A country group of BirdLife WA since 2005 Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin Issue 43 April 2018 CONTENTS PAGE Program.... 2 Cockatoo Capers.... 3 Vasse-Wonnerup Count.. 3 Excursion Report.... 4 Cape to Cape Chatter.... 5-9 BirdLife WA Campout.... 10-11 Sightings.... 11 Organic Garden.... 12 Bird Photo Gallery.... 13 Test your id skills.... 14 Birding beyond the Capes.. 15-16 Margaret River Yallingup Busselton Varied Sittellas Garden in Edward Place, west Margaret River Photos Keith Mann Scarlet Robin and White-breasted Robin Yallingup garden Photos Jill Cornes Pink-eared Ducks Pioneer Cove, Busselton Photo Gillian Richmond
Common Bronzewing Photo Keith Mann Sunday 6 May Evening excursion Owling, Margaret River Meet at 6.00pm at Lot 220 Burnside Road. Burnside Road is east, off Caves Road, approximately 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. Leaders: Steve Castan and Boyd Wykes BirdLife Australia s CockyWatch Drive, ride or walk along a road or path noting down details about black-cockatoos seen To participate in the bead survey download instructions and data sheet from www.birdlife.org.au/cockywatch https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cockywatch Short-term goal determine how the abundance of South-west Black-Cockatoo species changes across different habitats and regions and from year to year. Long-term goal - get enough information to estimate minimum population sizes for all three species of Black-Cockatoo across the South-west. Note: All the local excursions/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 excursion (particularly if travelling some distance) are welcome to check conditions with the leader prior to the excursion (use individual mobile contact if given). For details of any of the excursions or meetings please contact: Christine Wilder cwilderone@yahoo.com.au Boyd Wykes majyx@iinet.net.au Masked Owl, Jindong (seen during BirdLife s Great Cocky Count) Photo Gillian Richmond Sunday 20 May Meeting Bird photo afternoon Margaret River 2.00pm Margaret River Community Centre, Tunbridge St. The first in a series of meetings where photographers will be invited to present photographs of birds for discussion. All welcome to come along and join in discussion with the photographers. Entry gold coin donation Afternoon tea provided. (More than thirty photographers contribute to this newsletter. To ensure everyone is included, a different group of six photographers will be invited to showcase their photos at each meeting.) Organiser: Terry Scott Saturday 9 June Half-day excursion Karri country Inland from Flinders Bay, Augusta Meet at 9.00am off Leeuwin Road. Drive through Augusta, past Turner Caravan Park and Osnaberg Street (on left), turn right into the track a little further on (not the TV tower track directly opposite Osnaberg Street). We will proceed from there. There is an easy walk to an area of tall karri in the national park, bordering a low, swampy area. We will be looking for suitable black-cockatoo habitat and may visit the water treatment ponds nearby. Bring water/snacks in a back pack. If inclement weather we can retreat to Colourpatch or Bakery. Stay on for lunch at Flinders Bay (picnic tables/toilets). Leader: Roger Crabtree No excursion in July 2
Cockatoo Capers Cockatoo family, Terry Drive, west Margaret River Photo Graeme Moore BirdLife s 2018 Great Cocky Count Thanks to the volunteers who took part in the 2018 Great Cocky Count (GCC) across the south west. It was another big success, with 750 registered volunteers allocated to roughly 430 sites and data so far from 335 sites. Here are some of the preliminary statistics to date: Volunteer numbers were 150 down on last year, but I think 700 is the sweet spot so all good there. 179 occupied sites out of 335. 90 sites occupied solely by White-taileds (WT). 67 sites occupied solely by Forest Red-taileds (FRT). 22 jointly occupied sites. The WT count is currently 18,972 (17,534 in 2017). The FRT count is currently 4,881 (2,989 in 2017). The mega roost was very mega with 6,226 Carnaby s! A huge increase in FRT numbers roosting on the Swan Coastal Plain. The ratio of WT pairs to triplets indicates a good breeding season (47% were triplets, well above GCC average of 39%). The highest counts in the capes region were to the north. Kim Williams and I had some ID challenges during our monthly Vasse-Wonnerup counts on 28 March, as we had several uncommon species present and a few rather exciting critically endangered ones! These photos were taken through the scope with my phone and compressed so they are not great. We recorded: 1 Eastern Curlew (critically endangered) 28 Curlew Sandpiper (critically endangered) 8 Great Knot 5 Greater Sand Plover 2 White-winged Black Tern 7 Black-tailed Godwit (not that uncommon a small group has been seen annually for the past few years) Last session we also recorded a Terek Sandpiper. There were also Red-necked Stint and Red-capped Plover. Several of the species were starting to get their breeding plumage prior to migration. Christine Taylor Conservation Officer, Parks and Wildlife Service, DBCA The 2018 Great Cocky Count report will be published in September/October. Adam Peck Carnaby s Black-Cockatoo Project Co-ordinator BirdLife WA Results for the Capes sites below Site WT FRT Site WT FRT AUGCHAR002 0 0 BUSCARR001 108 0 AUGCOWR002 0 0 BUSDUNR001 5 0 AUGCOWR003 0 0 BUSDUNR002 10 0 AUGFORR002 0 0 BUSJINR001 30 0 AUGGRAR001 0 0 BUSMETR002 3 27 AUGGRAR002 54 0 BUSQUIR001 137 0 AUGMARR001 0 0 BUSQUIR004 0 9 AUGMARR003 0 0 BUSREIR001 0 0 AUGMARR006 0 0 BUSWILR001 0 0 AUGMARR007 0 0 BUSWILR002 0 0 AUGMARR008 0 0 BUSYALR001 0 0 AUGMARR012 0 0 BUSYALR004 30 0 AUGMARR013 0 0 BUSYALR005 30 0 AUGMARR015 0 3 BUSYALR006 3 0 AUGROSR001 29 0 No. surveys 30 30 AUGWITR002 3 0 No. occupied 12 3 Photos Christine Taylor 3
Four species of cormorant were seen Photo Terry Scott One view from the old lookout Photo Christine Wilder There was a good turn-out for the Beenup Wetlands excursion with sixteen of us meeting up, including members of the Lower Blackwood Land Care Group. Wendy Russell and Rhonda Norrish gave a brief history of the property, from farm paddock, mine-site in the late 1990s, through rehabilitation to the present day. I worked at the mine in 1997, re-visiting soon after it closed to check for Hooded Plovers and since 2004 have introduced BirdLife WA groups to the site, with the bird species tally for the property now up around 119. It was a treat to see the change in vegetation, dense in places, the various reed beds providing bird habitat and the Hakea tuberculata looking very healthy near the exit. On this visit gusty winds kept bush bird numbers down with the waterbirds stars of the day and a total of 42 bird species seen. BIRD LIST BEENUP WETLANDS, SCOTT RIVER 10 March Black Swan Pied Cormorant Australian Shelduck Little Eagle Australasian Shoveler White-bellied Sea-Eagle Pacific Black Duck Whistling Kite Grey Teal Nankeen Kestrel Musk Duck Australian Ringneck Australian Wood Duck Elegant Parrot Stubble Quail Purple-crowned Lorikeet Australasian Grebe Splendid Fairy-wren Hoary-headed Grebe White-browed Scrubwren Shining-bronze Cuckoo Inland Thornbill Purple Swamphen Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Australian Pelican Australian Magpie Great Egret Grey Butcherbird White-faced Heron Willie Wagtail Australian White Ibis Grey Fantail Straw-necked Ibis Australian Raven Yellow-billed Spoonbill Little Grassbird Little Pied Cormorant Tree Martin Great Cormorant Welcome Swallow Little Black Cormorant Silvereye Some stayed on, enjoying lunch under trees in the paddock nearby, where Terry Scott heard a Stubble Quail and later, when walking through the grass on the side of the track, a Stubble Quail was flushed. Christine Wilder Hakea tuberculata Photo Christine Wilder Swans and other waterbirds Photo Terry Scott Lunch in nearby paddock Photo Christine Wilder 4
At 6.00pm on the 22 March, right outside our Flinders Bay haven were six Carnaby s Black-Cockatoos, looking as if they were settling down for a roost. At 6.15pm they decided to find a different roosting spot. Mary Whittall Photo Claire Timmons Carnaby s Black-Cockatoos, Flinders Bay garden Photos above Mary Whittall Photos Janean Robinson 5
17 March: The water in New River has risen a little over the past week and the Masked Lapwings have moved away. I was pleased to have spotted three of them early in the week before they left the area, two adults and the juvenile. I didn t manage to get any photos of the three of them together while they were all out and about. 19 March: After losing photos of a local Buff-banded Rail through a corrupted external drive I have been trying to spot this elusive bird again. Luckily yesterday afternoon it was out and about foraging in the mud by the small amount of water in New River along with two Purple Swamphens and one Spotless Crake. I think it s interesting that the water level rose a bit about a week ago even though it didn t rain here. The New River on the east side of Queen Elizabeth Avenue had been completely dry, but now part of it has shallow water which seems to have brought out the rail and crakes. The lapwings mainly forage on the west side of the road which always keeps a bit of water. I couldn t find the lapwings for a few days after the water rose but they are back again now, one adult and juvenile. Sometimes they come up on the grass but mainly they are in the mud. I only saw the second adult lapwing once before the water rose. The low water level seems to be staying, maybe because the weather isn t as hot. The rail and crakes tend to be out early or late in the day. The lapwings are out all day. There is an osprey that s often around the area, fishing in the drain that runs down the side of the road, sometimes a sea eagle and at the moment herons, spoonbills, swamphens and only Pacific Black Ducks, but when the water is up, it has a variety of ducks including a pair of Musk Ducks. The surrounding bush has Splendid Fairywrens, New Holland Honeyeaters, Willie Wagtails, Silvereyes, thornbills and scrubwrens. 4 April: Waders have been scarce and unreliable. Yesterday about 5.00pm I went to New River and from the bridge saw some movement about 500m further up the estuary. So I walked along to where there are a few gaps in the trees and saw twenty Red-capped Plovers and Black-fronted Dotterels. I checked them out again mid-morning today and there were only four Red-capped Plovers on their own. Buff-banded Rail, New River Photos Gillian Richmond 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. 27 April Just back from a walk to New River (a bit more water than at Easter, but still lots of mud) where there are about a dozen Black-fronted Dotterels, including some juveniles, quite close to the road. New River at Queen Elizabeth Avenue is only a small body of water and doesn t have big numbers of birds but I find it interesting and it s a short walk from home. Gillian Richmond 6
Hooded Plover near Leeuwin Lighthouse Photo Jenny Kikeros Brush Bronzewing Photo Christine Wilder Early in March I spent a day with Grahame Feletti from Hunter Bird Observers, northern NSW. Grahame researched Brush Bronzewings on the east coast and in South Australia and he was hoping to learn more about birds in the capes. On any given day, Brush Bronzewings are not easy to locate here. In my experience, they are more reliably recorded on the south coast Cheynes Beach, Fitzgerald River and Eyre Bird Observatory but I did record one in January on the Malimup summertime track in D Entrecasteaux National Park. Johnstone and Storr states: Formerly plentiful and widespread but now extinct in much of the south-west, e.g. the Swan Coastal Plain, still locally common elsewhere (North I., East and West Wallabi Is. Tutanning Reserve and in south-east), but generally uncommon and patchily distributed. Brush Bronzewings are occasionally recorded up and down the capes, in Margaret River gardens, East Augusta, Boranup Forest, Witchcliffe, Gracetown, Wilyabrup Cliffs and so on. 2018 sightings 1, Cape Naturaliste 12/2/18 Tegan Douglas and Christine Wilder 1, Witchcliffe 10/3/18 Michael Sayers 1, East Witchcliffe 5/4/18 Christine Wilder We covered a lot of ground, but our investigations of marri/jarrah forest, a granite outcrop, karri country on Cowaramup Creek (dry), the Cape Mentelle coast and along the Margaret River were unsuccessful as far as finding any bronzewings. We did find food plants Acacia rostellifera and a. cyclops and enjoyed a walk on Barry and Des Darnell s farm in Forest Grove, locating a couple of isolated shrubs of Gastrolobium bilobum (Heartleaf Poison). Barry explained, when they purchased the farm, most thickets of g. bilobum in remnant bush, had already been eradicated due to the poison risk to stock. 15 April Excitement plus when I went for a walk this afternoon, collecting debris for Tangaroa Blue from near the Leeuwin Lighthouse, along the beach towards Ringbolt Bay. On the way there, nothing interesting (except bits of rubbish), but on my return there was one Hooded Plover about 500m east of the lighthouse car park and then two Hooded Plovers, hiding in the weed, about 150m further on. These two were at the little bay (with black mineral sand), where I see Ruddy Turnstones and Sooty Oystercatchers. Just as I was hopping into the car a gorgeous Nankeen Kestrel dropped down to catch its prey and when I arrived home an Eastern Osprey was perched in the Norfolk Pine checking out the ocean. I m thinking the osprey is a juvenile, looking at its neck. Also seen were three Sooty Oystercatchers, two adult Pacific Gulls with one juvenile and six Silver Gulls a most delightful afternoon. 17 April Now today was exciting with high activity at the end of Deere Street. The weed was in, with an incoming high tide forming pools behind the weed, and the birds loving it. I thought it must have been oystercatcher high tea. At about 9.15am there were 22 Australian Pied Oystercatchers, one Sooty Oystercatcher, 34 Pacific Black Ducks, two Pacific Gulls and with one juvenile and more than 100 Silver Gulls. I then walked to the river-mouth and one raptor (possibly an osprey) was flying over the river being harassed by a smaller bird. On my return to Deere Street I counted only eight Australian Pied Oystercatchers but all the other birds were still there. Jenny Kikeros (In WA, 1080 poison, used to control feral animals, occurs naturally in some native plants and bronzewings along with other native animals have evolved immunity to it.). Have you seen or photographed Brush Bronzewings in the capes region? Christine Wilder References: Feletti, Grahame. Brush Bronzewing at Belmont, NSW: recent field notes. The Whistler 11(2017): 57-59 Johnstone, R.E. and Storr, G.M. (1998). Handbook of Western Australian Birds Volume 1 Non-Passerines. Western Australian Museum Scott, Jane. Find that Flower. 2009. Cape to Cape Publishing Eastern Osprey Photo Jenny Kikeros 7
This Black-Cockatoo prefers red Photo Steve Castan Baudin s Black-Cockatoo, Samworth Street bush Photo Graeme Moore I was driving down Bussell Highway near 3 Oceans Winery (28 March) and spotted three Baudin s Black-Cockatoo one busily munching on grapes, one watching and another waiting in the background. Steve Castan While visiting friends, about a kilometre east of Little Fish Restaurant near Yallingup, Kevin Smorthwaite reported he and his neighbour saw a white cockatoo amongst a mob of either Baudin s or Carnaby s Black-Cockatoos. Kevin doesn t know which species but described it as being white, and the same size and shape as the black-cockatoos that settled directly above him, alongside his house. A Laughing Dove was spotted amongst a mixed flock of Dusky Woodswallows, Welcome Swallows, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes, Willy Wagtails and New Holland Honeyeaters at Gracetown on 8 April. The dove was being harassed off the wires by the wood-swallows into the foliage below. Steve Castan I mentioned the possibility of it being a corella but Kevin is sure it s the same species as the White-tailed Black- Cockatoos perched around it, and has been seen twice recently. Terry Scott Dusky Woodswallow, Gracetown - Photo Steve Castan Laughing Dove, Gracetown Photo Steve Castan 8
Golden Pheasant, Yelverton Photo Benson Holland Along the Margaret River Photo Christine Wilder This Southern Boobook was flushed during a walk in the bush on 21 March harried by an Australian Raven very nervous perhaps a juvenile. Steve Castan There s a well-worn path down by the Margaret River, known locally as the Le Souef Trail and on 18 March I enjoyed the peace of this small section of river and its surroundings with other walkers (mostly long-time residents) on this special one-off walk to see what this trail was all about. Watching birds around Margaret River is a most enjoyable pastime, as you need only travel a short distance to get away from it all and I discovered this trail was no exception. I was hoping a Brush Bronzewing would flush, but birds weren t in great numbers, except for the more common species of Australian Ringneck, Grey Fantail, Red Wattlebird and Brown Honeyeater. The pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles, roosting high on bare trees on top of the ridge, watched as we meandered along the easy to follow narrow trail, apparently used for eons as one of the only pathways following the river before roads. Christine Wilder Southern Boobook, Kilcarnup Photo Steve Castan Scarlet Robin Photo Terry Scott Left Barn Owl, Jindong Photo Steve Castan 9
Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse Deck Sabina Reserve Photo Lulu Paxton Leading a campout around Busselton at Easter seemed a crazy idea, but the combination of a small group, packed schedule and pre-determined meeting points on a map (no convoys) meant the whole weekend ran like clockwork. Birding within the confines of Busselton, Port Geographe, Dunsborough and Naturaliste resulted in a final tally of 95 species and two more species added after final bird call. New River Abba River A reccie before Easter turned up large numbers of Rednecked Stints, Pied Stilts and Red-capped Plovers but most shorebirds (resident and migratory) had moved on by the weekend. As usual at this time of year water levels were unpredictable. Highlights over four-days: Elmore Lagoon Little Tern (breeding adult, confirmed by John Graff, BirdLife WA Sightings see photo), Whitefronted Chat and a White-faced Heron attacked and chased off an Eastern Reef Egret Dunsborough Lakes Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Black-fronted Dotterel, Dusky Moorhen and Hardhead Campion Way, Quindalup Caspian Tern along Toby s Inlet Carey Street Wetland Spotless Crake and Glossy Ibis Vasse River Delta Bird Hide Nankeen Night-Heron, ten species of duck and a Sacred Kingfisher flew under the hide Pebble Drive a sea eagle demonstrated its power by attempting to carry off a Black Swan Estuary Drive a raft of around 500 Grey Teal on the water with one male Chestnut Teal out front Abba River a single Common Greenshank Sugarloaf Rock Singing Honeyeater, Splendid Fairy-wren, Painted Button-quail and Australasian Gannet Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse Precinct Red-eared Firetails and Western Spinebills visited the water tank seepage, Southern Emu-wrens and White-breasted Robins right by the lighthouse track, Grey Currawong and a Square-tailed Kite seen from the fabulous new deck Ambergate Reserve Brown Falcon, Scarlet Robin, Western Golden Whistler, Wedge-tailed Eagle and Elegant Parrot White-bellied Sea-Eagles and Grey Fantails were recorded at just about every stop, Carnaby s Black-Cockatoo, Crested Pigeon and Black-faced Woodswallows seen by some. Ambergate Reserve Busselton a truly great birding destination. Photos above Christine Wilder Christine Wilder 10
Little Tern (breeding adult), Elmore Lagoon Photo Gillian Richmond Juvenile Nankeen Night-Heron Photo Roger Crabtree SIGHTINGS 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 each), maximum five photos each email, confirm photographer. DON T EMBED photos or articles in email please, but send as attachment, articles preferably as PDF. Email to: cwilderone@yahoo.com.au Christine Wilder - Editor Here are the reported sightings: Australian Magpie attached to Australasian Darter Dunsborough Lakes Photo Gillian Richmond Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse Precinct Photo Christine Wilder Glossy Ibis, Carey Street Wetlands Photo Gillian Richmond Tawny Frogmouth 1, Todhunter Place, west Margaret River, 15/3/18 Christine Wilder Hooded Plover 2 adults, 2 juveniles, Gnoocardup Beach, 29/3/18 Steve Castan 18 (large number), Boranup Beach, end March Wayne Elliott Sanderling 30-40, Gnarabup back beach, 31/3/18 Jane Scott Nankeen Night-Heron 5 in cypresses (river end of Hardy St), Augusta, 18/3/18 Roger Crabtree Little Egret 1, Pebble Drive lookout, 29/3/18 Gillian Richmond and Christine Wilder Barn Owl 1, found dead on side of Bussell Highway, about 6km east of Busselton, 23/3/18 Bernie Masters Southern Boobook 2 calling, Todhunter Place, west Margaret River, 3/4/18 Christine Wilder Sacred Kingfisher 1, at the river end of Hardy Street, Augusta, 18/3/18 Roger Crabtree Forest Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo 5 in marris behind Augusta garden, 15/3/18 Roger Crabtree 3, forest north of Rotary Park, Margaret River, 22/3/18 Christine Wilder 5, flying over Perimeter Road, Margaret River, east of pine plantation, 23/3/18 Christine Wilder 5, Railway Terrace, Margaret River (7.00am), 3/4/18 Christine Wilder White-tailed Black-Cockatoo 5 flying over Leeuwin Road near Turner Caravan Park heading towards East Augusta (9.40am), 15/3/18 Jenny Kikeros Baudin s Black-Cockatoo 18 feeding on ground near Terry Drive, Margaret River, 24/3/18 Pam Moore, Graeme Moore, Christine Wilder 50 in Busselton garden, 9/4/18 Lulu Paxton Carnaby s Black-Cockatoo Small flock, Meelup Beach, 1/4/18 Ed and Alison Paull Purple-crowned Lorikeet 30 flying over Augusta garden, 13/3/18 Roger Crabtree Small flocks in Spotted Gums, off Illawarra Avenue, west Margaret River, throughout April Jennifer Hunt Western Thornbill 3, Ten Mile Brook Dam track, Margaret River, 22/3/18 Christine Wilder Family at Rotary Park, Margaret River, 30/3/18 Boyd Wykes 11
Margaret River Organic Garden Park - Celebrating 30 years The Organic Garden, situated on Bussell Highway, was first started in 1988 as The Margaret River Alternative Technology Centre, with the aim of educating and encouraging local families to grow their own vegetables, herbs and flowers in an environmentally friendly manner. Over time, the garden has transformed from a garden of technology, demonstrating permaculture and selfsufficiency, to its present form of rambling beauty a place of peace and calm amongst the birds and plants in the heart of Margaret River. It is designed as a number of themed spaces Water, Rose and Walled Gardens - with a beautiful assortment of trees, shrubs, flowers and grassed areas, giving a feeling of relaxed serenity, with no harsh boundaries. The land which the garden occupies was once owned by a wonderful gardener named Katherine Crofts and her family. Later, the land ownership transferred to the WA Department of Education. The building on the site, Mannsfield House, is named after the old group settlement house that the family lived in during the 1920s/1930s. Katherine s inspiration and love of plants is still reflected throughout the garden. Garden maintenance and organic preservation is made possible by grants, community donations, fund raising and the garden volunteers. Over a number of years Christine Wilder has recorded 74 bird species in the block that includes the Organic Garden grounds, Margaret River Senior High School and Farm, the Margaret River Education Campus and the Boodjidup roundabout dam. Shelley Cullen Organic Garden photos Christine Wilder 12
Bird Photo Gallery White-bellied Sea-Eagle Above Juvenile White-bellied Sea-Eagle New River, Busselton 2 February Photos Gillian Richmond Above Juvenile White-bellied Sea-Eagle One of three birds seen East Augusta 15 March Photos Peter St. Clair-Baker Right Adult White-bellied Sea-Eagle Pioneer Cove, Busselton BirdLife Campout 30 March Photo Gillian Richmond 13
16 April This bird of prey flew into a window at Des and Barry Darnell s farm. Photographs were taken to aid identification. An opportunity to test your id skills. 14
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper with Australian Shelduck, Creery Reserve Photo Alfred Lau Photos above Grey Plover, Little Eagle, Great Knot, Woodman Point Photos Alfred Lau Left from top New Zealand Birds Little Shag, Tui, New Zealand Falcon, South Island Robin and New Zealand Fantail Photos Jill Cornes 15
Little Corella Photo Boyd Wykes Driving home from Albany through Rocky Gully on 28 February, I pulled over next to the pub to observe and photograph a group of six engaging Muir s Corella, foraging amongst the dried weeds two pairs and two immatures. For those not familiar with the local corella story, a good reference is the WA Museum s Handbook of Western Australian Birds. The south west race of Western Longbilled Corella Cacatua pastinator pastinator, often referred to as Muir s Corella, was reduced by agriculturalists in the nineteenth century from a former, patchy occurrence throughout much of south west Western Australia, to its current small population in the Rocky Gully district. It was last reported in Augusta in 1916. The recently established corella in the capes region is the Pilbara race of the Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea westralensis, likely originating from aviary escapees in Perth. The reasoning of some calling for eradication of these new arrivals is that they might become an agricultural pest, might be a nuisance at roosts in public places or might compete with other birds for nest hollows. Southern Boobook, Wesley Church, Perth Photo Stuart Bell I have attached a photo of a Southern Boobook taken in Hay Street, Perth in one of the little trees beside the Church at the Wesley Centre. It was sound asleep when I took the photo at about 9.30am one morning in March and was still in the same position around 4.00pm that afternoon. Wasn t there the next day so must have found a better tree. Stuart Bell The dilemma is that these same issues will apply to the Muir s Corella if it manages to extend into its former range. As someone who would like to see that happen, the only culling program I would support is one that targets the introduced Little Corella in order to make way for a return of Muir s Corella. That s not likely to sit well with those who are antagonistic to corellas whatever their pedigree. Muir s Corella Photo Boyd Wykes Boyd Wykes Reference: Johnstone, R.E. and Storr, G.M. (1998). Handbook of Western Australian Birds Volume 1 Non-Passerines. Western Australian Museum. 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. South Western Times (29 March 2018 edition) Under the headline Kill them all - Kate Fielding s front page article referred to a suggestion made in a briefing session, as the City of Bunbury considered endorsing an Introduced Corella Management Strategy. Editor Bird Feeding Station Photo Christine Wilder 16