YELLOW THROAT The newsletter of BirdLife : a branch of BirdLife Number 112, Summer 2020

Welcome to all our new members to the Summer edi- Contents in this issue tion of Yellow Throat. Can technology save our migratory shorebirds?...... 2 This issue has many articles and observations of great Why have Bar-tailed Godwits numbers in Tasmania in- general interest. The focus is on waders because the creased this summer?...... 5 northern Wader Forum is coming up in January, and we Pardalote observations at Peter Murrell Reserves …….6 hope to whet your appetite to attend. The first article is Are vagrant migratory shorebirds lost?...... 7 by guest writer Ken Gosbell from the Victorian Wader Looking for banded lapwings…………………………………....9 Studies Group, who writes about tracking technology and how it is helping us understand migration ques- Birdata update— some exciting developments…..…..10 tions. This is followed by two thought-provoking articles Birding and caretaking on Maatsuyker Island……….....12 by Mike Newman: firstly, investigating why observa- The Nest……………………………………………………….………...13 tions of Bar-tailed Godwits have increased in summer in Pallid Cuckoo project round up…………………………..…..14 Tasmania; and, secondly, questioning the occurrence of vagrant migratory shorebirds. Birdata continues to Recent observations from Austins Ferry ... 16 develop excitingly, and this edition tells you more! Raptor Rhymes…………………………………………………….….17 Outings have continued with Covid-19 safety measures BirdLife Tasmania news and views in place. Three are reported on, including Conservation report……………………………..19 on 22 November, which recorded 54 species, AGM notice……………………….………………...20 ensuring everyone had a great day. Outing reports……………………...……………..20 The AGM is coming up in March, and this issue holds all Media releases……………………… ..………….24 relevant information. Also note that 2021 is BirdLife Tasmania’s 50th year, so stay tuned for celebrations. To BirdLife Tasmania Outings December 2020 –March start off we are looking for old photos from excursions, 2021…………………………………………………………………..….. 25 activities or meetings that members may have. If you Committee nomination form……………………………….....27 are able to share, please contact us via the Yellow Throat email. Please email any thoughts, feedback or letters to the editor at [email protected]. We welcome members’ articles. If you have an idea but are not sure whether to submit it, then please drop us a line to discuss. Great bird photographs are also welcome. Eds.

1 Can technology save our migratory shorebirds? BY KEN GOSBELL

Humans have known about bird migration for thousands of years, even if they didn’t understand the cause. Basic questions about the life histories of migratory have confounded scientists for generations. The Greeks got some of it right; Aristotle suggested that while some birds, like cranes, migrated to Egypt, others hid themselves in holes in the ground. In the mid-1700s the British naturalist Gilbert White was tying cotton to a swallow’s leg to see if these birds returned to the same nesting site. This was likely to be one of the first steps in understanding bird migration, at a time when migration versus hibernation as an explanation for where birds went in winter was strongly debated. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that systematic bird banding began in Europe, followed by ringing schemes in Britain in 1909. Fast-forward to today where we are experiencing a new era in the migration biology of shorebirds, and the factors that drive their very existence. Migratory shorebirds make some of the longest non-stop migrations known to hu- mans, but their numbers are declining worldwide. The situation is particularly dire in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF). This is the most species-rich flyway and yet it has several shorebird species listed as threatened or near-threatened. To address this, the need for information to help our understanding of processes and impacts is critical. We have known for over a decade that many coastal in East Asia are being degraded, and shorebird populations relying on these habitats have shown rapid declines. There are, however, further questions to be answered if we are to fully understand the ongoing and future threats to these amazing migrants. Some of these include under- standing the migration tracks and key stopover sites for each migrating species and how the dynamics of these sites are changing. In addition, there is the need to understand the impact of climate change related to breeding activities in the Arctic and in the -non breeding areas. Technologies now exist that can help contribute to solving some of these questions. Regarding tracking, whereas information about migratory routes and connectivity has been derived from sparse and idiosyncratic band returns, important as they are, we now have an array of tools that allow us to visualise bird movements from the scale of the species’ migration routes throughout a flyway to individual local movements within a site. Australia was one of the first countries to utilise light-level geolocators for tracking the movements of migratory shorebirds. Since 2009 these instruments have been used on a range of species at non-breeding locations around the country, including coastal , King Island (Tasmania), SE , NW , and SE . This extensive program has gathered a wealth of information on the movements of nine of Austral- ia’s long-distance migratory species. The migratory tracks obtained, including multi-year tracks, allow us to detail both spatial and temporal strategies used along the EAAF. In addition, they have also enabled assessment of breeding locations and incubation strategies, many of which were unknown given the remote, low-density breed- ing sites used by these species. By studying sites where multi-year data is available, the potential changes in migra- tion behaviour in response to global change processes is within reach. As a prime example of this, a longitudinal study of geolocator-carrying Ruddy Turnstones that spend the non-breeding season on King Island, Tasmania, ap- pears to show, based on data obtained annually over the past decade, that these birds have changed their migra- tion behaviour dramatically. Additionally, knowledge about breeding characteristics that has been derived from geolocator studies has been of great interest. Because these loggers record light and dark, the recording of an incubating bird will show a period of darkness when it is sitting on its nest and covering its geolocator, even though it is known to be in an area of the Arctic where there is 24-hour light. Looking for and finding patterns of light and dark during the bird’s time in the Arctic signified a high likelihood of breeding and incubation. 2 The following diagram indicates the migration tracks of a Ruddy Turnstone from King Island (Tas) derived from data downloaded from the 0.7 g geolocator. The typical first leg is a 7,500 km non-stop flight to Hainan or Taiwan where they refuel before moving up the Jiangsu coast. They then fly the final leg to the breeding grounds in north- ern Siberia. After returning to King Island, their total round trip has covered 27,000 km.

One of the disadvantages of geolocators is that it is an archival system and requires catching the bird to retrieve the geolocator.

Satellite-based tracking methods are appealing because they permit real-time acquisition of location data, which is relatively accurate compared to the coarse geolocator fixes. The main disadvantage associated with satellite sys- tems is their high cost and weight. Over recent years the Australian and Victorian Wader Studies Groups (AWSG and VWSG) have fitted satellite transmitters (5 g and 2 g) to a range of species including Little Curlew, Whimbrel, Eastern Curlew and Oriental . They have also been fitted to Latham’s Snipe. At the cutting edge of technolo- gy, 1.6 g solar-powered satellite tags were deployed on the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper in Russia. Dr Nigel Clark, scientific advisor to the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force, said: We need to know where the birds breed, stop over on migration, and over-winter, and satellite tagging might provide the answers. Conservation efforts to protect habitats and prevent hunting will be hampered unless we can find out where the birds are. In 2019 five Oriental Pratincoles were fitted with 2-gram solar-powered transmitters on the shores of Eighty Mile Beach near Broome. Although recently discovered to be abundant in north Australia, there was a complete lack of any knowledge of their ecology, whether they migrated and if so, where. While two of these birds appeared to breed in Cambodia, one bird was recorded in the Central Asian Flyway on breeding grounds in south-west India. When highly accurate positions are needed, GPS tags are the most appropriate solution as they can provide high-precision fixes which are accurate down to a few metres or less. GPS is becoming more widely used and can be found in devices weighing about 1 g upwards, thus enabling a better understanding of the movements of smaller species. Downloading data remotely is obviously a huge advantage and makes tracking studies much easier. Devices now use various technologies, including the mobile phone network, satellites (e.g. ARGOS or telecommunications satellites) or VHF radio to download to a base station that collects the data as a bird passes it. Each system has its pros and cons in terms of weight, power requirements and cost.

3 The relatively recent Motus Network is an international collaborative research network that uses a coordinat- ed automated radio telemetry array to track the movement and behaviour of small species. It uses automated receivers that work constantly and receive the signal of coded transmitters that give a broader spatial scale of movement. This array has been established in the Americas and recently in Europe. It has successfully helped track large insects, bats, small and large migratory birds. Its future in the EAAF is currently being assessed. It is now possible to fit three-dimensional accelerometers and this allows answers to key questions, such as how birds navigate during their migration and how they mitigate adverse weather conditions. Of course, each of these tools has its strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of any tracking technology should be guided by the relevant research questions and inevitably the relative cost versus effectiveness. The growth in tracking studies has been extraordinary. In 2012, Movebank was launched to help researchers manage, share, ana- lyse and archive their animal-movement data. It is an extremely valuable tool for the analysis of movement data on a global scale. With the expansion of renewable energy facilities such as wind and solar farms, particularly in Asia where coastal locations are favoured, the data gathered from the programs outlined here enable sensitivity mapping to ensure minimum impact on shorebirds and other wildlife.

Only with new technology can we answer fundamental questions like the one that perplexed those ancient observ- ers and address the critical issues now being faced by shorebirds in our flyway as well as challenges such as the im- pacts of climate change on those amazing migrating shorebirds and biodiversity in general. There is already wide- spread recognition of the importance of technology for improving the outcomes for shorebirds and related species in general. Already the ‘returns’ are helping deliver more effective conservation in a troubled flyway. Ken Gosbell Victorian Wader Studies Group

Ruddy Turnstone from https://www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/ruddy-turnstone

4 Why have Bar-tailed Godwit numbers in Tasmania increased this summer?

BY MIKE NEWMAN

Throughout Tasmania bar-tailed numbers have increased dramatically this spring, with numbers at some locations double those of last summer, as well as birds popping up in substantial flocks at some new places. Congratulations to people like Tim Reid and Hazel Britton who regularly monitor shorebird populations and highlighted this event as the birds arrived. This allowed us to alert others, like Eric Woehler, who found additional areas where large increas- es have occurred. Insights from unusual events like this give scientists unique opportunities to discover new infor- mation about the natural world. So why have these godwit numbers increased and will they stay? As discussed below there are many intriguing pos- sibilities. Studies of migratory shorebirds in south-east Tasmania and elsewhere in south-east Australia have shown that epi- sodic increases in numbers are a consequence of the recruitment of juveniles, which mostly return to the same lo- cation in future years. So, the immediate reaction was to assume that there had been an abnormally good Arctic breeding season in 2020, and that we were receiving a welcome boost to our local godwit numbers. However, Bar- tailed Godwits may behave somewhat differently from smaller species like the Red-necked Stint and Curlew Sandpi- per, where our understanding of juvenile recruitment patterns in Tasmania is more advanced. But details of the recent record-breaking migration of a Bar-tailed Godwit between Alaska and New Zealand suggest another intri- guing possibility, as strong winds had pushed this bird further west than normal. This raises the possibility that ab- normal wind patterns contributed to the increased number of Tasmanian birds, including adult birds headed for destinations further east, including New Zealand. So, I approached people on the mainland and in New Zealand to find out whether other regions were seeing in- creased numbers of godwits. A prompt reply from Phil Battley in New Zealand indicated that an abnormal number of adult Bar-tailed Godwits banded in New Zealand had been reported from the Queensland coast, indicating that the wind patterns had indeed diverted godwits to Australia. He also indicated that although the 2020 breeding sea- son may have been a good one, the 2019 season had been exceptionally successful.

The challenge for us is to understand what happens to our recent godwit arrivals. There are a number of ways your observations can help find out if these birds stay for the summer, or make their way to more easterly destinations after a brief stop to recover. Are the godwits juveniles or adults, and if they stay will they consolidate into flocks at preferred Tasmanian locations such as Orielton Lagoon near ? Please report all records, particularly at unu- sual locations, and look for leg flags noting any alpha numeric codes, the colour of the flag and which leg the flag is on. Those with advanced identification and photographic skills may be able to determine how many of the birds are juveniles. There are a number of clues to the age of birds. On arrival, adults, particularly males, may have remnants of breeding plumage. The plumage of juveniles is better defined than non-breeding adults because their feathers are less worn. However, these clues are short-lived as breeding plumage is lost rapidly and juvenile plumage fades as feathers wear (November is the best time to age shorebirds by plumage). The behaviour of the birds may pro- vide additional clues, as newcomers take time to assimilate into the established ranks of our long-term Godwit visi- tors, for instance showing skittish behaviour and settling on the edges of flocks.

5 At this stage, the 45 godwits in the Rubicon Estuary are staying put, being regularly checked by Geoff Shannon, Julie Ann Serafin and other local enthusiasts. In the Derwent Estuary two bar-tailed were located at Mortimer Bay during a Pallid Cuckoo survey on 15 September, roosting with a pair of Australian Pied Oystercatchers and their six-week old, almost-flying juvenile. In photographing these birds for this article (see picture) Mark Holdsworth discovered that one of the godwits had a broken wing. This explained why it was hiding with the oystercatcher chick. (Sadly, after capture and veterinary examination the injured bird had to be euthanised). Two days later the other godwit was still present, sharing the fenced-off end of the beach with two pairs of breeding oystercatchers. Bar-tailed Godwit information should be recorded as incidental surveys in the General Birdata program where notes on flagged birds, plumage etc. can be recorded. Full counts of shorebird areas should be entered as surveys under the Shorebirds 2020 project. This exciting event highlights how important it is to continually monitor our shores and estuaries, not just once every six months during the summer and winter shorebird counts.

First-year Bar-tailed Godwit at Goringes Beach, Mortimer Bay on 19 November showing the notched markings on the scapular feathers and generally brown tone of upper parts. Only the centres of the scapular feathers are brown in adult birds (Photo by Mark Holdsworth)

Pardalote observations at the Peter Murrell Reserves Sue and Warren Jones The pardalotes at the Peter Murrell Reserves have provided a few surprises this spring. We have found Striated Pardalotes nesting in the bottom of a hole in the ground in the middle of a paddock, a hole in the concrete sur- round of a stormwater drain (photo 1), an abandoned research nest-box, and, to follow convention, a . On 9 November we noticed two Striateds flying down in and out of the bracken under a large Manna Gum, Eucalyptus viminalis. Guessing that they might have a nest there, we carefully looked but could not see anything resembling a nest opening. Then two Spotted Pardalotes came down and be- haved similarly. At this point, we noticed small white lumps of what looked like polystyrene foam on the ground (photo 2). Examining these more closely, Sue cautiously licked one to test her guess. Yes, it was sweet! What we were looking at, and what the pardalotes were after, was crystallised manna that had presumably fallen from the Manna Gum above. Subsequently we saw them carrying away lumps of manna in their beaks. The pardalotes had obviously discovered their equivalent of a sweet shop!

Photo 1: A Striated Pardalote about to enter its nesting cavity. Photo 2: Crystallised manna found under a Eucalyptus viminalis. The largest lump is approximately 1 cm across

Photos by Sue Jones

You can download a free scientific paper on manna-feeding at: https://www.google.com/url? sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwitvIzZmJDtAhX8xjgGHfrPCcgQFjANegQICRAC&url=h ttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.amandaedworthy.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2016%2F08%2FCaseEdworthy-2016-Ibis-manna- feeding.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0BvxM-KzC2Snr26BlvK_Ph

6 Are vagrant migratory shorebirds lost? BY MIKE NEWMAN

It is always exciting to find an unusual species, particularly if it is a first record for the state or better still for Australia. During the 1960s and 1970s a number of migratory shorebird records fell into that category. Indeed, the literature might suggest a disproportionate number of vagrants turned up in Tasmania, but perhaps it was just be- cause the stalwarts of the era were looking harder than their peers elsewhere. It is easy to conclude that these species were lost, but as discussed below the situation is not that simple. In 1977, during the first Atlas of Australian Birds, Peter Duckworth recorded the second record of a Wood Sandpi- per for Tasmania. Despite his excellent field notes, there was the usual debate concerning his identification of the species by mainland experts, particularly as it was seen in saltmarsh, whereas Wood Sandpipers normally favour freshwater . One year later Peter was in the same location near Triabunna and there was his Wood Sandpi- per, subsequently confirmed by shorebird guru David Thomas. Clearly, the Wood Sandpiper knew exactly where it was. The question is, why did it keep coming to Tasmania, outside its normal range? Closely related shorebird species inhabit different flyways, as exemplified by the godwits. The Bar-tailed and Black -tailed Godwits inhabit the East Asian–Australian Flyway and the Hudsonian Godwit is normally found in the North American Flyway, but occasionally a bird ends up in the wrong flyway, much to the delight of the twitching com- munity. Interestingly, these vagrants may continue to winter in the wrong flyway, as exemplified by the Hudsonian Godwit (presumably the same bird) regularly recorded at Orielton Lagoon, near Hobart, for two successive sea- sons. Recent advances in the tracking of migratory shorebirds (see related article by Ken Gosbell) has shown that indi- vidual birds will repeat specific migration routes even when, unlike the Hudsonian Godwit, they are migrating in the correct flyway. A Ruddy Turnstone fitted with a geolocator returned via Newcastle in NSW in three successive years, feeding on rock shelves adjacent to the public ocean baths for periods of up to one month before returning to King Island, where it spent the Austral summer for at least four successive years. The route routinely adopted by the Newcastle bird was different from the more westerly route taken by the Turnstone in Ken’s article (page 3 of this newsletter). So, while a migratory shorebird may have headed off in the wrong direction, it appears to know its exact location and is able to return in successive years, apparently making no attempt to correct the original mistake and con- form to the species’ group behaviour.

Wood Sandpiper from BirdLife Australia https://www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/wood-sandpiper 7 8 Looking for Banded Lapwings Greg Baker Back in the December 2019 BirdLife magazine there were five places to go birding in Devonport. The article mentioned Mo- reland Point as having Banded Lapwings. In late January 2020 I went for an explore and found 40 Ruddy Turnstones, several Stri- ated Field Wrens and White-fronted Chats. But no lapwing in sight. At Tamar Wetlands, I photographed Spotted Crake and Spot- less Crake together hanging out in a channel near the Information Centre

Spotted Crake and Spotless Crake My wife Donna and I have just celebrated our 40th wed- ding anniversary and stayed at Lost Farm outside Bridport. Here we found my best photo of a Eurasian Skylark. No photo of the Peregrine Falcon in front of the restaurant at breakfast. On our special day we went to the Waterhouse Conservation Area. Just outside this area we spotted half a dozen Banded Lapwings in a paddock by the road. Just like that!

Banded Lapwings

After exploring the area for an hour Donna said in no uncer- tain terms 'STOP the car!' Sitting in the heath by the road was a very handsome Brown Falcon who seemed to be in- terested in our travelling bird hide - the Toyota. Needless to say there were many photographs taken from the driver's seat!

Brown Falcon At Waterhouse, near the village green, we had a delightful picnic lunch on the beach, which we had to ourselves. On our way out we stopped near the intersection of Water- house Road and the village green where we found the elusive Tawny-crowned . This was a spectacular moment and a newbie for my photographic collection.

Tawny-crowned Honeyeater

At St Helens we stayed at Pelican Point Sanctuary on the Binalong Bay Road which is a spectacular place to hang out for someone interested in birdlife. We saw Striated Field Wrens, White-fronted Chats, Quail, Swamp Harriers, 14 Bar- tailed Godwits, early Dusky Woodswallows and many oth- ers. I'll be going back. Cape Barren Geese All photos by Greg Baker 9

Birdata update – some exciting developments BY MIKE NEWMAN

The BirdLife Australia research team has started an analysis of Birdata aimed at identifying changes in Australian bird populations, both in distribution and abundance. This is an exceedingly important analysis because it feeds into the regulatory framework which drives our environmental laws and conservation priorities. We are very excited that Tasmania has been chosen as the pilot region for analysis.

Your bird observations are central to this process. For them to be used in the analysis, however, they must be recorded in ways that will be useful when the data is analysed. For example, to determine distributions we need to know where in Tasmania the observations were collected. Similarly, to measure how quickly bird populations are increasing, or decreasing, it is important to compare lists of species collected in a similar way. Measuring trends in abundance will be a very important aspect of the forthcoming investigation, because, sadly, decreasing species dominate and those that are increasing are often introduced species exacerbating the plight of those that are decreasing. Determining changes in population requires not only lists generated by standardised surveys, but lots of them over long periods of time. Consequently, around four years of eBird surveys have recently been added to Birdata to increase the number of records. Unfortunately, eBird and Birdata collect information in different ways and it has taken several months to develop and implement methods of identifying those eBird surveys which are compatible with the Birdata survey types used for population trend analysis. In some cases, it was not possible to use the eBird records. For instance, duplicated entries needed to be eliminated. Outcomes of the integration are summarised below. The overall number of surveys during the last four years has almost doubled. However, there were very few standard 2ha/20 minute surveys, the preferred survey type for trend analysis. A number of surveys fitted well with the 500 m survey category, which is the fallback data source for determining whether bird populations are stable. Many records were characterised as incidental sightings; while they add valuable information on the distribution of species, they provide little meaningful insight into trends in abundance. The eBird integration has changed the information we publish in the State of Tasmania’s Birds series. Although the extraction and interpretation of data for this year’s report was well advanced, we decided to repeat the extraction to reflect the influence of the recent data additions and some valuable data sets provided by Glen Bain, Andrew Hingston, Peter Duckworth and others. In the future it is hoped that eBird surveys will be added more frequently, but even the most optimistic estimate suggests that there will be lags of at least six months before data is added. Integration is not a trivial task and di- verts BLA’s limited research team efforts away from the evaluation of our survey effort and making those results available. Ongoing interpretation of results is essential to understanding what is happening to our bird populations and to mount scientifically credible cases for their conservation. An example is the recent use of Birdata for the 2020 update of the Action Plan for Australia’s Birds, which is expected to result in the new listing of some Tasmani- an species. Following the completion of the eBird data transfer, the BLA research team have started to assess the trends of Tasmania’s birds, which as indicated earlier will be the pilot study for Australia. The evaluation will investigate new ways of correcting for differences in the way people collect data. It is hoped that this will provide more informative and meaningful feedback to participants through the Birdata portal.

10 2020 has been a difficult year for everyone, including those trying to encourage bird monitoring. Hopefully, we are about to experience a turn-around in fortunes. It would be great if our bird populations also experience im- proved circumstances, for instance in response to the recent increased rainfall. Our challenge is to keep up the excellent survey effort of recent years so that we understand the resilience of our bird population to changes in climatic conditions. Accessing data from two databases is far from ideal. If you are an eBird user and would like to help monitor changes in the abundance of birds, why not take the time to see if there’s an area that you bird regularly or even visit a few times a year where you could carry out repeat surveys that would fit into Birdata as standard 2ha/20 minute or 500 m area search surveys? (Helpful information sheets on these area surveys can be found here). Surveys using standard Birdata area searches can still be entered into eBird but flagged as standard Birdata surveys or, even better, entered directly into Birdata through the portal: Birdata. This allows us to make an immediate assessment of results. Our recent Pallid Cuckoo collaborative surveys are an excellent example where we were able to complete the as- sessment of results immediately and decide whether our survey protocols needed modification before repeating them. Shorebirds 2020-related data is another example. No eBird surveys were added to that data set because they did not provide all the relevant information. Yet many eBird lists relate to shorebird areas and have valuable information. As always, we continue to urge the use of standard surveys, particularly where they are regularly repeated at survey sites. The results of the forthcoming analysis will identify the strengths and weaknesses of our monitoring efforts and highlight ways in which we can more effectively contribute to BLA’s goal of advancing our knowledge of Tasmania and Australia’s birds and their conservation. We appreciate the efforts of all who contribute to the collection of the data that is enabling this work to take place. If you would like to find out more about the use of Birdata, then please contact Mike Newman, Warren Jones or Andrew Walter. Also Mona Loofs-Samorzewski, Karen Dick or Paul Brooks can assist people with EBird and ensur- ing their data counts by using agreed survey types. Please use the email [email protected] to contact one of these people.

Can you guess the identity of these birds?

Photo by Bob Fletcher Photo by Dave Watts

Photo by Alan Fletcher

Identity of bird photos from the September edition: Shining Bronze-Cuckoo: Photo by Alan Fletcher Grey Fantail nest: Photo by Karen Dick Striated Pardalote: Photo by Michael White

11 Birding and Caretaking on Maatsuyker Island Heidi Krajewsky

To reach Maatsuyker Island it is a 45-minute helicopter flight from Hobart over the south of the state and ten kilometres from the coast. We arrived in September for a six-month stint as volunteer caretakers for Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife. We had a busy first few days with instructions from the previous team and the rangers. Then the helicopter took off once again, and we found ourselves alone on this remarkable island.

While making daily weather observations for the Bureau of Meteorology, I often hear Lewin’s Rails calling. There are several species that seem relatively tame. The Pink Robins and Tasmanian Scrubwrens basically ignore our presence on their island. Before arriving, I had heard stories from previous caretakers about clothes pegs being stolen from the line and thought that the Black Currawongs would be cheeky characters. However, it be- came apparent that the most curious birds were the Green Rosellas. They often perch on the lighthouse to watch us work below. Every morning we can hear a pair, or sometimes several, clicking across the roof of our house, sometimes they chew on various pieces of equipment and we can’t leave a door or window open without fly- screen, or they will be in the house in a flash! These bird encounters have been wonderful, but the real highlight to life on this southern island is the . There are approximately 800,000 pairs of Short-tailed Shearwaters nesting on the island as well as Fairy Prions, Common Diving-petrels, Silver and Pacific Gulls and Black-faced Cormorants. When we arrived the prions and diving-petrels were already present. They can be seen after dark flying towards their burrows or scurrying along the tracks early in the morning. Witnessing the first arrival of the shearwaters was an incredible experience. First visible as a dark smudge on the surface of the water, it’s possible to mistake the large flocks for a squall of wind out on the sea. Then the dark patches dissipate as the birds take flight and start streaming over the island in the tens of thousands. While we observe this event sitting against the house, the shearwaters start to land on the grass near our feet. The scrub surrounding us gets noisier as they start to call from their burrows. Every evening we watch this spectacle and try to estimate the number of shearwaters that fly over us onto the island. Our num- bers vary wildly each night, depending mostly on the direction of the wind, and we make our counts by trying to estimate the number of birds per second. It is a precisely coordinated event just after sunset and it doesn’t pay for a bird to be early – we witnessed a White-bellied Sea-eagle take a shearwater from the air while it was still light. As I write (in mid-November) the shearwater activity has gone relatively quiet. The burrows and mates have been chosen or re-united and the birds are now out at sea, filling up on the abundance of krill. They should re- turn within a couple weeks to lay their and start incubating. Then the evening spectacle will continue until March.

Tasmanian Scrubwren: Photo by Heidi Krajewsky Green Rosella: Photo by Heidi Krajewsky

12 The Nest Margaret Bennett

I generally think of a bird’s nest as a place hidden from danger, sheltered and in most cases as inconspicuous as the owner of the nest can manage. There are many types of nests which birds construct and use to lay their , and in most cases raise their young to fledging. Many of the waterfowl leave their nest and take their chicks with them when they are only a day or two old. Birds who build nests in amongst the foliage of trees or use tree hollows for nest sites gather food and bring it back to feed their chicks until fledging, continuing for a couple more weeks until the chicks are independent. Cuckoos are the exception, laying their eggs in host nests wherever they can, thereby eliminating their parental responsibili- ties. Endemic shorebirds of Tasmania lay in small hollows on sandy beaches around the Tasmanian coast. While the eggs and chicks are well camouflaged, they are vulnerable to many daily dangers. Dogs, vehicles, walkers, birds of prey, climatic and tidal influences. I have observed Crested Tern nesting colonies in previous years where there is usually some shelter, but this year there is a nesting colony right on the coast on old overburden from the King Island Scheelite Mine. This is the most exposed site I have ever seen as a nesting colony for Crested Tern. Each pair only lay one egg on the ground, but care for and feed the chick well. The adults catch fish for their chicks and only have to fly a couple of hundred metres to go fishing.

Photo 1. Crested Tern with chick at Burgess Bay, King Island

Photo 2. Crested Tern colony at Grassy Harbour. It is exposed to rough weather, wave splashes and the cooler southerly wind. The overburden was put there more than 50 years ago and is now beginning to crumble into the ocean. The photo was taken from the Break- water to show the exposed remoteness of the colony. Photos by Margaret Bennett 13 Pallid Cuckoo project round-up BY SHARON MOORE

Based on a report by Mike Newman On a Sunday morning in each of the three months of Spring, bird surveyors were watching and listening for Pallid Cuckoos, walking the same route each time. The idea behind the survey project was not only to obtain valuable data on these elusive birds, but to provide an opportunity for people interested in birds to participate in a Birdata 500-metre survey. The survey was thus the focus of the October BirdLife Tasmania southern outing. On 25th October, eighteen people gathered at the appointed location to be divided into six groups and receive their maps, survey forms and instructions. Each group had a leader who was an experienced bird surveyor and had walked the route during the pilot survey on 25th September. The survey was repeated on 15th November by the core group of leaders plus some of the excursion participants. Mike Newman has crunched the numbers over the three surveys; the following is a summary of his results and findings.

Pallid Cuckoo numbers Since 1st September, 75 Pallid Cuckoo observations have been recorded for the South Arm peninsula (south-east of Hobart). Over the same period, 164 were recorded for the rest of Tasmania and only 239 for mainland Austral- ia. With nearly half the Tasmanian records, South Arm appears to be a hotspot for the species, although there has been an unusually intense and focused survey effort there. It may also be possible that survey effort on the main- land had decreased due to COVID restrictions. Nevertheless, the concentration of cuckoos provides food for thought. For example, have birds been forced to Tasmania by the mainland bushfires last spring–summer? The number of Pallid Cuckoos observed during the survey was much greater than Fan-tailed and Shining Bronze- cuckoo, reflecting the suitable habitat on South Arm – dry woodlands and a varied landscape including open pas- tures. The number of records for pallids has increased over the 3 surveys, suggesting either ongoing arrivals or perhaps the detection rate may have increased as the cuckoos modified their calls and behaviour, or as our skills improved. This year is different in this respect from the previous two, where detection numbers decreased in No- vember (and December). Calls and behaviour By November, the mix of calls used by the birds had changed, with much less use of the ‘alternative advertising call’ (i.e. alternative to the ‘scale’ call). By this time, males were intermittently searching out females with a com- bination of scale calls while females were stealthily pursuing host opportunities. The use of the alternative call could be associated with turf wars and pair formation, although it appears that these concepts are unlikely to ap- ply in the conventional manner, with the birds most likely forming overlapping groups, which progressively work over their hosts in particular areas. The birds continued to be elusive, with most being detected by their calls and very few photographs taken during the surveys.

14 Records of other species Observations of Black-headed Honeyeater, a known host for Pallid Cuckoos, which lay their eggs in the honey- eaters’ nests, declined over the three surveys. A total of over 70 species was recorded over the three surveys, indi- cating the remarkable diversity of birdlife on the South Arm peninsula.

Conclusion The format of the Pallid Cuckoo survey program was a first for BirdLife Tasmania. It will hopefully be repeated as well as emulated for other species. Even without having the Pallid Cuckoo to focus on, the area proved to be a won- derful site for people to practice and improve their bird identification skills. After each survey outing, participants gathered to share findings and enjoy a freewheeling discussion of the implications of what was observed and to grasp an understanding of the very unnatural natural history of the Pallid Cuckoo.

Mike Newman organised the survey program, with Karen Dick co-ordinating the October excursion and providing the maps for the survey areas. Congratulations to them both on organising such a successful program, on many levels. The Pallid Cuckoo project and outing were initiated as part of a program funded by the Australian Bird Foundation to promote Birdata monitoring in the community and familiarise members with the use of standardised surveys to monitor bird populations. The ABEF are thanked for their generous support.

Pallid Cuckoo: Photo by Alan Fletcher

15 Recent observations from Austins Ferry Bob Holderness-Rodham

Since we have been unable to have our regular bi-monthly meetings this year, I thought I should report some of my sightings from the Austins Ferry area (north of Hobart):

• Tue. 4 Feb. Swamp Harrier flew past, close to my living room window on Main Road.

• Sun. 16 Feb. Around 20 Kelp or Pacific gulls circling overhead, gradually moving as a group NW over northern end of Poimena Reserve.

• Tue. 18 Feb. Swamp Harrier flew past, close to my living room window.

• Thurs. 2 April Grey Goshawk flew ‘up’ past living room window, apparently from garden trees.

• Mon. 6 April First confirmed Crescent Honeyeater for the autumn in garden.

• Fri. 24 April White-bellied Sea Eagle flew over garden (dispersal?)

• Mon. 4 May House Martins(?) flying over Goulds Lagoon, feeding.

• Fri. 8 May Eastern Spinebill feeding on pineapple sage in front garden.

• Thur. 14 May Little Wattlebirds feeding on nectar from tree dahlias.

• Sunday 24 May Single sea eagle being mobbed by gull over the Derwent. A few minutes later, two sea eagles over James Austin Park, heading westwards towards Poimena Reserve.

• Mon. 25 May NOTE: unlike last year, Silvereyes appear uninterested in cotoneaster berries near bed room window.

• Sat. 20 June Most cotoneaster berries now gone – blackbirds and Silvereyes responsible.

• Thur. 9 July Very young Masked Lapwing crossing Cadbury Link Road, Claremont.

• Wed. 15 July Two Eastern Spinebills chasing each other. Given they’re altitudinal migrants and time of year, assumed this was more about resource protection than courtship???

• Sun. 19 July Eastern Spinebill on vegetation outside kitchen window.

• Mon. 27 July Two Australian Wood Duck investigating chimney of nearby house on Main Road for nesting(?) Presumably deemed unsatisfactory, as not seen subsequently.

• Thur. 30 July Eastern Spinebill on vegetation outside kitchen window.

• Mon 24 Aug. Eastern Spinebill in elders outside kitchen window.

• Mon. 31 Aug. Eastern Spinebill in neighbour’s vegetation outside kitchen window.

• Wed. 23 Sept. (date approximate) Wedge-tailed Eagle overhead St Virgils.

• Fri. 2 October Great-crested Grebe in Beedhams Bay.

• Thur. 29 Oct. Caspian Tern fishing over Beedhams Bay, with little apparent success!

16 Raptor Rhymes BY CELIA WATCHORN

Something different from the Raptor Refuge

Find a branch, Sit and relax, Close your eyes, Imagine...

You are a Masked , a Tasmanian Masked Owl!

It’s a velvety black night, A gentle breeze wafts cool through your fluffy, spotted chest feathers

You sense a scurry in the field beyond

Your sound-disc feathers, your ‘mask’, capture the faint rustle

Your ears, asymmetrical, just behind your eyes, hidden by the tiny feathers of your facial disc, pinpoint Mouse, though he is a long way away Your hearing is 10 times more sensitive than a human’s !

Your ink black eyes have excellent depth perception, seeing great distances through the dark of night !

On silent wings you are the perfect nocturnal hunter, comb-like feathers muffling the air as you ‘woomf’ ‘woomf’ ‘woomf’ towards your prey,

Silent wings, soft as silk, strong and steady

Mouse scurries further, finding his supper amongst long grass…

But listen, He stops, nibbles

‘woomf’ ‘woomf’ ‘woomf’

You swoop Through velvet night Talons outstretched, two forward, two back…

He’s yours, No escape, Supper for two fluffy chicks!

Your lady, proudly the largest of the world’s families, waits patiently…

17 Happy to see you, chattering delight, Mouse is good!

Home in the old tree hollow is warm and safe… for now!

By day, whilst we try to sleep, ugly, noisy machines destroy so much of the old forest

Hollows are hard to find, The noise is loud and frightening!

There aren’t many of us left any more, We must be good parents, Our species depends on us!

No matter how wise, We can’t stop the machines!

But humans can?

‘woomf’ ‘woomf’ ‘woomf’

You fly on silent wings, The velvet night is calling...

Masked Owl: Photo by Michelle Turner

18 BirdLife Tasmania news and views Conservation report Eric Woehler

In the last couple of months, several activities have involved BirdLife Tasmania around the state:

Community engagement: Dogs’ Breakfasts in collaboration with local community groups were held in Burnie and Devonport (10 October), (two on 22 November) and on truwana /Cape Barren Island (30 November). These events high- lighting good responsible management of dogs in sensitive wildlife areas, particularly in coastal areas of nesting shorebirds and Little Penguin colonies. They were well attended. Eric was also invited to take part in the “Conserving Coastal Flora and Fauna” forum held at St Helens. (2 November). He spoke about shorebird values and conservation to 36 attendees.

Eaglehawk Neck road widening The State Government can’t widen road on eastern side because of European and Aboriginal heritage values, so they are widening on the beach side (western shore). Discussions have been held with the Dept of State Growth on nesting shorebirds in the vicinity.

“Ecopods”, Chain of Lagoons 16 ecopods are proposed for a coastal property south of Falmouth. Encouraging people to use the beach, it also raises issues around the amount of native vegetation to be removed. BirdLife Tasmania has provided data on birds in the area to locals opposing the proposal.

Eaglehawk Neck Coastal Trail A track is proposed from the Lufra Hotel car park, on both sides of the neck to the blowhole – PWS approached BirdLife Tasmania on issues affecting shorebirds, penguins and woodland birds. Data have been provided on all known bird values in that area to assist with planning, permits and construction/operations.

Bob Brown Foundation legal challenge Challenging Sustainable Timbers Tasmania re proposed/planned logging relating of Swift Parrot habitats over the next two years. BirdLife Tasmania has contributed to the effort.

UPC re Robbins Island windfarm Numbers of turbines keep changing from 120—150 turbines proposed, assuming Marinus goes ahead. The project is behind schedule but the DPEMP is with the EPA at the moment. BirdLife Tasmania has been opposed to the de- velopment for almost 15 years since the idea of a windfarm on Robbins Island was first raised.

BirdLife Tasmania and shorebird surveys BirdLife Tasmania is working with the shellfish aquaculture industry to undertake foreshore surveys around the state to assist in planning for clean-up efforts of foreshores. To date, surveys have been undertaken at Georges Bay, Pipeclay Lagoon and Blackman Bay, with further surveys planned over the summer months. A foreshore survey for the Clarence Dog Management Plan has been requested and will be undertaken over the summer. Surveys of shorebirds and small terns are currently underway statewide as part of the long-term census and GPS mapping project.

19 March BirdLife Tasmania meeting Annual General Meeting

The Birdlife Tasmania Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 11 March 2021 at 7:00 pm. Venue to be advised.

All office bearer and general committee positions will be open for nominations until 11 February 2021. The nomination form can be found on the last page of Yellow Throat and, with the Guidelines to BirdLife Tasmania committee elections, on our website: https://birdlife.org.au/locations/birdlife-tasmania/contact-us-tas

Postal votes and proxy votes will need to be in by Wednesday 10 March 2021 7:00 pm. The AGM will be followed by a special general meeting to celebrate 50 years of the organisation in Tasmania.

Outing Report: Bird walk Arboretum, Eugenana 19 October 2020

Geoff Shannon

On a beautiful spring morning sixteen of us met in the carpark and walked around the Arboretum; some of us walked through the woodland and saw little while the others found Beautiful Firetails. Birds were as plentiful as usual, with a total of 36 species seen despite there only being a pair Pacific Black Duck on the lake with a family of Black Swans. That is, apart from the usual platypus (should we make that an honorary bird for the list?). Breeding was much in evidence with Tasmanian Native Hens and their bundles of fluff, and spotted juvenile Dusky Robins were seen. A pair of Striated Pardalotes had been chased out of their normal hole by bees but had found a new hole round the corner. One of our number photographed a Grey Shrike-thrush going in and out of a hole with a male in tow. On looking at the photo this was in immature plumage. Do they breed in their first post-fledging year despite not being in full adult plumage? (Shrike-thrush do not gain full plumage for three years in males and two years in females.)

Juvenile Dusky Robin: Photo by Steve Broadbent Immature female Grey-shrike-Thrush: Photo by Tracey Saward.

20 Outing Report: Bird walk Narawantapu National Park 16 November 2020

Geoff Shannon

A bright sunny morning saw nine of us meet in the carpark, so we had to take sun protection. We walked to the bird hide on the lake. As usual birds were hard to see on the walk but we took the opportunity to listen to some calls, including Fan-tailed Cuckoo and Brush Bronzewing. The lake was surprisingly quiet with about 50 Black Swans and a pair of Musk Duck close to the hide but then three large young turned up. There was a scattering of ducks around the far shore with families of Australian Shelduck, Chestnut Teal and Australian Wood Duck. It seems since the lake dried up during the drought a few years ago numbers of birds have recovered. As we approached the car park on way back, we spent time watching White-fronted Chat and Australasian Pipits. From there we tried the western end of Bakers Beach hoping for some but we were frustrated by horse riders, high tide and strong wind. However, in the bushes by the beach we sighted the first post-breeding flock of about 40 Starlings. The breeding season must have been early and successful.

A few of us braved the wind and went on to the beach by the camp site/ski beach. As we walked along the tide edge three large waders joined the Pied Oystercatchers. Initial identification suggested they were part of the lo- cal flock of Bar-tailed Godwit. A quick photo by one of the group showed they had down-curved bills. The first Eastern Curlew of the year. On that note we finished the walk with a list of 34 species with 6 showing proof of breeding.

Outing Report: Bird walk Maria Island 22 November 2020

Karen Dick

After our trip to Maria Island was cancelled because of COVID-19 in March this year, we were finally able to make the trip on a beautiful day in November. The excitement was palpable as we waited for the ferry and we quickly made our way to the top deck, where we had 270° views of the sea around us. Straight out of the dock we had a group of Black-faced Cormorants and Silver Gulls. Soon after, an Australian Pelican swooped by gracefully, making us look like we were hardly moving. The crossing was fairly quiet, save for good views of some Australian Gannets, one of which treated us to a display of precision diving. As we docked, three Greater Crested Terns were there to greet us. Our first destination was the Painted Cliffs, heading south down the island. We passed a group of Cape Barren Geese as we walked from the ferry and found a group of adult Hooded Plovers on the beach at the mouth of the river. Further up, a family of White-faced Herons practised their balance on some dead branches. On our way through the Darlington village, a stunning male gave great views to everyone, showing off on the back of a ranger’s ute. Further along the track, a Scarlet Robin family was found in the casuarinas – a very obliging juve- nile allowing for some identification comparison with the Flame Robins from earlier. At the same spot, a beautiful pair of White-fronted Chats were a new species for some of the group and provided some great photo opportuni- ties. A large forester kangaroo fed quietly nearby. As we progressed, we found a range of other, common species before hearing the chatter of Swift Parrots in the trees near the track. We went to investigate and were treated to flybys from several individuals. These birds certainly lived up to their name and were too swift for photographs! As we arrived at the Painted Cliffs, a single Caspian Tern flew along the coast.

21 We returned to Darlington via the Oast House track, and added several new species in the forest as we walked. A couple of wombats were a welcome addition to the day, as well. After a brief stop at the Darlington compound, we headed in the opposite direction towards the reservoir. Several families of Tasmanian Native Hens foraged quietly down near the river, and we could hear Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike and a Brush Bronzewing calling ahead of us. Along the track, the unmistakeable ‘ZZZZT’ of a Satin Flycatcher was heard. This spectacular bird is the last summer migrant to arrive in Tasmania and is always a thrill to see. Eventually we managed to glimpse the pair, high in the trees, so views were not great and photographs were not possible, but we enjoyed these special migrants. The folks at the front of the group flushed the Brush Bronzewing from the track and it disappeared before most people saw it. Our focus through the forest was on looking for the endemics that are found there, but while we encoun- tered Yellow-throated, Strong-billed and Black-headed , Forty-spotted Pardalotes eluded us on this occasion. One bird that was very visible was an immature Golden Whistler that sang its heart out, advertising its position in the trees near the track. Once we reached the reservoir and our lunch stop, we were greeted by a raucous mob of Black Currawongs, chas- ing each other through the eucaplypts. In contrast, on the dam, a beautiful Australasian Grebe sat very still, on sen- try duty for its mate that was presumably sitting on a nest in the reeds. After lunch, we made our way back on a different track towards the ferry.

There was just enough time to enjoy the Hooded Plovers on the beach while we waited for the ferry and our ad- venture finished with final views of feeding gannets on the crossing. We saw a total of 54 species on the outing and enjoyed some excellent views of lovely birds, in great company. As part of the BirdLife Tasmania 50th anniversary celebrations in 2021, there will be a weekend trip to Maria Island in November. Look out for details if you want to join us for an amazing weekend.

Yellow-rumped Thornbill White-fronted Chat male White-fronted Chat female

Flame Robin Hooded Plover Immature Golden Whistler All photos by Peter Appleton 22 Species (alphabetical) Scientific name Number Australasian Gannet (Morus serrator) 11 Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae) 1 Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) 16 Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) 1 Black Currawong (Strepera fuliginosa) 35 Black-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscescens) 50 Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina novaehollandiae) 2 Black-headed Honeyeater (Melithreptus affinis) 10 Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla) 11 Brush Bronzewing (Phaps elegans) 2 Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae) 18 Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 1 Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea) 1 Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera) 3 Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyanopterus) 3 Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) 2 Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) 1 Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis) 1 Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea) 5 Forest Raven (Corvus tasmanicus) 3 Great/White-breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 6 Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii) 17 Green Rosella (Platycercus caledonicus) 11 Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa) 9 Grey (Colluricincla harmonica) 2 Hooded Dotterel ( cucullatus) 8 (Dacelo novaeguineae) 4 Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) 5 Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) 1 New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) 18 Olive Whistler (Pachycephala olivacea) 3 Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) 1 Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus) 2 Pallid Cuckoo (Cacomantis pallidus) 2 Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) 4 Satin Flycatcher (Myiagra cyanoleuca) 4 Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang) 2 Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus) 3 (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) 15 Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis) 2 Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus) 4 Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus) 15 Strong-billed Honeyeater (Melithreptus validirostris) 4 Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus) 2 Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor) 26 Tasmanian Native-hen (Tribonyx mortierii) 13 Tasmanian Scrubwren (Sericornis humilis) 7 Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans) 2 Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) 18 White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) 3 White-fronted Chat (Epthianura albifrons) 4 Yellow Wattlebird (Anthochaera paradoxa) 13 Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa) 13 Yellow-throated Honeyeater (Nesoptilotis flavicollis) 6 Total species seen: 54 23 Interference in potential Swift Parrot nesting trees MEDIA RELEASE - 17 September 2020

BirdLife Tasmania today proposed that the actions of the Department of State Growth (DSG) at St Helens to block potential nesting hollows for Swift Parrots qualifies as inappropriate interference with a Critically Endangered species, and questioned the legality of the operations. DSG have closed potential nesting hollows in six Blue Gums south of St Helens to prevent Swift Parrots using them this breed- ing season. DSG are looking to construct an overtaking lane that will see these six large Blue Gums cut down – if the project is approved. To date, DSG does not have planning permission to undertake the road construction. “Rather than waiting for the Swift Parrot breeding season to pass, and for the necessary permits to be issued to them, DSG has proactively interfered with a Critically Endangered species by reducing the availability of suitable nesting sites” Dr Eric Woehler, Convenor of BirdLife Tasmania said today. “BirdLife Tasmania suggests such activities are entirely inappropriate, given the conservation status of the Swift Parrot, cur- rently listed under State and Federal legislations as Critically Endangered”. Swift Parrots nest close to their food sources, such as Blue Gums, and by preventing the birds nesting in these trees, there is the potential to adversely affect their local breeding efforts” Dr Woehler added. “What agency issued permits for these blocks to be installed?” Dr Woehler asked. “DSG have no permits in place for the proposed road construction. This is a very questionable act against a Critically Endan- gered species.” “It’s very clear that state agencies just don’t get it when it comes to protecting our threatened species” Dr Woehler noted with concern. “State agencies should be working to protect Swift Parrots and other Endangered species, not blocking their nesting hollows and cutting down nesting and feeding trees of Swift Parrots”. BirdLife Tasmania called for the immediate removal of the blocks, and for the six large Blue Gums to be protected, and not cut down as proposed. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-19/swift-parrot-breeding-under-threat-tasman-highway/12679676

Welcome reprieve for Critically Endangered Swift Parrot MEDIA RELEASE - 3 October 2020

BirdLife Tasmania today welcomed the commitment made by Sustainable TimbersTasmania to not log nesting and feeding hab- itats of the Critically Endangered Swift Parrot. The commitment by STT was in response to legal action in the Federal Court by the Bob Brown Foundation to protect Swift Parrot habitat from planned logging by STT. “The logging of critical nesting and feeding habitat is a significant contributor to the extinction threat faced by Swift Parrots in Tasmania” Dr Eric Woehler, BirdLife Tasmania Convenor said today. “Modelling by the ANU predicted the extinction of the species in 10–15 years on the basis of ongoing loss of habitat and the by Sugar Gliders.” “Combined, logging of critical habitat and glider predation are pushing Swift Parrots to extinction in Tasmania. The commit- ment by STT to not log Swift Parrot habitat is a welcome reprieve as the 2020/21 breeding season starts” Dr Woehler added. “This will be a much needed respite for the Swift Parrot over the coming breeding season,” said BirdLife Australia’s Head of Conservation Samantha Vine. “Conservation of nesting and feeding habitats of a Critically Endangered species shouldn’t require legal action” Dr Woehler argued, “yet sadly, in Tasmania, it appears to be the only option”. Sustainable Timbers Tasmania is seeking FSC certification for its logging operations. “While STT operations impact on any Threatened Species – including but not limited to Swift Parrots – they will never receive the FSC certification they claim to desire” Dr Woehler concluded.

24 BirdLife Tasmania Outings December 2020–March 2021

You must register for an outing prior to the event. On all outings you must wear enclosed shoes and follow COVID -safe procedures. Full information will be supplied with the outing details for each event. To register for any outing listed here, you will need to email the organiser at [email protected]. Pre-registration is required for all outings to comply with COVID-safe planning.

To allow arrangements to be made, please be sure to register at least 7 days in advance of any outing.

REGION DATE LOCATION NOTES Birdata training day Come along and learn how to do a survey using Sunday Birdata survey at private prop- South the BirdLife Australia Birdata survey app. Join 20 December erty near Richmond experienced birders and learn some identifica- tion skills as well. Wednesday Gentle walk with coastal and bush birds, plus a North-east Stieglitz Sewage Ponds 6 January visit to the sewage ponds. Join us in Launceston on Friday evening for a forum on the importance of Australia for migrat- Friday 15 and ing shorebirds and how to ID the species seen Northern Wader Forum and North-west Saturday 16 Jan- here. Then on Saturday, meet in Bridport to get Outing uary some practical experience of looking at waders. Full details are provided in the current Yellow Throat. Stroll around Peter Murrell Reserve taking in Sunday South Peter Murrell Reserve several different habitats and the birds that are 24 January found there. Wednesday St Georges Bayside walk with water and bush North-east Trellogens Track 3 February birds. Monday Arboretum, Eugenana North-west Gentle walk looking at bush bird walk 15 February Devonport This gently graded track meanders through var- Saturday ied bushland habitats, including dry eucalypt South Kaoota Tramway 20 February forest and rainforest, following a section of the historic Kaoota Tramway. Wednesday Gentle roadside amble through rural country to North-east Marshes Road–St Marys 3 March see bush birds. Monday A later start to the day at high tide to have a North-west Moorlands Beach 15 March look at the waders. Join us at the Tamar Wetlands north-west of Launceston to enjoy the mix of waterbirds, wad- Sunday South Tamar Island Wetlands ers, bush birds and raptors at this excellent site. 28 March It is hoped that this outing will attract members from both the north and south of the State.

An enthusiastic group on recent trip

to Maria Island:

Photo by Peter Appleton

25 GPO Box 68, Hobart 7001 [email protected] We apologise that we cannot publish individual contact details, due to issues with scamming emails. www.birdlife.org.au/tasmania

BirdLife Tasmania | Facebook

BirdLife Tasmania (@BirdLifeTas) | Twitter

Yellow Throat is produced every quarter beginning in March. Contributions, including articles, interesting sightings, photographs, letters and news, are welcome, and will be published subject to space and interest or relevance to BirdLife Tasmania members, at the editors’ discretion. Please email them to [email protected] The deadline for the next issue is 20 February 2021. Many thanks to all contributors, including the photographers, who retain copyright of their magnificent photographs. All maps drawn from the BirdLife Tasmania database remain © BirdLife Tasmania. Views ex- pressed in Yellow Throat are not necessarily those of BirdLife Tasmania, or of the editors, unless explicitly stat- ed. Please make use of our material, but we ask that you acknowledge BirdLife Tasmania as the source. Editors: Perviz Marker (co-ordinator) and Sharon Moore (copy-editor); layout: Perviz Marker. With many thanks to Wynne Webber for copy editing and proofreading of this issue of Yellow Throat. We thank the office of Mr Andrew Wilkie, MHR, for assisting in the production of Yellow Throat 112.

BirdLife Tasmania is a regional branch of BirdLife Australia

Photo credits first page:

Top Yellow–throated honey eater: Photo by Alan Fletcher

Bottom Red-capped Plover: Photo © Eric Woehler

26 Committee nomination form 2020

In accordance with Rule 5 governing nomination of committee members, the following person is nominated as: Chair, Secretary, Treasurer Committee Member (maximum of 5) (circle appropriate position) Nominee: ______Nominated by: ______(please print)

Signed by nominator______Date: ______Seconded by: ______(please print)

Signed by seconder______Date: ______

I ______endorse the above nomination of myself (please print)

for the position of______

Signed by nominee ______Date: ______

Please forward nominations to the Secretary, BirdLife Tasmania, GPO Box 68, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, or scan PDF and email to the Secretary [email protected] by 11 February 2021.

Nominations must be received by twenty-eight (28) days before the Annual General Meeting of Thursday, 11 March 2021.

27