HASTINGS BIRDWATCHERS NEWSLETTER AUTUMN 2019
FEBRUARY 2019 Volume 26 Issue 3
25 years
1993 2018
President: Ted Giblin 6582 0580 /0487 690439 [email protected] Vice President: Ian Kerr 6585 6693/0408254487 Conservation Officer: Sue Proust [email protected] 0265597506/0412 743 883 Secretary: Jenny Lester 0458 550087 [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer: Beth Gabriel: 65852364/0447510163 [email protected] Committee: Membership Secretary: Stacie Bassett: 0417378921 Peter West 0265597506/0406 940408 [email protected] [email protected] Recorder: Louise Earnshaw 5508 7140/0414194453 Ken Monson: 0435 566 390 [email protected] [email protected] Publicity Officer: Ted Giblin 6582 0580 /0487 690439 Les Mitchell 0431758032 [email protected] [email protected] Editor: Fran Smith: 0410 335 930/65827810 [email protected] Webmaster: Clive Meadows: 5508 7140 /0400 475185 [email protected]
Hastings Birdwatchers Inc. is now affiliated with Birdlife Australia
C A L E N D A R 2019 Innes Ruins: 3rd Thursday of each month. Members only. Meet at the gates. Woregore N .R. (Pelican Island): Varies with the tides. Information from Dave Whitfield 6581 2156/0447871350 Bryce Taylor 65845158/0400272633 Sea Acres: 3rd Wednesday per quarter. Members only and information from Peter West, 0265597506/0406 940408 Field Trips: Meet 8:30 a.m. First Friday Winter. [Otherwise 8 a.m.] Outings will proceed irrespective of the weather. Sunday Field Trips will be held on the third Sunday unless otherwise advised. Leaders will always turn up, even if no one else does, except for venues at risk during high fire danger warnings. If in doubt, telephone the listed leader, or Jenny on 0458 550087 or check www.hastingsbirdwatchers.org.au
For those members who are new or have not been on many field trips, below is a description of what we do on these occasions and what to bring to enable you to have an enjoyable day. Meeting time is 8.00am at the designated meeting site (8.30 in the winter). Wear good walking shoes and bring morning tea, lunch, water, bug spray, a chair and, of course, binoculars, as well as a hat and sun screen in summer months. We normally finish up after a bird count at about 1:30-2:00 p.m.
Please remember to check our website www.hastingsbirdwatchers.org.au for any late changes to the above programme. It is updated regularly
HASTINGS BIRDWATCHERS – 2019 ACTIVITY CALENDAR
The Complete 2019 Activity Calendar is attached at the end of this report.
FIELD TRIP LEADERS Discussion was held at our recent Committee Meeting about the shortage of Field Trip Leaders. Please remember that we hold 18 Field Trips per year, along with regular monthly or quarterly surveys at Innes Ruins, Pelican Island and Sea Acres. Depending on availability we endeavor to carry out annual surveys of Regent Honeyeaters and Swift Parrots as well as Rufous Scrub Birds and, yet to be done, Bitterns. As you can imagine this amount of activity relies on many people volunteering each year. It is not necessary, or the sole responsibility of Committee members to lead and/or organize each of these events. If you have not undertaken leading a Field Trip yet, it is also not necessary that you know and can identify all the birds seen or heard. What is required is that you know where and at what time to meet, have a basic plan of where to go, where to have morning tea/lunch and where toilet facilities can be found. As we often return to a number of sites, all this information is readily available. The Committee would like all members to give serious consideration to putting your hand up to lead or at least, assist, a Field Outing. You will notice in the 2019 Activity Calendar included with this Newsletter, that there are still a number of Field Trips without leaders at this time so an opportunity could be there for you.
COMMITTEE MATTERS At a recent meeting it was decided to invite members to attend Committee Meetings from time to time to observe how your Club operates. Visitors would be able to speak but not have voting rights. If you would like to attend such a meeting at any time, please contact any member of the Committee.
FIELD TRIPS FIELD TRIP – DECEMBER 4 2018 – GOOGIK TRACK Our field trip on December 4 was to the Googik Track where a small number met in Lake Road to take a walk along the Googik Track prior to our scheduled Christmas Celebration at Abundance Café. It was a hot morning and fairly quiet along the track but with lovely Christmas Bells blooming along the way. After walking for an hour or so with not a lot of birds on our list we returned to the cars and made our way to Shelley Beach for morning tea before doing some personal “beautification” prior to meeting for lunch at Abundance where over 40 of our members enjoyed a lovely afternoon. The highlight of the day was the presentation to Maureen McGrath of a Life Membership Certificate and Badge by President Ted. Congratulations to Maureen who has been presented with this Award in recognition of her long and faithful service to the Club. Maureen has held several Committee positions in the past and was Secretary for a number of years. Maureen now joins the select group of Lifetime Members of Hastings Birdwatchers Inc and the Committee and Members thank her for her long service, her knowledge and her happy smile.
FIELD TRIP TO SWANS CROSSING 16.12.18
Due to rainy/cloudy weather the final field trip for this year saw only eight birdwatchers meeting at the Kew Information Centre. We did wait for an extra ten minutes but this was the total that we were to have for this outing. Peter Coxon arrived especially to offer his apologies for not attending and also to wish all a Merry Christmas. He brought news of Marion who has a hard time of it with poor health this year and she sends her thanks to all who had wished her well. 3
The forest around the Info Centre was inhabited by a rich variety of our local birds. The first call was from that melodic little songbird, the White-throated Gerygone; an amazing contrast to the male and female Koels who shattered the morning quietness. Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets flew overhead while Bar-shouldered Doves, Torresian Crows, Magpies, Whipbirds, a Dollarbird, a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Lewins Honeyeaters, Peewees, Spotted Doves and a House Sparrow looking for relief at the toilets added to the cacophony. On the road to Swans Crossing close to Kew we sighted about a dozen different birds from the four vehicles which were our transport for the day. A Pied Butcherbird and a Brown Cuckoo-dove were among the forest birds while a White-faced Heron and a Purple Swamp Hen were seen near a farm dam. As we travelled along the dirt road near Cold Knob we saw/heard a Sacred Kingfisher, a Fig Bird, a Yellow-faced and a White-naped Honeyeater, along with the usual Grey Fantail, Eastern Yellow Robin, Pied Currawong and not to omit the small group of Galahs. Once at Swans Crossing we walked around the bush near the reserve finding Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos, more Pied Currawongs, Satin Bowerbirds, and many King Parrots. Peter Hudd was annoyed that Julia sighted a Collared Sparrowhawk that he missed while Jessa with her quick eyes saw a Crimson Rosella before it disappeared into the forest where Brown Gerygones and Noisy Friarbirds were calling. Peter Hudd saw a Russet-tailed Thrush which he later found once more for the rest of the group. A male Regent Bowerbird and a Channel-billed cuckoo were also seen. At lunch medical attention was given to Julia who had the world’s smallest leech attempting to bore its way into her neck. On the way back to Kendall a Lyrebird was heard on the Longworth Tramway Track along with the sighting of a Pale Yellow Robin, and a Rufous Fantail added to the total. Our thanks went to our esteemed leader, Ted, for a pleasant and profitable outing for a total of 57 birds sighted by the eight of us.
Terry and Elaine McCarthy
Photo Terry McCarthy
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HASTINGS QUEST 2019 Divisions Hastings Quest (Including Land and Pelagic Sightings) Hastings Quest – Land Only Champagne Quest Hastings Quest 2019 Participants to submit two lists 1. LAND LIST = all sightings on or from land 2. PELAGIC LIST = all species seen from a boat i.e. on a Pelagic trip. Hastings Quest Winner – will be the person(s) with the most species on their combined Land and Pelagic Lists. To get the overall total – add together the totals of the Land and Pelagic Lists and remove any duplicates. I.e. If you saw a Shy Albatross on a Pelagic trip and also from Tacking Point, this species should only be counted once for your overall total.
Hastings Quest 2019 – Land Only Participants to submit a list for all sightings on or from Land. Land List: Questers record all species seen on or from land on the standard Quest list as in previous years.
Note: The list should include sea birds which you have seen from land e.g. Shy Albatross seen from Tacking Point. LAND Quest Winner – will be the person(s) with the most species on their Quest Land List.
Champagne Quest – No change from 2018 Record all species seen in your own nominated area For example - your property; Wauchope area only; within 10 km of home etc.
DID YOU KNOW…..
That you can share your Birdata surveys with anyone via email, but it can only be done from the Birdata Portal on your PC, not from the app on your phone or tablet.
When you display any of your surveys, the words “Share Survey” appear on the top right hand corner of the displayed survey. If you left click your mouse on those words, a new page will display on your web browser with a myriad of applications. Just click on “Email” and a “Launch Application” pop-up window will appear. Click on the email program that you use and then the “Open Link” button. Birdata will link to your email program to fill in a new email with the Birdata URL for the survey. Eg http://birdata.birdlife.org.au/survey?id=1832744&h=0f4104d3
INTERESTING ITEMS
The letter below is in response to Silva Vaughan-Jones’ submission regarding a banded bird (Red Knot) found at Lake Innes Nature Reserve recently. As you will see, it is over 7 years since this bird was banded in New Zealand! 5
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ANOTHER INTERESTING ITEM The poem below was written by Karen, a friend of Dave Whitfield’s daughter. It was written during a creative writing course Karen was attending where she was required to select a bird from a given list and write a poem about it. This is the result.
Buff Underparts. in the nests of small songbirds. The Brush Cuckoo, similar in shape Which state of affairs to the Pallid Cuckoo, may go some way has more buff underparts towards explaining than its sad and sorry colleague why the Brush Cuckoo’s call of the pallid, becomes ever more shrill, but no less valid, ever more demented, variety. crying repeatedly into the existential void There are many men from its hijacked nest, in this world of ‘Where’s the tea, Pete?’ underparts envy who would wish A cuckoo in the nest to emulate is an idiom the Brush Cuckoo meaning an unwelcome intruder in a place and have or situation. more buff underparts No doubt, to call their own. this idiom originates from small - Buff underparts but articulate - do not appear, songbirds. however, to have served And we wonder why - the Brush Cuckoo unnecessarily particularly well. it now seems to me - we refer to Its call slightly crazy, is shrill, slightly mad people, far-carrying, as ‘cuckoo’. deliberate. ‘Fear-fear-fear’, The Brush Cuckoo it cries into the bush also sometimes collides or in your back garden, with lighthouses. where, being a nest parasite, WTF Brush Cuckoo? it has laid its eggs
MANY EYES SEE LOTS OF BIRDS – SEA ACRES, 9 NOVEMBER 2018
On Friday 9 November an information and training morning was arranged with our relatively new group of Guides at Sea Acres. About 13 Guides, along with Mary Curtis and Margaret Donnelly took the group around the Boardwalk to see how many birds the group could identify. The aim was to identify as many birds as possible and note their location, on the forest floor, mid or top of canopy or flying overhead. A total of 26 birds were noted at various locations around the boardwalk as follow: Fig bird, Brush Turkey, Black-faced Monarch, Brown Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Dollarbird, Eastern Whipbird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Forest Raven, Golden Whistler, Green Catbird, Grey Butcherbird, Grey Fantail, Grey Shrike
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Thrush, Laughing Kookaburra, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Rainbow Lorikeet, Regent Bowerbird, Rufous Fantail, White-Throated Treecreeper, Wonga Pigeon, Little Wattlebird, Satin Bowerbird, White-Browed Scrubwren, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Yellow-throated Scrubwren. Other Sightings in the Rainforest Along with the usual suspects like the Brush Turkey, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Grey Fantail, Eastern Yellow Robin and Brown Gerygone other sightings have been, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Crested Shrike-tit, Wonga Pigeon, Wompoo Pigeon, Tawny Frogmouth and Australian Logrunner. There have also been regular sightings of the Powerful Owl. Sightings have occurred in the Car Park, during the Twitchathon in October, at 5.30am. The Owl has also been sighted at Posts 217L, 228R, 231L and 258 between November ‘18 and early January ’19. Contributed by Margaret Donnelly
NEW MEMBERS Hastings Birdwatchers Inc. welcomes all new members to the Club and we look forward to sharing many hours of birding with you all. Those recently joined include
Daniella and Nat Burgio Fiona and Nick Neville Max Osborne
EVENING MEETING – Our February evening meeting will be held at Hastings District Flying Club at the Port Macquarie Airport.
When: Thursday FEBRUARY 28, from 7.00 pm for a 7.30 pm start.
Where: Hastings District Flying Club, Oliver Dr, Port Macquarie NSW 2444 (This is a green building on the left just before the car park Boom Gate. Parking is outside the Club in Oliver Drive with some available in the Club Grounds. See Map below.
Speaker: Club members will give a presentation of Birds of Lord Howe Island
Please note dates for the next meetings planned for 2019: May 23, August 22, November 28. The Committee is always interested in suggestions for speakers for our meetings, so if you know of or have heard someone we could invite, please speak to one of your Committee to set this in motion.
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2019 Camp Outs
The dates for our Camp Outs this year are April 1 to April 5 at Walcha and October 21 to October 25 at Cowra. If you are planning to go to Walcha you should now book at the Walcha Caravan Park (02) 6777 2501)where positions in cabins (some with, some without en suite facilities) and camp sites are being held by the Management for us.
Contact has been made with Cowra Holiday Park who have also made a block booking on our behalf.( 10256 Mid Western Hwy, Cowra NSW 2794, (02) 6342 2666). Cowra is well- known for bush-birds and also with other attractions of wine, and of course the beautiful Japanese Gardens.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO NEWSLETTER I look forward to receiving contributions for future Newsletters at any time. I would prefer photographs as attachments to emails (i.e. not embedded) and text in Word format if possible. Any birding “Champagne moments” would be great and interesting sightings/poems/adventures/photographs, are always welcome. Please forward to me at [email protected]. I will be publishing the next newsletter late in May 2019 and would like to have any contributions on or before 25th April 2019
Address all correspondence to: Secretary, 14 Bullock Drive, Wauchope, NSW 2446 Hastings Birdwatchers Newsletter –Autumn 2019 9
FIELD TRIP CALENDAR 2019 2019 FIELD TRIPS CALENDAR 2019 Month Day Date Field Trips & Camps 2019 LEADER/DETAILS JAN Friday 4-Jan Fernbank Creek Corner Fernbank Ck Rd & Hastings River Drive 8.00am Clive Meadows 0400 475 185 Thurs 17-Jan Innes Ruins (Members Only) MEMBERS ONLY Ruins Gates 8:00am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 Friday 18-Jan Pelican Island 8am Westport Park boat ramp 8:00am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350
FEB Friday 1-Feb Stuarts Point/Grassy Head Sea-birds & Woodland Birds Cnr Ocean Ave & Marine Parade, Stuart’s Point. 8:00am Julia & Peter Hudd 6584 4858 Sunday 17-Feb Booyong Retreat (Byabarra) & Carpark, Timbertown, Boorganna NR Oxley Highway Wauchope 8.00 am Ted Giblin 0487690439 Tuesday 19-Feb Pelican Island 9am Westport Park boat ramp 9.00am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 Thurs 21-Feb Innes Ruins (Members Only) MEMBERS ONLY Ruins Gates 8:00am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 Thurs 28-Feb EVENING MEETING Hastings District Aero Club Oliver Place, Port Macquarie
MAR Friday 1-Mar Harrington Waders and Rainforest Birds Harrington Breakwall car park, Harrington 8:00am Peter West 0406 940 408 Tuesday 19-Mar Pelican Island 8:30am Westport Park boat ramp 8:30am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 Thurs 21-Mar Innes Ruins (Members Only) MEMBERS ONLY Ruins Gates 8:00am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 10
2019 FIELD TRIPS CALENDAR (Continued) 2019 Month Day Date Field Trips & Camps 2019 LEADER/DETAILS APR Mon - Fri 1st - 5th Walcha Walcha Caravan Park (02) 6777 2501 Friday 12-Apr John's River TBA 2nd Friday as camp at Walcha is week 1 Wednesday 17-Apr Sea Acres Surveys Sea Acres Car Park 7.45am Peter West 0406 940 408 Thurs 18-Apr Innes Ruins (Members Only) MEMBERS ONLY Ruins Gates 8:00am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 Friday 19-Apr Pelican Island 8am Westport Park boat ramp 8:00am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 Sunday 28-Apr Kooloonbung & Roto House Woodland & Waterbirds 4th Sunday as 21st is Easter Sunday Scout Hall, Hollingworth St 8:00am Jenny Lester 0458 559 087
MAY Friday 3-May Lake Cathie & Perch Hole Football Oval Car Park, Lake Cathie 8.00am Ken Monson 0435 566 390 Sat-Sun 4th & Swift parrot/ Regent Honeyeater Survey Ken Monson 5th 0435 566 390 Thurs 16-May Innes Ruins (Members Only) MEMBERS ONLY Ruins Gates 8:00am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 Tuesday 19-May Pelican Island 9am Westport Park boat ramp 9.00am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 Thurs 23-May EVENING MEETING TBA
JUNE Friday 7-Jun Saltwater & Wallabi Point Beth Gabriel 0477510163 Sunday 16-Jun Lorne Flora Reserve Les Mitchell 0431758032
Tuesday 18-Jun Pelican Island 8:30am Westport Park boat ramp 8:30am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 Thurs 20-Jun Innes Ruins (Members Only) MEMBERS ONLY Ruins Gates 8:30am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 11
2019 FIELD TRIPS CALENDAR (Continued) 2019 Month Day Date Field Trips & Camps 2019 LEADER/DETAILS JULY Friday 5-Jul Cattai Wetlands (AGM) Woodland & Waterbirds Carpark at the end of Springhill Rd 8:30am Liz Hawkins 0414 358 255 Wednesday 17-Jul Sea Acres Surveys Sea Acres Car Park 7.45am Peter West 0406 940 408 Thurs 18-Jul Innes Ruins (Members Only) MEMBERS ONLY Ruins Gates 8:30am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350
AUG Friday 2-Aug Yarravel, Temagog, Sherwood Woodland Birds Opposite cemetery, River St, Kempsey 8:30am TBA Sat-Sun 3rd & Swift parrot/ Regent Honeyeater Survey Ken Monson 0435 566 390 4th Thurs 15-Aug Innes Ruins (Members Only) MEMBERS ONLY Ruins Gates 8:30am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 Sunday 18-Aug Kattang Nature Reserve Woodland & Sea-birds Reserve carpark – Bergalia Crescent, Camden Head 8:30am Peter West and Sue Proust 0406 940 408 Thurs 22-Aug EVENING MEETING TBA
SEPT Friday 6-Sep Ellenborough/Kindee TBA Thurs 19-Sep Innes Ruins (Members Only) MEMBERS ONLY Ruins Gates 8:03am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350
OCT Friday 4-Oct Queens Lake Private property TBA Sue Proust and Peter West 0 406 940 408 Wednesday 16-Oct Sea Acres Surveys Sea Acres Car Park 7.45am Peter West 0406 940 408 Thurs 17-Oct Innes Ruins (Members Only) MEMBERS ONLY Ruins Gates 8:00am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 Mon-Fri 21st to Cowra Camp Out Cowra Holiday Park 25th (02) 6342 2666 12
2019 FIELD TRIPS CALENDAR (Continued) 2019 Month Day Date Field Trips & Camps 2019 LEADER/DETAILS NOV Friday 1-Nov Boyters Lane & Belmore swamp Waterbirds and Woodland Birds Rotary Park, west side of Jerseyville bridge 8:00am Louise Earnshaw 0414 194 453 Thurs 21-Nov Innes Ruins (Members Only) MEMBERS ONLY Ruins Gates 8:00am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350 Thurs 28-Nov EVENING MEETING TBA
DEC Friday 6-Dec Christmas Lunch TBA Sunday 15-Dec Sea Acres Boardwalk Sea Acres Car Park 9.00am Thurs 19-Dec Innes Ruins (Members Only) MEMBERS ONLY Ruins Gates 8:00am Dave Whitfield 6581 2156 / 0447 871 350
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