The Rainbow Bird Volume 5 Number 2 May 2016 (Issue 86) YOUR RAINBOW BIRD PRINTED COPY For many years the Rainbow Bird newsletter has been produced four times a year, usually in February, May, August and November. We are now up to issue 86. Prior to February 2008 the printed newsletter was produced in black and white with no photographs. It was duplicated for our club at no cost by MADEC. As technology advanced we moved into producing an extended newsletter with colour photographs. With the amalgamation of BOCA and Birds Australia into BirdLife Australia there was a requirement to produce our newsletter in a format consistent with all other branches. BirdLife Australia produced the templates that we now follow. It is a colourful format which is expensive to reproduce. Until 2013 our newsletter was printed at no charge in full colour by MADEC. In 2013 MADEC informed us they could no longer print our news letter for free. To continue to produce our newsletter our club purchased a colour printer so we could do our own printing. The cost of producing the newsletter has increased as the length of the newsletter and the number of colour photographs has increased. Members have indicated that they enjoy the Contents increased use of colour photographs. 1. Your Rainbow Bird Printed Copy At the moment we need to replace the toners in the printer 2. Thegoa Lagoon Outing at least twice per year. This is a cost in excess of $800. Add to that the cost of paper ($20 p.a.) and postage ($80 3. Barmera, Lake Bonney, Kingston Outing p.a.) 4. Allan Taylor's Older Photos I would like the club to consider producing an electronic 5. A Surprise Outing (email) copy only. I know the committee will be considering this at their next meeting, but this newsletter will be 6. A Trip to New Zealand produced before their opinion is known. 7. What Bird is This? We have several members who do not have an email 8. Birds at Puddles account so how do we cater for them? 9. That Elusive Bird For those with access to a computer we could use a USB stick that they could view and copy the newsletter and then 10. Kestrels return the USB at a meeting ready for the next issue. 11. Birding in the Summer Those without email or access to a computer may be able to 12. Emus give us an email address of a friend or colleague who is prepared to download/print a copy for them. 13. Interesting Sightings 14. Club Calendar If none of these work a copy is always available on the BirdLife Australia website (Mildura page) which can be viewed for free at any library. Len Jeffers BirdLife Mildura P. O. Box 1722, Mildura, VIC 3502 The Rainbow Bird Editor: Rae Jeffers, [email protected] The Rainbow Bird THEGOA LAGOON OUTING – FEBRUARY 7TH, 2016 A small number of members gathered at the Bike Hub at we could see a wooden stick structure out in the water. Col 8.00 am in the warm, clear sunshine, to travel to Lock 10 to informed us that it was a "fish hotel" which provides a meet up with Leader Col Stewart. The numbers swelled at refuge for fish. There are at least four of them in the lagoon the lock to 17, more than the number of inactive pelicans at various positions. perching on the railings of the lock. Apart from the idle pelicans there were several cormorants, also inactive, numerous Tree Martins flitting everywhere, a single Darter and a Pacific Black Duck - not much bird life on the river really. Col led the convoy to Thegoa Lagoon. The lagoon had received environmental water some time ago but at this point it had dried out considerably. As the convoy moved on we passed the second hide but the water had receded from that area so Col selected an area near a vine block to have morning tea. As everyone was settling in the shade 13 Darters could be seen circling overhead making use of a thermal to gain height. The bush was alive with birds at this point. Over 20 Little Friarbirds were seen plus 5 Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes, Red Wattlebirds, Blue-faced Honeyeaters, Noisy Miners, Striped Honeyeaters and Australian Ringnecks. Most of the birds However at the first bird hide Col led us to there was plenty kept flying back and forth from the black box trees to the of water and a good number of water birds. Young Yellow- vines laden with grapes. The Little Friarbirds appeared to be billed Spoonbill perched in the dead trees opposite. eating the grapes, however the Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes Australasian Grebe, Eurasian Coot, and Pacific Black Duck flew just above the vines hawking insects. On one occasion were on the water. Two Hoary-headed Grebe and a a Little Friarbird was seen bashing a caterpillar on a branch. Hardhead were added to the list. Closer examination of the ducks on the water revealed two Pink-eared Duck, a first The remainder of the lagoon was dry as we slowly followed it sighting for Luka, and several Little Pied Cormorant. Three around to return to the lock. We passed several large Black-fronted Dotterels flew noisily over our heads and two patches of Darling lilies in full bloom - a wonderful sight. Black-winged Stilt fed along the water's edge. As the day was forecast to reach 40°C most called it a day In the surrounding black box and red gum were Red-rumped when we returned to the lock and thanked Col for leading Parrots, Brown Tree-creeper, Crimson (Yellow) Rosella and the outing so capably. White-plumed Honeyeaters to name a few. Also at this hide Rae Jeffers Sightings: 47 Species Australian Wood Duck Australian Pelican Australian Ringneck Noisy Miner Pink-eared Duck Australian White Ibis Welcome Swallow Yellow-throated Miner Pacific Black Duck Yellow-billed Spoonbill Tree Martin Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Hardhead Whistling Kite Blue Bonnet Blue-faced Honeyeater Australasian Grebe Nankeen Kestrel Red-rumped Parrot Grey Shrike-thrush Hoary-headed Grebe Eurasian Coot Laughing Kookaburra Grey Butcherbird Rock Dove Masked Lapwing Rainbow Bee-eater Pied Butcherbird Crested Pigeon Silver Gull Brown Treecreeper Australian Magpie Australasian Darter Galah Weebill Willie Wagtail Little Pied Cormorant Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Striated Pardalote Australian Raven Great Cormorant Rainbow Lorikeet Singing Honeyeater Magpie-lark Little Black Cormorant Crimson Rosella White-plumed Honeyeater 2 The Rainbow Bird The Rainbow Bird BARMERA, LAKE BONNEY, KINGSTON OUTING – APRIL 8TH TO 10TH, 2016 Banrock Station Section: Those of us staying at Lake Bonney Discovery Park met at "…a wetland complex …which has been recognised of 8.30 am for the 15 minute drive to Banrock Winery. We international importance …under the Ramsar Convention …"; spent some time waiting in the car park to confirm our "…subject to an ongoing environmental restoration program numbers. The Woods, based at Kingston, joined us as did by a commercial organisation which manages the wetlands Ian & Brian from SA Field Naturalists who acted as guides and promotes ecologically sustainable land use practices …"; with local knowledge. Peter and Rhonda Barrand from "…In 2002 ..received the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Heywood, friends with club members, also joined us and Award in recognition of its conservation efforts …"; "In 1992 contributed their birding knowledge. a program began to restore the natural hydrological regime of alternate wetting and drying cycles that the wetlands had We proceeded through the Banrock Visitor Centre to begin before locks and weirs were installed …"; "…it supports the Mallee to Valley trail, through dry lightly wooded country several regionally threatened animals, including the and along a creek gully; bird sightings were sparse initially. southern bell frog, Regent Parrot and river snail …provides This then led on to the Boardwalk at the north end of the habitat seasonally …offers a route for fish migrating around wetland. There was a good level of water as a result of an Lock 3 on the Murray …provides spawning and nursery environmental filling. habitats …"; (from Wikipedia). There were common waterbirds such as Black Swans, Eurasian Coots, Dusky Moorhens, Pacific Black Ducks, Little Pied Cormorants and some smaller scrub birds. We went along the boardwalk to the Shelduck Hide and spent some time there viewing and photographing. We retraced our steps and went around to the Black Swan Hide on the west side of the wetlands. There was a distant sighting of a Musk Duck and various other ducks. Overall our sightings increased with the many "eyes" and experience of our group and in total 39 species were sighted (see list). We returned to the Visitor Centre for a light lunch and socialisation (some indulged in a glass of the local product). The weather conditions were pleasant being sunny and mild. Sightings, while not out of the ordinary were sufficient to be interesting. The walk took 2 ½ hours and we covered about 5 km. "…the first internationally important wetland to be designated in SA that is entirely located on private land ….It is now one of only 20 sites in the lower River Murray that has been returned to a near-natural water cycle …"; "..floodplain wetlands …dominated by lignum & sedge with expanses of open water. Adjoining …open mallee box woodland community …provides habitat for a breeding population of the vulnerable regent parrot. Approximately 159 bird species …have been observed at the site. During dry periods the swamp acts as a drought refuge." (Aust Gov Department of Environment website) "What are Ramsar wetlands? ….a wide variety of natural & human-made habitat types ….wetlands include swamps, marshes, billabongs, lakes, salt marshes, mudflats, mangroves, coral reefs, fens, peat bogs, or bodies of water – natural or artificial, permanent or temporary.