WhistlerThe Features Channel-billed Cuckoo Topknot Pigeon Rufous Scrub-bird Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Black Kite Black-necked Stork Nocturnal surveys on Ash Island Analyses of long-term studies An annual publication of the Number 14 2020 The Whistler is the scientific journal of the Hunter Bird Observers Club Inc. ISSN 2208-9845 (electronic copy); ISSN 1835-7385 (hard copy) All papers are peer-reviewed prior to publication. The aims of the Hunter Bird Observers Club (HBOC), which is affiliated with BirdLife Australia, 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 is administered by a Committee. Executive: Vice-President: Mick Roderick, Secretary: Marg Clarke, Treasurer: Helen McCall. Committee Members: Liz Date-Huxtable, Lucas Grenadier, Andrzej Karpiel, Rob Kyte, Robert McDonald and Kristy Peters. Publication of The Whistler is managed by a team: Alan Stuart (Joint Editor), Neil Fraser (Joint Editor) Liz Crawford (Production Manager), Rob Kyte (Cover design) Printed by NCP Printing, Newcastle Authors wishing to submit manuscripts for consideration for publication should consult Instructions for Authors on page 90 and then submit their manuscripts to the Editors at [email protected] © Hunter Bird Observers Club Inc. PO Box 24, New Lambton NSW 2305 www.hboc.org.au Front cover: Topknot Pigeon Lopholaimus antarcticus - Photo: Steve Merrett Back cover: Black Kite Milvus migrans - Photo: Alwyn Simple Spine: Sharp-tailed Sandpipers Calidris acuminata - Photo: Rob Palazzi The Whistler is proudly supported by Editorial The Whistler 14 (2020): i-ii Editorial Welcome to Issue 14 of The Whistler. Here we Dan Williams has used Birdata records to develop present a wide selection of ornithological papers time-variant distribution maps of the eastern range from the Hunter Region which will be of interest to expansion of Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater within the readers, with six in-depth articles, seven short notes region. This technique could also be used to and a book review. demonstrate seasonal movements or sporadic irruptions of species. Neil Fraser has used historical Three of the articles illustrate the importance of records from Birdata and other sources to analyse using long-term record sets to establish the status of the relationship between the occurrence of species. Alan Stuart has presented a detailed Australian Painted-snipe in the Hunter Region and analysis of 17 years of shorebird and waterbird weather-related events such as long-term drought, surveys in Port Stephens. The article confirms drought-breaking rains and floods. The article decreasing national and international population highlights the importance of permanent wetlands in trends for migratory waders that use Port Stephens. the Lower Hunter as a refuge for the species during There is also some good news with increasing drought and for breeding when conditions are population trends for some threatened endemic suitable. species. The article further highlights the importance of Port Stephens to many shorebirds and An article by Chad Beranek also reports waterbirds. observations of Australian Painted-snipe in the region and describes a novel approach to detect A second article by Alan Stuart uses a ten-year them nocturnally. The article includes nocturnal record set to establish Rufous Scrub-bird population observations of another cryptic species, Australian trends in the Gloucester Tops. The article also Little Bittern. addresses the impact of bush fires on the population of this little-known species which is predicted to be Over recent years, birdwatchers in the region have significantly impacted by future climate change. had the privilege of observing some previously absent species begin to reclaim their historically- An article by David Turner presents an analysis of lost habitat or extend their range in the region. Three records from surveys undertaken 27 years apart in articles in this issue describe such changes. A note Booti Booti National Park. This article fills an by Kim Pryor reports a second successful breeding information gap for this area which has not attempt by Black Kite in the region while an article previously been described in The Whistler articles by Ann Lindsey documents the third confirmed and is under-represented in the general breeding record by Black-necked Stork in the ornithological literature. A decrease in number of Hunter Estuary. Both occurrences can be attributed species over the period is documented as well as in part to the rehabilitation of Hexham Swamp. The some changes in species diversity. third article, by Neil Fraser, adds knowledge about the range extension of Beach Stone-curlew in Port Three of the articles demonstrate how records from Stephens, with a new breeding record of the species the Birdata database can be used in different ways from Corrie Island, part of the Myall Lakes Ramsar to study the status of species in our region. The site. The note also highlights the importance of this database was established over 20 years ago and locality to other threatened species with reports of provides researchers with a multi-generational time successful breeding by Australian Pied frame for assessing bird species population trends. Oystercatcher and Little Tern. An article by Mike Newman addresses the problem of determining changes in abundance for 17 Three short notes illustrate the importance of basic uncommon woodland species with low reporting field observation to understanding behaviour of rates in the region. Mike has applied statistical some species. Tom Kendall describes birds foraging techniques to a combination of Birdata record types on Fennel, probably for medicinal purposes. to demonstrate their decreasing trends. This is a Backyard observations of juvenile Channel-billed novel approach and we anticipate it will generate Cuckoos by Adam and Rebecca Fawcett show that debate as to how to address the study of record-poor you don’t have to leave home to undertake basic species. research. David Turner has documented the second i Editorial The Whistler 14 (2020): i-ii confirmed breeding record for Topknot Pigeon in reminds us that it is only through the recording, the region. analysis and publication of information, that support for the conservation of threatened and declining In this issue we also review Volume 3 of the Atlas species, and their habitat, can be achieved. of the birds of NSW and the ACT. This is the final volume of this Whitley Award winning resource Thank you to the many individuals who have and includes an analysis of data from all three laboured to produce articles for this edition of The volumes. This shows that over 50% of resident or Whistler, or who have contributed in other ways regional migrant species in NSW and ACT towards its publication. exhibited a significant population decrease over the 20-year Atlas period. This is most pronounced Neil Fraser and Alan Stuart amongst woodland birds. The analysis reinforces Joint Editors the results of Mike Newman’s above article. It also ii Juvenile Channel-billed Cuckoo behaviour The Whistler 14 (2020): 1-4 Juvenile Channel-billed Cuckoo: some behavioural observations Adam Fawcett and Rebecca Fawcett Peace Haven, 776 Rockvale Road, Armidale NSW 2350, Australia [email protected] Received 17 September 2019, accepted 15 January 2020, published on-line 17 January 2020. The concurrent presence in a suburban environment of a juvenile Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae with its Pied Currawong Strepera graculina host parents and two other juveniles with their Australian Raven Corvus coronoides host parents allowed opportunities to compare behaviour. Observations documented included some begging and feeding behaviour of the juvenile cuckoos and their host parents, interactions between the host and juvenile birds, the weaning strategies adopted by the host species, and interactions with an adult Channel-billed Cuckoo. INTRODUCTION METHODS The Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops Observations were made at and near our residence in novaehollandiae is the largest Australian cuckoo Addison Road, New Lambton (32⁰ 55'S 151⁰ 42'E), near and a breeding migrant, regularly observed during Newcastle NSW. This is a leafy urban environment with the spring and summer months on the east coast of numerous tall native and introduced trees and shrubs NSW (Higgins 1999). The species is easily within adjacent backyards, leading into Blackbutt Reserve to the west. Approximately 210 m to the south- identified from its body and bill shape, size, flight east is Regent Park, an urban greenspace fringed by Port patterns and raucous call. An obligate nest parasite, Jackson Fig trees Ficus rubiginosa. the species is well known for using larger passerine species, in particular ravens, crows and curra- Our observations were opportunistic, more frequently wongs, as hosts to raise its young (Higgins 1999). occurring in the morning and mid to late afternoon although not confined to those periods. While there are a number of documented observations of the general behaviour (Brooker & Brooker 1989; Kellam 1974; Kloot & Wardlaw OBSERVATIONS 2002), courtship (Merrett 2014), host species (Brooker & Brooker 1989; Goddard & Marchant A pair of Pied Currawong Strepera graculina was 1983; McAllan 1995) and parasitic behaviour actively foraging for food within our backyard (Brooker & Brooker 1989; Goddard & Marchant during the week 18-25 December 2016. Whilst not 1983) of the Channel-billed Cuckoo, there are only an unusual observation, it coincided with contact a small number of documented observations of the calls being made by a juvenile bird about two interactions between the host species and still- properties away (~25 metres). We could not see dependent juvenile cuckoos (Wood & Wood 1991; the juvenile nor a nest, due to the density of the Wood 2004). tree canopy. However, we often heard feeding noises after foraging, and so we concluded that the From December 2016 to March 2017, two pairs of calling bird was a nestling. The pair of currawongs host parents raised Channel-billed Cuckoo chicks foraged across most substrates, searching the near our house in Newcastle.