MEGA RARITY ON THE COAST - KENTISH PLOVER!

Kentish Plover [J Cooksley]

Noosa birder and now legend Jane Cooksley discovered a fantastic bird near the River Mouth in Noosa. A Kentish Plover! Perhaps the third or fourth record of this specie for the country the news of the finding spread quickly and a small avalanche of birders [twitchers if you will] from the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane quickly arrived. By Sunday the 23rd [perhaps 24 hours after its discovery] many had seen the bird. Many had to be satisfied with distant scope views however some managed, as Jane's pic above shows, got closer via boat.

February Outing 2020

so someone found a nesting Rose crowned Fruit dove...

A successful outing on the weekend to Simon's place in Pomona was held despite the threat of rain. An excellent turn out of people, many of whom stayed for an enjoyable meal at the nearby Distillery at Pomona. The pictures below show birding 'in action'.

I am pretending I have seen a bird....[M Overend]

ENVIROFORUM: “Where Science Meets Beer”

Next Event: Australia’s Diminishing Woodland Soundscape: How a fellow native bird is having a deadly impact

Speaker: Professor Martine Maron -University of Queensland

Australia is the place where songbirds first evolved. So how is it that a widespread community of over 100 species has declined to the point that it now meets the criteria for an Endangered Ecological Community under Australia’s National Biodiversity legislation?

We know the usual suspects:

• ·         Habitat loss through deforestation to meet human food needs (cows for example)
• ·         Introduced feral species (cats in particular)
• ·         Urbanisation (development without consideration to environmental consequences)
• ·         Natural disasters (fires for sure)

Noisy Miners hassling Little Wattlebirds

However, there is also another major threat. Introducing our very own hyper-aggressive native Noisy Miner (not to be confused with the Common or Indian Myna). The Noisy Miner is now nationally listed as a Key Threatening Species.

“If we can learn how to manage this bird, we could potentially free up vast areas of woodland for endangered woodland birds. I will describe the findings of recent experiments to control the noisy miner and outline some tough decisions we need to take to keep the Australian bush loud with birdsong” -  Professor Martine Maron

“What is the bush without birdsong? We take our woodland birds for granted but there is now a real and immediate danger that a sound known to all will die. Is culling the answer?”  - Brian Young EnviroForum

Martine Maron is Professor of Environmental Management and an Australian Research Council Future Fellow at The University of Queensland. She is also Deputy Director of The Threatened Species Recovery Hub and leads its policy research Theme.

She leads an international working group which is developing a new approach to aligning ecological compensation with conservation targets. She has a special interest in how to manage the aggressive noisy miner to restore woodland bird communities

EVENT DETAILS

When: Wednesday 26^th February

Where: Land and Sea Brewery, 19 Venture Drive Noosaville

Time: 6.15pm to 7.30pm (come early as Happy Hour is from 4pm to 6pm)

Great food is available for purchase from the Land and Sea menu

A $5 contribution per person is welcome (kids 15 years and under are free). All monies collected goes towards the great work done by the Noosa Parks Association, including the purchase of land for national parks to create safe biodiversity corridors, especially for koalas. Noosa Parks Association is a fully volunteer organisation

Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve Sunday 15 February 2020

Pale Yellow Robin

Bird Walk

Regent Bowerbird

Twelve prospective visiting birders, including Diana and I, enjoyed a pleasant stroll around the top paths at Mary Cairncross. Unfortunately the lower path was closed for reasons unknown. The weather was fine and mild albiet a little muggy. We saw and/or heard 27 species. The day started well as three male Regent Bowerbirds foraged in the tree above us as we were assembling and signing on prior to starting. From then on it was not a particularly birdiferous morning as some of the key species kept out of sight and hearing, such as the Paradise Riflebird, Noisy Pitta, Australian Logrunner and Russet-tailed Thrush. We did hear a Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove and saw a Wompoo Fruit-Dove sitting on its nest.

Eastern Whipbird without a tale to tell....

Mater nest builder? Wompoo Fruit dove

White browed Scrubwren

Everyone did enjoy being in the beautiful environment, the birds that we did see and hear (the list follows), as well as a profusion of fungi responding to the recent rain and a chance encounter with a Giant Barred Frog. To finish we inspected the resident Carpet Python and enjoyed a coffee (some had breakfast) in the café.

Giant barred Frog

Carpet Python

ERIC ANDERSON

Editor's note - Birdlife Australia and Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve have been co-operating to have these bird walks operate with their bird themed displays. Many thanks to all who have volunteered to lead the walks; Maggie Overend, myself, Carolyn Scott, Robyn Combes, Paul Fraser, Russ Lamb, Steve Grainger and, of course, Eric Anderson.

- Ken Cross  

FEBRUARY OUTING - LAKE MC DONALD

White headed Pigeon

The clouds were looming, but twenty-five happy souls gathered with binoculars and cameras to see what Noosa Botanic Gardens had to offer. While sign-on was still happening we were treated to Australian King Parrot and White-headed pigeon.

Topknots

The group wandered about and spied many of the usual gardens bush birds, but comment was made about the low numbers of smaller birds like honeyeaters, thornbills, flycatchers or gerygone. White-headed pigeon were out in force, as were the Rainbow lorikeets and the garden loving Noisy miners.
Surprisingly the lake held smaller numbers of birds than is typical, but usual waders were present. A pair of Kreftts turtle were also identified.

Little Pied Cormorant

Birders braving the rain

The morning list was completed with gusto, with a Wompoo Fruit dove, three Eastern Koel and a flock of 13 Top-knot pigeons, the latter arriving as we opened our deck chairs.

Groups members also spotted a Yellow-faced whip snake, Blue Triangle Butterfly, Lemon Migrant butterfly and Common crow butterfly.

Common Tree Snake

Cicadabird

Australasian Figbird

In total 49 species were sighted. https://birdata.birdlife.org.au/survey?id=3040200&h=5bff349c

Australian Brush-turkey (2, None)
Magpie Goose (6, None)

Kreft's Turtle

Australian Wood Duck (2, None)
Pacific Black Duck (2, None)
Australasian Grebe (1, None)
White-headed Pigeon (10, None)
Crested Pigeon (3, None)
Bar-shouldered Dove (2, None)
Wompoo Fruit-Dove (1, None)
Topknot Pigeon (13, None)
Australasian Darter (3, None)
Little Pied Cormorant (1, None)
Little Black Cormorant (20, None)
Australian Pelican (4, None)
Little Egret (1, None)
White-bellied Sea-Eagle (1, None)
Purple Swamphen (6, None)
Comb-crested Jacana (2, None)
Whiskered Tern (2, None)
White-winged Black Tern (5, None)
Galah (3, None)
Little Corella (2, None)
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (5, None)
Rainbow Lorikeet (50, None)
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet (8, None)
Australian King-Parrot (2, None)
Pale-headed Rosella (1, None)
Eastern Koel (3, None)
Laughing Kookaburra (3, None)
Red-backed Fairy-wren (5, None)
Variegated Fairy-wren (1, None)
Lewin's Honeyeater (2, None)
Noisy Miner (20, None)
Little Wattlebird (4, None)
Blue-faced Honeyeater (5, None)
Noisy Friarbird (4, None)
Little Friarbird (1, None)
Eastern Whipbird (5, None)
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike (1, None)
Cicadabird (1, None)

Australian MAgpie

Australasian Figbird (12, None)
Grey Butcherbird (4, None)
Australian Magpie (5, None)
Grey Fantail (1, None)
Torresian Crow (1, None)
Magpie-lark (1, None)
Eastern Yellow Robin (2, None)
Welcome Swallow (5, None)
Muscovy Duck (3, None)


Participants:
Helen Martyn, Joy Ryan, Marina Roblin, Rob Roblin, Teresa Martin, Zoe Parris, Tony Buchan, Marc Buchan, Jane McAuliffe, Colin McAuliffe, Jena Tulloa, Bernice Seton, Davis McNally, Catherine Rigden, Peter Ridgen, James Martin, Paul Jensen, Glenys Cross, Peter Cross, Helen Leonard, Paul Zellerer, Wayne Kroll, Brian Gatfield, Deb Wagner, Russ Lamb, Mike Johnston, Carolyn Scott