THE S.A. ORNITHOLOGIST 42 -------- NOTES ON EYRE PENINSULA BIRDS By JOHN ECKERT During January, 1971, I visited Eyre records were later withdrawn, subsequent Peninsula, spending a week at Tumby Bay events appear to have confirmed the presence where Lipson, Warunda, Coffin Bay and of both species. the coast south of Port Lincoln were visited Condon, in A H andlist of the Birds of Sth. and a week at Arno Bay, where Cleve, Australia 1969, appears to have overlooked Cowell, Midgee and Hincks National Park some of the records of the three early writers. were journeyed to. The birds of Eyre The A.O.V. campout at Warunda, (Hall Peninsula have not been as intensively studied 1909) , listed the following species which as those in many other parts of South Condon does not indicate as being repre­ Australia, because of a seeming lack of sented on Eyre Peninsula. resident ornithologists. Articles by Hall Banded Landrail Rallus philippensis­ (1909), White (1912), Cleland (1925) and Seen at Wanilla. Rix (1947) are useful references whilst Blue-winged Shoveler Anas rhynchotis-A mention must be made of the work by Storr pair closely observed on a small lagoon by (1947) which listed the Square-tailed Kite Capt. S. A. White. (See also following list.) Lophoictinia isura and the Southern Emu­ Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus-Seen at Wren Stipiturus malachurus. Although these Kellidie Bay. This record might be con- The drawing of the Magpie on the cover is by John Cox. THE S.A. ORNITHOLOGIST 43 sidered doubtful were it not that Hall was species seen while at Tumby Bay will be better versed in waders than most ornitho­ referred to as in the south, while 'north' logists of his day, having field experience will refer to those seen while at Arno Bay. in Siberia as well as Australia. The following 36 species were seen frequently Little Wattle-Bird Anthochaera chrysop­ in both localities and require no special tera-A pair seen, apparently near the comment. ~ittle Black Cormorant Phala­ Warunda camp. The Red Wattle-Bird crocorax sulcirostris, Black-faced Cormorant Anthochaera carunculata was listed also, so P. [uscescens, Pied Cormorant P. uarius, the record cannot be regarded as an error for Little Pied Cormorant P. melanoleucos, that species. White-faced Heron Ardea nouaehollandiae, Four other species mentioned by Hall also Black Swan Cygnus atratus, Brown Falcon warrant comment. Falco berigora, Nankeen Kestrel F. cen­ Brown Songlark Cinclorhamphus cruralis chroides, Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus -A male was recorded in cultivated land at ostralegus, Sooty Oystercatcher H. unicolor Wanilla so the species has been present on Spur-winged Plover Vanellus mites novaehol~ Eyre Peninsula for many years, although landiae, Red-capped Dotterel Charadrius Condon's Handlist may give the impression alexandrinus, Silver Gull Larus nouaehol­ that it has only recently been recorded there. landiae, Pacific Gull L. pacificus, Caspian Western Grass-Wren Amytornis textilis­ Tern Hydroprogne tschegraua, Crested Tern Seen at Mortlock. Condon refers to this Sterna bergii, Fairy Tern S. nereis Common sighting in the S.A. Orn., 20, 51, but sub­ Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera: Crested sequently appears to have disregarded it. It Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes, Rock Dove Co­ is of interest because of its distance south lumba livia, Welcome Swallow Hirundo of other known records. • tahitica, Pipit Anthus nouaeseelandiae, Black­ Blue-and-white Wren Malurus leucopterus faced Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina novaehollan­ -Seen at Mortlock. This is considerably diae, White~browed Babbler Pomatostomus further south than indicated by Condon's superciliosus, White-fronted Chat Ephthia­ Handlist. nura albifrons, Yellow-tailed Thornbill Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris-Condon's Acanthiza chrysorrhoa, Willie Wagtail Rhipi­ text in both his 1962 and 1969 Handlists dura leucophrys, Silvereye Zosterops lateralis, gives no indication of the presence of the Singing Honeyeater Meliphaga oirescens, Weebill on Eyre Peninsula, although his Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus bre­ distribution map in 1969 shows the species virostris, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acantha­ well represented there. It was recorded by genys rufogularis, House Sparrow Passer the A.O.V. party at Mortlock and has since domesticus, Starling Sturnus vulgaris, Murray been recorded on numerous occasions by Magpie Grallina cyanoleuca, Grey Butcher­ other writers, notably Sutton. bird Cracticus torquatus, White-backed Other overlooked records include the Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen leuconota. Painted Quail Turnix varia, not listed for Eyre Peninsula by Condon in his 1962 ANNOTATED LIST Handlist but included in 1969 from recent sightings in the Sleaford area. S. A. White, Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae-Seen at 1912, recorded seeing the species twice near Wanna and at Hincks N.P. Droppings and Pt. Lincoln. (See also following list.) The tracks suggested that it was fairly numerous Double-banded Dotterel Chdradrius bicinctus south and south-west of Port Lincoln. is not mentioned for Eyre Peninsula by Little Penguin Eudyptula minor-One Condon; but several were seen near Port swimming near the wharf in Port Lincoln Lincoln in late May, 1923, by Cleland (1925), harbor. and a specimen obtained, See also Eckert Little Grebe Podiceps novaehollandiae­ (1971) Emu, 71, 62. Cleland's record of Several at Big Swamp. the G~ldfinch Carduelis carduelis is men­ Hoary-headed Grebe Podiceps poliocepha­ tioned in the following list. lus-Common at Big and Little Swamps. Also Several species not recorded for Eyre seen at Tod Reservoir. Peninsula in Condon's Handlist (1969) are Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis included in the following list and comments -A flock of four seen twice near Little are made on many others. For convenience, Swamp. 44 THE SA ORNITHOLOGIST Hambidge N.P. Cleve Hills Aindersrl Cleve. Is. t-r Hincks N.P. Wharminda. N 1 EYRE 'PENINSULA 10 10 20 30 o, I , , I Scale in Miles Cape Barren Goose Coreopsis novaehol­ White-eyed Duck Aythya australis-About landiae-About twenty were seen on several fifteen on Big Swamp. occasions feeding along the grassy margins Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata-Flock of of Little Swamp. twelve on a dam near Koppio, Black Duck Anas superciliosa-At least Blue-billed Duck Oxyura australis-A male fifty on both Big and Little Swamps. in full colour on Big Swamp, the reddish Chestnut Teal Anas castanea-A pair on body, dark head and pastel-blue bill being a: small creek at Lipson. clearly seen. Grey Teal Anas gibberifr.ons-Several Musk Duck Biziura lobata-Several on hundred on Little and Big Swamps. Tad Reservoir. Blue-winged Shoveler Anas rhynchotis­ Whistling Kite H .aliastur sphenurus-One Condon (1969) does not list this species for only seen at Big Swamp. Eyre Peninsula but flocks of about thirty Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus-One were present on both Little and Big'Swamps, large accipiter seen near Koppio. several of the males being in full colour. Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrhoce­ Pink-eared Duck Mclacorhynchus mem­ phalus-Small accipiters, thought to be this branaceus-Flock of about fifty on Little species seen several times in scrub south and Swamp. west of Port Lincoln. THE S.A. ORNITHOLOGIST 45 Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax-Seen Bay at about the same time. Condon (1969) twice in the Koppio hills and also at Hincks does not record this species for the Eyre N.P. Peninsula mainland although it is known White-breasted Sea-Eagle Haliaetus leuco­ from Reevesby Is. gaster-One over the coast at Wanna. Hooded Dotterel Charadrius rubricollis­ Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis-Seen A pair at Arno Bay. twice near Arno Bay. Large Sand-Dotterel Charadrius lesche­ Swamp Harrier Circus approximans-One naultii-A .single bird was seen feeding with near Big Swamp. several Red-capped Dotterels on a pebbly Little Falcon Falco longipennis-Seen part of the beach, exposed at low tide, just several times in the south. south of Arno Bay. The long, heavy bill, Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus-One long legs and white wing-bar in flight made over the cliffs at Cape Wiles. me certain of its identity. When flushed, it Mallee-Fowl Leipoa ocellata-Only seen flew back into the tidal swamp. I hoped to in Hincks N.P. but said to be still present gain further field experience with this rare near Arno Bay and Midgee Rocks. species, which had not previously been re­ Stubble Quail Coturnix pectoralis-Heard ported on Eyre Peninsula, but could not calling and one seen at Little Swamp. locate it again during the remainder of my Painted Quail Turnix varia-Several seen stay. near the Coffin Bay lookout .and two Black-fronted Dotterel Charadrius mela­ flushed in mallee scrub near Midgee Rocks, nops-Two seen at Tod Reservoir. which is only a few miles from the northern Australian Dotterel Peltohyas australis­ limit of the mallee in this area. T. Sim Two were present on some fairly bare took a female specimen of this species in ground on the property of Mr. Dean Newell scrub near Mt, Wedge in 1969. This at Wharminda. He and his neighbour Mr. specimen is now in the S.A. Museum. It is E. Jericho, state that some of these birds obvious therefore that the range of the have visited the Wharminda district annually Painted Quail on Eyre Peninsula is much -in recent years, sometimes staying until May. more extensive than that indicated by Turnstone Arenaria interpres-At least Condon (1969). The tentative record of twelve were seen around Tumby Is. the Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophorus by Eastern Curlew Numenius madagasca­ Storr (1947) seems more likely to be riensis-Three were seen on Tumby Is. and referable to the Painted Quail. a flock of nineteen were resting on a sand­ Spotted Crake Porzana fluminea-One bar at the mouth of a tidal inlet south of seen in the mangroves at Arno Bay. Tumby Bay. Eastern Swamphen Porphyria porphyrio­ Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes-Two Several at Little Swamp.