Irene Denton asked for info re Lord Howe Island.
I have seen a small book which was I think by Terry Lindsay of the
Australian Museum in Sydney. I don't know where you could get it but it is
a fairly recent publication. Try the museum. Quite possibly it would be
available when you get to the island.
My wife and I went there in September 1982 and saw lots of excellent birds.
In those days we had to climb Mt Gower to be sure of seeing the woodhens.
This is worth doing in any case but I gather woodhens are common at lower
levels now. As well as woodhens there were a few bush birds (LHI Currawong,
LHI Golden Whistler, Emerald Dove, Flesh-footed Shearwaters, Sacred
Kingfishers etc on the main island. A few Red-tailed Tropic-birds were
around the cliffs at the opposite end of the island to Mt. Gower. We took a
boat trip to the small islands just off shore and saw Wedge-tailed
Shearwaters, Sooty Terns, Grey Ternlets and Masked Boobies. It was
apparently too early for the White Terns - pity.
Keep an eye out for waders particularly around the airstrip. I photographed
a wader and several years later had it independently identified by several
birders as an Oriental Plover. It was supposed to be a first for the island
and I sent my original slide to Terry Lindsay when I heard he was compiling
the book. I have a print copy but if anyone out there knows Terry could
they ask him to send my slide back please? I've never met the man.
Have a great time on LHI, Irene and make sure you let us know what you saw.
Steve Clark
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Stephen Clark
Division of Plant Industry CSIRO
PO Box 1600
Canberra ACT Australia 2601
Phone (06) 246 5417 Fax (06) 246 5399
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