The Myall Koala & Environment Group Inc.
This report covers activity of the bird species of the above groups, monitored along the
Myall River from The Anchorage to the mouth of the ‘short cut’ and along the eastern,
southern and western shores of Corrie Island during the above time period. The information
was gathered mostly by NSW NPWS employees, contractors and volunteers. The volunteers,
namely Sharon Taylor, Ann Woods and Trish Blair are also members of MKEG. As far as
possible weekly visits were undertaken from late August.
Migratory shorebirds
The main species of migratory birds regularly observed in numbers on the northern shores
of Port Stephens over our summer are Eastern Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel. We
also noted one or two individuals of Pacific Golden Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Red Knot,
Ruddy Turnstone, Double-banded Plover and Red-necked Stint. The briefer stays of the latter
list could indicate that Port Stephens estuary is a stop-over point in a longer journey. All
these birds, except the double-banded plover from New Zealand, make the epic journey
from their breeding areas in NE Asia, Russia and Alaska to relax and refuel here over the
northern winter.
Needless to say, there are many and increasing threats to their life and habitat at every stage
of their migratory return trip.
The Bar-tailed Godwit counts swelled to 160 during December, but only a maximum of 40
Eastern Curlew and 8 Whimbrel were observed over the season.
The Little Tern who, it is believed, only migrate north within the southern hemisphere during
our winter, visited briefly in late October. Twenty were counted on the western end of Corrie
on 31st October, but none were observed anywhere in the area one week later.
Resident Australian Pied Oyster-catcher (APO) breeding
Pied Oyster-catchers have been monitored during the Spring/summer breeding season on
Winda Woppa and Corrie Island for many years. They tend to return to the same spot, within
several metres, each year.
This season the pair who breed at the western extremity of the Winda Woppa peninsular
adjacent to the mouth of the ‘short cut’ in the Myall river were once again successful in
raising one fledgling. The pair and their eggs and chicks were observed regularly, mainly byAnn Woods, from early September until late January by which time the surviving juvenile
was fully fledged and the family moved beyond their breeding territory.
On Corrie Island a record number of five pair of APO attempted breeding along the Eastern,
Southern and Western beach fringe of the island. (see map for nest locations)
With dingoes having been observed on the island in late Winter and early Spring, NPWS, in
consultation with other stakeholders, decided to put electrified fences around any APO eggs.
The first two nests were recorded on 21 September and two more the following week. (see
table for all nest data). Fences were promptly installed around each nest when they were
recorded or very soon afterwards.
A total of 8 nests were laid over the next 2 months. Three were re-lays, but pair 2 and pair 5
only laid once. APO eggs take approximately 4 weeks to incubate, then the chicks are around
6 weeks old before they fledge and can thus escape ground- based predators more
successfully.
The re-lays were a result of the first round of chicks being predated in the first weeks of their
life with the exception of pair 3 nest 3 which was lost to inundation by very high tides. The
only chick recorded at 5 weeks old was pair 3’s second attempt. Although that chick was very
close to flying, it was considered not to have fledged as it ran from this observer for some
distance instead of flying to safety. Lack of further sightings of this juvenile make any
assumptions on its fate inconclusive. It may have fledged but we have no evidence of this
from subsequent visits.
Results
While the electric fences were very effective in protecting eggs from 4 legged predators,
once chicks were moved away from these areas (a natural action from the parents) they
became easy prey.
The fact that the Winda Woppa mound pair of APO have produced a fledgling for successive
seasons with the same predators present lends weight to the argument that those predators
have alternate sources of food more readily available in a larger mainland range.
With Corrie Island hosting a family of dingoes this Spring and Summer, all food sources on
the island would be thoroughly investigated before undertaking the arduous trek to other
sources on the mainland.
These very disappointing results are similar to last year, where all but two of seven nests
were unsuccessful. The 7th nest was laid after dingoes and fox had been removed from the
island. It produced 2 fledglings that were noted each week foraging freely on the low tide
sand-flats with their parents.
This season the parents were ultra- alert to predators of their young chicks and
consequently the chicks were very rarely seen out of hiding. This is different parenting
behaviour to that observed late last season.
This report covers activity of the bird species of the above groups, monitored along the
Myall River from The Anchorage to the mouth of the ‘short cut’ and along the eastern,
southern and western shores of Corrie Island during the above time period. The information
was gathered mostly by NSW NPWS employees, contractors and volunteers. The volunteers,
namely Sharon Taylor, Ann Woods and Trish Blair are also members of MKEG. As far as
possible weekly visits were undertaken from late August.
Migratory shorebirds
The main species of migratory birds regularly observed in numbers on the northern shores
of Port Stephens over our summer are Eastern Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel. We
also noted one or two individuals of Pacific Golden Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Red Knot,
Ruddy Turnstone, Double-banded Plover and Red-necked Stint. The briefer stays of the latter
list could indicate that Port Stephens estuary is a stop-over point in a longer journey. All
these birds, except the double-banded plover from New Zealand, make the epic journey
from their breeding areas in NE Asia, Russia and Alaska to relax and refuel here over the
northern winter.
Needless to say, there are many and increasing threats to their life and habitat at every stage
of their migratory return trip.
The Bar-tailed Godwit counts swelled to 160 during December, but only a maximum of 40
Eastern Curlew and 8 Whimbrel were observed over the season.
The Little Tern who, it is believed, only migrate north within the southern hemisphere during
our winter, visited briefly in late October. Twenty were counted on the western end of Corrie
on 31st October, but none were observed anywhere in the area one week later.
Resident Australian Pied Oyster-catcher (APO) breeding
Pied Oyster-catchers have been monitored during the Spring/summer breeding season on
Winda Woppa and Corrie Island for many years. They tend to return to the same spot, within
several metres, each year.
This season the pair who breed at the western extremity of the Winda Woppa peninsular
adjacent to the mouth of the ‘short cut’ in the Myall river were once again successful in
raising one fledgling. The pair and their eggs and chicks were observed regularly, mainly byAnn Woods, from early September until late January by which time the surviving juvenile
was fully fledged and the family moved beyond their breeding territory.
On Corrie Island a record number of five pair of APO attempted breeding along the Eastern,
Southern and Western beach fringe of the island. (see map for nest locations)
With dingoes having been observed on the island in late Winter and early Spring, NPWS, in
consultation with other stakeholders, decided to put electrified fences around any APO eggs.
The first two nests were recorded on 21 September and two more the following week. (see
table for all nest data). Fences were promptly installed around each nest when they were
recorded or very soon afterwards.
A total of 8 nests were laid over the next 2 months. Three were re-lays, but pair 2 and pair 5
only laid once. APO eggs take approximately 4 weeks to incubate, then the chicks are around
6 weeks old before they fledge and can thus escape ground- based predators more
successfully.
The re-lays were a result of the first round of chicks being predated in the first weeks of their
life with the exception of pair 3 nest 3 which was lost to inundation by very high tides. The
only chick recorded at 5 weeks old was pair 3’s second attempt. Although that chick was very
close to flying, it was considered not to have fledged as it ran from this observer for some
distance instead of flying to safety. Lack of further sightings of this juvenile make any
assumptions on its fate inconclusive. It may have fledged but we have no evidence of this
from subsequent visits.
Results
While the electric fences were very effective in protecting eggs from 4 legged predators,
once chicks were moved away from these areas (a natural action from the parents) they
became easy prey.
The fact that the Winda Woppa mound pair of APO have produced a fledgling for successive
seasons with the same predators present lends weight to the argument that those predators
have alternate sources of food more readily available in a larger mainland range.
With Corrie Island hosting a family of dingoes this Spring and Summer, all food sources on
the island would be thoroughly investigated before undertaking the arduous trek to other
sources on the mainland.
These very disappointing results are similar to last year, where all but two of seven nests
were unsuccessful. The 7th nest was laid after dingoes and fox had been removed from the
island. It produced 2 fledglings that were noted each week foraging freely on the low tide
sand-flats with their parents.
This season the parents were ultra- alert to predators of their young chicks and
consequently the chicks were very rarely seen out of hiding. This is different parenting
behaviour to that observed late last season.
