South East

Number 73 May 2015

Red-capped Robin seen in Stringybark/Manna Gum habitat at Meereek Flora Reserve. Photo by Bob Green

The dry sedgeland was somewhat devoid of birdlife Meereek Flora Reserve except when two sets of beady eyes noticed the different tail colour in the fairy wrens. And yes Variegated Fairy-wrens were added to the rapidly Over twenty eager birdo's visited Meereek Flora increasing list of what ended up at 40 species for Reserve, only a few kilometres from Edenhope in the morning effort. th SW Victoria. This outing was organised on the 18 At morning tea/lunch break Jon spoke to the group of April by the Kowari Farm Tree Group in about woodland habitats and the unique features collaboration with Landcare Victoria to listen and some of our birds possess to survive and thrive in learn about woodland birds. such environments. Jon highlighted the need for Expert speaker and guide for the morning was none different structural elements, flowering diversity to other than ‘Jonathon Starks’. The group were treated with a talk by Jon about woodland birds Contents then a short walk to see an excellent mix of bushbirds. The walk took us through a variety of 1. Meereek Flora Reserve outing habitats from dry sedgeland, open red gum and 3. Eaglehawk Waterhole campout and AGM blue gum woodlands to stringybark with Prickly acacia. 5. Rainbow Report #32 Early on the watchers were looking down a fair 5. Australasian Ornithological Conference 2015 bit at the understorey flora including orchids as the 6. Wader Notes birds were a little quiet, but once we found some dense prickly habitat the small brown jobs started 7. Book Review by John Berggy to appear. A mixed flock of thornbills, wrens and 8. Nature’s Notes firetail finches kept us on our toes as they slowly hopped away from the group beneath the 11. Calendar of Events and Contacts protection of the acacia thicket. 12. Sightings Birds South East

Meereek Flora Reserve cont. Red Wattlebird ensure a diverse bird assemblage and suggested White-throated Treecreeper seasonality of use by birds was normal and we Scarlet Robin should undertake more regular visits to sites to pick up that change throughout the year. Red-capped Robin Varied Sittella Silvereye Australian Magpie Wedge-tailed Eagle Whistling Kite Peaceful Dove Welcome Swallow White-browed Babbler Red-browed Finch Crimson Rosella Bryan Haywood Musk Lorikeet This workshop was an informative session with Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Jon and a great reserve worthy of another look in spring. Laughing Kookaburra We thank Rachael Lloyd for allowing us to join in Golden Whistler on this Landcare event. By Bryan Haywood Willie Wagtail Meereek Flora Reserve bird list Grey Shrike-thrush Saturday 18 April 2015 Forest Raven Woodland Bird Workshop Grey Fantail Long-billed Corella Black-faced -shrike Striated Pardalote Fan-tailed Cuckoo Tree Martin Superb Fairy-wren Variegated Fairy-wren White-browed Scrubwren Brown Thornbill Yellow-rumped Thornbill Striated Thornbill Weebill Spotted Pardalote New Holland Honeyeater White-naped Honeyeater Yellow-faced Honeyeater White-eared Honeyeater Bryan Haywood

2 Birds South East Birds South East

circled round the northern end and a pair of EAGLEHAWK WATERHOLE sharp eyes picked up an Australian Owlet- CAMPOUT AND AGM nightjar that sat obligingly while five people circled the tree looking for the best angle and light to get a decent picture, this was a first 26-28 March 2015 daylight perched view for one of the group and a A strong turnout for the campout with eleven lifer for three of the group so a real bonus to get people camping and another six day visitors, such a great look. Friday was taken up with setting up and a short stroll nearby to the new campsite chosen for this trip, the previous site had been close enough to the water tank that movement at the camp was a bit off putting to the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos. As is typical of birds we didn’t see Red-tails at all over the weekend, but the new site did allow us room to spread out a bit more than we could previously. Birds were pretty quiet (other than the Sulphur- crested Cockatoos anyway). During the evening while sitting around a Barn Owl gave a short screech to the South letting us know it was there and Australian Owlet-nightjars could be heard calling as they circled the campsite. Saturday morning we headed in the vehicles to check out the southern end of the property, the back group of cars stopped to check out some Black-chinned Honeyeaters with identifiable photos taken, while the front group was waiting for them a Diamond Firetail was heard calling, a bit of scrambling and two birds were found and once again an identifiable image was taken (No photo prizes so far). The group split up to search for Southern Whiteface which were found as were Scarlet Robin, Mistletoebird and a very secretive group of Variegated Fairy-wrens. White-browed Babblers kept us entertained and the ever present Buff-rumped Thornbills kept us on our toes for the possibility of a Southern Whiteface amongst them. It was pretty quiet going and the light wasn’t great as many of the birds were just appearing as silhouettes, but the bird list steadily grew. Bob Green

A few of the expected birds evaded us but we did get great looks at some Weebills and Brown- Saturday afternoon we held our AGM with the headed Honeyeaters, sitting at camp in the following committee elected Convenor- Bob afternoon having a break and a Red-capped Green, Deputy Convenor- Wayne Bigg, Robin started its distinctive call in the narrow Secretary- Sue Black, Treasurer- Bryan Haywood section of trees next to the camp but failed to and Committee members Angela Jones, Wendy materialise. Trudgeon, Maureen Christie, Abigail Goodman and the addition of Cassie Hlava. An afternoon jaunt by a small few managed to pick up a solitary Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, Saturday evening once again the Barn Owl gave and a group of people with cameras in tow its call and later in the night, well early hours of

May 2015 3 Birds South East the morning the trifecta, Tawny Frogmouth, Mistletoebird Australian Owlet-nightjar and Southern Boobook Chestnut-rumped Heathwren could be clearly heard. Too clearly for one camper who thought the bloody things would Weebill never shut up. Brown Thornbill Sunday morning the numbers had reduced and Buff-rumped Thornbill the birds seemed much more active, good views were had of Brown Treecreepers and a Forest Yellow-rumped Thornbill Raven seemed intent on following us closely and Southern Whiteface making sure we had him on our list. Once again Brown-headed Honeyeaters were plentiful but at Red Wattlebird one point three Black-chinned Honeyeaters flew Noisy Miner overhead calling, most of the birds seen on the morning walk were of the more common varieties Yellow-faced Honeyeater but were definitely more active and plentiful than White-eared Honeyeater they had been the day before, Jacky Winters and Restless Flycatchers could also be heard calling Black-chinned Honeyeater at various times. White-naped Honeyeater A good list from a productive camp. Brown-headed Honeyeater By Bob Green New Holland Honeyeater

Eastern Spinebill Eaglehawk Waterhole campout birdlist White-browed Babbler 26-28 March 2015 Scarlet Robin Emu Red-capped Robin Nankeen Kestrel Diamond Firetail Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Long-billed Corella Grey Shrike-thrush Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Grey Fantail Galah Willie Wagtail Purple-crowned Lorikeet Restless Flycatcher Musk Lorikeet Magpie-lark Crimson Rosella Australian Magpie Southern Boobook Australian Raven Barn Owl Little Raven Tawny Frogmouth Forest Raven Australian Owlet-nightjar Welcome Swallow Laughing Kookaburra Common Starling White-throated Treecreeper Silvereye Brown Treecreeper Superb Fairy-wren Variegated Fairy-wren Spotted Pardalote

Striated Pardalote

4 Birds South East Birds South East

RAINBOW REPORT #32 By John Berggy Rainbow, 20 April 2015. Rainbow has both summer and winter migrants Reference : HANZAB Vol. 7 birds, but many of these are very irregular and in very dry years very few turn up at all. One of these summer migrants first turned up in 2008 and bred here. Since then they have arrived regularly every spring and stayed until mid autumn spending their time right in the middle of AUSTRALASIAN ORNITHOLOGICAL the town on the wires above the main intersection. The only strange thing about them CONFERENCE is that they shouldn’t be here at all. That is not because Rainbow is outside the bird’s normal Adelaide 25-27 November 2015 distribution, but it’s the wrong habitat entirely. The bird in question is the White-breasted Flinders University Woodswallow. While a couple of field guides imply that they have more of less generalized habitat requirements, HANZAB is quite emphatic. The first sentence of the section on habitat says “Closely associated with water…”I first saw them at Lalalty, which is a locality in southern NSW in 1963, where they were in trees near a generous sized farm dam. Over the years I can’t remember seeing them any distance from water, which is why it is odd that they come to Rainbow, where there is no water. True, there are effluent ponds out of town and a couple of storm water dams on the edge of town, but they are almost empty. So it’s hard to understand why the birds have come here where fo all practical purposes there is no water. This summer just passed hardly any migrants turned up. A few Bee-eaters and Black-faced Cuckooshrikes and the subject Woodswallows and nothing else. Usually there are flocks of Cockatiels and Budgies, and many others. But not this past year and although there has been a bit of rain, it’s only showers and the long term prediction is for an El Nino year, so the outlook for migrant birds next summer is grim. BirdLife , in collaboration with the The previous year (2013/14), many hundreds of Ornithological Society of New Zealand, is White-browed Woodswallows turned up right in committed to holding biennial conferences that town and most bred. Usually we only get a few provide a regular forum for the exchange of small flocks in the bush, but this time they were information and ideas between avian-based right in town and in peoples’ gardens. A few researchers and conservationists throughout the towns people actually came to ask me what the Australasian region. name of these strange birds was. One lady The conferences are held in a variety of venues asked me if they were Australian. When I replied to give attendees an opportunity to explore the that they were very much Australian, she gave diverse birdlife in the region. me a bit of a sideways look and said “I don’t know about that. I’ve seen them right up close If interested in going Bob Green will be attending and they look far too nice to be Australian. I’ll so have a chat to him. leave you to contemplate some of the strange ideas of some country people.

May 2015 5 Birds South East

WADER NOTES

The big wader news for this quarter is, of course, the Beach-Stone Curlew at Cape Douglas. Bob has a photo and report in his Nature’s Notes column. A highlight for this quarter was the Shorebirds 2020 count of Lake George, completed on 27th February. Little Lake was, of course, dry. Water was receding at Wooley Point, however, looking north there was a multitude of Shelduck and Swan. Of more interest to us were the small waders scattered along the shore. Too distant Maureen Christie for us to decide what they were, even with the scope. It was decided that I should walk to The final tally for the day was 3 Greenshank, 1 Cockies Point, following the water line whilst the Red Knot, 7,060 Stint, 250 Sharpies, 62 Curlew rest of the team drove around the shore Sands, 236 Red-caps, 10 Double-banded Plover, hopefully counting Red-caps. The waders along 48 Masked Lapwing, 35 Avocet and 4,200 the water line proved to be a mixed flock of Banded Stilt, plus the terns seen at Foster Point. Sharpies and Stints, with a smattering of Red- A very rewarding day indeed! caps and a few Curlew Sandpipers. A tight flock of roosting long legged white waders proved to The Departure Lounge. Birdlife, as part of their be 35 Avocet. By the time the two teams met up Farewell Shorebirds Program, set up 8 Departure again near Cockies Point we had a credible total Lounges around Australia, each featuring a of 90 Red-caps, 1,300 Stint, 110 Sharpies, 35 different species. Our Lounge was situated at Avocets and 10 Curlew Sands. Around Cockies Blackfellows Caves, and featured turnstone. Both Point and into Big Lake. The mixed flock of Sanderling Turnstone depart much later than waders at the waters edge continued in roughly other waders, and turnstone were still here on the same proportions as before, until we reached 30th April, despite the lounge having officially the Woakwine entrance. By now, sharpies had closed on 19th April! The photo of sanderling disappeared from the mix. A couple of was taken at Stony Drain (between Green Point Greenshank, 10 Double-banded Plover, Masked and Piccaninnie Ponds), on 22nd April. Lapwing. Several pairs of Red-caps exhibited Beginnings of breeding mean that these breeding behaviour and we were delighted to sanderling are much more colourful than the spot one pair with 2 fluffy chicks. Surprisingly normally grey and white birds that we see! few waders at the springs, but a flock of 30 http://farewellshorebirds.org.au/departure.php Spoonbill roosting in the distance. Only Royals seen. At the northern end of the lake, hardly Beachwrack Harvesting distinguishable from the white caps on the water, The conditions for the licence of Australian Kelp a flock of 3000 Banded Stilt. Unfortunately too Products P/L to harvest Beachwrack along our distant to check for leg flags. As we came down coast have not been determined yet. At the the western shore of Big Lake, past Red spider moment the proposal is for them to be permitted Soak, we found more Banded Stilt. Definitely to harvest 100% of the wrack from 50% of the one with OY/-, but until I can download Ritchie’s beach between Cape Jaffa and midway along photos we have to be patient before making a Rivoli Bay. There is also an application to extend decision as to which leg the flags were on. More the area to the Victorian border. We are stints, red-caps, Masked Lapwing and sharpies. obviously very concerned about this. I can And so to Foster Point. And a flock of small terns. provide information to anyone who would like it. Much to our amazement there were 200 Fairy Terns, 5 non-breeding Whiskered Terns and 2 General activities and weekly outings Little Terns. One of the Fairy Terns was carrying a fish, another was displaying. Perhaps they (note change of day) intended to breed? Unfortunately, on Ritchie’s We usually go out each Wednesday…….so that next visit a few days later, there were no small you can be told where and when the activity will terns present.

6 Birds South East Birds South East be - ring on landline Tuesday evening – 8738 shutter speeds, higher magnification and greater 0014. depth of field which resulted in images with much higher resolution and overall much superior We are involved in a myriad of activities involving colour control. Long lenses with built in waders – counting, banding and flagging, stabilizers resulted in seabird pictures which were searching for leg flags, work with beach nesting actually in sharp focus, not blurred by movement species, public education. We do Shorebird 2020 and for the first time ever were useful both as a counts in Jan/Feb; June/July. Hoodie counts in record and for identification purposes. May and November. This newsletter is quarterly, and many dates have not been organised when it This field guide does not claim to illustrate every goes to print. Much of our work is weather Australian bird. It covers continental Australia, dependant and done at short notice. If you have the sub-continent of , islands of the a particular interest please put your hand up ..... continental shelf and waters offshore. It everyone is always welcome! excludes birds of the offshore territories and vagrants. A few birds are not illustrated because Flag sightings there is no photograph available, eg Western Oystercatcher flag/coloured band sightings to be Ground Parrot, Night Parrot and Buff-breasted made to David Trudgen - [email protected]. Buttonquail. Turnstone engraved flag sightings and Hooded An important part of this book is a very good Plover colour flagged sightings made Vic coast discussion of the Australian climate and the through to Kingston – Australian habitats, both of which are key to [email protected]. All other flag understanding bird distribution in Australia. sightings – whenever possible – via the AWSG While being technically correct, this introduction website - is written in plain English instead of scientific http://www.awsg.org.au/reportform.php. If jargon and understandable for everyone. It is required, email contact - [email protected]. one of the best such summaries that I have read. Roger Standen has taken on the huge task of Given that habitat and distribution are often key managing the AWSG flag data base. Banded Stilt to confirming identification, this section is better observations can be sent to Reece Pedler - done than any other one volume book for [email protected], or me. identifying Australian birds, and is a must read By Maureen Christie, Friends of Shorebirds, SE. section of the book. 08 87380014, mobile 0427380014, Surprise, surprise, this book uses yet another 3rd May, 2015 taxonomic arrangement (the International Ornithological Congress World Bird List, version 3.3) It also changes some names. Pale White- eye becomes Ashy-bellied White-eye and Yellow white-eye becomes Canary White-eye. “ashy – BOOK REVIEW bellied” is awkward and does not really reflect a prominent feature of the bird, and whatever a Yellow White-eye brings to mind, it is not a BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. A Photographic canary. Some flycatchers become “flyrobin”. Guide This maybe inventive, but is not particularly useful. The recently split Tasmanian Boobook becomes “Morepork” which doesn’t describe its Iain Campbell, Sam Woods and Nick Leserberg, different call from the mainland Boobook well at photography by Geoff Jones. Princeton University all. They also include some likely future splits, Press. 2015. Andrew Isles A$50. the Shriketits, Naretha Parrot, Silver-backed Until recent years, photographic field guides Butcherbird and others, but omit splits accepted could not claim to be a great success. In by the Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) general, when trying to pin an identity on a such as the Spinifex Pigeon into two species. difficult bird, they would be the last references to There’s still quite a bit to be sorted out on the be consulted, if they were consulted at all. Then and nomenclature of Australian birds, in 2002, Dave Watts Field Guide to Tasmanian but a field guide is not the place to launch an Birds and then in 2013 Birds of incomplete campaign for changes. by Simon J Nevill set new standards. The advent Most of the illustrations are of a high standard of digital photography brought much faster and usually capture the distinguishing features of

May 2015 7 Birds South East each species. Of particular interest are pictures of the pelagic seabirds. This is the one place February 2015 where the observer would turn to first, before Banded Lapwings made an appearance at Moorak other field guides. But it is a pity that for on the 1st and it was up to 8 birds by the 8th, whatever reason the Westland Petrel has been also on the 1st were 3 White-throated Needletails omitted as it and the similar Black Petrel are spotted near Snow Gum NFR a seemingly regular difficult to separate in the filed. Much the same haunt for them, and a dozen White-winged goes for the waders, particularly in capturing the Choughs on Caroline Rd. “jizz” of many species which artists seldom do. On the 8th there were 150 Brolgas at Little Bool, However the picture of the pair of Mulga Parrots and a lone Hooded Plover was found at the Pool is well below the standards of the book. A few of Siloam in Beachport. Green Point produced 23 other pictures could be improved upon, eg Kelp Gulls and a single Painted Button-quail was Rufous and Arafura fantails and Little Grassbird, seen in Dry Creek NFR with both sightings on the but overall the illustrations set the bar at a new height. 8th. On the 10th a nice mix of species were seen in Kangaroo Flat NFR with Lewin’s Rail, Little Overall, I think that this book is a worthwhile Grassbird and Sacred Kingfisher some highlights, addition to the library, because it is a genuinely on the 15th at Pick Swamp a Black Falcon was valuable reference if you are running down the upsetting the local waterfowl, while it cruised identity of a bird, or getting a better over absolutely everything went up. Two Olive understanding of habitat types in Australia. Whistlers were heard and then seen and a little By John Berggy family group of Elegant Parrots (two adults and four juveniles) were found on the northern Rainbow, 26 January 2015 boundary, it seems that this species is steadily increasing in the immediate area; it’s up to at least nine birds now.

NATURE’S NOTES

Sightings have reached 8287 observations of common, rare and threatened birds throughout the SE of SA and SW Victoria since September 2001. Thank you all for your contributions and keep up the good work in reporting the birds you’re seeing and for being part of BirdLife South East SA. If when you report a rare species you might be asked to complete a Rare Bird Form for Birds SA, see http://www.birdssa.asn.au/index.php/rare- Bob Green birds-in-south-australia/rare-birds-review-list for a list of species that require this form. The Watervalley Wetlands IBA camp had Blue- This is just so the record can be fully accepted at billed Ducks, Southern Emu-wren, Aust. Owlet- a state level, it’s not a difficult form but it’s nightjar and Beautiful Firetails amongst the best advisable if you see something rare to take birds, while at Eaglehawk Waterhole on the 25th notes, as consulting a field guide before writing seven Diamond Firetails, a Tawny-crowned notes can “taint” your memory of the sighting. Honeyeater and a Chestnut-rumped Heathwren Two local records recently accepted through this were rippers to be seen. process are Grey Goshawk and Black-faced I will leave the sighting from the 28th until the Monarch so well done Robin and Angela on end as it deserves a special mention. getting those through!!! Seasonal notes over the last few months have March 2015 included; On the 9th a Grey Goshawk female (white morph) was seen to the West of Mt Gambier on the Princes Highway, the next day a Black Falcon

8 Birds South East Birds South East was spotted near Desert Camp CP, on the 14th Piccaninnie Ponds CP and another 60+ were several Rufous Bristlebirds and six White- found on Piccaninnie Ponds Road. throated Needletails were seen in the Lower Glenelg NP and on the 18th nearly 100 White- throated Needletails flooded the sky at Yahl.

Bryan Haywood

A visit to Meereek Flora Reserve on the 18th for a Woodland Bird Workshop by ten of our group had a couple of Variegated Fairy-wrens and a male Red-capped Robin put in an appearance, Bob Green amongst a good list of other species. On the 19th 20 Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos were spotted at On the 21st two Barking Owls were in their Bangham CP along with a Southern Scrub-robin. favourite tree at Killanoola and at Pick Swamp on Southern Emu-wrens were at Monbulla and the 22nd the standouts were four Brolga, eight Lucindale on the 21st and 22nd, a Black Falcon Brown Quail, two Cape Barren Geese, and a lone was 5km S of Millicent on the 24th, a Barn Owl Eastern Curlew which was a new record for Pick did a fly by during the Dawn Service in Mount Swamp. A Southern Scrub-robin was spotted at Gambier at Vansittart Park on ANZAC Day. Four Bangham CP on the 22nd, a couple of Freckled Gang-gang Cockatoos were seen at Hutchesson’s Duck were the last remnants of 1000+ at Robe Landing (Lower Glenelg NP) on the 26th, the Sewage Ponds on the 23rd, Our camp at Banded Lapwings had swelled to eleven at Eaglehawk on the 28th had Diamond Firetail, Moorak on the 28th and a was Restless Flycatcher, Southern Whiteface and reported from near Kybybolite also on the 28th. Black-chinned Honeyeaters, while the insomniacs Now back to February 28th. were treated to Barn Owl, Tawny Frogmouth, Australian Owlet-nightjar and Southern Boobook. I received a call from Colin Rogers to say that a Beach Stone-curlew had been reported at Cape The month finished with Rufous Bristlebird and Douglas, Adelaide birders were down for a Port Southern Emu-wren at Nobles Rocks in Vic. MacDonnell pelagic and had been notified, this of course led to them scoffing their remaining food April 2015 items and abandoning alcoholic beverages to Black-chinned Honeyeaters were seen at race down in the remaining light, the bird was Geegeela CP on the 3rd and Eaglehawk on the seen and photographed by the group. 4th, six Blue-faced Honeyeaters were at This led me to make a number of calls to locals Eaglehawk on the 4th, only the second sighting who might be able to get down the next day, there, on the same day Red-tailed Black- despite a number of local birders and a few from Cockatoo, Diamond Firetail and Southern further afield searching on the Sunday the bird Whiteface were seen as well. A pair of Hooded could not be found. Robins were at Desert Camp CP on the 5th, Banded Lapwings were still at Moorak on the Not getting home till Sunday night I was less 10th, on the 12th 47 Blue-winged Parrots were than optimistic about my chances Monday counted flying west from the roost site at morning but went anyway, searching the area the bird had been seen, after an hour or so with

May 2015 9 Birds South East nothing to show I decided to check the beach on the western side of the headland, parking the car and walking out towards the island to start scouring the beach a head popped up from amongst the rocks and there it was in all its splendour. I won’t repeat here what I said but I was pretty happy.

Bob Green

Sneaking into some nearby bushes and while taking numerous photos I started calling people to let them know where the bird was, over the following couple of days a lot of our locals did get to see it, including a lucky couple who watched it walk along the waters edge feeding. Now this is the first record of this species for SA and there are only five records for Victoria so a surprising addition to our state list. It was also a very special bird for me as it put my Australian list at 500. Could you please forward your sightings to me on [email protected] or post them to PO Box 3211, Mount Gambier. Deadline for submitting sightings for next newsletter is 23rd July 2015 By Bob Green

10 Birds South East Birds South East

Calendar of Events Contact s

Sat May 30th Convenor, Sightings Coordinator, Conservation Glen Roy CP day outing - 8am at Glen Roy Contact northern boundary. Leader Bob Green. 8725 0549 Bob Green th Sun June 14 [email protected] Mary Seymour & Big Heath CP’s - Leader Rosey (08) 8725 0549 Pounsett. 0488 533 375 Secretary Sat July 11th Sue Black Canunda National Park – 8am start. Leader [email protected] Angela Jones. 8735 PO Box 7, Glencoe, SA, 5291 Sat-Sun July 25-26th Deputy Convenor/OH&S OBP Count - Bob Green. 8725 0549 Wayne Bigg Sat August 22nd [email protected] Konetta and Reedy Creek NFR’s Treasurer/Newsletter Editor/IBA Liaison Leader Bob Green. 8725 0549 Bryan Haywood [email protected] (08) 8726 8112 Committee Members Maureen Christie, Wendy Trudgen, Abigail Goodman and Angela Jones DEADLINES FOR SIGHTINGS/ARTICLES IN OUR 2015 NEWSLETTERS 1 February 2015 1 May 2015 1 August 2015

1 November 2015

May 2015 11 Birds South East

Date Common Name Abundance Location Observer/s 22-Feb-15 Australian Owlet-nightjar A Watervalley Wetlands BirdLife SE SA outing 28-Mar-15 Australian Owlet-nightjar B Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances BirdLife SE SA outing 19-Apr-15 Australian Owlet-nightjar 1 Bangham CP Luke & Kathy Leddy 1-Feb-15 Banded Lapwing 7 Telford Road, Moorak B, H & N Haywood 4-Feb-15 Banded Lapwing 8 Telford Road, Moorak B, H & N Haywood 10-Apr-15 Banded Lapwing 5 Telford Road, Moorak B, H & N Haywood 28-Apr-15 Banded Lapwing 11 Telford Road, Moorak B, T, H & N Haywood 21-Mar-15 Barking Owl 2 Cowarry, Killanoola Robin Moorhouse 25-Apr-15 Barn Owl 1 Vansittart Park, Mt Gambier Bob Green 10-Apr-15 Bassian Thrush 1 Telford Scrub CP Luke Leddy 28-Feb-15 Beach Stone-curlew 1 Douglas Point CP Pat Ward 08-Feb-15 Beautiful Firetail 1 Adjacent to Wooley Lake, Beachport Millicent Field Nats 22-Feb-15 Beautiful Firetail 2 Watervalley Wetlands BirdLife SE SA outing 27-Mar-15 Beautiful Firetail 1 Dickins Scrub, Carpenter Rocks Neil Dickins 15-Feb-15 Black Falcon 1 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 10-Mar-15 Black Falcon 1 Near Hazeldean Angus Stud close to Desert Camp CP Ben Kester 24-Apr-15 Black Falcon 1 "Jones", Princes Hwy. 5km S of Millicent Angela Jones 3-Apr-15 Black-chinned Honeyeater A Geegeela Conservation Park Biodiversity Blitz Weekend 4-Apr-15 Black-chinned Honeyeater A Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances Biodiversity Blitz Weekend 22-Feb-15 Blue-billed Duck 7 Watervalley Wetlands BirdLife SE SA outing 4-Apr-15 Blue-faced Honeyeater 6 Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances Biodiversity Blitz Weekend 10-Feb-15 Blue-winged Parrot A Kangaroo Flat Native Forest Reserve (KF18) BTHaywood 15-Feb-15 Blue-winged Parrot 45 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 9-Mar-15 Blue-winged Parrot 1 Bryton Wood, Moorak BTHaywood 22-Mar-15 Blue-winged Parrot C Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area B Green & BTHaywood 12-Apr-15 Blue-winged Parrot 60+ Piccaninnie Ponds Rd Bob Green 12-Apr-15 Blue-winged Parrot 47 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 08-Feb-15 Brolga 150 Little Bool, Bool Lagoon Robin Moorhouse 22-Mar-15 Brolga 4 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area B Green & BTHaywood 18-Apr-15 Brolga 2 NW side of Konnepra SF, Vic Ben Kester

12 Birds South East Birds South East

Date Common Name Abundance Location Observer/s 22-Mar-15 Brown Quail 8 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area B Green & BTHaywood 22-Mar-15 Cape Barren Goose 2 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area B Green & BTHaywood 25-Feb-15 Chestnut-rumped Heathwren 1 Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances BTHaywood 02-May-15 Collared Sparrowhawk 1 15 McGregor St. Mt. Gambier Bob Green 31-Mar-15 Common Bronzewing 1 285 Yahl Hall Rd, Yahl Jeff Davies 1-Feb-15 Common Sandpiper 1 Valley Lakes, Wildlife Park (Mt Gambier) BirdLife SE SA outing 14-Mar-15 Crested Shrike-tit 1 Wild Dog Bend, Lower Glenelg National Park (Victoria) B, T & N Haywood 25-Feb-15 Diamond Firetail 7 Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances BTHaywood 01-Mar-15 Diamond Firetail 1 Frances-Bordertwon Rd near sw cnr of Eaglehawk Waterhole Ben Kester 28-Mar-15 Diamond Firetail B Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances BirdLife SE SA outing 28-Mar-15 Diamond Firetail B Geegeela Conservation Park BTHaywood, C Hlava & E Roberts 4-Apr-15 Diamond Firetail A Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances Biodiversity Blitz Weekend 24-Apr-15 Diamond Firetail 4 NW Tallageira Nature Conservation Reserve Ben Kester 22-Mar-15 Eastern Curlew 1 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area B Green & BTHaywood 15-Feb-15 Elegant Parrot 6 (b) Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 21-Apr-15 Flame Robin 1 Manga Road (Manna), Monbulla BTHaywood 28-Apr-15 Flame Robin 2 Farmyard 1km N of Kybybolite Ben Kester 23-Mar-15 Freckled Duck 2 Robe Sewage Ponds Rosemary Miller 26-Apr-15 Gang-gang Cockatoo 4 Hutchessons Landing, Lower Glenelg NP Andy Allison 1-Feb-15 Great-crested Grebe 1 Valley Lakes, Wildlife Park (Mt Gambier) BirdLife SE SA outing 22-Feb-15 Great-crested Grebe 3 Watervalley Wetlands BirdLife SE SA outing 09-Mar-15 Grey Goshawk (white female) 1 West of 5SE towers Millicent Road, Mt Gambier Bob & Tracey Green 08-Feb-15 Hooded Plover 1 Pool of Siloam, Beachport Millicent Field Nats 05-Apr-15 Hooded Robin 2 Desert Camp CP Luke Leddy 19-Apr-15 Hooded Robin 1 Bangham CP Luke & Kathy Leddy 19-Apr-15 Hooded Robin 2 Poyntons SF, Vic Ben Kester 8-Feb-15 Kelp Gull 23 Green Point B & P Haywood 22-Mar-15 Kelp Gull A Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area B Green & BTHaywood 1-Feb-15 Latham's Snipe 1 Valley Lakes, Wildlife Park (Mt Gambier) BirdLife SE SA outing 10-Feb-15 Lewin's Rail 1 Kangaroo Flat Native Forest Reserve (KF18) BTHaywood

May 2015 13 Birds South East

Date Common Name Abundance Location Observer/s 20-Feb-15 Lewin's Rail 2 Kangaroo Flat Native Forest Reserve (KF18) BTHaywood 10-Feb-15 Little Grassbird A Kangaroo Flat Native Forest Reserve (KF18) BTHaywood 22-Mar-15 Magpie Goose D Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area B Green & BTHaywood 13-Apr-15 Mistletoebird 1 Native Wells NFR (NW15) Sue Black 18-Apr-15 Mistletoebird 1 Meereek Flora & Fauna Reserve BirdLife South East SA outing 15-Feb-15 Olive Whistler 2 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 22-Feb-15 Pacific Golden Plover 30+ Stony Point, Port MacDonnell Bob Green 08-Feb-15 Painted Button-quail 1 Dry Creek NFR David Harper & Colin Rogers 18-Apr-15 Red-capped Robin 2 Meereek Flora Reserve, Victoria BirdLife SE SA outing 25-Feb-15 Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo 6 Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances BTHaywood 10-Mar-15 Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo c.40 South of SAFRIES plant Dean Zeven & Carl Smith 20-Mar-15 Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo 30 Atlantic Heath Rd John Lord 25-Mar-15 Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo 6 Over NRSE car park, Mt Gambier Tamara (via NRSE) 25-Mar-15 Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo 35 Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances BirdLife SE SA outing 4-Apr-15 Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo A Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances Biodiversity Blitz Weekend 19-Apr-15 Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo 20 Bangham CP Luke & Kathy Leddy 22-Feb-15 Restless Flycatcher B Watervalley Wetlands BirdLife SE SA outing 28-Mar-15 Restless Flycatcher A Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances BirdLife SE SA outing 27-Apr-15 Restless Flycatcher 2 Mullinger Swamp Ben Kester 22-Mar-15 Royal Spoonbill B Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area B Green & BTHaywood 14-Mar-15 Rufous Bristlebird B Wild Dog Bend, Lower Glenelg National Park (Victoria) B, T & N Haywood 27-Mar-15 Rufous Bristlebird 1 Dickins Scrub, Carpenter Rocks Neil Dickins 31-Mar-15 Rufous Bristlebird A Nobles Rocks, Vic BTHaywood 10-Feb-15 Sacred Kingfisher 1 Kangaroo Flat Native Forest Reserve (KF18) BTHaywood 02-Apr-15 Scarlet Robin 2 285 Yahl Hall Rd, Yahl Jeff Davies 13-Feb-15 Southern Boobook 2 Ellerslie, Glencoe Sue Black 11-Apr-15 Southern Boobook 1 Ellerslie, Glencoe Sue Black 12-Apr-15 Southern Boobook 2 Ellerslie, Glencoe Sue Black 24-Apr-15 Southern Boobook 3 Ellerslie, Glencoe Sue Black 22-Feb-15 Southern Emu-wren 2 Watervalley Wetlands BirdLife SE SA outing

14 Birds South East Birds South East

Date Common Name Abundance Location Observer/s 22-Mar-15 Southern Emu-wren B Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area B Green & BTHaywood 31-Mar-15 Southern Emu-wren A Nobles Rocks, Vic BTHaywood 16-Apr-15 Southern Emu-wren A Nobles Rocks, Vic BTHaywood 21-Apr-15 Southern Emu-wren 2 Manga Road (Manna), Monbulla BTHaywood 22-Apr-15 Southern Emu-wren 2 Cluain Lane (Prance), Lucindale BTHaywood 22-Mar-15 Southern Scrub-robin 1 Bangham CP Ben Kester 19-Apr-15 Southern Scrub-robin 1 Bangham CP Luke & Kathy Leddy 28-Mar-15 Southern White-face B Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances BirdLife SE SA outing 4-Apr-15 Southern White-face B Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances Biodiversity Blitz Weekend 1-Feb-15 Tawny Frogmouth 4(b) Valley Lakes, Wildlife Park (Mt Gambier) BirdLife SE SA outing 25-Feb-15 Tawny-crowned Honeyeater 1 Eaglehawk Waterhole, Frances BTHaywood 22-Apr-15 Tawny-crowned Honeyeater 1 Cluain Lane (Prance), Lucindale BTHaywood 22-Mar-15 Varied Sittella 10 Bangham CP Ben Kester 18-Apr-15 Varied Sittella c.10 Meereek Flora & Fauna Reserve BirdLife South East SA outing 18-Apr-15 Variegated Fairy-wren 2 Meereek Flora & Fauna Reserve BirdLife South East SA outing 01-Feb-15 White-throated Needletail 3 NE cnr of Snow Gum NFR Angela Jones 14-Mar-15 White-throated Needletail 6 Wild Dog Bend, Lower Glenelg National Park (Victoria) B, T & N Haywood 18-Mar-15 White-throated Needletail <100 285 Yahl Hall Rd, Yahl Jeff Davies 01-Feb-15 White-winged Chough c.12 cnr Caroline Forest Rd & Carba Rd, Caroline Angela Jones 09-Mar-15 White-winged Chough 20 Native Wells NFR (NW10) Sue Black 14-Mar-15 White-winged Chough 8 Mullinger Swamp CP Ben Kester 27-Apr-15 Yellow-billed Spoonbill 2 Mullinger Swamp Ben Kester

Abundance Code: A = 1-3, B = 4-10, C = 11-30, (h) = heard only, (b) = breeding, b/w = beach-washed

May 2015 15