Birds South East
Number 80 July 2017
Red-necked Avocets feeding – Bob Green
A successful trip to the Leaving these birds and after dropping off the radio gear we came across another seven OBPs feeding Western Treatment together on a track, we were able to tell that three of these were released birds and three were wild Plant at Werribee birds, based on band details and age/sex of the birds, but were unable to confirm the seventh bird. A trip to the WTP to assist with Orange-bellied Parrot surveys had been on the cards for some time, so in collaboration with an OBP volunteer from Adelaide (Les Moore), a weekend and a catch up Contents: with Steve Davidson – BirdLife Australia OBP Field Officer was organised. 1. Book Review Picking Les up from Avalon Airport which is right next to the WTP we drove straight to the pre- 2. Laslett’s Scrub Outing arranged meeting point, the anticipation was building as we then drove with Steve into the plant 3. Shorebirds Notes to look for OBPs. Going into the plant with Steve on an official search meant we were able to survey the 4. Stop Press! restricted access area, off limits to both levels of birdwatchers permits. 5. Pick Swamp 10 year After scanning saltmarsh areas, tracks, weedy drain celebrations edges etc., for some time, with help from the radio transmitter equipment we were able to locate the 6. The Lyrebird signal from three birds, one that was roosting in Phragmites sp. and two that were feeding on some 7. Atriplex, we were relatively close when we first picked up the signal.
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They gave us a stunning fly-by which was amazing, coming towards us up the track about a metre off the ground then banking away and flashing their bellies at us then rolling over for an upperwing look as well, which they repeated a number of times. To see male, female and juvenile do this all together was an awesome experience. So a total of 10 OBPs for the afternoon which far exceeded our expectations and a great result and start to the weekend. The rest of the birding weekend we didn’t expect to see OBPs as my permit only covers the “General access” area, so we settled in to see as many birds as we could. Highlights were Australasian Bittern at really close range, Brolgas, Blue-billed Ducks, thousands of ducks on Lake Borrie of just about every species, a bit of time spent at the Little River bird hide produced close encounters with a feeding flock of Red-necked Avocet seemingly oblivious to the birder with the camera, and a flock of 80+ Curlew Sandpipers crept ever closer to the front of the hide working their way along the water’s edge.
Good numbers of Blue-winged Parrots were Male Orange-bellied Parrot – Bob Green constantly on the move in a rough pasture adjacent to the Western Lagoons, Yellow-billed and Royal Spoonbills were feeding together in a number of places, a lone Glossy Ibis was spotted working its way through some dense vegetation. A pair of White-bellied Sea-Eagles flew over the car with the female carrying what appeared to be a Eurasian Coot, the following day a juvenile/ immature bird was spotted on the foreshore near The Spit NR. All in all an exceptional weekend and a return visit almost went without saying, so now just to work out when. Bob Green
Australasian Bittern – Bob Green
Les (R) and Steve (L) pinpointing the OBPs location
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Curlew Sandpipers – Bob Green
BOOK REVIEW treatment. It de-clutters the book and The Australian Bird Guide. Menkhorst et al 2017 emphasizes the status of the vagrants. In . CSIRO Publishing, Australia, $50. common with other current guides it lacks a Some would say that this is the bird book that definition of just what is a vagrant, but at least it Australians have been waiting for. Outside acknowledges this in the introductory section. HANZAB it is certainly the most comprehensive The highlight of the guide is its art work. Every within its goal of being primarily a guide to the plumage phase of every species is illustrated and identification of birds in Australia. Acknowledging if some of the illustrations are a bit on the small the size (25 x 17.5 cms) and weight (1.45 kg) of side, it is a small price to pay for the sheer the book it is not a field guide in the literal volume of the information in the Guide and the meaning of the term but it is packed with accuracy of the illustration, which I cannot fault. information and is as much a reference book as a guide. If the guide has a weak point at all, it is the index, which is obviously a general index The letterpress has consistent headings for every programme, with every entry under its first species. It gives wing, bill and weight, followed name. For example, Black-throated Finch is by a detailed description which supports the indexed just as that, rather than Finch, Black- equally descriptive art work. Finally there is voice throated, which to my mind is preferable. and notes. All so-called vagrants are treated in the body of the book rather than being separated By now most people will have bought a copy, into a section of their own at the back of the but if you haven’t it’s well worth the money. book. I must confess that I prefer the former Johne Berggy , Rainbow.
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Laslett’s Scrub outing At lunchtime Drew set up a small fire and a hotplate so we could enjoy a cooked meal while (West of Mt Schank) we sat around chatting, seemingly gourmet meals appeared from everyone’s eskies which 17 June 2017 more than satisfied everyone, maybe this is something we could get used to! The lure of a private property and somewhere that can’t be visited whenever we feel like it Thanks to the Laslett’s for allowing us access and always means we get a good turnout; 18 people for hosting us and being our guides for the day. arrived for our groups second visit to this very I’m sure the group is keen to go back again, nice patch of scrub that has a long history, maybe making it a springtime visit next time having belonged to Dulcie Rowley before the around. Laslett’s, and has many extraordinary sightings Bob Green from over Dulcie’s many reports to the Mt Gambier Field Nats. Laslett’s Scrub Bird List: Drew and Sue Laslett were our guides for the Australian Magpie day, and showed us a lot of the work they are Striated Thornbill doing on the site, there is the original Heritage European Goldfinch Agreement, and other parts that have Blue-winged Parrot progressively been fenced in the last 20 or so Yellow-faced Honeyeater years. Common Starling Grey Fantail There has been some re-planting of understorey Superb Fairy-wren and shrubs in strategic locations, Drew also Forest Raven pointed out a few ferns, one which likes to grow Spotted Pardalote fairly deep in the limestone crevices where it Buff-rumped Thornbill likely never gets direct sunlight. Galah Starting off in the Heritage scrub the group Yellow-rumped Thornbill gradually split in two, which was probably for the Silvereye best with such a large number, passing a low White-plumed Honeyeater spout there was a flash as an Australian Owlet- Golden Whistler nightjar shot out, we found it again sitting on a Grey Shrike-thrush branch perfectly until everyone came for a look, Little Raven then of course it flew off, once again it was found Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo on a high branch but this time sat for everyone Brown Falcon to have a good look. The spot it was in and the Australian Owlet-nightjar lighting wasn’t the best for photographs but for a Forest Raven few it was their first sighting of this amazing little Red-rumped Parrot bird, more closely related to swifts and Fan-tailed Cuckoo hummingbirds than the “Nightjars”. Australian Shelduck Striated Pardalote 34 species were eventually added up for the Brown Thornbill morning, which was pretty good for a cold June Eurasian Skylark morning. Buff-rumped Thornbills at this site Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike amaze me as we don’t know of many sites South Accipiter sp. of Glen Roy CP where this species occurs. This Australasian Pipit scrub has had a number of strange occurences Striated Pardalote over the years including nesting Hooded Robins Wedge-tailed Eagle and Southern Whiteface, both species you would Nankeen Kestrel now expect to have to go more than 100km
North to find nowadays.
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Lunchtime at Laslett’s scrub
Eagle Nest (Laslett’s Scrub)– Bob Green
Birds South East
FoSSE was awarded the Friends of Parks SA Shorebird Notes ‘Innovation Award’ for 2017. The award came with a cheque for $1000 and a certificate signed July 2017 by the President of FOP and Minister Hunter. The Although the majority of shorebirds are absent award was for the project ‘Tracking Grey Plovers from our shores during Winter, as they have from the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary to migrated to the northern hemisphere to breed, the Arctic Breeding Grounds’. A huge vote of things are still busy on the shorebird front. The thanks is due to Jean Turner, the Samphire Coast biennial Birdlife Australia Beach Nesting Birds Stewardship Project Officer, Birdlife, for her Conference was held in late May at Willunga. This wonderful nomination. The project is continuing is the first time the conference has been held in and is being carried out in the Thompson Beach South Australia. Unfortunately, I was unable to area, north of Adelaide by FoSSE, the Victorian attend however several FoSSE members and Wader Study Group, and the Samphire Coast DEWNR staff enjoyed the proceedings and much team. Financial assistance for the project comes useful information was garnered. from the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM The annual Winter Shorebirds 2020 Count was and the Australian Government funded Samphire undertaken in early July, covering our usual two Coast Icon Project. coastal zones, Port MacDonnell and Carpenter Maureen has been very busy of late, not least in Rocks. In addition to the coastal zones, Lake attending all four sessions of Round 1, NRM Bonney and Lake George were also surveyed. Of Subregional Planning Workshops, held in Mount interest was our highest ever winter count of Gambier, Naracoorte, Robe and Keith! With four Ruddy Turnstone for the coastal zones. The hours plus for each session and travel time, that figure of 325 birds confirms the classification of was a mammoth effort. the breeding season for this species in 2016 as “very good” from percentage of juvenile birds in Jeff Campbell, Friends of Shorebirds SE cannon netting catches conducted in the north- west and the south-east of Australia in 2016/17.
Ruddy Turnstone - Sarah Campbell
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STOP PRESS – Northern Shoveler found in the South East. Thanks to a tip-off phone call from Bryan Haywood I was able to talk to a person who had reported this duck to him and get its location. Turning up at the location just after lunch on Saturday I immediately spotted the bird. A full report will be in the next newsletter, as at Mon 31 July the bird is still present if anyone wants to go for a look contact me for exact Northern Shoveler – Bob Green location details. Bob Green Pick Swamp 10 year Steve also presented the survey team Bryan celebration Haywood, Bob Green, Maureen Christie, Jeff Campbell, Ken Jones, Gwen Young and the Recently members of the group involved in absent Sue Black with Certificates of Appreciation monthly monitoring at Pick Swamp since May for involvement in this great project gathering 2007 were invited to a get together at Pick 179 species over the 10 years, Swamp by Steve Clarke (DEWNR Wetland Conservation Ecologist), who has been Here’s hoping this important monitoring can supporting the monitoring by the group. continue well into the future to track the changes in species use as the swamp and surrounding A great day was had with a really nice lunch and habitats restore to its former glory. delicious desserts supplied by Steve, it was great to all be there at once (except for Sue who was Definitely a showcase and highlight for birds and racing a train!).There were some very interesting conservation in the South East. It certainly is a discussions and Steve filled us in on some of the privilege to be a part of this project. work being done and planned for the future. Bob Green
Pick Swamp – 10 year certificates
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player, seeking his rival. In Life On Air. Memoirs The Lyrebird, a of a Broadcaster (2003) Attenborough described the male lyrebird as one of the most Beautiful Tail, an accomplished avian singers, some individuals able to mimic a dozen different bird species. He adds that as the outside world has approached, Accomplished Mimic lyrebirds have learnt new sounds. Car burglar The first ‘Native Pheasants’ seen by white men alarms, camera shutters, a shutter click preceded were near Sydney in 1798. The lyrebird’s by the buzz of a timer and a chainsaw. handsome tail and fabulous voice soon aroused curiosity in a land presenting the new arrivals Michael Sharland A Guide to the Birds of with un- dreamed of wonders. Tasmania (1981) wrote that soon after the first introductions of Victorian lyrebirds to Tasmania, Two separate species were recognized. The the birds had learnt the calls of some endemic Superb Lyrebird, Menura novaehollandiae, Tasmanian birds. The lyrebirds continued to use ranging from Victoria to southern Queensland, Victorian calls which were still being heard in and Albert’s Lyrebird Menura alberti of the 1981, having been passed on to succeeding subtropics. generations. Between 1934 and 1949, to preserve them from The normally shy lyrebirds have become foxes, Victorian birds were introduced to the accustomed to visitors to Sherbrooke Forest in Lune River area in Mount Field National Park in the Dandenongs. They can often be seen Tasmania. They are now considered established. scratching on track sides and sometimes In early days male birds were shot for their tails, displaying on mounds nearby. Calls ring through feathers displayed in tall vases and whole tails the bush, as birds perform a concert of their own used as fire screens. At the Congress of the dialect and a stream mimicked sounds. Royal Australian Ornithologist Union in 1912 it If you are in Melbourne, travel to Belgrave, go up was recorded that in 1911, one Sydney dealer Terry’s Avenue and take Ridge Track into sold 498 lyrebird tails and another exported 800 Sherbrooke. In the words of poet Judith Wright tails. Fortunately public opinion drove a timely you “…should hear that master practising his introduction of protective legislation. Lyrebirds art.” were protected in three states and possession of tail feathers made illegal. Sue Black Female birds sing well, but not as powerfully as Attenborough, D. (2003) Life on Air Memoirs of a the males whose vocal mastery inspired the then Broadcaster BBC Books. Australian Broadcasting Commission to make a Barrett, C (1934) The Master Mimic Australia Sunday morning direct broadcast of melody from Wonder Animals The Sun News – Pictorial Sherbrooke Forest in the Dandenong Ranges, to a national audience. A H Chisholm in Bird Chishoholm, A H (1965) Bird Wonders of Wonders of Australia (1945) described how four Australia Angus and Robertson. hidden microphones around display mounds Pizzey, G (1980) A Field Guide to the Birds of transmitted half an hour of brilliant imitations of Australia Angus and Robertson. Whipbird, Gang Gang, Grey Thrush, Yellow Robin, Brown Thornbill, Scrubwren and a flock of Pizzey, G & Knight, F (1997)The Graham Pizzey Crimson Rosellas. Sunday church services were and Frank Knight Field Guide to the Birds of broadcast in those times and as “…the bird Australia Angus and Robertson. melodist could not interrupt a preacher.” the Sharland, M (1945) Tasmanian Birds Angus and recital was briefly checked. Luckily, the obliging Robertson. bird continued his performance an hour later so that “...people all over Australia were enabled to Sharland, M (1981) A Guide to the Birds of hear the superb medley of mockery…” Tasmania Drinkwater Publishing. David Attenborough and crew filmed and Wright, J (1994) Lyrebirds Judith wright recorded the Sherbrooke Forest birds. The Collected poems 1942 – 1985 Angus and technique was to play back the bird’s call then Robertson. record his response. Only a short burst could be played or the bird ran back and forth past the
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Committee Members Outings Jeff Campbell, Abigail Goodman, Cassie Hlava August and Angela Jones Sat 5th Birdata workshop in collaboration with BirdLife Warrnambool and BirdLife Hamilton (held in Hamilton and run by Andrew Silcocks) Port MacDonnell pelagic trip
Cost is $130 a head and includes a BBQ lunch September with coffee/tea etc. 9/10 OBP count Group outing Long Swamp To book spot contact Colin Rogers and/or Stuart Hull at:[email protected] October . Sep 29 - Oct 2 Birds SA campout 28/29 National Twitchathon (Leader Sheila Boyle) November 8-11 Australasian Ornithological Conference, Geelong Group outing Bangham campout (Leader Cassie Hlava) December Group outing Port MacDonnell waders Contacts Convenor, Sightings Coordinator, Conservation Contact Bob Green [email protected] (08) 8725 0549 Secretary Sue Black [email protected] PO Box 7, Glencoe, SA, 5291 Deputy Convenor/OH&S Wayne Bigg [email protected] Treasurer Bryan Haywood [email protected] (08) 8726 8112 Newsletter Editor Abigail Goodman [email protected] 0422 326 901 Monitoring Officer Cassie Hlava [email protected] 0422402703
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Date Common Name Abundance Location Observer/s 23-Jul.-17 Australasian Bittern 1 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 29-Apr.-17 Australasian Bittern 3 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 17-Jun.-17 Australian Owlet-nightjar X Laslett's Scrub BirdLife South East SA outing 15-May-17 Australian Pied Oystercatcher 34 Glenelg River estuary J&S Campbell 18-Jun.-17 Australian Pied Oystercatcher 42 Glenelg River estuary J&S Campbell 20-May-17 Banded Lapwing 8 Nene Valley Gwen Young 21-May-17 Banded Lapwing 3 Coolatoo saltmarsh, Coorong NP B Green, J Gitsham & M Arney 08-Jul.-17 Bar-tailed Godwit 4 Murray Mouth Bob Green 03-Jun.-17 Black Falcon 1 Bay Road, Port MacDonnell J&S Campbell 20-May-17 Black Kite 1 Eight Mile Creek Road Gwen Young 20-May-17 Black-tailed Native-hen 2 Pateanbury Track, Coorong NP Bob Green 22-Jul.-17 Black-tailed Native-hen 4 Parnka Point, Coorong NP Bob Green 27-May-17 Blue-billed Duck 3 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 27-May-17 Blue-billed Duck 3 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 15-Jul.-17 Blue-billed Duck 2 Dip Road, Mingbool Euge Coscarelli 27-May-17 Blue-winged Parrot 63 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 24-Jun.-17 Blue-winged Parrot 15 Paradise Rd, Green Point Maureen Christie 20-May-17 Brolga 4 Piccaninnie Ponds Road Gwen Young 20-May-17 Brolga 4 Lower Nelson Road, Eight Mile Creek Gwen Young 27-May-17 Brolga 5 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 23-Jul.-17 Brolga 2 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 29-Apr.-17 Brolga 5 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 27-May-17 Brolga 5 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 21-May-17 Brown Quail X Coolatoo saltmarsh, Coorong NP B Green, J Gitsham & M Arney 17-Jun.-17 Buff-rumped Thornbill x Laslett's Scrub BirdLife South East SA outing 27-May-17 Cattle Egret 1 Feast's Firebreak Road, Green Point Bob Green 03-Jul.-17 Cattle Egret 2 Glen' Green Point J&S Campbell 11-Jun.-17 Chestnut Teal 900 Stony Point J&S Campbell 08-Jul.-17 Curlew Sandpiper 15 Murray Mouth Bob Green 22-Jul.-17 Curlew Sandpiper 12 Pateanbury Track, Coorong NP Bob Green 03-Jun.-17 Double-banded Plover 200 French Point J&S Campbell 20-May-17 Elegant Parrot 17 Swan Point, Coorong NP B Green, J Gitsham & M Arney 08-Jul.-17 Elegant Parrot 19 Murray Mouth Bob Green 13-May-17 Fan-tailed Cuckoo 2 Naracoorte Caves Jeff Campbell 27-May-17 Freckled Duck 17 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 29-Apr.-17 Freckled Duck 23 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 27-May-17 Freckled Duck 17 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 08-Jul.-17 Gull-billed Tern 1 Murray Mouth Bob Green 24-Jun.-17 Hooded Plover 4 Lighthouse Bay Beach, Carpenter Rocks Sue Black 01-Jul.-17 Intermediate Egret 1 Rutledges Cutting, near Tower Hill (Vic) Bob Green 15-Jul.-17 Kelp Gull 26 Finger Point, Port MacDonnell Bob Green 23-Jul.-17 Kelp Gull 39 Finger Point, Port MacDonnell Bob Green 11-Jun.-17 Kelp Gull 16 Danger Point J&S Campbell 09-Jul.-17 Little Egret 24 Parnka Point, Coorong NP Bob Green 27-May-17 Magpie Goose 3 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 23-Jul.-17 Magpie Goose 3 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 27-May-17 Magpie Goose 3 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 11-Jun.-17 Masked Lapwing 2 Tenterden Reserve, Port MacDonnell J&S Campbell
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Date Common Name Abundance Location Observer/s 27-May-17 Olive Whistler 2 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 06-May-17 Pied Currawong X The Heath NFR B Green & E Coscarelli 17-Jun.-17 Pied Currawong 3 Conroe Heights, Mt Gambier Euge Coscarelli 25-Jul.-17 Pied Currawong 3 Harvey Norman, Mt Gambier Bob Green 08-Jul.-17 Pied Oystercatcher 77 Murray Mouth Bob Green 20-May-17 Red-necked Avocet c.900 Parnka Point, Coorong NP B Green, J Gitsham & M Arney 22-Jul.-17 Red-necked Avocet c.50 Parnka Point, Coorong NP Bob Green 06-May-17 Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo 2 The Heath NFR B Green & E Coscarelli 06-May-17 Restless Flycatcher 2 South East of Topperwein NFR B Green & E Coscarelli 08-Jul.-17 Rock Parrot 3 Murray Mouth Bob Green 15-May-17 Scarlet Robin 2 Mt Lyon pine forest, Glencoe Sue Black 21-Jul.-17 Scarlet Robin 3 Lake Edward, Glencoe Sue Black 24-Jul.-17 Shining Bronze-cuckoo 1 cnr Hawkins/ Wireless Rd, Mt Gambier Bob Green 11-Jun.-17 Slender-billed Prion 1 (bw) French Point J&S Campbell 24-Jun.-17 Sooty Oystercatcher 4 Lighthouse Bay Beach, Carpenter Rocks Sue Black 23-Jul.-17 Southern Emu-wren X Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 20-May-17 Southern Emu-wren X Swan Point, Coorong NP B Green, J Gitsham & M Arney 15-Jul.-17 Southern Giant-Petrel 1 Finger Point, Port MacDonnell Bob Green 21-May-17 Southern Scrub-robin X Coolatoo saltmarsh, Coorong NP B Green, J Gitsham & M Arney 23-Jul.-17 Spotless Crake 1 Pick Swamp, Piccaninnie Ponds area Bob Green 03-Jun.-17 White-faced Heron 27 W of breakwater, PortMacDonnell J&S Campbell 10-Jun.-17 White-faced Heron 37 Bool Lagoon J&S Campbell 23-Jun.-17 White-necked Heron 1 Mt Gambier Railway Lands ponds Bob Green 04-Jun.-17 White-winged Chough 4 Corner Lamont and Lake Leake Roads, Glencoe Sue Black
Abundance Code: A = 1-3, B = 4-10, C = 11-30, (h) = heard only, (b) = breeding, b/w = beach-washed Common Name code: ** = subject to SARDS review
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Banded Lapwing – Bob Green
Intermediate Egret – Bob Green
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Southern Giant-Petrel – Bob Green