Birds SA Newsletter No 216 November 2010 Birds SA is the operating name of The South Australian Ornithological Association Inc. c/- South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000 The Aims of the Association are: To promote the conservation of Australian birds and their habitats. To encourage interest in, and develop knowledge of the birds of South Australia. To record the results of research in regard to all aspects of bird life. To maintain a public fund called the "Birds SA Conservation Fund" for the specific purpose of supporting the Association’s environmental objects. PRINT POST APPROVED PP532699/00009 CONTENTS SAOA COMMITTEE 2010 – 2011 President’s Letter ………………………….…4 President Jeremy Robertson 8278 1217 Birds SA Notes & News ………………….….5 Vice President Stuart Hull 8391 0007 Miscellaneous Items ………………..…….….8 Vice President Rodney Attwood 8264 1527 Past and Future Meetings ...…….………........9 Secretary Brian Blaylock 8370 3349 Treasurer Brian Walker 8263 3433 Past Excursions ...…………….…...........…...10 Assistant Secretary Robert Rowland 83881790 Future Excursions ………...……….…..……12 Journal Editor John Hatch 8362 2820 Bird Records …………..……….….….....….14 Newsletter Editor Cynthia Pyle 8264 5778 Sea-Eagle Survey ……………………...……16 Field Program Coordinator Trevor Cowie 8263 2531 News from the Library ………………….…..17 Bird Record Secretary Colin Rogers 8336 3325 Photo Pages …………………………….…...19 Member Lou Bartley-Clements 0418858037 CENTRE INSERT Member Merinda Hyland 8337 3616 SAOA HISTORICAL SERIES NUMBER 34, Member David Robertson 8278 7866 ERHARD FRANZ BOEHM PART 7 Member Merilyn Browne 8339 6839 FURTHER USEFUL CONTACTS DIARY Librarian Karen Donkin 0402123960 Following is a list of Birds SA activities for the next few months. Image Librarian John Spiers 8333 0272 Further details of all these activities are given later in the email [email protected] newsletter. Ongoing Atlas Pat Bowie 8278 6048 Nov 28 Sunday Excursion to Pooginook CP OTHER S.A. ASSOCIATIONS Dec 11 Saturday Excursion to Reedy Creek Birds South-east Dec 16 Thursday Excursion to Laratinga Wetlands Chair Bryan Haywood 8726 8112 Publicity Officer Bob Green 8725 0549 Dec 19 Sunday Excursion to Salt Fields Email [email protected] Dec 26 to Jan 4 Christmas Campout, Coffin Bay Fleurieu Birdwatchers Contact Person Judith Dyer 8555 2736 Jan 8 Saturday Excursion to Sandy Creek CP Email [email protected] Jan 13 Thursday Excursion to Salt Fields Jan 28 Friday General Meeting WEBSITE www.birdssa.asn.au Jan 30 Sunday Scott Creek CP 2010 SAOA SUBSCRIPTIONS Feb 12 Saturday Excursion to Salt Fields Single membership $50 Feb 17 Thursday Excursion to Goolwa Barrage Family/household membership $60 Single concession* $45 Feb 25 Friday General Meeting, Family/household concession* $55 Feb 27 Sunday Excursion to Paiwalla Wetlands Student members (full-time students under 25 years) $10 *Pensioners and people experiencing financial hardship can Mar 12 Saturday Excursion to Laratinga Wetlands obtain concessions. Apply in writing to the Treasurer, Birds SA. Mar 17 Thursday Excursion to Riverglades etc. Mar 25 Friday General Meeting ABN 76 339 976 789 Cover photo: Dusky Woodswallow, photographed by Burt ADVERTISING IN THE Birds SA May in Wirrabara Forest, April 2010 NEWSLETTER SAOA relies on the integrity of advertisers for the quality and General meetings are held in the Hawker Centre at the Waite nature of their products and services. We cannot guarantee Institute, Waite Road, Urrbrae at 7.45pm. Doors open at them. Advertising is charged as follows: $1.00 per line, up to 7.00pm. $20.00 per quarter page and 10c per inserted leaflet (single Committee meetings are held at the above venue on the second sheet). The committee reserves the right to lower or waive these Monday of each month, starting at 7.30pm. fees. Donations to the Birds SA Conservation Fund are tax- COPY DEADLINE deductible Copy for the February Newsletter is due by the January General Meeting (Jan 28). Contributions, ‘Word’ format preferred, can New Members be made on CD, or emailed to either of my email addresses: We welcome 15 new members who have recently joined the Association. Their names are listed on p11. • [email protected] • [email protected] or typed/handwritten neatly. Printed by Abbott Printers and Stationer Birds SA Newsletter, November 2010 3 A Page of Parrots See page 18 for details of all photographs 2 3 1 4 5 7 6 2 Birds SA Newsletter, August 2010 President’s Letter What a spring it has been with rain at trip to the north to see all the flowers should remain an independent entity last! Many birds have already bred and abundant birds. while maintaining cordial and and are on to their second or third At the last general meeting it became collaborative relations with Birds clutch as they take advantage of the apparent there is some speculation Australia. A good ecological analogy lush conditions and the available about our relationship with Birds is that any collective is strengthened food. In late October I spent twelve Australia, and even a minority view by more entities and weakened by days surveying birds to the east of that because it is the national the domination of a few. the northern Flinders Ranges and was organisation we should perhaps While we can undoubtedly serve the delighted with the abundance of birds amalgamate with it. I was surprised needs of the local membership there of many species. After the prolonged by this speculation and so I have is always the danger we might drought with its tired vegetation become too parochial and inward and sporadic breeding it was looking. However, there is strong wonderful to see blooming trees evidence that by and large the and shrubs and the ground I extend best wishes Association has avoided these covered in flowers, including pitfalls, as can be seen with our carpets of Sturt’s Desert Peas. to everyone over the active involvement with national Huge flocks of Budgerigars and initiatives such as the 2020 Count, Zebra Finches were all breeding summer break, with and the recent initiative of our wherever they could. Little journal, which is encouraging Button-quail were common and I lots of good birding. submission of papers from all over regularly flushed them, including Australia. We have been trying to many with young chicks. A establish a Memorandum of highlight on a bright sunny mid- canvassed five former presidents of Understanding with Birds Australia, morning was to have excellent views the Association and other members, but the merger of Birds Australia of a female Plains Wanderer with including (through John Hatch) with BOCA has delayed these two attendant males, all of which Margaret Cameron who is a long- negotiations. There have been disappeared exactly as described by term member and past President of attempts to formalise our relationship Colin Rogers at the October general Birds Australia. A strong consensus with Birds Australia going back to at meeting. At night we found Barn emerged from these discussions. least the early nineteen seventies, but Owls, Southern Boobooks, While there is no doubt Birds they have been more in the nature of Australian Owlet-nightjars, Tawny Australia is the national a gentleman’s agreement. Because Frogmouths and Spotted Nightjars, ornithological organisation there is the other party has no record of them and we saw many Dusky Hopping plenty of room for a strong local they are of little relevance today. Mice on the roads. Many of the organisation. Both organisations However, they do provide evidence migratory birds were common with have complementary roles to play in of goodwill between the two parties. woodswallows everywhere and the enjoyment, study and Once the amalgamation between Rainbow Bee-eaters, White-winged conservation of birds, and many of Birds Australia and BOCA is Trillers and Rufous Songlarks in our members acknowledge this by complete we will actively pursue a most creek lines, while Brown being members of both. Birds SA as formal Memorandum of Songlarks were abundant in the open the South Australian Ornithological Understanding to outline our areas. Unusual birds were seen, Association has a slightly longer respective roles and interactions. including an excellent view of a lone history than Birds Australia, it is Should the membership feel it is Australian Bittern at a dam, and a financially sound and has a large, necessary we could also send out a single Painted Finch, though I stable and active membership. We questionnaire to explore the various unfortunately missed it. Curiously, also have a proud history of ways in which the two august bodies many of the resident birds were in achievement with many of our might more effectively interact. surprisingly low numbers, so there members making outstanding This is my last Letter for 2010, so I were few Chestnut-rumped and contributions to Australian extend best wishes to everyone over Inland Thornbills and the usually ornithology. Read any of the species the summer break with lots of good common Striated Pardalote and accounts in The Handbook of birding. There are still opportunities Mistletoebird were scarce. Perhaps Australian, New Zealand and for members to meet and interact: they have been reduced by years of Antarctic Birds (HANZAB) and it is first at the forthcoming meeting with poor conditions and will take time to soon apparent how much of the basic refreshments and a lively recover, or perhaps they have taken data were derived from our journal, presentation from Sean Dooley, and advantage of the good conditions to the South Australian Ornithologist. then at the Christmas Camp near disperse widely. I encourage For all these reasons there was a Coffin Bay. everyone who has a chance to make a strong feeling that our Association Jeremy Robertson 4 Birds SA Newsletter, November 2010 Birds SA Notes & News DISTINGUISHED SERVICE SHOREBIRD COUNTS AWARD CITATION Counters are wanted to assist TREVOR COWIE Conservation Volunteers Australia Trevor joined Birds SA in January (CVA) with forthcoming shorebird 1991 and his first monthly walks counts.