The Wren

Volume 5 Number 3 September 2016

Red–backed Fairy-wrens (female) Steve Dew

FROM THE PRESIDENT

We’re now into a new financial year which means our

club AGM has been and gone. We saw a change to the

executive with Joanne Morris standing down from the

role of secretary and Tom Curtis accepting the

position.

So thank you Joanne for your support and assistance

during your three years. I extend a warm welcome to

Tom who I’m confident will grow into the role without

any problems.

Welcome also to everyone to another variety packed

edition of our newsletter, The Wren. It is good to have

new contributors happily sharing their birding stories

with everyone. A pat on the back must also go to

Steve Dew for his contributions and his support.

Daryl Barnes

Contents The Travelling Croweaters 2.

Far Beach Sign & Magpie Mixup 3.

Convenient Camping & Volunteering 4.

Birds of a Feather & Beautiful Walk 5.

Chuckie 6.

Chuckie & Honeyguide Birds 7.

Our Flexi Trip & Olive in Japan 8.

Winter in Emerald Forest & Chasing Mallee Birds 9.

Chasing Mallee Birds 10.

A Bird in the Sky 11.

A Pond to Ponder 12.

The Travelling Croweaters 13 & 14 & 15.

Book Review & Padaminka May Outing 16.

DeMoleyns June & Lake Barfield July Outings 17.

Peter Faust Dam August Outing 18.

Sleeping on the Wing 19.

Sightings & Monthly Outings Calendar 20.

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2 The Wren

THE TRAVELLING CROWEATERS

We were a couple of croweaters from the York Peninsula, South Australia, seeking warmth in the ambient areas

along the Queensland coast. Being a convert to birding a decade ago as a result of a long friendship with Dave

‘Lumpy’ Milson now residing at Mapoon on Cape York, we were counting birds instead of the usual cans back at

our recycling depot at Kadina, SA.

For years my wife had kept a list of residents and visitors that had flown in to feed, water, shelter or rest on our

larger than normal house site. The latest addition was a grey fantail that took the total to 38, which is probably

the number of New Holland Honeyeaters that reside and raise their young all around our home.

Goodbyes all round saw us on the road with caravan in tow and binoculars within reach. A pleasant surprise

were Regent Parrots in the township of Loxton on the River Murray. Frequent sightings of Red-rumps became

the norm for days to come. At Lake Boga we had ducks on the doorstep of our caravan but this wasn’t my idea

of birding. We caught up with an old friend at Echuca and pushed out to Picola in search again of Superb

Parrots. It has become a bit of a joke that whilst not being always at the right time, I have had several failed

attempts to find this pretty parrot and yep – missed it again.

Nearing Albury-Wodonga had me in in contact with a friend who I’d previously met at Gluepot some years ago

where he was photographing Scarlet-chested Parrots. Over a cup of tea we added a new bird to our list – the

Turquoise Parrot. We were privileged to watch them for several hours as they watered at the edge of a dam,

fed on the ground and with swift wings, flew amongst the tall timber.

Consumed by our new bird we paid little attention to Yellow-tufted and Fuscous Honeyeaters feeding and

watering as well. Numerous White-throated Treecreepers were lovely at close distances as well as abundant

numbers of Eastern Rosellas, Dusky Woodswallows, Rlame Robins and Golden Whistlers.

We continued at an easy pace and encountered the gorgeous Eastern Spinebills wildly fluttering and feeding in

the gardens of Beechworth. My wife, ever alert, was astute enough to look up amongst the golden leaves of a

large Liquid Amber tree to gaze upon a pair of Gang-gang Cockatoos having breakfast. How good? – Right in

the heart of Beechworth. By evening we were camped alongside the River Murray at Jingellic and enjoyed

watching thirty or more King Parrots feasting on crabapples, all within ten feet of us – no need for binos.

Inclement weather saw us admiring lots of Crimson Rosellas along the roadside. We bought some great

T-bone steaks at Tumbarumba – supposedly Murray grey stock – and were lucky enough to find some dinner-

plate size field mushrooms. What a meal!

Boorowa next, known as THE spot for the superb parrot. But the only Superb in sight was a template of one

on the bakery façade. Superb country but no Superbs. On to Mudgee where we were welcomed by in excess of

sixty Red-rumps feeding on the lawns flanking the main road, not perturbed by traffic in the least!

It is always nice to spend a night in the Warrumbungles amongst Butcherbirds, Red-browed Finches, Grey

Fantails and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos preparing nesting sites. We departed perfectly trimmed camping

grounds which are kindly manicured by the local kangaroos.

story continued on Page 13

Superb Parrot Steve Dew King Parrot (male) Steve Dew

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September 2016 3

FAR BEACH SIGNAGE

With input from the Queensland Government, Mackay Regional Council, Reef Catchments , Queensland Wader

Study Group and BirdLife Mackay, a new shorebird sign has been produced.

After a meeting with Jonathon Dykyj from Mackay Regional Council and Jess Berryman from Reef Catchments

on Friday July 15th, it was agreed that all three access walkways to Far Beach from the car park, should have a

sign to highlight the shorebird roost at the mouth of Shellgrit Creek erected. The sign (featured) has been

erected on the beach side of the ‘new’ blue set of access steps by council. It looks great.

Editor

MAGPIE MIXUP

They must have run out of white pigment the day this magpie was

produced. Observant South Mackay resident John McLennan

contacted me to enquire as to whether black Magpies were common

or not?

I didn’t think so but when I went to visit John to see for myself, there

was no sign of it anywhere. However a couple of days later, after I’d

sent one of the club members around with a camera to check it out,

proof was captured on film that we did indeed have a black magpie in

our town. Thanks John and thanks to Sylvia.

Editor

Australian Magpie Sylvia Martinez

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CONVENIENT CAMPING

Relax in the serenity of Orkabie Downs, a working cattle farm only half hour south of Sarina.

For birdwatching; why not wander through the natural Creekside forestland, past small rapids and great little

swimming holes, or position yourself alongside one of several dams or in the natural grassland areas. Go for

the day or stay a night or three. You can collect your own firewood from the property and enjoy an evening by

the campfire, under the Milky Way. With easy bitumen access from the Bruce Highway, you can bring your

tent, caravan or motorhome (as long as you are self-contained). Orkabie Downs is the ideal getaway only an

hour south of Mackay. Donations of $5pp per day would be appreciated.

Phone Lynda on 0413 749 614 for more information or find them on facebook @ Orkabie Downs

Lynda Harrold

VOLUNTEERING

The third consecutive season of winter surveys is under way in the Crediton State Forest and the second in

the Cathu State Forest. The aim of this project is to learn more about the habits of the endemic and often

elusive Eungella Honeyeater. Whilst people are not queuing up to participate fortnightly, there is enough

interest to entice sufficient birdo’s to help gather information. It is a time consuming and at times laborious

exercise, but the time and effort put in will eventually prove to be worthwhile. The data that is collected gets

analysed and an official report is then prepared.

What individuals get from bird watching activities and bird photography varies from person to person. Most

birdo’s find that the best and most satisfying personal

results are achieved when they pursue birds on their

own. Volunteering for surveys is a group exercise and

so is not everyone’s ideal way of spending their ‘spare’

time, particularly when time is limited in the first place.

For the welfare of certain bird species or for simply

monitoring precarious habitats, the best way of

obtaining relevant data so that well informed decisions

can be made, is by a structured survey system. The

information gathered can provide knowledge and show

trends that may prove critical in future decision making

processes. The way a species adapts or a habitat

develops according to seasonal changes and other

influences can be learnt from survey work.

If you are passionate about something and you want

to make a difference in some way, albeit small and at

times you may regard as insignificant, volunteering is

one avenue you can use.

Editor

Jason, Daryl, Julie and Merrilyn

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September 2016 5

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

The title above was the theme for my birthday celebration this year.

My request was for each guest to wear a feather or

feathers in their hair, cap, or wherever. I like to bring out

the individuals creativity at my yearly brunches. I even

made little birdie buns to have with pumpkin and chicken

soups and made seed crackers to serve with the dips. One

friend brought along a pink lamington cake re-created into

a bird sitting on a nest complete with feathers. She was

intent on bringing it across the swollen creeks no matter

what. About 11 1/2 inches of rain had fallen in the

previous four days.

I had made a Black Sapote mud cake and stuck feathers

all around it. My daughter Stephanie brought along a

Hummingbird cake. Yum!!

The creek crossings were too fast and deep for

Stephanie's car and as there is no mobile coverage to

phone for a "taxi", two of her children waded through and

walked the 3 or 4 kms here to get a 4wd vehicle to ferry

the family across. I appreciated the effort guests had

taken to 'make it' here. What a creative "flock" we were

adorned with our several and varied feathers !!!

After we had sipped on soups, crunched on birdy rolls

and seedy crackers, we then each shared a story of an

experience we had encountered with a bird. Even the

younger generation shared their bird story, varied and

interesting they were too. A delightful experience.

Next time you bird lovers put on a dinner or afternoon tea,

make it a bird oriented theme. It's fun, no extra expense, brings out each others creativity, everyone shares

and a greater awareness is increased of our Birdlife.

By Rosemary Braithwaite

BEAUTIFUL WALK

Another of the Mackay Conservation Groups Beautiful Walks organised

by Tom Rainsford was held on Saturday July 30th.

It was typically a sunny winters afternoon that attracted only a small but

enthusiastic group to come along to the Slade Point Reserve to check

out the habitat within.

And, who better qualified to guide us through the wilderness than local

plant guru Irene Champion.

With Irene’s accumulated wealth of knowledge and passion for local

plants and trees, she had an answer for each and every question.

Whilst many of us listened and looked on with interest as Irene told

stories relating to specific plants, some with aboriginal reference, but

when it came to repeating some of the botanical names that Irene used,

well, it got a bit too much for most of us. Great job Irene.

Whilst bird life mid afternoon of any day is generally limited, this day

was no different. There was however, one highlight that emerged

amongst the leaf litter as we were about to leave the reserve.

Yes, there was a Noisy Pitta. Good sightings of it were had by all.

Report by Daryl Barnes

New sign at Pacific Drive entrance

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CHUCKIE

For several weeks my husband, Gary, and I had watched a pair of Brown Goshawks carefully build their nest

100ft up in our Moreton Bay ash at the front of our 3 acre block at Farleigh. As we had just started planting our

garden with natives to attract native birds we were starved for entertainment of that nature so it was rather

exciting watching this young family, to the point where Gary bought me a telescope to have a better view of

the upcoming event.

Each morning we would have our coffee on the patio and watch their progress. Finally she started to incubate

her eggs with only the occasional time off the nest to feed. What we, as amateur birdwatchers, found was that

each morning it was fascinating to watch the pair gather fresh leaves to line the nest. I am sure many humans

could learn a lot from nature. After about a month we noticed the female accepting food from the male to

carefully feed to however many chicks she had in the nest. We were in awe at how attentive not only the

female was, but the male too in his constant supply of food for his new family.

We waited, not too patiently, to have our first peek of the hatchlings.

Finally, one morning, a small white fluffy head peeped above the edge of the nest. After a few days it became

increasingly obvious that there was only one chick. Unfortunately we did not have a very good camera and

were unable to get a good photo of mum, with wings spread widely, covering her chick from both sun and rain.

Soon after making himself (not sure of the sex but to us it was a him) visible we noticed that nature surely is

amazing. This tiny piece of fluff would wobble his way backwards to the edge of the nest and send his

droppings to the ground below. For weeks this was our entertainment each day standing in front of the

telescope watching Chuckie grow.

Then one morning we noticed mum frantically calling with food

hanging from her beak looking about for Chuckie. Thinking another

raptor had swept Chuckie away I was in tears as I headed to work.

Mid morning Gary phoned to tell me our neighbour brought

Chuckie, wrapped in a towel, down to him after finding him hanging

upside down on their bedroom window screen. Typical young male,

thinking they know everything and how to fly far too early.

Gary, after realising Chuckie could definitely not fly, phoned with a

request on frozen mice from the pet store to feed our guest. Only

the best for Chuckie. On my arrival home I was proudly shown how

Gary had lined the base of a cockatoo cage with sticks and leaves to

imitate a nest and make it easier for Chuckie to stand. We were torn

between phoning a wildlife carer or not, as Chuckie’s mum had

found where his cage was sitting under our shed awning and was

trying to figure out how to feed him. It was sad watching her frantic

attempts to reunite with her young.

For several weeks my husband, Gary, and I had watched a pair of

Brown Goshawks carefully build their nest 100ft up in our Moreton

Bay ash at the front of our 3 acre block at Farleigh. As we had just

started planting our garden with natives to attract native birds we

were starved for entertainment of that nature so it was rather

exciting watching this young family, to the point where Gary bought

me a telescope to have a better view of the upcoming event.

Gary woke the next morning with “a brilliant idea”?????. He set to work on the cage then carried it (and

Cuckie) down to the nesting tree. For hours he tried in vane to send a sinker attached to a fishing line over the

lowest branch (approx 50’) but finally success.

Then attaching a rope raised it to the branch above. We sat and watched all day but mum didn’t appear. The

weather was a bit nasty so by evening Gary lowered the cage to feed our guest and cover him for his lonely wet

night ahead.

The next morning he again raised it hoping mum would find him. Bingo. She arrived with tasty morsel but

still couldn’t figure out how to feed it to Chuckie. But Gary had another trick up his sleeve. With another line he

slowly raised the door to allow Chuckie his freedom. An hour later Chuckie (a bit slow this boy) ventured

through the escape route with mum waiting patiently on the outside.

Brown Goshawk Sylvia Martinez

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September 2016 7

If anyone has the audacity to think that any small creature does not have a brain- think again.

Mum teased Chuckie with his meal but wouldn’t give it to him until he had moved up to the next branch. As

Chuckie moved in for his reward she again hopped to the branch a little higher up.

And yes, you guessed it - hours later with the perseverance only a parent would have with their child she

(and Chuckie ) made it to above the nest. I am sure at that moment she was a proud and very tired mum.

But only for a moment. Chuckie leapt and seemed to hang in mid air only to sail not too gracefully past the

nest to “THE” branch 50 feet below.

Well I won’t go through the agonising again but he did finally make it back to the nest. It was an all day

marathon but one I would not have missed for the world.

I was really disappointed not to have had a decent camera to capture the adventure but it is forever in my

memory to have the occasional chuckle.

Chuckie provided us with many weeks of entertainment culminating with being there to watch his first

(successful) flight.

Again his beautiful, patient mum tried for days to encourage Chuckie to take flight but his courage still

needed to build.

Finally mum again took off to the east and nearby trees with lots of inspiring calls and Chuckie leapt forward,

and with tail feathers not quite working as required he dipped and veered dangerously to glide in the totally

wrong direction and away from the intended destination.

With the tenacity of the young we watched as he soared above.

I think to this day it was lucky that, not only Chuckie and his mum had the perseverance to succeed, but also

lucky that Gary was determined to have him reunited with his mum instead of being reared as an orphan.

Story by Kim Brett

(Extract from The Australian July 22nd 2016)

African tribesman have learned to converse with a nondescript brown bird in a rare case of ‘mutualism’ with

wild animals.

A Cambridge University-led study found the Yao people of Mozambique had developed a specialist language

with bush birds known as ‘honeyguides’ as part of a hunting pact that benefits both species.

The birds guide the tribesman to hives hidden high in tree crevices, then wait while the bees are smoked out

and the hives broke open.The birds help themselves to the wax after the men have taken all the honey.

Researches found that men summoned the birds using a distinct call – a loud trill followed by a grunt. The

birds replied with a distinct call of their own, then flitted from tree to tree pointing out hives.

Contributed by Jenny Schulz

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OUR FLEXI-TRIP

We went on a seven week road trip encompassing

north east New South Wales and south east

Queensland, arriving home for the official start of

winter. Along the way way we had some fantastic

birding and seen places where we would never have

normally gone, Giraween National Park, Old Benalby

Pioneer park near Casino in NSW, Karara west of

Warwick, Queen Mary Falls near Killarney and a few

spots in between.

Stopping at Cawarral near Rocky on our way

home, we took time to reflect on our trip which took

us to Casino in NSW. Originally, we were heading for

Pilliga but we were advised that there were picket

lines due to gas exploration in the area and we may

not have been allowed access. So we turned our trip

into a flexi trip where we would go to a location that

was recommended by people that we met and were fortunate enough to meet quite a few helpful birdos. One in

particular was Lorraine Welsh who lived at Karara, 50 klms west of Warwick.

Lorraine had just had a visit from Birds Queensland who were there for a week. We stayed for three weeks as

it was a fantastic spot for birds that included Diamond Firetail, Blue Bonnet Parrots, lots of Red-rumped Parrots

and I got a ‘fuzzy’ pic of a Turquoise Parrot flying past. Also here we saw dozens of Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters

and we managed to take a video of them that you wouldn’t believe. We need to find some who can put it on

Facebook or Youtube as it’s well worth watching. A flock of the birds (which included other honeyeaters) arrived

at a watering hole and they looked just like leaves falling off the tree. We got about 90 species in that area.

Scrub Ticks at Karara were extremely bad with me getting about 15 over the 3 weeks we were there with the

last one causing an allergic reaction. Olive suggested we move on before one of us wound up in a hospital.

Story by Bob & Ollie McTrust

On her recent visit to Japan,

Olive McTrusty couldn’t help feeling sorry for the owls that were tethered for people’s pleasure.

Diamond Firetail Steve Dew

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September 2016 9

WINTER-TIME IN THE EMERALD FOREST

Winter-time at my place in The Emerald Forest, as far as birds go, brings to my mind firstly the pretty Eastern

Yellow Robins and the Dove families.

The Bar-shouldered Doves, seem to go somewhere else but in winter there are more here and I enjoy their

calls "we'll-walk-the-walk', and laughing sounds. I am right now watching one feeding beside an Emerald Dove

on the driveway where I have thrown some grain, they seem happy to eat together. At the moment two of

them in their beautifully barred plumage are feeding on the birdfeeder not far away.

Emerald Doves have those stunning emerald green wings, so shy, yet plentiful in the winter months. I have

watched them spread their wings in display

and chase or woo, whatever it is, each other.

Over 15 of these have been banded here.

The little Peaceful Doves with that soft blue

around their eyes are here most of the year

but in winter, there seems to be more activity

amongst them. Their endearing 'doodle oo,

doodle oo,' and the males bowing and

spreading their tail with their special call to

win over his 'girl'. The exotic Wompoo Fruit-

Doves have been silently sharing some

Bollywood berries with the fig birds this winter

too. Magic to watch them from my verandah.

But there has been a mystery caller for years

which I could not identify until a year or so

ago. I only hear it in the winter months. It

sounds before dawn whilst it is still dark, this

monotonous strong and steady call of 'chop

chop', chop chop', and stops when it becomes

daylight.

One morning it dawned on me (ha ha !), that I could get out of bed and track it down. I stalked it and to my

great surprise it was a bird which I see probably every day. It comes close by me when I am raking or

gardening to snatch up a tasty morsel which has been uncovered or disturbed. I was familiar with its other calls

but not the ' chop chop, chop chop'. I have now added it to my memory in its call library.

There are now about 20 of these banded on my property over the past year and many have been recaptured

several times at each quarterly banding exercise, we have here, providing valuable information and this also

tells us that these mystery little birds, the Eastern Yellow Robins, are happy residents at My Emerald Forest and

are a part of the winter forest symphonies and sights which I enjoy.

report by Rosemary Braithwaite

CHASING THE MALLEE BIRDS

Our first foray into the Mallee saw us visit Gluepot, although a great trip with good birding, I was disappointed

to leave without seeing the Malleefowl, Regent Parrot or Striated Grasswren. Another trip into that part of the

world saw us travel south between Murray-Sunset and Hattah-Kulkyne National Parks to Ouyen as a base-camp

before day-tripping back to those parks.

The first day we visited Hattah hoping to see any or all of the above as well as the Mallee Emu-wren which I

was assured was regularly seen. We got good sightings of the Mallee Ringneck, a bird I had seen a fair bit of as

I had lived in Griffith for a few years and they are regulars there. Yellow-plumed and Striped Honeyeaters were

plentiful as were Chestnut-rumped Thornbills and Weebills.

We arrived at the Emu-wren and Grasswren hotspot and walked the roadway for a couple of hours with no

luck. So it was time to get serious so I fired up the GPS, and headed bush, Barb on the other hand said she

would walk the roadway (probably glad not to have a birdo slowing her down).

After about an hour Barb came rushing back toward were she had last seen me with news that a small party of

birds, “Probably the ones you’re looking for.” were feeding just off the track about half a kilometre away. We

rushed back to what we later worked out was a small group of Striated Grasswrens only to find them missing.

Emerald Dove Sylvia Martinez

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10 The Wren

Malleefowl Steve Dew

A spent another half-hour wandering the area and finally was lucky enough to see a pair of Mallee Emu-wrens

excitedly watching me from a stand of Spinifex (Triodia). So it was a simple as swivelling my body to take the

photo and the tiny beggars just dropped into the triodia, never to be seen again.

The following day we made our way to the Pink Lakes section of Murray-Sunset and it started off well, spotting

a pair of Regent Parrots on the roadside on the way to the park, I pulled over and managed to get photos of the

female.

After a quick look around one of the lakes, we headed for the Triodia to try again.

The trick was supposed to be drive a little, park and walk a little, and we were successful, spotting a pair of

Striated Grasswren. We followed them through the bush for a while, catching occasional glimpses from time to

time although not managing a photo.

Birding was otherwise very average with occasional sightings of White-browed Babblers and Striped and

Yellow-plumed, Singing and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters showing themselves as well as the usual LBJ’s.

I chased a male Hooded Robin and a small flock of Mulga Parrots on our way out of the park without much

success. A bonus near the gate was a flock of about a dozen Major Mitchell’s Cockatoos.

The next place I thought we might see a Malleefowl was Little Desert. We spent a couple of nights at the Little

Desert Nature Lodge. Although I had brief glimpses of New Holland Honeyeaters in the past, I was almost

(almost) sick of them by the time we left Little Desert.

A “lifer” in the Tawny-crowned Honeyeater and more sightings of White-fronted Honeyeater were a bonus.

While we were wandering the park one day, the ranger stopped for a bit of a chat, aft er hearing that we had

never seen the Malleefowl, he offered to take us to view the pair the park had in captivity for breeding

purposes.The chicks were then being re-introduced into part of the Little Desert National Park to boost wild bird

numbers.

While it was great to see our first Malleefowl, and I took photos, it didn’t seem right to claim them on my

birding list, or to post the photo on my website.

The following morning we were due to leave, but we received an early knock on the door. It was the ranger,

asking if we wanted to see a wild bird….guess what the answer was? We jumped into his car and while we

drove he explained a wild male bird had come to harass the breeding pair.

I was lucky enough to get a few good photos of him before we left him to c ontinue his harassment.

Finally I had a Malleefowl pic and sightings of the Mallee Emu-wren and Striated Grasswren, all I have to do

now is return for photos of the little fellows.

Story & photo by Steve Dew

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September 2016 11

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12 The Wren

A POND TO PONDER

When you move to a new place, it can take a while to find the best places to go. The places where you can do

what you need to do and also the things you enjoy. At the time of writing I had been in Nakhon Pathom in

Thailand for around nine months. At first I had to find the best places to do my shopping and such things

essential to survival, then I started exploring potential birdwatching areas close to where I live. Until recently,

this was mostly done on foot and would fill whole mornings on weekends. Now I have a bicycle I can venture

further, or just get to the good spots a bit quicker.

When I think about it, there is one place that has

been very good to me with regard to the birds

that I have seen there. The area is a road that

leads to some aquaculture ponds and farm land.

The first time I visited the road was the first time I

saw a Black-capped Kingfisher in Nakhon Pathom.

It was a late afternoon walk during the week and I

just decided to see where the road went to. It

became a regular part of my weekend birding

walks from then on. Another first was seeing a

Eurasian Wryneck one day. I regularly saw White-

browed Crakes around a pond by the road and

one day saw a couple of small, black, crake

chicks.

Another day I spotted a Stork-billed Kingfisher

on the other side of an aquaculture pond for fish

off the end of the road. I attempted to get closer

to get photos but the kingfisher saw me coming and flew away.

The good thing was that the next pond that I looked at before, had lots of aquatic plants and this provided

habitat for waterbirds that like foraging amongst these plants. These included Bronze-winged and Pheasant-

tailed Jacanas, both species with adults and juveniles, more White-browed Crakes, White-breasted Waterhens,

Yellow Bittern, Cinnamon Bittern, Javan Pond Herons, Common Moorhen, Little Grebe, Cotton Pygmy Goose,

Lesser Whistling Ducks and Little Cormorants.

Flying above the pond I have seen Whiskered Terns, Barn Swallows, Asian Palm Swifts, House Swifts, Sand

Martins, Black-winged Stilts, Purple Herons,

Grey Herons, Black-crowned Night Herons,

Great Egrets, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets.

On my last couple of visits to this pond I have

seen a Forest Wagtail and a Dollarbird.

There are always Plain Prinias in the long grass

and the Asian Golden Weavers have recently

return after being absent for a few months.

This well vegetated aquaculture pond has

proven to be a good spot for photography as

well. I can approach it from the east, early in

the morning and use the long grass and trees as

a make shift blind.

This has allowed me to photograph the

jacanas, pond herons, moorhen, pygmy goose,

crake and waterhen.

I also got photos of a Black-capped Kingfisher on the other side of the pond one day.

I have yet to get photos of the Lesser Whistling Ducks there though, so I have a good reason to go back there

again.

When I think about it, I really think this is an aquaculture pond to ponder. I hope it’s still accessible when the

rainy season comes.

Story and photos by Barry Heinrich

White-breasted Waterhen Barry Heinrich

Pheasant-tailed Jacana Barry Heinrich

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September 2016 13

Continued from Page 2

THE TRAVELLING CROWEATERS

Admiring Cockatiels in flight amongst rays of sunshine, we set off for Gulargambone to the west of the

Warrumbungles, enjoying the warmth of the sun in the car and marvelling at the acrobatic ability of the

Black-shouldered Kites. To our absolute delight, what should alight from the verdant green roadside

grasses but the elusive Superb Parrots. So good – so easy – so pretty and in no rush to escape our

presence. We watched them roosting in the wilga trees for quite a while before continuing our journey

toward Bingara, feeling very satisfied.

Camping on the banks of the Gwydir River is a treat anyway, but how delightful was sharing it with a

pair of Pale-headed Rosellas with their bright red patch on the nape of the neck? There are lots of

variations in the rosellas and this was pretty special. The ensuing bad weather made for pubs with fires

and counter meals as we travelled through Glen Innes, Tenterfield and some high rise therapy on the

beach at Mooloolaba. Birding gave way to massages, coffee and the Eumundi markets.

We love our current caravan but had fond memories

of 30 years previous with kids on board and an old

Viscount with three bunks at the rear. We were now

looking forward to the lovely area of Agnes Waters

and 1770, where our old van had taken us

previously.

On route we had a lovely stop at Rosedale, a small

village with probably no more than 20 or so houses.

Here at the quaint tea rooms while enjoying coffee

and a meal amidst the shade of large rain trees and

poincianas, we were entertained by dusky, Brown and

Blue-faced Honeyeaters. Some naughty boys - Grey-

crowned Babblers - paid us a visit as well and kept us

amused with their boisterous antics.

On a lovely, sunny, near-perfect day, we arrived at Agnes

Waters. Whilst investigating a camp site south of town we had a

real treat. In an area the size of a footy oval adjacent camping

grounds surrounded by bush, we sighted Fairy Warblers, Rufous

Whistlers, Leaden Flycatchers, and the lovely Spectacled

Monarch. If you haven’t noticed yet, Pied Butcherbirds, Willy

Wagtails, Silvereyes etc don’t count on trips – until you decide to

do a count. And I started counting now because this area

promised a lot.

A Wonga Pigeon was another tick in my dog-eared Slaters Field

Guide which is held together with sticky tape. Our Bushtracker

caravan was parked under some shade and we settled in to the

sounds of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos. They were feeding daily on

the beach almonds that fringed our home on the sandy banks of

Round Hill Creek at 1770. Beautifully structured parks with lit

boardwalks along the beach led through some tall timber to the

Tree Hotel. This ¼ kilometre boardwalk became my haunt

morning and night for four days. Of the 64 or so birds

encountered at Agnes Waters/1770, this area accounted for

most.

The list included Double-barred Finches, honeyeaters in

abundance – mostly Lewins and Duskies – as well as brown,

Varied, White-cheeked and White-throated. Varied Trillers were

easy targets and Blue-faced Honeyeaters, Noisy Friarbirds, Olive-backed Orioles, Laughing Kookaburras,

Australian Figbirds and Peaceful Doves in abundant supply.

Some juvenile cuckoos drove me to research and identify Fan-tailed Cuckoos and a better look at the

belly of the Bronze-Cuckoos led me to establish the presence of Shining Bronze-Cuckoos. While pelicans

Double-barred Finch Steve Dew

Pale Headed Rosella Steve Dew

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14 The Wren

and pairs of Pied Oystercatchers paraded and fossicked on the beach, Sacred Kingfishers were like

sentinels watching everything. On route to the bar at the Tree Hotel overlooking the bay, with its swaying

yachts, what does my wife find? The lovely Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove.

Reluctantly we left this lovely area with its small

Mistletoebirds and large White-breasted Sea-

eagles and travelled north to Yeppoon. Here we

daily watched a pair of Brahminy Kites perch on

rocks at the beach, eating their catch and then

soaring above. I found myself talking to Fran at

the Mill Gallery. She told me of her recent visit

from a rufous fantail which flew into the shop. A

different visitor. Her directions saw us in some

lovely wetlands around Limestone creek at

Barmoya where normal residents include ducks,

cormorants, swans and egrets. Good to learn that

Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher come as far

south as Byfield to breed.

As we continued north on the old Bruce Highway

to Sarina and on to Finch Hatton, we were getting

closer to friends Chris and John Storrie and Leo the dog in Bowen, from whom we had purchased our

van. On a previous visit they had taken us to Eungella on the escarpment overlooking the lovely Pioneer

Valley. Hoping to take another opportunity to find the elusive Eungella Honeyeater, we travelled up the

range with sunshine on our backs early in the morning. But clouds and wind made for a poor look at

several of these honeyeaters – a tick but no satisfaction. Second prize was a pair of Regent Bowerbirds at

Broken River. Sweet!

We depart Finch Hatton. Road-kill along the highway has Black Kites and Whistling Kites circling in

anticipation of a feed. Arriving at Airlie Beach, the caravan park again has ducks welcoming us only this

time it was the lovely Plumed Whistling Duck. Numerous Bush-stone Curlews are also non-paying

residents at this park.

Red wine and the crackling of roast pork in the Weber welcomed us to Chris and John’s home in Bowen.

It was decided that they should hitch up so we could all head bush together again. It is always great to

camp in a terrific spot, see beautiful birds and be with fantastic friends. Chris, who is also an avid bird

watcher, will now take over the story from this croweater and tell you about our wonderful finds on the

Burdekin and Herbert Rivers.

Our first morning at Mount Fox found us

camped beside a creek which had become a

series of waterholes due to the very dry

conditions. It was probably for this reason that

there were several different birds visiting. Our

attention was particularly drawn to the little

Azure Kingfisher that we spied roosting on an

old tree root on the opposite bank of the c reek.

This beautiful little bird was obviously on

lookout duty, patiently watching and waiting for

breakfast. We watched and waited patiently as

well and were rewarded when we observed a

fine catch of a small fish which was promptly

transported to a small hole in the side of the

muddy creek-bank. It was evident that this was

the bird’s nest as, on closer inspection of the

area just below the entrance, we noticed a sizeable area of white bird droppings. We were all thrilled to be

able to watch this beautiful little bird busily hunting for food for the young that we presumed were safely

tucked away in the nest. Other observations here included Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, a

Fantail Cuckoo, an Emu and Red-backed Fairy-wrens.

The next morning saw us well established in a lovely camping spot beside the Burdekin River and this

spot provided the highlight of this particular birding venture. You know how there are certain birds that

Misteltoebird Steve Dew

Pacific Baza Steve Dew

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September 2016 15

‘jump’ out at you every time you see them as you browse through your trus ty bird guide. Well the Pacific

Baza was one of those for me. I really thought that my chances of spotting one were pretty slim. But

when you hook up with great mates who are hooked on bird watching like you are, you should believe

that fantastic things can happen. There I was doing what most people do first thing in the morning when I

heard the words “Pacific Baza”. I thought I was hearing things but pricked my ears and sure enough

Drogs is saying those magic words again. WELL! I was up and out of the van so quick I amazed even

myself. “Did you say Pacific Baza Drogs? What? Where?” I couldn’t believe this was happening. I know

this sounds ridiculous to most people but I think avid birders will understand. Not just one, but a pair of

these birds had cruised over our camp. Drogs nailed them immediately, recognising their aerobatics in

flight. They eventually perched high in a gum straight across the river from our camp and there they

stayed for at least half an hour. During that time Neil’s wife Sue even got to see them consummate the

relationship and we all got to take some great photos. I was ecstatic for the rest of the day. This sighting

had made my trip.

While walking along the riverbank that same

morning I got to spend quality time with a family of

Red-winged Parrots who just sat quietly watching

me. They were to pass over our camp several times

during our stay and each time we could not help but

admire their vivid red, green and blue plumage.

Being such a constant water source, the Burdekin is

obviously a secure and reliable refuge for a wide

variety of birds, even in the current drought. Each

night our camp was also visited by a Tawny

Frogmouth that would perch in the trees above our

fire and watch us. Blue-faced Honeyeaters were

prolific as were the little Grey Fantails. During our

three-day stay we also sighted Brolgas, kites,

Pelicans, Australian Wood Ducks, Blue-winged and

Laughing Kookaburras, Rainbow Lorikeets, Rufous

Whistlers, Leaden Flycatchers, White-throated Honeyeaters, Rainbow Bee-eaters, egrets, Apostlebirds,

currawongs, Galahs, Red-tailed Black and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and a Little Pied Cormorant.

Our next camp was on the Herbert River and again we were totally amazed at the diversity of birdlife we

encountered. Many were of the smaller varieties which, because they are usually amidst thick foliage and

they never seem to be still, can be a challenge to

identify. Having more than one enthusiast observing

the same bird proved a real advantage for us. While

somebody might be looking at beaks, legs and head,

someone else might be checking out tail, wings, size

etc. In this way we managed to positively identify 21

species during our explorations along the Herbert,

including White-throated, Yellow-spotted, Brown,

Yellow and Scarlet honeyeaters, Red-winged Parrot,

Lemon-bellied and Leaden Flycatchers, Olive-backed

Oriole, Red-browed Finch, Grey and Rufous Whistler,

Brush Cuckoo, Striated Pardalote, Yellow Thornbill

and Weebill. What a wonderful spot!

One that particularly amused me was the Great

Bowerbird. I encountered this character each day in

the same area and there were the usual abrasive noises that I had become familiar with while observing

the same birds in my yard at home. I was truly amused though when I discovered a bird’s -eye chilli bush

on the riverbank where this resident hung out. My bowerbird friend at home is constantly stealing my

bird’s eye chillies so I have decided that they definitely can’t resist these hot little delicacies.

After sharing so many wonderful birding moments, I know we were all somewhat sad to be parting

company at the end of our Burdekin/Herbert River experience. But the great thing is that we know we will

get together again, hopefully many more times and share our love of this wonderful obsession that is

“bird watching”. Happy birding days to all. Story by Neil Drogemeuller and Chris Storrie

Scarlet Honeyeater Steve Dew

Brush Cuckoo Steve Dew

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16 The Wren

BOOK REVIEW

As a Teacher Librarian I am always on the lookout for quality books that are

both informative and captivating for children, Crazy Bird Stories by Daryl

Barnes is one of those books that ‘fits the bill’. When reading this book to my

Primary students the antics and peculiarities of each bird cause ‘oohs’ and

‘aahs’, giggles and even the silence of thoughtful contemplation. The bright

and zany pictures enrich the whole reading experience.

Another feature of Crazy Bird Stories that makes it a plus for the school library

is the inclusion of a bird fact file at the end of the book. This gives the book a

dual purpose and certainly makes it more appealing to a larger age range.

You know a book is popular with the children when you get to the end of the

reading time and the children put up their hands to ask if they can borrow it.

Mr Barnes’ Crazy Bird Stories are a fun way to introduce children to the

wonderful world of birds around us. With most of our young people so

attracted to spending hours on technology these days it’s refreshing to find a

book that encourages the reader to think about the natural world, and get out

there and explore it.

Teacher Librarian at Carlisle Adventist Christian College. Vanessa North

PADAMINKA MONTHLY OUTING MAY 1st.

With a long weekend and perfect weather conditions for any kind of outdoor activity, except perhaps sailing, I

was looking forward to a walk around a couple of the many tracks available on the 76 hectare property at

Padaminka. Of the nine attending it was a pleasure to welcome two new faces, Emma and Lauren. It was also

good to have Jan & Harry who travelled up from Koumala.

The first thing we noticed as we congregated on

site was that not one person had a camera with

them. Not a common occurrence I must say. And

wouldn’t you know it, we had two excellent

opportunities early on for some good photography

thanks to a Fantail Cuckoo and to one of the many

Lemon-bellied Flycatchers we saw.

The birds were certainly entertaining with a

variety of calls coming from a variety of birds early

on, some of which were identifiable and others

creating some disagreement amongst us. Thanks

to Sam with his playback option, we got most calls

sorted. When a clear sighting doesn’t offer itself,

some calls can be misleading at times.

The sunny side of the hill (facing easterly) provided

the best of the birding as when we walked over to the shaded side (facing westerly) there were noticeably less

calling, movement and sightings in general. Whilst both dams held some water this year neither provided any

water birds. One majestic Wedge-tailed Eagle made an appearance by entering the air space above. (It may

well have been the same bird I’d seen the previous day hovering above ‘our’ Flying Fox colony on Bakers

Creek.)

As always, Andrea and Ian had several animals in their care that were undergoing rehabilitation with a Koala

and a very young Agile Wallaby attracting plenty of attention. Ian & Andrea are mapping all locations where

koala’s are sighted in the Mackay district, this includes dead as well as alive. For the future welfare of these

animals your assistance with this would be much appreciated.

Contact can be made via the Fauna Rescue Whitsundays 24 hour hotline for injured wildlife; 49473389

On behalf of the group, once again thank you Andrea & Ian for allowing us the opportunity to explore your

property and for your hospitality.

Editor

Lemon-bellied Flycatcher Tom Curtis

The Wren

September 2016 17

DEMOLEYNS LAGOON MONTHLY OUTING JUNE 5th.

This, the first week of winter, sees most of us wearing winter woollies for the first time this year as we

congregated at the info Centre, destination, DeMoleyn’s Lagoon.

However, the crispness of the morning had dissipated by the time we’d began to search the lagoon for birds.

We were welcomed first up by the raucous call from a Blue-winged Kookaburra as we all headed off to explore

the ‘new’ track that I’d cleared. It took our group to the far side of the lagoon and about half way along. Quite a

few bush birds were found lurking in the long grass and surrounding lantana and native trees like Red-backed

Fairy-wrens, Red-browed Finches, Chestnut-breasted Mannikins, Grey Fantails, Brown and Yellow Honeyeaters,

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes and Rufous Whistlers.

On the water or by the edge were many of the usual water

birds with a group of seven Royal Spoonbills a highlight as

they continually fed along the shallows of the far side of the

water. Always sharing their feeding grounds was one Great

Egret. On the near side of the lagoon an Azure Kingfisher

seen by some for awhile, as it made several dives into the

water. Other water birds included cormorants, little-pied

and little-black (18), egrets great, intermediate and little

and ducks wood and black.

As we were all gathering for smoko, the Tamarin Trees

came alive with small birds like Yellow-bellied Flycatchers,

Rufous Whistlers, Grey Fantails, White-throated

Honeyeaters and one Shining Bronze-Cuckoo.

With near perfect weather conditions throughout the

morning, there were no excuses for not enjoying this birding

session. As per usual, there were lots of chatter between

participants. Editor

LAKE BARFIELD MONTHLY OUTING JULY 3rd.

Eight vehicles traveled to Hay Point to check out the bird life on and around Lake Barfield this Sunday morning

of July 3rd. With the morning sun warming our soles it also highlighted brilliantly four Forest Kingfishers as they

worked the lake margins of a sheltered bay, getting the day off to a great start. Across on the far s ide of the

lake a pair of Brolga feeding were spotted plus 18 Black Swans that were moored in a tight huddle near a

grassy bank. From the front yard of Tom Liddells house if we looked really carefully we were able to partly see

amongst the foliage directly opposite, three Nankeen Night Herons.

The two junior birders amongst us with their keen eyesight were often quick to pick up the smaller bird species

like White-throated, Dusky, Brown, Yellow Honeyeaters as they swiftly moved about the canopies, before us

older members. Good sightings of Rufous Whistlers, a Fantail Cuckoo, Great Egret and the ever active Grey

Fantails kept us entertained.

Visiting Australia from Norway, Karen Shadshiem, took

much pleasure from her sightings of Black Swans and

Australian Pelicans.

At smoko and bird call, Madge Barnett unveiled three of her

recent paintings of Eungella Honeyeaters. Two of them are

to feature in a production by Donna Maree Johnson of the

Clarke Range. The other painting was very kindly donated

by Madge to the club.

The winner of the ‘guess how many species’ competition

went to Joanne Morris who correctly guessed 63 although

there was an immediate protest. Having Indian Peafowl

(Peacock) on the official list (and seen on the property of

Eric and Judith Halat) was vigorously

disputed…..particularly by the person who picked 62

species for the outing!

Editor

Grey Fantail Justin Stent

Nankeen Night-Heron Tom Curtis

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18 The Wren

PETER FAUST DAM MONTHLY OUTING JULY 31ST.

The outing to Proserpine this year was to the well-known barra-fishing destination, the Peter Faust Dam.

Although this day clashed with the National Tree Planting Day, the outing attracted a healthy attendance of

thirteen.

For the four of us who travelled up from Mackay it

was our first visit to the dam and its surrounds and

we were not disappointed by what we saw.

Upon our arrival we were greeted by Graham and

Jan Armstrong with an enthusiastic group of locals

whom we found chatty and very welcoming.

The amount and variety of water birds was soon

recognized and were a feature of the shoreline for

as far as one could see (by telescope).

Mixed bird species congregated at many locations

from the boat ramp anticlockwise around the

perimeter of the dam.

Examples include one large flock of Little Black

Cormorants roosting at one point and then another

collection included pelicans and various egret

species.

There were plenty to check out.

A common dam species, the Hoary-headed Grebe,

proved reluctant to venture too close to shore for

easy camera shots but the four we observed

remained within close range throughout our visit.

Once we were satisfied with what we’d seen on

and around the dam from the car parking areas,

Graham chauffeured us along a well made gravel

track that led to a creek and an area densely

populated with paperbark trees.

Black-chinned Honeyeaters were the target species

here, but the trees had little blossom to entice large

numbers of honeyeaters. White-throated

Honeyeaters when seen were carefully examined as

they do have a lot of similarities to the black

chinned.

Six Bustards in a group in an oen space was the

highlight of the short drive. Back beside the dam in

the picnic facilities provided, I conducted the bird-

call.Winning the fabulous prize by guessing the

exact number of species sighted was Max.

Sixty two species was a good return for the

morning.

During smoko there was plenty of banter although

once Jan’s yummy fruit cake was sliced, it put a

temporary halt to all of that.

Thanks to Jan and thanks to Graham for

organizing an interesting and most enjoyable outing

to the Peter Faust Dam.

Editor

Australian Bustard Steve Dew

White-throated Honeyeater Steve Dew

Hoary-headed Grebe Steve Dew

The Wren

September 2016 19

SLEEPING ON THE WING

(Bryson Voirin, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology.)

The debate has finally been put to bed. Wearable brainwave recorders confirm that birds do indeed sleep while

flying, but only for brief periods and usually with one half of their brain

We know several bird species can travel vast distances non-stop, prompting speculation that they must nap

mid-flight. Great frigatebirds, for example, can fly continuously for up to two months. On the other hand, the

male sandpiper, for one, can largely forgo sleep during the breeding season, hinting that it may also be possible

for birds to stay awake during prolonged trips.

To settle this question, Niels Rattenborg at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen, Germany,

and his colleagues fitted small brain activity monitors and movement trackers to 14 great frigatebirds.

12-second naps

During long flights, the birds slept for an average of 41 minutes per day, in short episodes of about 12 seconds

each. By contrast, they slept for more than 12 hours per day on land. Frigatebirds in flight tend to use one

hemisphere at a time to sleep, as do ducks and dolphins, but sometimes they used both.

“Some people thought that all their sleep would have to be unihemispheric otherwise they would drop from the

sky,” says Rattenborg. “But that’s not the case – they can sleep with both hemispheres and they just continue

soaring.”

Sleep typically took place as the birds were circling in rising air currents, when they did not need to flap their

wings.

Weather eye

During this time, the brain hemisphere connected to the eye facing the direction of the turn was more likely to

stay awake.

“This may be to avoid collisions with other birds that are sleeping in the same air mass,” says Rattenborg. “For

me, that was interesting because it’s similar to what we have shown in mallard ducks. When they’re sleeping in

a group, the ones on the edge will keep one eye open that’s facing outwards.”

Frigatebirds’ ability to survive for long periods on less than an hour of naptime per day is remarkab le

considering how badly sleep deprivation affects other species, says Rattenborg.

How the birds manage this feat is unclear, but the researchers plan to study other globetrotting birds to find

out how common the trait is and how it works. “If we can determine how they’re able to manage on such little

sleep, that might inform our understanding of the consequences of sleep loss in humans and other animals,”

says Rattenborg.

Adaptive sleeplessness

Frigatebirds can’t swim on the ocean, as they lack waterproof feathers, so the ability to dramatically cut down

on sleep may have evolved out of necessity, says John Lesku at La Trobe University, Australia. “If you’re a bird

that spends your life at sea but can’t land on it, this is really your only option,” he says.

The fact that these birds can switch off at all in the risky context of flying highlights the indispensable nature of

sleep, Lesku says. “It shows that it is still doing something very important and evolution hasn’t found a way to

completely remove it.”

This essential role is still being unravelled, but the proof that birds can sleep during long-distance flights is an

important contribution, he says. “People have been thinking about this question for a long time, maybe

centuries, so it’s nice to have an answer.”

Report by Alice Klein

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20 The Wren

INTERESTING SIGHTINGS

COMMON MYNA: About 40 – ten kilometres south of Kunnuwurra -3/5/’16 – Bill Cameron.

PIED IMPERIAL PIGEONS: 5 – Walkerston – 5/5/’16– Daryl Barnes

BLACK-WINGED STILT: 100 plus – Kerrisdale Lakes – 20/6/’16 – Joanne Morris

FRIGATEBIRD (Lesser?): 1 – Slade Bay - 18/7/’16 – Gerry Wooodruff

OSPREY: 2 – nesting Telstra Tower Slade Point – 22/7/’16 – Gerry Woodruff

NOISY PITTA: 1 – Slade Point Reserve – 3/8/’16 – Daryl Barnes

COMMON MYNA: 5 - Charlotte Plains – 4/8/’16 – Desley Williams

INAUGURAL NATIONAL TWITCHATHON

Birdlife Australia will conduct an annual twitchathon as a National Event for the first time on October 29th & 30th

this year. There will be three events.

For more information contact Birdlife Mackay

BIRDLIFE MACKAY MONTHLY OUTINGS CALENDAR 2016

Each outing is on the first Sunday of the month. Bring food, water, a fold-up chair, sun and insect protection.

A gold coin donation applies.

Date 2016 Destination Meeting Place Meeting Time Contacts

September 4th. Tedlands near

Koumala Tourist Information Centre 0630

07 49593382

0427826677

October 2nd. Chelman’s Road

Eungella Chelman’s Road 0630

07 49593382 0427826677

November 6th. Lake Clive near

Belmunda Coningsby Service Station 0600

07 49593382 0427826677

December 4th. National Bird

Challenge N/A

07 49593382 0427826677

President/Newsletter: Daryl Barnes dbarnes02@dodo.com.au 07 49593382

Secretary: Tom Curtis tomcurtis93@gmail.com 0427826677