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Newsletter of BirdLife Northern Queensland Volume 9 Number 2 May 2020

Red-winged Parrot in the rain. Lesser Sooty Owl. Image courtesy of Dominic Chaplin www.pinecreekpictures.com.au Image courtesy of Dominic Chaplin www.pinecreekpictures.com.au Grey-crowned Babblers . Image courtesy of Dominic Chaplin www.pinecreekpictures.com.au

BirdLife Northern Queensland

In this issue…

2020 AGM and Social Birding, Lake Barrine tea Gardens Yungaburra... page 5 It was pre COVID-19, spirits were high and it was a perfect cool summer’s day. Early morning social birding, morning tea with scones, jam and cream, an Annual General Meeting, and lazy birding on a boat cruise. A sublime day out as evidenced by the full page of images.

Easter Marathon Challenge Competition…… page 7 We put the call out: How many BirdLife Australia surveys can you do in 4 days, from April 10-13 inclusive? The prize: a beautifully handcrafted ‘grazing board’ made out of recycled materials and decorated with a painting of a bird of winner’s selection, created by a talented team, Wayne and Renee Young.

Lewin’s Honeyeater behaviour at Forty Mile Scrub National Park…. page 8 Lindsay and Keith Fisher describe the fascinating behaviour of twelve Lewin’s Honeyeater observed during a short reprieve at Forty Mile Scrub National Park.

Travels in Nome, Alaska…... page 9 Imagine seeing a pair of Red-necked Loon swimming on a pond, Grizzly Bears feasting on salmon, and Willow and Rock Ptarmigan herding their young along the roadside. To imagine more from your arm chair, read about Gary and Robyn Wilson’s adventure discovering the birds and wildlife of Nome, Alaska.

Recent Literature about North Queensland Birds..... page 13 Catch up on recent literature about north Queensland birds in our regular update by Don Franklin. In this issue, there is research on cranes, Varied and Mangrove Honeyeaters, the southern race of Black-throated Finch, Lovely Fairywrens and the fossil remains of Bristlebirds in FNQ.

Bowerbird Survey Mt Lewis 22-23 Nov, 2019…... page 16 Dominic Chaplin provides an informative report on the recent survey of Mt Lewis. This area is a hotspot for Golden, Tooth-billed and Satin Bowerbird. He also reviews the knowledge gained from surveillance to date. This research is part of a BirdLife Northern Queensland Bowerbird Project, that is seeking to understand the impacts of climate change on bowerbirds over time.

News from Mt Isa... page 18 Observations of Dollarbirds ‘drinking on the wing’ at Lake Moondarra, and much more. Read our regular update from out west at Mount Isa, by Rex Whitehead.

Also From the Convenor…………….…. page 3 How Birders Have Adapted to Self- Start your overseas birdlist Isolation on Facebook..…... page 12 from the comfort of your own Birds of Paradise Nutrition and Iron home!…………………….. page 19 Storage Disease……………..….. page 11 Gouldian Finch Upstart….… page 12 Noticeboard…..……..… page 21 Grasswren Surveys - Delayed but not Birds in the news ……….…. page 15 Forgotten………………………….…. page 11 Activities……………..…. page 22 Book Review …………………..…page 19

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There are also a number of excellent resources to help From the Convenor you maximise your enjoyment and learn new skills including bird finder, to help you identify birds, and At the beginning of the year, your committee worked explanatory videos that show how to set up and use hard to develop an outstanding program of activities Birdata and how to do Birds in Backyard surveys. for 2020. As you would have seen in the last BirdLife Australia have also started a national newsletter, we had expanded our traditional Wave the challenge, the 2020 Branches and Backyards Waders Goodbye event into a half day workshop, we’d Competition, that will compare fortnightly Birds in lined up a stall at the Cairns Ecofiesta, we’d organised Backyards survey results from all the branches and a Beach Stone Curlew Survey for Cooktown to highlight which branches see the most diverse range of Cardwell, and had a full day Introductory Photography birds in their backyards, and which branch has done Workshop ready to go. Thank you to everyone who the most surveys. So please don’t be shy, get out contributed to developing that remarkable program. there and do Birds In Backyard surveys at least once a It was heart breaking to have to cancel those events. fortnight to keep the BirdLife Northern Queensland We did so in order to protect our members, and to branch in the competition. We might even win meet Covid-19 restrictions. As the virus continues to bragging rights if we have more bird diversity than the affect many aspects of our lives, the challenge for us other branches . has become how do we as a group of bird loving The BirdLife Photography group is also holding its individuals, find ways to continue to engage in our annual competition and has expanded the categories passion for birds and their conservation at this time. to include Backyard Birds, and Birds in Flight – both As you will read on page 7, our Easter Marathon perfect for our backyard situations. The competition Challenge Competition helped us fill the gap that many will be open from Friday May 15th until Monday August of us felt, not being able to escape to go birding at 3rd, 2020. There are some significant cash prize Easter. Competition was fierce between participants incentives to enter. thanks to the beautifully handcrafted prize donated by BirdLife Australia is also running a regular live series of Wayne and Renee Young. The achievement of 114 sessions on Facebook, where bird experts are talking local bird surveys in one long weekend is a credit to about what we love most – birds! And don’t fret if you everyone involved. Because these surveys were missed the first two sessions (Birding at Home Episode BirdLife Australia standardised surveys, they contribute 1: Sean Dooley on Backyard Birding for Beginners, and to the Atlas of Australian Birds and provide important Episode 2: Dean Ingwersen Talking about parrots in information that contributes to our knowledge and the your backyard), the videos are still available on the conservation of birdlife. Facebook page for you to watch and enjoy. Our Facebook page continues to provide a high quality So while we don’t have our usual calendar of meetings forum for our birding community to engage in. Doug and outings lined up for you, there are still many ways Herrington has been busy, involving everyone in that you can remain active and connected with us, the various challenges (e.g. post a FNQ bird a day for two greater birding community and with birds and the weeks, post a FNQ dove/pigeon image per day for 5 environment over the next few months. days) that have seen some stunning images and interesting observations and stories unfold, while Tom On a personal note, if you or your loved ones are Collis has been posting very entertaining Bird Trivia personally affected by Covid-19, our heart goes out to Quiz Questions that have had everyone guessing. If you and we wish you and your family a speedy you haven’t seen our BirdLife Northern Queensland recovery. Facebook page, do check it out. Stay safe everyone and look after each other. From a national perspective, BirdLife Australia has Ceri Pearce been working hard to identify innovative ways to engage the birding community within the boundaries New Convenor of the current movement restrictions. As you will see in the activities section (commencing page 22), there are a range of options to explore.

‘Birding at Home’ is a new BirdLife Australia webpage, that showcases a range of options from activities for the kids and watching Birds in Backyards TV, to # Have a cuppa with the birds and Birds in Backyard Surveys.

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BirdLife Northern Queensland Committee

Convenor Ceri Pearce Email: [email protected] Phone: 0488131581

Secretary and Communications Renee Cassels Email: [email protected]

Coordinator

Treasurer Lindsay Fisher Email : [email protected]

Cairns Area Coordinator Mikey Kudo Email: [email protected] Phone: 0402343610

Cape York Area Coordinator and Kath Shurcliff Email [email protected] Phone: 07 4069 6595 Grasswren Survey Coordinator

Cassowary Coast Area Coordinator Sandra Christensen Email: [email protected] Phone: 0448 845 842

Tablelands Area Coordinator Graham Harrington Email: [email protected]

Stickybeak Coordinator Golo Maurer Email: [email protected]

Project Technical Support Ray Pierce Email: [email protected]

Conservation Coordinator Peter Valentine Email: [email protected] Phone: 07 40966171

Website Manager Mikey Kudo Email: [email protected] Phone: 0402343610

Committee member Wayne Young Email: [email protected]

Committee member and Birds in Pippy Cannon Phone 0438645293 Schools Coordinator

Newsletter Editor Ceri Pearce Email: [email protected] Phone: 0488131581

Assistant Newsletter Editor Gary Wilson Email: [email protected]

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2020 AGM and Social Birding. LAKE BARRINE TEA GARDENS, YUNGABURRA. 14TH MARCH 2020

It was pre COVID-19, and spirits were high. March 14th was perfect, with clear skies on a cool summer’s day. Tom Collis, retiring Cairns Area Coordinator, joined the committee in 2016. Tom organised great events in Twenty-seven people joined Alan Gilanders and Wayne Cairns, from Wave the Waders Goodbye, to the Cairns Young at 7 am for an early morning bird walk around Ecofiesta. He also organised entertaining talks, some the Lake Barrine car park, access road and to the of which he presented himself. Tom and Maureen have towering twin Kauris. Amongst the 39 bird species departed for the time being, to spend quality birding observed were both Wompoo and Superb Fruit-dove, time in Tasmania. We wish them well. Double-eyed Fig-parrots, Victoria Riflebird, and Chowchilla and Whipbirds. Pale-yellow Robin and Grey- The committee also welcomed new members Pippy headed Robin put in appearances, as did Lewin’s, Cannon, Sandra Christensen and Gary Wilson. Bridled, Scarlet, and Dusky Honeyeaters. Recognizing how very lucky we have been in the far After the walk, socialising on the tea garden verandah north, we also asked members if they would like to next to the lake, we were served piping hot coffee, tea donate to the BirdLife Australia Bushfire Appeal. Many and Lake Barrine Teahouse’s infamous scones, jam did, and together we raised $150 for this important and cream. Delectable! cause. We then adjourned to the function room for the Annual After the AGM, the socialising continued and the lazy General Meeting (AGM), led by the highly capable bird watching began, during our private boat cruise on Wayne Young and Alan Gilanders. Lake Barrine led by Wayne Young. On the water we viewed both Great and Little Black Cormorant, got Following the election of office bearers for 2020, the close to a flock of 55 Great Crested Grebe, and were new committee was introduced and upcoming activities entertained by a Pacific Black Duck trying to race the were discussed. boat. We also saw Eastern Saw-shelled Turtle The opportunity was also taken to acknowledge the Myuchelys latisternum and Australian Long-finned Eels valuable contributions of retiring committee members. Anguilla reinhardtii - cool critters that live in Lake Barrine, but travel downstream, offshore and spawn Retiring Convenor, Peter Valentine, was sincerely somewhere in the vicinity of New Zealand and New thanked for his inclusive, warm-hearted leadership. Caledonia. Wayne provided informative, entertaining Peter took over from Kath as Convenor in 2018, having commentary not only about the geological and natural served in various roles as Conservation Coordinator history of the lake, but also about the teahouse itself. and Tablelands Coordinator since 2016. Peter is a Thank you Wayne and Lake Barrine Teahouse for the champion for conservation and led development of cruise! BirdLife Northern Queensland’s formal submissions to the Australian Government on the Faunal Extinction Quite a number of people stayed on for lunch by the Crisis. He has contributed to arranging highly lake. It was a splendid day, and the best AGM in my successful Tablelands meetings and events. On Peter’s memory. Ceri Pearce recent return from travelling, he re-joined the committee as Conservation Coordinator. BirdLife Northern Queensland AGM participants Martin and Sam Willis also retired from the committee. Martin has served as Conservation Coordinator and Deputy Convenor since 2012, and since 2018 as Tablelands Area Coordinator. Pulling in crowds of up 100 + people to BirdLife meetings is no easy feat, but this was achieved by Martin, Sam and Peter. Sam Willis has warmly welcomed new members since she joined the committee in 2014 as Membership Coordinator. Sam and Martin were sincerely thanked for their substantial contributions and very entertaining photographic presentations.

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TH IMAGES OF BIRDLIFE NORTHERN QUEENSLAND, MARCH 14 2020

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Easter Marathon Challenge Competition

With Easter holiday plans in tatters and many other events cancelled, the BirdLife Northern Queensland committee recognised we needed an activity we could all undertake while in self-isolation at Easter. And so the idea of the BirdLife Northern Queensland Easter Marathon Challenge was born. We put the call out to members: How many surveys can you do in 4 days, from April 10-13 inclusive? To enter the competition participants had to complete a BirdLife Australia standard survey in their backyard or during a daily walk and enter it into Birdata or eBird (as long as it was entered as a BirdLife Australia survey method). For each survey completed, that person’s name went into the draw for a very special As the pie chart below illustrates, the most popular prize: a beautifully handcrafted ‘grazing board’ made survey method used at Easter (72% of the surveys out of recycled materials and decorated with a painting completed) was the 2 hectare, 20 min Search. The 500 of a bird of the winner’s selection, created by a metre Area Search protocol comprised 17% of the talented team, Wayne and Renee Young. surveys completed. One person completed a 5km Area Search. Examples of the prize, handcrafted by Wayne and Ren

The competition was a great success. 18 people completed 114 surveys of their backyard/area or during their daily walk over the 4 day period, in the BirdLife Northern Queensland area. The surveys spanned from Cooktown in the north, down to

Mission Beach in the south. Back to the competition. Who’s name was drawn from While a few people completed a single survey, many that virtual hat? others completed multiple surveys as the bar chart illustrates. Four different kinds of BirdLife Australia The prize goes to Sandra Christensen. Congratulations standardised survey methods were used. For some Sandra. We heard that this was your first experience people, Birds in Backyards (BiB) surveys were an using Birdata. Well done! Now comes the tough task of obvious choice, particularly for smaller yards where it choosing which bird species you would like painted on was not possible to see or hear all the birds within two your grazing board Hopefully we will have a photo hectares. BiB surveys capture landscape information of you receiving your prize in the next newsletter. as well as information about how birds interact within If you entered the competition, a very BIG thank you. and with your garden, so can be valuable for I hope you had as much fun as we did. And the understanding birdlife in urban areas. Did you know weather couldn’t have been more perfect for it. that when you complete a BiB survey during their season survey period, your name goes into a draw for Ceri Pearce and Kath Shurcliff a prize from the BiB Program? Find more information here.

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Lewin’s Honeyeater behaviour at Forty Mile Scrub National Park

Early November last year a group of us were conducting bird surveys at Pinnarendi Station which is south of Mount Garnet and adjacent to the Forty Mile Scrub National Park. Due to temperatures reaching the high 30’s by midday, our birding was restricted to early morning and late afternoon. Looking for an excuse to go for a drive in an air-conditioned vehicle, a group of us decided to drive to the rest area at Forty Mile Scrub in the late morning. Part of the Scrub had been subjected to a wildfire in September, and we were interested to see the extent of the damage. Around the rest area is semi-evergreen vine thicket and a number of bottle trees. There were burnt areas on the small circuit walk, but luckily the infrastructure of picnic tables and toilet were not damaged.

One of the Lewin’s Honeyeater that had been feeding on the orange. Images by Keith and Lindsay Fisher.

Birds seen during our visit. Red-backed Fairywren (1) Lewin’s Honeyeater (12) White-browed Scrubwren (1)

The Rest Area at 40 Mile Scrub NP at the time of our visit. Fairy Gerygone (2) We managed a small bird list before heading back to Varied Triller (2) the cars. We had noticed another vehicle parked there when we arrived and he had since left. Apparently he Little Shrikethrush (2) had eaten lunch there and had neatly cut an orange Silvereye (1) into segments throwing the remains in the bush when he had finished. However, much to the delight of the Lewin’s Honeyeater, he had left plenty of juicy orange Lindsay & Keith Fisher remaining on the skin he had discarded. We watched as two or three pecked at the orange and then were surprised by counting 12 in total including one feeding a juvenile. With little or no water around, they were making the most of the juice.

We stop here often on our way out west for a morning cuppa or toilet break and always record three or four Lewin’s Honeyeater, but never as many as twelve.

Feeding on citrus is also an interesting observation.

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Travels in Nome, Alaska

At the end of our recent Far East Russia Expedition we flew east on a charter flight across the Bering Strait to Nome, Alaska. Not only is this the least painful way of entering the US we have yet encountered but Nome is a birding and wildlife hotspot, so it was a win-win situation. We stayed four days and really enjoyed it.

The birding in and round Nome was terrific; watching a Gary and Robyn on a gold dredge on the edge of Nome. pair of Red-necked Loon courting on a pond on the Gold mining (including under the ice off the town in town boundary was a highlight. winter using hookah equipment) and fishing is the focus of the local population. During the Cold War, Nome was on the DEW Line that was meant to warn of in-coming Soviet aircraft and missiles – antennas at the White Alice Site on Anvil Mountain five km north of the town bear witness to those troubled times. It is also the terminus of the 1500 km Iditarod Sled Race, run in March each year, that commemorates the 1925 serum run to Nome, when diphtheria antitoxin was transported from Anchorage to Nenana by train and then to Nome by dog sled to combat an outbreak of the disease. Nome has 320 species recorded in the immediate area. Birders visit in spring and summer to see local and migratory species and to search for rare or vagrant Courting Red-necked Loon on a roadside pond in Nome. visitors, some of which stray in from Russia. Nome has a population of c. 4,000 and is 230 km A bonus in visiting Nome is to see the mammalian south of the Arctic Circle. It is the gateway to Beringia wildlife, which includes Grizzly Bear, Wolverine, Moose, – the ecoregion that extends west to Russia, and at Caribou, Wolf, Lynx, Otter, Beaver, and Musk Ox. The the time of the last Ice Age, the land bridge across to latter were extirpated in the early 1900s but re- it. It is very much a frontier service town; the number introduced to the Seaward Peninsula in 1970. They are of big trucks and bars was daunting and seeing quad doing well and are now resident around town. This bikes for sale in the local supermarket was a novelty. creates some Nome has an excellent new hospital and museum interesting Lapland Longspur on the (both with splendid murals) and good education situations as (a) Teller Road facilities. Musk Ox charge, they don’t feint, this can be quite exciting if one is on foot, and (b) due to climate change and loss of sea ice further north Polar Bears are entering town to prey on the Musk Ox. Tripping over a Polar Bear in the morning mist tends to liven up Sign over the entrance to the Bering Land Bridge National the start of one’s Preserve HQ in Nome, Alaska. Note the Mastodon logo. day.

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Musk Ox feeding in a slough on the edge of town. Artic Tern on the Sinrock River Bridge on the Teller Road. The impact of climate change was everywhere evident in and about Nome. The town is infamous for its cold The Council Road hugs the coast and skirts the winters (to -35° C), and low average summer extensive marshlands of the Safety Sound section of temperature (+14° C), but the temperature was over the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge that +30° C each day we were there and there were girls in supports huge populations of ducks (including bikinis on the beach. Robyn went for an extended Common Eider Duck), geese, swans and migratory swim in the Bering Sea. The rise in temperature is waders. melting the permafrost and causing damage to infrastructure such as roads, and changes in the migration pattern of some animals, e.g. Caribou, and in the species component in the local fisheries, and wildfires burning in the tundra. Discussion with local Elders and reference to climate data indicated that the changes are without precedent. Waterfowl, including Common Eider Duck, on marshlands on Despite Nome only being accessible by sea or air, the Council Road. three roads, the Teller to the Northwest, the Kougarok We did not get to the Kougarok Road and thus have an to the North, and the Council to the East, extend for a excuse to return to the area – there is so much more total of 370 km about the town and they provide to see. Nome is remote and relatively costly to get to access to a variety of habitats for wildlife watchers. and they can’t make coffee to save themselves, but the locals are friendly, the wildlife fantastic, and it is well worth visiting.

Arctic Skua (Jaeger) feeding on salmon scraps

We drove the Teller and Council and saw a wide variety of birds and mammals. The Teller crosses Tundra Swan tundra, hills, and several rivers where the salmon run Our stay in Nome was too short but other destinations was commencing. Grizzly Bears were feasting on them were calling, so we flew out to Anchorage and onto and building body weight for the forthcoming winter, Juneau, the state capital, before taking the Inside species like Arctic Skua were scavenging the left overs, Passage ferry to Bellingham in Washington State, USA. and Arctic and Aleutian Terns were taking fingerlings From there it was east to Yellowstone and the Grand from the river. Willow and Rock Ptarmigan, in mottled Tetons for more wildlife and fantastic scenery, but that summer coats, were herding young along the roadside. will be the subject of another report. Nearby, a female Moose and two young waded through a pond containing a Beaver lodge. Gary & Robyn Wilson

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Birds of Paradise Grasswren Surveys - Nutrition and Iron Delayed but not Storage Disease Forgotten

Our mostly annual grasswren surveys in the Mount Isa region have been cancelled for this year due to travel restrictions imposed everywhere. However, the control burn program being done by Southern Gulf Natural Resource Management group was successfully completed for this year back in February. Thus in 2021, we will probably have two sets of recent fire scars to survey for grasswrens. This will take a very concerted effort on several stations around the region. If you had planned to participate this year, please pencil in the month of May 2021 in your future calendars! And if you could not have joined us this year, please consider joining us next year. We will need as many volunteers as we can muster!

Our local Bird of Paradise, Victoria’s Riflebird. Nutrition is arguably the most important consideration in the management of Birds of Paradise in captivity. Failure to adhere to strict diet regimes for Birds of Paradise has notably resulted in disastrous If you are missing out on your annual fix of consequences. Birds of Paradise in captivity are grasswrens, or wondering what all the fuss is about particularly susceptible to Haemosiderosis (Iron these delightful gems - just have a look at this Storage Disease). It is hypothesized that the soil of fantastic video, by Paul Thompson and Henry Stoetzel tropical rainforests is low in certain nutrients, most at https://youtu.be/SP79UbtqM0U relevantly iron; consequently fruits are also low in iron. In order to compensate for these low iron levels, Hope to see you all in the field with our grasswrens frugivores from tropical rainforest have adapted by next year! Kath Shurcliff at [email protected] developing highly efficient metabolic processes for harnessing iron from their wild diet. If these tropical frugivores, such as Birds of Paradise, are not provided with low iron diets in captivity, then they assimilate excessive levels of iron, which in turn is stored in the liver. Excessive iron storage can impact hepatocytes and impair the function of the liver and sometimes other organs, to the extent where mortality may result. Source: Richard Switzer, Bird Curator, Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (2008). Management and breeding of Birds of Paradise (Family Paradisaeidae) at the Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation. Presentation for Aviary Congress Singapore, November

Thanks to Keith and Lindsay Fisher for bringing this report to Adult male on left, immature with yellowish gape on right. our attention. Photo by Anthony “Woodie” Woodbine

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How Birders Have Gouldian Finch Upstart

Adapted to Self- Little has been happening in the field these last couple of months due to the Covid-19 lock downs - bad timing Isolation on Facebook because Gouldian breeding is now in full swing and many people are keen to help the study. Despite these hardships, some team members cannot be denied, and On Monday 23rd March an Australian birder decided to the prize must surely go to Jeff Watson, who spotted start a new Facebook page aimed at birders stuck at the finch pictured below in a Canberra garden courtesy home. The idea was to compile a list of all the birds in of the ABC’s Garden Show and promptly took a screen the world and get birders to tick them off as they were shot of the bird. Forwarding the photo to me, I seen from their window, balcony, veranda, backyard or recognised this bird from a previous life of visiting garden. It was first come first served basis to get your Africa in times when we weren’t so concerned about name next to the bird on the list. So our carbon footprints - a species of cordon-bleu #BirdTheFeckAtHome was born. (Uraeginthus), possibly U. bengalus. It seems ironic for The idea caught on so rapidly that Ed Williams, who Jeff to spot this cordon bleu given the cordon that the started it, was overwhelmed and had to pass the boys in blue had erected across access roads to moderating job over to three others. In a week there Gouldian country! were about 1000 birders signed up and in two weeks Meanwhile several of the there were 2381 from all over the world. 1787 species Gouldian finch team have were seen in the first two weeks in the backyards of been listening for elusive 42 countries. In all, about 17% of all the birds of the finch calls from song world have been seen in someone's backyard to date. meters deployed in And to add to the interest there was a Big Sunday Spinifex stands, double- challenge on March 29th that recorded 925 on a checking trail camera separate list. footage for feral cats etc, Not only was it bird observations, but lots of humour processing some videos and exchange of views and ideas and, of course, some of Gouldian feeding The screen shot from Jeff. amazing photos of birds from every corner of the footage, and periodically world. checking in with the landowners and managers who host Gouldians out in There were threads such as - What does your backyard parts of the Einasleigh Uplands. Hopefully we can look like? Name the bird you would most like to see in resume surveys soon… your backyard? What is the best bird you have only seen once in your backyard? What does your bird book Ray Pierce library look like?

We have also learnt just how passionate the birding fraternity is and how so many of them have been affected by this dreadful virus. Lindsay Fisher

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from both the Tablelands and Gulf Plains revealed an Recent Literature about actual hybridisation rate nearly ten times greater, with hybrids identified at both locations. The analysis also North Queensland Birds demonstrated that hybrids are fertile and at least able to breed with other hybrids and Brolgas. A further finding is confirmation that cranes migrate between COMPILED BY DON FRANKLIN the Gulf Plains breeding areas and the Atherton Tablelands (as had been surmised). The authors’ evidence that hybridisation is occurring not uncommonly raises perplexing issues for the conservation of Sarus Cranes, for which the Australian population is otherwise the most secure with populations in Asia either extinct or threatened and declining. The authors felt unable to predict whether the rate of genetic introgression is likely to increase Sarus Cranes © Sonja Ross 2010 birdlifephotography.org.au over time. Cranes Nevard TD, Franklin DC, Leiper I, Archibald G, Garnett ST. 2019. Agriculture, Brolgas & Australian Sarus “Flocks of Brolgas ... and Australian Sarus Cranes ... Cranes on the Atherton Tablelands, Australia. Pacific congregate in cropping areas of the Atherton Conservation Biology 25: 377-385. Tablelands ... during the non-breeding months of May to December each year ... The central part of the Nevard TD, Haase M, Archibald G, Leiper I, Garnett ST. region has been declared a Key Biodiversity Area, 2020. The sarolga: conservation implications of genetic largely because it is the only well-known non-breeding and visual evidence for hybridization between the area for the Australian Sarus Crane. We investigated brolga Antigone rubicunda and the Australian sarus ... patterns of use of this landscape for foraging by the crane Antigone antigone gillae. Oryx 54: 40-51. two species ... Sarus Cranes were ... markedly more abundant on the fertile volcanic soils of the central Varied and Mangrove Honeyeaters Tablelands, whilst Brolgas were more abundant on a variety of soils in outlying cropping areas close to roost Varied and Mangrove Honeyeaters replace each other sites, especially in the south-west of the region. Both along the north Queensland coast, with Varied mostly species used a wide variety of crops and pastures but north of about Lucinda and Mangrove south from occurred at highest densities on ploughed land and Townsville, but with both species present at (usually) areas from which crops (esp. maize) had been separate sites around Townsville. However, some harvested. In addition, Brolgas were also strongly Mangrove Honeyeaters south of Townsville have associated with early-stage winter cereals with yellower undersides – normally a trait of Varied volunteer peanuts from the previous crop.” Honeyeaters – and this has raised the possibility that a hybrid zone existed, with the two sometimes regarded Occasional hybrids between Brolgas and Sarus Cranes, as sister subspecies rather than sister species. known as ‘sarolgas’, have been reported on the Alternatively, it has been suggested that Mangrove Atherton Tablelands since the 1970s. During Honeyeaters with yellower undersides should be observations on the Tablelands from 2013 to 2016, described as distinct subspecies (of the Mangrove cranes were classed as hybrids if they had at least four Honeyeater). However, a previous genetic study had of the following traits: shown that these species are not even sisters in an • were larger and heavier than either parent evolutionary sense, with Mangrove Honeyeaters more species; closely related to Singing than to Varied Honeyeaters and the separation having occurred about 2.5 million • an irregular border to the comb; years ago. Studies of the putative hybrid zone with • notches in the cap; appraisal of plumage, distribution and genetics appear to have resolved the resulting conundrum. • intermediate or mixed-colour legs; Surveys by the authors failed to find either species • a scalloped mantle; between Lucinda and Townsville but confirmed the • brighter yellow eyes than typical Sarus Cranes occurrence of both species around Townsville. At local (which are more orange); and scales around Townsville, the two species were not • a small wattle. found together. Genetic studies confirmed that they are well-separated species but also showed evidence Eighty-four were identified as hybrids, this being 0.2% of one-way gene-flow from north to south (Varied to (1 in 500) of cranes examined. Photos are provided of Mangrove), with the introgression confined to a small putative hybrids. Genetic analysis of feathers collected area close to Townsville.

May 2020 13 BirdLife Northern Queensland

threatening processes), the threatening processes remain substantially unabated (Reside et al. 2019). Indeed, with the approval of extensive coal mining in core remaining habitat, the rate of habitat loss might be increasing. The farce surrounding the Expert Panel review of Adani’s Carmichael Mine Plan of Management for the finch, in which the review was commissioned by the Queensland Government then largely ignored by it in the aftermath to the last federal election, is an illustration surely known to all concerned. Lack of implementation of habitat protection isn’t the only failure of concern. Laguna et al. (2019) provide a detailed review of all we know about the ecology of the subspecies and conclude that this falls well short of what is needed to implement management to secure Varied Honeyeater © John Barkla 2017 the subspecies in the face of further land-clearing. birdlifephotography.org.au Their top priority research actions to fill this gap “are focused on monitoring the remaining populations and evaluating the effects of management practices in pastoral land”, but also on appraising the effects of fragmentation of habitat and other aspects of Black- throated Finch biology. Laguna JM, Reside AE, Kutt A, Grice AC, Buosi P, Vanderduys EP, Taylor M, Schwarzkopf L. 2019. Conserving the endangered Black-throated Finch southern subspecies: what do we need to know? Emu 119: 331-345. Reside, AE., Cosgrove, AJ., Pointon, R, Trezise, James, Watson, James E.M. and Maron, M. 2019. How to send

Mangrove Honeyeater © Harry Charalambous 2016 a finch extinct. Environmental Science & Policy 94: birdlifephotography.org.au 163-173. The authors argue that this is consistent with some Lovely Fairy-wren Mangrove Honeyeaters having yellower undersurfaces, and that there’s no case to regard these individuals as Both male and females showed aggression, though a distinct subspecies. The study demonstrates the males more so. Individuals with less brightly coloured complexity of species boundaries with even well- cheek patches were recipients of most aggression. separated non-sister species showing signs of Leitao AV, Hall ML, Delhey K, Mulder RA. 2019. Female occasional interbreeding. and male plumage colour signals aggression in a Joseph L, Drew A, Mason IJ, Peters JL. 2019. dichromatic tropical songbird. Animal Behaviour 150: Introgression between non-sister species of 285-301. honeyeaters (Aves: Meliphagidae) several million years after speciation. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 128: 583-591. Joseph L, Peters JL, Mason IJ, Drew A. 2019. Notes on the distribution and plumage variation of Varied and Mangrove Honeyeaters. Australian Field Ornithology 36: 168-172. Black-throated Finch That the southern (white-rumped) subspecies of the Black-throated Finch was in severe decline was recognised in the 1970s. In 2000, it was formally listed as threatened by the Commonwealth Government. Notwithstanding and in spite of a considerable regulatory framework surrounding land clearing (land Lovely Fairy-wrens © Brian O'Leary 2014 clearing along with over-grazing are the prime birdlifephotography.org.au Male left, female right.

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Birds in the news

Threatened bird species are declining Australia’s threatened birds have declined by nearly 60% on average over 30 years, according to new research that reveals the true impact on native wildlife of habitat loss, introduced pests, and other human- caused pressures. Migratory shorebirds have declined by 72%. These results have been revealed by the Threatened Bird Index, a new modelling tool that has been developed by the University of Queensland in close partnership with BirdLife Australia, and more than 40 partners from research, government, and non-

Eastern Bristlebird © Jill Wilson 2019 government organisations. The index is based on over birdlifephotography.org.au 400,000 surveys at more than 17,000 locations. Bristlebird fossil For further information check out this engaging Youtube video about Australia’s threatened bird index. A species of bristlebird has been described from a Riversleigh fossil dated to c. 17 million years before Want to help save wildlife after the fires? present. It was smaller than an Eastern Bristlebird. This is the first record of a bristlebird in north You can do it in your own backyard. Queensland. Planting native species in your backyard is the best Nguyen JMT. 2019. A new species of bristlebird way to provide food for wildlife. Many species feed on (Passeriformes, Dasyornithidae) from the early flower nectar, or on the insects the vegetation attracts. Miocene of Australia. Journal of Vertebrate Putting out dishes of fruit or bird feeders can be useful Paleontology 39: e1575838. for some species, but the best way to provide extra food for all is by gardening. The Conversation, 25/2/2020. Other recent literature Tiny bird skull from the age of dinosaurs Dorrington A, Joseph L, Hallgren W, Mason I, Drew A, found in amber. Hughes JM, Schmidt DJ. 2020. Phylogeography of the blue-winged kookaburra Dacelo leachii across tropical A bird skull has been found preserved in a lump of northern Australia and New Guinea. Emu 120: 33-45. 100-million-year-old amber. Smaller than a hummingbird, this amazing little bird had large, side- Remešová E, Matysioková B, Turčoková Rubáčová L, facing eyes and a large number of sharp teeth Remeš V. 2020. Foraging behaviour of songbirds in suggesting it was a predator, possibly of insects. The woodlands and forests in eastern Australia: resource species has been named Oculudentavis khaungraae. partitioning and guild structure. Emu 120: 22-32. Watch a short video about the discovery at Nature [contains substantial data obtained in ‘spring’ from Herberton Range and lesser amounts from Undara, Paluma, White Mountains, Blackwood/Nairana Nat The ‘wonder chicken’ walked the Earth with Parks and Blair Athol State Forest as well as many dinosaurs. sites beyond north Queensland. There’s site-specific and species-specific data, but no site-specific data for An early ancestor to ducks and chickens existed about individual species is presented] 66.7 million years ago, around the same times as T. rex and Triceratops. Known from fossils of its hind Ross L. 2020. 5 places to go birdwatching in Mount limbs and skull, the ‘wonder chicken’ had features Isa. Australian Birdlife 9(1): 90. similar to both ducks and chickens, suggesting it was related to a shared ancestor. Asteriornis (the wonder chicken), was a long-legged shorebird that could possibly fly and may have combed the beaches of late Cretaceous Europe. For more information, go to National Geographic.

Compiled by Ceri Pearce

May 2020 15 BirdLife Northern Queensland

Bowerbird Survey Mt Lewis 22-23 Nov, 2019

Present. John Grant, Tani, Louise Baume, Darlene Kneen, Keith Fisher, Dominic Chaplin The Mt Lewis/Mt Spurgeon area to the west of Mossman comprises the largest contiguous area of forest over 900m in the Wet Tropics. This area is a hotspot for all three species of bowerbird and possibly contains the greatest number of bowerbirds overall.

TOOTH-BILLED BOWERBIRDS Golden Bowerbird, Mt Lewis Courts recorded previously by Alastair Freeman and Graham Harrington were checked by the slightly crude method of driving along the road and listening for calls GOLDEN BOWERBIRDS at the appropriate GPS positions. We visited 8 known bowers and they were all still Alastair Freeman recorded 8 courts in 2008, 880- active. We found two more small recently built bowers 1020m. Birds were still present at 6 out of 8 positions. at the end of the road. Graham Harrington recorded 15 courts in 2009, 837- We walked a transect along the lower entrance road 1048m. Birds were still present at 12 out of 15 900m-1000m. As expected no Golden Bowerbirds were positions. heard at this low altitude. 85% 0f all Golden Bowerbird bowers are above 1000m. It is possible that some birds were just not calling when we went past. It was midday when we passed the birds beyond the clearing which were not heard. At midday a lot of them do go quiet. There are a lot of courts along the road. We noted the locations of ten more, including two new ones closer to the bridge at the start of the road. Almost all courts are in the 850-1050m band. There is a gap of several km above about 1100m then one more court at 1200m. The 1200m bird has a completely different call to the others and may have originated from a population further north.

Aerial Golden Bowerbird Bower-Mt Lewis

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PROJECT OVERVIEW Golden Bowerbirds 99 Bowers (18 new records this year) 710m Min Elevation - Mt Pieter Botte 1589m Max Elevation - Mt Bartle Frere 1126m Average Elevation

Tooth-billed Bowerbirds 552 Courts 423m Min Elevation - Black Mtn Rd 1385 Max Elevation - Mt Fisher 925m Average Elevation We have now been measuring bower positions for just over 10 years. We have put together a useful database of their current distribution. Bowers are still present at almost every general location where they have been historically known. Cyclone Larry 2006 and Cyclone Yasi 2011 clearly affected bowerbird numbers. Birds would have been killed in the cyclone. But a more insidious SATIN BOWERBIRDS threat is the change in forest structure in the years afterwards. The forest canopy is destroyed letting in We only have 14 records of Satin Bower positions in light, resulting in dense rapid growth of small saplings North QLD. Keith Fisher recorded Satin Bowerbirds at and wait-a-while. Bowers are literally crowded out by the Mt Lewis clearing 1986-2007 but none since (e- this new growth. This is very obvious along the bird). But there are plenty of other records of Satin Kirrama Range, Mt Fisher (East side) and much of the Bowerbird on Mt Lewis, including along the walking forest around Ravenshoe. We found the best track in 2018, although none from 2019. It is very population to be around Mt Windsor. This National Park hard to make any sense of the records on e-bird as was relatively unaffected by the two cyclones. they are almost all recorded under the vague heading 'Mt Lewis' although the road is actually 27km long. The During the 2009-2019 period there has been no vast majority of visitors never go beyond the clearing. obvious change in bower elevation. Some Golden e-bird is often more of a record of where bird watchers Bowers have been measured at the same position for go than where birds are! 40 years. Some individual bowers may become disused for a variety of reasons but then new ones are We found two Satin Bowers, both only one meter from constructed or discovered nearby. the road, beyond the clearing at 1100m and 1200m. Bowerbirds were not moving uphill 2009-2019. OTHER WILDLIFE This research is part of a BirdLife Northern Queensland Bowerbird Project, that is seeking to understand the One standard ochre coloured Dingo was seen and impacts of climate change on bowerbirds over time. If several Red-legged Pademelons at night. Two Boyd's you know the whereabouts of a bowerbird bower in Forest Dragons were on the road and one Slaty Grey north Queensland, please report it to Dominic by Snake at night. More possible Spotted-tailed Quoll emailing [email protected] The scats were found on the lookout rock near the hut. location of bowers is kept confidential in order to These Quolls would have one of the best views in the protect these very special birds. Wet Tropics. Dominic Chaplin

May 2020 17 BirdLife Northern Queensland

News from Mt Isa

In late November and early December 2019, I did a two-week solo trip birding trip through Western Queensland, Western NSW and into Victoria. I spent some time with my older brother, (94), in country Victoria, from where I took in the western part of Victoria. This included the Western (Werribee) Treatment Plant, Serendip, The Great Ocean Road, and The Mallee. I was able to add 30 more lifers, including Hooded Plover, Rufous Bristlebird, Chestnut Quail- thrush and Mallee Emuwren to my list. I also took in the Australian Gannet Colony at Point Danger, Portland. It was a great trip and I would recommend it to anyone. On our local scene, wader wise, the birding was excellent up until the heavy rains, which caused most Dollarbird drinking on the wing from Lake Moondara birds to move to greener pastures. The migratory waders around Lake Moondarra disappeared overnight, due to the Lake nearly filling up and covering all the mud flats that hold their food source. 15 migratory species were recorded this season. However, I did notice a couple of days ago that there were still three Wood Sandpipers at the sewerage treatment plant. But the rain was very welcome, and the birds will return in due course, as they do each year. The bush birds are still here, but spread further afield due to the amount of water available. Prior to the rain, my birding partner and I were monitoring the drinking methods of Dollarbirds at Lake Moondarra. The birds were drinking on the wing, similar in manner to that of a Flying Fox. I sent some images of this away to some birding contacts. It would appear that this is not a widely known phenomenon. I Dollarbird lifting from drinking on the wing. have attached a couple of images of the Dollarbird drinking that may interest members. Text and images from Rex Whitehead. Recently, we had the pleasure of the arrival of some Black Honeyeaters, which are very infrequent visitors to this area. There was no blossom to speak of and the

Black Honeyeaters were feeding on spiders and other insects. They were only here for about two weeks and have since moved on. Another honeyeater I haven't seen here for about two years, was a single Banded Honeyeater. In contrast, I have seen more Hooded Robins and Crested Bellbirds of late than that of previous years. Whilst I haven't put a big effort into them, it has been fairly quiet on the grasswren front, with no birds seen for some time. As the whole country/world, is in the grip of this deadly Covid-19 pandemic, with no one being immune, it will make a difference to our birding activities. Let’s hope the scientists can find a cure for this ASAP. Meanwhile, everybody keep safe, so we can all continue with our passion, when we come through this.

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In this interesting and well-written volume McCrae Book Review provides an interesting insight into life on the edge, both for humans and for animals. He tells of mating of the Emperor Penguins, the subsequent laying of an My Penguin Year – Lindsay McCrae (2019) Hodder & egg by the females and the 62-day incubation in the Stoughton depths of winter by the male while the female goes to In these times of self- sea to feed and recover body condition. He tells of the isolation and the catastrophic effects of extreme weather events on the opportunity to read a colony and of the wider effects of climate change on little more, the story told the species. The results of his work can be seen in in this volume tells of Episode II of the BBC Dynasties series. true isolation and I enjoyed this book and recommend it to you. I adventure at the obtained my copy from Collins Books in Smithfield. Southern end of the World. It tells of the Gary Wilson making of a documentary about the Start your overseas Emperor Penguin and is of particular interest to bird lovers. birdlist from the Lindsay McCrae, a comfort of your own British freelance cameraman, spent 337 home! days from December 2016 filming Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri), the largest penguin, at the Akta Are you missing birding interstate or overseas? Bay colony in the Weddell Sea. The challenge was that Emperor Penguin breed in the Austral Winter during One way to enjoy the sight and sounds of birds in your the 62 days of perpetual ‘darkness’ when the Sun is own home is to check out the online bird cams. below the horizon and temperatures plunge to -50°C You can watch the resident White-bellied Sea Eagle in and wind speeds reach 100 kmh. Such conditions are Sydney via Eagle Cam. testing of both humans and machines. Australian Bird and Wildlife Cam offers viewing through McCrae provides an excellent account of the activities remote cameras at a range of sites in NSW. of the penguins and of the logistics of filming them, and also of life at Neumayer III, the German Research There are also Bird cams around the world! Station he was based at. He tells of the highs and lows That’s including one that is aimed at Barred Owls of life in such a remote location and in such trying currently sitting on eggs. If you check it out, you might physical conditions, particularly during the eight see the eggs hatch. months of winter when evacuation in case of an emergency would not be possible (I recall that a few You can watch the birds in Panama come into a fruit years ago a doctor at a US base had to perform feeder or the seed feeding birds of Ontario and Cornell surgery on herself when evacuation was not possible). FeederWatch Cam at Sapsucker Woods. He also recounts the personal anguish at having to Closer to home, you can watch Northern Albatross in leave behind in England his wife Becky, and learning New Zealand while on station that she was pregnant, and not being present for the birth. More importantly, he admits to Don’t forget to have your field guides handy, You could forgetting her birthday! start an overseas list from the comfort of your own home. For the technically inclined McCrae provides some interesting information on filming in extreme conditions. Digital cameras have negated problems previously encountered with brittle film and static electricity streaks on it, not to mention not knowing what you had until processing weeks or months later, but even they malfunction at temperatures of -45°C and lower. Who would have thought of the need to leave camera equipment outside so as not to subject it to thermal shock when brought into much higher temperatures, or that fluid in tripod heads might freeze in the extreme conditions?

May 2020 19 BirdLife Northern Queensland

Situated 1½ hrs north of Cairns in Tropical North Queensland we offer accommodation in self-contained units and bunkhouse rooms. We also have a small camping area. The property is a rainforest wildlife sanctuary catering for birdwatchers and naturalists. We are central to a variety of habitats and provide bird species lists, area maps and Wi-Fi internet access. Guiding is available by arrangement. We offer packages for individuals and small groups.

Carol and Andrew Iles RN6, Mt. Kooyong Road Julatten QLD 4871 Ph: (07) 4094 1263 Email: [email protected] www.birdwatchers.com.au

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FROM THE EDITOR

A very big thank you to all our contributors. Please don’t hesitate to submit your news, stories, reports, observations and images to Contact Call, your BirdLife Northern Queensland newsletter.

Remaining newsletter deadlines for 2020 ➢ July 10th for the September Edition ➢ October 10th for the December Edition

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May 2020 21 BirdLife Northern Queensland

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