Banding at the Spit: February 26, 2016

The Spit Banding: February 26 2016

Licenced Banders: David Braithwaite, Stephen Macdonald, and Rainer Ebel
Location: The Spit Site, Seaworld Dr Main Beach QLD : 56J 542050 E 6909186N See map from  January 4, 2016. Temperature: 27-31°C by 09:30; Cloud Cover: 5%; Net Operation: 05:00 to 9:30 = 4.5 hrs. Number of nets: 5 Number of net-hrs: 49.5 net-hrs. Birds/net-hrs (Effort): 0.7 Number of birds: 32 birds representing 6 species.



Silvereye 24 [3 returns], Tawny Grassbird 1, Willie Wagtail 1, Leaden Flycatcher 1, Brown Honeyeater 3, Double-barred Finch 2.

Comment: Silvereye. It was noted that some of the Silvereyes we were capturing displayed more rufous  or chestnut colour on the flanks than the local race: Zosterops laterals cornwalli which is primarily grey sometimes with a buff or tawny colour cast on its flanks. If we are correct these rufous flank birds may be the first migrants of the species Z.l.westernensis in SEQ from eastern Victoria (Melbourne area). Biometrical differences between the races are not immanent although more mensural information with more intense analysis or isotopic research should provide better seasonal distributional results.  

Silvereye Zosterotis laterals cornwallii

This is the race Z.l.cornwalli which occurs in SEQ and essential east of the Great Divide northern NSW . Note greyish flanks and olive green throat; this combination distinguishes this species from the Z.l. westernensis  form which displays  a yellow or pale yellowish throat colour and a tawny flank. Where both forms overlap is questionable but currently, it is  believed to occur somewhere above the Canberra area in NSW. Both sexes incubate makes for sexing problematic.
There are at nine subspecies or races of this Genus found in Australia.



The Leaden Flycatcher is a spectacular looking but this photo by David B. captured it's frontal splendour and magnifigance. Because this species is sexually dimorphic females as presented differ from males by their leaden blue grey hood covering also the breast area.
The Leaden (pronounced as in lead) belongs to the Family Monarchidae includes the Magpie-Lark but appears not related to the North American Flycatchers, Tyrannidae. There are 4 to 5 subspecies separated geographically on the continent. The hybrid zones would be an interesting area of investigation.

We assessed this photogenic bird as a female aged 2+ because we did not see any rufous edges in the secondaries  nor was it undergoing any moult.

The female of this species can be confused with the Broad-billed Flycatcher, the female of the Satin Flycatcher
It is fairly common and somewhat migratory as is the Satin Flycatcher.

Double-barred Finch (Taeniopygia bichenovii) is found through eastern and northern Australia in suitable habitat, and is represented by two subspecies. They are easily separated by their rump colour; white is bichenovii and black is annulosa . Since both sexes incubate it is impossible to separate the female and male based on brood patch or cloacal protubrance.

The Tawny Grassbird is usually found in coastal areas grassy dunes, rank grasses, croplands etc. Breeds from August to December in se Australia and earlier in northern Australia.  Found commonly along the eastern and northern coastal regions. No difference between sexes  and juveniles. It was aged 1+ 

The Grand Bird Banding February 12, 2016

The Grand Golf Course Bird Banding Update for February 12, 2016. 

Licenced Banders: David Braithwaite, and Rainer Ebel

Assisting: Miriam Braithwaite (C-class Banding Licence trainee)

Thanks to David B for sharing his photographs

Location: The Grand Golf Course, 346 Gilson Road, Gilston QLD 4211: 28°0’54” S 153°18’2”E,  “Dumpsite Road”.

Temperature Shade: 21-31°C; Sun Temperature: 27-32°C; Cloud Cover: 20-85%; Net Operation: 07:00 to 12:00 = 5.0 hrs. Number of nets:  11 (2m tall by 12m long, 32mm mesh) Number of net-hrs: 55 net-hrs. Birds/net-hrs (Effort): 0.10. Number of birds: 6 representing, 6 species.

Brown Thornbill 1, Eastern Robin 1 (repeat), White-throated Honeyeater 3(1 NB, 2 repeats), Red-browed Finch 3; (1 return) Spangled Drongo 5, Laughing Kookaburra 2.

           

Definitions: When we discuss recaptures the terms repeat and returns are often used.  A bird banded at a site and is recaptured at the same site after 90 days is considered a return. A repeat is a recaptured bird banded at a site and, is recaptured at the same site within 90 days.  A foreign re-trap or recapture is a banded bird from an unknown location.

Recaptures:

Band No	Species	1st Date	Last Capture Date	Min Age	Age/Sex
01A-65128	Red-browed Finch	2015 April 22	2016-Feb 12	9m 18 days	2+/ M
026-97904	Eastern Robin	2015- February 1	2016-February 12	12 m 11d	2+/M
026-97968	White-throated Honeyeater	2016-January 08	2016-February 12	1m 5d	2-/U
026-97615	White-throated Honeyeater	2015-May-06	2016-February-12	9m 1d	2+/U

Comment

Weather conditions were relatively "cool" dry and comfortable with winds audible from the tall eucalypt canopy above the station. Once in the sun it was very hot so the cloud cover was most welcoming.  Forest floor litter abundant and the shrubs spare looking although hints or greening are present and white flowers appearing on some of the shrubs. The creek beds are bone dry.  Still waiting for a major and continual rainfall and once that occurs (if it should occur) than I suspect the vegetation will change as will the bird diversity. Although the forest chatter was relatively quiet a few  desireable species could be heard . The cicadas noise was conspicuous  by its absence.  

Other Observations

An additional 35 birds were identified and recorded while at our station and travelling to and from the parking lot. 

Laughing Kookaburra. The largest member of the kingfisher family that feeds on anything found on the forest floor exclusive of banders and their fingers. Wing chord is 225mm and it weighs approximately 330-350 grs. The pictured one is an immature  (adult?) 2+ bird undergoing wing moult. Kooks live in territorial cooperative family units. Only the dominant males mate with dominant females and once eggs are laid, both share in the incubation. Other group members (helpers) may share in the incubation but most will feed the hatchlings and young. Older birds (3+?) displaying a bright blue lower back and rump may be sexed as males while females trend rufous brown to a dark brown rump. Plumage variation is problematic when sexing this species. From what I understand the moult sequencing is either unknown or poorly documented and requires more detailed studies.

Brown Thornbill. The wing chord for this tiny bird was 47 mm. Because of the blackish grey with the yellowish base to the lower mandible we concluded that it was born last year but because a number of juvenile feature aged it as a 2. Sex is unknown although females develop brood patches so do immatures which may or may not incubate.  There are 5 subspecies or races which occurs in south east Australia from south of Cairns to west of  the Adelaide region. There are 12 thornbill species. Fortunately most can be distinguished on geographic location and where they do overlap they can earlier be identified by specific field marks. 

Spangled Drongo. Perhaps one of my favourites but it is a killer on the fingers. It uses its bill as a pinching clever and its long very pointed claws with a very tight grasp will pierce the skin and leave a red ink clusters.  However there are other species that are much, much worse than the drongo.  It belongs to the Dicruridae family, which includes flycatchers, fantails, magpie-larks and monarchs. We banded 5 today,  all of them  where aged 2. Although not visible in this photo is  T6 flairs outward on a notched tail. The spangles are the poorly white streaks visible on the side of the neck.  In a breast and hind neck view of an alternate  plumaged adult bird the spangles are irridescent lancelet to rounded flecks. 

Red-browed Finch. Nothing unusual about this commonly encountered species except it is a young bird. How do you tell it has an all black bill and a brown eye where as adults display a red eye and the bill is red with a black stripe on top and bottom. The wing moult is asymetrical and complex.

Cedar Lake Bird Monitoring Results

Cedar Lake Bird Monitoring Results

by David Braithwaite (Bander-in Charge).

Assistants: Stephen MacDonald, Rainer Ebel, Miriam Braithwaite, and Rochelle Stevens.

Number of Nets: 11. 

February 10, 2016 

Email: Sent to Rich and Judy Edmunds , classicholidays.com.au

http://classicholidays.com.au/resort/cedar-lake-country-resort/
Cedar Lake Country Resorts, 555 Nerang/Murwillumbah Rd, Advancetown Gold Coast Hinterland, QLD 

This morning’s bird monitoring was quite a bit more successful than last month with a total of 27 birds captured.

We trialed a few nets on the top section around the Equestrian Centre grounds. This proved quite productive as a number of small flocks were feeding on the grass seeds there.

Of the 27 birds captured, 15 were already banded from last years efforts. This is quite a high recapture rate which is what we were hoping for as it provides good data on individual birds.

The breakdown of numbers and species is as follows:

- 16 Red-browed Finches (11 recaptures)

- 2 Eastern Whipbirds (both recaptures, photo)

- 2 Striated Pardalotes (photo)

- 2 Lewin’s Honeyeaters (1 recapture)

- 1 White-browed Scrubwren (recapture)

- 1 Eastern Yellow Robin

- 1 White-throated Treecreeper

- 1 Bar-shouldered Dove (photo)

- 1 Peaceful Dove

We certainly hope to utilise the Equestrian Centre area in future field trips.

Attached are a couple of photos of some of the birds as well as an updated Species List for your Resort.

Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus stiatus). Four species of pardalotes exist in Australia and Queensland is home to three species. The fourth occurs on the islands of the east shore of Tasmania and locally in Hobart. It is endangered while the others are not. The Striated has four races that are relatively distinct geographically and in the hand. I can not recall its age , sexes are similar.

Eastern Whipbird (Psophodes olivaccus). occurs along the eastern coastline and east of the Divided  from  the Cooktown area south to Melbourne. It is easily identified by the males's long explosive whip crack instantly answered by female with a witch-a-wee. This bird was a recapture previously banded (DB/SM) and undergoing a very heavy moult. Age was 2+ sex unknown.  There is a Western Whipbird which looks very different.

Bar-shouldered Dove (Geopolis humeralis) is a larger version of the Peace Dove (See an earlier Blog).  It occurs east and northern coastal Australia south to the southern New South Wales. This beauty is aged 2+, and Sex unknown. The species commonly encountered and when one realized the diversity of doves and pigeons found in Australia one begins to appreciate this group; even Rock Dove is looked at differently.

CEDAR LAKE COUNTRY RESORT SPECIES LIST
		2015	2015	2015	2015	2016	2016
SPECIES	TOTAL	16-Sep	06-Oct	11-Nov	16-Dec	13-Jan	08-Feb
Bee-eater, Rainbow	1	1	1		1	1	1
Bronze-Cuckoo, Little	1			1
Brush-turkey, Australian	1	1
Butcherbird, Grey	1	1	1			1
Butcherbird, Pied	1			1		1	1
Cicadabird	1			1	1	1	1
Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Coot, Eurasian	1		1	1	1
Corella, Little	1		1	1		1	1
Cormorant, Little Black	1		1	1
Crow, Torresian	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Cuckoo, Brush	1			1	1	1	1
Cuckoo, Channel-billed	1	1	1		1		1
Cuckoo, Fan-tailed	1				1
Cuckoo-dove, Brown	1	1					1
Cuckoo-shrike, Black-faced	1	1	1		1	1
Currawong, Pied	1	1		1		1	1
Darter, Australasian	1		1
Dove, Bar-shouldered	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Dove, Peaceful	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Dove, Spotted	1			1
Drongo, Spangled	1		1	1
Duck, Australian Wood	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Duck, Pacific Black	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Duck, Plumed Whistling	1				1
Egret, Intermediate	1			1
Fairy-wren, Red-backed	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Fairy-wren, Superb	1		1		1		1
Fairy-wren, Variegated	1	1		1	1	1
Figbird, Australasian	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Finch, Double-barred	1	1	1	1
Finch, Red-browed	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Flycatcher, Leaden	1	1	1	1	1		1
Friarbird, Little	1					1
Friarbird, Noisy	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Galah	1	1				1	1
Gerygone, White-throated	1	1	1	1	1		1
Grebe, Australsian	1		1
Hardhead	1	1	1	1
Honeyeater, Blue-faced	1		1				1
Honeyeater, Brown	1		1	1	1		1
Honeyeater, Lewin’s	1	1	1	1	1		1
Honeyeater, Scarlet	1		1			1
Honeyeater, White-throated	1	1			1		1
Honeyeater, Yellow-faced	1						1
Ibis, Australian White	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
King-parrot, Australian	1	1		1
Kingfisher, Sacred	1	1	1	1	1	1
Koel, Eastern	1		1	1	1	1
Kookaburra, Laughing	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Lapwing, Masked	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Lorikeet, Rainbow	1	1	1	1	1	1
Magpie	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Magpie Lark	1	1	1	1	1		1
Miner, Noisy	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Mistletoebird	1					1
Moorhen, Dusky	1	1	1	1	1	1
Myna, Common	1		1	1			1
Night-Heron, Nankeen	1					1
Oriole, Olive-backed	1	1	1	1	1	1
Pardalote, Striated	1	1	1	1			1
Pigeon, Crested	1	1	1		1	1	1
Pigeon, White-headed	1	1
Quail, Brown	1		1	1			1
Rail, Buff-banded	1	1
Robin, Eastern Yellow	1	1		1	1	1	1
Rosella, Eastern	1						1
Scrubwren, Large-billed	1	1		1	1	1
Scrubwren, White-browed	1	1	1	1	1		1
Shrike-thrush, Grey	1	1	1	1	1		1
Silvereye	1	1	1	1	1
Swallow, Welcome	1	1	1	1	1	1
Swamphen, Purple	1			1	1	1	1
Teal, Chestnut	1		1	1		1
Treecreeper, White-throated	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Wagtail, Willie	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Warbler, Speckled	1						1
Whipbird, Eastern	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Whistler, Golden	1	1	1
Whistler, Rufous	1	1	1	1	1		1
TOTAL	80	51	54	55	48	43	47