Brisbane bird-watching

With borders reopening it was time for a Christmas trip to Brisbane to see family and friends. There was’t any bird-watching planned but it proved impossible to ignore the locals in Brisbane’s suburban west - at Brisbane’s Mount Coot-tha Botanical Gardens and Fig Tree Pocket. Fortunately the binoculars and camera had been packed and the birds were co-operating!

A lot of chatter down a side fence revealed these beautiful Rosellas, the Blue-cheeked race of the Pale-headed Rosella species.

There were lots of Lorikeets feeding on this ornamental palm in the back garden. The Rainbow Lorikeets (one seen in this photo) seem to be in equal numbers to the Scaly-breasted Lorikeets (next photo) and take turns feeding in the palms.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet feeding in an ornamental palm. It was sending a continual shower of the fruit onto the path below.

The Blue-faced Honeyeater was the only Honeyeater seen other than the ever present Noisy Miners.

A trip to Fig Tree Pocket on the Brisbane riverbank was rewarded with views of this male Red-backed Fairy-wren. The photo of the male a pleasing addition after only finding females on a previous excursion.

New Holland Honeyeater

The New Holland Honeyeater makes a handsome sight feeding in this flowering gum at Sydney’s Randwick Environment Park.

Bush birds come to town

After the fires two years ago there have been more bush birds in the coastal townships on NSW’s South Coast. In Bendalong last week I recorded my first Grey Shrike-thrush within the township. Other visitors last week were a Brown Cuckoo-Dove, a Dollarbird, a pair of Noisy Friarbirds, and an Olive-backed Oriole. All of these are uncommon visitors to town gardens. There have been a lot more Grey Fantails, Whistlers and Scrubwrens in the town over the past year.

This Grey Shrike-thrush was a visitor to this Pittosporum tree most mornings last week.

The Dollarbird is an infrequent visitor in the town. Here it perches in a tree that was scorched during the Currowan Bushfire two years ago.

The Pittosporum is host to a host of bird species. An Olive-backed Oriole pays a visit.

Bushfire devastation made worse

The need to protect trees remaining after the Currowan bushfire seems obvious. However for some the bushfire has given reason to cut down more trees.

On returning after the NSW lockdown to two survey sites in Conjola National Park I was dismayed at the first to find a large shelterbelt had gone and that the roadside treeline had been cut back a further ten to twenty metres from the road. This occurred some time between June 2021 and October 2021, during the lockdown period - over a year and a half after the fires!

The Bendalong Mountain Road Birdata survey site extends from this point close to the Bendalong Road corner to the far corner 200 metres down the road. On the left hand side of the road a shelterbelt of mature eucalypt trees has been totally removed and replaced by the barbed-wire fence. On the right hand side of the road the treeline has been cut back ten to twenty metres from the power lines.

At the second site on nearby Nerringillah Road the trees had again been cleared a further ten to twenty metres from the road. In addition there has been extensive clearance of trees along the Bendalong road, for approximately two kilometres the bush has been cleared 10 to 20 metres back from the road.

On enquiry it seems that this clearance is legal. There are a number of regulations that might have allowed removal of these trees. Electricity companies have powerful “rights” to clear land where there are above-ground powerlines. Under the Electricity Supply Act 1995 and even the the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, they have an absolute power to remove trees.

Then in August this year the NSW government introduced new rules that allow landowners to clear rural land within 25 metres of their boundary with very few restrictions; the Rural Boundary Clearing Code under the Rural Fires Act 1997. If the land has not been previously protected there is little requirement to consider environmental impact and no need to offset the loss of vegetation.  

The Bendalong Mountain survey site is a standard Birdata two hectare site for conducting 20 minute surveys. This older map of the site was prepared on Google Maps. It shows the shelter belt at the road side and the bush on the left hand side, part of Conjola National Park.

The reason for this clearing is likely to be given as “ bush fire risk management” but it seems highly unlikely that these clearances would have protected anything or in any way changed the course of the devastating Currowan fire last year.

I started monitoring these survey sites after the fires, to get an idea of bird numbers in the central area of Conjola National Park. At that time the park was still closed so road-side sites were the only way you could do this.

There are not a lot of birds in this area, at least this has been the case during the surveys I have done since the fires. The most recent survey, conducted after tree removal, counted eight and seven total birds on the sites respectively in a 20 minute count. It will be difficult to see if the removal of trees has any effect on bird numbers in this small area. Nevertheless clearances like this are part of the insidious decline in habitat, responsible for the decline of bird species generally.

Purple Swamphen feeding chick

Purple Swamphens are a common water bird across most of Australia. They feed on the shoots of water plants supplemented by frogs and snails.

Purple Swamphen feeding its chick.

The adult keeps the food in its claw, taking a mouthful sized portion in its beak.

The chick sized portion is presented to the chick.

And gratefully received!

Walk around Centennial Park

Photos from a visit to Sydney’s Centennial Park last Thursday.

Male Superb Fairy-wren in the reeds at the Willow Pond

Female Superb Fairy-wren at the Willow Pond

Pacific Black Ducklings at Musgrave Pond

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo near the new Kensington Bridge that connects the park to the light rail station.

Dragonfly at the Willow Pond

Bird recovery after the Currowan fire

The Currowan fire of New Year’s Day 2019/2020 reached the shores of Lake Conjola and pressed close against the villages of Cunjurong, Manyana and Bendalong. Only small fragments of bush were untouched. In the burnt out areas the good rains of the past two years have seen good recovery of the undergrowth. In other areas totally dead trees intersperse with those that are gradually recovering their crown foliage.

This area near Lake Conjola entrance was badly burnt in the Currawon fire. Despite good rain and plenty of water around recovery of the bird population has been slow.

A Chestnut Teal duck takes advantage of this pond’s food offerings; a pond that was often dry in previous years.

A young Grey Fantail feeds on insects attracted to the pond.

Rainstorm

The eastern states of Australia have seen a succession of thunderstorms, rain and even snow the past week. These pictures capture some of a group of birds utilising a particularly heavy thunder and rainstorm to take a bath. After fluttering and sliding in the rain across the topmost leaves of a large Pittosporum tree they settled down to finish their clean up.

A Rainbow Lorikeet completing it’s toilet.

A young Little Wattlebird (right) gets some tutoring on good hygiene from a parent (on the left).

In addition to this Satin Bowerbird the bathers included Lewin’s Honeyeaters and a Common Koel.

Tawny Frogmouths

The Tawny Frogmouth is an enigmatic bird of the night, difficult to find in daytime, typically well camouflaged amongst the branches of a tree, imitating a broken tree branch or loose piece of bark. There are three species of Frogmouth in Australia, the Tawny Frogmouth (50 cm) seen Australia wide, the huge Papuan Frogmouth (60 cm) seen in Cape York and the Marbled Frogmouth (46 cm) seen in the very north and the south east corner of Queensland.

This female Tawny Frogmouth is roosting close to the nest where her partner sits with two young chicks, not far from Sydney’s busy Oxford street in Centennial Park.

Frogmouths eat insects, spiders and frogs and even small birds and mammals. They tend to nest in the same area over a number of years. In Sydney’s Centennial Park there are three pairs nesting at the moment.

The male bird supervises the two restless chicks. Tawny Frogmouth nests are flimsy and look quite precarious as the chicks get larger. This pair have chosen a medium sized Malaleuca tree for their nest.

Another family of Tawny Frogmouths in Sydney’s Centennial Park. The chicks are older and have left their nest.

This Tawny Frogmouth nest is anchored by a single pine cone, wedged between two branches of a pine tree.

More Sydney Olympic Park Photos

The 300 hectares of bushland and waterways of Sydney Olympic Park demonstrate how nature can be nurtured even in the middle of a sprawling city. In addition to the waterbirds there are many birds of the bush and grassland, for a grand total of over 200 bird species in the park.

This juvenile male Superb Fairy-wren sports an unusual and beautiful livery, soon to change to the spectacular blue coat of the adult male Fairy-wren.

Red-rumped Parrots are often associated with the open farmlands of the west, but are here quite at home in the fields of Sydney Olympic Park. The dozen or so nest boxes provided for them at the Archery Centre are well used. Last week I counted eight birds in just a few minutes.

This Olive-backed Oriole was singing for quite a while before being spotted and photographed in the mangroves on the shores of Homebush Bay.

At the Waterbird Refuge this young Common Koel was calling for its foster parent, a Red Wattlebird waiting nearby. Unfortunate Red Wattlebirds are often selected by Koels to host their offspring.

An Australian Raven feeding down on the salt marsh of the Badu Mangroves, on the eastern side of Sydney Olympic Park. There appeared more than adequate food available for the group of five feeding.

The Waterbird Refuge at Sydney Olympic Park

Located on the shore of Homebush Bay, the Waterbird Refuge at Sydney’s Olympic Park is home to hundreds of waterbirds. One sees Chestnut Teal ducks, Grey Teal ducks, Pacific Black Ducks, Black-winged Stilts and Red-necked Avocet in large numbers, along with Black Swans, Pelicans, Royal Spoonbills, Black-fronted Dotterel and various Egrets. Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and Bar-tailed Godwits are seasonal visitors.

There were over 100 Red-necked Avocet on the Wildlife Refuge last week. But numbers of ducks of all species were lower than normal.

Striated Heron are often seen in the Homebush Bay mangroves, just outside of the Waterbird Refuge.

There were a number of Black-winged Stilts nesting and chicks feeding at the water’s edge.

This Black-winged Stilt was keeping close to its chick seen in the photo above.

There were about twenty Chestnut Teal in the Wildlife Refuge but this pair was seen from the bridge across Haslams creek.

More Centennial Park Photos

Another pleasant morning taking photos in the park. Always something new to see and subjects that are not easily disturbed by people, dogs or photographers.

Grey Teal Ducks seem attracted to the Musgrave Pond, a relatively small pond at the Queen’s Park end of Centennial Park. There are often Chestnut Teals here as well.

A group of Crested Pigeons was congregating close to the Ian Potter Children’s Wild Play Garden, currently closed down because of Covid.

A Dusky Moorhen, also on the Musgrave Pond in Centennial Park.

New arrivals at Centennial Park

During this long lockdown in Sydney’s eastern suburbs we are fortunate to have Centennial Park nearby. Despite record numbers of people taking their daily exercise, the birds carry on as normal. As spring arrives so do Olive-backed Orioles, Figbirds, Channel Billed Cuckoos and Common Koels which have all been sighted in the park. A number of the regular inhabitants are raising families.

At the Willow Pond Black Swans have successfully raised a family of five, three of whom are seen here.

This photo illustrates the attentive parenting that has ensured the survival of all five chicks against predation by foxes, cats and ravens

In the Lachlan Swamp Malaleuca Forest the resident Tawny Frogmouths are nesting again. A single chick has been sighted to date. The female pictured here rests close to where the male is sitting on the nest.

A Powerful Owl family has successfully raised two chicks, the four family members still roosting close to the nest during the day.

Sydney lockdown birds

Birding watching at this time consists of glimpses while “exercising” in Centennial Park, Sydney and fleeting views from the window - now in the sixth week of lockdown here in Sydney. On the positive side it is time to learn new photo processing skills. There are some interesting changes to Adobe Lightroom including more flexible colour control across shadows, midtones and highlights. Also AI assisted “magnification” of images that is said to give better quality large pictures and prints.

Spotted Turtle-dove graces a Paddington, Sydney rooftop. Lightroom’s new colour wheels helped capture the unusual sunset lighting.

A Pied Currawong eyes off the possibilities of the garden from the back gate.

South Coast NSW pictures

South Coast bird photos from a few weeks ago, posted from locked down Sydney town.

Laughing Kookaburra perches on a stump burnt out in the New Year 2019/2020 fires.

Quite a few Galahs around.

And there have been more Spotted Pardalotes around this year, sometimes in flocks of over a dozen.

Rainbow Lorikeet disease

Rainbow Lorikeets may be called rats of the sky by their detractors but no-one could deny that their beautiful colours and cheerful shrieks make them one of the brightest and very welcome visitors to our gardens.

On New South Wales’ South Coast we have seen an unusual number of sick and dead Rainbow Lorikeets over the past two months. The local Wires team report that the sick birds brought to their care have died quickly after arrival – no known treatment and no real diagnosis.

This Rainbow Lorikeet was behaving strangely, staying put as I approached. Sadly I had already found two dead lorikeets on the block where this photo was taken.

It may be a condition that has been seen up in Queensland? Bird expert Darryl Jones at Griffith University says that lorikeet paralysis syndrome (also called clenched-foot syndrome) is prevalent around Brisbane this year. Clenched-foot syndrome prevents birds from perching and flying, resulting in a rapid deterioration of the bird.     

Beach-side survey sites

A bird survey by the sea last week had some unexpected visitors. A group of Australian Fur Seals basking close to the rocks and then Humpback Whales on their trip north.

At first glance it looked like seaweed dancing in the waves - but it was a group of twelve or more seals - close to the rocks on this South Coast NSW beach.

The Australian Museum identified the photos as Australian Fur Seals and said that they were actually cooling off by raising their fins in the air - their fins have blood vessels close to the surface forming useful heat-exchangers.

Two (or more) Humpback Whales pass close to the beach on their way north to warmer waters.

This young Australasian Gannet flew over while I was taking the seal photos.

How the Butcherbird got its name

Butcherbirds are known for their melodic song, the Pied Butcherbird has one of the most beautiful bird songs you will hear in the Australian bush. The Grey Butcherbird is not far behind with its distinctive song.

But Butcherbirds are named for their “very basic” behaviour. They feed on lizards, insects, and small birds, caught on the ground and sometimes on the wing. They eat, then store uneaten food, choosing a fork or branch to impale their prey, in the manner that butchers used to hang meat in the old time butcher shop.   

This Grey Butcherbird is looking for somewhere to hang a part consumed lizard.

It has another snack already safely stored nearby, hanging from the fork of a tree.

Birdlife Shoalhaven Bushfire Research Report

Birdlife Shoalhaven is monitoring the after effects of the devastating Currawon bushfire on the New South Wales South Coast. They have just released their 2020 report.

A typical scene as the bush recovers from the fire seventeen months earlier. This White-throated Treecreeper reaches the truncated top of the fire affected tree it has been feeding on.

The long-term aim of the project is to examine changes in bird species richness and abundance in the Shoalhaven in the post-fire period. The report analyses changes at 115 survey sites within the fire footprint and 52 sites outside the fire footprint as a comparison. They use BirdLife’s Birdata 20 minute, 2 hectare survey technique to survey bird species and numbers.

They found that bird numbers and species numbers increased on average during the year across lightly to heavily burnt sites and the recovery in numbers of birds was greater in lightly burnt areas. Outside of the fire footprint the number of species did not change significantly but bird numbers actually decreased through the year, perhaps as birds moved back into recovering burnt areas?

The small peninsular at Dee Beach near Bendalong on the New South Wales south coast was heavily burnt and the soil was barren after the fire. This photo was taken last April 2020, four months after the fire.

The same area in May 2021, another year and one month later. A head high swathe of acacia and eucalypts now forms an impenetrable cover, a happy hunting ground for insect eating birds.

While the detailed picture is very complicated there is no doubt that the heavier rains of the last year have helped the recovery of the birds. And that more research on this critical issue is badly needed. If there had been better baseline data from before the fires this would have provided a better picture of the fires effect. Birdlife Shoalhaven are to be congratulated on undertaking this important project.

The recovery is very different at the Walter Hood Beach survey site. Other than a handful of Banksias at the beach edge, the trees are all dead and the green cover beneath them is less than a metre high. There were no birds on this site when it was last surveyed.

Winter visitors to the New South Wales South Coast

Winter brings big changes to the birds of the New South Wales South Coast. The Cuckoos have long left, in March and April, flying north to as far as Papua New Guinea. The migratory waders have left too, for their long journey to the northern hemisphere breeding grounds. Honeyeaters head north to warmer climes, forming large flocks that can be seen flying over Sydney and swooping through the passes of the Blue Mountains. Other birds arrive; Robins leave the mountains of the great divide and head to the more temperate coast. Other birds migrate north from as far south as Tasmania.

This winter visitor from the mountains, the Rose Robin, was only 10 metres from the beach on the NSW South Coast. It was taking advantage of insects in the acacias and eucalypts now flourishing in some burnt out areas.

Also visiting for the winter, the Tasmanian Silvereye (race Zosterops lateralis lateralis) can be distinguished from the local Silvereye race by its cinnamon flanks and it mid blue-grey back.

Not all the honeyeaters fly north as this Yellow-faced Honeyeater can attest. But this usually very common bird becomes quite scarce as most of its kind have left the south coast during June and July.