YELLOW THROAT the Newsletter of Birdlife Tasmania: a Branch of Birdlife Australia Number 110, Winter 2020

YELLOW THROAT The newsletter of BirdLife Tasmania: a branch of BirdLife Australia Number 110, Winter 2020

Welcome to all our new readers (supporters and new Contents members) to the Winter edition of Yellow Throat. Masked Lapwing—Is it breeding earlier this year…..2 Normally we would be letting you know when the Concern for Tasmania’s woodland birds………………...3 next BirdLife Tasmania General Meeting will be held and who will be speaking. Alas, we are still under More of the same—windfarms gaining approval through archaic assessment……………………………………..4 COVID-19 restrictions for now, and are unsure when the next meeting will take place, but it will not be be- Birdata is easy to use and helps our birdlife!...... 7 fore September. Beneath the radar…………………………………………………….8 We will continue to provide updates in the e-bulletin What Happens to Out-of-Range Records in on the resumption of meetings, and also, of course, Birdata?...... 10 outings. At this stage, outings will hopefully resume in Any more oddities?...... 11 August. In the meantime, enjoy the many interesting Bird - safe architecture…………………………………………. .12 articles we have in this issue of Yellow Throat; we South-east Tasmanian KBA report indicates climate - hope you are making the most of the birds in your related concern for some species………………………… ..14 local area. Birding in backyards initiative………………………………. ..17 In this issue of Yellow Throat, two programs are out- lined that allow the community to participate in bird Is your cat a killer?...... 18 surveys. General Birdata surveys and Birds in Back- Cat management in Tasmania………………… .19 yards surveys are two different ways that people who Letter from the Raptor Refuge………………………………..20 love birds can record what they see. Just to ensure BirdLife Tasmania news and views there is no confusion – both use BirdLife Australia’s Convenors report……………………………………….. 21 Birdata portal, but are different ways to record data, and have different purposes and uses. Birding Walk—Arboretum…………………………….23 Dawn Chorus………………………………………………..23 General Birdata tracks changes in populations Book review throughout the country. It can alert researchers to Immy’s Endangered King Island Birds……….22 changes in a particular species’ population and the need for conservation measures. Links……………………………………………………………………….23 Birds in Backyards studies birds where people live, giving us a picture of the type of birds that are found in particular areas (see the link to the Ballarat data in Karen’s article). It is a good way for people to start out when they are new to recording bird surveys. So feel free to participate in one or both programs and read about Birdata surveys on pg. 7 and the Birds in Backyards program on pg. 17. If you have any concerns please email the Secretary: [email protected] Eds.

1 Masked Lapwing—Is it breeding earlier this year? BY MIKE NEWMAN

Geoff Shannon observed newly-hatched Masked Lapwing chicks in the Forth area on 5th May. As Masked Lap- wing eggs are incubated for about 28 days this means that the clutch was laid early in April. In marked contrast, during April some adults in south-east Tasmania were still in the process of persuading last year’s brood that it was time to leave their natal territories and join the flocks of non-breeders. Comparing notes with Geoff it appears there is a lag of about two months between breeding in the north and south of the state. While temperature is a possible reason for this difference, perhaps rainfall is equally or more important. Indeed, Geoff has noticed differences in timing between years over the last few breeding seasons, with this year being particularly early following good autumn rains. In the south-east the plovers are currently becoming more territorial and appear to be selecting nest sites, so early breeding may occur here as well. Between 1964 and 1967 an intensive study of the breeding behaviour of Masked Lapwings in south-east Tasmania by David Thomas (Emu 69, 81-102) found that the earliest clutches were laid in late June, but most pairs did not breed until the second half of July. The Masked Lapwing is a fascinating species. It almost invariably lays four eggs. Incubation does not com- mence in earnest until the clutch is nearly complete so that the eggs hatch within one or two days of each other. Its eggs are laid in a scrape on the ground in a haphazard manner. In contrast, the Banded Lapwing is more fastidious and always organises its eggs symmetrically with pointed ends oriented inwards. The adults are calling to their young before the eggs hatch so that they recognise their voice and parental commands when they hatch. When the last egg hatches, the adults usually move the chicks some distance from the vicinity of the nest site. However, the family may return later during the six-week period from hatching to fledging. If you are lucky enough to live with breeding lapwings in your garden or nearby it is either a blessing or a curse – depending on whether you are a birder. While known as birds that dive-bomb the unwary to protect their nest or chicks, these birds, like magpies, can develop a mutually respectful relationship with resident birders.

Masked Lapwing chick: Photo by Geoff Shannon

2 Concern for Tasmania’s woodland birds BY MIKE NEWMAN AND BARRY BAKER

Ongoing evaluation of Tasmania’s Birdata indicates that many of Tasmania’s woodland birds are decreasing. This confirms what many of you suspected and is not surprising in view of the period of persistent low rainfall conditions which presently grip much of the state. However, there is increasing evidence that these decreases are also occurring in the wetter regions of the state, such as the NW coastal region between Penguin and Stanley and are not simply related to rainfall. Particularly hard hit are the Tasmania robins, as shown in the diagram below for north-west Tasmania, where Richard Ashby’s surveys give a perspective spanning two decades. The trends shown in the diagram are statis- tically significant. Equally compelling evidence is provided by data-sets from north-east Tasmania and the South Arm near Hobart, but these data-sets only cover the last ten years. Els and Bill Wakefield, in a study north of Hobart, indicated that numbers remained stable between 2009 and 2014, although whether there has been a decline in this region in the last six years is unknown.

These results demonstrate the need for long-term monitoring to understand what is happening to our bird populations. The extent and persistence of these decreases are of extreme concern. We thank the many volunteers who have contributed to the Birdata survey effort.

Scarlet robin: Photo by Barry Baker Dusky robin: Photo by Barry Baker

3 More of the same—windfarms gaining approval through archaic assessment

BY NICK MOONEY

It is disappointing to see that the next of many proposed windfarms, this time a 31-turbine job at Jim’s Plain SSW of Stanley, is another step closer to full approval based on some eagle assessments of unknown precision and arbitrary setting of minimum turbine-to-nest distances. Sadly, it appears that yet another chance has been lost to have accurate, modern assessment and monitoring methods applied. It also remains to be seen whether offsets that directly and de- monstrably benefit eagles are applied. Even if there was an epiphany by the regulator (essentially the EPA) and industry, it is actually too late now to apply those modern methods to anything other than seeing what happens at Jim’s Plain after commissioning. Still, as an engi- Source:https://epa.tas.gov.au/ Documents/Appendices%20A 20-20 B.pdf neer recently told me 'there will always be another windfarm'.

The key assessments are an eagle nest search of areas within 1km of the site boundaries and an eagle utilisation survey of the site. Key management is having sufficient separation of nests and turbines, minimisation of disturbance to breeding during construction and reducing on-site hazards, including those other than turbines. Key monitoring issues are for mortalities and impacts on populations and then there are the yet-to-be detailed offsets. Eagle Nest Searches I was involved in the helicopter search of the area. Why 1km? It is a line-of site distance the EPA has cut and pasted from the distance I suggested thirty years ago to protect eagle nests from the disturbance of forestry operations. It was nothing to do with protecting them from lethal blades and for that purpose has no data basis. Therefore, it is arbitrary. The 1km distance is even more senseless now that turbines are reaching 250m in height, 50% more than the originals when the 1km distance was first set. Some turbines now loom over nests. We should have been studying the behaviour of eagles around nests and these sites by GPS tracking for years to give precise information on spatial intensity of activity to nominate protective distances. It is what other countries have been doing for quite a while. The nest search was good enough at the time but should be regarded as a temporary result. As with the dynamics introduced by forestry, it is likely nests come and go at a higher rate in these windfarm sites, disrupted as they are. Hence, forestry nest searches have a 2-year life span. Not so windfarms. Their searches years before commissioning are good for the regulator indefinitely. Some windfarm companies (eg Goldwind) at least make an effort to find and monitor nests much further afield, giving them the ability to realistically monitor impacts. Good for them.

4 Eagle Utilisation Survey Essentially eagle utilisation surveys involve a dispersed group of observers watching for eagles and estimating their distance, height and flight routes, much the same as someone might have done hundreds of years ago. Surveyors have no idea how many eagles are seen (except at once) and judgments of distance, height and routes across the ground are not tested, so the surveys have unknown precision and are thus unreliable. They are simply an uncalibrated index of activity, much like estimating wallaby utilisation from a mess of footprints on a muddy track. For several years now in Tasmania dispersion of immature Wedge-tailed Eagles equipped with GPS has been studied by James Pay (UTAS) helped by Jason Wiersma (Forest Practices Authority), giving amazing data. Yet despite the obvious potential for calibration of survey techniques, the windfarm eagle utilisation surveyors have to my knowledge never calibrated their estimates against that precise information by surveying where such birds are known to be. We have tried it for Where Where Wedgie surveys and even my raptor road counts, so why not something as crucial as the eagle utilisation surveys? It is as though these utilisation surveys are not taken seriously by the industry or the regulator, whatever their importance in approvals.

Wedge-tailed Eagle : Photo by Michelle Turner

A domino effect from these eagle utilisation surveys is that based on them, the EPA says no collision risk modelling is required at Jim’s Plain. How are we supposed to have faith in this ‘house of cards’? There is no plan to further monitor local eagle populations at Jim’s Plain so we will never know the windfarm's impacts, let alone if the windfarm becomes a population sink. Such a possibility is glibly dismissed as very unlikely on the basis of nest searches of very limited areas and eagle utilisation surveys of unknown precision. But, that’s apparently good enough. There are moves afoot for windfarms to GPS-equip a few local eagles here and there, but the effort is small, piecemeal and looks increasingly like most, if not all, planned windfarms will be approved before powerful data is available.

Monitoring for Mortalities The windfarm modus operandi has shrunken search areas to a radius from turbines equivalent to 1/2-1/3 their height - essentially under the turbines. So only catastrophically injured eagles can be found. These eagles are another uncalibrated index even though both regulator and industry continue to routinely insinuate they are the total killed. Anything clipped that limps off to die elsewhere is not known, let alone recorded.

Again, we should be studying injuries and mortalities of GPS-equipped birds so we know what happens to them. It could be good news for the industry but as is, we’ll never know. Monitoring impacts on nesting

There is no plan that I can find to monitor nesting of eagles around the site, so we will never know the windfarm impacts on local breeding. GPS-tagged eagles would again let us measure this. The EPA relies on an industry paper on some aspects of eagle breeding near a windfarm which itself cautions about its data robust- ness. Offsets Offsets are based on birds found dead or incapacitated under turbines. It follows that unless an accurate measure of mortality is made, offsets will always be inadequate since the total mortality can only be larger than an index. Regarding the usual windfarm offset for eagle kills—covenanting nests elsewhere – there is no evidence that it actually increases chick production, which is the whole idea. Other offsets are contributions to research and that may or may not be beneficial to eagles. Either way, benefits can be hard to identify. Why not simply increase the rate of making powerlines ‘bird-safe’, such as is routinely done as offsetting in the USA? Or if indirect offsets are preferred, get a lot of eagles GPS-equipped? Another advantage of electronically equipped eagles is that it gives an opportunity for the birds’ equipment to alert turbines that they are approaching and have blades slow or feather. That technology is being used in the USA. Finally, I can find no evidence that the accumulative impacts of windfarms are considered in the Jim’s Plain proposals and approvals. The reality is that the EPA considers the impacts of any windfarm on eagles insubstantial (what it has told me). Rolling out that judgment across all windfarms still adds up to insubstantial impacts. Without a defensible Population Viability Analysis and accurate measures of impact, that’s simply nonsense. I cannot understand why precise measures are not insisted on. For full details of the Jim’s Plain windfarm approval process visit https://epa.tas.gov.au/assessment/ assessments/upc-robbins-island-pty-ltd-jims-plain-renewable-energy-park-north-west-tasmania

Nick Mooney BirdLife Australia Raptor Group

Robbins Island Wind Farm In April 2020, the Tasmanian Environment Protection Authority (EPA) approved the Jim’s Plain windfarm proposal, with conditions. Contrary to some media reports in early May, this approval by the EPA does not include turbines on Robbins Island, which are part of a separate proposal.

BIrdLife Tasmania is awaiting the public release of the Development Proposal and Environmental Management Plan (DPEMP) for the Robbins Island Wind Farm, and will be making a submission at the time. We understand the DPEMP has been, or will shortly be submitted to the Tasmanian EPA for assessment. Until the document is publicly released, we do not have access to it. BirdLife Tasmania has discussed our concerns regarding the Robbins Island windfarm with the proponent and associated consultants and engineers for almost a decade, and remains firmly opposed to the proposal to site up to 200 turbines inside the Robbins Passage KBA.

6 Birdata is easy to use and helps our birdlife!

We all know that good research relies on good-quality data. We also know that BirdLife Australia’s researchers and many others across Australia use the Birdata database as a primary source of data to further the conservation of our bird populations. BirdLife Tasmania’s own project to promote Birdata, funded by the Australian Bird Environment Fund (ABEF), recognises that one of the best ways to help our birdlife is through people utilising Birdata when making and recording their bird observations. Birdata is the best online way of helping our birdlife! BirdLife Tasmania has produced four Birdata Fact Sheets to make it easy to start using Birdata, explaining how to do each type of search. These are available on the BirdLife Australia website at https://www.birdlife.org.au/locations/birdlife-tasmania/science-education-tas.

Birdata Fact Sheet Title Aim of the Fact Sheet Comments Fact Sheet

When and how to do and The simplest method and a 500 m Area Search record a search within a #1 good place to start. large area. When and how to do and The highest research value, 2 hectare, 20 minute Search record a search within a especially if repeated regular- #2 defined area and time. ly. Important for recording the When and how to record a Incidental Search sightings of nocturnal birds, #3 single observation. raptors and rare birds. Describes how to select a Balances the research benefit What type of Search search method that suits of searches with your personal #4

you. capabilities.

We want to involve as many members as possible in the conservation of Tasmania’s birds by ensuring that bird observations are recorded. We can all make a meaningful contribution. Even one morning a month dedicated to doing a couple of bird surveys will make a difference (but beware it can be addictive). Evidence-based plans and actions to protect birds and their habitat need current data. Reports such as the State of Tasmania’s Birds and the Australian Bird Atlas rely on our data to tell us what is happening to bird populations.

What is the status of these beautiful birds? Your surveys will help find out.

Eastern Spinebill: Photo by Helen Cunningham

If you would like to know more about Birdata, then please contact the Secretary, BirdLife Tasmania at [email protected] or visit the Birdata page on the BirdLife Australia website at birdata.birdlife.org.au

7 Beneath the radar BY DON KNOWLER

Author and journalist Andrew Darby reveals in his new book how an unassuming bird’s little - known migratory route laid a path for him to pursue hope and research to the far end of the globe. A bird which seeks eternal summer captivated writer Andrew Darby the first time he came across it in its netherworld of mudflat and saltmarsh.

Darby had other, bigger and more dramatic long-billed and long-legged quarry in mind on a mission to write about the trapping and satellite-tracking of shorebirds in the battle to save them from extinction. His eyes settled, however, on the diminutive, unremarkable Grey Plover. As he puts it, this bird among many others of the wetland world interested him because it was a second-choice, 'every' bird. 'In life there are many surprises to be found among the overlooked,' he says. That initial encounter on the southern Australian coast was to unfurl into a personal odyssey as far-flung and remarkable as the epic journeys of the plovers themselves in an endangered, shrinking world. Darby had set out 'freighting this small bird with hope' on the wings of the power of science. Science at the cutting edge, though, would enter his own life when in mid-journey he was diagnosed with can- cer. A breakthrough in modern medicine was coming to Darby’s rescue in the same way that the power of science was helping the Grey Plover and other shorebirds survive. 'I felt a connection with the birds through science,’ he said over a cup of coffee at his home. 'We have all this data being collected on birds, so we know how to help secure their future. At the same time, basic research into the immune system has come up with this marvellous treatment to help people like me survive.' The twin odysseys of bird and man are told in Darby’s book, Flight Lines, in which he navigates not only the migration routes of the shorebirds across south-east Asia to the far north of Russia but tracks the paths of myriad scientists spread across the globe who have waders as their focus.

The book is as wide-ranging as the flight of the shorebirds which travel the East Asian–Australasian Flyway of migration. Science, natural history, environmental damage and possible redemption by humankind based on the researchers’ efforts: it is all neatly packed into its 324 pages. There is also a personal account of a sighting of the holy grail of birders, the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, whose population is now measured in the low hundreds in a range spreading from nest sites in far-eastern Russia to a migration route that stretches across east Asia to Burma in the west. With staggering declines in shorebird numbers across the globe, Darby’s work urges us all to act before it is too late and we lose not only the waders but the wetlands on which they feed.

'The plovers have probably been around for 130 million years, they have persisted over geological time. We should look to see how they have accomplished this; how they have worked the margins,’ he says.

Mixed flock of shorebirds At Shipwreck Point: Photo by Michael Hyland

8 'We should look to creatures like these birds as examples of how we, as people, can survive. This is not protection of shorebirds for protection’s sake. It is recognition of their lesson for us, of perseverance over time. 'If you look at these things, you realise the shores are important, the margins. How we treat wetlands and tidal flows is critical. We should look at the footprint we leave on the landscape. Birds tread lightly, especially shorebirds. They are ephemeral. They pass through with little evidence of their passage.' Darby explains he had been mesmerised by waders from the first time he saw big flocks of them at Robbins Island in north-west Tasmania. ‘I could see lines of silver shimmering shapes on the mudflats, moving in rhythm with the tides,' he says. As an environmental journalist, Darby in 2015 became concerned about the fate of his beloved shorebirds when he heard they were in serious trouble. Within months of each other four waders had been listed as critically endangered – the Far Eastern Curlew, the Curlew Sandpiper, the Great Knot and the sub-species of the Bar- tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica menzbieri) which travels the eastern shore of Australia on migration and also reaches New Zealand. ‘Later on, in 2017, as I kept delving deeper into the migratory shorebird world, I decided to write a book that might ring an alarm about these amazing creatures and their people. I felt that I needed to start the journey with the birds in Australia and, looking around, I discovered the work on birds, including the Grey Plover, being undertaken by Victorian and South Australian researchers at a very unassuming shore, Thompson Beach, just north of Adelaide. 'I thought, “Grey plover. What’s that?” And it went from there.' The researchers were using canon-netting techniques to trap several species so they could be fitted with satellite-tracking devices to plot their ultramara- thon flights. The Grey Plovers were among these, although it was not a priority target for the researchers. It’s a low-key wader – not threatened as yet – which tends to fly under the radar. It keeps a distance from big flocks of other species and is less special- ised in its feeding habits. It also has a short stumpy bill and, unlike some other long-distance travellers, a dumpy build. 'It’s not flashy. I saw in it a kind of humility. At the same time it appeared stoic and determined.' Photo of Andrew Darby by John Coomber Although the shorebird researchers at Thompson Beach had endangered and threatened species in mind, they also decided to fit devices to four Grey Plovers trapped in the nets. Darby witnessed this exercise, even holding one bird in his hand, and he hoped to hang his story on the travels of one, if not all, of these birds. The birds' traces were lost, though, before any of them could provide more than a hint about their annual flights. Darby settled instead on the remarkable account of two Grey Plovers fitted with transmitters in previous years, the birds unceremoniously named CYA and CYB which give time and place to their journeys, and insight into how they use the earth’s magnetic field, the sun and the heavens at night to plot their course to the tropics and beyond after crossing the Australian outback. CYA used Taiwan as a staging post within seven days of leav- ing Thompson Beach; CYB landed at Ningde on the Chinese mainland before flying to the Yellow Sea and then their breeding site, Wrangel Island, off the Siberian Coast and within the Arctic Circle. To provide colour for his book, Darby followed the same course. Although not following the actual CYA and CYB, he builds a story of their turbulent lives using Grey Plovers he sees along the flyway, and the places they alight, to reconstruct their journey. Flight Lines is published by Allen & Unwin, priced $32.99.

9 What Happens to Out-of-Range Records in Birdata? BY WARREN JONES AND MIKE NEWMAN

Most Birdata users will have come across the ‘out-of-range’ message at some time or another. It will pop up when you record a bird that is outside its normal range according to Birdata. A little red message appears under the species name indicating that the species is out of its core range at the location you have specified, and a message appears in the Notes box asking you to provide some comments on how you identified the species.

Birdata will prevent the submission of the survey if notes aren’t supplied (note that this is a recent change).

Once you have duly filled in some notes and submitted your survey, Birdata will flag any out-of-range records as ‘Queried’. This means that, although the record is still visible in My Data to the observer who entered the record, it is quarantined from the public database and cannot be seen by others using Explore. It will only become visible to all users if/when it has been vetted and ‘Accepted’. Until recently, vetting (i.e. examining Queried records and deciding what to do with them) was carried out through the Birdlife National Office, but we have now taken this on locally. The core ranges for Tasmanian birds loaded into Birdata are not perfect: ranges can and will change over time. One of the benefits of recording observations in Birdata is helping to refine the distribution of species and track changes in distributions as a result of climate change, the spread of invasive species, or other fac- tors. This means that you will sometimes find a species being flagged as out-of-range when you know it isn’t, or at a location where you have seen the bird before and provided notes on identification. Don’t despair or write a sarcastic comment in the Notes section. Computer programs don’t understand sarcasm and aren’t easily offended. However, remember that a real person has to make a judgment call on the veracity of the record, so make your notes as helpful as possible bearing in mind the significance of the record. Simply saying that you knew it was a (insert species name here) is just not good enough. When you score an out-of-range flag, perhaps the first thing to do is make sure that you haven’t made a ‘typo’ when entering the data into your phone app or computer and mistakenly entered a bird that only occurs in the wet tropics! The requirement to enter notes should alert you to such mistakes before you press ‘submit’. The amount of detail needed in the Notes section for an out-of-range record will vary with the importance of the record and the likelihood of confusing the bird with another species. At one end of the scale are records of birds where the core distribution in Birdata is not quite spot-on or hasn’t caught up with recent changes.

10 For example, if you see a sparrow or starling in a town on the West Coast you will get the out-of-range message. We know that these birds are likely to turn up in any sizable settlement and that most people will be familiar with and able to reliably identify them, so a relatively brief note will suffice (e.g.‘ small brown finch’). [We have requested a number of changes to core ranges to bring them up to date to reduce the number of out-of-range flags.] However, if you see an unusual species that wouldn’t normally be expected at that location, more detail should be provided, especially if the species is difficult to identify or easily confused with a similar species: for example, waders in non-breeding plumage. Photographs are gold in such cases, but failing this, notes on the characteristics you used to identify the bird should be provided. A field notebook (or phone memo) can be an excellent memory prompt in such cases. To know what is unusual you need to know what is usual (!) so you know when a sighting is noteworthy and needs more careful attention. A little research before you bird in a new area is always worthwhile. For example, Common Bronzewings are not common on King Island, with only a few confirmed records, mostly around Sea Elephant; you are much more likely to see Brush Bronzewings. So, if you see a bronzewing on KI and think it’s a Common, you will need to get a good look and be prepared to provide notes on how it was identified in response to the out-of-range flag. Pied Cormorants are another such trap for visitors to Tasmania from the mainland; common on the mainland, they are rare in Tasmania and from a casual glance can be substituted for the much more likely Black-faced Cormorant. If you come across a vagrant or rarity seldom seen in Tasmania then you may be asked to complete an Unusu- al Record Report Form (URRF). As well as notes on how you identified the bird, you will be asked for details such as the viewing distance, how long you observed the bird, viewing conditions and how much experience you have with the species and/or potentially confusing species. In such cases, photos are not just gold, they’re platinum! The URRF will be forwarded to a coordinator (currently the Birdlife Tas. Convenor) who will consult relevant experts as to whether the record should be confirmed. So, please don’t be offended if you’ve submitted a survey with an out-of-range record and receive an email asking for more information or even a request to complete a URRF. It is important to maintain the integrity and reliability of the Birdata database and that means applying a sliding scale of scrutiny to out-of-range records. Use a common-sense approach to the request for notes when prompted by Birdata: imagine that you are the one that has to decide whether the record should be added to the public Birdata database and what information you would require to be confident of this.

Any more oddities? – Andrew Walters

In April, a third leg was spotted on a silver gull. That's odd! Earli- er this year, a White-headed Pigeon was seen in Launceston. That's strange! In May, a gathering of forty Cattle Egrets near Cressy was unusual! And there are surely more odd things out there. These observations will help researchers to better understand our birds and their requirements, and ultimately may help protect our birdlife. Seagull with third leg: Photo by ©Eric J Woehler The Editor of the Oddities of behaviour and occurrence section in the annual Tasmanian Bird Report is keen to compile such reports for the next issue of the TBR. The ‘Oddities’ section includes reports of unusual bird behaviours and unusual occurrences of out-of-range species and the like. If you come across such an oddity, please send your description, with a photo if you have one, to [email protected] and it will be forwarded to the editor of the Tasmanian Bird Report.

11 Bird-safe architecture BY CATHY BULMAN

A recent article in The Conversation by Prof Norman Day, a celebrated architect and lecturer at Swinburne Uni- versity of Technology, claims an astonishingly high number of birds killed by building strike (https://theconversation.com/buildings-kill-millions-of-birds-heres-how-to-reduce-the-toll-130695 ). Prof Day states that in New York City about 200,000 birds are killed each year by flying into its high-rise buildings: across the US an estimate of 365 million to a billion birds are killed in these sorts of collisions. This is in addition to the cat-kill estimate of up to 4 billion birds a year (and that’s another story). Prof Day says the problem arises because birds fly at about 150m while migrating, much lower than high-rise buildings on average. In cities such as New York there are hundreds of skyscrapers with fully glass, reflective walls such as the One World Trade at 541m high and even the 100th tallest building is nearly 200m tall. In Mel- bourne, the Australia 108 building is 316m, Eureka is 300m, Aurora is 270m and the Rialto is 251m. Rooftop gardens also can add to the problem by providing welcome roosting spots for birds, but they ultimately can mean the birds become confused and lost when flying off in the ‘canyons of reflective glass walls’ that reflect the open sky. To birds, glass does not appear to be solid and most readers will have experienced birds flying into our windows from time to time, often fatally. At night, too, lights from buildings can disorientate and lure birds to their deaths. But Prof Norman gives some practical solutions to mitigating these unfortunate deaths. Awnings, screens, grilles, shutters and verandas, and of course, opaque glass, will deter birds from running into buildings. New developments in glass manufacture are using patterns of mixed-UV wavelength range (that birds see but we do not) that alert birds to glass. Some cities (in the US) are legislating that all new buildings and alterations under 23m be designed so birds recognise glass. Most people would be familiar with scare tactics such as birds of prey images to scare birds and noisy solutions to which they become acclimatised eventually. Recently zen curtains were developed at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, prompted by a PhD student concerned at the number of rainbow lorikeets running into the buildings. They were developed from an idea from the Ameri- can Bird Conservancy. The curtain is a series of ropes, attached over glass, in vertical rows from top to Source: Twitter: UQ News on ABC.net.au/news website bottom of the building, which cre- ate striation patterns on the windows that the birds see and consequently avoid (check it out here: https:// www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-28/the-curtain-saving-birds-from-hitting-glass-windows/11638774). But for us, Prof Day suggests that marking windows or even keeping blinds semi-open so birds can see them will help.

12 Back to our cities. In Hobart our tallest buildings are way less than those of mainland cities – Wrest Pont is still highest at 73m (but not in the city centre), the new RHH not far behind at 68.5m – and the buildings are not the frameless glass style. But that could change if ever skyscrapers such as the 210m Fragrance tower or the 180m proposal for Brooke St (complete with mirrored walls and rooftop gardens that are stunningly contrary to recommendations) were approved https://architectureau.com/articles/proposed-hobart-skyscraper-soars- to-180-metres-in-updated-designs/#img-0 . The debate about the heights of these proposed buildings did cause the HCC to draw breath and seek advice, so while the heights of buildings may now be limited, did they even consider the bird-savviness of the architectural design? Birds are thought to use the River Derwent coastline to navigate (EJ Woehler pers. comm.) and our harbourside buildings could get in their way. Prof Day concludes ‘We have a responsibility to provide safe flying and security from the effects of human habitation and construction, and we know how to achieve that’. But do our town planners and architects? Perhaps not: the Major Projects Bill currently in the news purports to review the Tasmanian Planning Commis- sion and tourism plans for the World Heritage Area but is aiming to bypass all the regulatory processes (aka red tape) that are designed to protect our communities, wildlife and heritage from aggressive developers. And that is another story*.

Source: Proposed 180m skyscraper for Hobart with rooftop gardens Image: ArchitectureAU.com

*More information about the Major Projects Bill, prepared by the Tasmanian Conservation Trust, can be found at: http://www.tasconservation.org.au/major-projects Note: submissions closed on 15 May.

13 South-eastTasmanian KBA report indicates climate-related concern for some species

BY SHARON MOORE

Report: South-east Tasmania KBA—2019 Report on Avifauna, prepared by Mike Newman with contributions from Eric Woehler, Warren and Sue Jones, Andrew Walter, Sue Drake, Barry Baker and Tim Reid The South-East Tasmania Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) is a huge area extending from Orford in the north to Re- cherche Bay in the south and includes the Tasman Peninsula (but not Maria Island or Bruny Island, which are KBAs in their own right). Australian KBAs are part of an international program that aims to monitor the health of areas of particular importance for biodiversity and lobby for improvements for conservation where that health is at risk. The South-east Tasmania KBA is important for much of Tasmania’s birdlife, including each of the twelve Tasmanian endemic species and the critically endangered Swift Parrot. For more information about KBAs, go to: https://www.birdlife.org.au/projects/KBA Recently, a team from BirdLife Tasmania led by Mike Newman prepared a report on the status of the ‘focal species’ within the KBA, that is, the birds which have been nominated under the KBA program for monitoring. The report is based on surveys undertaken by volunteers and submitted to BirdLife Australia’s database, Birdata. The following is a brief summary of the findings. Overall, 133 bird species were recorded during 2019 by 38 contributors recording 1269 surveys. The distribution of the surveys is shown in the map below. While the number of contributors was slightly down from 2018, the number of surveys increased by around 23%. Over 50% of the surveys were 2-hectare 20-minute surveys, many involving repeat monthly visits to the same site, providing excellent data for future comparisons.

Sites surveyed in the South-east Tasmania KBA during 2019. Red circles are largest at intensively surveyed locations.

14 Through analysing the reporting rates (RR) of each focal species, that is, the twelve endemics plus the Swift Parrot, Flame Robin, Scrubtit and Pink Robin in 2ha surveys, a number of conclusions were drawn about species which had a high reporting rate (data-rich), those for which there was a somewhat lower reporting rate (data-limited) and those where there was a much lower reporting rate (data-deficient). Data-rich species:

Species No. of 2 ha surveys Reporting rate in 2019 (2018) in 2019 (2018) Green Rosella 198 (156) 29.7 (28.7) Yellow-throated Honeyeater 289 (230) 43.3 (42.4) Black-headed Honeyeater 89 (59) 13.3 (10.9) Yellow Wattlebird 117 (109) 17.5 (20.1) Tasmanian Scrub-wren 144 (66) 21.6 (12.2) Tasmanian Thornbill 141 (33) 21.1 (6.1) Black Currawong 79 (58) 11.8 (10.7) Pink Robin 64 (10) 9.6 (1.8)

Data-limited species:

Swift Parrot 31 (4) 4.7 (0.7) Tasmanian Native-hen 36 (34) 5.4 (6.3) Strong-billed Honeyeater 37 (34) 5.6 (6.3) Dusky Robin 39 (49) 5.9 (9.0) Flame Robin 39 (24) 5.9 (4.4)

Data-deficient species:

Forty-spotted Pardalote 1 (1) 0.15 (0.2) Scrubtit 11 (5) 1.7 (0.9) Striated Fieldwren (1) (0.2)

While the reporting rate of a small number of some species increased, for example the Tasmanian Thornbill, and others remained fairly stable, the decreased reporting rate of some species is concerning, and even the increases recorded did not necessarily indicate good news.

From their analysis of reporting rates, the team made the following observations: • The increased recording of surveys in wet forest on kunanyi/ Mt Wellington could account for the increase in reporting rates for some wet-forest species, in particular the Tasmanian Thornbill and Pink Robin. It could be that the wet-forest sites are refugia for these species during periods of drought, such as the current one still affecting the mountain. However, the reporting rates of other wet-adapted species did not experience such an increase.

Olive Whistler: Photo by Michelle Turner

15 The team was particularly concerned about the reporting rates of the Scrubtit and non-focal species the Olive Whistler (which decreased by 65%), a key finding of the report. These wet gul lies are likely to become more important due to climate change and more frequent droughts and at the same time are likely to shrink as droughts and warming continue.

• All records of the critically endangered Forty- spotted Pardalote within the KBA in 2019 (7) were from the Tinderbox Peninsula, on the D’Entrecas- teaux Channel. Only one was recorded in a 2ha 20- minute survey. These birds were previously regu- Forty– spotted Pardalote: Photo by Alan Fletcher larly recorded in the Peter Murrell Reserves south of Kingston, but sightings have declined signifi- cantly in recent years and in 2019 none were recorded at all, despite regular monitoring. As the report notes ‘This apparent loss of one of the few remaining locations of the species in Tasmania other than on the off-shore islands is of concern.’

• The apparent increase in recorded sightings of the critically endangered Swift Parrot in the KBA cannot be regarded as indicating an increase in population, as the sightings were concentrated in an area on kunanyi/Mt Wellington where survey effort had substantially increased. The locations where Swift Parrots breed vary every year, being Swift Parrot: Photo by Peter Vaughan determined by food availability. They were ab- sent in 2019 from areas of the KBA where they were frequently recorded during the 2017 breeding season.

• The low reporting rate for the Tasmanian Boobook is due to the nature of the surveys – as a nocturnal species, these birds are not usually recorded during 2ha 20-minute surveys.

The report has been submitted to BirdLife Australia’s Boobook Owl: Photo by Peter Vaughan KBA program, and a detailed report on the findings will be published in Tasmanian Bird Report 41.

16 Birding in backyards initiative

BY KAREN DICK

The coronavirus pandemic that has kept most of us at home for the past couple of months has opened up a new opportunity to spend time investigating the birds in our own gardens. Early in the lockdown a Facebook Group called #birdthefeckathome was started by some Australian birders, and went global. Currently more than 4800 members in more than 70 countries have logged bird species seen from their properties, and a total of 3379 species (around one-third of the world total) have been recorded. On a single Sunday, more than 1300 birds were recorded. In addition, Birdlife Australia instigated a Birding at home initiative, building upon the Birds in Backyards programme. As part of this, the network team started the Branches in Backyards competition, to see which state can record the most backyard bird surveys during this period. Currently Tasmania is in fifth place in the species standings, having recorded 95 species, but only submitted 9 surveys to the programme in the past fortnight. If you are keen to keep track of what birds you see in your garden, and to participate in the Branches in Back- yards project, why not join in and add your sightings to the database so we can keep track of changes in the future. You don't need to be an expert birdwatcher to help out and each survey only requires 20 minutes of your time – a great time is during a sit-down with a cuppa. There are features in the survey that will assist you, including a list of 30 common birds found in your area with photos. To take part in surveys and to add to the Branches in Backyards initiative, you will need to record your observations via BirdLife Australia's data portal Birdata (https://birdata.birdlife.org.au/). You need to have a Bird- Life Australia Account to access the data. Membership is free, providing you with your own password that allows Birdlife to keep track of repeat records from the same location. When taking part in a survey, just remember to choose ‘Birds in Backyards’ under the Record Survey tab and don’t forget to include your postcode, so that your survey is logged to the Tasmania branch. You can also choose to select to receive Birds in Backyards eNews from Birdlife. Step-by-step instructions are given in this youtube video and more detailed information is in the pdf document https://www.birdsinbackyards.net/sites/www.birdsinbackyards.net/files/birdata%20app%20guidelines%20%281% 29.pdf Note: while this document refers to the app, it applies equally to using Birdata via the website on a computer.

For a taste of some of the information that is coming out of these backyard surveys, have a look at the latest blog from the Volunteer and Network Engagement Officer James Matcott, where they focus on some of the species recorded by the Ballarat Branch. https://www.networkbirdlife.org/home/2020/5/25/branches-and-backyards

If you need any help, you can email the Secretary at [email protected] Happy birding.

17 Is your cat a killer? BY CATHY BULMAN

We all love our pets and they have probably been loving having us about showering them with attention during this time of lock-down. And of course, we know they wouldn’t harm our wildlife, especially our birds, don’t we? Or do we? An article in The Conversation by Jaana Dielenberg and colleagues (https://theconversation.com/one-cat-one-year-110-native-animals-lock-up-your-pet-its-a-killing-machine- 138412) points to a recent analysis of studies on pet cat predation worldwide including Australia (Legge et al. 2020) which indicates that pet cats in our urban environment are 28-52 times more destructive than feral cats in natural environments, and even 1.3-2.3 times more destructive than ferals in urban areas. They do take more introduced species, but even so, they kill a great many more native animals than ferals. Only 29% of domestic moggies are constrained by their responsible owners but it still leaves over 2.7 million not constrained, freely roaming at night. One single roaming pet cat was estimated to kill 186 mammals, birds and reptiles on average per year – a rate of over 4000-8000 animals per square km of cat-inhabited area – a total of 390 million mostly native animals per year. ‘Oh no – my Tiddles wouldn’t do anything as dastardly as that,’ you might say, but how would you know if they only bring a very small portion, around 15%, of their kill home? Pet cats living near bushland areas and reserves are even more likely to go hunting, thereby reducing any effectiveness of these reserves to protect wildlife. Their role in the extinction of many species both worldwide and within Australia is well documented and even as early last century it was noted that the introduction of cats into an area was followed by the decline of many native birds (Woinarski et al. 2017). Medium-sized birds that live or nest on the ground or on island are most vulnerable. Many years ago, I saw the sad result of feral cat predation on parrots nesting on Maria Island and remember the attempts of the then Head Ranger – Peter Mooney – to trap these monstrous killers. Beach-nesting birds are also vulnerable in coastal towns. A study in a Fairy Tern colony in WA found that the impact of predation by a stray cat on this colony caused the repro- ductive failure of 111 nests and abandonment of the colony (Greenwell et al. 2019). Fairy Terns are listed as Vul- nerable under the Environment Protection (Biodiversity Conservation) Act 1999 and cat predation is noted as a major threatening process. Something else to consider when trying to manage and protect threatened species such as we have here in Tasmania from the threats of cohabitation with we humans. As a member of our BirdLife Tas Committee, Perviz Marker, often reminds us, ‘People have a choice, wildlife doesn’t.’ So, let’s make sure our pets are under lock-down too.

References

Greenwell, C.N., Calver, M.C. and Loneragan, N.R. (2019) Cat gets its Tern: A case study of predation on a threatened coastal seabird. Animals 9 (7), 445. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9070445

Legge, S., Woinarski, J.C. Z., Dickman, C.R., Murphy, B.P., Woolley, L-A. and Calver, M.C. (2020) We need to worry about Bella and Charlie: The impacts of pet cats on Australian wildlife. Wildlife Research. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR19174

Woinarski, J.C.Z., Murphy, B.P, Legge, S.M., Garnett, S.T., Lawes, M.J., Comer, S., Dickman, C.R., Doherty, T.S., Edwards, G. , Nankivell, A., Paton, D., Palmer, R., Woolley, L.A. (2017). How many birds are killed by cats in Australia? Biological Con- servation 214, 76-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2017.08.006

18 Cat management in Tasmania

A few interesting things that you might like to look further into:

• The state government has overall responsibility for cat management via the Cat Management Act 2009. The Act is proposed to be amended by a Bill introduced into the Tasmanian Parliament in November 2019, which aims to implement provisions of the Tasmanian Cat Management Plan 2017-2022. For information on the state government’s cat-management responsibilities and initiatives, go to: https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/invasive-species/cat-management-in-tasmania • Predation by feral cats is listed as a Key Threatening Process under the federal Environment Protection (Biodiversity Conservation) Act 1999. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/key- threatening-processes Under the Act, the Invasive Species Unit of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) works towards implementing the Threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats (2008 – updated in 2015). http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/ threatened/publications/tap/threat-abatement-plan-feral-cats • Regarding domestic cats, the government funds the TassieCat project, which is supported by Cradle Coast NRM, Kingborough Council and NRM North, which each hosts a regional cat co-ordinator. The project recognises that responsible cat ownership is critical for reducing cats’ impacts on native animals and birds and other domestic animals, and for the health and safety of cats themselves. It aims to facilitate local government participation in cat management, assist with compliance with legislation, and educate cat owners and communities about responsible cat management. For more information, including re- sources to assist cat owners manage their cats responsibly, please go to: https://www.tassiecat.com/ • Kingborough Council, in Tassie’s south, has been particularly active with cat management. In 2007, The Tasmanian Conservation Trust initiated a joint cat-management program with the council, and the program still exists today, though mostly a council responsibility now. Out of that project developed a major federally funded project, which commenced in July 2016 and has just been funded for a further three years. https://www.kingborough.tas.gov.au/services/animal-management/cats/cats-bruny-island/ • As well as working on controlling feral and stray cats, the Kingborough cat management program aims to educate cat owners about the benefits of responsible cat ownership, in particular preventing pet cats from roaming from home. There is a wealth of information on the council’s website: including, hot off the presses, a new video, ‘At home with cats’, which is the sequel to ‘Inside with cats.’ https://www.kingborough.tas.gov.au/services/animal-management/cats/

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/oct/04/cats-kill-1-million-australian-birds-a-

19 Letter from the Raptor Refuge BY CRAIG WEBB

Dear Raptor Lovers, Well, as I usually start off I will again… Busy times at Raptor Refuge, on many levels. The virus removed 95% of our income by not being able to do our famed Walk ’n’ Talks but it increased the number of new patients. I put this down to more folk being at home and actually seeing and finding raptors in distress, so we have kept busy doing what we do – helping birds of prey. It has, however, also been a time of great progress with our facilities. A project that I have been working on for four years is in the final phase: the erection of a seriously massive eagle flight aviary! We already had huge flight aviaries which are said to be the biggest in the southern hemisphere, well this new flight cell dwarfs those ones, Woohoo!! At Raptor Refuge we understand that these very large birds of prey require large areas to regain fitness prior to our goal of release. To stick to our motto… ‘Get ’em in, get ’em out.’ This aviary was constructed in Croatia and shipped to Tassie via Singapore. It is constructed of a state-of-the- art material, namely Dyneema, which is extremely strong, light weight and UV resistant, all the qualities that will make this aviary a long-lasting, fantastic addition to our already awesome facilities. It is a serious ‘budgie cage’, with a volume of 16 thousand cubic metres. I am excited at the prospect that we will be able to assist even more eagles as they come into our care and require flight training. The photos show the aviary at ground level: the raising of this beauty coincides with two days after this article was required, ha- ha, a tease – yes, you can’t see it just yet. Feel free to follow us on Facebook or Instagram and see the time-lapse videos and photos of the process and the end result. Our 1800RAPTOR* hotline (FOR DEAD OR INJURED RAPTORS – NOT FOR GENERAL ENQUIRIES) has been running hot. It is a won- derful way for people to get the appropriate help for our Tasmani- an raptors. Lastly, in this brief article I would like to mention our new friends at Woolworths, where we will be selling our awesome 2021 Raptor Refuge calendar. This is a huge bonus and not only do we get to raise much-needed funds, but more people of Tasmania have access to our 15th consecutive calendar and the 1800RAPTOR stick- ers. It will be in ALL 31 Woolworths stores, who I might add, have been so professional and supportive of this venture. So, folks, that’s it for now, lots going on and lots of Construction of the new Aviary: photos by Craig Webb raptors being assisted in recovery here at Raptor Refuge. *1800 727867 Until next time, stay safe!

20 BirdLife Tasmania news and views Conveners report—Eric Woehler The recent Executive Committee meetings were quite full of news to report on various activities undertaken by BirdLife Tasmania during the current restrictions. What follows is a brief snapshot of some of the activities in which BirdLife Tasmania is presently involved regarding the conservation and management of Tasmania’s birds and their habitats:

• Prosser River – follow-up with Council consultant re protection of Prosser River KBA • Discussions, reports and data to Federal Department of Environment on Tasmanian Ramsar wetlands for updating sites’ Ramsar Information Sheets • Comments submitted on Draft National Recovery Plan for Australian Fairy Terns • Betsey Island visit and discussions with Parks and Wildlife Service re weed management and seabirds • Approach to Eaglehawk Neck Coastcare re coastal issues • Discussions re Arm End golf precinct, text prepared for interpretational signs • Extensive analyses of woodland bird species data to assess species’ population trends at well-monitored sites • Bridgewater Bridge upgrade – discussions re surveys and timing of survey efforts • Species texts for Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020 prepared • Discussions with DPIPWE Marine Farming Branch re coastal clean-up efforts in SE Tasmania over the winter months • Engagement with new Bruny Island aquaculture operators • Discussions with indigenous community re seabird and shorebird surveys in 2020/21 season • Grindstone Bay shorebird and seabird data currently being analysed • Discussions with residents and PWS for shorebird conservation efforts, NE Tasmania 2020/21 • Planning and preparations for the Winter Gull Count on 7 June 2020 • Planning and preparations for Winter Wader Count on 25 July 2020 • Planning for shorebird information and training session in NW Tasmania in early 2021

Can you guess the identity of these birds?

Photo by Caroline Osborne Photo by Ian MacFarlane Photo by Bob Fletcher

Identity of bird photos from March edition: Bird Photographs Night Heron by Geoff Shannon Do you have some great photographs of birds you would like to Pied Comorant by Ink share in YT or ebulletin? Then please send them to: [email protected] Australian Reed Warbler by Michelle Turner Please identify the photo with the name of the bird and your name.

21 Book review

Immy’s Endangered King Island Birds By Imogen Nicole Williams and Lauren Addison-Mullins Review by Geoff Shannon This little book is an insightful tale as told by an 11-year-old bird lover, Immy, who is also the illustrator. Immy lives on King island and obvious- ly knows her birds well. This is the tale of what happens when one of her endangered avian family goes missing. A whole range of bird friends help in the task of finding their friend Garret the Orange-bellied Parrot. During the course of this tale we meet Immy’s friends and discover something about their lifestyle. We also learn a lot about King Island and the problems facing its wildlife. The illustrations are rather lovely, and indicate that the illustrator must have observed the birds. There are coloured pictures with background showing knowledge of their habits and the ones of individual birds show the shape really well; the Shy Albatross is excellent. I’ve seen many worse in professional galleries. There is what is in effect an appendix mentioning the common threats to wildlife and a brief segment about six of the birds that are special to King Island. This is a book that could and should be shared by parents or grandparents with their young children. It is a great little book that is a good start to discussing environmental issues and the risk to endangered birds. I would like to think that it is essential reading for all the children on the island. Any member who has the opportunity to share this with children may find this a good way to get them interested in birds. This book is currently privately published by Lauren Addison-Mullins.

Contact for purchase: [email protected]

DAWN CHORUS PROJECT

For those of you that love to listen to the birds sing, there is an interesting project that you can join in with, called the Dawn Chorus Project, that started in Denmark. However whist the recording window closed on 22nd May, there is some very interesting information to follow up on. #DawnChorus is a project by BIOTOPIA (Bavaria’s new museum of life sciences and environment) and the Nantesbuch Foundation based in the Bavari- an foothills of the Alps.

Please follow the link below to access the project website, where you will find information on what this project is about, how to participate and get tips on how to improve your sound recordings on your phone.

Let’s get recording! www.dawn-chorus.org

22 Birding Walk—Arboretum Geoff Shannon Tuesday 10th March. Thirteen of us met in the carpark at the Arboretum at Eugenana initially under cloudy skies but the clouds thinned and it became quite warm at the end. The absence of wind was a bonus. The group was composed of both U3A and some BirdLife Tasmania members (some were members of both). The first interesting sighting was a family of the ubiquitous Tasmanian Native-hen, but this included two balls of fluff, chicks, only a couple weeks old. Shortly after this our piebald native hen arrived, and then another family with 3 chicks of the same age. This is unusual timing as summer clutches are not common in drier periods. (These clutches would have been laid in late January after 3 very dry months.) In the stand of large original Eucalypts that were flowering were a large number of Little Wattlebirds. Unusually, with the amount of flowering, there were no New Hollands and very few yellow-throats. At the back of the Tasmanian native planting were Grey Fantails in profusion. I have seen this high density in late summer-early autumn in the NW in previous years. The behaviour suggests pre-migration gathering. In the same area were large numbers of Silvereyes with the occasional Brown Thornbill. Also a small group of Black-headed Honeyeaters passed through. Amidst all of this a Beautiful Firetail gave most people a good view. We then proceeded round the lake with the normal occupants: Coot, Chestnut Teal and Black Duck, standing out amongst them were two somewhat larger ducks with orange bills, presumably Mallard (farm duck) hybrids. After nice views of the honorary bird, the duck-billed Platypus, most members adjourned to café. A total of 23 species was recorded, but most noticeable was the absence of robins and Dusky Wood- swallows. Links

A good news story about Norfolk’s Island’s morepork owl (27 April 2020) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-17/norfolk-island-morepork-owl-new-generation/12150012

Good news story about increasing numbers of orange-bellied parrot (27 April 2020) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/27/numbers-of-critically-endangered-orange-bellied-parrot-soar-from -low-20s-to-more-than-100

Sea eagles harassed by remote-controlled plane in Devonport (19 May 2020) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-19/sea-eagles-harassed-by-remote-control-plane-in-tasmania/12261936

Black cockatoos and bad weather and other bird myths. An interesting story (21 May 2020) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-21/can-black-cockatoos-predict-bad-weather-busting-bird-myths/12124606

Good news story on the Wandering Albatross producing a record number of eggs (21 May 2020) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-21/wandering-albatross-produce-the-most-eggs-in-a-decade/12272370 a new subspecies of red-tailed black cockatoo discovered in WA (22 May 2020) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-22/new-subspecies-of-black-cockatoo-discovered-in-wa/12273964

Article in the news regarding endangered shorebirds being hunted during migration (23rd May 2020) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/23/endangered-shorebirds-unsustainably-hunted-during-migrations- records-show

Research into Hooded Plover migration suggesting movement inland outside breeding season in WA (22 May 2020) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-22/hooded-plover-study-inland-lake-migration-eyre-peninsula/12271406

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

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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 August 2020. Many thanks to all contributors, including the photographers, who retain copyright of their magnifi- cent photographs. All maps drawn from the BirdLife Tasmania database remain © BirdLife Tasmania. Views expressed in Yellow Throat are not necessarily those of BirdLife Tasmania, or of the editors, unless explicitly stated. 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 the following for ideas, inspiration, proofreading and/or distribution of Yellow Throat: Leah McDougall, Mike Newman, Mona Loofs-Samorzewski, Sue Drake. We thank the office of Mr Andrew Wilkie, MHR, for assisting in the production of Yellow Throat 110.

BirdLife Tasmania is a regional branch of BirdLife Australia

Photo credits first page: Top Yellow–throated honey eater: Photo by Alan Fletcher Bottom: Grey Fantail: Photo by Michelle Turner