Birds South East Number 64 December 2012 Inaugural Cross Border Campout Hosted by BirdLife South East SA October 26-29 2012 What a weekend we had, great birds and lots of them, great company and some really nice spots to go birding. Unfortunately the Horsham representatives had to withdraw at the last minute, leaving four of the five groups represented, these being South East SA, Warrnambool, Hamilton and Left-Right: Bob Green, Vicki Natt, Jean Haywood and Gwen Nhill. With the addition of visitors from Adelaide, Young Jamestown and the Fleurieu Peninsula we ended up with 55 people attending the camp in one way or Next was Telford Scrub which was relatively quiet another. while still producing 48 species. Best birds were Jacky Winter in their very predictable favourite Friday saw us do a coastal strip “tour” guided by spot, and the walk ended with nice views of a male Maureen Christie, we visited all the wader hot spots Satin Flycatcher calling and searching for a mate. from the Pt. Mac breakwater through to Pick Swamp. Along the way we picked up a few ticks for Saturday night we had a dinner at the Mt. Gambier people with Golden Plover and Grey-tailed Tattlers, RSL clubrooms, I think everyone enjoyed the meal Hooded Plover that Maureen had checked out the and a relaxing atmosphere, a change of pace from day before were obliging and all five cormorant two days of birding. We took the opportunity to species were seen together at Stony Point. A stop at use the occasion to launch our groups’ new Pick Swamp added Australasian Bittern and a lone banners to a very receptive crowd, we had really Intermediate Egret. good feedback on them and everyone was extremely impressed. Our last stop for the day was the estuary car park at Nelson where we could sit and relax and check out the action with scopes, the surprise highlight Contents was a single Freckled Duck in amongst the other 1. Inaugural Cross Border Campout ducks, to cap off a big day with 114 species the final tally. 3. Swift Watch 4. Pasture Strip, Wandilo outing On Saturday some of the Fri night arrivals did a coastal trip led by Jeff Campbell, the days tally was 4. Postcard from the Alice 74 and added a couple of waders from the Glenelg 5. Wader News estuary in Eastern Curlew and Marsh Sandpiper. The rest of the group headed bush for the day 7. Bird Hide Opening at Robe visiting Penola CP and Telford Scrub CP, Penola (led 7. Nature’s Notes by Peter & Linda Johns) produced very 9. Coming Events and Contacts uncooperative Southern Emu-wrens, but we saw Grey Butcherbird, Restless Flycatcher and good 10. Sightings (Sept to Dec 2012) views of a pair of Crested Shrike-tits. BirdLife South East SA Inaugural Cross Border Campout cont.. Wayne Bigg the cars we had one last look across the tussocks and a male Emu-wren came to investigate sitting up nicely in full sun on the fence right in front of us. Peter Johns leading the outing to Penola CP. Heading back towards Mt Gambier we stopped after Sunday morning we headed to Glen Roy CP (led by a couple of kms to look at a pair of Brolga on the Bob Green & Peter Barrand), where we quickly got roadside in a small swamp- what a great way to on to some Buff-rumped Thornbills which gave end the camp. everyone really good views of what can sometimes A very big thanks to our committee who helped put be a very frustrating bird, another highlight was a this camp together!!! Rose Robin not far from the cars, after checking out the North end and having a break for coffee we A special thanks to those that helped over the headed down the west side, the last couple of cars weekend as leaders, guides and just generally to pull away were treated to scope views of a very helped out with whatever we needed doing, it was “lost” Red-backed Kingfisher (lucky people). only because we had such an enthusiastic and pleasant bunch that this camp was such a success. Highlights from the west side were White-winged Triller, Rufous Songlark, White-bellied Cuckoo- The best of luck to BirdLife Warrnambool for when shrike and Restless Flycatcher. they host the 2014 campout and in to the future with Hamilton 2016, Nhill 2018 and Horsham 2020. Bool Lagoon was next (led by Sue Black) and here the good birds were great, Blue-billed Duck, three Intermediate Egrets By Bob Green in amongst Great Egrets allowing for great comparisons and for everyone to have a look at them side by side in the scope, Red-necked Avocets NOTE: We tried to incorporate the bird list for all are always nice to see, a Little Eagle put in an sites into our newsletter but it proved too difficult appearance near Hacks Lagoon, and a nice flock of during formatting. If anyone wishes to see a Sharp-tailed Sandpipers foraged not far from the collated list please contact Bob. cars allowing good views. Monday (led by Bob Green) morning we headed to Princess Margaret Rose Caves and got good views of Rufous Bristlebirds, too brief a view of Olive Whistler, a big flock of mixed woodswallows flew over, and a brief but clear sunlit view of a Pied Currawong calling from the treetops. Last stop for the day we headed to Mumbannar NCR, on the way we managed to lose one person at the back when their caravan got boxed in but luckily they saw our cars just as we were pulling off the main road again. Mumbannar produced quite a few Latham’s Snipe in amongst the bracken and Southern Emu-wrens as ticks for a few, returning to 2 December 2012 BirdLife South East SA Swift Watch Fork-tailed swift (17.5cm) Underside view For those interested in our northern migrants from the ‘swift’ family you may be pleased to know that BirdLife South East SA contributes sightings to a National database through Mike Tarburton on all visiting swifts to our area. Swifts are a particularly interesting group of birds as they breed in the northern hemisphere then choose to migrate south to our part of the world over summer and autumn. We’re delighted to have them of course, but when White-throated needletail (20cm) we tilt our heads back how many species are we Underside view really seeing up there?? White-throated needletails and Fork-tailed swifts are the two dominant species but in recent years it has been said by national experts that we possibly get others as well!! Smaller ones like the House swift and White-rumped swiftlet are also possibilities amongst our summer-sky-soaring- swifts. House swift (15cm) If anyone observes swifts in the coming months Underside view please call others in your area to alert them of their presence so that we can have more eyes out looking for them. A great way to keep in touch with your local bird watchers and hopefully find House swifts or even White-rumped swiftlets. So keep sending in your sightings and take a closer look next time at that flock flying overhead (not while driving of course!!). Our sightings may one day White-rumped swiftlet (11cm) contribute to a climate change monitoring program Top view on a global scale. Here are a few diagrams offering size and marking comparisons, to help with identifying swifts. The sizes given relate to head to tail length not wing span. Source: Simpson and Day (1996) Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. NOTE: If anyone is not currently on the annual report email list from Mike Tarburton, let me know and I will send you a copy. By Bryan Haywood December 2012 3 BirdLife South East SA Pasture Strip, Wandilo Postcard from the Alice Saturday 17th November, 2012 Bill The bird dog and I finally escaped from the medical (profession?)(industry) on 16 October and made camp first night at Barham, just over the border from Kerang, where we hoped to find feral Ten bird watchers ventured out to the Wandilo area Ostriches. We had gone to Barmah last year, but on Saturday November 17th to survey sites in that proved to be a typo in the article I read. The readiness for rehabilitation by ForestrySA's lady in the caravan park was pessimistic. She had Conservation and volunteer teams. The site more lived there for many years and the Ostrich farm had commonly known as the 'Pasture Strip' will be a gone broke many decades ago and she had ever focal site for ForestrySA, three local schools and seen an Ostrich. The Info centre was far ore numerous volunteers as they attempt to rehabilitate positive. Just get onto the Deni (Deniliquin) Road, 150ha of scattered trees, pastured hills and stop at 30k and the birds are actually on the left. I wetlands over the next four years with funding confirmed this in the morning and at 30k out I coming through the Native Vegetation Council. pulled over and scanned the paddock on the left The aim of the mornings birding (led by Bob Green) with the bins and Bingo!. Six Ostriches. Easy tick. was to capture a list of birds seen in seven 2ha The NSW Atlas says that they are maintaining their areas scattered throughout the site which is nestled numbers over some decades and getting on without between Hackett Hill and Wandilo Native Forest assistance. Even the farmers like them, they eat Reserves (just east of Glencoe).