Issue 22 December 2015

BirdLife Australia’s National Bird Week & ABBC will be back next year - 17-23 October 2016

Red-capped Parrot – Photo Christine Wilder

The official total of birds counted during the Aussie Backyard Bird Count (ABBC) was 1,009,894 with 563 species seen by 42,298 observers

CONTENTS PAGE

2016 Program .. .. 2

Excursion Report .. .. 3-4

Cockies in Crisis .. .. 5

Hooded Plover News .. 6

Birding beyond the Capes .. 7-8

Photo Gallery .. .. 9

Articles .. .. .. 10-12

Sightings .. .. .. 13

Yearly Bird List .. .. 14

CAPE TO CAPE BIRD GROUP – 2016 PROGRAM

Ambergate – Photo Christine Wilder

Sunday 21 February – Half-day excursion:

Blackwood River, east of Karridale

Meet at 8.00am at Alexandra Bridge Hall on Brockman

Highway, east of Karridale. We shall explore the

Nillup end of Scott National Park, Alexandra Bridge

picnic site and Chapman Pool.

Bring morning tea.

Leader: Christine Wilder

Sunday 20 March – Full-day excursion:

Canebrake and beyond

– Margaret River/Whicher Range

Meet at 8.00am at Canebrake Pool picnic site. This is a

full day excursion with the option to leave at any time.

We will drive along dirt tracks, suitable for

conventional vehicles, stopping to bird watch in a

variety of habitats. We may finish up at a different

location to the starting point.

From Bussell Highway, travel along Osmington Road,

crossing over Jindong-Treeton Road, until you come to

Canebrake Road on your left. Drive about 5km along

Canebrake Road (gravel) until you come to the

picnic/camping area after entering the Rapids

Conservation Park.

Bring morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea.

Leader: Boyd Wykes

VOLUNTEER FOR A SURVEY

6-7 February 2016

Annual Hooded Plover surveys

Shorebirds 2020 surveys

3 April 2016

The Great Cocky Count

You don’t have to be an expert!

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.

For details of any of the excursions or meetings please

contact:

Christine Wilder cwilderone@yahoo.com.au

Boyd Wykes majyx@iinet.net.au

Scott National Park – Photo Christine Wilder

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EXCURSION REPORT

AMBERGATE RESERVE – 6 December

A small group of six gathered at the Ambergate

Reserve carpark on a blustery, overcast and somewhat

threatening Sunday morning.

After a quick briefing by Christine, the group dutifully

doused footwear in the ‘Dieback-preventing footbath’

before commencing our walk through the 75-hectare

regional park that protects the remnants of woodlands

once common along the coastal plains of Busselton

and surrounds.

There are 4km of walk-trails through this delightful

bush oasis, located approximately 9km south of the

city of Busselton and expertly managed by the

Busselton Naturalists Club and the Geographe

Community Landcare Nursery.

Thankfully, there was little rain during the morning

walk and the group was rewarded with a wide variety

of birds – particularly on the margins of the reserve

where the bush gives way to open paddocks.

With a large number of birds calling, listening skills

were at a premium and Christine again showed her

expertise in recognising many of these, including the

somewhat metallic notes of a Rufous Songlark.

After some deft directional tracking, several Rufous

Songlarks were located in a neighbouring paddock

and the group was able to get excellent views of these

wonderful birds. One songlark was observed carrying

food, gathered on the reserve side of the fence, to the

same place in the crop in the paddock.

Other sighting highlights included White-winged

Trillers, Rainbow Bee-eaters and a variety of parrots

including good views of a number of Elegant Parrots.

As the morning progressed the ubiquitous bush-flies

became more of a nuisance to the point that Jill finally

surrendered and donned a flynet (great for keeping

the flies at bay, but not so good for bird viewing!).

Notwithstanding the fly invasion, the group enjoyed a

very successful morning’s birding. Our thanks to

Christine for leading the walk and to Bernie Masters

for advertising the walk to Busselton Naturalists Club

members – with two newcomers joining us.

Michael Sayers

Morning tea in the shelter at Ambergate – Photo Lulu Paxton

Bird List – Ambergate Reserve – 36 species

Brush Bronzewing

White-necked Heron

Western Rosella

Australian Ringneck (28 Parrot)

Red-capped Parrot

Elegant Parrot

Rainbow Bee-eater

Splendid Fairy-wren

White-browed Scrubwren

Western Gerygone

Yellow-rumped Thornbill

Inland Thornbill

Striated Pardalote

Singing Honeyeater

Red Wattlebird

Tawny-crowned Honeyeater

Brown Honeyeater

New Holland Honeyeater

Varied Sittella

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

White-winged Triller

Rufous Whistler

Grey Shrike-thrush

Dusky Woodswallow

Grey Butcherbird

Australian Magpie

Grey Fantail

Willie Wagtail

Australian Raven

Magpie-lark

Scarlet Robin

Rufous Songlark

Silvereye

Welcome Swallow

Tree Martin

Australasian Pipit

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Searching for songlarks, – Photo Lulu Paxton

Well maintained track, Ambergate – Photo Christine Wilder

Birding in Ambergate Reserve

Elegant Parrot, Ambergate – Photo Jill Cornes

Still looking! – Photo Lulu Paxton

Above Imm. Grey Shrike-thrush, west Margaret River – Photo Jeanne Bell

Left Juvenile Grey Shrike-thrush, west Margaret River – Photo Boyd Wykes

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Black-cockatoos in Margaret River – Photo Terry Scott

BLACK-COCKATOOS Augusta

I have been watching the cockatoos in Augusta

(October/November). They have been going to the end

of Deere Street, feeding on the vegetation near the

shoreline and also the bottlebrush, just the same as

described in the last newsletter.

I looked out the back the other day and saw a Black-

shouldered Kite perched on the top of the Norfolk

Pine and scattered on the lower branches were the

cockatoos.

Jenny Kikeros

Forest Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo – Photo Christine Wilder

BIRDLIFE Cockies in Crisis

BirdLife projects cannot run without the assistance of

keen-eyed volunteers, and the Cockies in Crisis project

is no exception. At present, we would be grateful for

all reports of the two Forest Black-Cockatoos –

Baudin’s Black-Cockatoos and Forest Red-tailed Black-

Cockatoos – in particular the sites you see them using

– where and when you see them feed, drink,

investigate hollows or other breeding behaviour, or

where they go to roost in the evenings.

Sightings forms are available on our website:

http://www.birdlife.org.au/projects/southwest-black-

cockatoo-recovery.

In early 2016, we will be establishing surveys at water

points used by black-cockatoos. So as the weather

warms up, let me know where you see cockatoos

drinking – cockatoos usually go to drink in the late

afternoon before heading to their evening roost sites.

If you have any questions or are after additional

information, I can be contacted at:

tegan.douglas@birdlife.org.au, or on (08) 9287 2716.

Tegan Douglas,

Cockies in Crisis Project Coordinator

Forest Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos, Wise Road – Photo Christine Wilder

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Plover 1 (right) on its back feigning injury – Photo Wally Smith

HOODED PLOVER NEWS

HILLVIEW HOODIES

This is just an update on the Hillview plover numbers.

I had three separate sighting events today (25

November).

The first, walking along the beach I

encountered 2 adults and 2 flying young (they

flew off on my approach) and 1 runner which

ran into the fore dune. This took place just

north of the nesting area.

The second, on returning from an area beyond

the plovers’ beach, I encountered 1 adult and 4

flying young (all were similar size so

assuming all flying). This was at the northern

end of the plovers’ beach.

The third was on my approach back down at

the nesting area. I encountered 2 adults, both

of which went into very pronounced broken

wing display, including lying on their backs,

along with leading behaviour (shown in the

image, taken from a distance).

If the five plovers at the second sighting are counted

with the two adults at the third sighting, that gives

seven plovers (as reported last month) without taking

into account the runner observation in the first

sighting, meaning there were probably eight plovers

on the beach.

Whether there is additional nesting happening (given

the strength of the behaviour in the last sightings)

remains to be seen.

Evidence of a quad bike was also observed on the

beach.

Wally Smith, Tangaroa Blue

MARGARET RIVER BEACHES

Several local beaches near Margaret River are due for a

population increase, with two priority listed Hooded

Plover broods expected to hatch in the first week of

December.

Parks & Wildlife rangers have been busy fencing off

several nests this season, but once hatched, the highly

mobile young forage up to 2kms along the shoreline

with their parents.

These tiny chicks are very susceptible to accidental

disturbance, such as unleashed dogs, forcing the

adults to separate from the chicks, leaving them

exposed and vulnerable to threats such as predation,

heat stress or unintentional crushing by beach goers.

The only defence these chicks have is their excellent

camouflage, so while the parents will try to distract

intruders, the young crouch and hide until the danger

passes and their parents return.

Unfortunately for one pair this is their second brood

for the season, as all three chicks from their first

attempt died within a week of hatching, likely due to

disturbance from dogs.

Rangers have put temporary breeding area signs in

place to alert the public of the Hooded Plovers’

vulnerable situation so hopefully, with increased

awareness, we have a better chance of sharing our

beaches with these unique families this summer.

Christine Fleay, Conservation Officer,

Department of Parks and Wildlife, SW Region

Update 18/12/15: At one local beach we have increased

signage and installed four shelters to help hide chicks from

aerial predators and heat/weather. The rivermouth chicks

lasted only a few days. Christine Fleay

Hooded Plover pair, Skippy Rock, Augusta 29/11/15 – Photo Paula Farrow

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BIRDS OF KAKADU NATIONAL PARK

Earlier this year Kay Gibson visited Kakadu National

Park Northern Territory, taking colourful photographs

of the birdlife of the fantastic Top End.

Nankeen Night-Heron – Photo Kay Gibson

Red-winged Parrot – Photo Kay Gibson

Forest Kingfishers – Photo Kay Gibson

MORE TERRITORY BIRDS

Blue-faced Honeyeaters enjoying a bowl of cream,

Mataranka, NT – Photo Terry Scott

Terry and Marg Scott explored the Northern Territory

travelling the Stuart Highway, photographing birds

along the way.

Pied Imperial-Pigeon, Adelaide River, NT

Photo Terry Scott

Australian Pratincole, Alice Springs, NT

Photo Terry Scott

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Common Paradise-Kingfisher – Photo Jane Scott

‘BIRDING IN PARADISE’

Well it wasn’t a true ‘birding’ trip, but in November

Roger and I had a dive/snorkel holiday in a beautiful

part of Indonesia called Raja Ampat, a group of islands

and marine park off Sorong in West Papua.

We stayed at the lovely low-key but comfortable Kri

Eco Resort for ten days, and as an ‘add-on’ for me,

there were lots of birds in the forest around our

accommodation and out around the islands.

Not that I knew many of them, apart from the raptors

of which we saw Eastern Osprey, Brahminy Kite and

White-Bellied Sea-Eagle. With the aid of a photo folder

that had been donated by a previous guest and my

‘Simpson and Day’ back home, I was delighted to be

able to identify quite a few species that are also found

in northern Australia, and I ended up with a list of 30+

species (most confirmed, a few unknowns!).

Unfortunately the day we were to have a short trip to a

neighbouring island to see the Red Bird-of-Paradise

was the one day when it rained solidly – and we were

told that the birds do not show up when it rains!

These two (pictured above) were very striking birds

that I saw regularly around the resort. I first saw the

Paradise Kingfisher (two of them) fast asleep in a tree

just near our room when I took my torch for a little

‘night walk’ – I was wowed by their lovely tails!!

Jane Scott

Rufous-bellied Kookaburra – Photo Jane Scott

COMMON STARLING

Common Starling in SA – Photo Terry Scott

The Common Starling above (photographed in South

Australia by Terry Scott) is one bird we do not want to

see anywhere within the capes.

As part of the “Starlings in WA” project, the

Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) is

placing sound meters at strategic points to detect these

birds.

If you do see a starling please report the location

immediately to authorities.

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BIRD PHOTO GALLERY

Basking Common Bronzewing, Augusta – Photo Roger Crabtree

Southern Boobook in west Margaret River – Photo Hank Durlik

Black-winged Stilt, Quindalup Siding Road

Photo Jill Cornes

Red-winged Fairy-wren, The Berry Farm – Photo Therese Sayers

Black-winged Stilt on nest, Dunsborough – Photo Michael Sayers

Hooded Plover at Skippy Rock – Photo Paula Farrow

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White-faced Heron, Augusta – Photo Roger Crabtree

HERONS, EGRETS and SHOREBIRDS

Yallingup

25 November – 1 White-necked Heron

A single bird has been hanging around our garden

goldfish ponds in Yallingup on a few occasions in the

last couple of weeks.

Quindalup Siding Road

24 November – 1 White-necked Heron

27 November – 7 White-necked Heron and 17 White-

faced Heron

3 December – 27 White-faced Heron and 5 Common

Greenshank

6 December – 9 White-necked Heron and 20 White-

faced Heron

11 December – 1 Cattle Egret and 1 White-necked

Heron

14 December – 10 Wood Sandpipers (no greenshanks

or White-necked Herons)

The water level is dropping at the Quindalup Siding

Road pool, so this spot should be good for viewing in

the next couple of weeks.

Roger and Jill Cornes

Cattle Egret, Quindalup Siding Road – Photo Jill Cornes

White-necked Heron in Yallingup garden – Photo Jill Cornes

OSPREY IN TOWN

On the afternoon of 24 November, my son and I heard

an osprey calling (both of us recognised its call) and

we watched the bird circling above, between Elva,

Barrett and Nixon streets within the Margaret River

town-site.

I have resided in town since the mid 1960’s and this

Eastern Osprey sighting is the first and only one I’ve

seen over town in that time.

Is this a common occurrence? Have they been seen

hunting along the Margaret River?

Terry Scott

Quindalup Siding Road pool

Photo Jill Cornes

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SOUTHERN BOOBOOK

In December this lovely young boobook was brought

to us by a neighbour, found injured in Boranup Forest.

It had hardly any weight but was still chirpy and

readily ate minced meat, despite a snapped wing.

We phoned Eagles Heritage who advised that injured

birds of prey be taken to All Creatures Great and Small

in the first instance, who hand any recoveries on to

Eagles Heritage for convalescence and permanent

enclosure if not releasable.

Coincidentally the last issue of BirdLife’s WA Bird

Notes magazine (Issue No. 156 December 2015) has an

article by a researcher, Michael Lohr, seeking dead

Southern Boobooks to look at genetic variety and

health parameters that can be investigated from

feathers and organs. If you find a dead boobook collect

feathers while reasonably fresh. Specimens should be

placed in a plastic bag in a refrigerator (freezers are

OK too).

Michael would also like to know about day-time roosts

at which live birds can be netted. He has already

sampled all the birds at Eagles Heritage Recovery.

Details of where the bird was found are also necessary,

then contact Michael on 0407 147 901 to arrange pick

up.

Boyd Wykes

Southern Boobook – Photo Boyd Wykes

Crested Shrike-tit – Photo Boyd Wykes

SHRIKE-TIT FAMILY IN GARDEN

For years I seemed to be the only member of our group

not seeing Crested Shrike-tits around Margaret River. I

was therefore thrilled to briefly sight a bird high in the

marris of our back-yard on the outskirts of Margaret

River on 4 December. Neighbours along a nearby

streamline with karris then told me they see a bird or

two each summer and autumn, so I counted myself

lucky to catch one as it moved through.

However on the morning of 16 December, chattering

in a lemon-scented gum alerted me to a family of two

relatively mature fledglings encouraging two busy

adults to forage throughout several gardens to feed

them – mainly in marri and jarrah, but also close to the

ground in a clump of mallees.

The young birds were parked amongst the

extraordinary abundance of other bird species we have

had since the summer began and were aggressively

chased by New Holland and Gilbert’s (White-naped)

Honeyeaters and Dusky Woodswallows.

It is interesting that the family was not associated with

karris, where they usually feed on the decorticating

bark, and they were not using our garden bird bath.

I managed to snap a couple of shots of one of the birds

but the parents were too quick. The photo shows the

bird quivering its wings as they were held out and

down from the usual perched posture to accompany

its’ chattering begging call.

Boyd Wykes

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Sacred Kingfisher, Vintners Ridge, Yallingup – Photo Therese Sayers

WHAT BIRD CALL IS THAT?

Sadly I learnt that John Hutchinson recently passed

away in Busselton (Birdlife WA’s Bird Notes

magazine, Issue 156 December 2015). Many locals may

not know of John’s achievements as inventor, writer

and sound recordist, in particular of birdsong.

Back in the 1980s I had all of John’s Australian bird call

tapes, encouraging me to sort out all those mysterious

calls, and a terrific learning tool when played on long

journeys in the car.

John’s entertaining book “Save that Song”, contained

wonderful stories of days spent recording in the field.

Even now I refer to John’s CDs, as well as using the

Field Guide to Australian Birdsong and David Stewart

CDs, Dawn Chorus at Nuralingup Gardens Forest

Grove recorded by Bill Bunbury and of course a phone

app.

I’m fortunate to have known several field recordists,

once spending an eerie night at Cairns Cemetery with

Sydney sound specialist Judy Wiles, who was

recording the Bush Stone-Curlews there (hundreds of

birds lived in the cemetery grounds).

Norman Robinson was first to record the calls of Noisy

Scrub-Birds at Two Peoples Bay and researched

lyrebirds and their vocals. Later during his retirement,

I was Norman’s driver, accompanying him to

meetings and other bird activities and he gave me an

invaluable copy of his comprehensive recordings of

the birdlife at Eyre Bird Observatory.

Peter Fullager visited our garden in NSW, to record

the Superb Lyrebirds, whilst we tip-toed round to

minimise background noise. One of the resident male

lyrebirds often displayed to its own reflection in the

glass front door, so there was plenty of material to

record.

When in North Queensland I occasionally crossed

paths with another specialist, Victorian Rex

Buckingham, finding him setting up his recording gear

at a site somewhere in the wilds there.

Listening is useful when trying to identify birds in

jungle-like conditions, for instance in the rainforests of

northern NSW and Queensland, when locating elusive

heathland birds such as emu-wrens and spot-lighting

for nocturnal birds.

If I can’t identify what I am hearing, I try to locate the

bird and then watch it call. Sounds simple, but

somehow that connection remains with me forever

after that.

Birds can have many calls – contact, alarm, begging,

territorial, mimicry (to name a few) – and maybe it’s

impossible to identify every call of every species seen

or heard, but years of dedicated work by pioneers like

John Hutchinson and others, has given us a head start

with easily accessible recordings to aid identification.

The spectacular dawn chorus at the moment is a great

time to listen and identify individual birds calling.

Christine Wilder

The Fan-tailed Cuckoo’s trilling call rings out in the forest

Photo Christine Wilder

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Hooded Plover – Photo Jenny Kikeros

SIGHTINGS

Thank you for sending in articles, photographs and

unusual/interesting sightings from the capes region for

inclusion in newsletters. All contributions are

acknowledged. If you are providing photographs send

as a JPEG (2mb no larger) and confirm name of

photographer. Please do not embed photos or articles

in email, but send as an attachment, articles in ‘Word’

or PDF if possible.

Email to cwilderone@yahoo.com.au

BirdLife Australia’s ethical birding guidelines (online)

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 can have on birds.

Christine Wilder – Editor

White-necked Heron, Augusta – Photo Christine Wilder

Here are the latest sightings:

Freckled Duck

1 at the Vasse River Delta bird hide, 10/11/15 – Jill and

Roger Cornes

Tawny Frogmouth

1 in garden in Samworth Street, west Margaret River,

30/11/15 – Christine Wilder

1 catching insects on house roof in Yallingup, 4/12/15 –

Jill and Roger Cornes

White-necked Heron

1 on wetland near The Horse Resort, Osmington Road,

6/12/15 – Christine Wilder

Square-tailed Kite

1 in Samworth Street, west Margaret River, 30/11/15 –

Christine Wilder

1 being attacked by Australian Ravens in Tunbridge

Street, Margaret River, 18/12/15 – Christine Wilder

Regent Parrot

8 flying over garden in Yallingup, 7/12/15 – Jill and

Roger Cornes

Hooded Plover runners

Photo Christine Fleay

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.

Key – Yearly Bird List – Page 14 A=Ambergate Reserve J=Jewel Cave (Karri Walk) B=Boranup Forest M=Metricup Bush Block C=Cosy Corner/Foul Bay N=Cape Naturaliste E=Ellensbrook R=Rails to Trails F=Forest Grove T=The Margaret River H=Heronsbrook W=Wetlands Busselton

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Cape to Cape Bird Group – Yearly Bird List – January to December 2015 – 108 species

Emu F

Musk Duck HW

Black Swan HW

Australian Shelduck FMW

Australian Wood Duck MW

Grey Teal W

Pacific Black Duck EHRW

Australasian Grebe HW

Hoary-headed Grebe W

Rock Dove W

Laughing Dove W

Common Bronzewing HNW

Brush Bronzewing A

Australian Owlet-nightjar R

Australasian Gannet N

Australasian Darter W

Little Pied Cormorant FHTW

Little Black Cormorant W

Pied Cormorant CE

Eastern Great Egret W

White-necked Heron A

White-faced Heron HW

Nankeen Night-Heron W

Australian White Ibis FHW

Straw-necked Ibis HW

Yellow-billed Spoonbill W

Eastern Osprey CE

Square-tailed Kite BE

Whistling Kite W

Collared Sparrowhawk B

Swamp Harrier W

Wedge-tailed Eagle CW

Little Eagle T

Nankeen Kestrel BENW

Purple Swamphen EHW

Dusky Moorhen W

Eurasian Coot HW

Black-winged Stilt W

Banded Stilt W

Red-necked Avocet W

Red-capped Plover W

Terek Sandpiper W

Common Greenshank W

Wood Sandpiper W

Red-necked Stint W

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper W

Bridled Tern C

Pacific Gull CE

Silver Gull CENW

Baudin’s Black-Cockatoo BFM

White-tailed Black-Cockatoo JTW

Galah R

Little Corella FW

Purple-crowned Lorikeet FJMRTW

Western Rosella ABEFJMT

Australian Ringneck (28) ABEFHJMNRTW

Red-capped Parrot AJMW

Elegant Parrot AB

Rock Parrot C

Shining Bronze-Cuckoo BEFT

Fan-tailed Cuckoo N

Laughing Kookaburra BEFHJMRT

Sacred Kingfisher H

Rainbow Bee-eater AW

Splendid Fairy-wren AEFHMNRTW

Red-winged Fairy-wren BEFJMRT

Southern Emu-wren CN

White-browed Scrubwren ABCEFJMNRTW

Western Gerygone ABFJW

Yellow-rumped Thornbill AFMTW

Western Thornbill R

Inland Thornbill ABEFJMRTW

Spotted Pardalote BEFJMRT

Striated Pardalote ABFJW

Singing Honeyeater AW

Western Spinebill EMRT

Western Wattlebird T

Red Wattlebird ABEFHMNRTW

White-fronted Chat W

Tawny-crowned Honeyeater AT

Brown Honeyeater AEFTW

New Holland Honeyeater ABCEFHJMNRTW

White-cheeked Honeyeater E

Gilbert’s Honeyeater BFHJMRT

Varied Sittella AFR

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike ABFM

White-winged Triller A

Crested Shrike-tit BF

Golden Whistler BEFJMNRT

Rufous Whistler AW

Grey Shrike-thrush ABMNRT

Dusky Woodswallow ABM

Grey Butcherbird AF

Australian Magpie ABEFHJMRT

Grey Currawong B

Grey Fantail ABEFHJMNRTW

Willie Wagtail AMW

Australian Raven ABEFHMNRTW

Magpie-lark AW

Scarlet Robin AEJMT

Western Yellow Robin MR

White-breasted Robin BCEFJMR

Rufous Songlark A

Silvereye ABCEFHJMNRTW

Welcome Swallow AEMNW

Tree Martin ABMW

Red-eared Firetail BEMT

Australasian Pipit A

(Compiled by C Wilder – December 2015)

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