2013 HBOC Bird Report
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HUNTER REGION OF NEW SOUTH WALES Annual Bird Report Number 21 (2013) © Produced by Hunter Bird Observers Club Inc The Hunter Bird Observers Club Inc. (HBOC) produces these annual records of the birds of the Hunter Region of NSW. The aims of HBOC are: • To encourage and further the study and conservation of Australian birds and their habitat. • To encourage bird observing as a leisure time activity. HBOC holds monthly meetings with guest speakers on bird related topics, conducts regular surveys within the Hunter Region, and organises mid-week and weekend outings and occasional camps on long weekends. The range of activities is designed to suit beginners and more experienced birdwatchers equally. All members receive a regular newsletter and are able to borrow without charge from a comprehensive range of books, tapes, CDs and videos about Australian and world birdlife. Visit www.hboc.org.au for more details. Membership categories are Single, Family and Junior, and applications for membership are welcomed at any time. Copies of this report, at $15.00 each, may be obtained from: The Secretary Hunter Bird Observers Club Inc. P.O. Box 24 New Lambton NSW 2305 Front cover: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) at Hexham Swamp (Rod Warnock) Back cover: Two Sharp-tailed Sandpipers in battle, Hexham Swamp (Rod Warnock) Date of Issue: 15 September 2014 ISSN: 1322-5332 Managing Editor: Alan Stuart Production Manager: Rob Kyte at Designbridge 02 4950 9398 Citation: Stuart, A. (Ed.) (2014). Hunter Region Annual Bird Report Number 21 (2013), Hunter Bird Observers Club Inc., New Lambton Australia © Hunter Bird Observers Club Inc Financial assistance from Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group (NCIG) for printing this Report is gratefully acknowledged. CONTENTS Page FOREWORD i NOTABLE RECORDS FOR THE YEAR iii INTRODUCTION 1 RARITIES AND SPECIES OF SPECIAL INTEREST 6 SYSTEMATIC LIST 8 Introduction 8 Birds 9 SUPPLEMENTARY RECORDS 95 UNCONFIRMED RECORDS 96 ESCAPEES 96 ATLAS DATA ANALYSIS 97 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 98 DATA FROM REGULAR SURVEYS 99 Newcastle/Hunter Estuary 1. Shorebirds in the Hunter Estuary 99 2. Waterbirds of Kooragang/Ash Islands 100 3. Waterbirds at Phoenix Flats 101 4. Waterbirds at Milhams Pond 102 5. Waterbirds at Tomago Wetlands 103 6. Waterbirds at Hexham Swamp 104 7. Waterbirds at Hunter Wetlands Centre 106 8. Waterbirds at Charlestown Golf Course 107 9. Waterbirds at Newcastle Baths/Harbour 108 Elsewhere in the Region 10. Waterbirds at Swansea/Lake Macquarie 109 12. Waterbirds at Morpeth Wastewater Treatment Works 110 11. Waterbirds at Walka Water Works 111 13. Waterbirds at Tocal Wetlands 112 14. Waterbirds at Gir-um-bit NP and Swan Bay 113 15. Waterbirds at Port Stephens 114 16. Birubi Point - Fingal Head Coastline Waterbirds 114 17. Waterbirds at Wallis Lake/Forster/Tuncurry 115 18. Waterbirds at Manning Estuary 116 19. Waterbirds at Cattai Wetlands 117 20. Worimi Conservation Lands Waterbirds 118 21. Seabirds recorded in Pelagic Surveys 119 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS 120 GRID REFERENCES FOR COMMON LOCATIONS 121 OBSERVER CODES 123 INDEX OF COMMON NAMES 125 MAP OF THE HUNTER REGION 129 © Hunter Bird Observers Club 2013 Annual Bird Report White-faced Heron by Kate Simpson 2013 Annual Bird Report © Hunter Bird Observers Club FOREWORD When asked to write the Foreword for the Hunter Region Annual Bird Report 2013, I reflected on the many changes that have taken place over the years I have been involved with the Hunter Bird Observers Club (Inc). Looking back on the developments that have taken place since the HBOC was established in 1976, it is of enormous satisfaction and pride, even though I have not been involved and contributed a great deal in the past 20 years, during which the club has grown to such an extent that we now have so many active members and so many projects to focus on, from wader and water bird surveys to conservation projects. Credit must go to the many people, who over the many years have been involved and have been instrumental in the clubs’ decision making and partaking of these worthwhile projects. These projects are of immense value and could provide the necessary baseline data on which to base decision making by the various governmental bodies. For those interested in the history of how the formation of the HBOC took place, I briefly outline the events. I joined the former ‘Flora and Fauna Protection Society, Newcastle’ (F&F for short) in early 1970. In those days only a handful of members were interested and were actively involved in “birdwatching”, the majority of the membership were basically more interested in either the flora, mammals, environmental education or habitat conservation. Having said that, we all had similar goals and were all interested in all aspects of the environment and its biota, but some were more interested and had more expertise in certain fields than others. In 1976, the late Wilma Barden (rest her soul) approached me and several other members interested in birds, and proposed that we form a birdwatching group under the auspices of the F&F and publish our meetings, reports and observations in the F&F journal ‘Hunter Natural History’. In those days only eight members were involved but as other members’ interests in birds slowly increased, probably due to our activities, more members became involved in bird identification and observations. We were in those days known as the HBOG (Hunter Bird Observers Group). As in so many societies most of the hard work was done by a small dedicated and active voluntary, unfortunately ageing, committee. In 1984 the journal ’Hunter Natural History’ floundered and due to lack of a new editor and assistance eventually ceased, and so unfortunately did the F & F. In 1981 our members, around 39 at that time, unanimously voted to become independent from the F&F, and in 1982 drew up a constitution, which I believe today may still be in its current form and may not have changed very much. We also produced our own newsletter and had the Golden Whistler as our logo and badge, still in use today. In April 1988, in a special meeting convened, the members voted that the club be incorporated as the ‘Hunter Bird Observers Club, Inc.’ and the final incorporation took place later that year. In 1986, I moved to the Northern Territory and since then, on my return to NSW in 1989, I’m sorry to say I have not been involved much with the club’s activities; this also being due to other interests and commitments. All that aside, the numerous changes that have occurred in the environment within the Hunter Region and beyond is having a tremendous impact on our avifauna. Not only has the birdlife been greatly impacted by industrialization, insecticides, deforestation, fires, drainage and reclamation, but weather conditions particularly drought, have also caused a great impact on bird populations. continued overleaf © Hunter Bird Observers Club 2013 Annual Bird Report Page i The abundance of birds have declined, in my humble estimation, by approx 50% (perhaps even more) over the past 30 years and some species have gone locally extinct. Many of the birds heavily rely on insects as a food source; however, these too have declined dramatically in abundance. I can remember the days that I had to wash my car windscreen several times during a drive to Sydney, due to the many insects impacted. This has not happened for quite some time now. Kooragang/Ash Island is a particular example, where industrialization has destroyed and degraded much of the habitat for waterfowl and waders. I recall the days, early 1970’s, that over 70 species of birds, some days more, could be observed just by driving along the railway line. The Stockton Sandspit just abounded with wader species we now consider rare in the estuary, i.e. Broad-billed Sandpiper, Lesser and Greater Sand Plover. In a 10 year survey of the birds on Kooragang/Ash Island we recorded over 200 species of birds, which is about half the number of species recorded in the whole of the Hunter Region, if we don’t include the seabirds. That is really remarkable considering it to be so close to industry and the city of Newcastle and demonstrated the very rich diversity and biomass in that environment. Hexham Swamp is another example, where it took more than 30 years for the authorities to finally open the flood gates; this after many reports were commissioned by the NPWS, NSW and Newcastle City Council suggesting the floodgates to reopen. It now becomes more urgent to retain this as a sanctuary and stop further processes of modification and development in this swamp. The fundamental question is “does our community care enough to save this precious piece of land”. The annual bird reports show the status and many other attributes, such as breeding and commonality, for each species, which over time may alter and alert us that ‘something’ is happening to the environment in which those species live. This then will give us a reason to focus on that particular aspect. The annual reports are therefore invaluable for the amount of data gathered by the observers and perhaps should contain other environmental data as well. One particular case is that of the Common Myna. In 1972 there were only two pairs of Common Myna in the whole of the Hunter Region, both pairs resident at the former BHP site. Within 10 years that population has expanded and now covers the whole of the Region and beyond. One may ask why this has happened? Many of the waders, finches and fairy- wrens are now declining in numbers; some have not been seen in areas they were common for years.