………..……….….…...... ….17 Newsletter Editor Cynthia Pyle 8264 5778 News from the Library ………………….…..21 Field Program Coordinator Trevor Cowie 8263 2531 Vehicle Notice ………………………………22 Bird Record Secretary Graham Carpenter 8297 5463 Members’ Photographs……………………...23 Member Lou Bartley-Clements 0418858037 CENTRE INSERT Member John Spiers 8333 0272 SAOA HISTORICAL SERIES NUMBER 37, Member Merinda Hyland 8337 3616 ERHARD FRANZ BOEHM PART 10 Member Lynton Huxley 8278 4313 Member Greg Kerr 8276 5599

DIARY Following is a list of Birds SA activities for the next few FURTHER USEFUL CONTACTS months. Further details of all these activities are given later in Librarian Karen Donkin 0402123960 Image Librarian John Spiers 8333 0272 the newsletter. email [email protected] Ongoing Atlas Pat Bowie 8278 6048 Aug 28 Sunday Excursion to Whites Dam CP

 Sept 10 Saturday Excursion to Charleston CP RELATED ASSOCIATIONS Sept 15 Thursday Excursion to Talisker CP Birds Australia – South East SA Sept 23 Friday General Meeting Chair Bryan Haywood 8726 8112 Sept 25 Sunday Excursion to Clements Gap CP Publicity Officer Bob Green 8725 0549 Email [email protected] Sept 30 to Oct 5 Campout at Ngarkat CP Fleurieu Birdwatchers  Contact Person Judith Dyer 8555 2736 Oct 15 Saturday Excursion to Aldinga Scrub CP Email [email protected] Oct 20 Thursday Excursion to Porters Scrub CP WEBSITE www.birdssa.asn.au Oct 28 Friday General Meeting Oct 30 Sunday Excursion to Swan Reach CP  2011 SAOA SUBSCRIPTIONS Single membership $50 Nov 12 Saturday Excursion to Scott Creek CP Family/household membership $60 Nov 17 Thursday Excursion to M. Lofty Botanic Gdns Single concession* $45 Nov 25 Friday General Meeting Family/household concession* $55 Nov 27 Sunday Excursion to Onkaparinga Wetlands Student members (full-time students under 25 years) $10 *Pensioners and people experiencing financial hardship can obtain  concessions. Apply in writing to the Treasurer, Birds SA. Dec 10 Saturday Excursion to Altona Reserve Dec 15 Thursday Excursion to Laratinga Wetlands ABN 76 339 976 789

ADVERTISING IN THE Birds SA Cover photo: Pheasant Coucal, photographed by Burt May at Buckley's Hole, Bribie Island, Queensland in March 2011. NEWSLETTER SAOA relies on the integrity of advertisers for the quality and nature General meetings are held in the Hawker Centre at the Waite of their products and services. We cannot guarantee them. Advertising Institute, Waite Road, Urrbrae at 7.45pm. Doors open at is charged as follows: $1.00 per line, up to $20.00 per quarter page and 10c per inserted leaflet (single sheet). The committee reserves the right 7.00pm. to lower or waive these fees.

Committee meetings are held at the above venue on the second COPY DEADLINE Monday of each month, starting at 7.30pm. Copy for the November Newsletter is due by the October General Meeting (October 28). Contributions, ‘Word’ format preferred, can be Donations to the Birds SA Conservation Fund are tax- made on CD, or emailed to either of my email addresses, or deductible typed/handwritten neatly.

[email protected] New Members • We welcome 9 new members who have recently joined the • [email protected] Association. Their names are listed on p5.

Printed by Abbott Printers and Stationer Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 3 Birds SA Notes & News/Miscellaneous Items RARE BIRD COMMITTEE A range of actions has been ADELAIDE'S RAVENS IN THE Colin Rogers and John Fennell are identified. We first produced letters ‘THIRTIES switching places on the Rare Bird expressing the concerns of Birds SA A couple of days ago Andrew Black Committee so that John can have a and seeking a range of actions from rang to ask if I could give him details break from being the the Australian, Chinese and Korean of three clutches of ravens' eggs I secretary. Submit your downloadable Governments. To this end letters collected as a 14 to 15 year old in record submission form to: have been sent from our President to: Torrens Island and Dry Creek Secretary, Birds SA Rare Bird • The Hon. Tony Burke MP, mangroves in 1935 and 1936 and Committee, 6 Flavel Avenue, Minister for Sustainability, which I donated to the South Woodforde, ADELAIDE SA 5072 or Environment, Water, Population Australian Museum in June 1937 as eggs of the Australian Raven. In email it to [email protected] and Communities; those days all local ravens were Rare Bird Committee Members for The Hon. Greg Hunt MP, • called Australian Ravens but in 1967 2011-2012 are Andrew Black, Shadow Minister for Climate CSIRO scientist Ian Rowley Graham Carpenter, John Fennell, Action, Environment and recognised that there were two John Hatch, Lynn Pedler and Colin Heritage; distinct species and ours is now Rogers (Secretary) • Senator Bob Brown, Leader of known to be the Little Raven. John Fennell the Australian Greens; Andrew wanted to know if I could be • H. E. Mr. Chen Yuming, Chinese confident of the identity of the parent BIRDS SA CONSERVATION Ambassador to Australia; birds because there was always the SUBCOMMITTEE • H. E. Dr. Kim Woo-Sang, possibility that both species had been The conservation subcommittee has Ambassador from the Republic of present in earlier times. Moreover reconvened for 2011 with seven Korea to Australia; mangroves were included in members: Rodney Attwood; William • Dr Geoff Raby, Australian HANZAB as a potential habitat for Brooker; Nigel Gammon; David Ambassador to China; and Australian but not Little Ravens and Hansman; Greg Kerr; Krystyna • Mr. Sam Gerovich, Australian the museum had no specimen of an Rowland and John Spiers. The Ambassador to the Republic of Australian Raven from near subcommittee meets on the first Korea. Adelaide. Tuesday of each month and is keen We would like the Birds SA I well remember the time when Ian to hear from Birds SA members members to be actively involved in Rowley's revelation was published about issues of conservation this program and to send letters to the because I read and kept all his papers significance that they are concerned Chinese, Korean and Australian and there was a good deal of about. Governments, pressuring them to discussion amongst SAOA members at the time that there was something At the first meeting in July we stop the loss of mudflats in the ‘funny’ about our local birds. I had discussed the most significant threats Yellow Sea; asking them to follow been particularly familiar with them to conservation of birds in the state through on the migratory bird earlier because, not only had I taken and prioritised those areas that we agreements to which they are eggs from the mangroves as a would like to tackle in 2011. A range signatories; and specifically asking youngster, but I had taken two or of topics centred on concerns about the Australian Government to three nestlings for pets (as was wetlands, water birds and migratory propose the addition of the common in post depression times). I waders and this theme became our International Union for Conservation kept one that I named ‘Ben’ at home primary focus. of Nature (IUCN) red listed Eastern in Prospect for several years until an Our first priority was to raise an Curlew and Great Knot onto ex-farmer-neighbour who objected to awareness of the imminent threats to Appendix 1 of the Convention of his dawn calls and, like all farmers our shorebirds that is posed by Migratory Species. To aid this then, hated ‘crows’ persuaded my habitat loss in the Yellow Sea; and to endeavour we will be making a mother that the bird had to go. initiate some solutions. The vast proforma letter available on the Birds Museum Curator of Birds Herb majority of shorebirds visiting SA web page, along with contact Condon also had one but his was Australia or returning to the Northern details for the officials listed above, caged and wasn't as handsome or Hemisphere to breed make an together with supporting information well groomed as Ben who had free essential stop to rest and feed on to allow everyone to personalise their range of the almond trees from where mudflats around the Yellow Sea. letters. All going well this he would glide to my feet to Each year the Yellow Sea offers information will be available by the welcome me home from school. Both fewer mudflats and less food, next general meeting, and we will be birds eventually went to the Adelaide Zoo. because its estuaries and mud-banks providing materials to members Ben grew to adult-hood in my care are being turned into docks and interested in putting some letters with irises turning from "hazel" to harbours, lost to sea wall together. white but his throat hackles were construction and pumped to backfill The next meeting of the conservation never as long as those Rowley and form land behind the seawalls; to subcommittee will be held on showed to be characteristic of the detriment of local people and Tuesday 6th September. Australian Ravens. When I fed him birds alike. Greg Kerr, Convener the hackles became obvious as he

4 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 Miscellaneous Items(cont) parked meat scraps in his ‘pouch’ WINGED SENTINELS: Birds and ADVERTISMENT before taking them to a store below Climate Change VOLUNTEER CALLED FOR AT the grape-vines for safe-keeping (and ‘The ability of the birds to show us BON BON RESERVE, SA returned for more). I also knew Ben's the consequences of our own actions Dates: 3 – 12 October plumage well and am confident that is among their most important and Bush Heritage Australia (BHA) is a the area under his lower mandible least appreciated attributes. Despite non-profit conservation organisation was well feathered, unlike the the free advice of the birds, we do dedicated to protecting Australia’s extensive bare area I have since seen not pay attention', said Marjory biodiversity. Bon Bon Reserve is a in Australian Raven specimens. After Stoneman Douglas in 1947. conservation property located at the the Little Raven became recognised A recently published book from geographical centre of SA on the as a species I knew I had never Cambridge University Press: Winged Stuart Highway. For details see recorded the Australian Raven on the Sentinels: Birds and Climate Change http://www.bushheritage.org.au Adelaide Plains but I was quite explores the responses of birds from Volunteer Role: certain of the identity of one that I The volunteer will accompany a Bird saw and heard giving its long, around the globe to climate change; from ice-dependent penguins of Surveyor as a scribe and general mournful call in open mallee country assistant. Surveys using the Bird east of Truro around 1970. That was Antarctica to songbirds that migrate across the Sahara. Winged Sentinels Minute Method will be completed at the closest to Adelaide that I 50 sites across 216 700 hectares. This uses colourful examples to show how remember ever identifying an is a good opportunity for a volunteer particular groups of birds face Australian Raven. who is keenly interested in bird-call Ravens were common around heightened threats from climate and song recognition to listen, learn Adelaide before World War Two and change, and to explore how we can and help generate new knowledge. small flocks totalling 30 or more help birds to adapt in a warming Requirements: would fly south to the west of our world. Generously illustrated with To be eligible for the position, the house early each morning towards colour photographs the book is a volunteer must have good hearing the city where they could be seen fascinating insight into what climate and listening skills, good written later in the day, scavenging in places change means for birds, and the English and legible handwriting. The like North Terrace. I am sure that the potential consequences of ignoring position will suit someone self- ravens I knew so well in suburban these warning signs. reliant in the bush and happy to get Adelaide then were all Little Ravens Furthermore the Australian up before the birds. Familiarity with including those whose eggs and publishers are able to offer a 20% bird names in the arid zone will be an nestlings I collected in the thirties. I discount off the purchase price of advantage. can therefore confirm that Little as $39.95 to members of Birds SA who Logistics: well as Australian Ravens can would like to purchase a copy for BHA will provide accommodation, occupy mangroves. They certainly themselves. For more information on-site transportation, equipment and nested in the mangroves of eastern about the book, visit the following some support with out-of-pocket St. Vincent Gulf back then and I website: expenses. The volunteer is required to arrange their own food and presume they still do. http://www.cambridge.org/aus/catalo transport to the reserve. R. F. (Bob) Brown gue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521126 823 and enter discount code Applications close 16 September. Selection processes apply, for WINGED 11 at the checkout. information, please call Heidi Fisher on 03 8610 9102 or email [email protected] NEW MEMBERS

We welcome the following new members, who have joined the Association in the past few months:

Stefan & Hugh Michalski HEATHFIELD Robert Clemens BARDON Nathan Cini & Larissa Schinella COLLINSWOOD Nattawoot Intarakhamhaeng & Daisy Miller UNLEY Steven Langley JOSLIN Robert Martin SALISBURY HEIGHTS

If your name has inadvertently been omitted from this list, please contact our treasurer. His ‘phone number is on p3.

Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 5 MORETON BAY SHOREBIRDS using simple versus more rigorous reviewing what might affect the A new study using QWSG data analyses techniques. Specifically, the numbers of birds counted. In the reports worrying declines in study looked at 15 years of shorebird simplest case we might expect bird Moreton Bay shorebirds, and population monitoring data collected abundances to stay level, which highlights the value of regular by QWSG volunteers at shorebird would mean the abundance counts monthly counting roosts throughout Moreton Bay. shouldn’t change. Now anyone who I, like many in Australia, have Monthly surveys on this scale has ever counted shorebirds knows marvelled at the clouds of migratory represent a huge logistical effort, and that if you do multiple counts, even shorebirds that visit our shores each substantial input of time by many when they are at a similar time of year. Many of us are further amazed QWSG volunteers. This new paper year, they will not be the same. At a by the incredible physical endurance highlights how that extra effort local level, falcons can zip by leaving and navigational skills that must be allows trends to be identified for no shorebirds at the roost where you required for these birds to travel more species than would have been usually count, or poor weather can thousands of kilometres each year. uncovered if counts were done just make it hard to count accurately, or Increasingly though, shorebird once in summer and once in winter. push the birds around the corner so counters are seeing fewer shorebirds The sophisticated modelling you can’t see them. Furthermore, around now than just a few years techniques employed in this study across large areas, such as the whole ago. For example, it was recently would probably not have been of Moreton Bay, there are reported that the Curlew Sandpiper possible to run on most computers 10 considerable logistical difficulties in has decreased by 80% throughout to 20 years ago, but the techniques counting all the birds in one area at southern Australia over the past 25 are particularly suited to data with one time. This results in counts that, years. On top of this, there are large amounts and different types of if plotted over time would not be increasing reports of habitat variability. They are well suited to identical even if the actual bird destruction in the staging sites used estimating how much our shorebird population was not changing. by migratory species in SE Asia. It is populations have changed, and how Additionally, at a broader scale, one therefore not surprising that many of confident we can be that these season the birds spend in the arctic us are concerned about the plight of changes are real. The paper might be particularly good with a migratory shorebirds. The uncovered strong evidence of long- long warm summer, with plenty of remarkable long-term shorebird term declines in Moreton Bay food and few predators around population monitoring counts that populations of White-winged Black resulting in more young coming to have been conducted throughout Tern, Red Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Australia, while the following year Australia offer a unique opportunity Ruddy Turnstone, Greenshank, Great might be a bad one. These natural to try to analyse and document the Knot and Whimbrel, with evidence fluctuations in numbers occur in declines in shorebird populations. A of an increase in Red-necked Stint every wild animal population, but new scientific paper due to appear in (probably owing to the Port of they occur to different degrees in the journal Conservation Biology, Brisbane reclamation). There was different species. All these sources of ‘Analyzing Variability and the Rate some evidence of decline in another variation obscure underlying patterns of Decline of Migratory Shorebirds 4 species, and some evidence of in the bird abundances, whether that in Moreton Bay, Australia’ gives us increases in another 3. Interestingly, pattern is the population staying some insights into how our existing this paper showed that if counts had constant over time, or increasing or long-term data can be put to work only been done twice a year in decreasing. using new sophisticated modelling Moreton Bay, declines would have A simple model, such as linear techniques to detect changes before only been detected in four species; regression, will assume that all the they become catastrophic. the Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, variation comes from one source The paper, by researchers Howard Whimbrel and Eastern Curlew. These (usually the variation in our ability to Wilson, Bruce Kendall, Richard results highlight the question: how count the birds accurately). However, Fuller, David Milton and Hugh much evidence do we need to decide the recent paper by Howard Wilson Possingham, highlighted the when species are in decline? and colleagues compared these usefulness of doing monthly counts, In order to understand how to simple methods with recently as well as the differences between interpret the results, it is worth first developed randomly determined

6 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 Giving Them Wings (cont) state-space models to account for valuable input from those who have Recovery Plan Objectives many more sources of variation in collected data from throughout the The primary objectives of this plan bird counts, a much more realistic country, including representatives are to secure existing populations model. Simple population analyses from each of the following across the species’ range and achieve techniques were more likely to organisations: Australasian Wader de-listing of Malleefowl under the identify population declines when Studies Group, Bird Observation and EPBC Act within 20 years. there was in fact no decline Conservation Australia, Birds Specific Objectives: happening. The more complex Australia, Birds Australia Western Managing Populations randomly determined state-space Australia, Birds Tasmania, Friends of 1: Reduce permanent habitat loss models are less powerful at detecting Shorebirds SE, Friends of Streaky 2: Reduce the threat of grazing change but give rise to fewer ‘false Bay District Parks, Hunter Bird pressure on Malleefowl populations alarms’. Observers Club, New South Wales 3: Reduce fire threats It is clearly beneficial to have Wader Study Group, Ornithological 4: Reduce predation comprehensive techniques that result Society of New Zealand, The South 5: Reduce isolation of fragmented in less doubt that the identified Australian Ornithological populations decline in a population is in fact Association Inc. (Birds SA), 6: Promote Malleefowl-friendly happening, and which can then be Victorian Wader Study Group, and agricultural practices used as compelling evidence of a Wetlands International. More 7: Reduce Malleefowl mortality on problem when talking to decision importantly, the team will also try to roads makers. However, is it better to be uncover what is driving these Planning, Research, and Monitoring more certain about the declines we declines. 8: Provide information for regional do report, or should we identify all For more information or to download planning species that are possibly declining a pdf copy of this paper, visit 9: Monitor Malleefowl and develop even if this gives rise to some false www.fullerlab.org an adaptive management framework alarms? One solution is to make the Rob Clemens, School of Biological 10: Determine the current scientific reporting complete enough Sciences, University of Queensland distribution of Malleefowl to do both, as was done in this paper, ([email protected]) 11: Examine population dynamics: so that the difference between those longevity, recruitment and parentage we are sure about and those with FOURTH NATIONAL 12: Describe habitat requirements some evidence of decline can be MALLEEFOWL FORUM that determine Malleefowl made clear. In the case of QWSG, Over the weekend of 29th July to 1st abundance the paper shows clearly how monthly August 2011, an eclectic collection 13: Define appropriate genetic units surveys enable greater scientific of landholders, scientists, for management of Malleefowl certainty regarding the changes in conservation volunteers, and 14: Assess captive breeding and re- population abundance. government officials gathered in the introduction of Malleefowl The shorebird monitoring data that Renmark Hotel for the 4th National 15: Investigate infertility and has been collected over the last 25 Malleefowl Conference. Among the agrochemicals years represents one of the best, most crowd were Birds SA members Community Involvement and Project systematically collected long-term Teresa Jack, Peter Gower, and Lizzy Coordination data sets in Australia: a data set Lewis. 16: Facilitate communication which represents many thousands of National Recovery Plan for between groups hours of work by volunteers Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata 17: Raise public awareness through throughout the country. It is exciting Guiding the activities of all those education and publicity to know that now a team of involved in Malleefowl conservation 18: Manage the recovery process researchers at the University of is the ‘National Recovery Plan for (A copy of the Recovery Plan can be Queensland led by Richard Fuller, Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata’ drafted downloaded from: Howard Wilson and Hugh by Dr. Joe Benshemesh of La Trobe http://www.environment.gov.au/biod Possingham will be extending the University, under the auspices of the iversity/threatened/publications/reco work discussed here. Supported by Commonwealth’s Environment very/malleefowl/index.html.) QWSG, DERM, the Port of Protection and Biodiversity Proceedings Brisbane, the federal environment Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC). The Peter Sandell, outgoing chairman of department, and the Australian plan has a primary objective and 18 the National Malleefowl Recovery Research Council, the team will specific objectives. Team opened with a welcome and determine if the results observed in outlined the major themes to be Moreton Bay reflect what is discussed at the conference. These happening throughout the East-Asian were fire, genetics, the national Australasian flyway. This project database and the role of community will be further assisted through the groups.

Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 7 Giving Them Wings (cont) The first session, presented by Peter collaborative research project Copley, Senior Ecologist with between La Trobe and Deakin DENR, was a performance Universities. This very large project evaluation of progress since the sampled the flora and fauna in 28 previous National Forum held at landscapes selected to represent Katanning, WA in 2007. Results different combinations of fire history were patchy. Excellent progress has across the Murray Mallee region of been made in monitoring and the Victoria, SA and NSW. It produced a development of a national database mass of data concerning the recording monitoring results, and in distribution of fire age-classes across research into aspects of fire the region and post-fire changes in management and genetics. Very little vegetation structure and vertebrate progress, however, has been made in biodiversity. A key finding was that other aspects of the plan such as the greater the number of patches managing populations, raising with different ages since fire in an community awareness, understanding area, the greater the biodiversity in population dynamics and habitat that area, or, as Simon put it: requirements. In many cases lack of “Pyrodiversity begets biodiversity”. clearly stated objectives and The role of community groups and inadequate recording of results made some having done so for twenty individual landholders was discussed it impossible to gauge progress years and more. in some detail. Volunteers are objectively. Fire is a major threat to the essential to the surveying and A key aspect of the National plan is Malleefowl. It not only kills birds but monitoring aspects of Malleefowl the regular monitoring of a sample of also destroys their habitat. Breeding conservation. However, individual Malleefowl mounds in sites may not occur for up to 17 years landowners with a passion for extending throughout the southern after a fire, with the birds preferring conservation are the largely unsung half of Australia, from the southwest mallee that had not had fire for 30-60 heroes. It was fascinating to hear of of Western Australia to Victoria. years. The requirement in Victoria the personal time and effort they put Monitored mounds fall within following the 2009 bushfires for 5% into this work and the considerable surveyed grids, and constitute a burning per year is therefore a major financial cost they incur. This is in a sample of the population of mounds. problem. Research into the role of context of declining rural populations Changes in the number of mounds, fire was presented by the newly and reduced farming incomes and their condition, can be extended minted Doctors Blair Parsons and through the effects of drought, rising to the population as a whole, and can Simon Watson. Blair described costs and poor produce prices. The be used to assess the effects of research in the wheat belt of Western uncertainty associated with short- changes in weather, habitat and Australia where he and his colleague term Government funding of management practices. Monitoring is G.C. Gosper investigated: projects, which need to operate for usually accomplished by on ground • whether fire regimes differed long periods, is no small factor in the visitation to mounds, previously between remnants of different pressure they experience. located by line searches through the sizes and uncleared vegetation, A highlight of the Forum was the scrub. However the forum also learnt • vegetation structural responses to presentation by Taneal Cope on the of surveying by helicopter (NSW), time since fire in different work she is doing on the and the use of sand plots to detect habitats, and conservation genetics of Malleefowl. Malleefowl tracks as employed in • exploring the consequences of Understanding the genetic status of remote aboriginal lands in South these differences to the Malleefowl populations is of great Australia. Malleefowl. importance because many Dr. Joe Benshemesh described the Their study showed how fire populations are contained in small development of a web-based national management must be tailored to the isolated fragments. Small database to house the results. It must specific habitat and landscape populations typically have reduced be secure, but allow controlled access context of the site. In small remnants, genetic variation because of mating to users to both enter and retrieve controlled fires may be necessary to between close relatives and random data. Leaders of community groups maintain suitable Malleefowl habitat. loss of alleles over time (genetic then described work within their In larger remnants the emphasis drift). Taneal extracts both regions in collecting data for the needs to be on preventing and mitochondrial and chromosomal database. The enormous annual effort limiting wildfires. DNA from feathers. There has been required was impressive, but so too Simon reported on the results of a little problem in obtaining was the enthusiasm of the volunteers large-scale project, the Mallee, Fire mitochondrial DNA from all parts of that regularly perform these tasks, and Biodiversity Project, a the feather, but chromosomal DNA,

8 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 Giving Them Wings (cont) which is only found in the tip of the the past year. This was an Malleefowl conservation become a shaft, is more difficult to obtain. It investigation into the effects of locust model for other situations. needs to be supplemented by DNA control activities on Malleefowl from dead birds (e.g. road kill) or egg nesting success. Ellen Ryan- Among the displays were the membranes. Coultan described how clutch size, impressive results of static cameras Her investigations cover three main laying rates, hatching success and erected on active mounds. The aspects: other characteristics were compared cameras are left unmanned at the Phylogeography and population for mounds that were variously: mound for extended periods. Motion structure. Results obtained so far • between 200 metres and 5 sensors trigger the taking of a show little evidence of a population kilometres from aerial and ground photograph. They enable detailed structure (i.e. no races or sub- based spraying activities studies of the bird’s behaviour to be species). The indication is that a (SPRAY), captured and events such as visits to population was isolated in the SW of • more than 4 kilometres from the mound by foxes to be recorded. Western Australia during the ground-based spraying and had They offer an avenue for obtaining Pleistocene and has spread eastward no aerial spraying (LIGHT), and valuable data that could not be relatively recently. One indicator of • not subject to spraying gathered in any other way. this is the resistance to 1080 found in (CONTROL). Vaughan Willams of Zoos SA birds living in areas where there are No spray residues were detected in described the work being done to no plants producing 1080, such as feather, scat or membrane samples establish a captive breeding Gastrolobium. and the results did not show any population at Monarto Zoo. Such a Mating systems and reproductive deleterious effects of spraying. population, if achieved, would form a behaviour. The indication is that However the study did reveal large valuable insurance against loss by Malleefowl are generally variation in hatching success fire of a population in a small monogamous and that the male bird between individual mounds even on remnant area. at a mound is the father of all the the same site. Disappointingly some At the end of the Forum future steps chicks that hatch from it. Taneal’s mounds had very poor hatching rates, to be taken were considered. The work supports this contention. A case including samples from Ferries- most important of these were: has been found where a male McDonald C.P. Whether this was the • continued development of the managed two mounds and had two result of the drought, inbreeding national database females. depression, or some other factor is • implementation of Adaptive Inbreeding and gene flow. currently unknown. Management Malleefowl are reluctant fliers and do Dr Joe Benshemesh discussed • improved communication not readily disperse over open adoption of the Adaptive between members of the country. Populations isolated Management methodology for Malleefowl conservation physically are therefore likely to be Malleefowl conservation. community whether by newsletter isolated genetically which may lead Conservation is often a question of or website to inbreeding depression and crisis management in an uncertain Ms Sharon Gillam of DENR, South susceptibility to novel diseases and world. The appropriate strategy to Australia was elected as the new other stresses. Taneal will now use for conserving a species is often Chair of the National Malleefowl investigate these important topics. unknown but the species is declining Recovery Team. Sharon was Another important research study fast and something needs to be done responsible for the organisation of was conducted in South Australia in urgently. Conservation action cannot the Forum, and, if the excellent wait until the results of research organisation of this event is anything studies are known. Adaptive to go by, Malleefowl conservation is management is a process whereby in a safe pair of hands. management activities themselves Note: Birds SA members finding are seen as experiments. The results feathers at a mound should place are closely monitored and future these in an envelope. Do not touch management actions modified in the the quill and particularly its tip. Dead light of lessons learnt. Joe sees this birds, or fragments thereof, and egg as the next step for Malleefowl membranes should be placed in foil conservation. Money is to be sought and stored in a freezer. If you then from the Federal government and the take them to the museum they will methodology applied. Adaptive forward them to Taneal. You need Management is being used in many also to provide information of when situations but seldom is it being and where (GPS location if possible) applied in the proper formal manner. the remains were found. Joe is determined to see its use in John Fennell

Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 9 Past & Future Meetings PAST GENERAL MEETINGS • In 2000, the population within the south again in autumn to avoid Yellow River basin was about the colder period of the year Friday, 29 April 110 million (Miao et al., 2010) by • winter migrants seeking refuge Stuart Hull introduced the speaker 2006 it had reached about 113 from the more extreme climate to for the evening Dr Gregg Kerr. The million, and it was projected to be the north talk was titled “Migratory Birds and 120 million by 2010 (Zhu et al., • transient spring (northward Habitat Loss in the Yellow River and 2003). moving) and autumn (southward Yellow Sea — Out of sight … Out of • The catchment includes 12.6Mha moving) migrants mind!!!” under agriculture, of which 40% • resident species Dr Kerr began with an overview of is irrigated with water sourced Example of a flow dependent his talk from the Yellow River (Xia et al., species — Swan Goose, critically • The Yellow River 2002). endangered: Habitat and threats to bird species Threats to the Yellow River — • overwinters in China in lowland Examples of existing reserves Fringing habitat lake side marshes, estuaries and Flow dependent birds • The area adjacent to the river is tidal flats • The Yellow Sea being used more and more for • preferentially feed on submerged Habitat and threats agriculture macrophyte tubers, particularly Recent surveys on the Bohai Sea Threats to the Yellow River — those of Vallisneria spiralis, What can we do? Timing and Extent of Flow typically made successively The east Asian Australasian flyway • 14 hydroelectric power stations available from muddy lake stretches from the middle of Siberia • 4 major dams Sanmenxia (1960), sediments by winter water level to Alaska in the North, compressing Liujiaxia (1968), Longyangxia recession through eastern Asia, and then (1986), Xiaolangdi (1999). • low summer water levels reduce spreading across south east Asia to Over the last five decades, reduced the extent of deep water habitat Australia and New Zealand. More flooding in the delta area, associated available to Vallisneria than 50 species of shorebird migrate with natural flow reduction and • Mud flats that are exposed to up and down this flyway, along with regulation by dams, has led to: falling water levels too early in hundreds of other species. • saltwater intrusion, and increased the year may become dry and too The Yellow River (Huang He) Basin soil salinisation (Qi and Luo, hard for birds to be able to dig for is 5,464 km in length (Murray 2007; Zhang and Zhao, 2010). and feed on plant tubers Darling 3,375 km) and the basin area • lowered seawater temperature • Also Hooded Crane, Tundra is 752,443km2 (MD 1,061,469km2). during the fish breeding season Swans, and Siberian Crane The river cuts through a loess mantle from April to June, which has The Yellow Sea 100-200 m thick and 275,600km2 in reduced nutrient levels and • Average depth 46 m, 26 m in the area. Around 76% of the loess area reduced primary productivity, Bo Hai suffers severe soil erosion. which has contracted fish • Area of 458,000 km2 Threats to the Yellow River — production and changed species • Total mudflat area = ~ 20,000 Loss of floodplain and wetlands composition (Fan and Huang, km2 • A few valuable riverine wetlands 2008). • In the Bo Hai the intertidal areas remain in the braided upper reach • a reduction in the ability of fish to are frozen during winter. of the lower Yellow River, where return to the estuary after The Yellow Sea — Threats to the river still actively shifts its breeding (Fan and Huang, 2008). Shorebirds course. • The essential character of the • Habitat loss and alteration due to • Wetlands along the lower Yellow lower Yellow River delta, which reclamation for industrial River in Henan (Xiaolangdi to contains a Ramsar listed wetland development, agricultural land, Dongbatou) – 19 % reduction in area, is partly reliant on its rapid salt works, housing, mariculture riverine wetland area between rate of seaward progradation, and freshwater development 1987 and 2002 (Liang and Ding, which gives rise to very active • Water quality deterioration – oil, 2004). The total area of rice plant succession. inorganic phosphorous, inorganic wetland increased, but other types • At Lijin the river ceased to flow nitrogen, heavy metals, industrial (beach, bulrush and pool) for >200 days during 1998 effluent and domestic sewerage decreased. Yellow River and Yellow Sea – • Reduced river flow – reduced • Wetlands in Kaifeng City Waterbird habitat sediment transported – loss of between 1987 and 2002 – 45% In China the waterbirds can be split fresh silt and nutrients to reduction the area of natural into four groups intertidal flats wetland • summer breeding migrants which All these factors reduce finfish and Threats to the Yellow River — migrate north to breed in spring shellfish biomass and contaminate Population and summer, before departing these food sources.

10 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 Past & Future Meetings (cont) • Hunting – e.g. clap traps and mist • 36 shorebird species in (mature adults) were using the nets internationally significant area during northward migration. The pumping boats pump mud from numbers • It is not known where the Red the inter-tidal flats, to a depth of • At least 6 sites support 15 or Knots go in the southerly 15m, through pipes and over the more species (including YRD) migration seawall into the adjacent salt ponds. • Four sites have >20% of the China’s International This is to create ‘solid ground’ that flyway population for a species Commitments can then be developed with industry. (e.g. Eurasian curlew and Kentish • China Australia Migratory Bird At the same time new sea walls are plover at YRD) (Barter 2002) Agreement (CAMBA). Signed being built around the mudflats and The Yellow Sea – Habitat Loss in 1986 this area is then filled in and Bohai Bay 1994-2009 • The Bonn Convention on the developed. This method of Between 1994 and 2009, Conservation of Migratory ‘reclamation’ is widely used in the approximately 453 km2 of sea area, Species of Wild Animals. China Yellow Sea and is very effective for including 156 km2 of intertidal is not a signatory to the CMS. its purpose. Enormous areas of inter- mudflats have been destroyed, a 36% But, a signatory to the MOU on tidal mud flats have been converted loss of the total mudflat area of Siberian Cranes to industrial land in this way. The 428km2. Roebucks Bay’s (Broome • Ramsar. China is a contracting China Marine Environment Bird observatory) Mudflat Area is party to the Ramsar Convention. Monitoring Centre estimates that 175km2. Signed in July 1992. They have between 2006 and 2010, 1000 km2 of The current study site comprises 37 designated Ramsar Sites land were reclaimed each year in inter-tidal flats of 25km in length. • The only site in the Yellow River China Five km of this length, known to us and Bohai Sea is the Yellow The current study site comprises as Zuidong, will not be available to River delta 25km in length of inter-tidal flats. shorebirds at all for next spring’s • Wetlands of International The Yellow Sea — Habitat Loss migration. Right now, all mudflats of Significance. Mudflats lost to 2002 (Barter 2002): the Zuidong area are being What can we do about it? • approximately 37% of the reclaimed. This is in addition to the • Form a group within Birds intertidal areas existing in the major reclamation of Caofeidian SA? Chinese portion of the Yellow immediately further east that is • Lobby for a Nanpu-Beipu Sea in 1950 approaching completion. Parts of the international reserve? • 43% of those in South Korea in seaward impoundments at the Nanpu • Establish contacts with bird 1917 area have already been filled in, with observer clubs in China • reclamation of intertidal areas for the mudflats offshore showing many – Bird Watch China food production in North Korea holes from dredging. Also the Nanpu www.cbw.org.cn has been a national priority for area is bordered on the east by the – Beijing Bird many years dam to the Nanpu Oil Field artificial Watchers Club • S. Korea – Saemangeum 40,100 island, and the island itself. The • ???????????? ha tidal flat lost – loss of 90,000 relatively least-disturbed area is great knot, & 9 other sp 30% Beipu. The very muddy Beipu Friday May 27 decline. mudflats (home to tens of thousands Vice-President John Hatch Future Plans: Curlew Sandpipers and Red Knots in introduced the speaker Jeremy • China: Plans to reclaim 45% of late May 2010) are harvested by the Robertson. The title of Jeremy’s talk existing Yellow Sea mudflats relatively affluent villagers of Beipu was ‘Bird song and hearing’. Jeremy (Yuan et al. 2001) village. Nevertheless, rumours have explained about his research work, • South Korea: Plans to reclaim it that dredging and the infilling of which is with bird song and bio- 34% of existing Yellow Sea the seaward impoundment will also acoustics. Jeremy said that birds have mudflats (Moores et al. 2001) start here soon. a syrinx while we have a larynx. Bird The Yellow Sea – Shorebird Some Bohai survey results (56 days song is a means of communication significance observation) i.e. providing information by a • At least 2 000 000 shorebirds use • Over 3000 flagged birds sighted sender to a receiver, and subsequent the region in northward migration from 21 banding sites use of that information by the (40% of flyway) • 8 individual Red Knots were receiver in deciding how to respond. • About 1 000 000 in southward counted on 2 April. This This can be either a signal or a cue. migration increased to 800 by 14 April and With a signal the information that • 27 known sites with the peak of 4,958 was present benefits the sender is intentionally internationally significant during the count on 2-4 May. sent: e.g. begging in baby birds, sex numbers (>1% of flyway • EAAF populations – 30% of the pheromones in moths, alarm calls to population) for at least one Curlew Sandpiper, 45.6% of the warn conspecifics. Conversly, in a species migrating Knot population cue the information is inadvertently

Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 11 Past & Future Meetings (cont) supplied to the receiver and it does Production of complex sounds is their local dialect, which is quite not benefit the sender: e.g. footsteps sometimes accompanied by unusual distinct from dialects in other areas. of deer rustling leaves, predators capabilities in perception, attention, Male Palm Cockatoos use a piece of homing in on alarm calls. memory and learning. Like humans, stick as a drumstick. When calling All signals must be propagated birds acquire abilities by exposure. and displaying to attract females they through an environment, which alters A perennial issue is the common hold the stick with one foot and bang their quality. Lekking birds chose assumption that other organisms it against a hollow log. display areas where the lighting will perceive the world in the same way Some birds are remarkable mimics. emphasize their fancy plumage. as we do. I previously gave a talk Song development in Swamp Mammals scent-mark posts where showing our commonly held view of Sparrows depends on hearing others. the chemical will be more easily birds’ brains is incorrect. Similarly, it Male Chaffinches need 10 months to detected, but the chemical will fade is now well known that birds can see learn 2-6 songs. Some birds need to with time, and other chemicals might u.v. light and thus see in a different hear their song to maintain its interfere. Low frequency sounds way. Evidence suggests that birds see quality. propagate better in dense forest, high colours in ways we cannot imagine. It is difficult to find out what birds frequency sounds are better in open Humans have three photo pigments actually hear, but it seems reasonable areas. that sub-optimally cover the visible to assume that birds can hear the Communication probably evolved so spectrum. Birds have similar photo sounds they produce. Most of what it can be used to assess behaviour, pigments that optimally cover the we know is based on playback of physiology or morphology. visible spectrum, but they also have a sound to trained captive birds, such Receiving mechanisms evolved for fourth pigment that is sensitive to as Budgerigars, Zebra Finches, efficient and reliable reception. u.v.light. Starlings and Canaries. Signals evolved for efficient A bird’s inner ears are much smaller Research findings indicate that birds’ transmission to and manipulation of than those of an equal-sized brains are as complex as mammal the receiver. The signal is transmitted mammal. There are more hair cells in brains, but are probably 3-10 times from sender to receiver by touch, birds’ ears and their arrangement is faster. smell, vision or sound. Different much more complex. Birds’ ears are Birds’ ears have a smaller frequency channels have costs and benefits not fully understood and their range but are 3-8 times better at depending on the environment and complexity may mean that they have discriminating temporal differences. the information being transmitted. unknown hearing mechanisms. Some Thus birds hear in a completely There are pros and cons for the birds (e.g. Zebra Finches) are different way... channels of communication: exceedingly good at discriminating Just as with birds’ brains and vision Channel Pros Cons changes in harmonics. Unlike many it is incorrect to assume birds hear Touch Fast Need mammals, birds have no external like we do; contact ears, and this probably affects the There are similarities but the faster Smell Slow Diffuses, directionality of their hearing. A discrimination of the bird ear (and long lasting single ear bone, compared with brain?) means they can hear temporal Vision Fast Line of humans three bones, reduces birds’ features we completely miss. You sight, diurnal ability to hear high frequencies; can get some idea of what they hear Sound Fast Diffuses Birds can match humans in 1% by listening to slowed down Smell is the oldest communication frequency discrimination. Although recordings, but this alters the pitch channel and is used throughout the they are poorer than humans in too. animal kingdom except by most discriminating intensity, birds equal The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has species of birds. Smell tends to be humans at the ‘cocktail party’ effect. found that Club-winged Manakins, used for mate identification; Birds’ calls are acoustically simple Machaeropterus deliciosus, make attraction; signalling sexual and convey messages associated with sounds by vibrating their feathers. receptivity; spacing mechanisms, the immediate environment, such as Communication and conservation alarms. Odours (Pheromones) are danger, feeding, nesting, and — acoustic signals and important in mammals, including flocking. Their songs are longer, anthropogenic noise. Male Great Tits humans. Vision is extremely more complex, more tonal, and are increase the frequency of their songs important in birds. The main issue is used in the context of competition for in noisy, urban environments. If that it is largely diurnal and requires resources, such as mates or territory. females prefer low frequencies, how line of sight. Superb Fairy-wrens’ aerial alarm will noise affect mate attraction? If We know much more about sound calls – for raptors – differ from their high frequencies are costly to production than we do about hearing. terrestrial alarm calls – for foxes and produce, how will this affect the It has long been suspected that birds Currawongs. males? are capable of hearing complex Some birds have dialects that are features beyond human abilities, but characteristic of specific regions. For evidence is difficult to find. example, year-old Chaffinches learn

12 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 Past & Future Meetings (cont) Friday June 24 behavioural interactions occurring nestling that is smaller and John Hatch introduced the speaker within a family. submissive to their older ‘dominant’ Julie Riordan. Julie has been The BFC is a brood-reducer species, or ‘core’ nestling. This type of brood researching Black-faced Cormorants which means that they lay more eggs structure can influence the way (BFC) for the past 2.5 years as part than are expected to survive to the chicks behave within the nest. of her PhD at University of South age of fledging. Common Another important finding was chick Australia under the supervision of characteristics that lead to brood survival. The survival rate for the Greg Johnston. Her talk was entitled reducing behaviors include: first chick increased with brood size. “Family dynamics of cormorants – a • Hatching asynchrony, — The second chick also shows an study of conflict and co-operation”. nestlings are born in a staggered increase in survival as brood size The Black-faced Cormorant colony order, resulting in core and increases. is found near the mouth of the Port marginal offspring High mortality is due to the River and their rookery is on the • Having young that are dependent breakwater being exposed to storms breakwater opposite the Royal SA on parents for warmth, food and and king tides. In 2009 90% of the yacht squadron. The cormorants protection for a period of time nestlings died and in 2011 all were breed during winter months (April – after hatching washed away due to a king tide. August) in this area, in contrast with • Offspring restricted to a nest A brood manipulation experiment other colonies in SA that have a environment, which means that involved moving nestlings from summer breeding season. The they are always in close different nests into a shared nest. In population can reach 6000 proximity to siblings addition to that, each chick used in individuals. This season (2011) it is • Having limited access to the experiment was not related to around 2000 – 3000 individuals. The resources — such as food only either parent or any other nestling in breakwater is also visited by various being available when parents the brood to which it was introduced. other species including Silver Gull, deliver it Variables measured in the Australian Pelican, Pacific Gull So part of the first part of my PhD experiment were survival rates, chick (adult and juveniles) and various study involved collecting descriptive condition and behavioral waders but generally during the data to confirm whether BFC do interactions. The survival rates in the winter it will be the odd Pied actually show the above manipulated nests indicated conflict Oystercatcher. Both the Australian characteristics, and basically gain a and not facilitation occurring and New Zealand Fur Seals can be general understanding of what is between nestlings. In conjunction seen in the area. happening in the colony. with chick survival and condition, Facts about the BFC Julie monitored 120 nests from when observations were conducted on the • Endemic to southern Australia the eggs were laid to when the chicks rate of feeding, begging and • Outer Harbour is their largest fledged. The main variables aggression observed in manipulated breeding colony measured were clutch size, hatchling nest. • Represented in 21 Australian size, hatching asynchrony and chick In conjunction with the descriptive Important Bird Areas survival. From this study it was field study an analysis was carried • Conservation status is poorly found that: out to determine if BFC are sexually understood • Clutch size ranges between 1 – 4 dimorphic or monomorphic as they • Limited research has been eggs. The average is have previously been described. Julie conducted on BFCs especially of approximately 3 eggs. visited museums in SA, VIC, NSW their breeding biology. • Weight at hatching is about 32g and WA and took external • The few research projects that • Hatching asynchrony i.e. the time measurements from over 50 skins. have been conducted on the Outer between when each egg is laid Discriminant analysis was performed Harbour population are from the and hatched is approx 2.65 days. and a discriminant score assigned to 1960s in which Waterman first • By the time the third chick each sex. It was found that individual described the colony and leg- hatches the first chick is already 5 sexes could be successfully identified banded approximately 1000 days old. in mated pairs. Males have more chicks and 120 adults. • This creates a huge size robust bills than females. More recently, in the 1990s, Julie’s difference between nestlings. Julie concluded her talk by supervisor, Greg Johnston, in co- The first hatched chick weighs more acknowledging Dr Greg Johnston junction with Jeremy Robertson than the 2nd or 3rd chick with the 1st and Dr Mike Gardner, Johnston supervised a small group of students chick being four times larger than the laboratory group, field volunteers, gathering preliminary data on the third chick and 1.5 times larger than Peter Day for photographs and cormorants’ breeding biology. the second chick. This size hierarchy funding from Nature Foundation SA, Julie is continuing that research by influences the way the brood is Holsworth Wildlife Research further expanding our knowledge of structured in which there are two Endowment and Sir Mark Mitchell the birds’ breeding biology, and different categories of chicks within Research Foundation. particularly understanding the one brood — a younger ‘marginal’

Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 13 Past & Future Meetings (cont)/Past Excursions FUTURE GENERAL Thursday May 19: Bushland Saturday June 11: Bullock Hill CP MEETINGS Park — (Nitschke Hill). An overcast morning saw 16 brave A cool morning saw 20 members members assembled at Ashbourne General meetings are held on the gather for a leisurely stroll. The Oval. Whilst weather conditions at last Friday of every month except lower lake was quite full and the oval were pleasant, our arrival at December, public holidays or prior held Eurasian Coots, Pacific Bullock Hill was accompanied by a to a long weekend; in the Charles Black Ducks and a single cold wind, which persisted until Hawker building of the Waite Australasian Grebe. No Little lunchtime when the sun peeped Institute on Waite Road Fullarton. Pied Cormorants were observed through the clouds long enough for The doors open at 7pm on the lake although several were lunch and the bird call. After a seen flying overhead later in the thorough exploration of the Park we morning. One, perhaps two, Friday September 23 managed to see 31 species and Australian Reed-warblers were (due to long weekend) seen flitting about the reeds, but identify a further 2 on call for a total TBA were not singing. Red-browed of 33 species for the day. Many of Finches were feeding on or near the species were in low numbers, Friday October 28 the track in several places. A with Red-browed Finch, New TBA small group of Varied Sittellas Holland Honeyeater, Superb Fairy- were gleaning branches high in wren and Musk Lorikeet being the Friday November 25 the canopy alongside White- most common. An odd addition to Members’ Night naped Honeyeaters. We were the list was a pair of Australian Please contact John Hatch if you privileged to have several very Shelducks seen flying over the Park. would like to give a presentation. close views of Spotted Pardalotes Brian Walker The meeting will be preceded by the feeding in shrubs near the track. Christmas breakup supper. Please Grey Shrike-thrushes were Thursday 16 June: Rocky Gully bring a plate of food to share. numerous and quite vocal. Also Conservation Reserve numerous were White-throated Twenty-four members enjoyed this Treecreepers but they were first winter visit to this location, unusually quiet. Dusky which provided a species count of PAST EXCURSIONS Woodswallows, Tree Martins and 50. The weather was at first quite Welcome Swallows were quite cold but it gradually warmed as the Saturday May 14: Onkaparinga numerous in the trees and flying over morning progressed. A Stubble Quail River NP — Hardy's Scrub the upper lake. Other species seen was flushed early on as we moved were Yellow-faced, White-naped, Thirteen members attended this through the grassy areas. Large Crescent and New Holland excursion. The weather was good for flocks of Striated Pardalotes, Honeyeaters, Scarlet Robin, Crimson walking and some birds put on Rosella and Fan-tailed and Silvereyes and Brown-headed pleasing displays. From the entrance Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoos. In all it Honeyeaters were observed in gate we turned right and walked was a very good winter’s day with 41 several places. Other honeyeaters along a track through scrub. It was species recorded. seen were Red Wattlebird, Spiny- quiet in there but it soon opened up Martyn Price cheeked, Singing, White-plumed, into an area that had been burnt and New Holland and a single White- where the birds were active and Sunday May 29: Karte CP naped. Several members saw a small could be seen. The Yellow-tailed The location of this trip encouraged group of Varied Sittellas. Several Black Cockatoos flew above us a 10 members to attend the walk; some Southern Scrub-robins were heard number of times. Pairs of Eastern of whom stayed for 2 nights and calling but few were sighted. Other Spinebills and Grey Fantails were managed to record 40 species. One of species included Black-shouldered very active, while a Fan-tailed these, Yellow-throated Miner, had Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Golden Cuckoo was heard and finally seen. not been recorded here during our and Rufous Whistlers (neither A Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo was previous 6 visits since 1993. Four calling), Red-capped and Hooded seen by everyone but never heard. species of thornbills were recorded. Robins, White-browed Babbler and We walked down past the Creek and These were Inland, Chestnut-rumped, several large groups of White- then up to the top road where Eastern Yellow-rumped and Yellow. Also winged Chough. Although somewhat Spinebills and Grey Fantails again seen were Splendid Fairy-wrens, quiet for species compared with our very active. We enjoyed our lunch Mulga Parrots, Australian Ringnecks summer visits, everyone enjoyed the and bird-call amongst the sheoaks. and Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters. An morning. Several members went for Owlet Nightjar was heard. A few We also saw three possums in a second walk after lunch and people went into Billiatt CP on the nesting boxes, three koalas, one managed to add Australian Hobby to way home. kangaroo and abundant evidence of the list. Bill Alcock Echidnas. Martyn Price Teresa Jack

14 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 Past Excursions (cont) Sunday June 26: Lowan CP Thursday July 21: Nangkita Scrub observed on our visits via the A reasonable day’s weather is always This was our first visit as a group to northern car park. In all 34 species a good start to a walk through Lowan this area. A chilly start saw 16 hardy were observed in the hour. with only the sounds of the bush to souls surveying the 1.5km main track Martyn Price enjoy. Seventeen members did just from the car park on Nangkita Rd that and several even went back in south to the southern boundary and Sunday July 31: Newland Head CP after lunch, adding an extra two east to the eastern boundary — a It was another pleasant day by the species making the day’s tally of 44. very similar habit to Cox Scrub CP. sea, at least for the 30 fishermen and Species of note included Stubble For the most part it was quiet, but their families. There was no sign of Quail, Owlet Nightjar, Shy Galahs, Little Ravens, Silvereyes and Hooded Plover, nor would I expect Heathwren, Southern Scrub-robin, especially New Holland Honeyeaters them to be here with the number of Mulga Parrot, Restless Flycatcher, wereA numerous. Splash Red-browed Finch es ofpeople Colour stretched all along the Chestnut Quail-thrush, Sittella and were observed in the reeds. A group shoreline. We did actually add a Crested Bellbird (heard in various of Eastern Spinebills were observed Whiskered Tern to my records for parts of the Park). Seven species of collecting nectar in small shrubs this area. The count for this location honeyeater were seen, and these along the centre track. Thirty-one was 43 species with a pair of included White-eared, Purple-gaped species were observed in two and a Pelicans and Wedge-tailed Eagles and Yellow-plumed All participants half hours, which was reasonable for looking wonderful as they glided enjoyed a satisfying full day out, such a small area. above our heads. The group moved arriving home as the darkness took The group then headed east to Cox uphill to the ocean lookout and then over the night sky. Scrub CP, entering at the top of basically broke into 2 groups one Trevor Cowie Ridge road, and surveyed the heading along the cliff top and the northern boundary as far as the other going through the centre of the Saturday July 9: Goolwa Finnis River for about an hour. As Park. The Eastern Spinebill and Barrage/Hindmarsh Island expected a similar range of species Brown-headed Honeyeaters provided About 18 members arrived for this was observed with numerous small good views to most people, while trip during which a reasonable groups of Eastern Spinebills. New Horsfield’s Bronze and Fan-tailed number of species (53) were Holland Honeyeaters, though Cuckoos were calling well and were recorded. We moved about in the present, were in smaller numbers seen. Out at sea, four Australasian vehicles, stopping here and there on than at the Swamp. Other Gannets were flying around. At the peninsula and Hindmarsh Island, honeyeaters included Red lunch we had Red-browed Finches and returning to the Barrage area for Wattlebird, Yellow-faced, White- and Golden Whistlers for company. lunch. On the islands south of the plumed, Brown-headed, White-naped Trevor Cowie Murray mouth lookout there were at and Crescent. Several families of least 2000 Crested Terns and 50 Scarlet Robins were observed near Caspian Terns. We recorded one of the car park, a species not usually each of the three Grebes, a Whistling Kite nest building in A Bird0’s Paradise — Observe Glossy Black-Cockatoos feeding!! the Barrage trees whilst Little Ravens were nest building outside the gates. Around the start of the barrage we saw Elegant and Rock Parrots as well as Golden-headed Cisticola, Brown Enjoy a special place at American River, within walking distance of all attractions. Songlark, seven Black-shouldered Stay in a well-equipped three-bedroom cottage amongst surroundings that are perfect for Kites, 20 Pied birdwatching. Oystercatchers and a We offer Birds SA members staying two or more nights a discount price of $60 per double plus $12 pair of Sacred for each additional person. We give even more discount to those who stay more than four days. Kingfishers, no doubt also preparing their For more information, contact Chris and Pam Cooper on 85578616, at [email protected] or nest site. visit one of the following websites: www.roamfree.com or www.holidayz.com.au and search for ‘Possums Watch’. Trevor Cowie

20 Birds SA Newsletter, May 2011 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 15 Future Excursions Sunday August 28: Whites Dam roughly 120Km East to West, and Saturday October 15: Aldinga CP (LN) (172km) 60Km North to South. The Scrub CP (MLR) (46km) The park starts about 10km north of vegetation is Mallee and heath-land Meet at 8.15am at the reserve Morgan on the road to Burra. We and has been subject to frequent entrance on Cox Road, opposite meet in Morgan at 8.15am by the natural wildfires in drought years. Aldinga Holiday Park. toilet block on the left as you The area is listed as an Important approach the ferry. Bird Area (IBA) because it contains Thursday October 20: Porters the following bird species listed as Scrub CP (MLR) (44km) Saturday September 10: Vulnerable: Australian Bustard, From Lobethal take the road to Charleston CP (MLR) (38km) Regent Honeyeater, Mallee Emu- Gumeracha. As you climb the hill with the Brick kilns on the left look Meet at 8am by the tennis courts in wren, Purple-gaped Honeyeater, for and take a right hand turn into Newman Road, Charleston. Black-eared Miner, Western Schubert road, which comes up Whipbird and Red-lored Whistler. quickly at the top of the hill as the Thursday September 15: Talisker Report all sightings of any of these main road bears to the left. Take the CP (& area) (MLR) (95km) species. first turning left into Lihou road. This We meet at the General store in Additional Species list: We have comes to a cross road with the left Delamere at 8.15am. From there we received a request from DEHR for hard turn being the continuation of will drive to Talisker — a small park information about sightings of: Lihou road, when the road reaches a in the old silver-lead mine area. A Crested Bellbird, White-browed sharp right turn the park is actually side trip to another area for lunch & babbler, Southern Scrub-robin, directly in front of you. We meet at bird watching will fill the day. Chestnut Quail-thrush, Malleefowl the gate in the corner at 8.30am. and Striated Grasswren. David Sunday September 25: Clements Paton's work tells us these species Sunday October 30: Swan Reach Gap CP (YP) (185km) have declined significantly over the CP (MM) (113km) (date change due to long weekend park. The park is situated approx 16km campout) Access to all roads has been given east of Sedan on the road to Swan Meet at 8.30am. To get there head for this survey. However all vehicles Reach. We meet at the entrance into the park, which is on the right north through Port Wakefield to must display a notice on the opposite the road to Yookamurra at Redhill. Make a left hand turn onto a dashboard. You may either obtain your notice from Trevor Cowie or 8.15am. dirt road about 3km north of Redhill drive about 8km. Turn left onto photocopy the one on page 22. Much of the country is featureless, so bring Saturday November 12: Scott Bitumen for 3km. The park is on the Creek CP (MLR) (28km) a compass and or preferably a GPS if right and opposite a Church. Meet at 8.15am at the Almanda Mine Overnight camping is permissible in you plan to walk off the tracks. The Site car park area on Dorset Vale the open areas. A toilet is available, walking is easy. Road. To get there, use the SE but there is no water. We have been granted free camping Freeway, leaving it for Stirling. Turn for this survey. Open fires are not right at the roundabout to Longwood. CAMPOUT – Sept 30 to Oct 5 permitted. If there is a total fire ban, After approx 2.5-3km turn right Ngarkat CP Comet Bore, (MM) even gas fires are not allowed, towards Cherry Gardens, turning left Approx 330Km from Adelaide and though this is unlikely in early into Dorset Vale Road approx 2km 250Km from Mt Gambier October. Everyone must bring their before reaching Cherry Gardens. Combined Birds SA/Birds Australia own water, and toilet facilities, if South East SA. possible. Note: Use of Audio for calling I expect to be on site after lunchtime birds in is unacceptable in this CP. on Thursday. The campsite will be to The campout will be at Comet Bore the East of the road, adjacent to the in Ngarkat Conservation Park, which clay pan (a public campsite that may is almost exactly half way between be limited in size). A SAOA signpost Bordertown and Pinnaroo. Take the will be placed on the main road. Bordertown road 7Km before We also invite other like-minded Pinnaroo: Comet Bore is about 80 groups, such as Fleurieu Km South, almost on the boundary of Birdwatchers, BOCA, Birds the Bordertown and Pinnaroo council Australia, Birdlife Australia, Field areas. Ngarkat is one of a complex of Naturalists to attend. adjoining parks in South Australia Trevor Cowie, Field Program and Victoria covering an area Coordinator Birds SA.

16 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 Future Excursions (cont)/Bird Records Thursday November 17: Mt. Lofty Malleefowl Heard overnight, 8/4/2011. Calperum Botanic Gardens (MLR) (19km) 1, 27/6/2011. 40km SE Kimba, EP. Stn, Timor Dam. Meet at 8.30am in the lower car park Johnston D. Pedler, L. off Lampert Road. To get there, 1, 5/5/2011. Coorong, near Mark leave the SE Freeway at the Crafers Brown Quail Point. Interchange and follow the Piccadilly An unprecedented irruption of this Jack, T. & Gower, P. Road for about 3km. Then turn left species has occurred over northern 2, 5/5/2011. Coorong, 7 mile Rd. into Trigg Road. and eastern parts of the State in Jack, T. & Gower, P. recent months. Most reports are Several groups, 10/5/2011. Toolunka Sunday November 27: from dense grass along Flat, Promintz Rd. Photos taken. Onkaparinga W/L RP (MLR) watercourses, road margins and Milne, T. & Hodder, M. (32km) around dams. Records include: 1 group, June 2011. Mannum, Wall Meet at 7.45am at Port Noarlunga AP: 4, 1/5/2011. N of St Kilda. Flat. Oval Car Park off Britain Drive. Jack, T. Koch, P. 1, 1/5/2011. Port Wakefield. NE: 1 group, 21/ 4/ 2011, Witchelina Saturday December 10: Altona Doecke, N. Stn. CSR Landcare Reserve (MLR) FR: hd, April 2011. Mambray Wurst, A. (55km) Creek, 1 group, 30/4/2011. Muloorinna WH. Directions: Travel through Lyndoch Haase, B. Mableson, K. towards Tanunda, as you leave LN: 1 roadkill, 5/3/2011. 5km N of Several groups, 18/5/2011. Lyndoch town centre take the first Anama. Witchelina Stn. left into Altona Road. (Just past the Pedler, L. Black A. et al. 100km speed limit sign). We meet at 4, 14/4/2011. 2km W Halbury NW: 1, 26/2/2011. 20km E 8.15am at the Reserve entrance at the Pedler, L. Andamooka. top of this road. 10, 23/4/2011. Broughton River, Pedler, L. 7km NE Koolunga. 1, 1/3/2011. Port Augusta. Thursday December 15: Pedler, L. Pedler, R. Laratinga (Mt. Barker) Wetlands 1 roadkill, 26/4/2011. 6km N 1, 12/3/2011. Port Augusta West. (MLR) (34km) Brinkworth. Found dead. Meet at 8.30am at the car park on Pedler, L. Langdon, P. Bald Hills Road, Mt. Barker. MLR: 1 roadkill, 9/4/2011, 2km 5, 11/4/2011. Wilkatanna woolshed. NE Nuriootpa. Langdon, P. Pedler, L. 5, 15/4/2011. Bon Bon Stn, Darling BIRD RECORDS 1, 13/4/2011. O'Halloran Hill RP Bore. Bollinger, J. Black, A. Collated by Graham Carpenter 7, 26/4/2011. Aldinga Scrub CP 13, 14/5/2011. 10km NW Port Records included here are of species Jack, T. & Gower, P. Augusta. listed as rarely observed or 4, 13/5/2011. Aldinga Scrub CP, Langdon, P. unrecorded in the regions listed in Hart Rd. 8, 4/6/2011. Port Augusta Arid Lands the Field List of the Birds of South Carpenter, G. Botanic Gardens, Australia. Also included are 3, 20/5/2011. Normanville. Langdon, P. interesting breeding or ecological Doecke, N. notes, new records for a well-known 10, 23/5/2011. Onkaparinga RP, Stubble Quail locality or first of the season reports Gate 10. 1, 28/4/2011. Adelaide, Weymouth of migratory species. Doecke, N. St, AP. Please send all reports to the Bird 12, 27/5/2011. Granite Island, Hyland, M. Records Secretary at Encounter Bay. 1, 12/5/2011. Adelaide, Gawler [email protected] or Hicks, A. & P. Place, AP. phone 8297 5463. 6, 11/6/2011. Onkaparinga RP, Fennell, J. Note that the list includes reports of Gate 10. rare or vagrant species to South Pfeiffer, P. Cape Barren Goose Australia that may yet to have been 2 groups of chicks, late 2010. 3,25/4/2011. Porters Lagoon, LN. submitted or formally accepted by Glenthorne Farm. Hartland, D. the Birds SA Rarities Committee Carson, M. (SARC). Members are encouraged to This is the only report of breeding so submit records of rare and vagrant far. species in SA to the Committee (refer MM: heard overnight, 29/3/2011. to list of species and information on Gluepot Stn, Birdseye Paddock. the website). Pedler, L.

Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 17 Bird Records (cont) Plumed Whistling-duck Salvin's Prion Peregrine Falcon More reports in the north-east of the Several, 26/6/2011. Seabird trip off 2, 4/5/2011. Glenelg, Mosely Square, State. Port MacDonnell, MO. AP. Roosting on apartment building. 23, April 2011. Wilpoorinna Stn, NE. Rogers, C. et al. Ragless, C. per Litchfield, G. Record submitted to SARC. The Feathers collected under the roost 10, 16/4/2011. Witchelina Stn, Tea taxonomy of prions remains taken to the SA Museum for Tree Swamp, NW. unsettled, with overlap in bill identification included those of a Johnston, G. & Sharrad, R. features between currently male Flame Robin !! Diamond Dove recognised species. 1, 15/4/2011. Swanport Wetland, Brolga MM. Fiordland Penguin 5, 22/6/2011. Callana Stn, Callana Schmidt, L. 1 beachwashed, June 2011. Petrel Bore, NW. Cove, MLR. Sharrad, B. Flock Bronzewing per Wiebken, A. Again, several southerly reports Forwarded to South Australian Buff-banded Rail reflecting the good conditions in Museum. Photo and report in Victor Again unprecedented numbers northern SA. Harbor Times, 21 July. through southern and eastern parts 1, 21/4/2011. Witchelina HS, NE. this winter, including: Wurst, A. Australasian Darter AP: 2, 11/6/2011. Thompson Beach. 1500, April 2011. Moon Plain, 1, 23/4/2011. River Torrens, Hartland, D. Coober Pedy, NW. Ist seen 17/4 still Morphett St, AP. 1, 29/6/2011. West Beach. present May Kowalick, D. Kowalick, D. Walton, J. 2, 6/8/2011. Globe Derby Park, 300+, 22/6/2011. Callana Stn, Intermediate Egret White Rd wetland. Morphett's Bore, NW. 1, 9/7/2011. Globe Derby Park, MacIlwain, E. Sharrad, B. White Rd wetland, AP. EP: 2, 7/7/2011. Cowell. Wood, M. In grass on edge of The Esplanade. Barbary Dove Walford, L 48, 1/5/2011. Somerton Park, Great Egret 2, 18/7/2011. Charlton. Oaklands Rd, AP. 24, 11/8/2011. Paiwalla Wetland, Bebbington, L. Jack, T. MM. MLR: 1, 4/5/2011. Gawler, Clonlea Numbers of this introduced species Koch, P. Park. continue to increase in various Reports of greater than usual Hartland, D. Adelaide suburbs. numbers at various sites. 1, 1/7/2011. Washpool Wetland, Aldinga. Tawny Frogmouth Black-breasted Buzzard Carpenter, G. 1, 29/7/2011. North Adelaide, River 2, 28/7/2011. 15km NE Lyndhurst, 1,13/7/2011. Reynella East. Torrens, AP. NE. In reed bed along creek. Stracey, K. Tiller, M. et al. Brooker, W. Very rarely reported in the Adelaide 1 immature, 17/4/2011. Bon Bon Stn, 1, 21/7/2011. Blakiston. area. Hogarth's Bore, NW. Fennel, J. Black, A. 1, 22/72011. Washpool Wetland, Spotted Nightjar Aldinga. 1, 22/4/2011. Point Sturt, MM. Grey Falcon Jack, T. Doecke, N. 2, 21/6/2011. N of Olary, LN. 1, 7/8/2011. Willunga, Willunga Dennis, T. & Brittain, R. Creek. Wilson's Storm-petrel 1, 7/7/2011. Innamincka, rubbish Lush, F. 1, 25/5/2011. Murray Mouth, MM. dump, NE. MM: 2, 26/4/2011. Goolwa, Barrage Hicks, A. & P. Browne, M. & Jack, T. Rd. 1, 13/4/2011. Bon Bon Stn, Red Hill Cheshire, N. & Lloyd, R. Northern Giant-Petrel Well, NW. Following a Spotted 1, 3/7/2011. Middleton Beach. 1, 24/5/2011. Port Augusta, NW. Harrier. In coastal scrub. Seen and photographed at close Black, A. Black, G. range near town. 2, 18/5/2011. Witchelina Stn, NE. 1, 19/7/2011. Goolwa Barrage. Langdon, K. & Morgan, A. Alcock, B. & Carpenter, G. Snell, B. & M. 2, 1/8/2011. Goolwa Sewage Works. Snell, B. & Williams, K.

18 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 Bird Records (cont) 3, 11/8/2011. Paiwalla Wetland. Long-billed Corella Barking Owl Koch, P. 66, 30/6/2011. 0.5km W Balhannah, 1 calling on moonlit night, SE: 1, 2/6/2011. Coorong, Salt MLR. 21/6/2011. Bimbowrie HS, LN. Creek. Snell, B. & Williams, K. Dennis, T. & Brittain, R. Barron, P. This species was introduced to the This appears to be the first report for Adelaide area in the 1980s and is the Olary Ranges region. Lewin’s Rail slowly increasing, with breeding reported in red gums. In contrast, the 1, 1/8/2011. Goolwa Sewage Works, Sacred Kingfisher Little Corella has not been reported MM. 1, 6/4/2011. Torrens Lake, Adelaide, to nest locally despite its large Snell, B. & Williams, K. numbers over summer. AP.

Rogers, D.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo Little Stint A survey organised by the Dept of Chestnut-breasted Whiteface 1, 7/5/2011. St Kilda Saltfields, AP. Environment and Natural Resources 7 + 2juveniles, 19/4/2011. Bon Bon Rogers, C. on 28-29 May found a total of 2029 Stn, north part, NW. Report submitted to SARC. birds in the Adelaide and Mount Black, A. Lofty Ranges area. Most were in the Eastern Curlew Second Valley Forest area, including Chestnut-rumped Heathwren 1, 5/4/2011. Whyalla foreshore. a single flock of 1250 (the largest 1, 26/4/2011. Parson's Head, MLR. Smith, E. reported in the region), with other Cheshire, N. & Lloyd, R. large flocks at Anstey Hill / Hooded Plover Millbrook Reservoir (400), McLaren Noisy Friarbird 23, 28/6/2011. Coorong, Loop Rd, Flat area (100) and Kuitpo (50). A 1, 20/4/2011. Holder, MM. In SE. distinctive aberrant bird was seen at eucalypts in garden. Gower, P. Second Valley. Its head was yellow, Jacobs, P. The species congregates in the upper breast yellow with black spots Report submitted to SARC. There are Coorong during winter. and wings black with yellow patches. few reports of this species from the upper Murray in SA. Painted Button-quail 200, 11/6/2011. Chandlers Hill, Education Rd, MLR. 1, 20/4/2011. Happy Valley Pied Honeyeater Brooker, W. Reservoir, MLR. 1, 17/4/2011. Owen, 5km E, AP. This report suggests that there may Paton, P. have been two flocks in the McLaren Warnes, M. 1, 8/5/2011. Vista, MLR. Flat region during the DENR survey. Pascoe, E. 3, 25/72011. Milang, Muntiri Scrub, White-naped Honeyeater 1, 3/6/2011. Woodcroft, Tangari MM. 6, 4/5/2011. Black Forest, AP. Flying Reserve, MLR. Black, A. north. Brooker, W. 300, 1/8/2011. Goolwa Sewage Carpenter, G. 3, 13/6/2011. Milang, Muntiri Scrub, Works, MM. 2, 21/5/2011. Globe Derby Park, MM. Also 2 on 30/7 and 1 on 1/8. Snell, B. & Williams, K. White Rd wetland, AP. Black, A. & M. Tetlow, R. & Tiller, K. Eastern Rosella White-winged Black Tern 2, 15/4/2011. Swanport Wetlands, Black-chinned Honeyeater 20 mostly in partial breeding MM. 1, 14 and 25/6/2011. Gawler East, plumage, 5/4/2011. Lake Eyre, Schmidt, L. AP. Haligan Bay, NW. Hartland, D. Antos, M. Cockatiel Few reports from inland SA. Several unusual southerly reports during winter. White-fronted Tern 20, 20/6/2011. Stirling North, FR. 33, 3/7/2011. Cape du Couedic, Wright, G. Admiral's Arch, KI. 15, 1/6/2011. Mambray Creek, FR. Langdon, P. Baxter, C. 10, 3/6/2011. Port Augusta West,

NW. Major Mitchell's Cockatoo Langdon, P. 6, 8/6/2011. Port Augusta West, NW. 15, 4/6/2011. Port Augusta Arid Langdon, P. Lands Botanic Garden, NW. Langdon, P.

Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 19 Bird Records (cont) Olive-backed Oriole Flame Robin The species has a small isolated 1 immature, 4/5/2011. Brindana 1, 2/5/2011. Kenton Valley, MLR. population in the southern Flinders Springs, FR. Calling in red gums King, L.& S. Ranges, with most reports from along creek. 2 females, 15/5/2011. Dawesley, Wirrabara Forest and Mount Koch, P. MLR. Remarkable. This is only the second report from Barron, P. northern SA (see Pedler, L. 1984. SA 5, 12/6/2011. Crafers, MLR. Painted Finch Ornithologist 29:118) and the first Rogers, C. 5, 4/5/2011. Brindana Springs, FR. from the Flinders Ranges. 1 female, 19/6/2011. Cox Scrub CP, Koch, P. Coles Crossing, MLR. 3, 4/5/2011.Terrapinna WH, FR. Grey Currawong Tiller, M. Koch, P. This species is increasing in the Adelaide area, with several reports Rose Robin Plum-headed Finch from the suburbs. 1 male, 28/5/2011. Mylor, MLR. 4, 10/7/2011. Cooper Creek, 1, 10/4/2011. Malvern, AP. Crooks, G. Cullyamurra WH, NE. Feeding in Black, A. seeding grasses (?Paspalidium). 1, 30/4/2011. Ashford, AP. Feeding Australian Reed-warbler Dennis, T., White, G.& K. shop gutters. 1, 29/6/2011. Clarendon Oval, MLR. 10-12 also seen later in July by Carpenter, G. Carpenter, G. various observers. 1, 18/6/2011.Sheidow Park, MLR. Few winter reports. This is the first report of the species Burns, A. in South Australia. Report submitted 1 white bird (leucino), 26/7/2011. Rufous Songlark to SARC. Aldgate, Woodlands Close, MLR. Several unusual winter reports. See photo p19. 1, 8/7/2011. Lewiston, Aunger Beautiful Firetail Ireland, T. Reserve, AP 1, 26/7/2011. Morialta Falls, MLR. A white currawong was previously Wood, M. Smith, A. reported at Crafers (22 June 95, 1, 23/7/2011. Port Germein Gorge, Rarely reported near Adelaide. The SAOA Newsletter) and SE part FR. nearest known (small) population is Cleland CP (P. Farmer 24 Sept White, J. & Jamieson, A. at Mount Bold Reservoir. 2006). 1, 23/6/2011. Moppa, MLR. 1, 28/2/2011. Milang, Muntiri Scrub, Carpenter, G. Diamond Firetail MM. 5, 31/5/2011. Maize Island Lagoon Black, A. Bassian Thrush CP, MM. First report for 22 years. 1, 13/6/2011. Wirrabara Forest, Old Jacobs, P. Nursery, FR. Jamieson, A.

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN RARITIES COMMITTEE

The South Australian Rarities Committee (SARC) has accepted the following reports of rare birds:

RECORD SARC DATE/S OF LOCATION OF NAME/S OF SERIAL SPECIES NO: SIGHTING SIGHTING OBSERVER/S No:

29-10-2010 to Kevin Collins, John 28 10/2010 Leaden flycatcher (male) St Kilda 2-11-2010 Cox, Colin Rogers 29 11/2010 Dollarbird 17/11/10 Whites Rd Robert Hicks Helga Kieskamp, Peter 30 1/2011 Little bittern 10/02/11 Martins Bend Waanders 31 2/2011 Rufous fantail 28/02/11 Hart Kim Franklin 32 3/2011 Noisy friarbird 20/04/11 Holder Peter Jacobs 33 4/2011 Little Stint 7/05/11 Dry Creek Salt Fields Colin Rogers

20 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 News From the Library

DVD 38 Let's Go Birdwatching The Cumberland Bird Observers Club. Sydney, N.S.W. 2007 This four-part series looks at birds and birdwatching throughout the greater Sydney region. Each episode is themed around different types of birds starting with backyard birds and moving on to water birds, sea birds and finally bush birds. The series is an instructional guide for beginners. Each episode includes excellent footage of many of Sydney’s birds accompanied by information and identification pointers. There are segments about binoculars, telescopes, field guides, birdwatching hints and tips plus a discussion about some of Sydney’s birdwatching hotspots.

598.07234 BAR Barnes, Simon How to be a Bad Birdwatcher Pantheon Books: New York, 2005 ISBN 0375423559: Even the ‘baddest’ birdwatcher in the world knows something about birds. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to be an anoraked twitcher with top- of-the-range binoculars to have a good time admiring our often-neglected feathered friends in the sky.

598.2994 THO.2 Thomas, Richard The Complete Guide to Finding the Birds of Australia. 2nd ed. CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood, Vic., 2011

This new edition gives the best-known sites, accompanied with mud maps, for all of Australia’s endemic birds and regular migrants such as seabirds and shorebirds.

DVD 39 Kimball, Don Discovering the World of Parrots: NSW -Victoria - Northern Territory - Tasmania San Rafael, CA. Polytelis Media, 2010 90 minutes Disk one presents the parrots of New South Wales and Victoria. Disk two presents the parrots of the Northern Territory and Tasmania

DVD 40 Kimball, Don Discovering the World of Parrots: Queensland - South Australia - Western Australia San Rafael, CA. Polytelis Media, 2010 85minutes Disk three presents the parrots of South Australia and Western Australia. Disk four presents the parrots of Queensland.

Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 21 Vehicle Notice for October Campout

People going to the October campout can copy the notice below to place on the dashboards of their vehicles:

Birds SA/Birds Australia - South East SA Important Bird Area (IBA) Survey Team

Survey covering endangered and threatened bird species On behalf of:

Birdlife International and Birdlife Australia

Report all sightings of the following vulnerable species: Vulnerable: Australian Bustard, Regent Honeyeater, Mallee Emu-wren, Purple-gaped Honeyeater, Black- eared Miner, Western Whipbird and Red-lored Whistler

Note-Audio systems to call in birds are unacceptable in this CP.

Details of Members’ Photographs

No: Species Photographer Location Date 1 Spotted Harrier Kay Parkin Keith 25/06/2011 2 Cape Petrel Kay Parkin Off Port MacDonnell 26/05/2011 3 Square-tailed Kite Teresa Jack Humbug Scrub November 2010 4 Peregrine Falcon Kay Parkin Keith 25/06/2011 5 Slender-billed Prion Kay Parkin Off Port MacDonnell 26/05/2011 6 Yellow-throated Miner Graham Crooks Rawnsley Park April 2011 7 Small Blue Kingfisher Merilyn Browne Java April 2011 8 White-fronted Chat Peter McKenzie Near Stokes Bay, KI Easter 2011 9 Stork-billed Kingfisher Merilyn Browne Taman Negara, Malaysia 3/11/2010 10 Purple-crowned Lorikeet Kay Parkin Kaurna Park, Burton June 2011 11 Hooded Robin Les Peters Ridley CP 16/05/2011 12 Temminck’s Sunbird Merilyn Browne Mt. Kinabalu, Borneo March 2011 13 Australian Shelduck Kay Parkin Adelaide Hilla June 2011 14 Scarlet-chested Parrot Kay Parkin Gluepot 6/08/2011

22 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011

Members’ Photographs ‘On the Wing’

Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011 23 Birds of Many Colours

24 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2011