Frigatebirds

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.

More Pectoral Sandpiper images

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

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) ,