NEWSLETTER OF THE THREATENED BIRD NETWORK2 VOLUNTEER Welcome to volume 40 of the Threatened Bird...
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VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER OF THE THREATENED BIRD NETWORK Volume 40, March 2015 UPCOMING EVENTS, UPDATES AND MUCH MORE Colin Wilson
Transcript of NEWSLETTER OF THE THREATENED BIRD NETWORK2 VOLUNTEER Welcome to volume 40 of the Threatened Bird...
VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER OF THE THREATENED BIRD NETWORK
Volume 40, March 2015
UPCOMING EVENTS,
UPDATES AND
MUCH MORE
Colin Wilson
2 VOLUNTEER
Welcome to volume 40 of the Threatened Bird Network’s Volunteer Newsletter. The end of last
year was extremely busy for the TBN, travelling around the country to run workshops and
attend various community events, raising awareness of threatened birds and engaging people in
conservation along the way. Workshops about woodland birds, shorebirds and wetland birds
were conducted in the Northern Territory, New South Wales and Victoria. This year we plan to
conduct even more workshops and hope to head to states we didn’t visit last year, so stay
tuned. Over the next six weeks, TBN will have stalls at various community events (see the
calendar of events on page 15). If you’re interested in helping out, please contact
Towards the end of 2014, the Threatened Bird Network plunged into the world of social media
when we launched our new Facebook page. This page is regularly updated with information on
threatened bird conservation and opportunities to get involved, and it has some great photos as
well. If you haven’t checked it out yet, go to www.facebook.com/threatened.bird.network.
Recently posted on the TBN website is a report, What Motivates Volunteer Participation: a
Summary of the Threatened Bird Network Survey (http://birdlife.org.au/documents/TBN-
Report_2015-Volunteer_survey_results.pdf). This report summarises the results from a
survey of TBN members we conducted in 2013. These results have provided us with some great
feedback and information on how we can improve the TBN, both for the benefit of our members
and to achieve better outcomes for our threatened species projects. Thanks to everyone who
participated in the survey.
If you would like any further information, would like to provide some feedback or just want to
share your stories with us, please contact us at [email protected].
Janelle Thomas and Caroline Wilson
Susanne Dennings
Mary Whittall
John Gitsham Andre
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ilcocks
March 2015 3
BEACH-NESTING BIRDS
Update. Meg Cullen reports:
Hooded Plover (Eastern) has made the list!
The plight of the Hooded Plovers of eastern Australia has finally been recognised by the
Australian Government —they’re now officially listed as Vulnerable under the EPBC Act, after
years collecting enough data to demonstrate how threatened they are. It may seem an odd
thing to celebrate, but it’s a positive step for our conservation efforts, as the species has always
been a good indicator of coastal health and a flagship for engaging the public in coastal
conservation. Listing will enable us to better detect potential threats, assist our arguments for
better policy and coastal planning, open the door to more funding, and ensure the species is
considered in Natural Resource Management (NRM) prioritisation processes.
Well done to everyone for the data you submitted. You’ve made this listing possible.
A new volunteer induction tool
Because the Beach-nesting Birds Project has grown so much, attracting increasing numbers of
volunteers every year, we’ve been busy rolling out a new Volunteer Induction — a great learning
tool for new and existing participants.
The Volunteer Induction is mainly for people who monitor Hooded Plovers and warden chicks
during the breeding season. Consisting of 30 questions, it takes 15–20 minutes to complete. It
focuses on volunteer health and safety, the project’s aims and the finer details around
monitoring and protecting the birds so that we can ensure the birds are not inadvertently placed
at risk. We want to make every volunteer’s experience a safe and enjoyable one.
It’s not a quiz, but a learning tool, so an ‘incorrect’ answer in the Induction not something to
worry about — it’s simply an opportunity to learn the reasoning behind the correct answer (the
online system explains the logic behind our answers) and become empowered by this
knowledge. If you haven’t got a MyHoodie Guide, or Hooded Plover Monitoring Guidelines,
contact [email protected] before attempting the Induction. Here’s the Induction
link: http://portal.mybeachbird.com.au/site/new_volunteer.
National
Geoff Gates
4 VOLUNTEER
BLACK-THROATED FINCH
Update. Tony Grice reports:
The Black-throated Finch Recovery Team works to address the underlying causes of the southern Black-throated Finch’s (BTF) decline.
Attempting to quantify changes in the abundance of BTFs and other seed-eating birds on the Townsville Coastal Plain, 35 volunteers
took part in the 11th annual waterhole count, monitoring 18 waterholes between 6am and 9am on 18–19 October 2014. Birds are counted
as they drink, so it is actually ‘drinking events’ that are counted rather than the number of birds — some birds may visit to drink more
than once. We also monitor Double-barred, Zebra and Plum-headed Finches, Chestnut-breasted Mannikins, Peaceful Doves and
Squatter Pigeons for comparison.
Target species were observed at 17 of the watering places. 263 BTF drinking events were
observed at only four sites. Double-barred Finches were recorded most often, with 628 drinking events at 18 sites, with more than a
third at one location. Second were Peaceful Doves, with 508 drinking events. There were only five Chestnut-breasted Mannikin drinking events and none for Plum-headed or Zebra Finches (though there were incidental sightings of the latter).
The number of BTF drinking events was higher than those recorded in 2010–13, but well down on most other years. Perhaps of greatest concern is that they were seen at only a handful of sites, with
some previously reliable locations supporting few birds since 2009.
There are at least three explanations for the change: detectability; seasonal conditions; or habitat change. Recent rainfall provides alternative water sources, so BTFs don’t need to visit regular
watering places to drink, making it difficult to detect them using the waterhole count method. Varying seasonal conditions may change the abundance and availability of grass seeds, affecting breeding success and survival. Loss of habitat through changes in land-use and weed invasion may
cause long-term declines in BTF populations. Continued monitoring can help explain population fluctuations and trends.
More Black-throated Finch News
The population of southern BTFs in Central Queensland is under grave threat from large-scale open-cut coal mining. In the Galilee Basin, there is a strategy to offset environmental impacts of these developments but, even if this is optimally implemented, there will still be a massive net loss of high-
quality BTF habitat. Juliana Rechetelo will soon complete her PhD on the BTF on the Townsville Coastal Plain. Her
research has yielded valuable data: banding and radio-tracking show that BTFs usually remain within quite confined areas, but longer movements sometimes occur. Her work has also provided useful information on their preferred habitat and how they use it.
The BTFRT encourages the reporting of any sightings of BTFs through the website (www.blackthroatedfinch.com/about_us.dyn). Records added to the database help us
understand distribution and abundance patterns needed to inform important conservation decisions.
The BTF Recovery Team also has a Facebook page —search for Black-throated Finch Townsville.
L. Stanley Tang
March 2015 5
COWRA WOODLAND BIRD SURVEY
Upcoming surveys. Malcolm Fyfe reports:
Cowra Woodland Bird Survey weekends for 2015 will take place on: Autumn: 18–19 April
Winter: 18–19 July Spring: 17–18 October
If you’re interested in lending a hand, contact Malcolm at [email protected] or call him on
(02) 6253 0772. New participants are always welcome.
EASTERN MELBOURNE BIODIVERSITY SURVEYS
Upcoming surveys. Kerryn Herman reports:
In 2008 an alliance of seven Victorian city councils was formed as a response to the
community’s concerns about climate change. The Cities of Boroondara, Knox, Maroondah, Monash, Stonnington, Whitehorse and Yarra Ranges banded together to form the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA). Together, these councils are working on regional
programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and facilitate regional adaptation.
EAGA was awarded a Victorian Adaptation Sustainability Partnership grant in 2013. This grant is being used to undertake Phase 2 of the ‘Bushland and Urban Biodiversity Management in a Changing Climate’ project. The project is developing a draft framework for monitoring indicators
of biodiversity health through a partnership with the Department of Resource Management and Geography at The University of Melbourne and Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology.
Four indicators have been identified — Vegetation Extent, Vegetation Condition, Phenology and Local Bird Communities. This is where TBN volunteers come to the fore.
We need your help to collect bird data across the various identified study sites. This data will be used in conjunction with the other indicators to help the seven councils develop Natural
Resource Management practices in the context of climate change and provide an evidence base to inform future investment.
Survey sites are still being finalised by the respective local councils, but once it’s complete, a landing page — similar to that of the Melbourne Water project — will be hosted on BirdLife
Australia’s website. This webpage will provide information on where the sites are as well as instructions on the survey methods to use and how you can submit your survey results. Keep an
eye out for its launch. If you’d like some further information, check out the EAGA’s website (http://eaga.com.au/)
or you can email Kerryn Herman at [email protected].
Andrew Silcocks Andrew Silcocks Andre
w S
ilcocks
Andre
w S
ilcocks
Andrew Silcocks
6 VOLUNTEER
GLOSSY BLACK-COCKATOO (SA)
Update and call for volunteers. Karleah Berris and Mike Barth report:
The South Australian Glossy Black-Cockatoo is restricted to Kangaroo Island. Once there were fewer than 200 birds surviving, but since the Glossy Black-Cockatoo Recovery Program began in 1995, the
population has increased significantly through management actions such as using tree-collars to protect nests from predators, installing and maintaining artificial nest hollows and habitat restoration.
Breeding Season
Project staff and volunteers monitored 280 nest hollows between January and September 2014,
recording 76 nesting attempts and 28 fledglings, including 18 from artificial hollows. This highlights the importance of maintaining artificial
hollows to provide extra breeding sites in areas with few natural hollows.
Annual Census
The annual Glossy Black-Cockatoo census was in September 2014: 47 volunteers counted at least 356 cockatoos. This is the highest count yet,
surpassing the previous record of 333 in 2008 — a good indication that management actions are assisting the gradual recovery of the population.
Habitat Restoration
The 2014 community planting day last June was
a great success: 30 volunteers helped us to plant 300 Drooping Sheoak seedlings (the primary food tree for Glossies) and 200 other natives.
Eight volunteers, as part of the ‘Well-being through environmental volunteering’ program, assisted us to plant 500 more sheoaks and 800
other plants. Thanks to everyone who made these events successful.
Events for 2015 — a call for volunteers
There are three main activities for which we welcome volunteers: nest monitoring; habitat restoration; and the annual census.
Nest monitoring occurs in the late afternoon and evening between February and August. Volunteers are trained to record activity at nest hollows to determine breeding success.
With the aim of planting up to 3000 seedlings each year to increase available feeding and nesting habitat, this year’s community planting day will take place on 20 June. A barbecue lunch will be held to thank our volunteers for their efforts.
The annual census will take place on 25–27 September, when Glossies congregate in large flocks across Kangaroo Island. Volunteers are needed to help us count the birds as they fly from feeding areas to roost-sites over three evenings. This vital part of the Recovery Program enables us to
determine how the population is changing in response to our management.
If you’d like to take part in any of these activities, or would like more information, call Karleah Berris on (08) 8553 4438 or email [email protected], or contact the ‘Friends of the Glossies’ at
www.communitywebs.org/glossies.
Mik
e B
art
h
March 2015 7
HELMETED HONEYEATER SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING
We are currently recruiting to fill gaps in the Supplementary Feeding Program.
The Program works 365 days a year to provide supplementary food and water for captive-released
and wild Helmeted Honeyeater colonies at Yellingbo. This rewarding program allows you to get up
close to Victoria’s avian emblem, learn new skills, make a meaningful contribution to threatened
species conservation and become part of our team of dedicated volunteers.
We are seeking people who are:
Able to volunteer for 4–6 hours from once a week through to once a month
Willing to commit for a minimum period of six months
Have their own transport to get to and from Yellingbo (there is no public transport)
A reasonable level of fitness and ability to walk 3–5 km
Access to a 4WD vehicle (desirable but not essential)
If you’re interested in becoming involved with the day-to-day management of the Helmeted Honeyeater, email the Helmeted Honeyeater Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected].
GREY FALCON
Update. Jonny Schoenjahn reports:
After 12 years of studying this difficult bird, nearly 400 people have gone to the trouble of reporting their
sightings of Grey Falcons, providing photos, answering questions, giving directions, providing contacts and much more. Some people have literally gone out of
their way to check out roost sites or nests for me. Thank you to all who have assisted, as this national
study would not have been possible without your help. Since July 2014, under the supervision of Associate
Professor G. Walter, one of the world’s leading ecologists, and Dr Chris Pavey of CSIRO Alice Springs,
Australia’s leading arid zone specialist, the Grey Falcon project has formed part of my research for a PhD at the University of Queensland, which draws heavily on
the data that has been gathered by the Grey Falcon project since 2004. Its aim is to identify how Grey
Falcons survive in harsh environments, characterised by prolonged droughts, heat waves, overnight
temperatures that fall below freezing, dust storms, torrential rain and floods, and even tropical cyclones. This knowledge will help to identify conservation
issues and suggest relevant conservation measures.
With a population of perhaps 1000 birds, the Grey Falcon needs our help. Please keep on sending in your records to [email protected], or call (08) 9385 9939, or
check the website www.jonnybird-australia.com/greyfalcon.htm. All information will be kept strictly confidential, and all photos are for personal use only.
National
Jonny S
choenja
hn
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HELMETED HONEYEATER
Update and call for volunteers. Bruce Quin reports:
Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve
The 2014–15 breeding season was far more successful than last year, with 23 breeding territories and 45 fledglings recorded, this being the equal highest number of fledglings since the
Recovery Program began in 1989.
A group of Helmeted Honeyeaters from Cockatoo Swamp dispersed to another section of the Reserve where habitat restoration activities date back to the late 1970s — an extremely significant finding. Thank you to James Fraser for reporting this major occurrence.
The wild population of Helmeted Honeyeaters at Yellingbo was bolstered by the release of 18
birds (bred at Healesville Sanctuary) last September; 15 were recorded recently and the success of this release matches that of the one in October 2013 — ten of those 12 birds are still alive. Training Helmeted Honeyeaters in predator awareness by Zoos Victoria staff before they’re
released is possibly one explanation for the high level of post-release survivorship.
Between mid-January and mid-February this year, a record 127 Helmeted Honeyeaters were confirmed at Yellingbo — more than twice the number recorded last September, and 22 more than the previous record of 105 birds.
About 385,000 trees and shrubs were planted in the second half of 2014, mostly by volunteers
from Greening Australia and Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater, with more large-scale plantings being planned.
Bunyip State Park
Only two adult Helmeted Honeyeaters are currently known to occur in Bunyip State Park, but
they have produced two fledglings! The pair comprises an eight-year-old male and a six-year-old female. Thank you to Andrew Fraser who reported the successful breeding attempt.
Thanks to all our volunteers who do such great work. New volunteers are always welcome and
there are plenty of activities you can assist us with.
Volunteer activities
Ongoing monitoring and searching for birds at Yellingbo NCR – contact Bruce Quin on
(03) 5954 4010, mobile 0412 576 646, or email [email protected].
Supplementary feeding of captive-released birds at Yellingbo NCR — email
Plant nursery days at Yellingbo: Tuesday and Thursday each week, plus the first Saturday of
each month, April–December — contact Michelle Faram of Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater
on (03) 5964 8341.
Revegetation days at Yellingbo: often second Sunday of each month — contact Richard Case of
Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater on (03) 9720 4062.
March 2015 9
MALLEEFOWL (VIC)
Update. Robyn Rattray-Wood:
The Victorian Malleefowl Recovery Group (VMRG) is a volunteer conservation organisation dedicated to conserving the Malleefowl. It is recognised as one of the world’s most successful
biodiversity research programs supported entirely by volunteers.
We’ve been busy monitoring nest sites across north-
western Victoria during the 2014–15 season. Starting with the Training Weekend in early October, members
revised data collection and recording techniques, using smart phones to enter data. Then they headed into the field to gather information, including locations of nest
sites, nest activity, surrounding vegetation and evidence of predators (e.g. fox scats). Some sites
have been monitored for 25 years.
VMRG members and other interested parties will meet
in late March or early April to hear a report of the season’s monitoring — check the VMRG website for details. Early analysis shows mixed results for active
mounds: Malleefowl are going gangbusters at some sites, while others haven’t seen much activity. Dr Joe
Benshemesh suggests it may be due to patchy winter rainfall.
A recent VMRG research project was completed in
2014. This project, ‘Landscape Links to Enhance Malleefowl Conservation Project’ investigated methodology to prioritise areas of outlying and isolated remnants of mallee vegetation that, if
connected to larger tracts of suitable habitat by revegetated corridors, would provide most benefit to Malleefowl populations in north-western Victoria. The study developed a scoring system to rank selected sites according to their potential as effective areas for habitat
restoration and corridor-linkage. This has allowed priority areas to be identified and targeted for future revegetation works.
For more information on VMRG activities, visit the website www.malleefowlvictoria.org.au or contact Robyn Rattray-Wood at [email protected].
MALLEEFOWL (WA)
Call for volunteers. John DeJose reports:
The Malleefowl Preservation Group is calling for volunteers to take part in its annual Malleefowl monitoring program, heading off some little-visited parts of WA. Sites vary in size so trips will last from one to a few days.
If you’re interested, you can register at [email protected] and we’ll provide more
details. Volunteers must attend an orientation and training workshop first — probably in August.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers to monitor various sites in WA during the incubation season, Sept.–December Team Leaders to lead monitoring of sites near Stirling Range National Park and Lake
Magenta Nature Reserve, September–December
Volunteers for a survey at Mt Gibson Station, tentatively June–July A volunteer to support and help coordinate our survey and monitoring activities
Pete
r Sto
kie
10 VOLUNTEER
MORNINGTON ANNUAL BIRD CENSUS (NT)
Call for volunteers. James Smith reports:
Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary is looking for volunteers to assist with its annual bird census. This year's census will begin on Saturday 12 September (though we ask you to arrive on the 11th)
and will continue through to 16 September. This census helps the Australian Wildlife Conservancy to determine population estimates for species (including Gouldian Finches, Long-tailed Finches and various quail) across the southern part of the sanctuary, and the data
collected will allow us to measure the effectiveness of our current management strategies.
If you are interested in being involved or would like more information, please contact James Smith at [email protected].
PIED IMPERIAL-PIGEON
Update and call for volunteers. Julia Hazel reports:
When Europeans first settled in Queensland there were vast flocks of Pied Imperial-Pigeons, but
their numbers were soon decimated by harvesting of the birds and their eggs for food, clearing rainforest habitat and shooting them for recreation. Their numbers plummeted, and it was only
through pioneering conservation initiatives in the 1960s that disaster was averted, and Pied Imperial-Pigeons can still be seen in large numbers.
There is ongoing concern, however, because the overall population of Pied Imperial-Pigeons is
still in decline. The reasons for this decline remain unclear, which has prompted new research and a monitoring project by Birdlife North Queensland and Dr Julia Hazel at James Cook
University. This project relies on citizen scientists to monitor local sites and conduct coastal counts. We need participants right along the coast from Gladstone to Cape York.
During spring and summer, the adult birds commute across the sea each day, flying from roosting and breeding sites on offshore islands to widely dispersed foraging grounds on the Queensland mainland. This is when we need to conduct our surveys, because at the end of the
breeding season, together with their offspring, they migrate to New Guinea for the winter, then return to Queensland in August–September to breed again.
If you’d like to participate in the Pied Imperial-Pigeon monitoring project, or for more information about Pied Imperial-Pigeons, head to our website at www.pipwatch.net.
Julia Hazel Julia Hazel
March 2015 11
POWERFUL OWL
Call for volunteers. Caroline Wilson reports:
The Powerful Owl Project has trained over 300 volunteer observers in survey techniques to monitor breeding activity and breeding success of Powerful Owls at allocated survey sites. In addition, more than 800 members of the public have submitted observations and locations of
new breeding territories. The project has conducted community workshops and an education program, and has developed web-based resources and management guidelines for land
managers. The Powerful Owl Project is looking for new volunteers to help monitor breeding sites around
Sydney. No previous experience is necessary. Monitoring involves searching for nest trees (looking for whitewash or listening for calls) and observing owl behaviour (courting, in the
hollow with chicks, feeding chicks, and related behaviour). Sites must be monitored at least once each month during the breeding season (March–September). An all-day workshop in Narrabeen on Saturday 28 March will train new participants. If you’re interested in
volunteering, contact us at [email protected] and we’ll work out the best site for you. At this stage we need volunteers around Pittwater, Warringah, Willoughby, Ku-Ring-Gai,
Ryde, Hornsby, Parramatta, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Hawkesbury, Canterbury and Sutherland. Please contact us before 15 March so we can get an idea of numbers for the workshop.
12 VOLUNTEER
RED-TAILED BLACK-COCKATOO (SOUTH-EASTERN)
Call for volunteers. Bronwyn Perryman reports:
Volunteers needed for 2015 Cocky Count
BirdLife Australia and the South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Recovery Team are looking for volunteers to assist with the 2015 annual count for the nationally endangered South-eastern Red-
tailed Black-Cockatoo. The count will occur across south-eastern South Australia and south-western Victoria on Saturday 2 May.
Around 60 sites in stringybark forest will be searched from Keith to Mount Gambier in South Australia
and from Nelson to the Little Desert National Park in Victoria. Groups of volunteers will search their allocated site in vehicles, preferably 4WDs. Landholders with remnant stringybark are also encouraged to search their own property on the day. When you register, you can request to search a
particular area or nominate to search your own property. We also encourage anyone else who sees cockatoos on 2 May to phone in their sightings to freecall 1800 262 026.
Information gained through the annual count is used to locate large flocks, determine habitat use
and calculate the minimum number of cockatoos. It also raises awareness of the birds’ special needs and builds community knowledge and capacity to become involved in recovery efforts.
For those who haven’t participated before or would like some pointers for searching for Red-tails, a
training session will be held on the morning of the count. If you’re interested in attending, let us know when you register.
Volunteers are welcome at the annual Bailey’s Rock Campout at the end of the count. This informal
camp lets volunteers share tales of the day’s adventure with other counters. To register or for more information, contact Bronwyn on 1800 262 062, email
[email protected] or visit our website www.redtail.com.au. You can register up to two weeks before the count, but we recommend registering well before then to secure your preferred search area. Survey instructions will be sent out to registered volunteers in the fortnight leading up
to the count.
The success of the count relies on sightings we receive in the months before the count. If you see any Red-tails from now onwards, please report your sighting to freecall 1800 262 062 or hit our
website www.redtail.com.au.
Charlotte Davis
March 2015 13
SHOREBIRDS (SE NSW)
Update. Amy Harris reports:
The Far South Coast NPWS Threatened Shorebird Recovery Program has had a busy season with many sites home to nesting threatened species: Hooded Plovers, Little Terns and Pied and Sooty
Oystercatchers. A 52-nest colony of Endangered Little Terns bred at Mogareka (Bega River mouth), making it one of the most successful sites south of Sydney. Fairy Terns also nested in the colony. November was a busy month for surveys, with the Mimosa Rocks Bioblitz as well as
BirdLife Australia’s Biennial Hooded Plover survey; both had many volunteers assisting with surveys and learning about our threatened breeding shorebirds at the same time.
Upcoming events in 2015 include ongoing monitoring of the winter movements of flagged Hooded Plovers in NSW and winter shorebird surveys in our
South Coast estuaries.
While we have many dedicated shorebird volunteers, we always welcome new volunteers interested in helping out, even
monitoring beaches and estuaries if you are visiting the area for a short time. If you’re
between Batemans Bay and the Victorian border, contact Amy Harris [email protected] or
(02) 4476 0834; or between Bateman’s Bay and Wollongong, contact Jodie Dunn,
WINGS ON KING (King Island, Tasmania)
Call for volunteers. Kate Ravich reports:
Volunteers are needed on King Island to help undertake censuses of the King
Island subspecies of the Green Rosella and Black Currawong on 25–26 April and 2–3 May. Both subspecies have been nominated for listing as threatened,
and the results of these surveys could make the difference.
‘Wings on King’ is a new long-term project to monitor the landbirds that live on or visit King Island. Quarterly surveys will be conducted at specific sites across
the island, and targetted censuses will occur each autumn. Volunteers are needed to assist us with these surveys, and we would welcome any help from
people visiting King Island.
To make your time on King Island a special experience, participants in the ‘Wings on King’ project will have benefits that are not available to other
visitors. To learn more or to register, go to www.birdlife.org.au/projects/atlas-and-birdata and look for the King Island Project, or www.birdsofkingisland.com.
Lisa Brown
Tim Woodburn
Tim Woodburn
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14 VOLUNTEER
WOODLAND BIRDS FOR BIODIVERSITY
Update. Dean Ingwersen, Caroline Wilson and Mick Roderick report:
Each year hundreds of volunteers count the Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater. Surveys are
held in mid-May and early August each year, and provide critical long-term data on the movements, habitat use and population size. Last August, 234 surveys were conducted in
Victoria, NSW and Queensland.
Swift Parrots
The August 2014 Swift Parrot count resulted in just over 1200 birds being recorded.
In Victoria, Swift Parrots were widespread, with records in Melbourne, southern Victoria (Ocean Grove, Torquay), central Victoria (Castlemaine, St Arnaud, Maryborough), Gippsland (Orbost) and the North East (Chiltern). Flocks of 50 birds were recorded in Melbourne and St Arnaud.
In NSW, Swift Parrots were recorded in western and south-western Sydney (North Richmond, Mulgoa, Milperra), eastern inland NSW (Singleton), Central West Slopes (Blue Mountains), South
West Slopes (Frogmore), the ACT, and the Central and South Coasts (Murray's Beach, Lake Cathie; Turlinjah, Narooma). About 750 birds were found at Turlinjah on the South Coast, one of the largest congregations recorded since 1998. This suggests food was abundant in the area,
and that the South Coast, which connects with Gippsland in Victoria, may be an important migration corridor. Other than this congregation, most groups in NSW were less than 60 birds.
A small proportion of the sightings in August were in Queensland, with groups of up to 12 in Gould Adams Park, Kingston (near Brisbane) and Cordalba State Forest (near Bundaberg). They remained in Queensland until early September. They’re seldom so far north this late in the
season. This is possibly in response to the availability of food on the mainland.
Flowering trees were an important food source for Swift Parrots during August, particularly when
compared to last May, when most fed on lerp.
Regent Honeyeaters
Only 69 Regent Honeyeaters were recorded in 2014, the lowest number in nearly a decade.
Also, there were only two known breeding records, with a nest round Bundarra-Barraba, NSW, and one near Corowa on the NSW–Victorian border. Nearly 10% of sightings were of captive-released birds, including one released four years ago.
Regent Honeyeaters were scattered in small groups across their range, with conditions forcing them to disperse in search of food. In the Capertee Valley, NSW, a stronghold of the species,
there were only three sightings in 2014, probably due to few flowering eucalypts in the area.
In positive news, 2015 will see the largest-ever Regent Honeyeater captive release, with over 80 birds to be set free in north-eastern Victoria. After release, the birds will be monitored both
visually and via radio tracking. There will also be a PhD and several Honours students working on the captive release project. Volunteers will be needed to help monitor and collect data; for
more details contact [email protected].
In further encouraging news, the Regent Honeyeater Recovery Plan will be available for public
comment soon, a comprehensive Disease Risk Assessment has been completed, and Captive Management Plan and Captive Breeding and Release Strategies are being finalised.
Volunteers needed to survey Swift Parrots and Regent Honeyeaters in 2015
We are looking for volunteers to help with Swift Parrots and Regent Honeyeaters surveys across Victoria, NSW and Queensland. Surveys will occur on 16–17 May and 1–2 August. We are also
happy for people to get out a week either side of those weekends. Incidental sightings are also welcome. For more information, contact [email protected] or [email protected].
March 2015 15
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Date State Details Contact
March 11–15 VIC
Festival of the Sea (Barwon Heads) — TBN [email protected]
22 VIC Deans Marsh Festival — TBN [email protected]
24 VIC Deakin University Getting Involved Week
(Burwood) — TBN
28 NSW Powerful Owl Workshop [email protected]
29 VIC South Gippsland Sustainability Festival
(Wonthaggi) — TBN
31 VIC Family Fun Day (Olinda) — TBN [email protected]
April 18–19 NSW Cowra Woodland Bird Survey [email protected]
25–26 TAS Green Rosella and Black Currawong census,
King Island
www.birdsofkingisland.com
May 2 SA, VIC Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Annual Count [email protected]
2–3 TAS Green Rosella and Black Currawong census,
King Island
www.birdsofkingisland.com
16–17 SA, VIC Orange-bellied Parrot Survey [email protected]
16–17 VIC, QLD,
NSW Woodland Bird Survey [email protected]
June 20 SA Glossy Black-Cockatoo Planting Day,
Kangaroo Island
July 18–19 NSW Cowra Woodland Bird Survey [email protected]
25–26 SA, VIC Orange-bellied Parrot Survey [email protected]
August 1–2 VIC, QLD,
NSW Woodland Bird Survey [email protected]
September 12–16 WA Annual Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary bird
census
12–13 SA, VIC Orange-bellied Parrot Surveys [email protected]
25–27 SA Glossy Black-Cockatoo annual census,
Kangaroo Island
October 17–18 NSW Cowra Woodland Bird Survey [email protected]
Ongoing Activities and Dates to be Announced
Feb–Dec SA Glossy Black-Cockatoo nest monitoring [email protected]
Apr–Dec VIC Plant nursery and revegetation days — Yellingbo Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater:
(03) 5964 8341
Jun or Jul Sep–Dec
WA Malleefowl surveys, nest monitoring & volunteer coordinator
Date TBA QLD Pied Imperial Pigeon Survey www.pipwatch.net
Date TBA VIC, SA Beach Nesting Birds workshops [email protected]
Ongoing QLD Black-throated Finch sightings www.blackthroatedfinch.com
Ongoing National Grey Falcon sightings [email protected]
Ongoing VIC Helmeted Honeyeater monitoring — Yellingbo [email protected]
Ongoing VIC Helmeted Honeyeater supplementary feeding [email protected]
Ongoing NSW Winter monitoring of shorebirds and beach-nesting birds
[email protected] [email protected]
Ongoing VIC East Melbourne Biodiversity Surveys [email protected]
16 VOLUNTEER
THREATENED BIRD NETWORK
BIRDLIFE AUSTRALIA
Suite 2–05, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton VIC 3053
T (03) 9347 0757
W www.birdlife.org.au/projects/threatened-bird-network
Volunteer was compiled by John Peter.
Proudly sponsored by Holcim (Australia) Pty Ltd;
committed to improve biodiversity conservation and
sustainable development outcomes across Australia
If undelivered, return to:
BirdLife Australia,
Suite 2–05, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton VIC 3053
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