Month: July 2014

For birders and others interested in Hawaii. Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow PO Box 71 Darwin River, NT, Australia 0841 PhD candidate goodfellow@bigpond.com.au Founding Member: Ecotourism Australia Founding Member: Australian Federation of Graduate Women Northern Territory 043 8650 835 Aloha kāua, Because you have expressed interest in our cultural presentations, we thought you might like information on this FREE event offered by the Mauna Kea Observatories, Mauna Kea Support Services, Office of Mauna Kea Management, and the University of Hawai`i Institute for Astronomy. Please remember that weather can be cold and changeable at the 9,000 ft elevation, so dress appropriately, and fill your gas tank before heading up Saddle Road. Here is an article on the event: http://www.examiner.com/article/birds-of-a-feather-hawaiian-culture-night-program-on-mauna-kea The articles have background information on the topic, and travel and safety information and links. Attached is a flier, and some information you may find useful. Please feel free to print it out and post or pass it out! If you know of anyone who may be interested, please forward! Mahalo no, a me nānā i nā hōkū, Leilehua Yuen Title: Malalo o ka Po Lani – “Birds of a Feather” FaceBook Page: Ma Lalo o ka Po Lani Presenter: Claudia Ziroli Time: 6p.m. Phone: 895-0850 Email: Leilehua@LeiManu.com Website: www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis Location: Visitor Information Station at the 9,300 foot elevation on Mauna Kea FREE – Seating for this program is first-come first-serve. Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Mauna Kea Visitor’s Information Station Phone: (808) 961-2180 Fax: (808) 969-4892 Malalo o Ka Po Lani Hawaiian Culture night on Maunakea Birds of a Feather Saturday, July 19, 6:00 pm The Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station’s free monthly program, “Malalo o ka Po Lani,” will be held at the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Visitor Information Station’s presentation room, beginning at 6:00pm. The presentation will take place for approximately one hour, with our stargazing program following shortly thereafter. Explore how feather lei integrate with traditional cultural practices for avian resource management when naturalist Claudia Ziroli joins Leilehua Yuen and Manu Josiah in Saturday’s Culture Night program. The program fincludes the storytelling, chanting, and hula of Leilehua Yuen, and the stories, traditional Hawaiian flute music, and guitar music of Manu Josiah. Naturalist Claudia Ziroli shares this month on the interrelationship of the people, the environment, and traditional Hawaiian culture in this presentation on the birds of Mauna Kea. Ziroli hs been a devoted bird watcher throughout her life, and developed her interest in Hawaiian birds while working with local experts in the field. She has worked as a naturalist on the Island of Hawai`i for the past 20 years through the University of Hawai`i at Hilo. At one time, vast forests of native mamane trees grew on the slopes of Mauna Kea. Ravaged by the over grazing of ungulates, the few remaining trees are the primary food source for Hawaii’s native Palila. Mauna Kea’s forested slopes are also home to `Apapapne, `Amakihi, `I`iwi, `Elepaio and `Akiapoli`au. Hawaiian artists and artisans developed an extensive body of featherworked items for apparel and ceremonial display. From skirts to statuary, helmets to cloaks, chiefly ceremonial items were intricately feathered. The birds that provided these feathers were captured and managed in a variety of ways that assured a continuous supply. The kia manu, the bird catcher not only harvested the birds, but watched over the health of the bird populations. For details, visit: www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis Or phone: 1-808-961-2180 Find us on our FaceBook page, “Ma Lalo i ka Po Lani” Each month, a different Cultural Practitioner shares perspectives on an aspect of Hawaiian culture, history, and or arts relating to the natural history of Maunakea. The “Malalo o ka Po Lani” cultural program is held on the third Saturday of every month in the Ellison Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Visitor Information Station’s presentation room at the 9,300 ft eleveation on Mauna Kea. For more information on programs at the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station please visit our web site: www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis or call us at (808) 961-2180. Aloha! After the presentation, join the star party on the lanai of the Ellison Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, and enjoy the beauty of the stars from one of the world’s premier sites for astronomy. _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org

I too saw a Channel-billed Cuckoo at Daintree Village recently (8 July) and yesterday (18 July) had a Brush Cuckoo calling at Wonga Beach. Channel-billed Cuckoos have overwintered here before but because Brush Cuckoo was calling I suspect it is an early migrant. I haven’t heard the Brush Cuckoo this morning. Our latitude is 16 degrees south. cheers Chris Dahlberg _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org

Report from last Sunday’s trip. Looking forward to reading about what this weekend’s trips turn up after the strong southerlies off SE Tas over the last couple of days. Eaglehawk Pelagic Trip Report 13/07/2014 Participants: Kevin Bartram, Ian Halliday, JJ Harrison, Martin Havlicek, Scott Linnane, Michael Vaughan, Peter Vaughan, George Vaughan, Els Wakefield, John Weigel and Paul Brooks (organiser & report compiler) Boat: The Pauletta, skippered by John Males, with deckhand Adam. Conditions: A cold, gusty wind in the bay had us expecting a bumpy ride but the seas were quite benign out to the Hippolyte and the journey to the shelf was also fairly smooth with very little spray. None seasick. Swell was around 2 metres with seas generally below 2 metres for much of the morning. Winds were south-westerly at 15 knots. As we moved south, the swell increased to around 2.5 metres; after midday, seas increased to 3 metres as the south-westerly picked up with some gusts to 25 knots. The day turned out to be fairly fine with none of the possible showers. Water temperature was 13.9 deg C inshore, rising to 15 deg C out wide. Activity: Departed Pirates Bay at 0730 hrs and headed south to circumnavigate the Hippolytes before heading east to the shelf (after an almost birdless trip over offshore waters). After a brief stop, over 600 fathoms, we headed south to berley over 750 fathoms. We drifted north-easterly from this point for the rest of the day before heading back to port to dock at around 1510 hrs. Mammals: Australian Fur Seal: c. 12 on the Hippolyte. New Zealand Fur Seal: 1 male on the Hippolyte. Other: Blue Shark: 2 in pelagic waters. Birds (IOC v 4.2, max at one time in brackets): Antipodean Albatross: 2 (1) Both pelagic. One bird had a fairly dark cap, which the other bird lacked. Southern Royal Albatross: 4 (3) All pelagic. Black-browed Albatross: 1 An adult bird in pelagic waters. Black-browed-type Albatross: 1 A juvenile which was only seen briefly. Campbell Albatross: 3 (2) Two adults and one immature bird, all in pelagic waters. Shy Albatross: c. 80 (31) Only a handful in inshore and offshore waters but common off the shelf. Buller’s Albatross: 8 (4) Five birds inshore and offshore and three or four that followed the boat around off the shelf. Northern Giant Petrel: 3 (2) Two juveniles that arrived early on and hung around and an adult that arrived towards the end of the day. BLUE PETREL: 2 (2) A single bird flew in from the south and shot past before turning around and disappearing from where it appeared. Not long after it, or another bird, was back and dancing in the slick just at the back of the boat. A second bird materialised and they both proceeded to give excellent views for the next ten minutes or so. One of the birds followed the boat for a short way as we motored for home. SLENDER-BILLED PRION: 1 (1) Flew in from the south and stopped in the slick, just out of range of decent views. Disappeared for a short while before reappearing and foraging in the slick at the back of the boat, a little closer than previously. Great-winged Petrel: 16 (6) All pelagic. Largely absent until later on, when several birds began to appear from the south. White-headed Petrel: 8 (1) All pelagic. Mainly flying from the south. A few birds seemed inquisitive and made close passes of the boat. GREY PETREL: 1 Pelagic. Made a couple of passes of the boat. Sooty Shearwater: 3 (2) Pelagic. Grey-backed Storm Petrel: 1 Pelagic. Common Diving Petrel: 6 (1) Four inshore and offshore, two in pelagic waters. Australasian Gannet: 9 (2) All inshore apart from a couple in pelagic waters. Black-faced Cormorant: 8 (3) All inshore. White-faced Heron: 2 (1) The Hippolyte. Silver Gull: 5 (2) Inshore. Pacific Gull: 6 (2) All adults between Pirate’s Bay and the Hippolytes, except for one juvenile which followed the boat with the Kelp Gulls. Kelp Gull: 27 (12) All inshore. Had a dozen or so birds follow the boat between Pirate’s Bay and the Hippolytes, which is unusual. Greater Crested Tern: 42 (c.30) Mainly inshore, including a flock of around thirty foraging near the Hippolyte. PB _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org

Happened to be driving to Taylor’s Beach (east of Ingham Qld) 17th July where a cane farmer was ploughing his field. Could not believe the Brolgas! Counted 170 but could not quite see others further down the field and another group behind uncut cane. Got David and I wondering .. would they be eating cane beetles that had been ploughed into the soil ? I did manage a couple of photos .. but hey, with my point and shoot camera the photos are not fantastic But you can tell they are Brolga. Allan G … I have noted this on the crane sighting report. Jude _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org

Greeting Birdos, I’m sending this email with my black-throated finch recovery team hat on – I’m trying to track down some background information about a record of a black-throated finch that appears to have originated from Atlas data. If anyone can advise as to who I might contact that may be able to provide metadata (provided it’s not confidential) for Atlas records, would you mind please passing on either their details or having them contact me? Regards, Eric Vanderduys Technical Officer CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences Phone: +61 7 4753 8529 | Fax: +61 7 4753 8600 | Mobile: 0437 330 961 eric.vanderduys@csiro.au | www.csiro.au | www.csiro.au/people/Eric.Vanderduys.html Address: CSIRO, PMB PO, Aitkenvale, Qld 4814. Deliveries: CSIRO, ATSIP, Bld 145 James Cook Drive, James Cook University Douglas Campus, Townsville Qld 4814, AUSTRALIA _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org

If you had to pick a motel or location to park yourself for a base to see both Purple-crowned and Musk Lorikeets in Sept in an area where the birds are somewhat or very accumstomed to seeing people where would you pick? Obviously I am asking this question as a major helps for me when I come to Aus later this year. I so appreciate birding-aus as a valuable travel guide for someone like me who is 1000’s of miles away at the moment! Cheers to all my mates here! Don Kimball Polytelis Media _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org

Do channel-billed cuckoos overwinter in the Northern Territory? On July 9, a large long grey bird flew out in front of me on an early morning walk near the Kakadu Aurora Hotel just west of the South Alligator River. Given the size & colour, I can’t imagine what else it could have been. Even in the split second, I thought I would have seen the bill easily but did not. Are they ever seen in winter in the Top End? (last week being my first visit). regards Alastair _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org

In a couple of days time I am heading to Paluma just north of Townsville. Reading John Bransbury’s book “Where to find Birds in Australia” (pge 213/214) he mentions a tea house popular with birders. I’m guessing as this book is now a few years old there might be many tea houses at the Paluma Village. Can anyone point me in the right direction please. Jude _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org

Good News for Aussie Swiftlets Shirl & I have just spent 5 weeks censusing the swiftlets at Chillagoe-Mungana, West of Cairns. The good news is that the last two seasons have received normal rainfall, unlike the previous four years, where La Nina has washed many nests from the roofs of the caves. You can see some of the damage in the photos included in the last two papers at the end of this web page http://www.swiftsoftheworld.info/spplist.htm At Mudlark and Hercules caves where there had been no birds roosting or breeding in 2011, we found two and ten birds roosting. At Swiftlet Scallops #2 Cave where only 2 birds were sleeping in 2011, we found 20 roosting birds in June 2014. Some other colonies had increased, but many are still lower than normal. This is particularly true where feral cats have also been hitting the colonies at the same time as the rain has been washing nests off the walls and drowning eggs and birds. The last bit of good news is that we found three colonies that were unknown to us previously. One of them had 550 birds, the others 26, and 60+. Happy birding Mike _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org

Hi All, I’ve postponed this Saturdays’ 19th July pelagic from Southport due to a gale warning being issued. This trip will now be conducted on the following Saturday July 26th and there are now several vacancies for those interested. With a sustained southerly blow as is now happening next weekend could turn up some goodies. Contact Paul Walbridge: Paul.Walbridge@health.qld.gov.auPaul.Walbridge@health.qld.gov.au> (PH) (W) 07 3139 4584 (H) 07 3256 4124. ******************************************************************************** This email, including any attachments sent with it, is confidential and for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). This confidentiality is not waived or lost, if you receive it and you are not the intended recipient(s), or if it is transmitted/received in error. Any unauthorised use, alteration, disclosure, distribution or review of this email is strictly prohibited. The information contained in this email, including any attachment sent with it, may be subject to a statutory duty of confidentiality if it relates to health service matters. If you are not the intended recipient(s), or if you have received this email in error, you are asked to immediately notify the sender by telephone collect on Australia +61 1800 198 175 or by return email. You should also delete this email, and any copies, from your computer system network and destroy any hard copies produced. If not an intended recipient of this email, you must not copy, distribute or take any action(s) that relies on it; any form of disclosure, modification, distribution and/or publication of this email is also prohibited. Although Queensland Health takes all reasonable steps to ensure this email does not contain malicious software, Queensland Health does not accept responsibility for the consequences if any person’s computer inadvertently suffers any disruption to services, loss of information, harm or is infected with a virus, other malicious computer programme or code that may occur as a consequence of receiving this email. Unless stated otherwise, this email represents only the views of the sender and not the views of the Queensland Government. ********************************************************************************** _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org