Mallacoota Area Bird Report: February 2020

Mallacoota Area Bird Report: February 2020

by Martin Butterfield

The big ticket item is that an extraordinary 134 species were observed in the area in February 2020.  This requires a little commentary!

I usually don’t name observers in these reports as a policy of privacy.  However a major factor underlying this month’s report is the eBird lists submitted by Rohan Clarke for 4 – 6 February as a result of his mission with a primary purpose to save Eastern Bristlebirds in the Howe Flat area.

In addition to that species a number of other species which specialise in the heath habitat of the Flat including Ground Parrot and Southern Emuwren were recorded and some birds infrequently recorded in Mallacoota including Brush Bronzewing and Olive Whistler.
On the morning of 6 February Rohan birded in the area around town recording 88 species in ~4 hours.   eBird list

I think that in total he added 42 species to the month list.

Read about why Rohan was here: ABC News Bristlebirds rescued by Chinook

…

64 species were common to Rohan’s lists and those of other observers.  The others recorded an additional 28 species. These included smaller species (Red-capped Plovers, Red-necked Stints and Little Terns) visible from the ocean shore from Bastion Point and some less common species (including Ruddy Turnstone, White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Grey Goshawk and Emu – from Nauta Tce!) seen around town.

That is the good news.  The less-good news is that the birds not tightly linked to water (ducks, waders etc) were largely restricted to the unburnt area in the centre of the town.  The burnt areas of heath and woodland – where able to be assessed – were largely devoid of birds. Thus any analysis of the recovery of birds after the bush fires needs to look closely at a site x site analysis rather than the overall outcome.

By way of example I have driven the area around the airport 3 times this month recording a total of 5 species.  As the area is well endowed with grasshoppers I would have expected a wide range of insectivorous species.

To try to get a handle on the types of birds found more, or less, frequently I have used my set of 14 broad categories again.  5 categories seem worthy of comment.

It is important to remember that a % distribution is a zero-sum game: if some elements are below normal others must be above.

Looking at the chart above that is a partial explanation for the good result for waders and ducks.  As the Inlet and the ponds at the Mallacoota Recycled Water Treatment Plant were not greatly affected by the fires seeing all the usual suspects at those locations made those categories look better than the other categories which were depressed.

The good result for flycatchers may be a reflection of the fire forcing the birds into town and thus them being more easily observed.  That being said there are some less common species in the list (Olive Whistler, Black-faced Monarch, and Satin Flycatcher).

Of the two categories with particularly poor outcomes it appears that the result for Kingfishers etc is influenced by the almost complete absence of the Cuckoo family.  In past Februaries 6 species have been recorded: this year, none.

Seabirds are a small category in February, but only 1 (Australasian Gannet) of the 6 possible species was reported.  Unlike January this year no flocks of shearwaters were noted inshore.

List of birds seen around Mallacoota post fire February 2020: