Swifts Across The Strait January 2001

Swifts Across The Strait is the newsletter of the Swift Recovery Program. The Swift Parrot is a threatened species endemic to South-East . Come Autumn, parrot populations migrate from their breeding grounds in to winter on mainland Australia, returning again to Tasmania in Spring. The sporadic and seem- ingly unpredictable movement of the mean that a large number of people are needed to keep track of its distribution, and to collect information on the bird’s habi- tat requirements. A Swift Parrot survey is conducted every May and August. Observers from Eastern South Australia through to Southern look for Swift Parrots in an effort to trace the movements of this rare and elusive species. This publication gives bird ob- servers feedback on results from their search efforts and gives others an insight into the behaviour of this unique and remarkable parrot. D. Watts Stop Press! In This Issue The Swift Parrot Recovery Program It was recently decided that the Na- ✾ has just been awarded $80, 000 from tional Swift Parrot count should in- Swift Parrots in Queensland the Natural Heritage Trust Endan- clude areas of Southern Queensland, ✾ Swift Parrots Distribution in gered Species Program, to fund the and to that end the last Recovery Australia first year of the new recovery plan Team meeting was held at Moggill, ✾ starting 2001! Brisbane, with representatives of the Swift Parrots at Toowoomba, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Serv- South-East Queensland Swift Parrots in ice. The meeting was also planned ✾ Queensland observer digs one to coincide with the Southern Hemi- out of the vault Queensland sphere Ornithological Congress (SHOC), where a number of recov- ✾ Hunter Valley invasion Queensland is not the place that most ery teams were making presenta- ✾ Maryborough’s Swift Parrot birdwatchers associate with the na- tions. The SHOC event thus repre- riches tionally endangered Swift Parrot sented an excellent opportunity to Lathamus discolor. After breeding in share ideas and knowledge with ✾ Swift Parrot Survey Results Tasmania, the Swift Parrot migrates other experts. ✾ 2000 Survey Round-up to the mainland to spend the non- breeding season largely in With the recent records of Swifties ✾ A Swift Parrot late-season and . However, in Toowoomba, and a free day in the mobilisation there have been recent records from SHOC schedule, it was not surpris- ✾ Big year for Swift Parrots- A the Gold Coast, Noosa, Toowoomba, ing that a Swift Parrot expedition positive result Warwick and Lockyer Valley areas in was mounted. Members of both the Queensland. Nonetheless, the species Swift Parrot and Orange-bellied Par- ✾ Swift Parrot monitoring study is currently regarded as a vagrant in rot Recovery Teams, along with rep- ✾ Mt.Nelson Update the state, and so is not assigned a par- resentatives of the New South Wales ticular . National Parks and Wildlife Service SWIFTS ACROSS THE STRAIT page 1 and Australia, began searching the woodlands along the Toowoomba Escarpment. With an expert ear, it did not take long for Simon Kennedy, the Swift Parrot Recovery Officer, to detect the presence of Swifties in the area. Within an hour, 30-40 birds had been located feeding in Yellow Box Eucalyptus melliodora. The team also conducted vegetation surveys, and made foraging observations. In- deed, they commented on how unu- sual it was to observe Swift Parrots foraging so near to a subtropical rain- gully.

Swift Parrot records have been com- S. Kennedy piled annually for Queensland over A reflective moment, at the end of a May day pursuing Swift Parrots in the Weddin the last few years, and the Recovery Mountains National Park near Grenfell on the western slopes of NSW. Team has been carefully considering the results. The pattern of records strongly suggests the species is not a Swift Parrots at turned to a site on the edge of the vagrant to Queensland; rather it city. Here the parrots were feeding seems to be a regular visitor in small Toowoomba, South- on flowering Yellow Box Eucalyp- but significant numbers. This raises East Queensland tus melliodora, a species common two important questions. First, in Victoria and New South Wales. should the Swift Parrot be listed as The Toowoomba district was vis- In Victoria, the Yellow Box does not Endangered in Queensland? ited by Swift Parrots in 1998, and generally flower until October, and Second, does the Swift Parrot under- a number of sightings were made. thus it is not a primary nectar take the longest migration of any par- Two years later, the species re- source. rot anywhere? The discovery of Swift Parrots at Glen Lomond Park near Swift Parrot Distribution in Australia Toowoomba prompted the Toowoomba Bird Observers Inc. to hastily organise a survey of nearby areas to find out if more Swifties were about.

The following is an edited excerpt from the Toowoomba Bird Observ- ers Inc. Newsletter No. 290 July 2000.

“A local survey was arranged with the aim of locating Swift Parrots in areas additional to the Glen Lo- mond Park site. The survey began at 7am with different teams allo- cated to different parts of the Toowoomba escarpment. I led a group of observers into Glen Lo- mond Park, many of whom hoped

SWIFTS ACROSS THE STRAIT page 2 to see the birds for the first time. before. Given their distinctive call, Participants: Michael Atzeni, Ol- Unfortunately, we were looking feeding and flight behaviour, and ive Booth, Judy Caughley, Mary into the sun, and those hoping for loyalty to certain trees, I suggest Grant, Pat McConnell, Dana a good view were going to be dis- that a better strategy for locating McCowan, Neil McKilligan, Helen appointed this particular time. Swift Parrots in other areas is McKilligan, Rosalie Rudduck, The birds took flight unexpectedly, needed. This would involve moni- Regan Scheuber, Billi Wagner, bolting south in a tight flock (ca. toring likely feeding trees, as evi- Kath Watson, Barry Kenway, Ernie 30 birds). They did not return. I denced by the presence of lorikeets Potts. Areas surveyed: Rifle Range, hope everyone has managed a bet- and honeyeaters (particularly the Jubilee Park, Redwood Park, Pic- ter look since the survey. Yellow-faced, White-naped and nic Point, Jack Duggan Park, Glen Ken McKeown had a positive re- Lewin’s HE). Lomond Park (southern end), Echo sult as well, recording two birds Valley (end of Ramsay St) taking flight from a stand of what Thanks to those who participated he believes was Banksia in the survey at such short notice. Michael Atzeni” integrifolia at the end of Forestry Road (27 30 07S, 152 15 42E) near Grantham. In the same patch were Silvereyes, Eastern Spinebills, Noisy Friarbirds, and Blue-faced, Yellow-faced, Lewin’s and Brown Honeyeaters.

There were no other Swifties seen along the escarpment. Judy Caughley covered the Rifle Range area and Jubilee Park. She noted that less blossom and birdlife was present in comparison to the area of Glen Lomond park where the parrots were sighted. Likewise, Neil McKilligan reported sparse blossom and birdlife in the south- ern reaches of Glen Lomond Park. The same was also true of the Pic- nic Point area and Jack Duggan Park. Around Echo Valley there was no blossom at all.

On the other hand, Pat McConnell and Kath Watson saw suitable blossom in Redwood Park along the bridle trail, but didn’t see any Swift Parrots. Incidentally, Pat and Kath had a field day with raptors over Redwood, sighting a Grey Goshawk and a White- bellied Sea-eagle!

Like many others in the group, these Swift Parrots were a first for me. I’ve sometimes wondered if This magnificent Mugga Ironbark in Jindalee State Forest near I’d been overlooking them, but Cootamundra on the NSW South-West Slopes was nearly 1.6 metres in diameter, and was in full flower at the time. having now seen them, I am cer- A.Overs tain I’ve never seen or heard them SWIFTS ACROSS THE STRAIT page 3 Queensland observer digs one out of the vault

A Queensland observer, Malcolm Wilson, found this article in an old edition of the Queensland Bird Notes. It would seem that specula- tion about the Swift Parrot’s status in Queensland is not a recent phe- nomenon. In this edited excerpt, the author wonders if the Swift Parrot is indeed a regular visitor to Queensland. The year? 1966!

“Swift Parrots at Mount Coot-tha

“On 2/8/66 I escorted two visitors to the (Mt. Coot-tha) lookout at 3pm, and while there, happened to see a number of Swift Parrots feed- ing in the trees right at the summit and immediately to the north of the lookout.

On the following day, I went to the lookout a little earlier in the after- noon, and shortly after arrival, found the birds working through the trees on the north face until they reached the summit. There were about 50 birds in the flock….

…I could not for certain detect any calls from the Swift Parrots, prob- S.Ruming ably due to poor hearing, and be- Swift Parrots used this Swamp Mahogany habitat at the edge of Crowdy cause the Scalys (Scaly-breasted Bay National Park on the NSW North Coast for more than a month this year. Lorikeets) were calling more or less continuously. The Swift Parrots paid any attention to the other, and time to see the birds. Once again, were inclined to keep together in a the Swift Parrots were apparently it could possibly be the lack of large party, actually feeding unintrested in the coral tree. How- observers which has led us to amongst the leaves, possibly on ever, the Scalys were on occasion believe that this species is a rarity scale. On occasion they would fly seen together with the Swift Par- to Queensland. In fact, more or rather flop into the outermost rots in the gum trees. concentrated observation during leaves and hang upside-down while ensuing winters might show that feeding. On one occasion, a small After about half an hour all the the species is a regular visitor to gum tree near the summit was Swift Parrots had disappeared Mt. Coot-tha.” festooned with swinging parrots from sight. This disappearance, and waving leaves while an adja- and the fact that I had made four F.M Hamilton, 7/8/1966, cent coral tree carried a party of previous trips to the area before Queensland Bird Notes, Volume 2 about 20 Scaly-breasted Lorikeets seeing the birds, suggests that an Number 5, October 1966. feeding much more sedately observer needs to be lucky to be in Thanks to Malcolm Wilson for amongst the blossom. Neither party just the right place at just the right sending this in.

SWIFTS ACROSS THE STRAIT page 4 Hunter Valley invasion Maryborough’s Swift Parrot riches large number of Swift Parrots re- mained in the region. They were able It has long been suspected that The year 2000 saw Swift Parrots to stay, feeding in one area or mov- Spotted Gum Corymbia maculata again descend in large numbers ing locally, because the Yellow Gum is capable of attracting Swift Par- upon the box-ironbark Eucalyptus leucoxylon had come rots in large numbers, but this win- and woodlands in the central- into flower. Indeed significant num- ter confirmed it. An April record west of Victoria. In fact a stag- bers of Swift Parrots remained in of two birds by Edwin Vella was a gering number of Swifties were Maryborough until at least late Au- clue, but it was Jenny Meynell, in recorded in both the May and gust. the Hunter Valley, who provided August surveys undertaken in the the undeniable proof; she found a Maryborough area. There were On hearing of the May Swift Parrot foraging flock of about 40 in the two major events that led to this event, observer Tony small town of Ellalong near concentration of birds. Russell toured the box-ironbark for- Cessnock. The Ellalong site, ests around Maryborough during the which contains a small stand of The first was an infestation of Queens Birthday weekend with a large Spotted Gums on council psyllid insects on the leaves of group of five people who had never land near the edge of the town, was the Grey Box Eucalyptus seen a Swiftie before. After visiting soon converged upon by observ- microcarpa which drew a large several forests and finding Swift Par- ers from around the district, much concentration of parrots in May. rots at a number of sites, the crew of to the bemused delight of the lo- The protective covering of these happy South Australians returned to cals. Simon Kennedy was study- psyllids (known as lerps), is a key Adelaide with a new species on their ing Swift Parrots along the NSW food source for the Swift Parrots. life-long birdwatching list. Simon central coast at the time (without Kennedy received a number of use- much success) and visited the site The lerp infestation was over by ful atlas records in exchange for his in mid-June. the August survey, however a directions! It turned out to be the tip of a fairly large iceberg. Over the next few days Swifties were recorded in Spotted Gum habitat in nearby Aberdare State Forest and Lower Hunter National Park. Some 35 Regent Honeyeaters were also present at Aberdare. A number of observers found several more Swift Parrot sites in the unter Valley over the following two months, with the species present until at least late August.

This Swift Parrot concentra- tion is thought to be the result of good Spotted Gum flower- ing combined with a poor flowering season on the NSW western slopes. It will be in- teresting to see how frequently A. Kennedy this event occurs in NSW in This Swift Parrot was found feeding on Whirrakee Wattle, a species endemic to central the future. Victoria, in September 2000. The site is in the Wellsford State Forest on the outskirts of , where Swift Parrots have been seen in four of the last five years.

SWIFTS ACROSS THE STRAIT page 5 Swift Parrot Survey Results 1995 - 2000

August April August May August May August May August May August 1995 1996 1996 1997 1997 1998 1998 1999 1999 2000 2000

VIC 242 3 318 257 524 605 525 740 337 923 1105 Bendigo 0 0 87 45 57 87 153 15 23 133 257 Maryborough- 0 1 180 121 200 378 182 8 110 581 776 Dunolly Rushworth 12 0 9 27 80 76 162 25 61 57 59 .’; St. Arnaud 9 0 0 3 120 3 0 174 61 57 2 North East 209 0 38 32 67 51 10 518 82 95 1 Southern Vic 12 2 0 12 0 0 18 0 0 0 10 Gippsland 0 0 4 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 NSW 42 10 30 6 9 100 31 25 13 79 112 Central Coast 3 8 0 6 7 90 6 0 0 0 0 South West 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 4 0 20 0 Slopes Central West 33 2 20 0 2 10 25 21 13 31 47 Slopes Northern 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tablelands North Coast 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 65 South Coast 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Central 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tablelands QLD 0 0 0 0 0 0 40 0 0 0 30

SA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AUS TOTAL 284 13 348 263 533 705 596 765 390 1002 1247

2000 Survey Round-up New South Wales flowering season, with some The NSW coast from the Hunter Victoria Yellow Gum stands supporting Valley north finally hit the map on The May survey was conducted Swift Parrots for three months or the winter survey weekends. A during a major Grey Box lerp more. number of birds visited the Port infestation in central Victoria, and Macquarie-Coffs Harbour area, and large numbers were recorded in the In contrast, the St. Arnaud region a significant concentration of Maryborough-Dunolly area in had a quiet year, with scattered Swifties were located in stands of particular. Many of the sites were small flocks in May dwindling by flowering Spotted Gum in the familiar to observers as regular August. The North-East of the Hunter Valley, Cessnock and Sin- Swift Parrot haunts. The Bendigo state, which had 518 Swift Parrots gleton areas. area had a very good season after in May 1999, was also quiet, with a very quiet 1999, especially in the most of the 95 May birds all in one The results from the inland slopes southern part of the region. Here flock feeding on Grey Box lerp in reflect an excellent coverage by ob- Yellow Gums had an excellent Killawarra State Forest. servers in the area. General com-

SWIFTS ACROSS THE STRAIT page 6 ments and the dearth of non-survey eas where Swifties were absent dur- I am often asked about the migra- weekend records suggested that this ing the winter. Again the birds were tion routes of Swift Parrots, both year was actually much quieter than in unusual sites, such as heaths and to and from the mainland. I reply 1999 in most places. The Cowra eucalypt plantations. A number of that I see it as a 500-piece jigsaw district accounted for most of the records were also received from with 497 pieces missing; there’s so May birds, and most of the August Southern Victoria. A flock of 150 much we don’t know. The chances birds were spotted in the Capertee appeared in late September on the of actually “catching” the species Valley, an area they visited in great edge of Huntly (10km North of en route are terribly small, but numbers in 1995 and 1997. Bendigo). The birds set up a roost 2000 has been the best year for site and proceeded to feed upon the late-season records since the Queensland flowering Yellow Gums. Footage of Project began, giving us a few The Toowoomba Swift Parrots this event captured with a hand-held more pieces of evidence. were recorded close to, and after the video camera was as good as one survey weekend (and are unlikely could reasonably hope for! Simon Kennedy to be double counts!). See article for more details. A group of birds also visited a suburban park on the Gold Coast, but dispersed by the August weekend.

A Swift Parrot late-sea- son mobilisation

The final chapter of every mainland Swift Parrot observer’s season is a visit to the sites that the birds might use on their way back to Tasmania for breeding. The Gippsland re- gion of Victoria, where no Swift Parrots were found in either win- ter survey, was visited by a number of Swift Parrots in September. Small groups were also seen at Yarragon, Stradbroke, Rotamah Island, Sale, Lakes Entrance and Lake Bunga. The habitat at Lake Bunga? Warm Temperate Rainfor- est, the flowering Sweet Pittosporum being enjoyed by Rainbow and Musk Lorikeets and three Swift Parrots. This is the first record of Swift Parrots actually feeding in rainforest since the Project started. Perhaps Sweet Pittosporum is an important late- season resource; only time will tell. In the meantime we can only shake our heads in bemusement. These magnificent Blackbutt specimens and the nearby Forest Red Gums have attracted Swift Parrots over four consecutive years to this caravan Three September records from park at Moonee Beach in the Coffs Harbour area. The species returned this year when as many as 20 were recorded in May. S. Ruming New South Wales came from ar-

SWIFTS ACROSS THE STRAIT page 7 Big Year for Swift Par- In the 1999/2000 breeding season, 47 measuring some 20 by 7 metres. The Swift Parrots were counted on the 55 mural depicts children planting trees, rots- A Positive Result plots sampled. This amounts to a den- Swift Parrots feeding and in flight, sity of approximately 0.4 Swift Par- as well as other native plant and bird rots per hectare. There was approxi- species. Not only does the mural This year was the best ever for Swift mately 7800 ha of grassy Blue Gum address the community’s wish to be Parrots, with the 1000 mark being open forest mapped in eastern Tas- free of an ugly graffitied wall, but it topped for the first time. This is a mania in 1999, which means there raises the community’s awareness of credit to the ever-improving survey was an estimated 3000 Swift Parrots the presence of this rare and colour- effort and coverage by the observer (one Swiftie for 2.5 hectares overall) ful species. network. Of course many observ- . This seems to be a reasonable ers (including myself!) have noticed “ballpark figure” but the surveys The project has been supported by that they are better at locating the need to be repeated over a number of the Hobart City Council, the Educa- birds with a few years experience years to increase the accuracy of the tion Department through its "Arts in under their belt. So what does this figure, and to give an indication of Hearts" Student Enrichment Pro- mean? It is unlikely the population population trends. Indeed, Grassy gram, the Natural Heritage Trust has doubled since 1998, but it is ob- Blue Gum forest is being remapped, through the Adopt-a-Patch and viously a positive result, and sug- and the indications are that there is Threatened Species Programs, and gests that there was a good breed- less of this forest type present than by Tas Paints, who have helped sup- ing season. However, it is difficult currently estimated. Next years fig- ply materials. to speculate just what percentage of ures may well be lower. the total population is being located. Population monitoring in Tasmania Don’t Forget (during spring when most of the Mural at Mt. Nelson Please report all sightings of the population is based on the east coast Mt Nelson, a leafy suburb on Ho- and is relatively compact) is still Swift Parrot, as well as send news- bart’s urban/bushland fringe, is an considered the best way to obtain an letter contributions to: important breeding ground for the estimate of population size. Swift Parrot. However, the Swift Simon Kennedy Parrot is under threat in the area from (Swift Parrot Project Officer) the increasing pressures of urban de- Flora and Fauna Branch, Dept. Swift Parrot Monitor- velopment. The clearing of remnant Natural Resources and Environment ing Study Blue Gums and the erection of struc- PO Box 3100, Bendigo,Victoria, 3554. tures such as tennis court fencing and ph (03) 5430 4444 second story windows are the main Email: [email protected] During the 1999/2000 breeding sea- culprits. son, a fixed-stationary observer Newsletter produced and edited by Jess Abrahams technique was used at 55 permanent To address some of these problems, plots in order to estimate the den- Mt. Nelson Primary School, a mem- sity of Swift Parrots across the ber of the Threatened Species Net- range of grassy Blue Gum forest in work, has planted their “adopted eastern Tasmania. The population patch” with over 100 young Blue was measured using a method to es- Gums, grown form seed at the timate bird densities developed by school. Parents are also helping out DEPARTMENT of PRIMARY INDUST WATER and ENVIRONMENT Dr. David Morgan from the Zool- with the rehabilitation project by re- ogy Department of Melbourne Uni- moving weeds and glass from the versity. The method involves a sta- “patch” . The “patch” also includes tionary observer standing in the a large, graffiti covered water reser- centre of a plot counting all birds voir, a source of much consterna- seen. A recorder is also present who tion in the local community. records the species, the vertical an- gle and distance from the centre. Rather than a problem, the school has These plots form the basis of a re- chosen to see the reservoir as an op- peatable survey program being em- portunity to share the story of the ployed to monitor population Swift Parrot with the wider Hobart trends. community by painting a mural

SWIFTS ACROSS THE STRAIT page 8