Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 1

Official Newsletter of Illawarra Birders Inc. No. 013 June 2012

www.illawarrabirders.org

Bird Profile - Yellow-faced Honeyeater

Bignet Report April 2012

Capertee Valley trip

Plus news, sightings, Mediawatch and more...

Come Join The Banding:

- Special report

- Meet the Banders

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 2

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Welcome to the latest edition of Illawarra Birding! We are now well into our programme for the year. Ourregular monthly programme now includes a full day walk, one or two Atlas surveys, a shorebird count,lunch time walk, mid week walk and an evening meeting. All events have been well attended and it appearsthat many of you appreciate more regular field trips of a shorter duration. In the next couple of months inaddition to our regular programme we have a spotlighting evening and a planned pelagic trip. Later in theyear we are also planning a weekend in the Capertee Valley. Watch out for all of these announcements anddo not delay in making a booking!

We now have a presence on Twitter, @illawarrabirder, so we are able to send to you mobile phone textmessages of unusual sightings. Currently we have around 30 followers so if you wish to follow us throughthis medium then Martin Potter can guide you through the set up process. Our web page has an increasingaudience and we now average over 20 visits a day. We have decided to pay a small monthly fee to a website host so that we have more security of tenure and we hope to enable members to post their bird photosto our site. There is no doubt that a web presence together with current and interesting content is an impor-tant resource for us in spreading our message and attracting potential members. As always your Committeewelcomes your input so if you have any suggestions for future activities then please let us know.Looking forward to seeing you at our future activities.

Martin Cocker, President-Illawarra Birders

Cover Photo: An Eastern Spinebill being released after banding at Alan Leishman’s Camden Airport site. MP

Capertee Valley Weekend, Friday 19– Sunday 21 October 2012

The club is organising a weekend visit to picturesque Capertee Valley from 19 - 21 Oc-tober. This is one of the prime birding spots in NSW and is also the home of the Re-gent Honeyeater Recovery Project which has been running since 1994. Apart from theelusive (and endangered) Regent Honeyeater other possible species include Plum-head-ed Finch, Turquoise Parrot, Painted Button Quail, Hooded Robin, Brown Treecreeper,Rainbow Bee-eater and more.

Some members have expressed an interest in sharing the cost of hiring renowned localbirding guide Carol Proberts for a guided walk on the morning of Sunday 21 October.For a group of 10 people this would equate to $30-35 per head and provides a great op-portunity to benefit from Carol’s expertise at a significantly reduced rate. Althoughthere is still no guarantee of seeing Regent Honeyeaters the chances are much higherwith a local guide. If you would like to join the guided group please send me yournames by return – if there is sufficient interest it may be possible to arrange a secondgroup on the Saturday morning. Members not wishing to use the services of a guide willbe free to organise their own birding on the Sunday morning.

Accommodation will be at Brymair a private property in Bogee which is about a fourhour drive from Wollongong. The self-catering accommodation consists of four bed-rooms (2 double and 2 twin) in renovated shearer’s quarters with a shared lounge/diner,kitchen and bathroom. Linen is provided and the cost is $30 per person per night.There is also limited room for camping in the grounds; cost of camping is to be advised.Additional accommodation may be found around the Valley including Llansallos B & Bin Bogee and the camping area at Glen Davis where flushing toilets, hot showers, bar-beques, fireplaces and picnic tables are provided.

There are no shops, restaurants or petrol stations in the valley, so you'll need to bring allyour own food and drink for the duration of your stay. The closest store is at Caperteewhere the service station sells fuel, limited groceries, cold drinks, and newspapers, etc.The nearest pub is the Royal Hotel at Capertee. Registration for this field trip is essentialas places are limited. Please contact Penny Potter to register interest by 30 June. Tel: 02 4284 6196 (evenings),mobile 0430 343 525 or email penny@southernphone.com.au.

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 3

WOLLONGONG NATIVE TREESThanks to Danie Ondinea for letting usknow about the fully revised edition of‘Wollongong's Native Trees’ that hasjust been launched, compiled by LeonFuller. Danie advises “This really is awhole new book - all colour, lots ofphotos and distribution maps, great infoon local geology and climate, etc. Leon'sput in a massive effort, with photogra-phy by Byron McGregor, and inputfrom the lovely Anders Bofeldt whodied last year. As well as being of gener-al interest to birders, I'm sure it will help with describing habitatsfor bird records.” The book contains a description and a map foreach of the 160 local tree species, and a total of 700 colour photo-graphs. For more details go to http://bigbeanbooks.com/

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For those of you suffering withdrawal symptoms sincethe Sydney Sea-Eagle chick S2 fledged live on EagleCam- you can now get your raptor fix athttp://bit.ly/LD4YMHTrent University in Nottingham, UK has been the homefor the last ten years to a breeding pair of peregrine fal-cons, who nest on an outside ledge near the top of theirNewton Building. The nest site hasbeen successfully used to raise 16chicks over the past five years. In2012 four chicks hatched but sadlythree died in particularly badweather. One chick remains, how-ever; it has just been banded (seearticle!) and will hopefully succeedin fledging. Because of the timedifference, it’s a great birding op-portunity when it’s cold and darkoutside! (Pictured is the Peregrinethat is still using the radio antenna opposite Bulli FireStation (next to Bon Aroma Pizza) as its favourite perch).

FALCON CAM

Further to our article in the lastnewsletter about atlassing, BirdLife

Australia have just confirmedthat their Birdata atlas hasincluded its 10-millionthbird record. Who knows, itcould even have been us as

the club recently received itsown Birdata atlasser reg-istration and we have

commenced forwarding our recordsvia Eremaea to the Birdata atlas.

ATLASSING MILESTONE

The Capertee Tree Planting Weekendon 5-6 May was a great success with the100,000th tree being planted. With manysightings of Regent Honeyeaters currentlybeing reported, hopefully their status willcontinue to improve as a result. The nexttree planting weekend will be the 18th and19th of August.http://caperteevalleyalliance.blogspot.com.

FROM BIRDLIFE SOUTHERN NSW

Roger Giller advises “Of interest to all birdphotographers will be a web site called ‘The Secrets ofDigital Bird Photography’ athttp://www.digitalbirdphotography.com/1.1.html. It isvery comprehensive and would be over 900 pages ifprinted out.”

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY WEBSITE

Shellharbour City Council are offering a work-shop (free to Shellharbour residents) on keepingchickens. Learn how to put these hard workinggardeners to work in your garden, recycling yourfood scraps into the freshest, tastiest, and mostnutritious eggs around. This workshop welcomesnewcomers to backyard chooks, as well as currentchook owners. The focus of this workshop iskeeping your chooks healthy via good nutritionand suitable housing. Venue: Lake Illawarra HighSchool Saturday 30th June 10.00am - 3.00pm.To book your place, Emailsustainability@shellharbour.nsw.gov.auor call Council on 42216111

CHOOKS IN BACKYARDS

Bird ID WorkshopsThe next Bird ID workshopat the Botanic Gardens willnow take place on 30thJune instead of the 16th.

Kiama Council has been approachedwith regard to presenting a workshopin their area. A further workshop forShellharbour Council is being arrangedfor later in the year.

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 4

CONSERVATION NEWS - BIMBLEBOX NATURE RESERVEBimblebox Nature Refuge is an 8000-hectare property in central-west Queensland that was bought in 2000by a small group of concerned landholders and residents to save it from being cleared. It consists of over95% remnant woodland (woodland that has never been cleared)with an understory made up predominantly of native grasses andshrubs. There is abundant wildlife on the property, with around 150bird species counted so far. A ‘perpetual’ Nature Refuge Agreementwas signed with the State Government in 2003 which is the highestlevel of protection that can be afforded to private land in Queen-sland.Multi-billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer and his WaratahCoal Company have proposed an open-cut mine which would de-stroy more than half of Bimblebox, with long-wall mining under theother half, resulting in subsidence and major interference with hy-drology. Tragically, Nature Refuges and the protected areas thatmake up the National Reserve System are not automatically protect-ed from mineral exploration and mining, which in Australia aregranted right of way over almost all other land uses. Surveys ofBimblebox have turned up sightings of an endangered sub-speciesof the Black-throated Finch; Clive Palmer has rebutted this poten-tial threat to his plan by suggesting the finches were ‘planted’ byenvironmentalists!

Illawarra Birders have written to the new premier Campbell New-man, urging him to show his environmental credentials by not let-ting this destructive plan proceed. For more information, see http://bimblebox.org/

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The RSPB reports that a major new UK study hasquashed fears that onshore windfarms are causinglong-term damage to bird populations, but foundnew evidence that some species are harmed whenwindfarms are built.The study by conservationists into the impacts on10 of the key species of British upland bird, includ-ing several suffering serious population declines,concluded that a large majority of species can co-exist or thrive with windfarms once they are operat-ing.But the study, the largest carried out in the UK intothe impact of onshore windfarms on bird life, alsofound strong evidence that some species sufferedserious harm while windfarms are being built.The most alarming findings were for the curlew,Britain's largest wader, whose numbers fell 40% in aradius of up to 800m from the site during construc-tion at the 18 windfarms in northern England andScotland involved in the study. These findings werebalanced out by the discovery that two species, theskylark and stonechat - which prefer open, brokenand short vegetation - flourished during the build-ing phase.

WIND FARMS NOT GUILTY OF BIRD-MINCING?

WA BLACK-COCKATOO UPDATEThe club has received a reply from the WAEnvironment and Water Minister Bill Marmionabout the threats to WA Black Cockatoos (seeIllawarra Birding April 2012). He writes “I can assureyou that the State Government has a number ofstrategies in place to conserve our three species ofblack cockatoos... A number of these are describedon the DEC website (under the threatened speciestab) at https://www.dec.wa.gov.au/carnabys .”

This worthy aim does not seem to be supported bythe newly-released ‘scoping document’ for the next10-year Forest Management Plan. The documentreveals government plans to expand native forestlogging to 10,000 hectares every year. If you wish toread the Minister’s full response, the letter will becirculated at our next meeting.

Some welcome good news from WA is that fundingof the Western Ground Parrot Project, which was indanger of being axed, is to be continued for at leastanother year.

PS We still await a reply from Victorian premier TedBaillieu to our recent letter about duck shooting -and to our 2011 letter!

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Cyprus has long had a poor reputation for the ille-gal trapping of wild birds, and alarmingly the prac-tice is very much on the increase, threatening manymigrants travelling through the Eastern Mediterra-nean Island. The unfortunate birds end up as a deli-cacy in local restaurants called ambelopoulia,generating huge profits for the trappers.The birds are caught innets or alternatively onlime-sticks, a particularlynasty trapping method.Lime-sticks are twigs,about 50-70cm long,which are covered in anextremely sticky ‘glue’made by boiling up thefruit of the Syrian plum-tree. These sticks areplaced in bushes, orsometimes inserted intothe ends of bamboo poles, to provide very invitingperches for birds. Any bird landing on a lime-stickbecomes stuck, falls upside down, and as it fluttersto free itself it becomes progressively more attachedto the stick. The birds suffer a lingering death un-less the trapper arrives to kill them first.Because the trapping methods are non-selective,150 species are known to have been caught in thetraps. More than a third (58 species) of these arespecies of conservation concern. The prized catchfor eating is the Blackcap, but other species often

killed include Spectacled Warbler, LesserWhitethroat, Pied, Collared and Spotted Flycatcher,as well as Sedge Warbler, Golden Oriole, TurtleDove, Bee-eater and Wryneck.BirdLife Cyprus has carried out monitoring of ille-gal trapping throughout 2011 and discovered thatan estimated 2.8 million birds have been victims ofthis practice during the year. It is the highest num-

ber of cases reportedsince the campaignagainst the illegal killingof birds was launched tenyears ago. The increasethreatens to reverse allthe progress achieved inthe first years of the pro-gramme. A new reporton trapping activitiesduring winter 2011-2012has just been released by

BirdLife Cyprus. As well as the latest survey results,it includes an overview on the situation and theecological impacts of illegal bird trapping. The re-port can be found here: http://goo.gl/8BmUkIllawarra Birders have written to the President ofthe Republic of Cyprus Mr Demetris Christofias,(and also to the Ministers of Justice and Tourism)requesting that every effort is made to bring illegaltrappers to justice and to end the trade in wild birdsfor the table.

Sources: BirdLife Cyprus; RSPB

Female Blackcaps on lime-sticks

Phot

o: R

SPB

CONSERVATION NEWS - BIRD CARNAGE IN CYPRUS

BIRDLIFE AUSTRALIA’S POWERFUL OWL PROJECT

BirdLife Australia’s Birds in Backyards program is continuing and expanding itsPowerful Owl project based on a pilot program run last year. The project willprovide important new information about the status, distribution, site fidelity,breeding success and habitat requirements of these large forest owls in the Sydneyregion. This information will ultimately inform conservation measures for thisthreatened species.The project is again looking for interested members of thepublic to help find out more about these birds. Volunteers within the Sydneyregion are being sought to become Owl Observers and participate in surveys. OwlObservers will check in on a breeding pair of Powerful Owls near them and reportback regularly on what is happening at the nest. Owl Observers do not need tomonitor at night (although some dusk visits may be needed). The project is alsolooking for sightings of Powerful Owls from Kiama to Newcastle and west to theBlue Mountains. To find out more, to submit a sighting (please include where,when and anything interesting) or to register as an Owl Observer please visithttp://www.birdsinbackyards.net/surveys/Powerful-Owl-Project or email powerfulowl@birdlife.org.au .

You can hear more about the project and discover some of its latest findings at a free talk being given on 17thJune (10.30 - 11.30am) at the Discovery Centre, Sydney Olympic Park. Bookings are essential; phone 9647 1033or email southernnsw@birdlife.org.au

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The Yellow-faced Honeyeater (Lichenostomuschrysops) is a bird that is currently on migrationthrough the region and may be seen in large num-bers. It is a medium-small bird in the honeyeaterfamily Meliphagidae, taking both its common andscientific names from the distinctive yellow stripeson the sides of its head. Yellow feathers form anarrow stripe above the gape, then broaden andcurve below the eye to end in a small white patchof feathers on the ear-coverts. Above the yellowstripe is a black eye stripe which is broken by asmall yellow to off-white patch behind the eye, andbelow is another distinct black stripe running thelength of the yellow line. The chin and throat are apale greyish-brown, streaked with slightly darkergrey, and the upper body is a dark greyish-brownto olive-brown. Olive green outer edges on the re-miges (flight feathers) combine to form an olivepanel on the folded wing. The bill is black andslightly down-curved, and the gape is cream.

It is widespread across eastern and south easternAustralia, in open sclerophyll forests from coastaldunes to high-altitude subalpine areas, and wood-lands along creeks and rivers. Comparativelyshort-billed for a honeyeater, it is thought to haveadapted for a diet of flies, spiders and beetles, aswell as nectar and pollen from the flowers of plantssuch as Banksia and Grevillea, and soft fruits. It

catches insects in flight as well as gleaning themfrom the foliage of trees and shrubs.While some Yellow-faced Honeyeaters are sedentary,hundreds of thousands of them migrate northwardsbetween March and May to spend the winter insouthern Queensland and return in July and Augustto breed in southern New South Wales and Victoria.They form socially monogamous pairs and lay twoor three eggs in a delicatecup-shaped nest. Whilethe success rate can below, the pairs nest sever-al times during thebreeding season.In the Illawarra it is clas-sified as “Common,summer breeding no-mad”. Pairs or small tolarge flocks in forested country generally, especiallycreekside eucalypts, coastal and elevated heaths inautumn and winter. Although there is a clear influxduring summer, this species is present throughoutthe year. Passage migration observed from the southin April to May using both inland and coastal flywaysand occasionally from the north in August to Sep-tember.Sources:BirdLife Australia; Wikipedia; Wild Illawarra

BIRD PROFILE - YELLOW-FACED HONEYEATER Martin Cocker

For the first time an authoritative analysis has been undertaken of thestatus of Australian birds and it shows they are in decline – in somegroups, that decline is faster than elsewhere in the world. The Austra-lian Research Council funded study, done in conjunction with BirdLifeAustralia and published in the journal Biological Conservation, reportson changes in the Red List Index for all Australian species and subspe-cies of birds since 1990.

Led by Dr Judit Szabo from Charles Darwin University, the study re-ports on changes in the Red List Index for all Australian species andsubspecies of birds since 1990. he Index is used by the world’s govern-ments to assess performance under the Convention on Biological Di-versity and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Thenew study is the first time the Index has been applied at a national level.

CONSERVATION NEWS - AUSTRALIAN BIRDS ON THE RED LIST

The IUCN (International Union for Con-servation of Nature) Red List of Threat-ened Species is the world’s mostcomprehensive inventory of the globalconservation status of species. Since1963, the Red List has been evaluatingthe extinction risk of thousands of spe-cies and subspecies throughout theworld. The aim is to convey the urgencyof conservation issues to the public andpolicy makers, as well as help the inter-national community to try to reduce spe-cies extinction. The categories are LeastConcern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable,Endangered, Critically Endangered,Extinct in the Wild and Extinct.

Dr Szabo says “For birds found only in Australia the results suggest a slight decline over the last two decades; inthis respect we are doing better than the rest of the world”. Although some Australian endemics have experi-enced declines, there have also been successes, thanks to conservation work to prevent extinctions. However,the status of migratory birds is very different. The number of shorebirds that overwinter in Australia is plum-meting as critical staging posts around the Yellow Sea are reclaimed for industry, cities and aquaculture. Similar-ly, seabird numbers continue to decline as long-line fishing is killing many albatrosses and petrels that visit seasaround Australia. For both these groups Australia will need to increase its efforts with international partners iftrends are to be reversed. The full report is at: http://bit.ly/N0vvFl Source: BirdLife International

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 7

Members who took part in the recent visit toAlan Leishman’s banding site at CamdenAirport received a fascinating introduction

to the world of bird banding. Alan is working on thissite to monitor bird movements in this corridor be-tween the airport and the Nepean River. Birds thatwe saw banded on the day included many Bell Min-ers that have expanded their range into this area.

Other birds banded included Lewin’s Honeyeater,Eastern Spinebill, Red-browed Finch, Superb Fairy-Wren, Golden Whistler, Common Blackbird, East-ern Yellow Robin and the highlight for many, a stun-ning Rufous Fantail. The club is very grateful to Alanfor allowing us the opportunity to observe him andhis team at work.

Bird banding is described as “a technique used in thestudy of wild birds, by attaching a small, individuallynumbered, metal or plastic tag to their legs or wings,so that various aspects of the bird's life can be stud-ied by the ability to re-find the same individual later”.People have been marking birds for centuries, butthe first scientific programme of bird banding wasstarted in 1899 by Hans Christian CorneliusMortensen, of Denmark. Further programmescommenced in other European countries in the early20th century: these included the first Britishprogrammes starting in 1909.

Bands were first used in Australia in 1912 and wereplaced on Short-tailed Shearwaters and White-facedStorm-petrels by members of the Bird ObserversClub, Melbourne, and the Royal Australian Ornithol-ogists Union. After that the growth of bird banding

was relatively slow until 1947, when a joint schemeby the CSIRO and the Tasmanian Fauna Board wasinitiated for banding Short-tailed Shearwaters.Shortly afterwards several states started indepen-dent schemes for the banding of waterfowl. Thenin 1953 the Australian Bird Banding Scheme waslaunched by the CSIRO Division of Wildlife Re-search, to co-ordinate bird banding in Australia at anational level. The aims of the scheme were togather information about the habits, life histories,plumage and movement patterns of the birds thatoccur in Australia. Since 1984 the Scheme has beenadministered by the Commonwealth government,and incorporated bat banding to form what is nowthe ABBBS (Australian Bird and Bat BandingScheme).

Bird banding is possibly the most valuable tool forscientists and conservationists in discovering thelife histories of birds. In the early days bandinghelped to convince the world that in winter migra-tory birds do not hibernate in mud at the bottom ofponds, or even fly to the moon as previouslythought!

How are birds banded?Wild birds are caught using a mist net, which ismade from a very fine mesh and is consequentlyvery difficult for the birds to see. Mist nets are usu-ally 40 feet (12.19 m) or 60 feet (18.29m) in lengthand are strung up between two poles. When birdsfly in they are caught up in a loose shelf (pocket) inthe net.

Bird Banding -

Bell Miner - the skin colour behind the eye indicates its age

A newly-banded Rufous Fantail

A BriefingMartin Potter

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 8

This process is designed not to harm the birds, andit doesn’t take long for an experienced bird banderto extract the birds from the net.

Once the bird species has been identified, aprescribed band for that species (usually made ofaluminium or other lightweight material) is attachedto the bird's leg. The bands have no sharp edges,and they are carefully sized so they will not be tightenough to cramp the bird in any way. At the sametime, the band is not loose enough to slip off orsnag on twigs or other materials. Bird bands arelightweight enough not to inconvenience the birds;the effect has been likened to a person wearing awrist watch.Each band has a unique number on it, so that theindividual bird can be traced if it is caught again, orif it is found dead. Various measurements of thebird are taken, including Head to Bill length (HB),

Wing Length (WL), Tail Length (TA) and Weight;the age and sex of the bird are determined wherepossible. All measurements are recorded on an offi-cial Australian Bird Banding Scheme Data Sheet.After the process is completed the bird is releasedback into the wild. When a bird is caught that al-ready has a band on it, it is recorded as a “Retrap”.This is where researchers hit paydirt; retrap data iswhat gives ornithologists vital information about abird’s lifespan, how far they travel and more. Theresults of banding have enabled wildlife authoritiesin Australia and elsewhere to develop effective con-servation strategies for threatened and endangeredspecies. In addition, banding has proved an invalu-able insight into the biology of bird species whichwill help scientists to recognise and anticipate envi-ronmental changes that may threaten some species.Other bird marking techniques include leg flags andradio tracking; we will look at those in more detailin a future issue.

Bird Banding

Special pliers are used for banding

Examining the wing moult on an Eastern Spinebill

MEET THE BANDERS - ALAN LEISHMAN

Members may not be aware of Alan’s illustrious placein Australian ornithology. He previously worked as aTechnical Officer at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Syd-ney. He is a leading bird-bander and has had a longassociation with the Australian Bird Study Associa-tion, serving as foundation editor of its journal Corel-la 1977–1983, and production editor 1984–1989.

In 1998 he was awarded the RAOU's John HobbsMedal for outstanding contributions to Australianornithology as an amateur. He is currently the NSWRegional Organiser for the Australian Bird and BatBanding Schemes. I thought members might like toknow a bit more about his banding activities, so Illawarra Birding put a few questions to him...

Alan with a female Golden Whistler

Sources: BTO; ABBBS/Australian Govt Dept of the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts; BirdLife Australia; About.Com; Wikipedia

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 9

IB: When did you first become interested in birds?AL: I have always been interested in wildlife and the outdoors, and becameactive in bird watching in 1960.

IB: How long have you been banding birds?AL: Have been banding for 45 years.

IB: What was the first bird that you banded?AL: The first bird that I banded was probably a White-browed Scrubwren atNorth Ryde.

IB: What is the timetable for a typical day’s banding?AL: Typical days banding starts before sunrise with the setting of the nets, thenregular rounds to check nets and to ensure that the numbers of birds beingcaught can be processed safely. The safety of the birds is paramount. Generallywork until lunch time then close and take down nets. Usually an 8 hour day.

IB: Conservation outcomes desired and /or achievedAL: Not sure about conservation outcomes, I see our work as more the under-standing of individual species, things like plumage changes, moult, breeding etc.A large amount of the data in the current Field Guides came from bandingprojects . eg Descriptions of Juvenile and Immature plumages. There is stillmuch to learn.

IB: What are your current projects?AL: Current projects include long term banding at Mount Annan Botanic Gar-

dens and Camden Airport. Also a joint project at Warradery state Forest near Grenfell, NSW.

IB: Of the birds you have caught in your nets in Australia, what is:- the longest lived? AL: This is difficult although the longevity of a Yellow Thornbill at Mount Annan of 13years 9 months is the longest for the species and not a bad age for a 7 gram bird.

IB: - The furthest travelled? AL: Again difficult as I band mostly bush birds which do not have as many dis-tance recoveries as say waders or ducks. I do have one wader recovery for a Red-necked Stint of 9659 km. Ofthe bush birds there is one Sacred Kingfisher with 1588km.One of my Black Ducks was recovered in the Alliga-tor Pond of the Australia Zoo at Beerwah, Qld 799km, but we were never sure if the bird had flown that far orhad been eaten by an alligator at Taronga Zoo then transported to Qld in the Alligator - one had been movedbefore the band was recovered.

IB: - The most unusual? AL: I think the most spectacular has been the Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher that Ihave banded on my two trips to Iron Range National Park, Cape York. Especially the last time when I had takenmy wife up with the sole purpose to show her and allow her to band this bird. Very special.

IB: - The largest ? AL: An Emu, but the net did not holdit and was of no further use!

IB: - The most co-operative? AL: Probably Fairy Martinsas one can catch large numbers at good colonies.

IB: - The most unwelcome? AL: I welcome any speciesof birds in my nets.

IB: - Non-birds caught? AL: Insectivorous bats, not niceto handle and one needs to ensure that one’s rabies vacci-nation is up to date.IB: - The worst banding injury sustained by you? AL: Iam unable to remember any major banding injury

IB: What advice would you give to an aspiring bander?AL: Any aspiring bander needs to be committed and have a good knowledge of the birds that he or she is goingto handle.

Alan extracting a Bell Miner

Eastern Yellow Robin being released

MEET THE BANDERS - ALAN LEISHMAN

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 10

Writing this article presented a great opportunity to contact an old friend (who alsohappens to be a leading bander in the UK) and get a UK perspective - over there it’scalled ‘ringing’. Chris Hughes is a former Lecturer in Ornithology at the Universityof Leicester, UK. He is a ringing trainer for the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology)and has been monitoring a site at Bainton in Cambridgeshire for over 20 years underthe BTO's CES (Constant Effort Scheme - long term site monitoring).

IB: When did you first become interested in birds?CH: Been interested in birds all my life.  First school report recently found (dated1952!) says ' So pleased Christopher takes such an interest in birds'.  60 years laterand I'm still 'interested' - to put it mildly.

IB: How long have you been banding birds?CH: First dabbled in ringing way back in 1970's in Nottingham before moving toLincoln in 1982.  Family/work commitments curtailed activities for a long time butbeen ringing again for around 20 years.

IB: What as the first bird that you banded?CH: First bird ringed was, I think, a Kingfisher.  First one at Bainton, my CES, was

a Nightingale.

IB: What is the timetable for a typical day’s banding?CH: Typical day in summer would be - up around 2am, on site (50km away) around 3am and all nets up andrunning by 0430 (The summer sun rises early in the UK).  Ring for around 6 hours, pack up and back homearound 1pm.  Quite a long day and need a snooze afterwards these days.

IB: Conservation outcomes desired and /or achievedCH: Conservation outcomes - summer ringing is Constant Effort Site (CES), key part of BTO's Integrated Pop-ulation Monitoring alongside Breeding Bird Survey and Nest Recording.  CES monitors abundance ofadults/juvs, productivity and survival rates.  Each part of IPM complements the other so we get a good pictureof how birds are faring in UK.

IB: What are your current projects?CH: Current projects - as well as above I do a winter monitoring programme at a farm near Melton Mowbray.Farm is in Environmental Stewardship Scheme and family are keen to do their bit.  I help by providing datathrough ringing to support their applications for stewardship.  Also done similar work at other local farms.

IB: Of the birds you have caught in your nets in the UK, what is:- the longest lived? CH: a Reed Warbler that is the oldest known Reed Warbler in Europe (over 12 years old)ringed at Bainton.  Very site faithful although it strayed to Rutland Water one year where it was caught beforecoming 'home' the following year.

IB: - the furthest travelled? CH: a Swallow from Attenborough Nature Reserve to Johannesburg in the1970s. Had lots of foreign recoveries across Africa, Europe and Scandinavia.

IB: - the most unusual? CH: Most unusual (or least expected) was a Hobbycaught in the bottom shelf of a mist net two years ago.  Stunning little bird.

IB: - the largest ? CH: Ringed a Mute Swan - not caught in a mist net though.

IB: - the most co-operative? CH: oddly enough, Goldcrest.  Tiny little thingsweighing around 5g, incredibly thin tarsus yet they extract from the net beauti-fully.  Wonderfully robust little things, so delicate yet tough too.

IB: - the most unwelcome CH: Least co-operative tend to be members of thetit family.  Blue Tit known locally as 'Billy Biter' for very good reason.

IB: - Non-birds caught? CH: Had a few deer through the nets.  One last yearwent straight through a brand new 60-foot net costing £85!

Chris extracting in damp scrub

Billy Biter

MEET THE BANDERS - CHRIS HUGHES

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 11

IB: - the worst banding injury sustained by you? CH: once had the claw of a Tawny Owl in one side of part ofmy finger and out the other.  Stung a bit.  Consistently the most painful are Swifts - needle sharp claws that sinkeffortlessly into your fingers.   No-one I know has yet devised a way of avoiding bloodshed.  Only answer is tosoak hands in antiseptic once home - certainly makes your eyes water.

IB: What advice would you give to an aspiring bander?CH: like all things that you see on TV that people do well and make look easy, be assured that ringing/bandingis very hard work.  Ringing the birds is just one part of the process.  Before that there's loads of work preparingand maintaining the net rides, sorting out kit etc plus lots of work afterwards with data entry.  That said, it is themost rewarding contribution you can make to our knowledge of birds.   It is a huge privilege to be allowed tocatch and handle these magnificent creatures.  Handling a bird that you know has come to the UK over the Sa-hara (I've been there 3 times - very inhospitable) is a most humbling experience.  They continue to fascinate meevery time I go ringing.

Most of you will have heard of the Nightingale, but few people know what they look like, or anything else aboutthem for that matter. Except perhaps that one sang in Berkeley Square (which it almost certainly didn’t!). Youmay have heard the story of the time Margaret Thatcher believed that she had heard a Nightingale in DowningStreet one winters night. An aide who also happened to be a birdo assured her that it could not have been aNightingale (a spring migrant). As the Prime Minister continued to insist that it was, and the aide insisted thiswas not possible, a Private Secretary finally had to intervene and save the aide’s job, with words to the effect of“I don’t think you understand; if the Prime Minister says she heard a Nightingale, then that is what she heard...”

Chris Hughes has become something of an authority on Nightin-gales and I asked him to send over some photos. He writes: “Theone of me holding the bird by my car in front of a photo of aNightingale has a story. This particular Nightingale was ringed inDenmark in 2002. When I caught it at Bainton in 2003 it caused ahell of a stir as only 35 Nightingales had ever been ringed inDenmark and this was the first they'd ever had recovered.Nightingale is a rare bird in Denmark. They have their nearrelative, Thrush Nightingale. Also, this was only the 2nd everforeign ringed Nightingale to be recovered in UK in almost 100years of ringing so, all round, it was a special bird. Incredibly, theguy who ringed the bird, Kjeld Tommy Pederson, had taken aphoto of it just after it had been ringed and he Emailed it to me.That's the photo I use on the windscreen to let folk know whatI'm up to on site. So...... after an absence of a couple of years, I

then recaught the same bird in two consecutive years and couldn't resist theset up for the photo. It would make a good caption competition I expect.Looks to me as if the bird is looking at the photo and saying 'Don't I knowyou from somewhere?' Quite a recovery and it made the Danish nationalpress. The beauty of ringing is that you never know what's going to turn up.”

“Nightingales are very scarce in UK these days but my site in Cambridgeshireis a top spot for them. Imagine if you can, an early spring morning on sitearound 3am. It's dark with just a smidgeon of ambient light. The first thingyou hear when you get out of the car is a Nightingale. As you make you wayover to the netting area you hear another, then another. Suddenly you aresurrounded by the most magical of bird song - wonderful trills, rattles, flutingsong. Up to a dozen are now blasting away as you make your way round thesite putting up the nets. Then, other birds join in at the first sign of light andbefore you know it, the dawn chorus is in full swing with Nightingale still topdog, trying to outsing his neighbour. Wonderful, spiritually uplifting stuff andif I can do ANYTHING to help protect and conserve these fantastic birds Iwill. So, if you are interested in ringing/banding, give it a go. It's not foreveryone but it might just be for you . Chris Hughes, Pommie ringer.”

THE NIGHTINGALES OF BAINTON

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 12

TRIP REPORTS Weekend Field Trips: March - May 2012 Andrew Wood

While the members of Illawarra Birders bring together a group of individual bird enthusiasts, and meetingsare always lively events, the core activity of the club is the field trip where we can get together and observebirds. These trips are currently taking several forms: shorebirding, atlassing, and general bird watching bothmid-week and weekends.Being a working commuter from the Illawarra to Sydney, mid-week trips are off the agenda for me. Overthe past few months I have been able to take advantage of most of our weekend outings, however. Sincethe previous newsletter listed sightings to the end of February this year, I’ve put together a short compendi-um of any events I’ve been on since then. I aim to write more up to date reports as they occur in future.

March 4: ShorebirdingSince our club started a regular activity has been a wader survey on the first Sunday of each month as partof the Birds Australia Shorebirds 2020 conservation program – see http://www.shorebirds.org.au/. Waders

are identified and counted to report to BirdLife Aus-tralia, and there are always plenty of non-wader spe-cies to see as well. Starting at Windang, we then makeour way to the southern side of the Lake Illawarraocean opening at Warilla, then to various pointsaround the lake: Whyjuck Bay, Bevan’s Island andPurry Burry Point at Primbee if time and enthusiasmpermits. On the morning of March 4 we identifiedthe birds listed at:

http://www.eremaea.com/Lists.aspx?List=131910 (Windang/Lake Illawarra Inlet)http://www.eremaea.com/Lists.aspx?List=131912 (Whyjuck Bay)

Whyjuck Bay is generally where we see migratory waders, especially Bar-tailed Godwits. On this occasionthe sandbar just off shore was unusually filled instead with all types of cormorant (pictured above).

March 11: Royal National ParkWe visited two sites in the park, walking some of Lady Carrington Drive then driving on to the CurraMoors Track. Along with the usual bush birds, we were witness to an amazing display of several SuperbLyrebirds on Lady Carrington, as well a sighting of a Rose Robin.On reaching the Coast Track overlooking the ocean via Curra Moors, we saw an Australasian Gannet flyingover the water and a group of albatross sitting way off shore. Identification of the actual species was notpossible. While some headed back the way we came, Alastair, Nerida and myself walked further north alongthe Coast Track then picked up a track back to Curra Moors. Along the way we were lucky enough to see aBeautiful Firetail and a Rockwarbler.Bird List: http://www.eremaea.com/Lists.aspx?List=131999

April 1: ShorebirdingMore members turnedup on this occasionthan on the Marchevent. Making theusual rounds, withmany of the usual sus-

pects – but still no godwits – the most exciting sightings were not waders but a Brown Goshawk flying overBevan’s Island and an Osprey sitting in a tree eating a fish for lunch. Finishing the trip at Purry Burry Point,there was an unusually large number of Eurasian Coot on the lake just off shore.

April 15: Woodward TrackStarting from Sublime Point Lookout, this 5km track heads north skirting the escarpment edge and occa-sionally coming close to the highway, with some open areas as well as thick woodland and finishing off witha view over the ocean. We strolled along taking about three hours with an abundance of birds. Highlightswere a rare view rather than just the call of an Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler and Rose Robin. With

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Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 13

cars parked at either end, only three of us; myself with Alistair and Wal, made the return trip. We were re-warded with good sightings of White-eared and White-naped Honeyeater.Bird list: http://www.eremaea.com/Lists.aspx?List=131750

May 6: ShorebirdingUnexpectedly, the Bar-tailed Godwits were back. Having assumed that they all must have migrat-ed to the far northern hemisphere, Chris Brandis who was present told me the young godwitscan’t sustain the flight north and so winter in the south, then migrate north in their second year.There were a large flock of these young birds not in their usual spot at Whyjuck Bay but on theshore of the Warilla side of the bridge. Around at Bevan’s Island there was once again an Ospreypresent.

May 12: Bass PointIt was a pleasant morning strolling on the tracks north of the main car park then back and southto the Bushrangers Bay area where the highlight of the day was a very close sighting of an Aus-tralasian Gannet (pictured) flying close to shore. Alistair was lucky enough to see a Grey Gos-hawk on the drive out.Bird list: http://www.eremaea.com/Lists.aspx?List=130994

May 20: Atlassing at Bellambi PointAfter the sunshine of the previous days and weather reports for it to continue, we arrived at BottReserve car park to unexpected cold and drizzle. The rain was hardly enough to wet a Pardalote,however, and that was exactly what we saw soon after we started our walk. A beautiful SpottedPardalote gave us a close view of itself on the forest edge. Superb Fairy Wrens were also sightedand Little Wattlebirds and New Holland Honeyeaters were in abundance.Making our way through the bush we reached Bellambi Lagoon where Chestnut Teal, Pelicans, Coots, aGrebe, a Great Egret, Little Pied Cormorant, Purple Swamphen and other water birds were seen.Back into the bush a Peregrine Falcon flew overhead and from a high point looking back to the ocean therewas a definite sighting of an Albatross, possibly Black-browed but too far away to tell.Back near the start the startled cry of lorikeets flying was due to a bird of prey that was not identified. Possi-bly this same bird was photographed by Roger Giller a little later when we got a much better view. Thosewho know better than me thought it was a Sparrowhawk. Possibly Roger with the help of Photoshop willgive us a definite answer.

Barren Grounds 7th April Nerida HudspithJill and I decided on a short walk to Cooks Nose on Easter Saturday. Jill was hoping to photograph some verysmall orchids that flower in April and have them indentified. The weather was quite different to what we had lefton the coast, overcast with the possibility of a shower. It looked as though the southerly was coming in earlierthan expected. This proved to be ideal for birding, especially at Bar-ren Grounds which is often hard work even in the best conditions.Yellow-faced Honeyeaters were migrating in their hundreds andwere everywhere. The wind coming from the south was helpingthem on their way. It was amazing to walk down wooded trackshaving them coming from both sides, so active. Further along aGrey Shrike Thrush landed ahead of us on the track, it was soonfollowed by an Eastern Bristlebird (pictured)…… my first sightingof one on the ground! Later we came across a large pool of water, sowe decided to sit and see what came in to drink and bathe.Silvereyes with noticeably chestnut flanks came into bathe alongwith Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, White-naped Honeyeaters, Pilotbirds, Eastern Spinebills, Olive-backed Orioles,and Red Wattlebirds to name just a few.

Cooks Nose had the Yellow-faced Honeyeaters sweeping up the cliff face with the wind. On our way backed Jilland I were again excited by an Eastern Bristlebird walking out in the open on the track, virtually at our feet.Two sightings in one day was such a privilege! Our short walk at Barren Grounds proved to be the best birdingI’ve enjoyed there….. No Ground Parrots needed this time!

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 14

Activities for June and July

Sunday 3 June, Wader Survey8.30am Leader: Martin Cocker. Mobile 0418 429 132Meet under the pines by Windang Surf Club. A count that is part of the national “Shorebirds 2020” programmethat will include: Windang Estuary, Why Juck Bay, Purry Burry Point. Bring morning tea. Tuesday 5 June, Evening Meeting – Coniston Community Centre7.30pm – Members’ Film Night. A feature length birding movie will be shown on conclusion of the meeting.Please bring a plate to share. Thursday 7 June, Lunch Time Walk in Botanic Gardens12.30-1.30pm Leader: Martin Potter Mobile No 0408 226 213Lunchtime bird walk. Meet at the Discovery Centre. We have permission to use the car park there on MadolineStreet (off Irvine Street) as long as we report to staff at the Discovery Centre on arrival. Sunday 10 June, Box Vale Track, Mittagong8.30am Leader: Martin Cocker. Mobile 0418 429 132Approaching from Mittagong, head North West through Mittagong to the small town of Welby. Cross overthe F5 and then turn right on to a small side street which is the entrance to the Boxvale walk car park. Entranceis on the left along a short unsealed drive. Bring food and drink and warm clothing. Sunday 17 June, Atlassing at Puckeys Estate8.30am Leader: Martin Cocker. Mobile 0418 429 132Meet in the car park by the Surf Life Club at the end of Elliots Road, Fairy Meadow. Wednesday 27 June, Killalea8.30am Half day walk. Leader: Martin Potter Mobile No 0408 226 213Meet at 8.30am in the car park on the left beyond the boom gates. Bring morning tea. Sunday 1 July, Wader Survey8.30am Leader: Martin Cocker. Mobile 0418 429 132Meet under the pines by Windang Surf Club. A count that is part of the national “Shorebirds 2020” programmethat will include: Windang Estuary, Why Juck Bay, Purry Burry Point. Bring morning tea. Tuesday 3 July, Evening Meeting – Coniston Community Centre7.30pm – ‘Bird Identification and Fieldcraft’ by Martin CockerWhat makes a skilled birdwatcher? How to improve your birding skills. Covers the basics of identification,plumage, moult, song, behaviour, field marks, note taking, field guides, counting, observation and field skills.Please bring a plate to share. Thursday 5 July, Lunch Time Walk in Botanic Gardens12.30-1.30pm Leader: Martin Potter – 0408 226 213Lunchtime bird walk. Meet at the Discovery Centre. We have permission to use the car park there on MadolineStreet (off Irvine Street) as long as we report to staff at the Discovery Centre on arrival. Friday 6 July, Spotlighting at Mount Keira Scout Camp7.30pm Leader: Terrill Nordstrom Mobile 0420 848 713Meet at Mount Keira Scout Camp at 7.30pm. Parking inside the camp. Bring warm clothing/waterproofs. Sunday 8 July, Atlassing at Croome8.30am Leader: Martin Cocker. Mobile 0418 429 132.An atlas survey of this IB adopted site, about 2 hrs duration. Meet at the oval car park at the end of the TennisCourt Entrance on Croome Road, Albion Park Rail. Sunday 15 July, Atlassing at Bellambi Point8.30am Leader: Martin Cocker. Mobile 0418 429 132An atlas survey of this IB adopted site, about 2 hrs duration. Meet in the car park at the end of Bott Drive,off Rothery Street, Bellambi.Wednesday March Sunday 22 July, Pelagic8.30am Leader: Martin Cocker. Mobile 0418 429 132Provisional date – to be confirmed. Wednesday 25 July, Robertson’s LookoutDetails to follow.

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 15

SPECIES No. DATE LOCATION HABITAT OBSERVERCalifornia Quail 3 males 02-May-12 Towradgi Beach Reserve Parkland Graham BarwellMusk Duck 1 18-May-12 Box Vale Track, Mittagong Forest Dave RowerAustralian Shelduck 3 16-May-12 Nowra Road Moss Vale Farm Dam Terrill NordstromHoary-headed Grebe 5 10-May-12 Lake Illawarra Estuarine Terrill NordstromBar-shouldered Dove 2 16-May-12 Jamberoo Farmland Terrill NordstromBar-shouldered Dove 2 16-May-12 Jamberoo Rural Terrill NordstromBlack-bellied Storm-Petrel 1+ 28-Apr-12 Pacific Ocean off Wollongong Pelagic Graham BarwellCattle Egret 7 17-May-12 W'Gong Botanic Gardens Parkland Martin PotterStriated Heron 1 29-Apr-12 Duncan Park, Balgownie Creekside Joan Bill ZealeyStriated Heron 1 12-May-12 Bass Point Forest Illawarra BirdersStriated Heron 1 01-Apr-12 Why Juck Bay, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Illawarra BirdersStriated Heron Present 25-May-12 Tallawarra Ash Ponds Ash Pond Dave RowerStriated Heron 1 27-May-12 Why Juck Bay, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Martin CockerLittle Egret 2 01-Apr-12 Why Juck Bay, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Illawarra BirdersEastern Reef Egret 1 10-May-12 Windang Island Lake Illawarra Coastal Terrill NordstromRoyal Spoonbill 4 06-May-12 Bevans Island, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Illawarra BirdersRoyal Spoonbill 5 01-Apr-12 Bevans Island, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Illawarra BirdersRoyal Spoonbill 4 06-May-12 Bevans Island, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Illawarra BirdersRoyal Spoonbill 28 27-May-12 Windang Estuary North Estuarine Martin CockerEastern Osprey 1 01-Apr-12 Bevans Island, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Illawarra Birders

Eastern Osprey 1 onNest 06-May-12 Bomaderry Shoalhaven River Riparian Martin & Penny Potter

Eastern Osprey 2 06-May-12 Bevans Island, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Illawarra BirdersEastern Osprey 1 06-May-12 Windang Estuary North Estuarine Illawarra BirdersEastern Osprey 1 06-May-12 Manildra Plant, Bomaderry Rural Martin & Penny PotterWhite-bellied Sea-eagle 1 10-May-12 Hill 60 Port Kembla Overhead Terrill NordstromWhite-bellied Sea-eagle 1 06-May-12 Windang Estuary North Estuarine Illawarra BirdersWhite-bellied Sea-eagle 2 15-May-12 Hill 60 Port Kembla Coastal Terrill NordstromWhite-bellied Sea-Eagle 1 25-May-12 Barrack Point Coastal Dave RowerCollared Sparrowhawk 1 10-May-12 Why Juck Bay, Lake Illawarra Overhead Terrill NordstromGrey Goshawk 1 12-May-12 Bass Point Forest Illawarra BirdersNankeen Kestrel 1 12-May-12 Bass Point Forest Illawarra BirdersAustralian Hobby 1 06-Apr-12 Cecil Hoskins Reserve Rural Graham BarwellPeregrine Falcon Present 20-May-12 Bellambi Point Woodland Illawarra Birders

Buff-banded Rail 2 22-May-12 Botanic Gardens Wollongong Parkland Bess Moylan,Liana Markovich.

Pied Oystercatcher 12 16-May-12 Why Juck Bay, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Terrill NordstromPied Oystercatcher 6 06-May-12 Windang Estuary Estuarine Illawarra BirdersPied Oystercatcher 15 06-May-12 Bevans Island, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Illawarra BirdersPied Oystercatcher 12 06-May-12 Windang Estuary North Estuarine Illawarra BirdersPied Oystercatcher 9 01-Apr-12 Bevans Island, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Illawarra BirdersPied Oystercatcher 6 06-May-12 Windang Estuary North Estuarine Illawarra BirdersPied Oystercatcher 15 06-May-12 Bevans Island, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Illawarra BirdersPied Oystercatcher 12 27-May-12 Windang Estuary North Estuarine Martin CockerSooty Oystercatcher 2 10-May-12 Windang Island Coastal Terrill NordstromSooty Oystercatcher 2 01-Apr-12 Windang Estuary Estuarine Illawarra BirdersSooty Oystercatcher 2 06-May-12 Windang Estuary North Estuarine Illawarra BirdersSooty Oystercatcher 3 21-Apr-12 Bellambi Rock Pool Coastal Martin PotterDouble-banded Plover 1 06-May-12 Shoalhaven Heads Estuarine Martin & Penny PotterDouble-banded Plover 25 04-Mar-12 Windang Estuary North Estuarine Illawarra BirdersDouble-banded Plover 21 04-Mar-12 Windang Estuary South Estuarine Illawarra BirdersDouble-banded Plover 46 01-Apr-12 Windang Estuary South Estuarine Illawarra BirdersDouble-banded Plover 36 06-May-12 Windang Estuary South Estuarine Illawarra BirdersDouble-banded Plover 23 22-Apr-12 Shoalhaven Heads Estuarine Martin PotterDouble-banded Plover 31 27-May-12 Windang Estuary South Estuarine Martin Cocker

SIGHTINGS

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Lesser Sand Plover 2 04-Mar-12 Windang Estuary South Estuarine Illawarra BirdersLesser Sand Plover 2 01-Apr-12 Windang Estuary South Estuarine Illawarra BirdersRed-capped Plover 29 06-May-12 Shoalhaven Heads Estuarine Martin & Penny PotterRed-capped Plover 16 06-May-12 Windang Estuary North Estuarine Illawarra BirdersRed-capped Plover 30 22-Apr-12 Shoalhaven Heads Estuarine Martin PotterRed-capped Plover 15 27-May-12 Windang Estuary North Estuarine Martin CockerEastern Curlew 3 16-May-12 Why Juck Bay, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Terrill NordstromEastern Curlew 2 01-Apr-12 Bevans Island, Lake Illawarra Estuarine Illawarra BirdersEastern Curlew 1 22-Apr-12 Shoalhaven Heads Estuarine Martin PotterEastern Curlew 3 27-May-12 Windang Estuary North Estuarine Martin CockerGrey-tailed Tattler 1 10-May-12 Windang Island Coastal Terrill NordstromRuddy Turnstone 3 21-Apr-12 Bellambi Beach - foraging in sand Beach Martin PotterRed-necked Stint 1 06-May-12 Windang Estuary North Estuarine Illawarra BirdersRed-necked Stint 1 22-Apr-12 Shoalhaven Heads Estuarine Martin PotterCommon Tern 1 28-Apr-12 Pacific Ocean off Wollongong Pelagic Graham BarwellKelp Gull 2 01-Apr-12 Windang Estuary South Estuarine Illawarra BirdersGlossy Black-Cockatoo 1 18-May-12 Box Vale Track, Mittagong Forest Dave RowerRed-rumped Parrot 41+ 06-Apr-12 Moss Vale Saleyards Rural Graham BarwellBrush Cuckoo 1 18-May-12 Box Vale Track, Mittagong Forest Dave RowerPowerful Owl 1 Heard 22-Apr-12 Blackbutt Suburban Chris BrandisEastern Barn Owl 1 30-Apr-12 Avondale Rural Christine StorrieSuperb Lyrebird 1 18-May-12 Box Vale Track, Mittagong Forest Dave RowerSuperb Lyrebird 1 19-May-12 Mt. Kembla Ring Track Forest Kate WorthWhite-throated Treecreeper Present 11-Mar-12 Royal National Park Forest Illawarra BirdersRed-browed Treecreeper 1 18-May-12 Box Vale Track, Mittagong Forest Dave RowerSouthern Emu-wren 4 06-Apr-12 Woodward Walk, Sublime Pt Forest Nerida HudspithSouthern Emu-wren 1 F 09-Apr-12 Maddens Plains Rural Graham BarwellEastern Bristlebird 2 07-Apr-12 Barren Grounds, Cooks Nose Heath Nerida HudspithEastern Bristlebird 3 16-May-12 Budderoo Fire Trail Heath Terrill NordstromPilotbird 1 07-Apr-12 Barren Grounds, Cooks Nose Heath Nerida HudspithRockwarbler 1 15-Apr-12 Burragorang Lookout Rural Graham BarwellLarge-billed Scrubwren Present 11-Mar-12 Royal National Park Forest Illawarra BirdersWhite-eared Honeyeater 10 16-May-12 Budderoo Fire Trail Heath Terrill NordstromWhite-naped Honeyeater 4 07-Apr-12 Barren Grounds, Cooks Nose Heath Nerida HudspithWhite-naped Honeyeater 1 18-May-12 Box Vale Track, Mittagong Forest Dave RowerWhite-naped Honeyeater 50+ 16-May-12 Budderoo Fire Trail Overhead Terrill NordstromBell Miner calls 15-Apr-12 Burragorang Lookout Rural Graham BarwellTawny-crowned Honeyeater c. 10 09-Apr-12 Maddens Plains Rural Graham BarwellWhite-cheeked Honeyeater c. 5 09-Apr-12 Maddens Plains Rural Graham BarwellSpotted quail-thrush 1 male 15-Apr-12 Burragorang Lookout Rural Graham BarwellSpotted quail-thrush 1 18-May-12 Box Vale Track, Mittagong Forest Dave RowerVaried Sittella Present 11-Mar-12 Royal National Park Forest Illawarra BirdersAustralasian Figbird 12 01-May-12 Market Square Wollongong Parkland Martin PotterRufous Fantail Present 11-Mar-12 Royal National Park Forest Illawarra BirdersRose Robin Present 11-Mar-12 Royal National Park Forest Illawarra BirdersRose Robin 1 28-Apr-12 Croom Reserve Woodland IB Bird ID WorkshopTree Martin 1 09-Apr-12 Maddens Plains Rural Graham BarwellRed-whiskered Bulbul 1 12-May-12 Bass Point Forest Illawarra BirdersRed-whiskered Bulbul Present 20-May-12 Bellambi Point Woodland Illawarra BirdersBassian Thrush 2 19-May-12 Mt. Kembla Ring Track Forest Kate WorthMistletoebird 1 18-May-12 Box Vale Track, Mittagong Forest Dave RowerBeautiful Firetail 1 09-Apr-12 Maddens Plains Rural Graham BarwellBeautiful Firetail 2 16-May-12 Budderoo Fire Trail Heath Terrill Nordstrom

A fantastic period for sightings! The above is just a sample. It is very pleasingto receive so many records particularly of our more common species, thesewill be invaluable for our Annual Report.Martin Cocker, Records Officer

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 17

The first BIGnet meeting of 2012 was ‘BIGger’ than usual as it included a joint seminar withBirdlife Southern NSW on “Woodland Birds and their Habitats”. Illawarra Birders wererepresented by Martin & Penny Potter. Other members attending on the first day wereChris Brandis and David Winterbottom. As always, this is a great networking opportunityand a chance to find out what is happening in the wider birding world.A number of presentations were given on various woodland bird projects, including: Treeline habitats and bird conservation in an agricultural landscape; Noisy miner habitatpreferences and influence on woodland bird species richness; Woodland bird connectivity.

Report on BIGnet Meeting, 14-15 April 2012, Cowra Penny Potter

BIGnet? = BirdInterest GroupNetwork - Anassociation ofbirding organi-sations in NSWand the ACT

Conservation Officers WorkshopSamantha Vine is on maternity leave and much of the session was spent ‘catching up’ with what had happened atthe last meeting as there were no minutes, and introductions. Jenny Lau chaired the session and noted thatBirdLife holds regular teleconferences with the conservation officers in its local branches. It was suggested thata proforma letter of protest could be put up on the BirdLife website. Jenny reported that their experienceconfirms that sending an actual letter of protest (rather than, say, an email) has more of an impact and is morelikely to sway opinion where it matters.

The development of a Conservation Officers’ Toolkit to help clubs with submissions on conservation issues hadbeen proposed at a previous meeting and would be a priority for the next BIGnet meeting, with a suggestedframework to be circulated beforehand. Clubs could also contact the Environment Defenders Office for supportand legal advice. There was some discussion of offsets and whether a register of offsets was kept in NSW. It wasnoted that the Commonwealth is reforming (weakening) the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conserva-tion Act (EPBC) and that the proposed changes won’t be known until it is presented to parliament.

Jenny Lau led a discussion on howcouncils could no longer afford tomaintain Travelling Stock Routesand were selling them off to privatelandowners. It was unknownwhether any restrictions were beingput on the new landowners. She willput a link up on the website.

Affiliation with BirdLife AustraliaJudy Harrington presented a discussion document called ‘AffiliatedOrganisations and Birdlife Australia’ written by BirdLife Australia CEOGraeme Hamilton. This was of interest to Illawarra Birders as wehad expressed at an early stage our wish to affiliate. In the past clubsthat affiliated with BOCA were able to take advantage of cheappublic liability insurance and it was stated that under the new arrange-ment this could continue if three members of the Committee weremembers of Birdlife Australia and a fee of $10 per annum per headwas charged for each club member who was not a member ofBirdlife. Many clubs (ours included) had already taken out insurancein the meantime, and it was generally agreed by the meeting that thiswould be the cheaper option. Delegates were disappointed thatGraeme Hamilton wasn’t present to discuss what affiliation wouldmean given that this was the first time anyone had seen the discus-sion paper and he was proposing to take his policy to the Board inMay regardless. It was felt that BirdLife should take a more inclusiveapproach to this and other matters if it was truly to represent thebirding community. It was agreed that the document should be fullydiscussed at the next meeting and that Graeme Hamilton would beinvited to attend the discussion.

Puzzle CornerCan you identify the followingbirds? All but one of them havebeen found in the Illawarra...

1. Albert’s Ipod 2. Cod Snipe-egret 3. Deanne’s Pipit 4. Few Rarer Bunyips 5. Gilt Zionist Cacti 6. Help Dodo over 7. Hormone 8. Rhinestone Leeway 9. Tragic Bender 10. Yo, steal her nectar

The first member to email the cor-rect answers to the Editor ANDwho is present at the meeting on 5thJune will receive a glittering prize.

Illawarra Birding June 2012 - 18

Membership: Single $30, Couple/family $35, Student$15. Annual subscriptions due 1 July 2012.Pro-rata rates apply for new members.

Don’t forget to check out our website at www.illawarrabirders.org

ILLAWARRA BIRDERS COMMITTEEMartin CockerNerida HudspithTerrill NordstromLorraine PincusPenny PotterMartin PotterDave Rower

President, Membership/Publicity & Records Officer, martincocker@bigpond.comCommittee member, nerida.h@optusnet.com.auVice President and Conservation Officer, terrillnordstrom1@gmail.comTreasurer, lorrainepincus@gmail.comSecretary, penny@southernphone.com.auEditor, Illawarra Birding, pott@southernphone.com.auWebmaster, daverower@gmail.com

Photos by M Potter unless otherwise stated

I decided to spend a morning birding at Barren Grounds. Unfortunately on arrival I discovered that the roadinto the park was closed because of maintenance work. Disappointed, I drove to the Budderoo Fire Trail in-stead. This is a good birding area, but I prefer walking along a bush track rather than a gravel road. Parking mycar at the gates I set off and after only a few steps the first of many Yellow-faced Honeyeater flocks flew overthe roadway. Groups of ten to twenty birds were moving between the tree tops heading in a northerly directionand large numbers of New-Holland Honeyeaters and Little Wattlebirds were feeding and chasing each other inthe flowering Banksias.White-naped Honeyeaters were feeding in the treetops; they flew between the trees as I walked along the road-way. I heard an Eastern Bristlebird in the scrub beside the road, which then jumped out of cover and started tofeed only a few metres from where I was standing, taking no notice that I was there. A Beautiful Firetail wasfeeding in an open area twenty metres away, when a second Bristlebird started calling on the other side of theroadway. Continuing along the road I saw White-eared Honeyeaters in the trees to my left, and a Grey Shrike-thrush flying ahead of me. The morning had a real chill to it but as I walked, the sun on my back warmed me asonly the autumn sun can.Suddenly, hundreds of birds, mostly honeyeaters, were flying all around me from all directions. Two Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos were feeding in a banksia bush; they called out as they flew into a larger tree. A White-throated Treecreeper was calling somewhere in the forest as I watched a family of Superb Fairy-wrens hoppingalong the road in front of me. After many years of birding in many different places around Australia, this morn-ing was one of the most memorable. I am not sure why; it may have been because the place was full of birds, orwas it just that I was in a beautiful bushland setting with the warm sun on my back on a cool autumn morning?

New National Park at Berowra: “the powerful boobook owl ishooting with delight” http://bit.ly/K7NKIlWoodland birds returning to farms: http://bit.ly/JRTtfEDucks thriving at Centennial Park: http://bit.ly/JKsTeVUnlocking the mystery of bird navigation – back to square one!http://bit.ly/N4ipUNCommuting Regent Parrots get a helping hand:http://bit.ly/KBImueIndustrialisation of China causing problems for migratory birds:http://bit.ly/N4j6O4Stunning footage of Ospreys hunting: http://bit.ly/KZfn67The more colours you have the quicker you evolve - if you're abird: http://bit.ly/LB7Gi7Moves to protect albatrosses: http://bit.ly/JRTXCq

MEDIA WATCH

A WALK WITH THE BIRDS 16 May 2012 Terrill Nordstrom