Mornington Peninsula Birdlife Volume 6 Number 4 December 2017 Australian Owlet-nightjar, photographed at The Briars by Luke Shelley CONVENOR’S REPORT This has been a very busy time for the branch with the re- register your interest. You won’t be stressed and you will positioning of our newsletter and we participated in a couple enjoy your involvement with a great lot of kids. of talks to Probus groups coupled with our participation in Donations are continuing to pour in for the hard copy Science Day at Coolart, What Bird is That at the Royal newsletter. It seems a lot of us enjoy sitting down and Botanic Gardens Cranbourne for the Cranbourne Friends as having a good read. well as our own What Bird is That at The Briars and during Bird Week I was interviewed on radio station 3RPP’s Muriel The new year’s outing schedule has been completed; we Cooper show and to cap it all off we had a stall at the hope you will be pleased at the places we have chosen. The Bunnings Family Day. As you can see we have been very finance sub-committee has been active and improving our active in the local scene, and thanks to all who helped to financial situation markedly. We were disappointed to learn present these activities. We are very fortunate to have a that boating will be allowed at Devilbend despite our very strong enthusiastic committee and members. vehement objections. Our Biolink project is proceeding well with two seasons of Max Burrows bird surveys now completed. Our role in this project is to monitor five private properties within the scope of the Biolink boundaries and to report back to the Advisory panel. Contents COMMITTEE NOTES 1. Branch news Pam and Susan conducted another course “Bird Watching for 4. Habitat for wildlife Beginners” under the U3A banner, these courses have been 8. Outings program and reports a great source of new members for the branch. We have agreed to participate in next year’s Schools Environment 12. Eastern Treatment Plant wetland surveys Week, which is held in March, and we are seeking members 14. Blessing in disguise to help with running this activity. It is a very rewarding week and for those who help enjoyable, so please contact Pam to 15. Observations Branch news MEMBER PROFILE Meg Macmillan Lives at Balnarring How I started birding My birding started from childhood. Growing up on the urban fringes of Sydney we lived close to the bush that runs down to Middle Harbour. The sounds of bush and forest birds were everywhere. Family holidays were under canvas down the South coast of Sydney and in the Blue Mountains. I heard and delighted in the sight and sound of bush, coast and sea birds from my earliest days Later, moving an old cottage on to 7 acres of rich red volcanic soil previously a remnant orchard and a cow paddock, my husband and I decided to turn the whole Meg teaching outback children tracking signs in the river sand. property back to indigenous local provenance bush. Slowly weeds were removed, soil prepared and the planting of upper, middle, lower storey and ground cover took place In addition, we were working with staff from the Australian either by seed or propagated material over 25 years. As the Quarantine and Inspection Service testing for the H5N1 bush evolved and grew, first the primary colonizers grew, strain of bird flu, by taking blood and faecal samples. So then the secondary colonizers. As the bush became denser, many species were new friends for me, Whimbrels, Bar- providing food, nesting spots and protection the birds began tailed Godwits, Great and Red Knots, Grey-tailed Tattlers, to check out this amazing new living /playground. Every day Terek Sandpipers, oystercatchers, turnstones, curlews, and brought a new surprise, a new delight either fauna or flora. sandpipers, plovers and so many more. The experience at The kookaburras, Galahs, and crows in the trees. Smaller Roebuck Bay working with people from 21 different countries birds, the Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, Eastern Spinebills, is one of my most treasured memories. Spotted Pardalotes, Brown and Striated Thornbills, Golden and Rufus Whistler, wrens, robins, fantails, all gradually Other favourite birding spots made their home. At the end of winter the evocative song of Under the guidance of Chris Chandler on French Island in the Grey Shrike-thrush as he sat on the old verandah railing, Victoria he leads us to observe the nests of the White-bellied lives with me forever. Sea Eagles, White-faced Herons, Sooty Oystercatchers, Favourite birding spots Pacific Gulls, Ruddy Turnstones and so many more. Inland he teaches us the calls of bush birds, pardalotes, White- Volunteering on Rotamah Island in the Gippsland Lakes and plumed Honeyeaters, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, Swamp then again on Rigby Island our brief was to help protect the Harriers and more. One of the most valuable lessons we Little Terns from dogs, raptors and people during mating and have learnt from Chris is to “read the land”. When the salt nesting times. We worked at Gluepot in the Mallee as ranger marshes fill with water from the early winter rains and very assistants and learnt about the birds, plants and reptiles of high tides, 7000 to 8000 black swans build their nesting the mallee and desert. It was special to be in the territory of mounds in the marsh. No wonder I never fail to delight in a the Black-eared Miner and the Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater. At day on French Island. Cocklebiddy on the Great Australian Bight we were helping to revegetate the majestic sand hills to provide safe habitat for Some memorable birding moments the bush birds which frequented the area at the base of the While camping at Roper River in the Northern Territory I was escarpment. We roamed the wild coast where the ocean and delighted to see a Purple-crowned Fairy-wren. beach birds are safe from human development So many happy days on Flinders beach as I lived close to the At the mouth of the Glenelg River we were again protecting beach and could help monitor the Ruddy Turnstones and the Little Tern during the nesting and breeding season. Red-necked Stints as they set off on Northern migration in Our main focus and interest in all these places was the April and returned about October. In April 2009 six interdependence of flora and fauna and the ecology of the geolocators were placed on Ruddy Turnstones, a relatively natural world. new technology. Roebuck Bay and Eighty Mile Beach on the North West coast These birds are site faithful so we were anxiously and of Western Australia were particularly special. This area has a hopefully awaiting their return in October to December. On huge tidal range (~10 to 15 metres) and at low tide there January 8 2010 we were overjoyed to capture three Ruddy are 150 square kilometres of exposed mud flats, which are Turnstones which had flown to the Arctic and back to our ecologically untouched and attract 750,000 wading birds. very own beach. To add to the joy I had my son and This wild place is unmatched anywhere in the world. grandson in the team, on home leave from Nigeria. Roebuck Bay is at the receiving end of the most species rich My love of the natural world lives with me forever; to share of all shorebird flyways, and these shorebirds end up in the it with family, friends and the children, with whom I have most bio-diverse marine province in the world. Under the contact, means everything to me. enthusiastic leadership of Clive Minton we were up at dawn banding, recording age, sex, molt and breeding success. 2 Mornington Peninsula Birdlife Branch news WHAT BIRD IS THAT, AT THE BRIARS Max Burrows: Sunday 22 October Species recorded: 40 The day turned out to be showery and cold not ideal for our annual Briars event, however fifty-two people turned out to participate in our activities. Pam and Susan provided a very interesting and well-received presentation in the theatrette. David took control of the walks with his helpers and I must say most of the people got Eastern Great Egret with frog. Photo from The Briars Facebook page wet, however most did enjoy the experience. Morning tea and coffee was a welcome diversion and as per Hardcopy newsletter update usual a lot of bird talk happened on the veranda. The bird A big thank you to all the members who financially count was highlighted by hearing all four cuckoos that occur contributed to the retention of the hardcopy version of our at this time of year and the sight of a Eastern Great Egret newsletter. We received financial support from around fifty catching frogs outside the Visitors Centre side window. members and all these members will continue to receive a Given the weather we were pleased with the day and most hardcopy version of the newsletter. people expressed their appreciation of the event. Electronic copies will be sent out to all our local members. Max Burrows, Langwarrin If you decide you would like to receive a paper version it’s not too late, please contact Liz Thomas on 0432233747 for details of how to get onto the hardcopy mailing list. Help us at Schools Environment Week 2018 March 19 - 22 at The Briars Newsletter contributions We are looking for people to man the telescope and help the Thanks for your fantastic articles and photos. Keep sharing kids with bird identification in the hide over the four days of your sightings, observations, bird photos, daily birding Schools Environment Week 2018.