Issue 41 January 2018

Transcription

1 A country group of BirdLife WA Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin Issue 41 January 2018 Red-winged Fairy-wren CONTENTS PAGE Program Shorebirds Cockatoo Capers Hooded Plover Ecursion Report Cape to Cape Chatter Bird Photo Gallery.. 11 Birds of Eagles Heritage.. 12 Sightings Birding beyond the Capes Revised Bird List Red-winged Fairy-wren Samworth Street bushland, west Margaret River January 2018 All photos by Adam Seward

2 Eastern Reef Egret, Margaret River-mouth Photo Keith Mann Sunday 25 February Half-day ecursion Margaret River-mouth Meet at 8.00am at the Margaret River-mouth car park. We shall cross the sand bar, look over the marshy area in the Margaret River estuary and continue north along the Cape to Cape Track and return. Bring morning tea in a back pack to enjoy while taking in the view of a wineglass bay. Crested Terns at Eagle Bay Photo Sue Leighton Shorebirds 2020 Surveys Saturday 3 February Vasse-Wonnerup Estuaries Volunteer opportunity page 3 BirdLife Australia s Citizen Science Projects Monday 12 February 9.00am-12.30pm * Interested in learning more about BirdLife s projects and birds of the capes * How to use the Birdata App * Visit the Vasse River Delta Bird Hide, Busselton See Flyer accompanying December newsletter Bookings essential BirdLife s Great Cocky Count Workshop Tuesday 6 March 5.30pm-7.30pm Join BirdLife WA s Rebecca Boyland to find out more about the Great Cocky Count Shire of Augusta-Margaret River Council Chambers Contact info@natureconservation.org.au or (08) Bookings essential BirdLife s Great Cocky Count Sunday 8 April Sunset Registrations close 18 March Note: All the local ecursions/campouts/meetings are for BirdLife Australia members and the general public. The leader will always be present at the meeting place and will decide whether or not to proceed. In the event of threatening weather, those planning to attend an ecursion (particularly if travelling some distance) are welcome to check conditions with the leader prior to the ecursion (use individual mobile contact if given). Leader: Peter St. Clair-Baker Saturday 10 March Half-day ecursion Beenup wetlands, Scott River Meet at 8.30am sharp. We will enter this large private property off Scott River Road and the gate will be locked, so be prepared to remain until at least midday, when we will eit for lunch as usual in the paddock under the pines. The Lower Blackwood Landcare Group has been invited to join this ecursion. Christine has been taking BirdLife WA groups to visit this wetland system since 2004, where more than 100 species of birds have been seen, including all the ducks, Greatcrested Grebe, fourteen species of birds of prey and three species of crake. We will spend all morning eploring the many ponds, surrounding vegetation and bird hide. Bring morning tea/lunch/chair, hat, sunscreen, water, insect repellent, wear sturdy footwear and bring a telescope if you have one. This is a very popular birding ecursion and bookings are essential. Christine on cwilderone@yahoo.com.au to indicate your intention to participate, as numbers/cars will be limited. Eact details of where to meet will be given closer to the ecursion. Leader: Christine Wilder ( ) Sunday 6 May Evening ecursion Owling, Margaret River Meet at 6.00pm at Lot 220 Burnside Road. Burnside Road is east, off Caves Road, approimately 1km north of the Margaret River bridge. Once on Burnside Road continue past Horsford Road turnoff (500m from Caves Road on your right) for another 100m to an entry into the vacant paddock on your left. If you get to any houses on your left you have gone too far. Wear sturdy footwear, bring along binoculars and a torch. For details of any of the ecursions or meetings please contact: Christine Wilder cwilderone@yahoo.com.au Boyd Wykes majy@iinet.net.au Leaders: Steve Castan and Boyd Wykes 2

3 White-headed Stilts Photo Alfred Lau Baudin s Black-Cockatoo Photo Donna Wolter Time once again for counting shorebirds/waterbirds at the Vasse-Wonnerup Wetlands. Anyone interested in helping out on the morning of Saturday 3 February please let me know. The usual format is to split into groups led by at least one eperienced shorebird counter (so novices are always welcome) and undertake surveys of species/numbers at designated sites around the estuaries. We will meet first at 8.00am at the Layman Road picnic site on the east side of Layman Road, opposite the Malbup Bird Hide. Bring along footwear suitable for possibly getting muddy, hat, sunscreen, lunch/chair if you feel like staying on afterwards and a telescope would be very useful. Co-ordinator: Peter Taylor birdingsw@westnet.com.au Like many of us, I travel southwards along Bussell Highway towards Margaret River and have observed over the festive season and into 2018, activity by the cockies (possibly Carnaby s), enjoying a massive feeding frenzy through the village of Cowaramup. What makes it particularly festive and relating to the birds, is seeing all the pine cone debris (almost a decoration) on the road as you drive through the town. This pine debris contrasts nicely with the bitumen! It makes me smile, because regardless of the continuous road traffic, day and night, driving on this highway at this time of year, the cockies are up there nice and high enjoying their own pine/conifer/xmas trees! Janean Robinson BIRDLIFE WA Black-Cockatoos & Cockies in Crisis Southwest Black-Cockatoo Recovery Program: Facebook: Southwest Black-Cockatoo Recovery Program BIRDLIFE WA Community Wisdom Surveys BirdLife WA s online survey of changes in the black-cockatoo populations in your community, available from: Musk Duck displaying, Margaret River, 27/1/18 Photo Terry Scott Right Baudin s Black-Cockatoo Samworth Street bush Photo Adam Seward 3

4 BirdLife WA/Cape to Cape Bird Group gazebo 13 January Act Belong Commit Undulap Birak Festival Photo Christine Wilder Hooded Plovers, Cape Clairault, January 2018 Photo Christine Taylor I found these guys (above) right at the end of Cape Clairault, just when I was about to eit the beach on 11 January! Happy walking everyone I hope the Hoodies are in abundance for the annual count. Christine Taylor BIRD LIST ABBA RIVER/CAPEL WETLAND/MALBUP HIDE 7 January A=Abba River, B=Capel Wetland, C=Malbup Bird Hide A B C Black Swan Australian Shelduck Australasian Shoveler Pacific Black Duck Grey Teal Chestnut Teal Australian Wood Duck Australasian Grebe Hoary-headed Grebe Common Bronzewing Crested Pigeon Shining-bronze Cuckoo Fan-tailed Cuckoo Buff-banded Rail Purple Swamphen Red-necked Avocet White-headed Stilt Red-capped Plover Common Greenshank Silver Gull Australian Pelican Great Egret White-faced Heron Australian White Ibis Straw-necked Ibis Yellow-billed Spoonbill Little Pied Cormorant Little Black Cormorant Wedge-tailed Eagle Little Eagle White-bellied Sea-Eagle Whistling Kite Rainbow Bee-eater Laughing Kookaburra Nankeen Kestrel White-tailed Black-Cockatoo Galah Australian Ringneck Splendid Fairy-wren Brown Honeyeater Red Wattlebird Striated Pardalote Western Gerygone White-browed Scrubwren Weebill Yellow-rumped Thornbill Inland Thornbill Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Rufous Whistler Western Golden Whistler Australian Magpie Grey Butcherbird Grey Fantail Willie Wagtail Australian Raven Scarlet Robin Tree Martin Welcome Swallow Silvereye Hooded Plover, Gnoocardup Beach, 21/1/17 Photo Steve Castan Capel wetland Photo Christine Wilder 4

5 White-headed Stilt Photo Boyd Wykes The walk track through the Tuart forest Photo Christine Wilder Weather conditions are a gamble when planning a midsummer bird walk but this year we got lucky. Our group of a dozen jagged a perfect mild, still morning to eplore several wetlands close to Busselton. Looking towards the Abba River-mouth Photo Christine Wilder First stop was a walk beside the Abba River in the Tuart Forest National Park, to the edge of the Vasse Estuary, with local naturalist Bernie Masters as our informative guide. The woodland bird community was impressively varied, despite the sorry state of the forest under-storey, including Weebills, a species not found in the nearby denser forests of the capes. We enjoyed ecellent views of many waterbirds and raptors, the highlight being an adult White-Bellied Sea- Eagle devouring an Australian Shelduck. Morning tea was at a private property in Capel where owner Susan Young kindly welcomed an invasion of birdwatchers to a magical lake surrounded by paper-barks that forms her backyard. There were fewer waterbirds there than on previous occasions when water has been at a premium later in summer. A highlight was close views of a young Tiger Snake swimming through the clear water, showing off its full colouring as it approached our shore. At the Vasse Estuary Photo Boyd Wykes Several of the group returned to the Malbup Bird Hide, Wonnerup where we added Australasian Shoveler, Chestnut Teal and Buff-banded Rail to our etensive day s list of 59 species. Thanks again to Bernie Masters for leading our group. Boyd Wykes Tiger Snake, Capel Photo Boyd Wykes Right Vasse Estuary Photo Christine Wilder 5

6 White-headed Stilt moved on by oystercatchers Photos Clare Smith Australian Pied Oystercatchers, Augusta Photos Roger Crabtree A young White-headed Stilt at Redgate Beach on 2 January, was on the sand but got moved on by Australian Pied Oystercatchers, one photograph showing the three oystercatchers bullying the stilt. I don't think that's a seal's head in the shadows that would be too lucky! Clare Smith A family of Australian Pied Oystercatchers was on the rocks at the end of Hardy Street, Augusta on the morning of 23 December. No sign of the Nankeen Night-Herons. They probably found somewhere with less bird-watchers (and chainsaws) to disturb them after a large branch broke away from one of the Cypress Pines at the edge of the Hardy Inlet a favourite roost site for them. Roger Crabtree Photo Trifecta White-headed Stilt, Sooty Oystercatcher, Fur Seal Photo Clare Smith Australian Pied Oystercatcher pulling out a long worm (beach/sand/blood worm?) Gnoocardup Beach Photo Steve Castan Left Sooty Oystercatcher with small crab Photo Christine Wilder 6

7 Our family did Christmas at my brother s place, south west of Gnarawary Road, Margaret River. On Christmas night the ones who were camping heard a Barking Owl. (It sounded to be coming from the north). They definitely know the Southern Boobook call (grew up hearing that). It was when my son mentioned at first he thought it was a woman screaming that we knew it was the Barking Owl. My sister in law (who is resident) said she d heard it before and identified it. Sherry Thomas Note The Barking Owl is rarely reported in the south west. This is the second Barking Owl report in the district in December. (An earlier sighting made by Scott Martin at Gnarabup on 6 December, see Newsletter Issue 40). I asked Phil Pain, our local owl epert at Eagles Heritage, if he d heard anything significant around his area. Phil confirmed that (over the Christmas period) neither captive nor wild owls have been calling in the vicinity. Phil mentioned it s the male Barking Owl that screams, adding that one call of the Southern Boobook is a yelp, but boobooks don t scream. In the past wild Barn and Masked Owls have been reported along Boodjidup Road. Earlier records of Barking Owl have been reported from Augusta, Boranup, Calgardup, several from Margaret River, Osmington and Busselton. Christine Wilder A Southern Boobook (I presume from the size and spots on the wing) landed in a tree net to the house last night (21 December Gnarabup). My photos are never great, but it was very brown - are they always? It is usually too dark to see. I love its talons!! Jane Scott Australian Owlet-Nightjar Photo Steve Castan I heard an Australian Owlet-Nightjar outside our bedroom window last night (4 January), in west Margaret River, quite late, and got ridiculously ecited as it s one of my bucket list birds. (I m the world s worst, or possibly second worst, twitcher you understand). I m feeling my luck must be in as last year I stumbled on not just one Mistletoebird, but a whole throng, plus nesting Dusky Woodswallows. Anyway, back to nightjars. We immediately confirmed my gut feeling with an internet rummage to find recordings of bird calls, but I didn t record it myself, which was silly I guess. That s the story. Distinctive call I thought. From recordings, I m guessing (probably wrong) that it was a family contact call rather than territorial. I just think they re the cutest little birds. Margaret Moir Southern Boobook, Gnarabup garden Photo Jane Scott Tawny Frogmouths, Witchcliffe farm, January 2018 Photo Terry Scott Tawny Frogmouths, Kilcarnup garden, January 2018 Photo Steve Castan 7

8 Regent Parrots, Mentelle Road Photo Steve Castan We have been blessed this Christmas by having a pair of Southern Boobooks park their three fledglings each night in the trees of our back garden, and those of our adjacent neighbours, while hunting their tucker. The family has been arriving after dark and staying the night, the cricket-like chirruping of the fledglings a constant chorus, only varied when a meal is delivered by the parents. To our surprise and our guests delight, the family were not at all perturbed by the lighting and noise of our out-door New Year s Eve celebrations. Further to my initial observations above, I need to qualify my conclusion that there are three juveniles in our boobook family. On 10 January I dropped into Firetail Winery where Jessica Worrall showed me a family of two juvenile Southern Boobooks and a parent roosting in a tree net to the house. They were readily located by the cicada-like chirrups that, surprisingly, the youngsters were making throughout the day. A further surprise was that Jessica has observed the parent as well as the juveniles make the chirruping call in the garden at night. My conclusion that we have three juveniles was based on hearing chirruping calls simultaneously from three directions, rather than seeing three youngsters at any one time. There may well only be two. My bad in jumping to a conclusion based on a false supposition! On 15 January the boobook family was still chirruping in the patch of trees that includes our back yard. Boyd Wykes Fairy-wrens in Hereford Place garden Photos Adam Seward On 24 January four male Red-winged Fairy-wrens (not showing 100 percent breeding plumage) pursued a single female, hopping on and off her as she tried to escape the attention, with one male giving her a very hard peck. That same morning, five male Splendid Fairy-wrens, four in full colour and one with fewer vivid blue feathers (maybe going into eclipse plumage), were seen together near one of the garden bird baths. Up until 29 January these nine male wrens and quite a few more from family groups in duller grey-brown plumage, have repeatedly returned to one small patch of wood chips near the bird bath where they are finding tiny black ants. Jennifer Hunt A strange looking Australian Ringneck flew into a window at Claire Timmon s home in west Margaret River on the 28 December. I think that it is not manufacturing yellow, hence missing both yellow and green. Boyd Wykes Southern Boobook fledgling Photo Boyd Wykes Australian Ringneck Photo Claire Timmons 8

9 Birding at Cape Leeuwin Photo Angelica de Ridder The egg Photo Jane Scott Boing Day, usually a lazy day spent recovering from Christmas dinner, but visiting birders from Melbourne on a timetable, meant we were out investigating birding hot spots instead of relaing at home. First stop was a walk through the karri/marri of Donovan Street bush, Augusta, where the bush birds remained quiet and not much flying over the Hardy Inlet either. Highlights a family of Red-winged Fairy-wrens and an Eastern Osprey. A check of the spit meant a few roosting gulls and Australian Pied Oystercatchers. Then to Sarge Bay to find one very lazy Sooty Oystercatcher, three Ruddy Turnstones on the wrack but no Rock Parrots after checking the dunes. Patience was rewarded when a male Southern Emu-wren showed itself in one of the territories near the water wheel and three White-breasted Robins and a Rufous Whistler in the melaleucas. No Rock Parrots after a thorough check between the water wheel and lighthouse grounds, however a couple of Fairy Terns spotted amongst the Crested Terns offshore from the vicinity of the Two Oceans sign. Home for lunch and ham leftovers with 38 species seen. Christine Wilder I send your newsletter to a number of other naturalists and bird-watchers they love reading it. One called about your mystery egg on the ground, saying he knew immediately what it was. The nearby tufts of grass are typical of the nesting sites for White-browed Scrubwren. There is a bit of variety in colouring with eggs of this species and it looks like the nest may have been predated by a Fan-tailed Cuckoo which has removed an egg and replaced it with one of its own, the removed egg on the ground. He said he would put money on that a cuckoo egg was in the nest. Thought I would pass that on as it sounds a possible eplanation. Marcus Singor Note The above theory may eplain the egg mystery mentioned in the December Issue 40 of this newsletter. Jane and I didn t see a nest and the small amount of low vegetation was in the middle of a sand track. The soil was disturbed around the egg. A nest may not have been large and messy as some scrubwren nests I ve seen. It is also possible an egg could roll out of a nest that wasn t well constructed. Christine Wilder Grey Butcherbird, Gnarabup Photo Keith Mann A track in the Upper Margaret River Photo Christine Wilder 9

10 Western Yellow Robin Samworth Street Bush Photo David T. Co Western Yellow Robin with caterpillar Photo Boyd Wykes I very much enjoy conducting my mist-netting project in our west Margaret River garden in mid-summer. The resident adults are starting to moult while often still supporting juveniles, while additional species move in and through from neighbouring bushland. For eample, a large family of Varied Sittella arrived with the new year, as they have in previous summers. I managed to band several birds, which gives me a chance of determining their foraging range, which I suspect etends several kilometres to the nearest bushland. As with many larger suburban Margaret River gardens, we have resident White-breasted Robins. This year I also netted our first Western Yellow Robin, brightly coloured but with the odd brown head and wing covert feathering of an immature, a good indication that well vegetated suburban gardens are not a barrier to dispersal of this species. Caterpillar Photo Boyd Wykes I enjoyed watching a Western Yellow Robin tackling a very large caterpillar in the Samworth Street bushland during an atlas count on 23 January. It was in a group of three and looked to be an immature brown feathering on head but aggressively saw off one of the other robins plus two Red-winged Fairy-wrens that were trying to get in on the action. It was biting onto the caterpillar for some time then moved away a little when I think it became aware of me nearby. I took the opportunity to eamine the caterpillar and then continued my survey. The robins remained in the vicinity but I can t confirm whether the caterpillar was eaten. I couldn t find a match for the caterpillar on line but it may be a moth in the family Notodontidae. Boyd Wykes Western Yellow Robin Photo Boyd Wykes Inland Thornbill feeding bronze-cuckoo Photo Steve Castan Inland Thornbill with bronze-cuckoo Photo Steve Castan 10

11 Photos Top Three Above Australasian Grebes Alfred Lau Photo Above Dusky Moorhen Christine Wilder Photos Right Top Two Australasian Grebe Terry Scott Photo Right Centre Australasian Grebe Alfred Lau Photo Right Below Australian Wood Duck family Alfred Lau 11

12 BIRDS OF EAGLES HERITAGE Rehabilitation Centre White-bellied Sea-Eagle Barn Owl about to epel a pellet Tawny Frogmouths Grey Goshawk (white morph) All photos this page taken by Christine Wilder Spotted Harrier 12

13 New Holland Honeyeater Photo Alfred Lau SIGHTINGS Common Bronzewings, Margaret River Photo Adam Seward Thank you for sending articles, photos, unusual/interesting sightings from the capes region for inclusion in newsletters. All contributions are acknowledged. Send photos as jpeg (no more than 1mb), maimum si photos each , confirm photographer. DON T EMBED photos or articles in please, but send as attachment, articles preferably as PDF. to: cwilderone@yahoo.com.au Christine Wilder Editor Here are the reported sightings: Crested Pigeon 2, on powerline, Lukes Road/Palmdale Avenue, Augusta (first sighting in two years), 27/1/18 Roger Crabtree and Helena Blom Australian Owlet-nightjar 2, Samworth Street bush, west Margaret River, 15/1/18 Boyd Wykes 1, west Margaret River garden, 23/1/18 Boyd Wykes Sanderling 40, Gnarabup, 28/1/18 Jane Scott Common Sandpiper 1, Gnoocardup Beach, 13/1/18 Kay Lehman and David Winstanley Square-tailed Kite 1, west Margaret River, 25/1/18 Adam Seward and Christine Wilder 1, Franklin Wetlands, Vasse (dry), 31/1/18 Christine Wilder Wedge-tailed Eagle Pair, flying low over Samworth Street bush, 25/1/18 Adam Seward and Christine Wilder Southern Boobook 2 calling, Beardshaw Place, west Margaret River, with third calling from direction of Mann Street, 9.30pm 25/1/18 Christine Wilder et al Regent Parrot 2, Mentelle Road, 24/1/18 Steve Castan Tawny-crowned Honeyeater 1, Yalgardup Creek, west Margaret River, 11/1/18 Terry Scott Western Yellow Robin 1, Samworth Street bush, 27/1/18 Adam Seward Elegant Parrot near Donovan Street bush, Augusta Photo Graeme Paton Western Spinebill, Margaret River garden Photo Terry Scott Western Rosella Photo Alfred Lau Left Striated Pardalote, Boranup Photo Jenny Kikeros 13

14 A Lesser Noddy banded in 1993 as an adult so about 27 years old! Houtman Abrolhos Report A good bird season so far, but terrible weather! Please pass on to any Abrolhos birders or those interested in supporting our long-term research, we now have an online shop where there are new t-shirts available. All proceeds go straight into our seabird research which of course is still self-funded. Dr Chris Surman Aleutian Terns Photos Steve Castan 20 December Festive Birding I went on a mega twitch with three other birders to see Aleutian Terns which turned up at Old Bar near Newcastle, NSW the birds being a first for Australia. Loads of birders were there and lots of fun. I also saw Little Bittern and Australian Spotted Crake at Braeside. I headed to the Western Treatment Plant for more fun. Steve Castan Photos above Halfmoon Biosciences 14

15 Fairy Terns (Top photo showing shelter) Photos Rod Smith Terns Penguin Island Photos Alfred Lau Pelican Colony, Penguin Island, December 2017 Photos Alfred Lau 15

16 A Hooded Plover is on a nest (above) Photo Christine Wilder Salmon Beach looking beyond Doggerup Photo Christine Wilder Recently I spent a week eploring the D Entrecasteau National Park. For the past eighteen years I ve been lucky enough to survey this majestic park and its coastline for shorebirds, waterbirds and bush birds with assistance from Parks and Wildlife and Pemberton Discovery Tours. The D Entrecasteau is never just a walk in the park. Its coastline is etensive, stretching from Black Point, Jasper Beach, Donnelly River-mouth, Yeagerup/the Warren, Meerup/Malimup, Salmon Beach/Windy Harbour, Gardner River, Coodamurrup, Fish Creek and on towards Broke Inlet. Although close to the townships of Pemberton and Northcliffe, many areas are remote and sections of the coastline at times inaccessible. Tides, massive swells and high winds sweeping in from the Southern Ocean can cause coastal washaways and hazards such as quicksand and spongy seaweed buried under sand. Summer rains and rivers flow again, opening to the ocean with inundations, making crossings hazardous. Huge dune systems, soft sand and steep drop offs. Four wheel driving is not for the faint-hearted. My vehicle slid down a steep beach one year into the waves on an incoming tide. I managed to drive out, but I ve come across evidence of vehicles that didn t make it, with only a roof partially showing above the sand. Fires are worrying if travelling on a narrow 4WD track in karri forest, thick peppermint woodland or coastal scrub. A Parks and Wildlife sign at the entry to Salmon Beach gave penguin information including Do not get closer than five metres. I walked the beach at 7.00am on 22 January. This particular beach doesn t attract huge numbers of visitors (majority are surfers and Salmon fishers) and I almost always have it to myself. Walking the length of the beach I recorded a Silver Gull and a Nankeen Kestrel and noticed snake tracks criss-crossing the beach. Sure enough there was a Tiger Snake, dead on the sand, possibly drowned in the swell. On the return walk, a single adult Hooded Plover flew ahead of me, bobbing and leading me with the broken wing distraction, then it doubled back, stopping some distance from the dune. I heard faint piping calls but didn t see any other plovers and only gull and snake tracks close to the nest containing two eggs amongst dune cabbage on top of a small node of sand. Not everybody ventures this far down this beach. The plover returned to the nest, the gull was further away by now and so was the kestrel. Last year I recorded a pair of adult Hooded Plovers with two immatures here. Despite birds, snakes, humans, these plovers are survivors. I showed the Parks and Wildlife Ranger the nest location later that morning on our way to survey the beach between Windy Harbour and Gardner River. We had a sighting of a Swamp Harrier flying from the Quagering Nature Reserve on Sandy Island to the mainland (a distance over ocean of around two kilometres). Last year a Musk Duck was swimming in the ocean close by. Here you epect the unepected. Christine Wilder The Manager of the Northcliffe Visitor Centre updated me on the latest bird news. Earlier in the week a Rockhopper Penguin came ashore at Salmon Beach. Thinking it was injured a well-meaning person removed it from the beach and took it to the Visitor Centre. Individual birds rest or moult in the shade of rocks at the national park beaches and if left undisturbed, when ready, return to the ocean. Observing them for a few minutes may give an indication if they are in fact injured. It is wise to alert the local Parks and Wildlife office to penguins. January 2018 Malimup beach (summertime track only) Big swell and incoming tide making beach impassable Photo Christine Wilder 16

17 The Editor apologises for omissions in the Yearly Bird List for 2017 published in Issue 40. Here is a revised list. Revised Yearly Bird List January-December species Emu (GT) Blue-billed Duck (N) Black Swan (ENR) Australian Shelduck (ET) Pacific Black Duck (BEFMNRTYW) Grey Teal (EFN) Musk Duck (ERW) Australian Wood Duck (BR) Domestic Duck (B) Common Bronzewing (FYW) Brush Bronzewing (C) Crested Pigeon (E) Shining-bronze Cuckoo (TYW) Fan-tailed Cuckoo (TYW) Australian Owlet-Nightjar (T) Australian Pied Oystercatcher (ERS) Banded Stilt (N) Red-necked Avocet (N) White-headed Stilt (N) Red-capped Plover (S) Black-fronted Dotterel (FN) Silver Gull (CEMRSY) Pacific Gull (CEMS) Caspian Tern (ERS) Crested Tern (ESY) Australian Pelican (ENRS) Great Egret (ER) White-faced Heron (EFNRST) Eastern Reef Egret (M) Australian White Ibis (EFRS) Straw-necked Ibis (EFN) Yellow-billed Spoonbill (ES) Australasian Gannet (S) Little Pied Cormorant (EMNRS) Great Cormorant (R) Little Black Cormorant (ERS) Pied Cormorant (EMRS) Australasian Darter (ERS) Eastern Osprey (MS) Black-shouldered Kite (S) Square-tailed Kite (C) Wedge-tailed Eagle (M) Little Eagle (FR) Swamp Harrier (EN) White-bellied Sea-Eagle (E) Whistling Kite (EFNR) Southern Boobook (OT) Rainbow Bee-eater (FN) Sacred Kingfisher (N) Laughing Kookaburra (BEGNTYW) Nankeen Kestrel (EFNSTY) Australian Hobby (RW) Brown Falcon (EFY) Peregrine Falcon (F) B=Barrett St Reserve C=Contos E=East Augusta F=Franklin Wetlands, Vasse G=Forest Grove NP M=Meelup Walk N=Nilgup Park Forest Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (CT) White-tailed Black-Cockatoo (BFMSTW) Baudin s Black-Cockatoo (CW) Carnaby s Black-Cockatoo (TW) Galah (BMSW) Regent Parrot (W) Red-capped Parrot (CEGMT) Western Rosella (CEGT) Australian Ringneck (BCEFGMTYW) Elegant Parrot (E) Purple-crowned Lorikeet (NTW) Red-winged Fairy-wren (BCEGTYW) Splendid Fairy-wren (CEFMNSTYW) Southern Emu-wren (CE) Brown Honeyeater (BFMTYW) New Holland Honeyeater (BCEGMSTY) Gilbert s Honeyeater (BEGTW) Tawny-crowned Honeyeater (EY) Western Spinebill (BRTY) Western Wattlebird (T) Red Wattlebird (BEFGMNTYW) Spotted Pardalote (BCERTW) Striated Pardalote (FMNTYW) Western Gerygone (BCFMTYW) Weebill (T) White-browed Scrubwren (BCEGMNTYW) Yellow-rumped Thornbill (EFGNTY) Inland Thornbill (BCEGMNTYW) Western Thornbill (T) Varied Sittella (T) Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike (EFMTW) Rufous Whistler (BCNTY) Golden Whistler (BCEFGMTYW) Grey Shrike-thrush (TW) Grey Currawong (CE) Australian Magpie (CEFGMRSTYW) Grey Butcherbird (ET) Dusky Woodswallow (G) Black-faced Woodswallow (E) Grey Fantail (BCEFGMNRTYW) Willie Wagtail (EFGN) Australian Raven (CEFGMNRSTYW) Magpie-lark (E) Scarlet Robin (EGTW) Western Yellow Robin (GT) White-breasted Robin (BCEGTY) Red-eared Firetail (B) Australasian Pipit (NS) Tree Martin (FNT) Welcome Swallow (CFMNY) Silvereye (BCEFGMNSTYW) O=Owling R=Blackwood River Count S=Spit, Augusta T=Tingrith W=Bioblitz Barrett St Weir Y=Yallingup Revised by Christine Wilder, January 2018 Opinions, statements or views in this newsletter are those of the Editor or individual contributors and may not be those of BirdLife Australia. Every effort has been made to check the accuracy of content. If you notice any errors or inaccuracies please contact the Editor. BirdLife Australia s ethical birding guidelines promote the welfare of birds and their environment, where observers are encouraged to practice minimum disturbance to nesting birds and birds in general, and be aware of the impact photography, camera flash and playing bird call apps can have on birds. Ruddy Turnstones Photo Christine Wilder 17