Weekend in Tasmania searching for endemics and other locals

[Ian Montgomery <>]

Dear friends,

I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in Tasmania after a work meeting in Hobart on Friday a week ago, 20th of October.  I hired a car, booked the cottage at Inala on Bruny Island and went their on the ferry from Kettering south of Hobart.  A Black-faced Cormorant near the ferry terminal posed for a photo.

On the island, there was a pair of Dusky Robins at the pool described in Thomas and Thomas and some Tasmanian Thornbills and several families of Tasmanian Native-hens with black fluffy chicks welcomed me to Inala.

On Saturday morning, after some diligent searching at Inala I found a couple of Forty-spotted Pardalotes and in the process some Green Rosellas, Black-headed Honeyeaters and some Pink Robins and Flame Robins.

Then I did the walk to the peak of Mount Mangana off the road betweent Lunawanna and Adventure Bay.  Great walk but watch where you put your feet: I encountered three snakes soaking up the sun.  I had a more welcome encounter with a Scrubtit and a member of the local race of the White-browed Scrubwren.  There were also several Olive Whistlers and Crescent Honeyeaters.   Near the road was a Yellow-throated Honeyeater, a family of Dusky Robins with 2 fledged young and a pair of Scarlet Robins.  Near Adventure Bay was a Yellow Wattlebird, more Black-headed Honeyeaters and on the water some Short-tailed Shearwaters which had arrived safely at their breeding grounds.  That evening I went to Great Taylor Bay and glimpsed briefly a pair of Strong-billed Honeyeaters.

On Sunday, I searched in various places without success to get a better view of some Strong-billed Honeyeaters and I couldn't find the place where Thomas and Thomas described the colony of Forty-spotted Pardalotes at Waterview Hill.  At the nominated distance from Dennes Point I found an active quarry and the rest of the hill was also fenced off.  I was still missing the Black Currawong from the list of endemics, so Tonia the owner of Inala recommended Mount Wellington on the way to the airport.  I found five there, most of them near Sphinx Rock outlook on the Lenah Valley track.  Tonia had also seen Swift Parrots the day before at Kingston Beach and I found about 30 of them feeding in gum trees near the Kingston Beach golf course on the road to Taroona.  At the airport, there were plenty of Musk Lorikeets feeding in trees in the carpark where rental cars are returned.

Not only is Bruny Island justifiably famous for its birdlife, it is also very beautiful.  Inala is a delightful place to stay, and Tonia, a biologist, particular welcomes birders.  She is actively working to protect the Forty-spotted Pardalote at Inala by habitat restoration and by planting White Gums on which the pardalotes depend.  She has a website at <www.inalabruny.com.au> and BA members would have seen her advertisement in Wingspan.

Best wishes,  Ian