CAPE TO CAPE BIRD GROUP

Transcription

1 CAPE TO CAPE BIRD GROUP Cosy Corner Beach Saturday 9 May Half-day excursion: Metricup bush block Meet at 8:30 am on this 20 hectare property with a DPaW Nature Conservation Covenant and the Carbunup River flowing through. Enter off 278 Gibb Road, Metricup (unsealed), cross the narrow bridge (carefully) then turn first right (Lot 51) and park anywhere near the large blue rainwater tank. Janean and Adrian have asked if we can assist in recording bird species to add to their list of wildlife for the property. Bring morning tea. There is a picnic table and a few logs for sitting on. BYO chair if preferred. Leaders: Janean Robinson ( ) and Adrian van den Ouweland ( ) CONTENTS Page Program 2 Excursion Reports Splits and Renames. 7 Birdlife presentations, Busselton 8 Birding Beyond the Capes. 9 Articles Junior Bush Scientists. 15 Sightings 16 Yellow-billed Spoonbills Vasse River Delta bird hide Photo Barbara Bremner

2 Sunday 7 June Half-day excursion: Margaret River Rails to Trails Meet at 9:00 am at the Carters Road Trailhead not far from town for a walk along the old railway alignment. From Bussell Highway turn into Carters Road and travel a short distance to where the Rails to Trails crosses Carters Road and park in the car park on the northern side of the road (Wharncliffe Mill is nearby). Bring morning tea in a back pack to have along the trail. Leader: Boyd Wykes Saturday 4 July Half-day excursion: Cape Naturaliste Meet at 9.00 am at the car park closest to the kiosk at the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse. We shall be looking out for seabirds and heathland birds. Bring along morning tea and a telescope if you have one. Leader: Roger Cornes Sunday 16 August Half-day excursion: Ellensbrook Homestead Meet at 9:00 am at the Ellensbrook Homestead car park. We shall walk around the garden area of the homestead, then to Meekadarabee Falls and down to the coast. Saturday 12 September Half-day excursion: Forest Grove Meet at 8.30 am. From Bussell Highway travel 2.3 kilometres along Forest Grove Road. Turn left at the farm gate. Look for a Birdlife sign. Our group has been invited to spend a morning birdwatching on this beautiful private property. Morning tea will be provided. Leader: Barry Darnell Monday 19 October to Sunday 25 October Birdlife National Bird Week Note: All the local excursions/campouts/meetings are for Birdlife Australia members and the general public. In the event of threatening weather, those planning to attend an excursion (particularly if travelling some distance) are welcome to check conditions with the leader prior to the excursion (use individual mobile contact if given). The leader will always be present at the meeting place and will decide whether or not to proceed. Bring along morning tea. Leader: Jane Scott Red-capped Parrot, Augusta garden Photo Roger Crabtree 2

3 Rock Parrot at Cosy Corner Photo Jill Cornes JEWEL CAVE, COSY CORNER AND FOUL BAY 15 MARCH A pleasant morning after the first good rainfall of the year saw nine birders meet at the entrance to Jewel Cave. The karri walk was looking fresh and provided a good selection of bush birds and included some banter about the semantics of White-naped/Swan River Honeyeaters. A close view of a Spotted Pardalote working the leaves gave us one highlight, with Whitebreasted Robins and a male Red-winged Fairywren providing others. This was followed by a coffee and natter at the Cave Café. The group then travelled up the road to Cosy Corner and viewed a flock of Bridled Terns that was several hundred strong, with some possibly still nesting. Bird List Karri Walk (Jewel Cave) White-tailed Black-Cockatoo sp. Purple-crowned Lorikeet Western Rosella Australian Ringneck (28 Parrot) Red-capped Parrot Laughing Kookaburra Red-winged Fairy-wren White-browed Scrubwren Western Gerygone Inland Thornbill Spotted Pardalote Striated Pardalote New Holland Honeyeater Gilbert s Honeyeater Golden Whistler Australian Magpie Grey Fantail Scarlet Robin White-breasted Robin Silvereye Bird List Cosy Corner/Foul Bay Pied Cormorant Eastern Osprey Wedge-tailed Eagle Bridled Tern (400+) Pacific Gull Silver Gull Rock Parrot Southern Emu-wren White-browed Scrubwren New Holland Honeyeater White-breasted Robin Silvereye While returning from the beach one of the youngsters from a family party showed us a dead Rock Parrot that he had found, and later led Jill to some live ones. Following that a brief side trip to Foul Bay yielded a Southern Emu-wren for several people. Roger Crabtree Karri walk, Jewel Cave 3

4 Dead Rock Parrot Photo Roger Crabtree PARROTS ROCK! The beautiful karri walk and coffee at the café put us in high spirits for our visit to Cosy Corner. After scanning the islets and ocean we took a walk along the beach in search of Hooded Plovers and Rock Parrots. No luck finding birds on the beach so we made our way back up the stairway. About halfway we passed a young lad (Kai) carrying a dead bird to his parents. Jill immediately saw that it was a Rock Parrot and asked him about it. Everyone gathered around to take a closer look. We explained to Gavin (Kai s father) our particular interest while a few photographs were taken. The parrot s plumage was in perfect condition with no visible signs of injury - very puzzling. Kai and Kayden at the beach It was agreed to send the bird to the WA Museum where an explanation may be provided as to cause of death. Gavin, Kai and Kayden took Jill back to the shady gully under the rock face where the parrot was found and they were rewarded with a view of three very lively Rock Parrots. Jill managed to take some photographs of this small flock feeding on the ground and encouraged the boys to look at the parrots through binoculars. Cherry said Rock Parrots resemble the colours of our south west the green of the forest and the blue of the ocean. Thanks Roger for a morning combining green forests and blue seas with birds to match! Christine Wilder Three Rock Parrots at Cosy Corner Photo Jill Cornes Looking at a Southern Emu-wren at Foul Bay 4

5 No luck on the way up, apart from a faint, rather liquid twittering which apparently was one of the two species. Of course we had to be told what to look for and were rewarded on the way back with excellent sightings of several Tawny-crowned Honeyeaters, taking turns at sitting on a dead tree in full view. Thanks Christine, we definitely needed your expertise. The twittering belonged to Western Wattlebirds which unfortunately preferred to remain hidden. Tawny-crowned Honeyeater in flight It is not often I receive two reports for the same excursion so I am printing both. Thanks. Ed. THE MARGARET RIVER 19 APRIL A small group of seven of us indulged in a very leisurely stroll along the river from Laurel Place to Horsford Reserve and return. We were able to practice identifying calls of a good number of common feathered residents and are now especially good at recognising the screeching of Purple-crowned Lorikeets and Grey Fantails by song and sight! A highlight was a pair of Scarlet Robins obligingly posing for us on the fence alongside the path. We did wonder what these birds were feeding on as we could see no heath plants in flower, only copious marri blossom above but much further away from them. We then drove the short distance to the Margaret River rapids to enjoy morning tea on the warm rocks while checking the birdlife. We were only able to add a Little Pied Cormorant and a (probable) Little Eagle to our list. An excellent tally of 29 species including seven species of honeyeater recorded within a very small area. Once again, a most enjoyable morning. Jane Scott Every so often we had to practice repeating after Christine Gilbert s Honeyeater, Gilbert s Honeyeater to instill into our brains the latest name for our familiar Western White-naped Honeyeater. Christine doesn t let us off the hook easily and we were given a test, looking for two species not yet seen on any of our group bird walks. The only clue being that the birds had been spotted recently by our leader along a section of trail where there was a granite outcrop with associated tall heath vegetation. Section of the walk alongside the Margaret River 5

6 THE MARGARET RIVER 19 APRIL Sometimes an area about which I have given very little thought springs a complete surprise. So it was with this outing to the southern bank of the Margaret River between the town and Caves Road. This area, where the river is in a steep valley, has been kept as reserve and the surrounding housing does not seriously encroach on it, while the firebreak track provides good, easy, access. Our party of seven wandered along, observing the usual bush inhabitants of Grey Fantails, Scarlet Robins, White-browed Scrubwrens, Inland Thornbills, Red-winged Fairy-wrens and others. We discussed the merits of Gilbert s Honeyeater, the name now given to what used to be the western sub-species of White-naped Honeyeater. We progressed, lured on by Christine s promise of two species not on the Cape to Cape Bird Group s list. There are many attractive spots where the end-of-summer pools looked good as swimming holes, ably demonstrated by a number of dogs, which may have been the reason for the lack of visible waterbirds. The boundary between semi developed blocks and the bush was always going to be interesting, especially with some of the plantings. Of course, in birding, a promise is not quite that, but on our way back we were delighted by Tawny-crowned Honeyeaters performing in front of us, and the calls of Western Wattlebirds, the two birds not on the list. The trip was to end at Prevelly and the rivermouth, but coincided with the Surfing Pro, so discretion led to a late smoko at an area known as the falls, where, seated on the rocks we had a view of a raptor, identified by those more expert than me as a Little Eagle. One of many pools along the Margaret River Thanks to Christine Wilder for organising this excellent excursion and for the superb weather. Roger Crabtree Bird List The Margaret River Little Pied Cormorant Little Eagle White-tailed Black-Cockatoo sp. Purple-crowned Lorikeet Western Rosella Australian Ringneck (28 Parrot) Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Laughing Kookaburra Splendid Fairy-wren Red-winged Fairy-wren White-browed Scrubwren Yellow-rumped Thornbill Inland Thornbill Spotted Pardalote Western Spinebill Western Wattlebird Red Wattlebird Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Brown Honeyeater New Holland Honeyeater Gilbert s Honeyeater Golden Whistler Grey Shrike-thrush Australian Magpie Grey Fantail Australian Raven Scarlet Robin Silvereye Red-eared Firetail 6

7 SPLITS AND RENAMES On excursions there has been lively discussion on the new English bird names for Western White-naped Honeyeater Swan River Honeyeater and now Gilbert s Honeyeater. I admit to being confused for some time about what to call Western White-naped Honeyeater. For a short while I referred to it as Swan River Honeyeater but in this issue I use the new name Gilbert s Honeyeater. As the Cape to Cape Bird Group is part of Birdlife WA, when listing birds for this newsletter I use Birdlife WA s checklist (following Birdlife International taxonomy). I asked Martin Cake about WA splits affecting what we call some local birds. Martin has submitted detailed articles due for publication in the June edition of Birdlife s WA Bird Notes, but in the meantime he provided me with the following information for anyone who wishes to catch up on some reading on the subject. Christine Wilder No doubt lots of people will continue to use the name Western White-naped Honeyeater but the reason to discontinue using it is that the name implies it and the (Eastern) Whitenaped Honeyeater are closest relatives but they are not. Gilbert s Honeyeater is a great name honouring a great man and I would encourage people to use the new name. For information on John Gilbert: collections/zoology/john-gilbert/about-johngilbert.aspx This is written by Gilbert-phile Clem Fisher from Liverpool Museum, who has been in touch to say she is absolutely delighted with the new honeyeater name. Western Whistler The Western Whistler split was accepted by IOC on 31 December. This is an article I wrote for our blog: 01/new-almost-endemic-species-for-wa.html Scarlet Robin The other split on the cards from the Dolman (WA Museum) & Joseph (CSIRO) paper, subject to more work, is the Scarlet Robin. See this recent article: environment-a-conservation/item/3397- single-gene-points-to-separate-bird-species Gilbert s Honeyeater Gilbert s Honeyeater The Gilbert s Honeyeater split actually happened in 2010 but is not yet reflected in Birdlife s working list. The name is new, to replace the International Ornithologists Committee s (IOC) Swan River Honeyeater which had very little support. Martin Cake References: Dolman, G., and L. Joseph. (2015). Evolutionary history of birds across southern Australia: structure, history and taxonomic implications of mitochondrial DNA diversity in an ecologically diverse suite of species. Emu 115, Gill, F. and D. Donsker (Eds). (2015). IOC World Bird List. 7

8 Saturday 23 rd May pm Tales from the Tundra. The journey of Australia s migratory shorebirds Presenter: Kimberley Onton Sunday 24 th May pm Conserving WA s Black Cockatoos Presenter: Matt Byrne Brown Honeyeater in Augusta garden Photo Roger Crabtree BIRDLIFE AUSTRALIA Saturday 30 th May pm Birdsong Presenter: Marieke Weerheim FREE PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS IN BUSSELTON Sue Kalab specialises in watercolours of Australian nature with a special interest in birds and bush orchids. For further information and to register your interest, please contact Birdlife Australia at: wa@birdlife.org.au or Please register by Thursday 21 st May Places are limited. An exhibition of Sue s work Nature Wise and Wonderful will run from Friday 8 th May to Sunday 14 th June in Busselton. In collaboration, Birdlife Australia is holding free public presentations at ArtGeo Gallery. Using the exhibition space as a forum, Birdlife Australia is celebrating May s world environment days with several fascinating presentations about birds. Presentations will be followed by a light afternoon tea and an opportunity to view Sue s artworks. Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo ArtGeo Gallery is located on Queen Street, Busselton, open 7 days, 10 am 4 pm. Migratory shorebirds 8

9 DRYANDRA WOODLANDS Tucked away between Wandering, Williams and Narrogin are the beautiful Dryandra woodlands, a well-known destination for birders from all over the world. I have become very familiar with the area and its birds during many visits and absolutely love exploring the tracks amongst the fragmented wandoo woodlands. The Astronomy Society of WA (ASWA) organises weekend camps for members at Dryandra with accommodation and meeting facilities in the Nissan complex at the village. One tradition (started years ago by my friend Graham Little) is a nature walk on Saturday morning, popular even though participants have been up all Friday night watching the deep sky. Walking (or driving) along the many tracks is exciting with the possibility of many bird species (day or night), but the short walk from the village to the Old Mill Dam and surrounding woodland is where us stargazers always go birdwatching. Woodland of Dryandra forest On the most recent walk in March we were treated to Bush Stone-curlews, Rufous Treecreepers, Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters, Grey Currawongs, Dusky Woodswallows and a Wedge-tailed Eagle. I also saw other species including a flock of around 100 Carnaby s Black-Cockatoos, Blue-breasted Fairy-wrens and a Red-capped Robin. On other visits I have observed Crested Shrike-tit, Hooded Robin, Western Thornbill, Painted Button-quail, Western Yellow Robin and Australian Owlet-nightjar together with Numbats and Echidna to name a few. If you want serene walks in beautiful open woodland with lots of birds to look at, you can t beat Dryandra. On a clear night on the oval at the village you can also take in a wonderful view of the sky. Christine Wilder Bush Stone-curlews at Dryandra Rufous Treecreeper in one of the numerous hollow logs 9

10 Wedge-tailed Eagle, Augusta Photo Roger Crabtree AUTUMN AFTERNOON IN AUGUSTA Ruddy Turnstones at Augusta Photo Natalie Bell RUDDY TURNSTONES I have been enjoying watching a group of nine Ruddy Turnstones down at Augusta, just near the lighthouse (on the boat harbour side). I have rarely seen them and just love their markings. Natalie Bell Helena and I went for a stroll along the bush edge opposite Hart Road, Augusta on the afternoon of 10 March around 4 to 5pm. We were not expecting much, but the nearly dry dam held a Little Pied Cormorant and an Australian Wood Duck. Ravens and magpies were common and a small flock of rosellas accompanied us. Common Bronzewings were resting in the shade and about ten Straw-necked Ibis were moving around the paddock. Butcherbirds serenaded us all the way and a Collared Sparrowhawk was seen hovering over a bush containing a mob of Yellow-rumped Thornbills and Silvereyes, without success. A Wedge-tailed Eagle was spotted across the paddock but distance and heat haze made a poor photo. The paddocks are being grazed so water is available, but everything is obviously just waiting for the rain. Roger Crabtree Ruddy Turnstones with gull on weed bank at Augusta Photo Natalie Bell 10

11 Hooded Plovers at Smith s Beach Photo Janean Robinson RISKS AT SMITH S BEACH I was at Smith s Beach early in March where I captured these photographs of Hooded Plovers and the remains of a gull. I am quite concerned about the number of dogs left off lead chasing birds. No-one takes any notice of the Hooded Plover signs. I had gone further up the beach (northwards) and saw three Hooded Plovers, Pacific Gulls and the remains of the gull pictured below. BEACH SOUTH OF GNARABUP Straw-necked Ibis, Cowaramup Photo Boyd Wykes In April on the beach south of Gnarabup I have been seeing Hooded Plovers and Sanderlings. An Eastern Osprey was seen there on the 16 April. As well as the birds, during the day there are a lot of dogs on that beach. Jane Scott How did the gull die? I wonder if it may have been a dog. Janean Robinson Eastern Osprey at White Elephant, Gnarabup Bird remains at Smith s Beach Photo Janean Robinson 11

12 FOXES IN THE SUBURBS I was sitting up the back under our big marri tree (at home in west Margaret River) and cool as a cucumber a Fox slunk by through the undergrowth. I followed it as it walked the length of our block and was about to cross the road out the front, when it saw me and went back the way it came, not in any particular hurry. This worries me because our place is alive with bandicoots, possums and birds. Southern Emu-wren Photo Steven Castan BIRD STRIKE RAPTOR OUTLINES Two stunned birds! This problem caused by reflection of the bush on large windows or glass panels. Find some black self-adhesive plastic and a life-sized silhouette of wing spread hawks and you will become a hero to smaller birdlife. We have experienced this at home in Glen Forrest and previously at the CSIRO laboratory in Helena Valley where our receptionist often reported one of your honeyeaters has killed itself on my window. Bronzewings would be particularly vulnerable as would the chickens up the road. Jeanne Bell I have seen Foxes several times in Railway Terrace and Station Road, Margaret River. Ed. Apologies Apologies to Colleen and Jasper Grugeon for incorrect spelling of their surname in the Milyeanup campout article, page 6 of Issue 15 March 2015 Christine Wilder. The cut-outs stop the mortality immediately and the birds at home have survived for years. Perry de Rebeira Note: In response to Jill and Roger Cornes article Yallingup a stunning location for birds! on page 7 of Issue 15 March 2015, Perry has kindly offered two raptor patterns. If you would like copies please Christine. Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Vasse River Delta bird hide Photo Barbara Bremner 12

13 In total contrast in March/April 2015 flocks from five to more than one hundred have been buzzing in all directions in constant bursts throughout each day from Cowaramup to Forest Grove. Purple-crowned Lorikeet, West Margaret River LORIKEETS LARRIKINS IN THE SKIES In March and April trips between Margaret River and Perth were an absolute joy, with flowering marris and other trees adorning the roadsides through Rosa Brook, Bunbury, on Forrest Highway, Kwinana Freeway and Tonkin Highway, forming a ribbon of blossoms over more than 150 kilometres. Flowering occurs each year in the south west of course, but not on a large scale every time. A lorikeet s tongue has a specially adapted brush-tip which was long thought to be used for feeding on nectar. According to my very old Serventy and Whittell, researchers found lorikeets fed in blossom on pollen with nectar as a bonus. I find it impossible to see exactly how the lorikeets use their tongues, but they do love marri flower buds bursting from caps as well as burying their heads right into the centre of fresh full blossoms. There must be so much food available as honeyeaters too have been joining in the frenzy and I recorded a number of Western and Red Wattlebirds, Gilbert s, New Holland and Brown Honeyeaters in one small tree full of blossom in Wise Road. Christine Wilder Reference: Serventy, D.L. and H.M. Whittell. (1976). Birds of Western Australia. University of Western Australia Press Twelve or so years ago a similar event prompted an amazing spectacle with thousands of Purple-crowned Lorikeets (known by some as the Cowara bird ) arriving in our region to make the most of the abundance of blossom. In February of that particular year I attempted to count the lorikeets between Margaret River and Pemberton. Every few kilometres I stopped the car to count but I eventually gave up as the numbers were just too overwhelming. In 2014 I recorded small flocks of Purplecrowned Lorikeets in west Margaret River every month except September to November, but they moved around relatively quietly. Introduced Rainbow Lorikeet in Perth garden 13

14 So what to make of this year s apparently high numbers in our district? Maybe directly related to abundance of blossom but perhaps also because of loss of options due to this summer s extensive fires further south? I do know that the whole population does not head west at this time, having also experienced high numbers over Easter at Jaurdi Conservation Park in the Great Western Woodlands north of Southern Cross. Here are two recent pictures, one from my house roof in Margaret River and the other at Jaurdi. Purple-crowned Lorikeet, west Margaret River Photo Boyd Wykes Boyd Wykes LORIKEET INVASION Our garden and the surrounding district have been inundated by Purple-crowned Lorikeets this autumn, homing in on abundant marri blossom. Reference: Johnstone, R.E. and G.M. Storr. (1998). Handbook of Western Australian Birds, Vol. I Non-Passerines. Western Australian Museum. I ve had flocks of over 100 during my garden counts, zooming around in tight groups at death-defying speeds, sometimes low enough to make me duck. Not surprisingly, I ve had friends mistake these screeching flocks for an invasion of introduced Rainbow Lorikeets, the eastern-states aviary escapees that have flourished in Perth. Ron Johnstone, in the WA Museum s Handbook of WA Birds, describes Purplecrowned Lorikeets as blossom nomads, feeding on nectar and pollen. They are found in eucalypt scrub, woodland and forest of the south-west and south-east of WA but do not breed in the forested south-west corner. Purple-crowned Lorikeets at Jaurdi Photo Boyd Wykes 14

15 Brice Wells and Rod Smith (Birdlife Perth) supplied me with a bag full of binoculars which proved a big hit with students. A variety of presentations meant that we were out identifying chew patterns on marri nuts, discussing hollows, looking through telescopes, providing interactive slide shows, identifying birds and nests and generally enjoying a terrific couple of weeks. Trying out binoculars for the first time Photo courtesy Margaret River Montessori School JUNIOR BUSH SCIENTISTS Last year Tracey Muir (Education Officer for the Cape to Cape Catchment Group) invited me to join her at local primary schools to speak about black cockatoos and take students out birdwatching to promote Birdlife s Great Cocky Count. Prior to the recent school holidays we presented seven sessions to pre-primary and Year 3 students with help from teachers, parents and Jennifer Hunt. Comments from young students such as I love doing this and we are so lucky to be watching the birds were reward enough, but it was their overall excitement at getting into the bush that made the sessions so worthwhile. Thanks Tracey for organising student programs, festivals and other events in our region over many years keeping the wildlife of our region in the spotlight. Christine Wilder Looking out for cockatoos Photo courtesy Margaret River Montessori School Where did that Grey Fantail go? Photo courtesy Margaret River Montessori School 15

16 Square-tailed Kite 1 pursued by four magpies in Samworth Street, west Margaret River, 6/4/15 Christine Wilder Brown Goshawk 2 immatures in Wise Road, west Margaret River, end April Christine Wilder Red-eared Firetail, west Margaret River Photo Jeanne Bell Swamp Harrier 1 in back garden in Samworth Street, west Margaret River, 27/4/15 Christine Wilder Painted Button-quail 1 in Yallingup garden, mid April Jill Cornes I appreciate receiving unusual/interesting sightings from the capes region, articles and bird photographs for inclusion in future newsletters. If you are providing photographs please send as a JPEG (2mb no larger). For best results crop photos before sending, confirm name of photographer. Please do not embed photos or articles in , but send as attachment. Articles in Word. All contributions will be acknowledged. Purple-crowned Lorikeet Small flock feeding in marri blossom in garden, Augusta, 2/4/15 (8.30 am) a first for this location Helena Blom and Roger Crabtree Red-eared Firetail 1 at Augusta Community Nursery, 30/3/15 Jan White and Helena Blom Please to me at: cwilderone@yahoo.com.au Here are the reported sightings: Christine Wilder Editor Emu 1 adult with 6 immatures, paddock on Caves Road, Margaret River, 15/3/15 Jill and Roger Cornes Tawny Frogmouth 2 sitting on fence posts in Hereford Drive, west Margaret River, 5/4/15 (9.00 pm) Christine Wilder Black-shouldered Kite 1 disturbed from rat carcass behind Prevelly main dune, 14/3/15 Peter St. Clair-Baker Rat carcass in dune Photo Peter St. Clair-Baker 16