Norfolk Island Nature Watch

Whales at Norfolk Island

2011-10-18T20:54:00.000-07:00

The annual migration of humpback whales is under way, with a number of sightings having been reported around the island over recent weeks. At this time of year the whales are heading north from their Antarctic feeding grounds, and they are moving pretty steadily so as to reach warmer waters where their calves can be safely born without fear of freezing to death.
Despite best attempts at keeping the required distance away from the whales, there are times when their curiosity gets the better of them and they make their presence felt around fishng boats. The excellent image above was captured by Brian Buffett at Norfolk Island, on such an occasion.

A week ago we watched 3 pods for a couple of hours, spectacularly breaching and slapping the water with their fins, and apparently in no hurry to leave our shores. One observer with a clifftop home providing excellent views reported that at least one of our 3 pods of whales already had a calf with it, which might account for their slow progress.

The return journey sees numbers peak during October. Research is ongoing to determine where 'our' whales are headed for calving. We do know that at least one radio-tracked humpback in recent years has come through Norfolk after leaving New Caledonia . This is a logical route to follow along the submarine Norfolk Ridge which runs between New Caledonia and New Zealand with Norfolk Island being the only place where it emerges through the ocean's surface.

The commercial taking of whales as they migrated through Norfolk's waters was historically an important component of the island's economy at various times. The whaling station at Cascade was operating until 1964.

The recovery of whales numbers at Norfolk is not as spectacular as the populations that migrate along the east coast of Australia, and research is under way to find out why.

Avian Winter Surprises

2011-07-22T18:51:00.000-07:00

The winds are blowing straight from Antarctica, or that's how they feel. We've had strong southerlies for weeks and a fresh blast of rain and wind has arrived in the last few days. When all the folks along the east coast of Australia heave a big sigh of relief because the low pressure systems move out to sea, that's when we know it's time to batten down the hatches. Deluges of rain driven by strong winds are visiting us, mostly at night. We've had a long overnight power outage and many tree limbs falling, but no severe damage to property as far as I know. We are never sure where the exhausted birds arrive from, but it's pretty certain that something unexpected will find its way here when the winds are so strong.

Our most recent arrival has been a Great Egret, which soon found the Royal Spoonbill that had only arrived days earlier, and they have been sifting the freshwater drains and wetland areas of Kingston together since they arrived. Here they are seen happily feeding in the shadow of the convict-built hospital and the rock wall that shores up the sides of a road constructed in the earliest days of the penal settlement (1788-1854).

It's very interesting to have the Great Egret here at the same time as a growing flock of Cattle Egrets.

From an original 6 birds the group of Cattle Egrets has gradually grown to 19 since May, and for local birdwatchers seeing the size difference in person , especially the long sinuous neck of the rarer Great Egret, is a hundred times more informative than seeing them in bird books.

The Cattle Egrets, (fairly regular Winter visitors) seem to enjoy the company of a flock of sheep on the steep hill above the Watermill Dam (see images of the dam in previous blog re feral ducks), as well as some of our local cattle, and have no hesitation in moving around the island to the north-west for a few days, then east and then back to the south.

Most interesting of all however has been the exhausted Fairy Prion that was spotted and photographed by John and Sue O'Malley arriving and resting on the reef at low tide during another strong southerly wind period in early July. I've made a number of enquiries and have so far been unable to unearth a previous record of this species here, so it may be a first.

With Anson, Cassidy and Lilli King we waded out and removed the little bird from the reef where the incoming tide would have swamped it within hours. Next morning when we checked on it in the sheltered location where we'd placed it above the high water mark, we found that it had quietly died during the night.

One can only wonder how many hundreds of birds are blown offshore or from waters around New Zealand, Australia, even New Caledonia perhaps, and never find the tiny speck of land that is Norfolk Island.

Winter Surprises and Visitors at Norfolk Island

2011-07-09T00:15:00.000-07:00

When the Summer breeding seabirds leave the island around late April to mid-May it seems a bit strange and quiet. No longer the angelic white terns flutter overhead and repeatedly come ashore with fish adeptly lined up in a row in their beak for their ever-hungry young. The adult birds, athough appearing frail have the toughness required of seabirds. It's a hard life for them all, especially when demanding chicks are constantly on the lookout for their return from fishing trips. They barely drop the small fish into the gaping beak before they are off again on another foraging trip.

It can seem as if nothing will happen until they return, but then it starts to get interesting.

Around Easter the weather changes down a gear, the temperatures drop and the heat and humidity give way to fresher, crisp days. We experience the majority of our rainfall in the Winter months, welcome and refreshing after the rainless (but humid) hot Summer over Christmas. The wind shifts to the South, the sea becomes rougher at the southern end of the island, and birds start to appear unexpectedly, blown off course or out to sea from other lands when they get caught up in the storms.

First we saw Swamp Harriers Circus approximans high overhead, which regularly arrive from New Zealand to our south, where they are very abundant. Most years in the Autumn 2 or 3 will arrive and hunt over Norfolk and the offshore islands for much of the Autumn and Winter months. Two have been regularly swooping above Nepean Island, about 1km south of Kingston since Easter, and were still there today. They also come ashore and work up and down the valleys. They are highly visible, dark raptors many times larger than the Australasian kestrel, our only other daytime predatory bird.

While other matters have recently distracted me there have been many visitors and blow-ins. In fact I have an embarrassment of riches in my backlog.

In June we were visited by a pair of Glossy Ibis Plegadus falcinellus as usual for the freshwater birds, in the wetlands in the Kingston area. Three of us captured images over the weeks they were here. This one is John O'Malley's. Only one bird remained after about 2 weeks, and that too has now disappeared.

Emerald Doves

2011-03-06T04:40:00.000-08:00

On a recent birding outing a small group of us encountered these Emerald Dove chicks sitting quietly observing us as we walked by.

Emerald doves are widespread across the island, mostly seen alone, except during the breeding season when groups of up to 8 have been encountered. Occasionally unnaturally large numbers are found flocking where householders feed them.

There is uncertainty about how these gentle birds came to Norfolk. No fossil material has been found to show that they were present before Man came to the island, and no definite records exist of their having been imported intentionally. It has been suggested that they came to the island with Melanesian islanders who came to the Mission Training College that was established in Norfolk Island in the 1860s by the Church of England.

Thanks to Kerri Hamilton-Irvine for the beautiful image of the dove chicks.

Who are you calling feral?!

2011-02-12T00:18:00.000-08:00

They don't come much cuter than this little fluffy duck.

With at least 9 ducklings seen in two clutches this week, we can officially say we are on the first step to these Muscovy ducks being feral on Norfolk Island. Animals must be recorded as breeding in the wild for a number of years before they are officially feral. Here is the proof of the first time breeding of the Muscovy ducks at Norfolk. Along with a lot of fowls (chooks as we call them in this part of the world), many other breeds of ducks, and grey and white geese are deposited in the area of the island known as the Kingston and Arthurs Vale Historic Area (KAVHA). It's a bit like a retirement home for elderly or unwanted poultry of various kinds, which the owners have no inclination to kill for their supper.This could be because of squeamishness or because Henny Penny or Daffy could be a bit too much like a family pet.

Mother duck and the whole flotilla are spending most of their time paddling on the Watermill Dam these last few days, but when I first found them they were waddling about on the grass, with (apparently) Dad hissing at me when I went near. I could not help but notice how blue his eyes were as he threatened me with violence. (This was a rather awkward situation as the ducklings were continuously coming towards me, and not the other way round.)
The rather unattractive red wattling all over the face of these ducks will be the look of these little yellow ducklings before we know it, so it's a good idea for locals to take the kids to see them while they are still cute as bathtub ducks.

It was an extraordinary day in KAVHA, as I wandered amongst the ruins of the colonial and convict past, as the chooks at every second pace seemed to be cluck-clucking to newly hatched chicks. I frequent this area often and have never seen so many brand new chicks at one time.

The Watermill dam was originally built in 1790, only 2 years after the settlement of the island. The dam was constructed of earth, and placed at the confluence of three streams, with the swampy ground below it drained by a man-made channel, rendering the area more suitable for agriculture. The stone mill building was a later addition, coming many years later after the first settlement had been abandoned in 1814 and the infamous convict settlement begun in 1825. The mill was constructed in the 1830s and was used for the grinding of grain for the little colony whose population peaked at around 3000.

The remains of the mill building can be seen nestled below the pines to the right of the picture.
(Double-click on any picture to magnify it.)

Later in the 1830s a report reveals that the earth-walled dam was no longer able to hold water, and stone lining was added to make it more secure. In the days after the Pitcairn settlers arrived, (1856) it was obviously no longer watertight, as it was used as a market garden, and the 2nd generation owner of the property from which this photo was taken tells me it was still a vegetable garden in the 1960s. By the 1970s it was once again being used as a reliable water storage facility.
As well as providing a place for retired farmyard birds, the dam attracts weary travellers which rest here on their way to and from New Zealand, some coming from across the northern Pacific or heading back to Siberia and Alaska to breed. Blown off course we sometimes see spoonbills, cormorants, egrets and of course ducks.

In the image above, the roadside is lined with Norfolk Island pines. The mill is in the shadows cast by the trees at the top end as they march along Aunt Jemima Avenue. It's a lovely custom on the island, that 100 trees are planted to celebrate the 100th birthday of a resident, and Aunt Jemima's avenue was lovingly created by her family and friends in 1971.

(Thanks to Liz at the KAVHA Research Centre for the historical information on the dam, and to Ron for his recollections, and helping me get above the dam and mill for the image.)

Stingrays

2011-02-01T15:15:00.000-08:00

Norfolk Island has a mostly rocky coastline.

The sandy beaches we have are beautiful and within the reef at the southern end of the island (at Emily Bay and Slaughter Bay, in this picture) the swimming is safe and snorkeling reveals amazingly diverse and interesting marine life. It is especially remarkable given the comparatively small area that so many species of coral, fish and other marine life are found there. Norfolk's coral reef is the second most southerly reef in the world.

The volcanic origins of the island also provide interesting rock pools formed from lava beds and eroded lava tunnels. A lifetime could be spent examining these small worlds, which provide safe havens for many species and fish nurseries in some where masses of coloured juveniles start their lives.

One of the island's favourite rock pools for snorkeling is called Crystal Pool. It is at Point Ross on the south western end of Norfolk with an access track that assists in keeping the area from being overcrowded, by being a little challenging. It is not recommended to swim there in big seas, as waves have been known to wash into the pool and occasionally take the unsuspecting snorkeler for an unexpected dip in the ocean. Local knowledge about suitable conditions is always wisely sought, anywhere we travel, and that applies equally here .

Similarly, big seas can wash unsuspecting creatures into the pools from time to time, and it is probably for that reason that a large number of stingrays appeared there recently.
The photos here show some of a group of stingrays that found their way into the Crystal Pool in December 2010.

There was a group of about 20, which were possibly just some of an even larger aggregation, some of which were washed into the pool and stranded there for a few days. Very rough seas and high tides had been experienced shortly before the time these were seen.
Mark Scott (seen here patting one of the rays) provided these photos. Mark's enquiries about the presence of such a large number of these rays led to Jack Marges who ran Norfolk's scuba diving company Bounty Divers, for many years. Jack has seen large groups of male stingrays regularly but more often encountered them in the open ocean, or tucked away in more open bays and usually a little later in the summer, around February. Large groups have been seen by others at Anson Bay over many years as well. Jack's previous experience with rays identified them as the Blotched Fantail ray (Taeniurops meyeni) which was confirmed by Malcolm Francis, a New Zealand-based researcher .(In older publications on Norfolk fishes, this species was called by the earlier names Taeniura meyeni or Taeniura melanospila.)

Mark noted that all the rays were male (identified by the 'claspers' either side of the tail), and Malcolm said that so far it is not known why they gather together this way, however local observations confirm that it is a regular summer event.

There was a further report of about 26 (possibly) rays seen near shore at Anson Bay in December also.

The group in Crystal Pool gradually reduced in number until there were 3 during the first week of January, and shortly after that they were all gone.

The current operator of Bounty Divers tells me that there have been consistently high numbers of rays being sighted at dive spots around the Norfolk group of islands, particularly at a dive spot known as Swiss Cheese, south of Norfolk.

The water temperature at Norfolk continues to warm

up well past the heat of summer, and swimming in the crystalline waters, surrounded by beautifully coloured fish and interesting corals, anemones and fascinating hard-to-define marine life forms can be enjoyed all year round with only a light wetsuit (if any) required even in the winter.

More underwater images will appear here before too long.

I'm off to the beach now!

Thanks to the Norfolk Island Visitors Information Centre for the aerial image of Emily and Slaughter Bays, and of the snorkelers in a small part of Crystal Pool. Special thanks to Mark Scott for providing this observation, images and research.

after Cyclone Zelia

2011-01-19T19:39:00.000-08:00

It's possible to make fun out of anything when you are young. These learner flyers took advantage of the wind building up before Cyclone Zelia. Happily she reduced her intensity and quickly went through the motions in a few hours; just like the big storm that had been predicted she went exactly where she was expected to but instead of taking a few days about it, it was all over in a few hours. We would have appreciated some rain but will be grateful that we were not damaged to any extent.

The days after .... It's been sunny days in Norfolk Island, with gentle breezes and clear skies to see the moon rising full and smiling gently over the island in a benign sky. The gentle sou'westerly breeze is bringing welcome relief from the humidity that so often surrounds a cyclone.

The red-tailed tropicbirds are calling overhead and the Tasman boobies are sitting inscrutably on their clifftop, as if nothing happened last night. They would definitely prove themselves to be good confidantes if you needed to tell someone a secret.

The whistles of the black-winged petrels as they circle over their nest burrows bear no resemblance to the howling calls they made last night as they were tucked in on our verandahs sheltering from 135+ kmh winds.

Perhaps by way of apology, we were treated to a beautiful sunset the day after the storm. Just about makes it worthwhile.

Cyclone Zelia

2011-01-16T23:30:00.000-08:00

Norfolk Island is bracing for the arrival of Cyclone Zelia. We watch the news and weather on Australian tv and the only mention is that this Category 3 cyclone is nothing to worry about as it is heading out to sea.

We have a slightly different view of the world, as we are in the middle of the sea it's heading into.

We have been warned to expect winds of up to 185 kmh, possibly gusting higher and for the first time ever (and we've been through few of these ) the seas are descibed as dangerous to phenomenal!

With no harbour all the island's boats use the cranes on the piers to be placed in or pulled out of the water. These pictures of Cascade Pier were taken after Cyclone Ivy. There's the crane, there's the wave, and see below ... now you see it, now you don't!

This is why The Pacific Pearl would not try to unload her passengers today.

The tropical depression that passed through yesterday had been a cyclone that had an identity crisis, forgot its name and just became depressed. It was a fairly good wind, but nothing compared to what we should now be preparing for. The birds are hunkered down behind the grass and have barely moved since Saturday, the winds being persistently quite strong. Only the frigatebirds continue to sail on it in a leisurely way as if it were no more than a wafting breeze.

There will be some rare photo opportunities over the next few days. Trees are destined to fall, and there will be destruction. It's always sad, but it's natures way or renewing and refreshing.

Visiting Ships

2011-01-12T22:56:00.000-08:00

The first cruise ship for 2011 is due to visit the island early next week.

P & O's Pacific Sun and Pacific Pearl have been coming to the island for over a year now, and visitors almost always wish to stay longer after the glimpse they get during their few hours ashore.

Many of the interesting things about Norfolk are due to her isolation. The difficulty for animals and plants to colonise the island so far from any mainland has given rise to species evolving here unmolested by mammalian predators, the most efficient of which is Man. Until human beings came to Norfolk Island there were over 15 species of birds that could not be found anywhere else, having evolved in the island's isolation to become new species and subspecies. There are now 7 species remaining, the other 8 lost since European settlement.

There were two species of lizard as well, a gecko and a skink, both of which have only one other home, in the Lord Howe Island group.

Rats brought to the island by Polynesian seafarers around 800 years ago had completely removed the lizards from the main island (Norfolk) by the time European settlers arrived in 1788, however they continue to exist, and perhaps even thrive, on the offshore islands of Phillip and Nepean and on the rocky stacks offshore to the island's north.

It is extraordinary that the rats have never reached those offshore stacks, given that they are only a few hundred metres from the shore.

Had Norfolk been possessed of a harbour there is no doubt that there would have been a permanent population of humans living here when Capt James Cook sailed by in 1774, but there was no human habitation found at that time. It is possible that the isolation and vast distance from any other land may have been a limiting factor in colonisation, and in fact the European settlements were abandoned due to these factors.

It's an interesting fact that every time this island has been settled, it has been devoid of occupants and the new settlers had to discover afresh the useful plants, and other useful materials and animals in order to live off the land.

There are signs of Polynesian settlement, or perhaps long-term visitation. As well as bringing the rats which remain today artifacts have been uncovered both close to stone paving (a marae) in the Kingston area, during archaeological expeditions, and also occasionally discovered in other areas of the island. (Thanks to the Norfolk Island Museums for the image of Polynesian artifacts discovered on the island.)

However the island was empty when Cook 'discovered' it in 1774.

In 1788 when the first Europeans arrived to establish a small colony for the purposes of procuring timber and fibre, it was still empty.

That settlement was disbanded in 1814, when the last of the residents of Norfolk were shipped off to Tasmania and the island remained devoid of humans for 10 years.

The 2nd European settlement, infamous for its cruelty and depravity, as a place for convicts of the worst kind, was established in 1825. The buildings remaining from that era have recently brought World Heritage Listing to the island as a historic site that makes up a part of the story of deportation to the antipodes from England, the other sites from this era being found in the Australian state of Tasmania and on the Australian mainland.

The final settlement that continues today was begun after the convict settlement had been disbanded, and the island was to provide a home for the 194 Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Tahitian women who had created a home and community in 1790, with the mutinous sailors from the infamous ship "Bounty", on remote Pitcairn Island, 3000 miles east of Norfolk. The burgeoning population was too large to remain at Pitcairn and Norfolk has been their home since 1856.

Each year on 8 June their arrival is commemorated with a re-enactment of the landing, and a community picnic, followed by a formal ball in the evening.

The effects of humans on the wildlife of Norfolk have been many, and in many cases tragic.

Had Norfolk had a harbour however, and the island had been settled continuously over the last 800 years, we could possibly have lost every one of our endemic species, and most of the seabirds that nest here and would continue to have incursions through unmanageable arrivals that would have radically changed the face of the island's biota.

Saving what we have left is an important task and the responsibility of all the residents and visitors. The utmost care is required to prevent invasive pests, predators and pathogens.

The majority of our food, vehicles and other requirements come to the island by ship, and have to be brought ashore in small boats called 'lighters'

We look forward to welcoming our visitors, by air or by sea, and it is obvious when visitors come in contact with the local people, that the isolation and distance from many modern 'necessities' are considered a reasonable trade-off for the pleasure and privilege of living in this charismatic and most beautiful of islands.

Sometimes the weather prevents disembarkation from ships, if they are on a schedule that doesn't allow them to wait a few days for the landing places to be more welcoming. As disappointing as it might be, we need to remember that that very difficulty of access is what has kept Norfolk unique in her wildlife, and continues to prevent unchecked arrivals, and therefore the ongoing security of the gentle, fragile biota.

Frigatebirds

2010-12-26T18:35:00.000-08:00

As predicted when the young boobies were hatching, the frigatebirds are now a regular feature over our breeding colonies at the north end of the island and on the rocky offshore stacks.

Easily identified by their bent wings and forked tail, the differentiation between Greater and Lesser is made by the size (not always easy to discern as they fly at height) and the extent of the white markings on the breast.

In years gone by these birds were remarked upon as they were only seen after storms had passed through, but there seems to now be a resident population. They are seen at many times of the year, and may be breeding on the offshore stacks and at the inaccessible southern part of Phillip Island. They are far more obvious and numerous when the boobies are breeding.

We see up to 8 at a time, slowly soaring across the clifftops where the young boobies wait for their food to be delivered, and a similar number has been reported perched in trees near the colony offshore from (Captain) Cook's monument. As most will know, the frigatebirds are robbers and will harass any bird carrying food back to its young, until the food is dropped or regurgitated and the frigatebirds will swoop down and catch it before it hits the water.

Although we have seen both greater and lesser in the area in the past, we have so far seen only the Greater frigatebirds this year.

An interesting note about their scientific names : when they were first described it was thought that these birds were part of the pelican family, so the Greater frigatebird was named Fregata minor (being smaller than pelicans) and the Lesser frigatebird is Fregata ariel.

Thanks to Andrew Marshall who provided these images.

Squid

2010-12-23T15:50:00.000-08:00

The ocean and the land are dependent on each other. The forest is nourished by the sea, through the droppings delivered there by the nesting seabirds, and the inshore zones provide shelter and safety for many marine species.

Living on an isolated island, with no other land for over 400km, our lives are necessarily closely associated with weather conditions, breeding times and migrations so we are interested in anything that comes our way. Of special interest because we know so little about it, is this large squid that was found near death on one of our beaches recently.

We know that bird migrations and breeding cycles depend on the marine food availability, and for many years we have seen flying fish and small squid regurgitated near bird breeding colonies.
As the squid seen here is causing considerable interest among the fishermen as well, it must be an unusual find.

If anyone knows a squid specialist out there we would welcome any information that can be provided to help us build our knowledge of the squids; if this one is common or rare, its normal distribution, prey, predators and how many different types of squid are there?

David Bigg, seen here holding the squid so you can get an idea of its size, kindly provided these images to share.

Cormorants

2010-12-22T23:59:00.000-08:00

These big black cormorants with yellow faces were first captured in the lens of Adrian Oosterman's camera late in the afternoon of 17 October this year.

The sun was setting when we left the Kingston area where whale watchers Merv Whicker and Adrian had spotted these big birds circling over the wetlands near the southern coast of the island.

In December they were still resting here at Norfolk before resuming their journey to who-knows-where, and were taking advantage of the very low tide to sit on a briefly exposed rock platform in the middle of Slaughter Bay in the early morning. Buildings seen in the background are part of the World Heritage listed historic area, dating from 1788 to 1855.

The cormorants have been spotted by a number of people in the evenings, circling the large pine trees near the beach where they are probably roosting.

More Pectoral Sandpiper images

2010-12-16T17:12:00.000-08:00

Thanks once again to John and Sue O'Malley for providing the images seen here.

John writes: "I think this one is a younger bird as markings are not as strong as the other 2 birds. Yes! Sue and I observed that we have had three birds (maybe a family) feeding quietly in the drainage area to the left as you drive over the main bridge at Kingston."

The area John refers to is the wetland seen in this overview of the Kingston and Arthurs Vale Historic Area (KAVHA). This part of the island was recently added to the World Heritage List recognising the immaculately conserved Colonial Georgian architecture of the buildings that remain from the penal colony period covering the late 1700s to the mid 1850s when convicts were deported to the island from England. The ephemeral wetlands provide a source of interest that changes daily as birds rest there during their long flights from the Arctic Circle to New Zealand.

First Record!? - Bullers Shearwater

2010-12-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

This week there has been a possible new record for Norfolk Island with the sighting of a Bullers shearwater amongst a group of Black (White-capped) Noddies fishing behind Nepean Island, (about 1km south of Norfolk).

They are generally described as wide-ranging in New Zealand waters and their breeding range has expanded recently as far as the Three Kings Islands, where our bird has possibly come from. An appropriate source so near Christmas.

Andrew Sutherland, a visitor to Norfolk, made the observation and has kindly provided the images seen here. He was returning from a trip to Phillip Island 7km south of Norfolk, where there are a number of seabird species nesting now, some of which have only one or very few alternative breeding sites in the world.

Some of these species are extremely sensitive to disturbance and the guide is cautious about going too near them. Phillip Island is an extension of the Norfolk Island National Park and the permit to operate tours there is dependent on proper regard being given to the rare and unique wildlife there, especially during breeding times. (Tours to Phillip Island are available only through mailto:chartermarine@norfolk.nf operated by David Bigg) ,

Baby Boobies

2010-12-05T23:56:00.000-08:00

The Masked (Tasman) boobies are having an extended breeding season in the island's north, as usual. At Nepean Island if the chicks are to be banded they need to be caught before they are flying, by about August/September. Phillip Island chicks, only 5-6 kilometres away to the south, are still unfledged by January. An unexplained difference of many months for the same species separated by just a short stretch of water. It would be interesting to track where their feeding grounds are to find out if the two groups go to distinct and separate areas, where the food availability may be different.

The Tasman Booby differs from other Masked Boobies, in being larger and having brown eyes. It was thought to have been an extinct species when fossilised bones were unearthed in the 1960s, but recent work utilising DNA sequencing has shown that the brown-eyed birds are the same as the 'extinct' Tasman booby. This brown-eyed group are found only in Norfolk, Lord Howe and the Kermadec islands, (north-east of New Zealand at about the same latitude as Norfolk).

Chicks are at that awkward teeenage stage now on Norfolk. A few still look like Sesame Street's Big Bird but many have preened and waved their wings about enough that their first flight feathers are coming through and only patches of down remain.

The juvenile plumage is mottled brown and these birds are often mistaken for 'another' species.

The boobies in these photos are part of the same group whose images appeared in the article in Australian Geographic in January 2010. Along with other seabird species that nest on the ground, these birds are breeding regularly on private property, where they are not disturbed. Ground-nesting seabird species have been all but obliterated from Norfolk's main island where feral cats, domestic cats and dogs, and rats kill them or drive them away. Humans have played their part in pushing these charismatic boobies off Norfolk Island in the past by disturbing them at their breeding grounds in the mistaken belief that the birds didn't mind the intrusions of people who had to get up close and personal for their photographs or just because they could. The parent birds seem unconcerned but are staunchly protecting their eggs or small chicks, and often when people have departed the stress of their presence will cause the parent birds to regurgitate the hard-won fish they have been diving for at sea to feed their chicks. The chicks don't leave because they can't fly, and cannot escape even if they wanted to.
The birds in these photographs are given protection through constant trapping of feral cats and rat baiting in the area. Dogs are not allowed on the property unless restrained and people are kept at a distance or under close supervision.
We believe that all species are constantly looking for areas into which they can extend their territory and the only things stopping them all over Norfolk are predation and interference.
It may be that the increasing number of boobies now breeding at the northern coast of Norfolk and on the offshore rocky stacks (seen across from Cooks Monument and the Bridle Track) are moving from Phillip Island where greater visitation is disturbing them in recent years. It may also be that as their numbers increase they simply need to find more areas to occupy.

Kelp Gulls

2010-12-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

Apologies for the break in transmission. I've been away for a short while.

Bird observations were in good hands during my absence with these Kelp gull photographs being captured and the birds identified by 11 year old Lilli King before my return. Lilli snapped the two gulls in these pictures at Emily Bay one morning by sneaking through the grass without a zoom lens to assist. From further observations we think that there could be as many as 3 birds present, as the unusual black bar across the tail (seen in the in-flight image) of the adult-looking bird was absent in another seen at Kingston near the pier on Thursday 2 December.

The bill confirms the identification, and the black bar on the tail is presumed to be unmoulted juvenile plumage. Discussion welcome.

Presumably these are the birds mentioned to me prior to my departure as possible Pacific gulls.

New Zealand books refer to this bird as the Southern Black-backed gull.

Briefly... this week

2010-11-12T22:49:00.000-08:00

We saw a Long-tailed cuckoo at 100 Acres on Wednesday (good spotting by Rachel) , and another was reported run over by a car in Kingston. I went looking for parts but it was a number of days later, and found nothing. One is also being heard in the valley below Hemus Road.
Very reassuring was the sight of Pacific robin chicks in more than one site in the Mt Pitt area. We can only hope they survive to contribute to the population numbers.

I had a third-hand report of a Pacific gull, seen flying over the Kingston coastal area sometime this week, and the observer was a visitor so I have little chance of getting details.

Our group on Wednesday was surprised to see a large half-feathered/half downy booby on the hillside opposite Lone Pine at Kingston. There was a strong sou'easterly wind blowing into Kingston and the awkward and rather surprised-looking juvenile was probably picked up and carried across to Norfolk from Nepean Island when he was stretching his wings, exercising for a first flight that was likely planned for a later date. While we watched he managed to waddle to the top of the hill and let the wind take him away again, flying in a large arc in an attempt to get back home. We lost sight of him halfway across the water and can only think positively about the outcome. I've seen reluctant and unplanned first flights before, and the surprise and fear the boobies feel is easily read in their body language, with feet outstretched trying to reach the ground as it moves farther and farther away, and their neck craning downwards watching it recede. I could almost feel sorry for them if they didn't look so funny.

The red-tailed tropicbirds have a distinct blush of pink about them now, as they are dressed in their breeding plumage. It's strong enough colour to be clearly discernible even as they fly by. The colour is beautiful, and I have only ever seen it elsewhere in ethereal paintings by Italian masters.

Long-distance Visitors

2010-11-07T16:01:00.000-08:00

Two new species have been spotted over the weekend, reported by John O'Malley again who provided the images here.

The Black-tailed godwit is a less common visitor to Norfolk Island than the Bar-tailed godwit, but they are here together right now, very conveniently providing a great opportunity for comparison. The substantially longer beak of the Black-tailed is easier to discern when you can see what it is longer than, ie the Bar-tailed's beak. Yesterday there was one Black-tailed pecking at the mud alongside two of its Bar-tailed relations in Kingston.
These birds breed in Iceland, Russia, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Poland and France, as well as many locations throughout the UK. It amazes me to think of the many perils it may have encountered on its way through China, Burma and the Philippines on its way to our little island, where we hope it can safely rest and recharge before moving on to New Zealand, where the Bar-tailed godwits are a more common occurrence.

The Red Knot seen at the right is another that breeds in the northern hemisphere, notably Greenland, Siberia and arctic north America, before undertaking the long and hazardous journey through Asia and Australia on its way to New Zealand. Various groups migrate by different paths, some to South Africa and others to Patagonia in South America. This bird was seen with a flock of Ruddy Turnstones in Kingston also.
To those of us who have never seen these birds in their breeding plumage, the name is a bit mysterious. Descriptions provided by those in the north paint a picture full of colour ; 'upperparts feathered black, heavily mottled and flecked with chestnut. Entire underparts rich uniform chestnut orange.' Clearly they are no longer dressed to kill when they arrive here to relax after their exhausting time of attracting mates and breeding. Norfolk Island is the place for that relaxing getaway that not only people love to experience, it seems. The word has been out amongst the world's bird populations for centuries. You don't need to dress up, just come to Norfolk and recuperate.

One other observation ~ last night we heard the first Black-winged petrel of the season coming onshore to breed. Cat traps are fully activated to protect these gentle birds in our area. Most of the Black-winged petrels that attempt to breed on Norfolk's main island will be killed by cats.

The Yella Rosella

2010-11-03T23:37:00.000-07:00

I've been asked if the talk about a yellow rosella is true.

Not being an expert on genetics and gene manipulation I am not going to make profound statements about recessive genes, additional y chromosones and splits. I'm happy to learn if anyone wants to comment.

What I can say is that there is a yellow rosella, which has been frequently seen in the south eastern parts of the island recently, and for at least the past 12 months or more. It seems to be moving out further now to the west and has been reported as far up the hill as just below Panorama Court, near the Cenotaph and along the road near the football field.

The bird is a naturally occurring colour variation which may have been caused by the family group staying together and creating a genetic bottleneck.

Patchy red can be seen around the breast and head, and the tail is blue.

When Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease was denuding both the crimson rosellas and NI parakeets (red parrots and green parrots to the locals) survivors would sometimes be very patchy looking like this individual, but not yellow. Generally they would regrow their usual colours in a random way, looking as if someone had thrown red and blue paint at them.

A year ago we caught this yellow rosella in a quiet moment with a friend and can say that she is almost undoubtedly a female.

The photograph was taken by Adrian Oosterman, who was here to watch whales but made some great bird sightings while he was here as well.

Other Notes

On Wednesday Archie and Matt report seeing a Long-tailed Cuckoo flying near Matt's house at Steeles Point.

The first Red-tailed Tropicbirds are settling in to nest. This is a really important time to be trapping feral cats, and to be keeping pet moggies indoors, or at least confined to their home properties, before there are chicks left for them to take while the parent birds are foraging.

(NB Although I am writing this on Thursday, there seems to be some disjointedness with the dates, as I suppose the posts are timed against USA clocks. We are slightly ahead so any anomalies are less than 24 hours.)

Visitors

2010-11-02T00:14:00.000-07:00

Continued strong winds are providing great opportunities to find unexpected birds taking shelter here. It's amazing to think that they find this little place, and how relieved they must be when they've covered miles and miles of ocean and suddenly see a place to land. I often wonder how many birds are blown out to sea and never do find a landing place. There must be thousands.

Thanks to John O'Malley who has provided this image of a Pectoral Sandpiper, and thought there may have been two there today when he went to get the picture in Kingston.

These two cormorants were hung out to dry at the Watermill Dam this morning, and still there after 3pm. Although a common sight to mainland dwellers, they are only occasionally seen at Norfolk Island. They are currently being seen circling over Emily Bay and the football field in the late afternoons, and have been roosting in the trees either near the Salt House or the first bridge at Emily. (Thanks to Adrian and Merv, and to Kath for their sightings.)

Last year when the dust storms from Australia reached us in October, there was a spate of unexpected birds being seen around the island. A Dollarbird, 3 types of tern (not all i.d.'ed), a Baillons Crake and an Australasian Grebe; all highly unusual and unexpected visitors and probably just a few of many birds disoriented and blown out to sea.
I have heard it said that there is a high likelihood of another dust storm, when the extensive flooding in Australia these last months subsides and dries out. We should all be on the lookout for the unexpected when it comes.

More Blow Ins

2010-10-30T16:45:00.000-07:00

The wind is still blowing strongly from the north east, and bringing some welcome rain ashore; always welcome from October on into the dry summer months.

I had a call last night from recent arrivals on the island, John and Sue O'Malley, reporting the sighting of a Pectoral Sandpiper near the Kingston pier. They also reported the Pied Stilt at Kingston, which we had previously seen at the Mission Pool last week. It is presumably the same bird as it's been absent from the Mission Pool site for a few days.

From the North

2010-10-29T21:00:00.001-07:00

The wind is blowing onto Norfolk's northern coast today, laden with moisture from warmer seas, the rapid rise when it meets the cliffs creating the fog we are so accustomed to in November.

The northerly winds no doubt assist the Long-tailed cuckoos, as they are coming to us from somewhere in the north; maybe Papua New Guinea or anywhere across the Pacific as far as the Marquesas Islands. These cuckoos don't rate much mention in Australian bird books, and are recorded as an 'irregular visitor" to Lord Howe Island. In New Zealand they are expected in October each year and a list of the species they trick into raising their young is provided, showing that they are well known there and have been observed over a substantial period of time.

Long-tailed cuckoos have now been reported as having crashed into windows at two houses on the island. The first survived and was held overnight in a cage adjoining that of some very nervous canaries, enabling us to visit and photograph the bird in some detail (Thanks Archie.) It yelled at us quite a lot and by the time it was released, shooting off like an arrow as soon as it had the opportunity, it was being mobbed by small birds that emerged from the surrounding trees, waiting to see it off their property.

The second bird is waiting in a freezer to assist science.
(All bodies gratefully accepted!)

It would appear that a mob of these birds arrived together as there were two sightings at widely separated locations on one day, followed by the stunning of the temporarily caged one on the same afternoon. Others have been sighted in the last week that are more window-wise.

If you see a strange brown bird it might be a Long-tailed cuckoo. In size and colour they bear a passing resemblance to a kestrel, but their markings are more striking with the striated breast and barring that is typical of cuckoos across their long tail. When they are flying they have an undulating flight and their back appears dark brown.

Shining Bronze-cuckoos are also evident around the island now, more often heard than seen. Their iridescent green and striped breast plumage provide perfect camouflage in the forest, but their loud whistle announces their presence from a long way off. At first sounding like someone whistling a dog (a little slowly) the tell-tale descending note at the end of the call identifies this much smaller bird readily. Fantails and Gerygones (Peurties) beware of strange eggs in your nests!

Launching

2010-10-28T05:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first post of this new blog.
Look forward to improved quality and lots of images as I learn along the way.

Why a new blog for Norfolk Island? I hear you ask.

MANY people in the local community as well as visitors to the island and researchers, are interested in keeping abreast of what's happening around Norfolk Island in the natural world, on land and sea.

This blog is being created to provide a focal point for observations, and provide answers to questions, or at least help readers take the right direction to find their answers.

Websites already exist to provide lists of species etc, but it is intended that this site will provide regularly updated current information about the many interesting happenings in and around the island group.

I welcome any observations or questions and hope that together we can all learn more about our wonderful and unique environment through sharing our experiences and observations.

BIRDS
... will be a feature as I spend a considerable amount of time outdoors, in the forest and by the wetlands keeping an eye on the comings and goings of migratory species as well as the resident ones. I have the good fortune to often be accompanied by visitors in search of the island's unique species, and we discover new and unexpected things all the time.

In just the last week we have seen at least one (and possibly 3) Long-tailed Cuckoos, 2 black cormorants, a Pied Stilt, 5 Bar-tailed Godwits, heard Shining Bronze-cuckoos and seen an increasing number of Ruddy Turnstones (17) and Golden Plovers (44). One Tattler was also seen but not identified to species.

Some of the regular breeding seabird migrants are already feeding chicks; Tasman boobies, White terns and White-capped Noddies in particular are obvious. We heard the first returned Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Ghostbird) on 19 October, the Red-tailed Tropicbirds have acome ashore and it won't be long before the Frigatebirds turn up while these chicks are being fed around the coast.

WHALE MIGRATIONS

have been under observation for the last 2 months especially, with the annual visit of our whale researchers from Brisbane and Byron Bay. Some new species records for the area have been identified in that time. Their research is mainly concentrating on Humpback Whales, but all sightings of whales and dolphins are of interest.
At this time of year the whales are returning from their calving grounds in the warm waters to the north, and travel slowly back to their feeding grounds in Antarctica while the calves put on enough weight to save them from freezing in the cold Southern Ocean waters.

Until next time.