WRSC January Newsletter - Wildlife Rescue South Coast · The least aggressive time of the year to release is late January to April Fledglings These birds must be adopted by a family

Wildlife Rescue South Coast Hotline Numbers | 0418 427 214 Kiama to Batemans Bay | 0417 238 921 Mogo to Victorian Border

Please Help Us Help Wildlife this New Year

You can help us to keep up our wildlife rescue efforts Visit http://www.wildlife-rescue.org.au

WRSC receives no government funding to assist with our operational expenses. We rely on your donations and generous support.

E W S N

© WRSC Saskia Macey

January 2014 Wildlife Rescue South Coast Inc PO Box 666 Nowra NSW 2541

NPWS Licence No: MWL000100253 | ABN 49 616 307 526

E: [email protected] | W: www.wildlife-rescue.org.au 0418 427 214 Kiama to Batemans Bay | 0417 238 921 Mogo to Victorian Border


And on the front cover of the South Coast Register....

NO HOLIDAY FOR ORPHANS By ADAM WRIGHT

Wednesday January 8 2014

Wildlife Rescue volunteers make plea for financial help WHILE the humans relax during the Christmas-New Year period, life (and death) are anything but a vacation for injured and orphaned wildlife, with many animals falling victim on roads congested with holiday-makers.

Wildlife Rescue South Coast volunteers are busier than ever at this time of year. The organisation currently has about 30 joeys in care. From being orphaned to being released it costs about $500 per joey. The organisation’s phone service costs $2000 per year.

President Joy Weatherall said most people assumed the organisation’s costs were covered by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. To help make ends meet, Wildlife Rescue South Coast is holding its annual book sale and market day on Saturday, January 25. A huge selection of books at bargain prices along with a range of other items will be on sale from 8am until 2pm at 145 Frederick Street, Sanctuary Point. The volunteers give their time day and night to help injured native animals. However the organisation’s expenses have to be covered by fund-raising. Last year’s hot conditions, which decimated bat colonies, left the group with a bill of $20,000.

Our main fund-raiser is a wildlife calendar,” she said. The organisation is accepting good quality books and items to sell on the book sale and market day. To donate, phone Belinda Gales on 0402 755 462 or Joy Weatherall on 0417 677 917. http://www.southcoastregister.com.au/story/2010033/no-holiday-for-orphans/?cs=203

CARE CREW: Nick Gibson, Adam Crossingham, Joy Weatherall, (front) Belinda Gales, Wendy McFarlane and Bianca Lestuzzi invite you to attend

the Wildlife Rescue South Coast annual book sale and market day, on Saturday January 25.

Wildlife Rescue South Coast was seen

Saturday, 4th January 2014

@ Kioloa Fair…. Great morning at the Kioloa Fair!

Got a few $$ in donations and two birds handed in!

&

@ Bunnings Mittagong …. Wildlife Rescue South Coast held a fundraiser BBQ "Sausage Sizzle" at Bunnings Mittagong (Braemar) under blue skies and sunshine which is always a welcome backdrop for such an event. The ever helpful Bunnings staff had the whole BBQ set up and ready to go when we arrived at 7:45 and we opened for business an hour later.

Even though Bunnings and other retailers in the area reported a slow day for business, we didn't have too much spare time on our hands. Total takings for the day came to $1,078, including $142 in the strategically placed donation tin. The photo (left) shows one of the Bunnings Events staff, Brigit Earl, Kerstin Schweth and Richard Woodman (Woody). The photo was taken by Mike Lynch, Honorary WRSC Member for the day who was invaluable in helping "on the tongs". The event would not have been possible without the support of Bunnings who have a very strong support team assisting not for profit organisations in the community. Also a special thanks to Kondakis Meats, 1/12 College Ave, Shellharbour City Plaza (behind the cinema complex) who provided the high quality sausages.

Kioloa Fair Display © WRSC Nina Rogan


Laughing kookaburra

What do laughing kookaburras look like? The laughing kookaburra is the world's largest kingfisher. It measures up to 46 cm from the tip of its beak to the tip of its tail. When compared to the little kingfisher, which is only 12 cm long, it is truly a giant. Its plumage is shades of whites and browns, which help it to blend easily into its environment. This makes it more difficult for prey or predators to see the bird. There are 10 kingfisher species in Australia. They are the azure, forest, collared, red-backed, sacred, little, yellow-billed, and buff-breasted paradise kingfishers, and the blue-winged and laughing kookaburras.The first five kingfishers mentioned, and the laughing kookaburra, live in NSW. Although their size differs, all kingfishers look similar. They have stout, squat bodies with large heads and long beaks.

Where do they live? The laughing kookaburra lives in forests, open woodlands, or on the edges of plains. It requires a large variety of food all year round, and a suitable nesting site.

What do they eat? Kookaburras use their strong beaks to catch a wide variety of prey, including fish, small snakes, lizards, rodents, worms, beetles and other insects. In times of grasshopper or mouse plagues, their diet will consist almost entirely of these animals. To catch its food, the kookaburra uses a wait-and-pounce technique, taking up a post with a good view. When prey appears, the kookaburra drops straight down from its perch, its wings back, with beak ready to grab its dinner. Large prey items like lizards and snakes are bashed against a tree or a rock, to kill them and soften them up before they are eaten.

Family life The main purpose of the kookaburra's call is to let other birds know of its territory and boundaries. A kookaburra lives in the one place for most of its life. It also mates for life. Laughing kookaburras establish a social system in which only the dominant male and female in a family group will breed, usually between spring and mid summer. Nests are made in tree hollows or termite mounds in trees or on the ground, where the female will lay up to three eggs. During this time, the rest of the family helps out with the incubation, feeding, and protection of the young.

Kookaburra © WRSC Cathy Brotherton


Threats to kookaburras There are two ways in which humans can have an adverse effect on kookaburras: 1. Kookaburras need trees for nesting, roosting and perching on while waiting for prey. Removing trees means that there are fewer breeding and feeding sites available for kookaburras, and this can lead to a decline in numbers. 2. When humans use pesticides to kill insects, they end up poisoning the animals which usually feed on those pests. When kookaburras eat contaminated insects, they absorb the pesticide chemicals and store them in their fat. When food is in short supply and the kookaburras use some of their fat store, high concentrations of chemicals may flow into the blood. The result can be reproductive losses or even death. If you must use pesticides, choose the least toxic ones - and take special care to avoid those which build up residues in the bodies of animals which prey on insects. Kookaburras are protected in NSW by the National Parks and Wildlife Act. http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/TheLaughingKookaburra.htm

TIPS ON RELEASING KOOKABURRAS Adults in care Its imperative to know the exact location of where the Kookaburra has been found so they can be returned to their family group eg; one street away can mean another family’s territory.

Kookaburras defend their territory vigorously against the neighbours. Be aware that sometimes the bird must be euthanised as that is the most humane thing to do. Rehab of these birds must be kept to a minimum, little work has been done on the time it takes an adult

to loose its place in the group. The least aggressive time of the year to release is late January to April

Fledglings These birds must be adopted by a family

First try to get the bird back with his own family, nearly always the parents will find and continue raising the fledging.

Failing this it is important to get a local group to adopt. The bird should be placed outside in a cocky style cage so that the locals can fly in and see the bird. I usually put a large tree branch down so the wild ones can land and hopefully they will accept the bird

and start to bring it food, you sometimes have to be patient it doesn’t happen straight away always. When you feel the bird has been accepted and is starting to fly then you will let the juvenile out and let

the adults take over. If the group in your yard show no interest in the bird it is best being taken to another carer and trying

there. It is extremely important that they are adopted by a family group to learn vital survival skills in the wild

and the importance of grouping.

Judy Bailey

Bird Co-ordinator North

Laughing Kooraburras © W

RSC

Robyn


Bandicoots….. Often confused with rodents, bandicoots are small, omnivorous marsupials. They are found throughout Australia, and can be common in coastal areas of NSW. Three species of bandicoot can be found in NSW: long-nosed bandicoots, southern brown bandicoots, and northern brown bandicoots.

Where do they live?

The northern brown bandicoot is common north of the Hawkesbury River, in coastal areas and on the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range. The long-nosed bandicoot is common and widespread throughout NSW, particularly in coastal areas and either side of the Great Dividing Range. This species is also the most common species of bandicoot in the Sydney area.

The endangered southern brown bandicoot is patchily distributed, and seems to occur south from the Hawkesbury River to the Victorian border and east of the Great Dividing Range. There are two main populations. One lives in Garigal and Ku-ring-gai Chase national parks in northern Sydney. The other lives around Ben Boyd National Park and Nadgee Nature Reserve in the far south-eastern corner of the state. Bandicoots can live in a wide variety of habitats, from rainforests to wet and dry woodlands to heathland. They mainly forage at night.

What do they eat?

Bandicoots eat insects, earthworms, insect larvae and spiders, and also feed on plant tubers, roots and truffle-like fungi to supplement their diet. They can be useful in gardens due to their appetite for grubs and garden pests. They are perhaps best known for the snout-shaped holes they leave in suburban lawns.

Declining populations

Housing, roads and other forms of urban development have displaced and severely fragmented Sydney's bandicoot populations, making them vulnerable to the threats of predators and motor vehicles. Very few native animals prey on bandicoots. Owls, quolls and dingos are their only significant natural predators. However, introduced animals such as feral and domestic cats, dogs and foxes pose a significant threat to the future of bandicoots.

Long-nosed bandicoots have a dull grey-brown coat and a cream underbelly. They build their nests in shallow holes in the ground, lined with leaf litter. They often make nests under debris, which hides them from predators and protects them from rain and sun. The long-nosed bandicoot is a solitary marsupial which breeds throughout the year. Female bandicoots give birth to an average of two or three young after 12.5 days gestation.

A population in Sydney Harbour National Park at Manly has been listed as endangered under the Threatened Species Conservation Act - one of the first endangered population listings in NSW.

Not all species are found in the NSW South Coast but these are Australia’s most endangered wildlife

Bridled Nailtailed Wallaby


Living with bandicoots

Bandicoots are protected in NSW, and it is illegal to trap or kill them without a licence. You can contribute to the conservation of bandicoots and other native species by keeping your pets locked up at night, and by not allowing your pets to enter national parks at any time. The scent left by cats and dogs in bushland areas may discourage native animals from going about their natural activities.

Native animals such as bandicoots may treat your garden as a sanctuary from time to time, and you can live in harmony with them by accommodating them in purpose-designed areas. You can establish a separate area in the garden, away from the places that are used most by your family and pets, which provides native birds and animals with shelter and food. You can then use a more formal, manicured area for entertaining and relaxing.

Alternatively, you can keep bandicoots out of your backyard by building bandicoot-proof fencing. Use fine galvanised wire mesh, or any other material with gaps no larger than 20 mm. The foot of the mesh should be buried to a depth of at least 150 mm, and the fence should rise at least 500 mm above the ground.

Bandicoots and ticks

A wide range of native and introduced animals are hosts for the paralysis tick, which can also afflict humans. Highly mobile animals, such as foxes, dogs, and domestic and feral cats, are particularly susceptible to picking up ticks as they wander long distances through bushland areas and backyards.

Bandicoots also act as hosts for the paralysis tick. However, they tend to roam over a comparatively small range, often staying within half a hectare of their nests. As a result, they are less exposed to the risk of ticks. Although some people associate bandicoots with ticks, this may be because humans tend to pick up ticks most easily in long grass or thick scrub - which also happens to be the type of habitat favoured by bandicoots.

You can help to reduce the spread of ticks in your area by:

Regularly maintaining your garden to control tall grass and weeds, particularly the noxious weed lantana.

Spraying yard areas with a malathion-based spray, which lasts for about two days. A natural alternative to chemical sprays is a mixture of chilli (cayenne pepper), garlic and vinegar. After being left to brew for a few days, the mixture will discourage most pests if sprayed around the garden. However, remember that any such treatment will also harm beneficial garden invertebrates.

Regularly grooming and inspecting pets.

"The planet can survive without human life but it cannot survive without animal life. The animals are the keepers of the earth - they pollinate it, fertilise it, prune it, aerate it and

keep the earth healthy. They are life itself. Without them we are the endangered species, and remember - every time a species dies, we are ourselves one step closer to extinction".

(Denise Garratt and Kim Dale)

Isoondon-macrourus http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/bandicoots.htm


Conservation Status…. The conservation status of a group of organisms (for instance, a species) indicates whether the group is extant (members of it are still alive) and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation status: not simply the number of individuals remaining, but the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, known threats.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the best-known worldwide conservation status listing and ranking system. Species are classified by the IUCN Red List into nine groups set through criteria such as rate of decline, population size, area of geographic distribution, and degree of population and distribution fragmentation. The official term "threatened" is a grouping of three categories: Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable.

Extinct (EX) – No known individuals remaining. Extinct in the Wild (EW) – Known only to survive in captivity, or as a naturalized population outside its historic

range. Critically Endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Endangered (EN) – High risk of extinction in the wild. Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild. Near Threatened (NT) – Likely to become endangered in the near future. Least Concern (LC) – Lowest risk. Does not qualify for a higher risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are

included in this category. Data Deficient (DD) – Not enough data to make an assessment of its risk of extinction. Not Evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been evaluated against the criteria.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_status In NSW threatened species, populations and ecological communities are protected under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act (with the exception of fish and marine plants). These species are listed in the schedules of the Act. The schedules are maintained by an independent Scientific Committee. Anyone can make a nomination to the Scientific Committee to add, remove or change the status of a species. A complete list of NSW threatened species, vulnerable species, endangered populations and endangered ecological communities is found here: http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/ Commonwealth Threatened species are listed federally under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Under the EPBC Act there are 6 categories of listed species and ecological communities:

Extinct Extinct in the wild Critically endangered Endangered Vulnerable Conservation Dependent

A current list of all fauna species is found at: http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicthreatenedlist.pl?wanted=fauna A current list of all flora species is found at: http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicthreatenedlist.pl?wanted=flora A current list of threatened ecological communities is found at: http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publiclookupcommunities.pl

Species listed as 'conservation dependent' and 'extinct' are not matters of national environmental significance and therefore do not trigger the EPBC Act.

Critical Habitat Commonwealth

Critical habitat is listed federally under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Critical habitat is defined as habitat that is identified as being critical to the survival of a listed threatened species or listed threatened ecological community. There are currently 5 listed critical habitats. The current list of critical habitat list is found here: http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicregisterofcriticalhabitat.pl NSW

Critical habitat is defined in the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 as: the whole or any part or parts of the area or areas of land comprising the habitat of an endangered species, population or ecological community or critically endangered species or ecological community that is critical to the survival of the species, population or ecological community is eligible to be declared under this Part to be the critical habitat of the species, population or ecological community. http://www.edo.org.au/edonsw/compliance/threatened_species.html

The Golden Toad last seen May 15 1989


A Thank You…. From: Cartoscope Pty Ltd - Lea Sent: Wednesday, 11 December 2013 10:35 AM Subject: Re: Cartoscope Advertisements Thank you so much for your kind thoughts and a plug for Cartoscope, after all these years it is appreciated.

We will never give up sponsoring you guys anyway, you do such a great job and thank you for the job you all do. I have used your services a lot and I am grateful.

Lea

National Sales & Marketing Manager

Cartoscope Pty Ltd Unit 1, 16 Salisbury Rd, Hornsby NSW 2077 Postal address: PO Box 1900, Hornsby Westfield NSW 1635 www.maps.com.au T: + 61 2 9987 4533 F: + 61 2 9987 4133 E: [email protected]

Shearwater breeding…. The shearwater is the most abundant Australian seabird. Approximately 23 million short-tailed shearwaters breed in about 285 colonies in south-eastern Australia from September to April. Each year the length of time spent at the breeding grounds increases until the birds are 5 years old, when they become involved in breeding. As pre-breeders, the birds fly in with the breeding adults in preparation for the following breeding season.

On arrival in late September/early October at the colony the birds meet with their chosen mates and begin tidying up the old burrows or excavating new ones. The burrows are about 1 metre long. Mating takes place inside the burrow.

Each bird generally remains with the same partner throughout their life, although the "divorce rate" does increase to nearly 25% among pairs that fail to produce young.

In early November they leave the colony to spend some time feeding before returning to lay a single white egg in late November. This exodus period is important as it allows the birds to build up fat reserves to see them through the incubation period. There is a distinct peak in egg laying at 27-28 November. Males and females take turns incubating the egg. The male takes the first shift, which lasts for about two weeks, followed by the female. Usually, both sexes have two shifts. During each shift, the "duty" bird does not leave the burrow, nor is it fed by its mate.

The young chicks hatch in the third week of January after an incubation period averaging 53 days. Both parents participate in feeding the chick. The chick quickly puts on weight and before the departure of the parents, is almost twice the weight of an adult. The adults depart from early April leaving behind the young birds still covered in down. From this time until early May the chicks do not eat at all. They rapidly lose weight and acquire their flight feathers. The young spend an increasing amount of time outside the burrow, slowly moving closer to the shore and exercising their wings. Two to three weeks after the parents have left, the young birds begin their migratory flight unassisted by experienced birds. http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/?base=5100


2014 Committee

President Joy Weatherall ................................... 4443 3272

0417 677 917 [email protected]

Vice President Gerry Hawkins. ............................... 0414 931 452

[email protected]

Treasurer Janine Davies ................................. 0434 480 661

[email protected]

Correspondence Secretary Cherryl Swan ...................................... 4443 9545


Debbie Colbert ................................... 4441 5948

0403 305 948

[email protected]

Belinda Gales ..................................... 4447 8189

0402 755 462

[email protected]

Dusty Jones .................................. 0423 958 059

[email protected]

Bill Parker ........................................... 4448 3414

[email protected]

Richard Woodman (Woody) ............... 4885 2008

0412 002 400

[email protected]

Date Event Coordinator

Saturday 25 January 8am to 2pm

Book Sale & Market ~ Sanctuary Point Joy Weatherall

Are you interested in assisting at any of these 2014 events? Email [email protected]

Book Sale and Market Working Bees All Day 23 and 24 January ~145 Frederick Street Sanctuary Point

Contact Joy

Meet our very own Dr Do-lots EXCLUSIVE by MALCOLM HOLLAND, ENVIRONMENT REPORTER

From: The Sunday Telegraph

March 03, 2013 12:00AM

DR Howard Ralph could be leading the comfortable and secure life of a newly retired vet on Sydney's northern beaches.

Now in his "early 60s", he instead devotes all his time and money, working "seven days and seven nights a week" for no fee, as a specialist wildlife veterinarian trying to save the broken and bloodied animals of Australia.

The tall, modest man who speaks in a quiet and measured voice, has achieved legendary status among Australia's wildlife rescuers and carers for his devotion to treating any animal he's called to help, from bearded dragons to kangaroos, kookaburras to king brown snakes. Above extract from http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/meet-our-very-own-dr-do-lots/story-e6frg6n6-1226588980670

7 March 2014 10am—5pm

Wound and Pain Management with

Dr Howard Ralph $50 (includes printed materials)

Huskisson Anglican Church Hall

Hawke Street Huskisson For more information contact Debbie Colbert

or Email [email protected]

Left: NSW's Doctor Doolittle; Dr Howard Ralph, a vet devoted to saving wildlife Source: The Sunday Telegraph


A Book in our Library you may be interested in…. For our financial members these books can be borrowed at the monthly meetings for up to one month at a time

Or contact the librarian John Meany ( [email protected]). Care of Australian Wildlife For Gardeners, Landholders, Motorists and Wildlife Carers

ISBN: 9781741102079 ISBN-10: 9781741102 Audience: Tertiary; University or College Format: Paperback Language: English Published: 1st September 2004 Dimensions (cm): 23.0 x 17.1 x 1.1 Weight (kg): 0.354 Care of Australian Wildlife is the definitive guide for all Australians wishing to protect and care for Australia's amazing wildlife and to help minimize the effect of urban and rural sprawl on the environment. Now revised and with completely up-to-date resources, this accessible and practical guide outlines the numerous dangers facing our native animals and how to care for the sick and injured, including: • When to release recovering animals back into the wild • How to hand-rear orphaned animals •The natural habitat and diet of various Australian species • Nutritious homemade recipes for injured animals. •The appropriate food and shelter necessary to aid rehabilitation

• Emergency care and first-aid for native mammals, birds and reptiles • Case studies detailing how injury to native animals can occur and ways to prevent it Black and white illustrations, colour photographs, and feature boxes complement the authoritative text.

The 9th

Australian Wildlife

Rehabilitation Conference

(AWRC)

is to be held at

The Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart 27 to 30 May 2014

The theme is New Directions: Accommodating Change

http://awrchobart2014.org/

Includes presentations on wildlife rehabilitation and speakers from national wildlife care organisations, the veterinary community and universities.

Regional Contacts

Far South Coast Coordinator / Birds Ray Alcock ............................ 64930357


FSC Secretary Cath Horsfield

FSC@wildlife rescue.org.au FSC Training Officer Amanda Cox ......................... 6493 8245

[email protected] FSC Macropod/Wombat Coordinators Marie Wynan .......................... 6454 6257

[email protected] Amanda Cox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6493 8245

[email protected]

Southern Highlands & Tablelands

Richard Woodman (Woody) ... 4885 2008 0412 002 400

[email protected]


8 Awesome Avian Facts There are more than 700 species of birds found in Australia, and of these, more than 300 are endemic!

Galahs are not only beautiful birds, they are loyal ones. They mate for life, and will

only take a new partner if the other dies. This is common in many of our parrots. Superb Fairy-wrens sing tunes to their eggs that contain unique notes, which act as

familial passwords. Embryonic chicks are able to learn these notes and incorporate them into their begging calls after they hatch!

Barking owls, native to Australia, are known for their loud, explosive voices. When early settlers arrived and heard these owls screeching at night, some thought they were hearing the sound of women screaming!

The Australian pelican has the longest bill of any bird in the world, with a beak ranging from 13-18.5 inches long!

Unfortunately, the Gouldian finch’s beautiful, bright colours have led to

it becoming a target for the illegal bird trade. Historically, illegal trapping, along with other factors, have greatly reduced its numbers—it is now one of the Northern Territory’s listed threatened species.

The largest bird in Australia—and the second-largest in the world—is the emu. These docile, nomadic creatures cannot fly, so they roam the countryside on foot in search of food.

Rainbow lorikeets spend most of their day feeding high up in canopies and rarely come to the ground! These colourful birds enjoy flowers, pollen, nectar, seeds, insects and fruit

Sulphur-crested cockatoos are very intelligent and learn to talk quite easily. These birds are also survivors—they can live for up to 70 years!

h p://www.natureaustralia.org.au/news/8‐interes ng‐facts‐about‐8‐australian‐birds.xml

Pelican © WRSC Gavin Swan

Lorikeet © WRSC Gavin Swan

2014 Meeting Dates

6 February Committee Meeting 2015 Calendar Photo Competition Judging

12 February General Meeting 2015 Calendar Photo Competition Voting

6 March Committee Meeting

12 March General Meeting

Wildlife Rescue South Coast General Meetings start at 7pm Library Annex, Ground Floor, 10 Berry Street, Nowra

Refreshments provided


http://www.fawna.org.au/ Permission was sought by Jane and kindly granted from

the author to reproduce this article for the Wildlife Rescue South Coast Newsletter

WATCH OUT FOR THROAT WORMS IN MAGPIES ‐ IS 2013/14 GOING TO BE A BAD SEASON?

THROAT WORM: Cheilospirura gymnorhinis is o en referred to as the throat worm of juvenile magpies, and can be mistakenly called Gape Worm. (Gape Worm is red and Throat worm is white). Throat worm occurs in the oral cavity and in the pharynx of magpies, butcher‐birds, currawongs, magpie‐larks and black‐faced cuckoo shrikes. C. gymnorhinis burrows its head into the mouth and throat of the host species which then responds by crea ng a nodule around the parasite. In severe cases these nodules can cause blockage of the glo s, prevent inges on of food and cause severe debilita on and death of the host bird. Manual removal of the parasites by tweezers is recommended in conjunc on with the use of Ivermec n oral anthelmin c (drench), available from rural produce store or veterinarian. Euthanasia should be considered as the most humane op on for severe burdens of Throat worm. Photos by Andrew Ryan of a colour‐mutant magpie chick from Port Macquarie. This young bird is suffering a debilita ng burden of Throat worms as evidenced by photos of some of the many hundreds of worms painstakingly removed. Story Meredith Ryan, FAWNA (NSW) Inc.

The magpie juvenile pictured above is from Port Macquarie where there is a known colour-mutant population


Pee Wee © WRSC Erin Turner

Magpie © WRSC Erin Turner

MAGPIE REPORT

After reading the report on magpie gapeworms on the previous page, little did we know how much it would affect our area this spring!

Magpie fledglings were literally dropping out of the skies, very thin and weak with mouths full of the horrid worms. Following the usual management, worms were treated, the birds kept warm and well fed and they improved slowly. Unfortunately they then deteriorated and became lethargic, would not eat by themselves and had to be force fed and a few died. We then realised something was seriously wrong.

We then called for help from a very knowledgeable bird carer, Chris Lloyd, who immediately contacted the Australian Registry of Wildlife Health at Taronga Zoo to proceed with some testing to find an explanation, if possible. As our member, Erin Francis had the majority of live ones still in care, (which was around 12) Chris paid a visit for a first hand inspection. A local vet was called in to take poo samples, these along with four dead birds and four live birds were forwarded to Australian Registry of Wildlife Health for a full range of tests to be undertaken. We were informed that the symptoms were familiar to an earlier outbreak several years ago in NSW when other fledglings had been reported with similar problems and it had affected most of the meat eaters such as magpies, pee wees, butcherbirds, ravens so it had been named the Black & White Bird virus.

The initial pathology reports from Australian Registry of Wildlife Health for our magpies ruled out avian diseases such as Newcastle Disease and Influenza A.

A couple of birds had lesions suggestive of an underlying viral infection and most of the birds just seemed to be malnourished and parasitised.

One bird had severe inflammation in the brain, heart muscle, skeletal muscle, liver and kidney suggestive of a viral infection. We were advised this was a very good case of Black and White Bird disease which is suspected to have a viral aetiology. Following is a pathology report published by AWH on this particular bird.

Tissue samples were also forwarded to the University of Sydney for further testing. At this stage we are awaiting the outcome of these further full test reports to help us understand future treatments and will let you know in due course.

The only little bit of good news was that four of the magpies survived and were released a few weeks ago.

Jenny Packwood Bird Co-ordinator South

The Australian Registry of Wildlife Health was founded at Taronga Zoo in 1985 and has since grown into a diagnostic and resource centre. The Registry focuses on detecting and diagnosing endemic, emerging and exotic diseases of wildlife that could have impacts on Australia’s trade/economy, biodiversity, tourism and human health.


MAGPIE REPORT cont’d Below is an excerpt from the Australian Registry of Wildlife Health newsletter which refers to a pathology report for one of our magpies sent for testing. Wildlife health, habitat health and human health are intrinsically linked. Disease investigation and surveillance in combination with a widespread, integrated health database is a key element to the effective detection of disease events and guiding effective action to prevent the spread of disease and population loss.

The Australian Registry of Wildlife Health (ARWH) has been diagnosing healthy and diseased conditions in free-ranging and captive wildlife since it was established in 1985. Through collaboration with wildlife carers and conservation groups, the ARWH has built a valuable resource of health information and case material representing wildlife across Australia. With a grant from the Australian Bio-security Intelligence Network, the ARWH is now poised to become a primary hub for collaborative wildlife health investigations. A state-of-the-art information management system, accessible throughout Australia and internationally by scientists, teachers and students will leverage our collaborative capacity and help train the future generation of wildlife health experts.

Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) with severe Leucocytozoonosis [NSW] 16 December 2013 13:26 Australian Registry of Wildlife Health’s Blog Registry case number TARZ_9585.1 Juvenile fledgling Australian Magpie HISTORY Juvenile fledgling magpies from the Nowra region in rehabilitation with experienced carers showing sudden onset in appetence, lethargy and death. All animals being reported with heavy gape worm loads. Some animals appear to recover slowly from the lethargy and begin to gain weight again but die suddenly, while others experience sudden onset anorexia and weight loss before being found dead, despite supportive care. 3 animals submitted live for blood collection and euthanasia. Multiple animals submitted fresh dead or frozen. INDIVIDUALS HISTORY This individual entered care 15/10/13 and was noted to have heavy gape worm burden - treated with removal of the gape worms by hand, and oral Ivermectin. Sudden onset weakness, difficulty eating and weight loss. Euthanasia elected due to poor condition, history of poor recovery for affected birds and mortality event investigation. Read more at http://theregistry.org.au/blogs/arwh or http://theregistry.org.au/node/186.

Clarification for the words: Leucocytozoonosis: an acute disease in young birds caused by infection with Leucocytozoon spp. and characterized by emaciation, weakness and debility. Death is usual within a few days and the mortality rate may be very high. In adult birds the course is longer and the signs may include dyspnea. Dyspnea: shortness of breath.

Dressed to Impress—Blue Wrens arrive for the Festive Season Dressed to impress, the stunning blue Superb Fairy-wren seems to have just fluttered in for the festive season. Loyal to their patch of backyard habitat, they appear in greater numbers - but are they really new arrivals?

N ot all Superb Fairy-wrens are blue – it is just the male who has the brilliant electric blue colours and this is only during breeding season. The female

and the rest of the family are all brown.

So, it is not a case of a sudden influx of Superb Fairy-wrens – it is simply that if you look for Fairy-wrens in winter, all you might find is a group of brown birds without the blue male.

Superb Fairy-wrens easily adapt to city environments of gardens and urban parks. Superb Fairy-wrens live and forage in family groups of up to six birds. They cover only short distances across clearings or from bush to bush. These magnificent birds are socially monogamous but also sexually promiscuous! Although pairing off as couples, each will mate with others and even help in raising these young.

http://backyardbuddies.net.au/b-mail-newsletter/read-past-b-mails Extracted with permission from Backyard Buddies December B-mail 2008 Blue Superb Fairy-wren © WRSC Robyn


POLO SHIRTS

Wildlife Rescue South Coast Inc have now approved and finalised polo shirts embroidered with our logo. Flinders Work Wear & Embroidery have produced a digital logo for embroidering directly onto a polo shirt and we have selected the shirt for the many sizes available for children, ladies and adults. In particular a large range of colours is available which will be suitable for various activities such as darker colours for rescues and BBQs and white or pastels for other times – its your choice! We don’t mind which colour you choose as long as the logo is placed on the left front of the shirt. Flinders Work Wear have vests, jackets etc available for purchase which are also suitable to be embroidered. Whatever you want.

The shirts are now available and you can visit the store at

Flinders Work Wear Unit 9, 5 Flinders Rd

South Nowra NSW 2540

Polo Shirt JBS Style 210 Kids 4-14, Ladies 8-24, Adults S-5XL

For your colour selections visit

www.jbswear.com.au/polos Select Polo shirts Style 210, click on the image to see the

range of colours available.

Total costs of embroidered polo (short sleeve) will be $25 each with payment on order. Flinders Work Wear has

advised WRSC that following an order the embroidered shirt should be back within a week. Any questions please

contact Jenny Packwood 0418 497 345.

We look forward to seeing our logo shirts around town!

2014 Species Co-Ordinators Birds North (Nowra, Callala, Culburra, Kiama) Judy Bailey ..................................... 4423 2295


Birds South (Bay and Basin, Sussex, Ulladulla, Durras) Jenny Packwood ............................. 4441 8102


Flying Fox and Microbats Gerry Hawkins............................. 0414 931 452

[email protected] Macropods Belinda Gales ................................. 4447 8189


Possums and Gliders Debbie Colbert ................................ 4441 5948


Raptors Belinda Gales .................................. 4447 8189


Reptiles, Snakes & Amphibians Jane Mills ....................................... 4421 7883


Small Mammals & Echidnas Rhonda Parker ................................ 4448 3414

[email protected]

Threatened Species Jenny Packwood ............................. 4441 8102


Wombats Shirley Lack .................................... 4443 4877


RPSCA bimonthly lawn mowing roster

To maintain the grass area around our storage container we need volunteers. Please contact a committee member if you can help out.

February: John Steffanello April: Volunteer needed


A ustralia is blessed with an amazing array of native wildlife. They can be found right across the country, in every conceivable habitat and they come in all shapes and sizes. Seeing an animal midway through performing some type of behaviour can be a wonderful experience. Getting great photos of this behaviour is ‘icing on the cake’, but it can be quite challenging. My aim here is to explain, in simple terms, how to photograph wildlife behaviour by

following some basic techniques and principles.

An SLR camera or a compact digital camera?

As far as a recommended camera goes for photographing wildlife behaviour, it is preferable to use an SLR (single lens reflex) camera. One of the reasons is that you are able to capture a certain behaviour the instant the shutter button is pressed and you can also choose the zoom or telephoto lens you wish to use. With a compact digital camera or a ‘point-and-shoot’, it is a bit more difficult to take a photo at the precise moment when a behaviour is happening. Compact cameras have an inbuilt shutter-lag, which basically means there is a delay from the time the shutter is pressed until the photo is taken. Photographers who use compact cameras often tell me they are frustrated by missing that special wildlife ‘moment’, due to the delay in the shutter button on their camera. If your subject is stationary, you first need to compose your photo then press the shutter button partially to pre-focus on it. Wait for the right moment when a behaviour is happening and then press the shutter button to take the shot. It takes a bit of practice and there will no doubt be many near-misses, but once you are used to this technique, it becomes much easier.

For photographing birds and bats in flight or mammals running, it is essential to use a fast shutter speed to freeze the action. In good light, it is quite easy to achieve a high shutter speed but when lighting conditions are poor, I suggest raising the ISO on your camera, which will subsequently increase the shutter speed on your camera. The higher the shutter speed, the better chance of capturing a sharp, focused shot, without blur or movement. Be aware that when using a digital camera, depending on the camera’s make and model, you will experience some “noise” or digital grain if the ISO setting is set too high.

Tracking a moving subject….

When tracking a fast-moving animal with an SLR, I recommend setting the camera to continuous focus (also known as AI Servo for Canon users). As you follow your subject with the camera, partially depress the shutter button. Once focus has locked onto the moving subject, keep following the animal, all the while keeping your finger depressed on the shutter button. When you feel the time is right, press the button. Without this feature, it is a lot more difficult to focus on the moving subject just before taking the photo. I also suggest using the continuous shutter (high speed) setting on your SLR. This enables the capture of a full sequence of movement in a series of photos, without having to press the shutter button repeatedly.

If a behaviour is happening in front of you and there isn’t time to adjust the settings on your camera, I recommend using the automatic “sports” mode (the universal symbol for this setting is a figure running). This will allow you to follow the action and press the button without having to think about what settings to choose.

If your aim is to photograph small lizards or frogs, it is generally best to use the macro setting on your compact camera or a dedicated macro lens on your SLR camera. This allows focus at a close distance. Position yourself close to eye-level to the subject and, if possible, focus on the animal’s eyes. Then wait for that moment when there is some movement or interaction (such as a frog’s throat pouch expanding or a lizard licking its eye) and quickly press the shutter. With wildlife behaviour, you can’t predict what will happen and when it will happen. For me, this is what makes it so exciting and challenging!

Michael Snedic Australian Wildlife and Nature Photographer,

Writer and Tutor Michael Snedic is a highly experienced, professional photography tutor who loves sharing his images and photographic

knowledge. Michael gave Jane permission to share his tips for the 2015 calendar photo competition with Wildlife Rescue South Coast members .

Michael also hopes you visit his website http://michaelsnedic.com/ and enjoy reading his Newsletters.


Many animals are shy and won’t act naturally in close proximity to humans. You will therefore need to use a zoom or telephoto lens with a decent focal length. For compact cameras, this is as simple as zooming in on your subject. For SLR camera users, lenses with maximum focal lengths of 200 to 400mm (or higher) are recommended. If the budget allows, it is worth purchasing a fast-focusing lens. It will allow you to focus on the animal much more easily and will give you more chance at firing off a sequence of shots.

Leaping out of the water!

One of the more exciting photographic experiences you can have is photographing an animal jumping or flying out of the water. This may include a humpback whale breaching, a dolphin surfing or an osprey powering out of the water after it has caught a fish. Try to capture the exact moment when the subject is out of the water and the water droplets around it are frozen. If it is taken correctly, the photo can look absolutely breathtaking.

I prefer photographing wildlife either early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the lighting is subtle, though of course you can’t control when wildlife interactions happen, or the weather conditions. If you are out photographing wildlife behaviour in the middle of the day and the subject is white or brightly-coloured, the photos could easily end up being over-exposed. When using the aperture priority setting on your camera, as I always do for wildlife photography, set the exposure compensation setting (+/-) to minus, to help reduce any overblown highlights.

Observation - the key to successful wildlife behaviour photos

Choosing the correct camera settings and appropriate photographic techniques will help you to take better photos of wildlife behaviour. This is, however, only part of the equation. One of the most important aspects of this type of photography is to spend time observing the wildlife you wish to photograph. Each species will behave differently and often individuals will follow a distinct pattern of behaviour. Many birds, after catching some prey, will take their catch and land on one particular branch of a tree, before eating it. By spending time observing patterns such as this, you can set yourself up in a position where you know the bird will land in the same spot. Not only can you end up with photos of the bird flying to its perch, but there may be an opportunity to photograph it devouring its prey. By doing some groundwork and putting in a little extra effort to get to know your subject, you have a far greater chance of getting the photo you want.

Camouflaged hides or ‘blinds’ are an excellent way of keeping hidden, so that the animal feels relaxed and will continue to behave as per normal, without the threat of a human being visible close by.

Patience is a virtue

Another essential requirement in getting those special photos of wildlife behaviour is patience. If you expect to get those stunning photos within the first ten minutes of your shoot, then you may be greatly disappointed. Many of my more successful behavioural shots of wildlife were taken after days or even weeks of trying. To photograph a displaying male Albert’s lyrebird I spent seven weeks in a cold, cramped bird hide in a rainforest in the middle of winter. The photos of osprey diving for fish were taken after repeated flights to Tropical North Queensland, over a three year period, driving many kilometres each day and spending countless hours on a boat. The photo of a breaching whale was only achieved after driving 200kms return on six different occasions over an 18 month period. These may be extreme examples, and you certainly don’t need to go to these lengths to get that special shot every time, but it does illustrate the importance of never giving up. You may achieve that amazing shot first time around, but often it is patience and perseverance that will get you there eventually.

You don’t always have to travel to far-reaching, exotic places to achieve photos of wildlife behaviour. It could be at a local pond in a botanic garden, at a zoo or wildlife park, by the beach or even in your own backyard. The joy of spending time observing and photographing wildlife behaviour is reason enough to get out there and have a go. Capturing that ‘special’ moment with your camera is simply a bonus.

What are you waiting for? Get out there with your camera and start snapping!


Can you see your photo as the cover of the 2015 Wildlife Rescue South Coast calendar…?

Now read the terms and conditions below as they give important information like how, when and where to submit your images.

WRSC Terms and Conditions for their 2015 Calendar: Entry is open to all members of Wildlife Rescue South Coast All entries become the property of Wildlife Rescue South Coast Inc to be used for publicity, education and

fundraising purposes The competition concludes on Sunday 2 February 2014 at 23:59 (AEDT). To enter participants must send images of wildlife found within the WRSC NPWS licence area

(at least 1MB to 3MB and 150 to 300 dpi as a JPEG file) Participants can enter as many wildlife images as they like Entries can be emailed to [email protected] CDs and USB Memory sticks can be posted to:

Wildlife Rescue South Coast PO Box 666 Nowra NSW 2541

The entries will be judged initially by the WRSC Committee on 6 February 2014 Members will vote on the final entries at the WRSC General Meeting held 12 February 2014 The WRSC Calendar editorial team reserves the right to consider suitable replacement images if there are

any print reproduction issues

Wildlife Rescue South Coast will be increasing the 2015 calendar print run. That’s right, more people will see our calendars, more people will see our wildlife and more people will see your photos! You have roughly 3 weeks to take photos of our brilliant wildlife for not only the cover but for the inside pages.

The school holidays are nearly over but you still have time to find that camera and give the smart iPhone a rest as the Shoalhaven Commercial Printers need high quality resolution files suitable for the old fashioned printed hardcopy.

We hope Michael Snedic’s photographic tips have helped to inspire you to get clicking on Australia Day to discover our next wildlife calendar stars…...

©W

RSC

Jo Evans

©W

RSC

Lyn Obern

Documents

WRSC January Newsletter - Wildlife Rescue South Coast · The least aggressive time of the year to release is late January to April Fledglings These birds must be adopted by a family