Update on Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater surveys in 2009 Chris Tzaros (Swift Parrot Recovery Coordinator) and Dean Ingwersen (Regent Honeyeater Recovery Coordinator)
Now in their 15 th and 16 th years respectively, Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater surveys are continuing thanks largely to the contribution of dedicated volunteer observers. This update is being distributed to over 1200 people throughout the mainland range of the species. Your ongoing support and participation in this monitoring program – two of the longest running for any threatened species in the country – is appreciated enormously. Results of the surveys go far beyond the satisfaction of seeing a Swift Parrot or Regent Honeyeater (as exciting as that may be) or indeed pleasing recovery coordinators! Data from the surveys is being used extensively for a range of research and conservation applications such as studies to improve our knowledge of migration, site fidelity, habitat requirements and climate change impacts. The latest information is also being fed into revised national recovery plans and Commonwealth EPBC Act policy statement documents. Without current information, our understanding of these endangered species and our ability to manage and conserve them would be so much more challenging than it is. In the lead up to the August 1st-2nd survey, the following is a synopsis of where the two species have been seen so far this season. The map below also indicates the location of all sightings received to date. If you know of other records or are still to submit record forms, now is the time to lodge all sightings.
Swift Parrots The first sighting on the mainland this season was of two birds at Newham, central Victoria, on 25 th January. This is the third occasion that this site has produced the earliest mainland records of the species. Throughout March and April, swifty records were scattered - some had made it as far north as Toronto on the NSW central coast, whilst others were still on the southern Victorian coast at Phillip Island. There was a cluster of records from the broader central Victorian region, which was somewhat surprising given the exceptionally dry conditions throughout that landscape at that time. The long hot summer appeared to take its toll on the eucalypts but amazingly Grey Box still managed to produce some blossom which was the principal food source for swifties at locations around Bendigo, Castlemaine, Maryborough. At Kamarooka north of Bendigo, Blue Mallee flowered well and there were two observations of swifties foraging in this seldom used resource. By the time of the May 16 th-17th survey weekend, we could only account for 217 birds across the entire range. The largest flock seen was 30 birds at Kiah near Eden, NSW, on the 14 th February. Things weren’t shaping up well for the May survey - by that stage there was great uncertainty about where the bulk of the population was lurking. The May surveys located just 95 birds at 14 locations, despite terrific site coverage (over 350 sites). This was the lowest May survey tally ever recorded!
Grey Box woodland near Bendigo, used by swifties during mid-April.
Blue Mallee blossom – a rarely used food source
So, where were the swifties? Most of the key regions had sufficient survey coverage enough to let us know where birds weren’t - ‘traditional’ box, gum and ironbark dominated habitat inland of the divide supported only a few swifties (flowering and lerp was virtually absent), and those swifties that were present at a few central and northern Victorian sites throughout April seemed to have moved on. Numbers of small honeyeaters and lorikeets were also very low in these regions. Curiously, White Box commenced flowering in May at some sites in central west NSW, such as the Capertee Valley, giving us some hope that birds would flock to this food source, but alas only two records were received (13 birds and 6 birds). None of the White Box on the NSW south-west slopes or in north-east Victoria appeared to flower, so the central-west flowering seemed to be an isolated event. In terms of coastal regions, the NSW central coast and nearby Hunter Valley began to yield a few sightings and we were beginning to expect large numbers to turn-up in these areas. Flowering of Spotted Gum, ironbarks and stringybarks was increasing in the Hunter and swifties, along with large numbers of Little Lorikeets and small honeyeaters, were observed by locals on several occasions. However, the maximum number of swifties seen in the Hunter was 16 birds on the May survey weekend. Only scattered sightings have occurred since and the central coast birds also seem to have disappeared. Swamp Mahogany in the region has not flowered as well as it has previously. Conditions on the NSW north coast were similarly quiet. This left the NSW south coast… Tantalised by the reports of widespread Spotted Gum flowering, and the fact that there were reports of swifties earlier in the season from the south coast, it was decided that Dean and I would visit the region for a week long sweeping survey of sites known to support birds previously, as well as a brief search of additional areas of suitable but unsurveyed habitat. Beginning around Eden and Merimbula, areas of Red Bloodwood seemed to be on the end of their flowering period but there were still good numbers of nectar-feeders at some sites….but no swifties. Local birders in Merimula located six birds at Tura Beach just days earlier but those birds had shot through by the time we managed to get there. So we continued north through the coastal forests, and once beyond Tathra, forests composed mainly of heavily flowering Spotted Gum were attracting the largest numbers of nectar-feeding birds that we had come across for some time. It wasn’t long before we hit the jackpot! Between Bermagui and Narooma, in the Corunna State Forest, we located a large flock of 350 swifties foraging, loafing and flying about. The site was also used as a roost, adding to its value (we know of very few mainland roost sites). A return to the site the following morning was most rewarding – standing below hundreds of these magic little birds darting here and there, calling amongst themselves and actively foraging on blossom and lerp, was truly a sight to behold. After peeling ourselves away from Corunna, we continued our search through the flowering Spotted Gum forests and continued to come across swifties at several other locations. Highlights were 60+ at a
site in the Benandarah State Forest and 100+ at a site in Mogo State Forest. Over the course of the week, we had located over 600 birds. In a follow-up visit two weeks later, I detected up to 920 birds (almost half the known population) across the same region, this time also seeing a flock of 200-250 in the Mimosa Rocks National Park at Nelson’s Beach (discovered initially by local observers), and around 100 birds in the Bermagui State Forest. Spotted Gum blossom was abundant and was probably the main attractant for the swifties, but they were also observed feeding on lerp at most sites, gleaned from the foliage of Spotted Gum and Broad-leaved Ironbark.
Corunna State Forest near Narooma – site of 350 Spotted Gum-Broad-leaved Ironbark habitat used swifties during late June-early July by 100+ swifties in Mogo State Forest
Spotted Gum blossom – the savior for swifties in season 2009!
Adult male swifty foraging on Spotted Gum blossom in Mimosa Rocks National Park
Regent Honeyeaters This year has been an interesting one for the Regent Honeyeater, with sparse records early in the year followed by a real rush from the Capertee and Hunter Valley’s in May, June and July. A single bird was seen in the Capertee Valley in mid-April, followed by sightings along Crown Station Road during May and June (the maximum count recorded at one time here was 12). There birds were all feeding in flowering White Box and calling quite well at times. Vicki Powys, our expert call analyst, managed to get some great recordings of these birds and turned up a bird giving Armidale region calls – very interesting. During mid-June birds also turned up in Castlereagh NR for the first time in quite a few years, this time taking advantage of the flowering Mugga Ironbark. A maximum of 14 birds were seen here by a number of birders and photographers, with a single bird
still present in mid-July. However, the star region for Regent Honeyeaters this year has undoubtedly been the Hunter Valley. In late May the first birds were found by Mick Roderick and crew in the Pelton region of Werakata NP, and over several weeks the numbers of birds present climbed steadily to a peak of nearly 40 birds! They were foraging actively on Spotted Gum blossom, and engaging in a large amount of calling and chasing. But perhaps most excitingly was that a banded bird was seen in June. Unfortunately the bird in question has managed to lose one of the bands it was originally fitted with, so we can only narrow it down to one of five individuals – four of which were banded in the Capertee Valley, and one in the Bundarra region. But we know based on this that the birds is at least nine years old, and has travelled over 130 kilometres from where it was banded!
Spotted Gum forest where the first Regent Honeyeaters were located in the Hunter Valley
The banded Regent Honeyeater seen in the Werakata National Park (Image: Mick Roderick)
Since then the numbers of birds at this site has steadily dwindled, with the birds switching in early July to flowering Stringybarks. The greatest concentration of birds in recent times has been in the Kitchener area, with up to 20 birds present there, but recent surveys found only 10 or so birds remaining at this site. Searches of the surrounding areas has shown, however, that a number of Regents are still in the Hunter Valley on flowering Stringybark, with a total of 30 birds found across 8 sites in the region in mid July.
Flowering Stringybark, which has recently become the focus of foraging Regent Honeyeaters in the Hunter Valley (Image: Mick Roderick)
Typical mixed Spotted Gum/Ironbark/Stryingybark forest in Werakata NP
There have also been a number of reports of single birds and small groups from several towns in north-east Victoria, but unfortunately dedicated surveys in the Chiltern-Mt Pilot NP during the May surveys failed to locate any of our captive-release birds from last year. In late June a single bird was found in Anstead NR near Brisbane by Rod Gardner. One bird was also recorded (heard calling by experienced observers) in Bendigo in mid July.
Map of sightings of Swift Parrots and Regent Honeyeaters as at late July 2009.
August surveys So, the scene is set for an interesting August survey. Although prevalent on the NSW south coast, there are still many other regions supporting smaller numbers of Swift Parrots, and it is very important to keep track of bird movements throughout the season. There have been recent sightings in NSW west of Sydney and in the Hunter Valley, and in Victoria around Melbourne and St Arnaud. There have even been two records from Tasmania already, including a flock of around 50 birds in flowering Swamp (Black) Gum on Bruny Island - hope they packed their winter woolies! Best wishes to all observers and good luck with the survey.
