Mona Loofs-Samorzewski: The implications of fuel reduction burning on Tasmanian birds (Project team: Loofs-Samorzewski, M., Newman, M., Young. C., & Bresnehan, S.) YELLOW THROAT In 2016 BirdLife Tasmania and the Tasmanian Fire Service Fuel Reduction Unit initiated The newsletter of BirdLife Tasmania a project to gain a deeper understanding of the likely impacts and interactions of fuel- a branch of BirdLife Australia reduction burning on Tasmanian forest bird species. The project combines TFS fire Number 103, January 2019 ecology expertise with BirdLife Tasmania’s considerable avifauna knowledge, established survey techniques and long time-series data sets. Surveys began in sites newly or recently burned as part of the Fuel Reduction Program that had been selected as broadly General Meeting for January representative of the different dry forest habitats, in places where there were extant long- Life Sciences Building, UTas, term records of bird populations. Already there is strong data showing a range of responses to fire from many bird species, while surveys continue. Thursday, 10 January, 7.30 p.m. Meeting venue: Life Sciences Lecture Theatre 1, Life Sciences Building, University of Both presentations at this meeting concern important data gathered by BirdLife Tasmania, Sandy Bay. Access and parking are from College Road or from the parking area Tasmania members. Please come along to hear, and discuss, how these efforts are outside the University Centre via the pedestrian bridge over Churchill Avenue. Everyone contributing to important assessments of bird populations and their relationship to is invited to stay for a cup of tea or coffee after the presentations. habitat change. Mike’s shorebird presentation, which covers 55 (!) years of shorebird survey work, attempts to understand the fluctuations in our local shorebird populations and the role that changes in habitat has contributed to the results. We need to get the input of as many shorebird counters as possible, past and present, to ensure the accuracy of this account. Please come and give your views. Mona’s presentation concerns the collaborative work a small group of members has been conducting with the Tasmanian Fire Service. We are hoping to get more people involved in this type of study to help more effectively manage the natural assets where we live.
Mike Newman: Accountability for shorebird population losses in south-east Tasmania (Project team: Mike Newman, Eric Woehler, Sue Drake and Alan Fletcher)
Catastrophic losses in the migratory shorebird populations have occurred in south-east Tasmania during the last 50 years. The Curlew Sandpiper, formerly the second most numerous species, is now a vagrant. In south-east Tasmania it is questionable whether our shorebird habitat could support historical levels if populations recovered. At South Arm shorebird locations, high-tide roosts have been lost through a combination of rising sea levels, erosion and disturbance from commercial and recreational activities. Resident shorebird species, such as the Australian Pied Oystercatcher, have also been adversely Curlew Sandpiper, Ralphs Bay. Photo by Alan Fletcher. impacted through loss of breeding sites and increased recreational disturbance. 1
many as 20 in a week, on the presumption they were always after lambs…’ Recent Massacre of Wedge-Tailed Eagles in Another from the manager of sheep station near Bourke (NSW) on using rabbit traps Victoria; an Eccentric Event? around chook cages: ‘We accounted for 411 eagles in seven weeks by the use of this method…’ And another by J.C Fitzgerald of Portland (VIC): Part 2 ‘Years ago over a long period I have shot 40 to 50 eagles every lambing…’ By Nick Mooney Perhaps most notoriously in 1955, R.G Casey the then Federal Minister for External BirdLife Australia Raptor Group Affairs (and later to become the Governor General), was featured in a newspaper article (Part 1 was published in Yellow Throat 102. Ed.) (the Courier Mail) shooting wedgies from a plane in Queensland on the pretext he was helping sheep farmers. He claimed to have shot 265 in two years. Old Habits Less than a decade ago an investigation was launched in South Australia into a case in the Mid North Agricultural District where several hundred wedgies were killed in the It wasn’t that long ago that eagles were openly persecuted, several state governments (WA Orroroo-Burra area, mostly after being caught in rabbit traps set around lure-eagles and Qld) even paying bounties (tens of thousands). I recall as a 10-year-old seeing 73 chained to logs (despite many carcasses being retrieved no convictions were achieved). eagles strung along a fence as trophies in South Australia.
Legal protection of eagles decades ago no doubt diminished persecution but it is clear that hard-core persecutors remain. It is entirely possible that much has simply gone The Issue in Tasmania underground. Pretty much anything can happen ‘outback’, just occasionally rearing its Tasmania, of course, has never been immune to this destructive side of Australia’s ugly head to remind us of awful aspects of our ‘pioneering past’. obsession with superfine wool. Early on, the VDL Co. not only employed a tiger It is no secret that the sheep industry, in particular superfine wool, has visited very (Thylacine) hunter but payed bounties on Tasmanian devils and in 1884 east-coast sheep severe ‘management’ on Australian native carnivores, including eagles, and Dr David farmers formed the Buckland and Spring Bay Tiger and Eagle Extermination Society. Fleay collected records. Indeed, it was Tasmanian sheep farmers that orchestrated and drove the publicly funded Typical was a 1939 letter to the Australian newspaper by G.H. from Victoria extermination of the Thylacine. And the nonsense hasn’t finished. ‘ …Years ago I both shot and trapped hundreds of the stately birds. Sometimes as A decade ago a farmhand came to me to tell me his ex-boss near Lemont (midlands Tas) was still obsessed with ‘big crows’ (wedgies) and had killed about 50 a year for many years with a record 8 in one day. Some were illegally poisoned but most were reportedly shot with a high-powered rifle, sometimes from roads in the district, and left where they fell. The sheep farmer never kept evidence since he had been very nearly caught poisoning and was very careful. I went and talked to him (I got an audience because he knew my father from local government days) and he said, with care not to admit anything critical, that ‘…since my neighbours now don’t control devils nor eagles, I had to do it all’. The only up-side of this miserable discussion was I noticed the numbers on his house phone were huge which meant his eyesight was going – couldn’t be fast enough as far as I am concerned. Post legal protection of devils and eagles, persecution diminished but continued in Tasmania. Permits for destruction of devils (by live trapping and shooting) were occasionally issued up to 2000. Under the cover of such, one very high profile, award- winning superfine wool farmer in the northern midlands even made large metal pitfall traps in which devils drowned or fought to death, the gruesome structures still baited when found in 2006. Wedge-tailed Eagle, Nile. Photo by Michelle Turner. And let’s not forget the pile of dead devils and eagles dumped roadside near Cygnet 2 in 2015, animals almost certainly poisoned. new threats don’t slip through assessment cracks. Lack of government agricultural Illegal poisoning of devils by sheep farmers was widespread in Tasmania up until extension services is a real problem in this regard. Devil Facial Tumour Disease made them rare enough that few farmers bothered anymore. Clearly something substantial has to be done, maybe all of these things. Who better Such poisoning was usually unsophisticated (a dead sheep or wallaby injected with to kick it along than us? organophosphates – fly-strike treatment or vegetable sprays) and consequently non- selective. Beyond devils, quolls and scavenging birds, especially ravens and eagles, were http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-03/vic-environmental-laws-under-fire-following- also killed and I suspect it was actually a local limiting factor for eagles. Through the corkman-eagles/10297124 1980s and 90s I and others came across cases of 30-50 dead devils, ravens and raptors (including eagles) around sheep carcases. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/sep/25/14-days-jail-for-killing-406- Finding evidence does not of course mean charges can be laid (one has to identify wedge-tailed-eagles-inadequate-animal-groups-say ‘who dun it’) and the location of the incident isn’t good enough. That’s what makes the Tubbut case unusual. (A farm labourer in NE Victoria was convicted of killing numerous https://www.theage.com.au/environment/conservation/can-wedge-tailed-eagles-survive-the- Wedge-tailed eagles – see Part 1, in Yellow Throat 102 – Ed). slaughter-20180921-p5055p.html 1080 poison is the traditional ‘bogey’ poison in Tasmania but its legal (overt) use has copped the blame for much illegal (covert) use of organophosphates. Eagles and devils are very resistant to 1080 (a concentrated form of a natural plant chemical). Despite the ‘Where Song Began’ performances public hype there are no confirmed records of wild raptors, devils or quolls being killed Information provided by The Bowerbird Collective by 1080 in Tasmania. However, nothing is resistant to the synthetic organophosphates. Two of Australia's most adventurous classical musicians, Simone Slattery (violin) and
Anthony Albrecht (cello), are touring Tasmania in January performing their beautiful What to do and who to do it? multimedia show, Where Song Began. Based on Tim Low's bestselling book, this Applying the law is one thing but clearly some disregard it. The Tubbut thing came out of performance tells the story of the evolution of song, featuring music spanning 300 years, the blue and it’s possible that with ‘smaller government’, regulators somewhat lose touch with farmers and have no consequent early-warning system. Research is another necessity but clearly results that do not suit the farmer may be disregarded. Most comprehensive research on eagle diet and impacts is now nearly 50 years old (eg Leopard and Wolfe’s ground-breaking CSIRO work) and needs updating. Maybe Australian Wool Innovation or Meat and Livestock Australia should be engaged to develop an approach with more rural ownership. I note that these days workshops on increasing lamb survival don’t even mention natural predators, so important has the pre- lambing condition of ewes been recognised to be. To me, the Tubbut massacre smacks of scapegoating and trying to prop up an unviable enterprise; the convicted farm labourer saying he had never seen an eagle take a lamb. And then there’s marketing as branding and accreditation. Noting the outstanding success of the Dolphin-free Tuna market drive by Greenpeace and others (in reducing the bycatch of dolphins in tuna trawling) maybe we should start an Eagle-free Lamb marketing drive. The wool industry must be well aware of such leverage given the controversies over live sheep export. Most sheep farmers I know are appalled at what happened at Tubbut and maybe some of that can be turned into peer pressure. Farmers aren’t famous for it but when applied it’s incredibly effective; we are an uber-social species after all. Image courtesy of Off Track, ABC Radio; Tiger Webb/Corey Hague. We have to better integrate threat management to make sure lingering, obvious or 3 stunning visual projections and an immersive soundscape. The experience has been SWANSEA - Wednesday 16/1, 7:30pm Swansea Courthouse, 4 Noyes St, Swansea described as ‘like being sung to by the country’. ST HELENS - Thursday 17/1, 7:00pm Portland Memorial Hall, Cecilia St, St Helens Performances from January 16-29 around the state, SCOTTSDALE - Friday 18/1, 7:00pm Mechanics' Institute Hall, King St, Scottsdale including Swansea, St Helens, Scottsdale, Spreyton, DELORAINE - Saturday 19/1, 7:00pm Little Theatre, 17 Barrack St, Deloraine Burnie, Queenstown, Franklin, Bruny Island, SPREYTON - Sunday 20/1, 3:00pm Hans Vonk Music House, 23 Hillside Ct, Spreyton Hobart, and even deep in the BURNIE - Monday 21/1, 7:00pm Burnie Baptist Church, 57 Mount St, Burnie Tarkine wilderness. TARKINE WILDERNESS - Tuesday 22/1, 8:30pm Music for the Trees 'Where Song Began’ is a musical celebration of QUEENSTOWN - Wednesday 23/1, 6:30pm Paragon Theatre, 11 McNamara St, Australia’s birds and how Queenstown
they shaped the world. FRANKLIN - Saturday 26.1, 7:00pm Palais Theatre, 3388 Huon Hwy, Franklin
Inspired by leading BRUNY ISLAND - Sunday 27.1, 7:00pm Adventure Bay Hall, Kellaway Rd, ornithologist Tim Low’s Adventure Bay
award-winning book, this 50- HOBART - Tuesday 29.1, 7:30pm Hobart Town Hall, 50 Macquarie St, Hobart minute performance explores the Australian origins of Program: song, ‘the birds that can Arvo Pärt - Fratres for solo violin, 1977 sing’. Such is their Sarah Hopkins - Reclaiming the Spirit, 1993 evolutionary significance, Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending, 1917 ‘one may ask whether human Chris Williams - bird, songs, seas, 2017 music would have reached Ross Edwards - Ecstatic Dance No.2, 1990 the heights it has, had the Johann Heinrich Schmelzer - Cucu Sonata, 1664 first songbird not sung in an J.S. Bach - Prelude from Cello Suite No.1, c.1720 Australian rainforest.’ David Lang - Anthochaera carunculate (Red Wattle Bird), New Commission, 2017 Accessible for all ages, Ngarra Burra Ferra - Traditional Indigenous hymn this work encourages the audience to contemplate the origin of song and the importance of Australia's rich and ABC Radio National colourful bird history. The program includes music spanning 300 years, from Johann Feature: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/offtrack/where-song- Heinrich Schmelzer and J.S. Bach to Arvo Pärt and new Australian works, enhanced by a began/9811914 film of evocative visual projections, and an immersive soundscape. About the performers: Simone Slattery was recently awarded a PhD in Music Music Australia article: Performance from the University of Adelaide and performs regularly with Australia’s https://musicaustralia.org.au/2018/07/music-meets-birdcall-the-australian-way-where- finest ensembles. Anthony Albrecht is an Australian graduate of The Juilliard School’s song-began/ Historical Performance program and is now based in London. These performances are supported by Birdlife Tasmania. $1 from every ticket sold will be Tickets and info visit www.wheresongbegan.com donated to BirdLife or a related cause. Performance length: 60 minutes without interval, including a Q&A 4
and migratory shorebirds, including the Red-necked Stint and one of Australia’s most Birds & Words: Making our Laws Worth the significant populations of Pied Oystercatchers. The loss of habitat within the complex of Paper They’re Written on sites supporting the Pitt Water-Orielton wetland would also have detracted from the By Jess Feehely ecological character of the Ramsar-listed site. (Jess is the outgoing Principal Lawyer for the Tasmanian Environmental Defenders After five weeks of hearings, in which experts were rigorously examined regarding Office. She gave this presentation at the BirdLife Tasmania November meeting). impacts, the Tasmanian Planning Commission held that the proposal was ‘inherently unsustainable’ and recommended that it be refused.2 In contrast to the Wielangta decision, Birdlife Tasmania has been a regular client, supporter and partner of EDO Tasmania over the Commission’s recommendation was adopted in full by the Tasmanian and many years. We’ve worked together to protect birds by negotiating better conditions for Commonwealth governments. Not only did the canal estate not proceed, but an additional wind farms, securing nesting, breeding and foraging habitat, and strengthening coastal 75ha was annexed to the Ralphs Bay Conservation Area to better protect shorebirds. protections. As my time as Principal Lawyer winds up, here are some reflections on how our laws are performing and what can be done to improve them.
Birds and forestry The challenge to proposed forestry activities in Wielangta still provides one of the strongest examples of the inadequacies of current laws. With no appeal options under Tasmanian laws, then-Senator Bob Brown argued that the proposal did not comply with the national Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). In particular, he argued that the clearing was not eligible for the ‘RFA exemption’, which provides that forestry operations do not require assessment under the EPBC Act if they are carried out ‘in accordance with a Regional Forest Agreement’. He argued that loss of habitat for the Swift Parrot, Wedge-tailed Eagle and Wielangta Stag Beetle was not ‘in accordance with’ the RFA’s obligations to protect threatened species. Justice Shane Marshall held that the Forest Practices system generally, and the proposed harvesting particularly, did not protect threatened species and was therefore not ‘in accordance’ with the RFA.1 The victory was short-lived. The words of the RFA were changed to provide that forestry operations would be in accordance with the RFA as long as the Forest Practices System was implemented (even if evidence showed that system did not protect threatened species). With the new wording in place, Forestry Tasmania succeeded on appeal.
Black-fronted Plover, Ralphs Bay. Photo by Alan Fletcher. Birds and coastal development The years-long battle to save Ralphs Bay from the Walker Corporation’s canal estate In recent weeks, it has been revealed that a Walker Corporation resort proposal at Toondah development led to another defining decision on habitat protection. Disturbance of Harbour, much of which is within a Ramsar-listed wetland providing important habitat for sandflats to create more than 450 residential lots would have removed habitat for resident the Eastern curlew, has progressed to assessment under the EPBC Act. This is
2Tasmanian Planning Commission. 2010. Final Impact Assessment Report – Lauderdale 1 Brown v Forestry Tasmania (No 4) [2006] FCA 1729 Quay Development Proposal
5 despite departmental advice to the Minister that the proposal was ‘clearly unacceptable’. protection without unduly burdening the community. After a considerable investment by the community, the EPBC Act was effective in Critical habitat – the EPBC Act provides protection for critical habitat on protecting Ralphs Bay. The law should be strong enough to simply stop projects with Commonwealth land only. The Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 (Tas) provides clearly inappropriate impacts on bird species at the outset, rather than putting the broad protection of listed critical habitat, but no habitat has been listed as critical habitat community to unnecessary expense. Unfortunately, the government’s will to use its since the Act commenced. protective powers proactively remains low. However, I am hopeful that scientific evidence Requiring critical habitat to be mapped across all tenures during recovery planning, regarding impacts on the Eastern Curlew will prevail and protect Toondah Harbour from and listed for, at least, critically endangered species, would help to secure habitat. Critical development. habitat should be excluded from harvesting plans, and any impact on critical habitat should be sufficient to trigger assessment under the EPBC Act. Clear restrictions should also apply Birds and offsets to the use of offsets where critical habitat will be lost. RFA exemption – EDOs have published several reports comparing forestry The proposed Prosser River Water Scheme is likely to present a further challenge in 2019. regulations in RFA states, including Tasmania, against the standards imposed by the EPBC The dam construction requires clearing of 22ha of Eucalyptus ovata forest, important Act.3 The reports have consistently concluded that forestry regulations offer less rigorous foraging habitat for the critically endangered Swift Parrot. The E. ovata forest community protection of threatened species than the EPBC Act. has itself been recommended by government experts for listing as critically endangered, Removal of the RFA exemption would expose forestry operations likely to impact however the Minister has yet to act on that recommendation. on nationally listed species, threatened vegetation communities and migratory species to The dam application proposes to offset the loss of habitat through the protection of stronger protection. an additional 70ha of habitat in the region. Experts have questioned whether that volume Following expert advice – Tasmanian and Commonwealth laws provide numerous of quality habitat is actually available. A more significant question is whether offsets are opportunities for expert recommendations to be made to the Minister. However, while the ever appropriate to compensate for the loss of critical habitat - shouldn’t it all be protected? Minister is required to have regard to those recommendations, ultimately discretion rests The controversial Adani Carmichael mine proposal is also proposing offsite with the Minister. This has allowed Ministers to defer implementing recommendations to protections and translocation of affected populations of Black-throated Finch to offset list E. ovata forests, to certify Forest Practices Plans with weaker conditions than those habitat lost to the mine. Again, experts have questioned whether the proposal can recommended in the Threatened Fauna Advisor, and to ignore recommendations that the effectively offset the adverse impacts. Toondah Harbour development should fail at the first hurdle. Both projects are currently with the federal Minister for determination. Their Requiring expert advice to be adopted in all but exceptional circumstances would outcomes will be an important test of the EPBC Act’s commitment to protecting threatened improve the scientific rigour of decision-making. bird species. Appeal rights – third-party appeals are a well-recognised mechanism for improving
decision making and curtailing the undue influence of developers. Under Tasmanian laws, Birds and words – improving our laws there are no opportunities for concerned third parties to appeal against the certification of The above examples highlight some of the deficiencies of current laws, and opportunities Forest Practices Plans and appeals against dam works cannot challenge the scientific to strengthen them. These include: findings on which an approval is based. High bars and cumulative impacts – projects are assessed under the EPBC Act a EDO Tasmania strongly supports extending third party appeal rights across the only where they are likely to have a ‘significant impact’ on a threatened species at spectrum of land-use and resource-management decisions to ensure that decisions that population scale. This can mean that cumulative impacts of many smaller projects falling threaten bird species are open to challenge by concerned individuals and community below this threshold are not well regulated. organisations. Use of strategic landscape-scale assessment tools under the EPBC Act could address Inadequate implementation – Justice Marshall in the Wielangta decision noted cumulative impacts more effectively. Where significance thresholds are obviously that the beetle had no recovery plan, the recovery plans for the eagle and the Swift Parrot exceeded, greater use of the ‘clearly unacceptable’ provisions would also provide had expired and, even when in existence, ‘were not fully or even substantially
3 Feehely, J., Hammond-Deakin, N. and Millner, F. 2013. One Stop Chop: How Regional Tasmania. 2015. State Forests, National Interests. Available at Forest Agreements streamline environmental destruction. Lawyers for Forests. See also EDO www.edotas.org.au/resources/information/publications/ 6 implemented’.4 The Swift Parrot Recovery Plan was revised in 2011, yet the plan remains poorly implemented and has not been updated to reflect the species’ uplisting to critically endangered. Funding – significantly increased funding is needed to strengthen every aspect of threatened species management, including research, data collection and information sharing to inform decision making, recovery planning to identify priority actions, compliance and enforcement, and monitoring the effectiveness of recovery actions. Greater funding to support conservation covenant holders would also improve conservation on private property. The twenty-year review of the EPBC Act will commence in 2019. EDO Tasmania will be using the opportunity to advocate for these changes (and more!), and we encourage Birdlife Tasmania to do the same. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work closely with Birdlife Tasmania for so many years. Our new CEO and Principal Lawyer, Nicole Sommer, will continue our work to enforce and improve the laws and secure protection for resident and migratory bird species across Tasmania.
Australian Pied Oystercatchers – Some insightful breeding observations Pied Oystercatchers, East Coast. Photo by Helen Cunningham By Mike Newman the pairs usually show considerable mutual tolerance, avoiding incursions into each other’s I started studying the breeding behaviour of Australian Pied Oystercatchers at Gorringes territories, notionally involving the mudflat to the left and right of their nest sites Beach, Mortimer Bay in 1977. At that time there was a spit at the southern end of the 3 respectively. When other oystercatchers intrude they behave cooperatively in defending kilometre-long beach. The pair which nested at the extreme southern end of the beach on the shared area near their nests. Unfortunately, with rising sea levels their nest sites on the the tip of the spit was always the first to lay its eggs about the first of October. It was also shell-grit bank are increasingly at risk of being washed out by high tides. exceptionally successful in raising young. On the first of October this year I was disappointed to find only one pair present. th On the 4 of December this year, some 41 years later, I was delighted to find that They were incubating eggs near the former base of the spit. On a subsequent visit on 29 the pair which has inherited that territory had fledged two young. Although four other pairs October the nesting attempt appeared to have failed, as both these birds were roosting near still attempt to nest on the beach, none of them has successfully hatched eggs so far this the water’s edge at high tide below the nest site. A third oystercatcher, tentatively identified year. as a male and assumed to be one of the missing pair, was on the far southern end of the It takes at least ten weeks for a pair of oystercatchers to raise young, four weeks for shell-grit bank near the other nest site used in the previous year. A bird from the failed pair incubation and six weeks before the runners can fly. Hence, this year the successful pair’s flew at it, passing directly above the new bird, which flattened itself on the ground. When eggs were laid about 20 September, at least one week earlier than 40 years ago. Their the bird from the failed pair alighted near its mate the attacked bird then flew equally success this year involved a tactical change in their breeding routine described below. aggressively at it. Each bird repeated this attack four times before the interloper flew off Following decades of persistent erosion the spit no longer exists and the two pairs in the direction of the point at the southern end of the beach. of oystercatchers which formerly bred on it now nest on a shell-grit bank. When two On the 7th of November two pairs were present on the shell-grit bank, and the new pairs of oystercatchers nest in close proximity, typically about 30 metres apart at this site,
4 Brown v Forestry Tasmania (No 4) [2006] FCA 1729, Marshall J at paragraph 284. 7 pair had two small young. They swam out into the water when I walked along the coastal Bird List track, which is fenced off from the beach. They also swam out when I returned. I estimated Grey Currawong, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Forest Raven, Green that they were between one and two weeks old, which is consistent with them subsequently Rosella, Yellow Wattlebird, Black Currawong, Common Bronzewing, Blackbird, Brown fledging in early December. Thornbill, Superb Fairy-wren, Yellow-throated Honeyeater, Scarlet Robin, Crescent There are a number of interesting aspects of this sequence of events. It appears that Honeyeater, Grey Butcherbird, Kookaburra and, probably, Brown Goshawk. the successful pair tactically moved outside the fenced area of the beach to a nest site on higher ground because they anticipated the risk of their historical nest site being washed out. However, as soon as the young were capable of making the transition they were moved to their traditional territory in the fenced area, which is better protected from walkers and their dogs. However, after an absence of around five weeks the adults were no longer accepted by their neighbours. The period of conflict seems to have been relatively short as October 29th was the only occasion on which aggression was observed. This is an example of the intelligence oystercatchers employ in adapting their breeding strategies to overcome the loss of their preferred nest sites caused by rising temperatures and increased sea levels. While most climate-related changes, such as the loss of nest sites, are adverse, the earlier commencement of breeding is an advantage because it allows the most successful pairs to fledge their young before the start of the holiday season in December, when the threats associated with recreational beach use increase. Unfortunately, there are no restrictions on dog control on the beach other than the exclusion of people from the fenced areas. The concept that this is sufficient is naïve.
Excursion Reports
Tolosa Fire Trail 21 July 2018 Maureen Duffy We started out on a fine winter’s morning at the start of the trail behind Tolosa Park. The first bird we saw was a Grey Currawong in the trees. This was followed by several ravens and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos flying overhead. As we looked up, a Wedge-tailed Eagle Common Bronzewing, Trevallyn. Photo by Michelle Turner. was spotted soaring above. Continuing up the hill, we branched off to the left on a narrower trail between the trees and started to see smaller bush birds: Brown Thornbills, fairy-wrens and the highlight a pair of Scarlet Robins. The male perched on a post close by giving us Goulds Lagoon 12 August 2018 a good look. A Common Bronzewing was also spotted on the track. Another raptor – Maureen Duffy believed to be a Brown Goshawk but we couldn't be positive – was seen. Heading back Another pleasant winter's morning as we arrived at the lagoon. There were native hens on down the track a pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles were spiralling around overhead being the grass beside the road and Musk Lorikeets in the eucalypts. mobbed by at least twenty Ravens. They didn’t seem too bothered! Almost back to the car We headed straight to the bird hide to check out the ducks. As well as the usual park and a kookaburra was perched on a low branch. As we looked over a wallaby was Mallard hybrids there were Chestnut Teal, Australasian Shovelers, Freckled Duck and seen eying us off. Hardheads. We headed north and saw Purple Swamphens at the water’s edge. Not a long bird list for the day but a nice walk with some good sightings. Crossing the road to the eastern side of the lagoon we walked south along the railway tracks. There were Black Swans on the water with juveniles in tow and a couple 8 of Hoary-headed Grebes. We were also surprised to see the Welcome Swallows back water with swallows darting to and fro, while there were a lot of birdcalls in the already and a few Tree Martins were among them. As we came off the railway track onto surrounding trees. As we headed along the trail, we saw New Holland Honeyeaters, Grey the grassed area it was very exciting to see a small flock of Yellow-rumped Thornbills Fantails, Brown Thornbills and Crescent Honeyeaters. foraging on the ground. This was a new addition to the lagoon bird list, quickly followed The distinctive sound of the Golden Whistler could be heard but it was some time by another new addition, an Eastern Spinebill. Almost back to the carpark we encountered before we actually saw one. A robin moving around in the trees was finally identified a single wood duck sitting on the grass. It appeared to have a damaged leg. A very as a Dusky Robin. We turned around after about an hour and retraced our steps. For the successful morning with a lot to be seen on a winter’s day. very energetic, the trail eventually meets up with the Kaoota Tramway.
Bird List Bird List Eurasian Coot, European Starling, Tasmanian Native Hen, Musk Lorikeet, Great Forest Raven, Blackbird, Masked Lapwing, Australian Magpie, Superb Fairy-wren, Cormorant, Mallard hybrids, Freckled Duck, Chestnut Teal, Australasian Shoveler Welcome Swallow, farm goose, Tasmanian Native Hen, Eurasian Coot, Pacific Black Noisy Miner, Australian Magpie, Eastern Rosella, Purple Swamphen, Hardhead, Duck, New Holland Honeyeater, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Fantail, Brown Thornbill, Black Swan, Masked Lapwing, Yellow Wattlebird, Hoary-headed Grebe, Spotted Turtle- Golden Whistler, Crescent Honeyeater, Dusky Robin, Yellow Wattlebird, Green Rosella. dove, farm goose, Welcome Swallow, Kelp Gull, Tree Martin, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Eastern Spinebill, House Sparrow, Australian Wood Duck. Coningham Nature Reserve 6 October 2018 Andrew Walter Seven of us started out from the Hopwood Street entrance to the reserve on a glorious spring morning. A range of habitats occur in the area including wet gullies, open woodland, heathland and sclerophyll forest resulting in a good diversity of bird species. Most of the summer migrant passerines were in evidence including an excellent view of a Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo which was a first sighting for some of the group. A Wedge- tailed Eagle sighting was also noteworthy. In total, 28 bird species were identified and we all agreed that we had spent a very enjoyable and successful morning.
Bird list Pacific Black Duck, Northern Mallard, Australian Wood Duck, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Common Bronzewing, Green Rosella, Pallid Cuckoo (H), Fan-tailed Cuckoo (H), Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (H), Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Superb Fairy- wren, Striated Pardalote, Brown Thornbill, Little Wattlebird, Yellow-throated Honeyeater, New Holland Honeyeater, Strong-billed Honeyeater, Black-headed Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Grey Fantail, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Dusky Woodswallow, Grey Currawong, Forest Raven, Common Blackbird.
Chestnut Teal, Deloraine. Photo by Michelle Turner. Kaoota Tramway 17 November 2018 Andrew Walter Nierrina Creek Trail – Margate 8 September 2018 Eight of us headed off on the top section of the old tramway track on a fine spring morning. Maureen Duffy A discussion about whether this track warranted a ‘No Dogs’ status (just removed by the An early frost turned into a beautiful sunny day at Margate as we made our way to the first Kingborough Council) was soon brought into focus by the sight of an off-leash dog farm dams on the trail. There were a few Pacific Black Duck and Eurasian Coots on the bounding up to meet us, not 500 m into the walk! 9
A Tassie Twist
An article in The Whistler, the journal of the Hunter Bird Observers’ Club, provides a very interesting twist on migration studies using geolocators. Over three successive years, 2015-2017, the migration track for a Ruddy Turnstone was recorded. Overall, these birds fly a huge distance: from southern Australia north to Siberia and back. While this particular bird (WMA) varied its migration path to some degree in all years, in each year it spent between one and three months at Newcastle beach (with its fabulous ocean baths) in spring en route to King Island. While multiple records of a particular bird’s migration paths now exist, this was the first time that a turnstone’s stop-over point has been confirmed visually. Apparently quite a few of these birds stay at Newcastle all summer, but the information gained from WMA shows the propensity to repeat the experience of previous years.
Reference: Ken Gosbell, Simeon Lisovski and Clive Minton, 2018. ‘Geolocators track Ruddy Turnstone to Newcastle, NSW en route to King Island (Tasmania). The Whistler, vol. 12, pages 16-21. The PDF of the article may be downloaded at: https://www.hboc.org.au/the-whistler-volume-12/
Tasmanian Thornbill. Photo by Helen Cunningham.
The Golden Whistlers gave us their full range of calls, confusing our attempts to distinguish them from an Olive Whistler call, and we were further distracted by a Grey Shrike-thrush mimicking a Golden Whistler. Birds were relatively plentiful and the diversity of species was similar to previous visits with 23 species being observed during the morning. However, ground and low-level bird numbers were lower than usual, perhaps due to the dog’s earlier presence.
Bird list Brown Falcon, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Green Rosella, Fan-tailed Cuckoo (H), Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (H), Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo (H), Laughing Kookaburra, Superb Fairy-wren, Striated Pardalote, Spotted Pardalote (H), Tasmanian Scrubwren, Brown Thornbill, Tasmanian Thornbill, Strong-billed Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Scarlet Robin, Grey Fantail, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike (H), Black Currawong (H), Grey Currawong, Forest Raven. Ruddy Turnstone © Stephen Garth 2018 birdlifephotography.org.au
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Summer Wader Counts CSIRO State of the Climate report: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-20/bom-csiro-biennial-state-of-the- The SE Tasmania Summer Wader Count will be on Saturday 23 February 2019 with a climate/10631122 high tide of 1.25m is at 12:38 pm (Hobart). Other organisations: As a fall-back, if the weather is bad, Sunday 24 February has high tide of 1.15m Tasmanian Land Conservancy: https://tasland.org.au/ at 13:47 pm (Hobart). Raptor Refuge: http://www.raptorrefuge.com.au/ Please contact [email protected] or [email protected] if you are interested Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary: https://www.bonorong.com.au/ in participating. As usual, non-members and novices are welcome too! Tasmanian Field Naturalists: https://www.tasfieldnats.org.au/ The NW Tasmania Summer Wader Count will be on Sunday 20 January 2019. Please Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service: https://www.parks.tas.gov.au/ contact Hazel Britton on 6425 2785 or email [email protected] if you are interested. Birdlife Tasmania Excursions – South, 2019
Southern Summer BBQ All excursions 2 to 3 hours unless stated otherwise. Please contact leader for details.
Sunday, 3 March 2019, 12 midday-2.00 pm, Site 2, the Waterworks Reserve Sun 20/01/19 Cornelian Bay – meet at restaurant carpark 8.30am. Ring Maureen on Hobart. 0409253834 or 62750832
All BirdLife Australia members and friends are invited to come along; Site 2 is located Sat 02/02/19 Goulds Lagoon Granton – meet at lagoon carpark Hestercombe Rd 8.30am. near the upper dam wall. Ring Maureen on 0409253834 or 62750832 BirdLife Tas will supply sausages/vegetarian patties, bread rolls, butter, sauces, salt and pepper. Please bring along some picnic delights to share – salads, cheeses, breads … Sun 17/02/19 Lake Dulverton, Oatlands – meet at Granton park 8.30am to carpool. Ring and your own drinks. Also, plates, cups, glasses (let’s make it a disposable plastic-free Maureen on 0409253834 or 62750832 event!) Sat 02/03/19 Burton's Reserve, Cygnet – meet at reserve car park 8.30am. This is a great opportunity to have a chat with fellow bird lovers and BirdLife Tas Ring Maureen on 0409253834 or 62750832 committee members. So, please mark the date on your calendar, and RSVP to Sue (0402 741 399; [email protected]) for catering – please let her know if you’re vegetarian. Sun 17/03/19 Dru Point, Margate – meet at car park by kiosk 8.30am. Ring Maureen on 0409253834 or 62750832 Links Sun 31/03/19 Eaglehawk Neck – meet opposite Police Station Sorell 8.30am Birds eating balloon, seen from RV Investigator: to carpool. Bring or buy lunch. Ring Ruth on 0427503268 or 62503268 https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-29/sea-birds-seen-eating-balloon-and-plastic- bottle/10562198?pfmredir=sm Sat 13/04/19 Tynwald Park, New Norfolk – meet at the end of the road past the football ground 8.30am. Ring Maureen on 0409253834 or 62750832 Threatened bird index: https://tsx.org.au/ Sun 28/04/19 Risdon Brook Dam – meet at dam carpark 8.30am. Ring Judith on 62437148. Swift Parrots and sugar gliders https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-12-05/sugar-gliders-induce-tragic-love- Sat 11/05/19 Windemere Bay, Claremont – meet at carpark bottom of Boxhill Rd, triangle-in-swift-parrots/10581070 Claremont 8.30am. Ring Maureen on 0409253834 or 62750832.
Toondah Harbour EPBC Act decision: Sun 26/05/19 Poimena Reserve, Austins Ferry – meet at Roseneath Park carpark, Main https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-09/the-developer-the-whistleblower-and-the- Rd, Austins Ferry 8.30am. Ring Maureen on 0409253834 or 62750832 minister-toondah-harbour/10487806 11
Can you spot the chick in this photo?
Silver gulls BirdLife Tasmania Directory 2018 at Spirit of GPO Box 68, Hobart 7001 Tasmania www.birdlife.org.au/tasmania terminal, Port Phillip Chair Dr Eric Woehler
Shorebird Count Coordinators South-east S. Drake
Database c/- The Secretary, GPO Box 68, Hobart 7001
‘State of Tasmania’s Birds’ report to be compiled annually by committee. Chair Mike Newman.
Editors Sharon Moore (Yellow Throat)
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Yellow Throat is produced every alternate month beginning in January. Contributions, including articles, sightings, birdwatching sites, letters and news, are welcome, and will be published subject to space and interest or relevance to BirdLife Tasmania members, at the Editor’s discretion. Views expressed in Yellow Throat are not necessarily those of BirdLife Tasmania, or of the Editor, unless explicitly stated. All maps drawn from the BirdLife Tasmania database remain © BirdLife Tasmania. Please make use of our material, but we ask that you acknowledge BirdLife Tasmania as the source. We thank the office of Mr Andrew Wilkie, MHR, for assisting in the production of Yellow Throat 103. And thanks to Senator Lisa Singh’s office for the printing of no. 102.
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BirdLife Tasmania is a regional branch of BirdLife Australia.
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Notice of AGM The Birdlife Tasmania Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 14 March 2019 at 7.30 pm in the Life Sciences Lecture Theatre 1, Life Sciences Building, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, preceding the general meeting. Please use the following form for committee nominations.
Committee nomination form, 2019
In accordance with Rule 5 governing nomination of committee members, the following person is nominated as: Chair Vice-Chair Secretary Treasurer Committee Member (maximum of 8) (circle appropriate position) Nominee: …………………………………………… ______
Nominated by………………………………. (please print) Signed…………………………………. Date: ……………………….. ______
Seconded by………………………………….. (please print) Signed………………………………….. Date: ………………………. I,……………………………………endorse the above nomination of myself (please print) for the position of………………………………….. Signed…………………………………. Date: ……………………….. Please forward nominations to the Secretary, BirdLife Tasmania, GPO Box 68, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, or scan PDF and email to [email protected] by Monday, 11 March, 2019. Nominations must be received three (3) days before the Annual General Meeting of Thursday, 14 March 2019.
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