Winter bird survey highlights

Posted on 1 September, 2016 by Tanya Loos

Tanya has just completed our 2016 winter bird surveys – a grand total of 100 individual 20-minute surveys – with some interesting results.

After our very dry Spring in 2015 we have had a very wet winter in 2016 – what a relief! Bird activity this winter has seemed to mirror the strange weather patterns – with large numbers of some species, unusual breeding behaviour, and increased numbers of ‘out-of-towner’ visitors!

For the Winter bird survey, I visit our fifty sites in both morning and afternoon which we have been monitoring since 2010. These sites are a mix of paddock sites, restoration sites and intact sites in bushland areas. For more on this monitoring program, follow this link HERE. The sites are located on both public and private land, however I have also included some observations of species seen whilst traveling around from site to site.

The numbers and distribution of our ‘Feathered Five’ seem to be unchanged this winter, with our Hooded Robins of Muckleford and Blue Hills remaining steady, Diamond Firetails in small numbers around Yapeen, Newstead and Clydesdale, and not a single Painted Button-quail observed during surveys! One of these elusive button-quails was  recorded and photographed by a local birdwatcher – great shot David Adam and thanks for permission to use the pic.  Happily, Brown Treecreepers were recorded in the southerly farmland areas of Metcalfe for the first time – a thrilling result as there are no database records for them in the Metcalfe or Taradale Conservation Reserves. With new areas of private land being enhanced for conservation, we may see more of these birds on this eastern side of Castlemaine.

A Painted Button-quail on Mia Mia Track, 23/07/2016, by Victorian Birders Group member David Adam.

Silvereyes have been around this winter in big numbers – I have seen flocks of thirty birds!  There are two populations of these lovely little birds – our locals with silvery buff and light rufous underparts, and some winter visitors from Tasmania with a deeper richer version of this lovely reddish colour on their flanks. Geoff’s blog Natural Newstead has more on these attractive birds (CLICK HERE).

I noted large flocks of the brightly coloured European Goldfinch in the Harcourt area, and flocks of about thirty Common Mynas (also known as Indian Mynas) just west of Newstead. Happily, I also noticed a LOT of small native birds, with large numbers of Spotted Pardalotes, Striated Pardalotes and Weebills busily feeding on the flowering Yellow Box.

The Little Corella, a smaller cousin of the Long-billed Corella with a little more blue and less pink around the face, is moving southwards with sightings in Sutton Grange and Baringhup. Pied Currawongs are in greater numbers this year, and not only in town. For the first time since surveys began, Pied Currawongs have been recorded in bushland during surveys. Another bird that is increasing  locally is the Grey Butcherbird, with a few sightings in Castlemaine and also in Walmer. A large  honeyeater may also be increasing locally – the Blue-faced Honeyeater, with sightings around town (including the Castlemaine Botanic Gardens) and in Maldon. Again, check out Geoff’s blog here for more on this species.

I observed Noisy Miners mating in Maldon in May which is quite late in Autumn to commence breeding! But after a poor spring in 2015, perhaps it seemed like a good idea. These aggressive native birds do not seem to be at the high numbers that they are elsewhere such as Bendigo and outer Melbourne, but their local populations are definitely worth keeping an eye on if we are to keep all our abundant bush birds.

I was surprised to see a pair of Scarlet Robins busily building a nest in Barkers Creek in late July, as it was still a very fresh 5 degrees celcius at 10:44am! Getting in early for a good Spring, I suspect. I would have to say though that the highlight of the Winter Bird Surveys was a most unusual visitor – a very confiding and lovely Olive Whistler. The Whistler was recorded by myself and volunteer Jane Rusden on the first survey of Winter at the magnificently regenerating Forest Creek in Golden Point. He or she hopped along the transect for nearly the whole twenty minutes, affording us excellent views.

A special winter visitor: an Olive Whistler. Pic by Francesco Veronesi (Olive Whistler – Victoria_S4E5352) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

If you have noticed unusually high numbers of certain species, or new species visiting your area – we would love to hear from you!

Email tanya@connectingcountry.org.au or call me at the office 5472 1594

Our Woodland Bird Monitoring program is supported by Connecting Country’s Connecting Landscapes program, through funding from the Australian Government.

By Tanya Loos, Woodland Birds Coordinator.

Nature News – August 2016: Brown Treecreeper Super-Group

Posted on 2 August, 2016 by Connecting Country

For this month’s Nature News, Connecting Country’s Woodland Birds Coordinator, Tanya Loos, celebrates the cooperative spirit of the Brown Treecreeper. You can read it in print on page 34 in the August 2nd 2016 edition of the Midland Express.

Some birds are so rare and hard to find that it is a delight to catch a glimpse of them, such as the Painted Button-quail or Powerful Owl. Other birds are classified as rare, but where they occur they are noisy and noticeable, and present in good numbers. A good example of this is the locally abundant, but threatened, Brown Treecreeper.

The social Brown Treecreeper can be spotted in the forests around Castlemaine. Photo by Geoff Park

Brown Treecreepers may be seen in most patches of forest and woodland in the Castlemaine region, especially in Muckleford and Newstead. They are tubby brown birds which hop along the ground, scamper along fallen logs, and creep up trees in the manner of treecreepers. Their call is a strident ‘spink spink’ and as the treecreepers are very social, you may hear lots of calls and see wing-fluttering as the birds sort out who is who in the flock.

Brown Treecreepers are particularly frisky at the moment, as the year’s breeding has begun! This species breeds cooperatively, that is, the young from previous years help the parents raise the young. These family groups usually number from three to eight birds. And then, in a totally cool twist – these family groups will team up with neighbouring family groups to form a super-group! A super-group or clan is a large group where most males from any group will help at any of the nests of the super-group.

If you are lucky enough to have a super-group on your bush block, you might wonder why these birds are considered rare! Brown Treecreepers are widespread across our region, but in neighbouring areas such as the Ballarat region, they have become locally extinct. Their habitat needs are quite specific, and if the changes in the landscape are too great, they simply disappear from that area.

Brown Treecreeper families have home ranges that may be as large as twelve hectares, and they need this patch to be continuous, good quality habitat. Even a gap of one kilometre is too far for them to cross!  Their patch needs to have plenty of large old trees, logs on the ground, an abundance of fallen timber and leaf litter, and grass tussocks.  Heavily burnt public land or very sparse cleared private land does not have the habitat complexity these birds need to find food and raise their young.

To find out more about Brown Treecreepers and the other members of the Feathered Five, see Connecting Country’s woodland birds section on our website (CLICK HERE).

Bird monitoring workshop at Yapenya ( Mount Barker)

Posted on 17 June, 2016 by Tanya Loos

By Jane Rusden, Connecting Country volunteer

On 26 May 2016, Tanya Loos lead a wonderful scientific bird survey workshop on the slopes of Yapenya, known to many as Mt Barker, with our hosts the Dja Dja Wurrung on the Clans Aboriginal Corporation property. Twenty one intrepid and enthusiastic participants, of which two were Dja Dja Wurrung Clan members and two were Djandak employees; enjoyed the grey wintery day and braved the inclement weather.

As we sheltered in the Dja Dja Wurrungs shed, drank tea and ate biscuits, Ron Kerr gave us a warm welcome followed by an outstanding DVD by Gerry Gill, “The Meaning of The Stones”, giving us background information on the significant Dja Dja Wurrung cultural heritage of the area. Tanya then gave us a fascinating bird ID talk and introduction to the environmental management of the property. So we were primed and ready to brave the wild weather for our bird survey, a first for many in the group.

The 20 minute 2Ha area search is quite specific, but with a few simple rules to follow. We got the hang of it fairly quickly and set out spotting birds. Our transect followed a magnificent stand of River Red Gums, providing important habitat for the 6 species of woodland birds we saw. Of note, we also saw a stunning Wedge-tailed Eagle or Bunjil, the male Flame Robin with its crazy bright orange breast, and the hard to identify and confusing thornbills, the Brown Thornbill and Yellow-rumped Thornbill. We also saw a flock of Silvereyes foraging on the ground which is unusual for this species.

Having worked up an appetite battling the wild weather and working hard at bird spotting and identification, we enjoyed a BBQ lunch provided by the Dja Dja Wurrung and cooked by Ron. An informative and fun day out in a special and fascinating landscape, concluded with full tummies.

All rugged up as we searched for birds along the river red gum part of the property.

Bird outing to Karrook at Kalimna Park

Posted on 24 May, 2016 by Tanya Loos

By Tanya Loos.

Saturday 14 May 2016 had a magical Autumn morning and our group of 25 bird observers was ably led by Jules Walsh and Geoff Hannon from Friends of Kalimna Park. Jules and Geoff are locals in the area and were able to share with the group some of the history of the site known as Karrook. Thanks Jules and Geoff!

It was very quiet at first, with our group seeing few birds. But by the time we got to the gully/ dam area, the bushland was alive with Scarlet Robins (6!!), thornbills, White-throated Treecreepers and a very healthy looking male Golden Whistler. Another highlight was a Little Eagle soaring overhead!

We also saw an Eastern Spinebill –a small, much-loved honeyeater, most often seen in gardens so great to see in the bush! One of you (I think it was Lynette!) asked me if the female had a grey crown,  and I most mistakedly said  “oh no, that difference is the difference between White-eared male and female honeyeaters”. Well,  I am happy to say that as a birdwatcher one is learning all the time and I was very wrong! Geoff Park did a lovely blog post on Natural Newstead on these birds which points out that the female spinebill does indeed have a grey crown (as in the picture by Geoff below, and read more on this post HERE).

Our outing was during the annual mainland Australia Swift Parrot survey count weekend. While we did not see any Swifties, we have nevertheless  submitted a survey form,  as knowing where they are NOT is also very important. I have attached a word copy of the completed survey form (WL_-_Swift_Parrot-Regent_Honeyeater_survey_sheetConnectingCountry).

If you would like to be on the email list for bird surveys in the area – drop me an email at tanya@connectingcountry.org.au.

A female eastern Spinebill, by Geoff Park

Our bird walk also happened to fall upon the Global Big Day Out 2016 – a massive worldwide event that encourages users of eBird to record their sightings. eBird is an online recording tool that can be downloaded as an app, or used online.  To see our survey as it looks in the eBird program go HERE.

Don’t worry if you have never heard of eBird – it is a great tool, and fun to check out but not essential. Sometime this year BirdLife Australia will finish their smartphone app and online recording tool or portal – we’re expecting that this will be more useful and relevant to us than eBird, as it is locally-based and uses exactly the same bird surveying methods.

Having said that I think the idea of a simultaneous worldwide bird count is a lot of fun! The results of the Global Big Day Out are in: 6,199 species recorded by 15,446 people all over the world! In Australia, 487 species were recorded in 944 checklists by just 309 people! Our humble contribution was 20 species! I encourage you to explore the Global Big Day website (click HERE)  – it is really inspiring and has a lovely picture of a map of birds all over the world to download.

The statistics for the Global Big Day Out

Swift Parrot count this weekend

Posted on 11 May, 2016 by Tanya Loos

Fans of the Swift Parrot are pleased to hear that the “swifties” are back in the Mount Alexander region, with a small flock of adults and juveniles reported on Geoff Park’s blog Natural Newstead (click here). These precious and declining migratory parrots visit the area every year in Autumn and winter. BirdLife Australia coordinates counts across the birds’ range, and we encourage you to participate this weekend (14-15 May 2016)! The Swift Parrot surveys can be undertaken in a couple of different ways.

Swift Parrot feasting on blossom, a beautiful photo by Chris Tzaros.

1. Join me on an outing to Kalimna Park this Saturday 14 May 2016. Kalimna Park is not renowned for a lot of Swiftie sightings but it is good to know where the birds are not occurring, as well as where they are. This walk is a rescheduled outing from last week which was cancelled due to bad weather. Please call or email to book a place and for further details. Phone 0400 458 910 or tanya@connectingcountry.org.au
2. Head out on a survey yourself! The form to use is very easy and can be downloaded from the Birdlife website (click here). Elizabeth (Beth) Mellick from the Norman Wettenhall Foundation is coordinating the various Swiftie survey locations in our region, so if you are carrying out a survey, please email Beth at  beth@nwf.org.au.  The Muckleford-Newstead area is usually the best place to go to see some Swift Parrots!  However, some other potential locations that are not yet covered by birdwatchers include: Harcourt, Nuggetty, Welshmans Reef, and if you wish to go further south, Campbelltown and Talbot.

From Tanya Loos,
Coordinator of Connecting Country’s Woodland Bird Projects

Autumn bird breeding and a pardalote nest box

Posted on 20 April, 2016 by Tanya Loos

From Tanya Loos, Woodland Birds Project Coordinator.

The summer of 2015 – 2016 has been a strange one; long and hot and mostly very dry. While some of the signs of Autumn are here, such as the arrival of Eastern Spinebills and other autumn migrants (as noted on the Natural Newstead blog), in other cases birds are still behaving as if it is summer!  Patrick Kavanagh (Newstead Landcare)  photographed this beautiful Common Bronzewing on the nest at the Rise and Shine Reserve on March 19. This is a very late time to breed.

This is a male Common Bronzewing, the female’s colours are more muted. Pic by Patrick Kavanagh

Patrick also reports frenzied activity around his Striated Pardalote nestbox – could they be going for brood number four at his place?! Pardalotes usually breed around September to February, with some records of breeding as late as March. Patrick has some beautiful photos of his Striated Pardalotes on the Natural Newstead blog here.

Frances Cincotta from Newstead Natives and Newstead Landcare has kindly sent in photos and building instructions for her Striated Pardalote nest box  – an ingenious use of recycled materials, and such a simple design, I think even I could make this box!

According to Frances:  “The pardalote ‘box’ is made of heavy duty cardboard roll…and so needs to be placed under the eaves, out of the rain.

It was designed and made by Ric Higgins who has apartment blocks of them under the eaves at his place at Yandoit, all occupied by Striated Pardalotes in the springtime.  You often see designs with a perch near the entrance home but it is not necessary.”

The design is featured below, and followed by a photo of the Striated Pardalotes gathered around the nestbox at Frances’s place in Newstead. Who knows – if you are quick and get this delightful home up and running, you might have a brood of Autumn pardalotes at your place!

Drawing by Ric Higgins

Pardalotes at the nest box, pic by Bonnie Humphreys

Feathered Five Inspire Art, Song and Research

Posted on 10 March, 2016 by Connecting Country

Hooded Robins by Hannah Vellacott

The Feathered Five inspire many people – and our Feathered Five Festival showcases some of the resulting work ranging from artists, singing groups and scientists.

For local artist Hannah Vellacott, they have inspired a series of paintings titled ‘Diamond In The Woods”. These paintings will be on show during the Feathered Five Festival at the Corner Store Merchants (220 Barker St Castlemaine) from the 12 March until 9 April 2016.

Hannah describes her work: “In these paintings I aim to capture the beauty and fragility of the feathered five, through detail and the gentle wash of colour that is unique to watercolour painting. The use of white space is inspired by traditional Japanese ink paintings. I like the way the objects appear to float on the paper and your eye is drawn to the details in the bird or flowers.”

For local singing group, the Chat Warblers, they have inspired a new song! Written by Judith Tregear and mixed by Jane Thompson, the song will debut at our evening forum on Saturday the 19th of March. We cannot wait to hear it!

For world renowned ecologist, Andrew Bennett,  woodland birds have inspired his long-standing research interests in landscape ecology and conservation biology, with a particular focus on understanding how human land-use and landscape change affect native wildlife and ecological processes. At the evening forum, Andrew will share the results from his recent research into woodland birds in Central Victoria and lead a topical discussion about “Drought then flooding rains: how do woodland birds respond to climatic change?”

Spots are still available for the evening forum, but are filling fast. CLICK HERE for more information and to make a booking. Bookings close on the 17th of March 2016.

Nature News: Dry times for the Diamond Firetail

Posted on 25 February, 2016 by Connecting Country

Connecting Country, in partnership with the Midland Express, has launched its new monthly ‘Nature News’ feature.  Look out for these these articles by local naturalists appearing in the Midland Express on the first Tuesday of the month (or thereabouts). For the February edition, Tanya Loos shared her experiences about one of our local feathered friends; the Diamond Firetail. This article is reprinted below.  Keep an eye out in the next one or two editions of the Midland Express for an article on local snakes by Bernard Slattery.

Of relevance to the article below, at the Saturday evening forum of our feathered five festival (19-20 March 2016), Andrew Bennett will be discussing his research on how woodland birds are responding to climatic change and Phil Ingamells will share some tips from the experts on how we all can help. Click here for more information on the festival and to secure your spot for the talks.

A Diamond Firetail in the bird bath. Photo by Geoff Park

Dry Times for the Diamond Firetail.  By Tanya Loos.

As our gardens and paddocks wilt in the ongoing dry, access to water for fauna becomes ever more important. One visitor to the bird bath that is sure to delight the senses is the Diamond Firetail.

A small bird of great beauty, the Diamond Firetail sports a neat black and grey suit with white spots, set off by a dashing crimson rump and a coral-coloured bill and eye ring. Here in the Mount Alexander region we are fortunate to have small numbers of this rare bird in the local bushlands.

Diamond Firetails feed on seeds of both grasses and native trees such as she-oak. One day at the Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve south of Newstead, I chanced upon a lone Diamond Firetail foraging with a distinctive series of moves. He trundled along the ground, then leapt up to a grass seed head, grabbed it firmly in his bill, then stood on the grass head to eat the seeds. The process was repeated at the next grass tussock.

Living on seeds alone is thirsty work, and Diamond Firetails need a safe source of water in their bushland or woodland habitat. In dry times, one way to help firetails and other birds is through the provision of a bird bath or two. Bird baths are a wonderful way to enjoy your local birds, but do bear in mind they require daily maintenance to ensure the water is clean, and always topped up.

It is too hot and dry for breeding at the moment, but after the rains return and seeding grasses are available, nesting will occur anytime from August. To attract the female, the male Diamond Firetail selects a long piece of grass with a seed head, and holds it tightly in his bill. He then fluffs his spotted flank feathers and sings as he bobs up and down on the perch.

If the female approves, they will mate in the privacy of the nest. The nest is a domed affair, of grasses, seed heads and roots, and may be found in a mistletoe clump or a thick shrub such as Hedge Wattle. A few years ago, I observed a Diamond Firetail nest built amongst the large sticks of the base of a Wedge-tailed Eagle nest!

The Diamond Firetail is less common than it once was, largely due to the removal of suitable habitat. Happily small populations are still being reported in areas such as Muckleford, Guildford, Fryerstown and Sedgwick. If you have Diamond Firetails visiting your garden, or you see some out in the bush, we would love to hear from you!

For more information about the Diamond Firetail and other woodland birds, visit Connecting Country’s website: www.connectingcountry.org.au or contact Tanya on tanya@connectingcountry.org.au.

Feathered Five Festival March 2016: Diamonds in the hills

Posted on 15 February, 2016 by Tanya Loos

There’s diamonds in those hills – Diamond Firetails, that is. This jewel of a bird is one of the ‘feathered five’, our very special woodland bird species that are a focus for Connecting Country. Over the years, we have supported a number of on-ground projects that strive to ensure these five species and other woodland birds are flourishing in the Mount Alexander region of central Victoria now and in the future.

Our inaugural Feathered Five Festival is a celebration of woodland birds and their habitat with two days of birdwatching, activities and talks over the weekend of 19-20 March 2016. However, you don’t need to be a budding birdwatcher to attend the free Saturday Evening Forum on the 19^th of March in Campbells Creek.

From 5pm until 6pm, Connecting Country staff members will be on hand to answer your land management concerns; Bonnie Humphreys can help you identify any plant, Jarrod Coote will consider whole farm planning and funding opportunities, Tanya Loos knows lots about birds and other fauna,  Alex Schipperen is great with practical things such as fencing and the control of weeds and rabbits, and Asha Bannon will help you link-up with your local Landcare Group. You can bring along any plant samples you’d like identified and you can contact us beforehand if you’d like a detailed aerial photo of your property to discuss. Meanwhile, Judy Laycock will be running some exciting nature art activities with the kids.

Following a tasty dinner from Growing Abundance and music by Castlemaine’s Chat Warblers, we are thrilled to have Professor Andrew Bennett, from Latrobe University and the Arthur Rylah Institute, and Phil Ingamells, from the VNPA, share their thoughts on the future of biodiversity in the area. Andrew has been a scientific advisor to Connecting Country since 2010 and will discuss “Drought then flooding rains; how do woodland birds respond to climatic change?”. Phil Ingamells is sure to inspire us with his talk “Collaborating on ten things we can all do to help nature adapt to a new climate”. A short panel discussion will take place after the talks.

On both mornings of the Feathered Five Festival, bird walks in search of the feathered five will occur in various locations around the Mount Alexander region. Connecting Country’s Woodland Bird Coordinator, Tanya Loos, explains; “in the last year or two, through walks and workshops, we have been encouraging a cohort of budding birdwatchers to get out there and improve their birdwatching skills. This weekend is their time to shine as a number of community led walks will be carried out simultaneously on the Saturday morning – the feathered five drive!”

On the Sunday morning, we’re pleased take part in a guided nature walk with a special focus on woodland birds and their habitat. The walk will take place at a private property in Strangways which is a woodland wonderland, with a lovely grassy understory and grand old eucalypts. This joint Connecting Country and the Friends of Box Ironbark Forest (FOBIF) event will be led by Tanya Loos (Connecting Country) and Andrew Skeoch from Listening Earth.

You can come to one event –or all three! Bookings are essential – by the 17th March 2016. Click here for more information and to book, or call Connecting Country on 5472 1594.

This festival has been made possible with funding from the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and the Australian Government.

Muckleford bird outing

Posted on 8 February, 2016 by Tanya Loos

Beginner birdwatchers and experienced mentors alike joined together to explore the Muckleford forests on Sunday 7 February, 2016.

The morning was warm and  still, and the bush seemed washed clean after the recent downpours to grace the area. We concentrated on a few sites along Mia Mia Track near Newstead, and then finished at the “Quince Tree” site, along Pullans Rd towards Maldon.  The group was rather large, at twenty people, but we saw some great birds, and learnt a lot from one another, too.

Part of the group scans the bush for woodland birds at the Quince tree site

Geoff Park has been featuring the Mia Mia track on Natural Newstead lately, and he kindly provided some local “intel” on some good spots.

As we stood around introducing ourselves at our first stop,  we heard the distinctive call of the Crested Bellbird way off in the distance, and we also saw and heard a Peaceful Dove.

We saw a female Hooded Robin and searched for the male Hooded Robin without success, but a male Rufous Whistler resplendent in his russet-coloured plumage gave everyone excellent views. We also saw plenty of honeyeaters, such as Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters. Another highlight was very good views of a juvenile Rufous Whistler, with a streaked breast.

And then, all at once, there was a small flock of Varied Sittella working the bark on the trees, an adult male Scarlet Robin with a  juvenile Scarlet Robin, a Speckled Warbler hopping along the ground, and some Buff-rumped Thornbills. Not everyone got to see every bird – but most people saw the Sittellas which I am very glad for, as they are a special little bird, almost like tiny treecreepers.

As it was getting hot, we moved to the Quince Tree site a little earlier in the hope of seeing a few more birds. We also carried out our second “2 hectare 20 minute” survey of the day. This method is the gold standard of bird surveying – moving slowly along an area of two hectares, recording all birds seen and heard for exactly twenty minutes. Some of the participants have set up survey sites on their properties, while others are surveying the many group sites we have dotted about the Mount Alexander region. Practicing the method in a group is always worthwhile! For more on bird surveying and group sites – see HERE.

‘Quince Tree’ is the unofficial local name for a public bushland reserve near the eastern end of Pullans Rd in Gowar. It is named for the group of old Quince trees near the site entrance, and it has been a renowned site for Victorian birdwatchers for decades.  The drought hit the birds of Muckleford forest hard, and while the site is not as amazing as its glory days in the eighties, it still has a consistently good number of special woodland birds. This site is actually one of Connecting Country’s official bird monitoring sites and over 60 species have been observed here since 2010 – including Painted Button-quail, White-browed Woodswallow, White-winged Triller, Black-chinned Honeyeater and Little Lorikeet.

As we did the survey, we had some unusual views of White-browed Babblers high in the canopy in a couple of large Mistletoe clumps. Babblers are usually on the ground or in shrubs! We also caught  glimpses of the dozens of Fuscous Honeyeaters in the area, and also Brown Treecreepers. As often happens on bird outings, the highlight was back where the cars were parked.

The babblers emerged from a stand of silver wattles, and one flew very close to our group with feathers in its bill, and then entered a nest in the Quince trees! We were surprised to note that breeding was occurring at this time of year, however, I have since discovered that babblers actually maintain their nests year round as a permanent roosting or sleeping site for the babbler family! The Birds in Backyards profile on White-browed Babblers also states that while most breeding is from June to November, these sociable birds will breed at any time of year – see this link for more information:  [Birds in Backyards]. So we do not know whether the birds are lining their nests for the coming of another brood, or just keeping the roosting nests nice and comfy with a feather lining!

To register your interest for upcoming bird walks, please send me an email or give me a call. Tanya Loos, Woodland Birds Project Coordinator, 5472 1594, or tanya@connectingcountry.org.au

Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater update 2015

Posted on 14 January, 2016 by Tanya Loos

In the last couple of days, ABC Hobart has reported that this summer’s baby Swift Parrots have nearly all left Bruny Island in southern Tasmania to begin their migration to mainland Australia.

Dr Dejan Stojanovic, who has been monitoring the parrots, said the birds would fly over Tasmania first before heading north.  The young “swifties” can be distinguished from the adults by their calls. For more information and to hear the calls, read the article here

These young Swift Parrots face many challenges. Photo by Dejan Stojanovic

Each year for the past decade or so, BirdLife Australia have coordinated special survey weekends on mainland Australia for the migratory Swift Parrot and the nomadic Regent Honeyeaters.  One survey weekend is held in mid-May each year, and the other in early August.  An update from BirdLife details the findings from the last survey season for these two Critically Endangered woodland birds. For the full report, click on the link to see the Swift Parrot Regent Honeyeater 2015 update, or you can read the summary I have prepared below.

Swift Parrots

Much valued volunteers from the ACT, NSW and here in Victoria participated in the counts, including the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club and a number of other swiftie devotees we have locally. In central Victoria, the parrots were reported at Muckleford, Kyneton and the Greater Bendigo National Park.

The average flock size across their entire mainland range was small – generally between 1 to 40 birds – although in NSW one flock was observed with over 100 individuals!

The numbers of Swift Parrots found on the two dedicated survey weekends were low during 2015, despite a similar survey effort compared to previous year. In other years with similar low numbers of Swift Parrots on the survey weekends (e.g. 2009 and 2012), large groups were eventually located later in the season. This was not the case for 2015, where low numbers of Swift Parrots were reported throughout their mainland range across the whole period.

These findings support the recent uplisting of the Swift Parrot from Endangered to Critically Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.  The threats they face in Tasmania, including continued logging of their breeding habitat and predation by the introduced Sugar Glider, coupled with ongoing drought in their winter feeding grounds on the mainland are hastening the decline of this very special parrot.

Connecting Country looks forward very much to the May 2016 Swift Parrot surveys, as recording where the birds are feeding and the numbers of birds is critical to the recovery effort. Thanks to all those who participated in 2015.

Regent Honeyeaters

The Regent Honeyeater was once a widespread species and moderately common across Victoria, including central Victoria. A blossom nomad, the distinctive honeyeaters would follow the flowering of the ironbarks and the Yellow Box trees  across the great woodlands that once covered Victoria and NSW.  These days, the picture is very different, with one sole wild Regent Honeyeater reported from Victoria in the 2015 year.  They are doing a little better in NSW, with over 100 wild individuals detected.

The Regent Honeyeater is the subject of an intensive recovery program, involving a captive bred population, where adults are released into prime Regent habitat around Chiltern in north-eastern Victoria. Some 77 individuals were released in the Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, and then monitored very closely through the use of radio transmitters. Happily the survival rates have been excellent, and breeding has occurred! One fledgeling raised by captive bred parents is still going strong months later – and named Lucky as he narrowly escaped being eaten by a Magpie! This incredible program is described in detail here.

Tanya Loos, 14 Jan 2016.

Lucky, a young Regent Honeyeater- 28 days post-fledging. Photo by Graham Watson.

Bush birds with Chris Tzaros – a memorable morning monitoring!

Posted on 11 December, 2015 by Tanya Loos

Last Saturday, 5 December 2015, over 25 of us were treated to a morning workshop with author and photographer, Chris Tzaros.  Chris is a wonderful presenter and ecologist, and his talk was a fantastic overview of the bush birds of the ‘Connecting Country landscape’. Chris likes to call them bush birds rather than woodland birds, because as he rightly pointed out, many of our so-called woodland birds are found in the area’s extensive Box Ironbark Forests.

I was also really amazed by Chris’s ability to mimic bird calls – no need to play the smartphone bird call app at all!

In a comprehensive presentation,  Chris pointed out that we have a particularly rich bird fauna in this area on account of being at the intersection of many different landscapes. There is the Loddon River and the surrounding plains, Cairn Curran and the open country, the dry forests of Sandon and Muckleford, Mount Alexander and the River Red gum plains of Sutton Grange and surrounds.  We also have quite good patches of bush left, which means that our declining woodland birds are faring a bit better here than in other more degraded areas. Chris gave us a great overview of the birds of this area, including a special focus on the feathered five – the five species selected as ambassadors for woodland birds in the region.

Chris has provided training for many bird monitoring programs around Victoria across a diverse range of landscapes and communities. The bird monitoring method is kept consistent by training each area across the state to use the standard 2 hectare 20 minute bird survey.  This is the methodology recommended by BirdLife Australia, and also the method we use to monitor birds for our seasonal surveys.

As Connecting Country’s woodland bird coordinator, I also introduced everyone to the eleven zones identified as priority habitat areas in the region for declining woodland birds, and directed participants to the Group Sites which are the starting point for our community monitoring program.  The link below takes you to the bird monitoring page which has both the Group Site maps and a birdwatchers kit (in PDF format) – with instructions on how to survey, how to submit data and so on:  all of which are available for download (click here).

After the presentations, we visited the Rise and Shine Reserve and carried out a 2 hectare 20 minute survey at the Rise and Shine Group survey site. We were delighted to see one of the feathered five – a Jacky Winter – nesting at the entrance to the reserve!

Chris was very impressed with everyone’s enthusiasm and the willingness  to start counting birds, both on their properties and in the surrounding areas.  We will be building on this energy in 2016, with monthly bird outings, a Feathered Five Festival (19-20 March) and a new program called Stewards for Woodland Birds. Watch this space!

For more information or to get involved, please telephone me (Tanya Loos) at the Connecting Country office on 5472 1594, or email tanya@connectingcountry.org.au

It was well over thirty degrees Celsius at the Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve – but we did see a few birds on our two hectare twenty minute survey. Pic by Kerrie Jennings.

Here a Jacky Winter stands above the nest, with feathers sleeked down and wings outstretched in an effort to stay cool. Thanks for the pic Kerrie!

Woodland Bird Monitoring Workshop with Chris Tzaros – 9 Dec 2015

Posted on 18 November, 2015 by Tanya Loos

On the first Saturday of December, join a small group of bird observers for a morning with ecologist and photographer Chris Tzaros. Chris shall take us through the ins and outs of monitoring woodland birds – with a special focus on the collection of data for Connecting Country and BirdLife Australia.

We are currently looking for volunteers to carry out regular bird surveys on both private and public land across the Mount Alexander region. In particular we are searching for the feathered five: the Jacky Winter, Painted Button-quail, Hooded Robin, Brown Treecreeper and Diamond Firetail. Attending this workshop would be a great first step in getting involved.

The workshop will cover:

• A background to bird identification and bird fauna of the Mount Alexander region.
• Bird monitoring methods of the monitoring project (including a practical component).
• The role of community volunteers in ecological monitoring projects.

Some experience in bird watching is desired, however we are open to any enthusiastic attendees! Be quick though – we have just a few places left.

When: Saturday 5th December 2015 , 9am-12pm  (followed by lunch until 1pm).

Where: Newstead Community Centre, Newstead.

RSVP: Essential! Contact Tanya Loos on 03 5472 1594 or by  email tanya@connectingcountry.org.au. Please detail any dietary requirements.

A male Red-capped Robin, by Chris Tzaros

 About Chris Tzaros: Chris is a wildlife ecologist and nature photographer for his company; Birds, Bush and Beyond. In 1997 he was awarded Young Australian of the Year in the Victorian environment category in recognition of his commitment to box-ironbark conservation and his dedicated work on threatened birds such as the Grey-Crowned Babbler and Swift Parrot. In 2005, Chris authored a comprehensive book on the Wildlife of Australia’s Box-Ironbark Country. Chris is also an accomplished bird photographer and has contributed many beautiful images to Connecting Country’s Woodland Birds Brochure.

27 Oct 2015 – Connecting Country’s AGM

Posted on 13 October, 2015 by Connecting Country

Connecting Country members and supporters are invited to join us on the evening of Tuesday 27 October 2015.   We have our Annual General Meeting (AGM), a special guest speaker and a light meal.  It’s also a chance to catch up with CC staff, committee and other friends.  It’s being held at the clubhouse of the Castlemaine Golf Club on Rilens Rd (just off the Pyrenees Hwy, between Castlemaine and Newstead).

The formalities of our AGM are being held first, from 6.30pm until 7pm.  A copy of the agenda is attached (CLICK HERE).

If you are a Connecting Country member, then:

• You are entitled to vote on any and all relevant agenda items.  If you are unable to make it to the AGM, but still wish to vote, then proxy forms are available.
• You are also able to nominate to join the Connecting Country committee.  If you are interested in applying to join the committee, you are encouraged to contact the current president – Brendan Sydes – to talk more about what is involved in being on the committee, and the opportunities that are available (president@connectingcountry.org.au).

From about 7pm until 7.30pm, a light meal will be provided.  Locally made vegetarian soups and bread will be provided, along with tea, coffee and other drinks.

AGM guest speaker Sean Dooley, with a feathered friend

From 7.30pm, we will launch the new component of our woodland birds program, followed by a presentation by Sean Dooley from Birdlife Australia.  Many of you will know of Sean either through his editorship of the Australian Birdlife magazine, as a regular contributor to ABC and community radio programs on all things ‘bird’ or as the author of ‘The Big Twitch’ (click here), which is one of my favourite books. His is also a very entertaining raconteur, being involved in comedy for many years as a contributing writer to TV shows such as Spicks and Specks.

To ensure sufficient catering and seating, it is preferred if you could send your RSVP to me if you’re planning to come along (chris@connectingcountry.org.au).  Also send an email or call me if you are unsure if you are a member; if you’d like a committee nomination form or a proxy form; or if you’d like a copy of the 2014 AGM Minutes or 2014-15 Financial Statements to read before the meeting.

Chris Timewell, Director.

Gypsy Twitchers on show from 14 Oct to 22 Nov

Posted on 9 October, 2015 by Connecting Country

Definitions of  ‘Twitcher’

1. A person or thing that twitches.
2. The term twitcher, sometimes misapplied as a synonym for birder, is reserved for those who travel long distances to see a rare bird that would then be ticked, or counted on a list.

The second definition applies to Albert and Eleanor Wright – ‘the Gypsy Twitchers’ (although in their case, the definition should be expanded to include all birds – not just the rare ones – which are then photographed as well being ticked and counted).  The Wrights have a residence locally, but they are insatiable travelers – hence the ‘gypsy’.

Superb Fairy-wren. Photo by Albert Wright

There website has an incredible array of photos of birds and other wildlife (CLICK HERE), and they are to have an exhibition of their work locally from the 14 October to the 22 November 2015.

“Albert Wright is a local wildlife photographer who specializes in bird images. Albert and his wife Eleanor, have spent the past 10 years traveling extensively around Australia (and more recently overseas), observing and photographing bird life. It is both passion and obsession! Some of Albert’s stunning images, on canvas, will be on display and for sale at Dig Cafe in Newstead, including many wonderful birds which are local to the Newstead area.”

While you are in Newstead, you can make it a double bird-art event, and also see the exhibition of Curly Hartup’s photography at the Newstead Railway Art Hub (see our earlier post – click here).

Eastern Yellow Robin. Photo by Albert Wright.

Aussie Backyard Bird Count 2015

Posted on 7 October, 2015 by Tanya Loos

Celebrate National Bird Week 2015 by taking part in the biggest citizen science project to hit Aussie shores!  From 19-25 October, thousands of people from across the country are heading out into their backyards, local parks, or favourite outdoor spaces to take part in the second annual AUSSIE BACKYARD BIRD COUNT!   This is an initiative of BirdLife Australia; Connecting Country is an affiliate group of this fantastic organisation. We have a data-sharing agreement with BirdLife Australia – which means that the Aussie Backyard Bird Count helps us keep track of how woodland birds are faring in the Mount Alexander region.

 To get involved in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count, all you need is 20 minutes, your outdoor space of choice, and some keen eyesight (or binoculars).  It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or an expert.  Simply record the birds you know and look up those you don’t on BirdLife’s new Aussie Bird Count app or our through their website (www.aussiebirdcount.org.au).  You’ll instantly see live statistics and information on how many people are taking part near you and the number of birds and species counted across your neighbourhood and the whole of Australia!

Not only will you get to know your feathered neighbours, but you’ll be contributing to a vital pool of information from across the nation that will help us see how Australian birds are faring.  Last year volunteers counted 800,000 birds from across Australia, this year Birdlife Australia hopes to make it to at least one million. Get your friends and family together, head into the great outdoors and start counting!

For more information head to www.aussiebirdcount.org.au  or check out the ABBC Poster.

Also, don’t forget that there are some great guest speakers in the Mount Alexander Shire area over the coming weeks, with Andrew Skeoch speaking at the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club this Friday (9 Oct) and Emmi Scherlies talking about Powerful Owls at the Newstead Community Centre next Thursday (15 Oct).  See our earlier blog for further details on these two events (click here).  We’ll also have some information soon about our guest speaker at our upcoming AGM on 27 October.

‘Bird Week’ in the Castlemaine Library October 2015

Posted on 7 October, 2015 by Tanya Loos

Ever wondered which bird field guide is for you? What about a good bird book for kids?  Head into the Castlemaine Library this month to check out our Bird Week display.

A small sample of the books and brochures about Australian birds.

Connecting Country has teamed up with the Castlemaine Library to present the display and includes reviews of some of the key bird books available.

For young people and the young at heart the Library also has the Great Library Bird Count activity…

 The Bird Week display will be in the Castlemaine Library from 10th October – 24th October. 

Bird Week is an initiative of BirdLife Australia, and runs at the same time as the Aussie Backyard Bird Count. If you go to the Aussie Backyards webpage you can see that the Castlemaine Library display joins ‘bird week’ displays from all around Australia.

 If you can’t make it to the Library, see the Connecting Country birdwatching page for resources and useful tips to get you started.

Alan ‘Curly’ Hartup – Newstead photographer and naturalist

Posted on 24 September, 2015 by Connecting Country

Via Geoff Park, Ken Hartup has made us aware of a wonderful exhibition of nature photographs by leading amateur photographer and long-time resident of Newstead, Alan Jesse Hartup (1915 –2004), which will be opened at the Newstead Railway Arts Hub on Saturday 10 October 2015 at 3pm.  Viewings thereafter are by appointment through until the 24 October.

This exhibition is largely of bird life in Newstead and the surrounding districts, from Alan’s vast array of black and white photographs and colour slides. This selection of 20 works of black and white and prints from colour slides, span over 60 years of Alan’s impressive output. Beginning with his beloved 35m Voigtlander camera, he progressed to the brilliant level of work he achieved with his Mamiya and Rollieflex 2¼ square cameras and his great ability with dark room techniques.

Alan has been represented widely in amateur circles and has been a central figure in promoting, selecting and judging photography in Victoria and interstate. In preparing for this exhibition we have been reminded what a wonderful legacy Alan has left with images of the beauty and richness of our surroundings. He was a man at one with the natural world and one who took a vital interest in our environment and how to care for it. The exhibition was prompted by local field naturalists Geoff Park and Mrs. Joan Butler.

The attached flyer has further details (CLICK HERE).

Magic moments of winter bird monitoring

Posted on 8 August, 2015 by Tanya Loos

One of the joys of bird monitoring is the experience of magic moments: special points of time and place that stand out in the mind as truly special. Connecting Country’s winter bird monitoring has been completed for the 2015 year, involving two surveys at each of the 54 sites, which totals 108 ‘twenty minute – two hectare’ surveys. Here are a few of the magic moments from this winter’s wet and windy efforts!

While looking for the typical, tiny bush bird shapes in the foliage on the side of a hill in Metcalfe Conservation Reserve, I was completely taken aback by the sight of a huge Wedge-tailed Eagle taking off from the ground just metres in front of me, closely followed by another, younger bird. They had been eating a dead kangaroo, and the pair perched nearby in a paddock tree watching me closely as I completed the survey.

Speckled Warblers are not often encountered; they are a small, ground-foraging woodland bird somewhat like a scrubwren, with attractive streaky plumage. One lucky afternoon I had brilliant views of two foraging in rocky grassy undergrowth at the Nuggettys, then observed another at a direct seeding site in Maldon, foraging on the ground with thornbills and Scarlet Robins.

This year I have had the fortunate opportunity to set up a number of new bird monitoring sites (eight in total) with landholders who have past or present Connecting Country revegetation projects on their properties. After surveying a direct seeding site in the Blue Hills area, myself and the landholders went for a walk and we were rewarded with a brilliant session; dozens of bird species including Hooded Robins, Jacky Winters, Brown Treecreepers and culminating in a pair of Crested Shrike-tits doing a courtship wing shivering display. Magic!

This striking male Crested Shrike-tit was photographed by Geoff Park, and featured on his blog Natural Newstead.

If you are interested in a revegetation project on your property, call Jarrod Coote at the Connecting Country office on 5472 1594 to find out more.

And for those of you who are enjoying the birds on your property; watch this space, as we will be going out on another outing in early September.

by Tanya Loos, Habitat for Bush Birds Project Coordinator.

Australian Bird Index launched

Posted on 17 July, 2015 by Tanya Loos

On Wednesday (15 July 2015), BirdLife Australia launched the Australian Bird Index. This ground-breaking research measures the health of Australia’s terrestrial bird populations.  For the first time, vast quantities of data collected by volunteers and researchers have been analyzed to produce indices that help track Australia’s current state of biodiversity.

Just as the Consumer Price Index is a useful tool to evaluate the nation’s economy, The Australian Bird Index is a tool to quantify the overall health of the environment – using birds as the barometer.

The Bird Index has come about thanks to 15 years of citizen science data collection: comprising 14 million records and 900,000 surveys from across Australia – including many from the Mount Alexander region.

A Purple-crowned Lorikeet by Chris Tzaros – pic from Connecting Country’s Woodland Bird Brochure

Now that Connecting Country is an affiliated organization with BirdLife Australia, both the data we collect for our long term monitoring program, and the data you submit,  will be shared with BirdLife to assist in this important work.

So how are we faring? In order to make sense of the data, the Australian Bird Index breaks Australia up into nine regions: for example, the Mount Alexander Shire occurs entirely within the South-east Mainland region.  In the South-east Mainland, dry woodland and forest dependent parrots are showing distinct downward trends over the last 13 years. These species include Purple-crowned, Musk and Little Lorikeets, Crimson Rosella and Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo.

But we see Crimson Rosellas all the time, I hear you say – this is the tricky thing about analyzing the data over a large area – in some areas the rosellas may actually be steady or even increasing, whereas across other areas, rosellas are dropping out of the  picture entirely. As such, BirdLife researchers plan to carry out further research for the comprehensive State of Australia’s Birds report planned for early release in 2016. For more on the Australian Bird Index and the upcoming report:  see here

The Australian Bird Index can tell us that the Purple-crowned Lorikeet has declined markedly, but not why this beautiful little bird has been reported as declining.  Again – further research is required to tease out some answers. My guess is that the changing weather patterns are playing havoc with the flowering of the eucalypts that these tiny blossom nomads rely upon.

Geoff Park has recently posted some stunning photos of the Purple-crowned Lorikeet (click here)  and it is great to hear that readers of his blog have reported seeing this species in good numbers.

Report from Tanya Loos, Habitat for Bush Birds Coordinator