From: "Chris Baxter" <>
Date: 17 August 2007 5:40:41 PM
Subject: Kangaroo Island Bird News
Hi All
Have not been on this forum for about six years-last time was
during the Banded Stilt breeding at Lake Eyre North in year 2000. I
asked for assistance in tracking post-breeding dispersal of Banded
Stilt adults and young from LEN. I was most grateful to receive
reports from Birding-Aus birdwatchers of their observations of this
species as it dispersed to wetlands in many different parts of
Australia. How time passes. I was a National Parks and Wildlife
Desert Parks ranger based in Port Augusta at that time. I have been
back on Kangaroo Island, SA, since 2001 (where I grew up) and am a
nature tour guide. I live on 20 acres of land (“Panorama Park”) 25
km W of Kingscote, the stone cottage situated in a Sugar Gum
forest. So enough about me and a few bits and pieces about what is
happening in the bird world on KI.
Golden Bronze Cuckoo started calling from high in sugar gums about
one week ago-regular and moderately common on KI during spring-
summer months. As are Horsfield’s Bronze and Fan-tailed Cuckoos.
Pallid Cuckoos do not visit here. Small numbers of Straw-necked
Ibis are here on their usual winter visit, associating with the
common Australian White Ibis. A very rare visitor this week was a
White-necked Heron feeding in a puddle in farm pasture. First Black
Swan cygnets have appeared. Double-banded Plovers (40+) at Rush
lagoon are all coloured up in their breeding dress and quite
magnificent-about to depart for NZ. Bush-stone Curlews paired up
and first eggs being laid; as are Hooded Plovers on coastal
beaches. Thousands of young Black-faced Cormorants and Pied
Cormorants have been recruited into the population after recent
breeding. Australian Pelican, Australian White Ibis, Little Pied
Cormorant, Pied and Sooty Oystercatchers, Little Penguins etc. are
all nesting at present. Large flock of Pied Oystercatchers feeding
in green pasture near American River/Pelican Lagoon as per usual
during winter. Usual to see 100+ some 100 m away from seashore
foraging on un-identified food item/s in paddock (saw 157 once)-
once had to slow up in car as 100+ were congregated on main bitumen
road between sea shore and coastal paddock!
Rare and endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo (c 300 on KI, race
halmaturinus) presently in latter stages of nesting – when they
finish the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo commences breeding and
sometimes they have to wait for each other to vacate a hollow
before the other can move in! Western Whipbirds starting to become
vocal again as territorial song becomes a regular and common sound
throughout the south and west coast mallee areas. Bassian Thrushes
quite regularly heard and occasionally seen in pristine overgrown
river valleys; Beautiful Firetails widespread and quite common,
mostly in stringybark/mallee association of the ironstone plateau
where seeds of bulokes and sedges are favourite food items.
Collected a freshly beach-washed Fiordland Penguin from S coast
beach (D’Estrees Bay) a few weeks ago and forwarded to SA Museum,
along with Fairy Prion and Fluttering Shearwater. Had significant
number of Freckled Duck (c1000) on Duck Lagoon last year and early
this year but most have now departed back to the mainland as
drought breaking rains commenced. Plenty of Southern Emu-wrens and
Shy Heathwrens about and always a winner with people on tour – if
they are enlightened to the joy of birds, that is!
No sign of the Antarctic Terns or White-fronted Terns back at Cape
du Couedic, SW KI yet-but still have a couple of weeks to go to
reach the date that they were first seen there last year. I will
make sure I keep you posted on events down there over coming weeks
and will report immediately if I see one. Well, best sign off now I
guess. I was just breaking the ice as have been away for so long
and just wanted to get back on board. Nothing of any great
excitement to report but will continue to keep people informed of
KI birdy news from time to time. I am always sneaking a peek on
this forum to keep myself updated as to what you are all up to and
find it most interesting and informative. Take Care All.
Cheers
Chris Baxter
