TRIP REPORT KING ISLAND '08
Janet and I flew with Rex from Tullamarine to KI on 29/01 and returned on
2/02. Our aim was to see the KI endemic subspecies and pick up plastic
ticks for Wild Turkey and Californian Quail.
We stayed at the Narracoopa Holiday Units, which were comfortable, and
travelled 700+ km in a hired Rav 4WD. A 4WD is necessary to drive to the
swamps etc.
The weather was pleasant for the whole of the stay.
A significant section of the remaining area of natural habitat in the
northeast quarter of KI was severely burnt in the 2007 fire, including most
of Nook Swamp. It was a hot fire and regeneration will take a number of years.
We recorded 64 species and the birding results are summarised below.
TARGETS SEEN
Wild Turkey common
Green Rosella brownii 2 sightings in
Pegarah Forest
Superb Fairy-wren elizabethae common
White-browed Scrubwren tregallisi common
Scrubtit greenianus 1 sighting
at Nook Swamp; see below
Tasmanian Thornbill rufifrons common
Yellow Wattlebird kingi 2 sightings
in Pegarah Forest and Reekara Rd
New Holland Honeyeater caudata common
Dusky Robin kingi common
Black Currawong colie 1 sighting
near Yellow Rock car park
Silvereye ochorchrous several sightings
TARGETS NOT SEEN
Californian Quail not seen despite extensive searching
Brown Thornbill archibaldi only recorded once, in
2002, since 1971. All th'bills seen were checked.
The Scrubtit, as far as I could determine, had only been seen once since
the 2007 fire; by Chris Tzaros in 10/07. On 31/01/08 I saw one bird in a
small patch of unburnt vegetation on the edge of Nook Swamp, at 39 40 24s,
144 05 18e. This was 2.2km down the sign-posted 4WD track which is 200m
east of the Penny Lagoon turnoff. Also seen in this patch were Tasmanian
Thornbill, Olive Whistler, Grey Fantail and Goldfinch (which has a very
similar call to the Scrubtit). There are serious nettles in this bush,
which penetrate thin clothing.
Thanks to the locals and Birding-ausers who responded to my RFI's.
Cheers
Frank Pierce
FULL LIST
Peafowl, Indian
Pheasant, Common
Turkey, Wild
Duck, Musk
Goose, Cape Barren
Swan, Black
Shelduck, Australian
Teal, Chestnut
Duck, Pacific Black
Bronzewing, Common
Bronzewing, Brush
Gannet, Australasian
Cormorant, Little Pied
Cormorant, Great
Cormorant, Black-faced
Heron, White-faced
Sea-Eagle, White-bellied
Harrier, Swamp
Kestrel, Nankeen
Falcon, Brown
Swamphen, Purple
Oystercatcher, Australian Pied
Oystercatcher, Sooty
Lapwing, Banded
Lapwing, Masked
Greenshank, Common
Tern, Crested
Gull, Pacific
Gull, Silver
Black-Cockatoo, Yellow-tailed
Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested
Rosella, Green
Bronze-Cuckoo, Horsfield's
Cuckoo, Fan-tailed
Boobook, Southern
Fairy-wren, Superb
Scrubwren, White-browed
Scrubtit
Thornbill, Tasmanian
Pardalote, Spotted
Honeyeater, Yellow-throated
Wattlebird, Little
Wattlebird, Yellow
Chat, White-fronted
Honeyeater, Crescent
Honeyeater, New Holland
Honeyeater, Strong-billed
Cuckoo-shrike, Black-faced
Whistler, Olive
Shrike-thrush, Grey
Magpie, Australian
Currawong, Black
Fantail, Grey
Raven, Forest
Robin, Flame
Robin, Dusky
Silvereye
Swallow, Welcome
Martin, Tree
Blackbird, Common
Starling, Common
Sparrow, House
Pipit, Australian
Goldfinch, European
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