Welcome to the September 2014 issue of Warbler, the
quarterly newsletter of BirdLife Southern Queensland,
your local branch of BirdLife Australia.
Where has your birding taken you in the last quarter?
I have changed my professional role and relocated to
Mackay. I must admit that a part of the decision was the new
birding opportunities that would be available in the Mackay
area.
I have therefore had a fairly quiet birding quarter, except for
one tour, as I went through the recruitment and relocation
processes.
We are again pleased to present in this Warbler edition a
variety of interesting and informative articles. There should
be something for all readers.
Our Convenor, Judith Hoyle, provides a summary of current
events that are important to the organisation and therefore
to members.
In The Green Corner Sheena Gillman writes on a variety of
activities and issues of concern including the Eastern
Bristlebird surveys, a review of the book ‘Wildlife Tourism: A
handbook for tour guides, eco-lodgers, students and start-up
businesses‘, Glossy Black-cockatoo annual census, Crediton
State Forest surveys, Protect the Bush Alliance activities and
the October Camp Out.
As usual Sheena covers a variety of interesting and relevant
issues. My first, and only, sighting of Glossy Blacks was at
South Ballina and encourage everyone to participate in this
important census of a little seen bird. I participated in a
recent Crediton State Forest survey and I encourage you to
consider a weekend, long weekend or week in Mackay so that
you can assist in this worthwhole effort.
If you are coming to Mackay email me as well and I will help
where I can. I am collating an interesting backyard list that
includes Fairy Gerygone, Yellow and Dusky Honeyeaters and
Orange-footed Scrubfowl.
The Winter Adopt-A-Farm surveys have been conducted in
the Granite Belt. Neil Humphris has submitted another
interesting and funny article. Please consider participating in
these surveys.
We live in a wide, diverse continent and there are birding
opportunities in each State. Our regular contributors Shorty
in Canberra and Pamela Jones on Cocos Island have again
submitted articles and in this edition I introduce Rick Nash
from South Australia.
Our regular contributor, Rob Morris, has submitted another
great article, this one is about the birding opportunities in
New Zealand. Have you already been there?
Holly Parsons the BirdLife Australia Birds in Backyards
Program Manager has written about bird nests and nest
boxes. Now that I am in a permanent residence I have to
provide some nest boxes for the many birds that visit my
backyard.
Ken Cross has submitted an article on his recent tours for
two months in East Africa – Kenya and Uganda. Wow! What a
great read and accompanying pics.
Judy Leitch was on the autumn expedition to Ashmore Reef
and shares her excitement on the trip to that far-flung
Australian territory.
I am just back from the Nine Grasswren Tour and had to
share this tour with you.
Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are sites of global bird
conservation importance. We provide a summary of IBAs and
a list of the 18 IBAs in Southern Queensland. Julian Bielewicz
introduces us to the Bunya Mountains.
The Back Page provides a summary of important and timely
information. There should be something here for every
reader.
I hope you enjoy reading the various articles as much as I
have. Until next time best wishes with your birding activities
and please consider sharing these activities with a wider audience by drafting an article for Warbler.
Peter Crane
cranep1@optusnet.com.au
INDEX
Editor’s Note and Index ------------------------------------------------------ 1
From the Convenor ----------------------------------------------------------- 2
The Green Corner – Sheena Gillman ---------------------------------------- 3
Adopt-A-Farm Granite Belt Autumn 2014 – Neil Humphris ---------------- 7
Over the Border
From the Nation’s Capital – Rawshorty ---------------------------------- 9
From the Little Western Island – Pamela Jones ------------------------ 10
From the Driest State – Rick Nash -------------------------------------- 11
Kiwis, Kokakos, Kakas & Keas – across the Tasman – Rob Morris ------ 12
Birds in Backyards – Holly Parsons ---------------------------------------- 17
Birding in East Africa – Ken Cross ------------------------------------------ 18
Ashmore Reef – Judy Leitch ------------------------------------------------ 23
Nine Grasswren Tour – Peter Crane --------------------------------------- 25
The Places That Matter The Most – IBAs ----------------------------------- 30
The Back Page -------------------------------------------------------------- 312
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