Tassie (1 Viewer)

[chowchilla]

Tassie is somewhere I had been meaning to go for some time now. It was a small apple-shaped island off the south coast of Australia, quite different from the mainland or so I'd been told. Rather more importantly, from a birding perspective it had no less than 12 endemic species found nowhere else. There were also several other local specialities that I was hoping to connect with and seeing these birds was the primary purpose of this trip; though it was also an exploratory visit to look at the feasibliity of moving there in the future.

I live in the tropics. It's warm or hot here throughout the year. It goes without saying that Tassie is 'rather cooler', especially in late winter, the time of my visit. I planned to fly in on the 18th September 2014 and back to Cairns on the 24th, so I had six days in which to make good my intentions to get the local endemics.

FTR I don't drive and was severely limited to where I could visit. This would ultimately prove costly as you will see... I also completely stuffed my ankles and my right knee on the first day, making it difficult to even walk on level ground. I decided to base myself in Hobart and make the most of what public transport accessibility I had from there. I stayed in the Grosvenor Court Apartments in Sandy Bay for just over $100 a night. I hardly slept a wink the whole time I was there due to paper thin walls and the fact that I am so used to the white noise of fans or aircon that I just don't sleep without it anymore. However the apartments were very nicely appointed and the staff friendly and helpful.

I will keep a running tally of new birds seen for the duration of the trip with lifers in bold.

Thus it was that my plane landed in the early afternoon of the 18th after nine hours in transit from Cairns (mostly taken up by a ridiculously long transfer in Sydney). As we taxied off the runway, I could see two Forest Ravens rummaging around in the short airport turf; my first lifer of the trip. FTR Forest Ravens are the only Corvid found on Tassie, so no ID nightmares as on the mainland between five virtually identical species. It was also the only Aussie corvid I hadn't seen to date. As I waited for the airport bus to turn up, I clocked a number of European Starlings in the vicinity. Then I heard a Lorikeet in a nearby flowering tree which could only be one species. After a minute or so of searching, I eventually spotted a lone Musk Lorikeet in the top of the tree. A few Silver Gulls were also around.

En route to the apartments I added Masked Lapwing which proved to be common everywhere as they are in and around Cairns. As we drove through the centre of Hobart, I clocked several Kelp Gulls flying around the buildings amongst the Silver Gulls. This is a recent colonist from NZ and only the second time I'd seen them.

I was so exhausted having been up two days that I went to bed mid-afternoon. Approximately 10 hours later, I finally fell asleep due to the eventual cessation of the relentless noise of a large group of gymnasts staying in the apartments. I kid you not.

Forest Raven.
European Starling.
Musk Lorikeet.
Silver Gull.
Masked Lapwing.
Kelp Gull.

 

[chowchilla]

I was up early on the 19th and it was cold! Well cold for me anyway... Rugged up I headed out. It was fairly sunny but windy. I fervently hoped the wind would die down as I was heading up Mt Wellington and didn't want the birds to stay low in these conditions.

As I headed out of the apartments, a Spotted Dove called from a neighbouring garden. I couldn't see it but I knew the call all to well from Cairns. This is another introduced species that in Cairns at least has aggressively supplanted the Bar-shouldered Dove. There aren't really any Columbids in most of Hobart so one can hope that their presence here is less impactful.

European Blackbirds ticked and occasionally flew across the road as I walked to the bus stop. There were also plenty of House Sparrows around. A common native bird in the Hobart suburbs is the Superb Fairy Wren. Every street seemed to have at least one trilling little group of these beautiful birds. A Brush Wattlebird called from a telephone pole. Anyone who hasn't heard Wattlebirds call will wonder whose running their fingernails down a blackboard. They are not natural songsters...

I caught the bus to a place called Fern Tree on the lower slopes of Mt Wellington. The first thing I noticed as I got off was a pair of Grey Currawongs by the side of the road. The local race is often known as the "Clinking" Currawong and is the darkest race I believe; almost black. This bird proved to be common everywhere I went. They draw attention to themselves with a loud almost parrot like call.

The second thing I noticed was how much colder it was up here. I mean really cold. I put on my thick down jacket, a scarf and my bush hat. I was still cold. I wanted to move quickly but first had to tick off some Brown Thornbills which I tried to string unsuccessfully as the endemic Tasmanian Thornbill without success... I could also hear Galahs calling.

Near the bus stop for Fenrtree is a signpost illustrating the various walking tracks. My plan was to head up one fairly steep one to a picnic spot about half way up the Mountain, and thus I set off. Most of the way up, the track was in a fern gully; ideal for a few of them endemics. Tasmanian Scrubwrens were everywhere; my first endemic. There was another endemic here that was much harder to see namely Scrubtit, and this seemed like my best opportunity to get this skulky, difficult bird.

The track was very steep and my normally poor ankles were complaining. Walking was becoming painful I hate to be inactive and knew that this was the only way to find certain birds, but I really was pushing through the pain barrier. After about half an hour of seemingly endless Scrubwrens, I finaly got on to another bird that I'd been hearing all the way up, namely Grey Fantail. This is normally an easy bird to see, but the wind had really picked up and even these little showoffs were skulkier than usual. Around the same time I also became aware of a bird sitting very still several metres up the track and bobbing its head: a Brush Bronzewing was trying very hard not to get noticed. suddenly it decided it had had enough and flew off at such speed that it was out of sign within a second.

It was shortly after this that I had my best luck of the day. I had been scrutinising every Scrubwren I'd encountered on the way up in search of my main quarry. A little bird hopped in to view for all of two seconds... a Scrubtit! This was terrific and gave me great cause for celebration as I was by no means certain to see this bird. This was going to be a great day's birding!

Over two hours later I had barely seen another bird of any kind. The wind was blowing a gale that bent the trees almost double and rustled the foliage so loudly that any bird foolish enough to call was instantly drowned out. I eventually made the clearing at the Picnic site. If it was cold in the forest, this was as nothing compared to how cold it was in the clearing. It was clearly well below zero and I could see quite a bit of snow on the ground on the slopes above me. The wind was so strong that I had to make for the main shelter and huddle against the wall out of the prevailing wind. I fervently hoped the wind would die down as the clearing looked very promising for Dusky Robin a forest edge bird. Well after a good half hour there were no Duskies nor any other bird of any kind. I staggered aimlessly around the clearing in a desperate attempt to warm up as well as try and spot any birds at the forest edge, looking for all the world like a drunk michelin man in all my layers. No chance of wearing my bush hat in these conditions; the wind would have snatched it from my head. I could barely even stand upright!

There were other clearings behind the trees as I discovered and I perused these with failing spirits that I would ever see another bird for the rest of the day! Then I saw a movement in a tree at the edge of a clearing. Surely not a bird? Sure enough a solitary Strong-billed Honeyeater fighting gamely against the wind was happily feeding off the flowers of a large gum. Endemic number three.

A short while later, and no other birds visible or audible, I started down the road. My ankles simply couldn't take walking back down the trail and even though the road was easier as well as downhill, every step still hurt. However, as I got lower I appeared to walk thorugh a sheltered pocket of forest along the road that the wind somehow didn't reach and suddenly there were birds everywhere: several Grey Shrike Thrushes showed well; their loud whistilng calls briefly getting me excited with thoughts of Olive Whistler a bird I hoped to see on this trip. Lots of Crescent Honeyeaters were calling loudly and chasing each other through the trees; these were joined by Eastern Spinebills, and finally some Thornbils I could definitely say were Tasmanian Thornbills, endemic number four. I would say that the white undertail is not always easy to see on this bird as I had assumed. I'd also say of all the Thornbills I assigned a positive ID to, about 99% were Browns. Tassie Thornbills proved to be pretty scarce. A bit further down the road in noticebly wetter forest, a stunning male Pink Robin popped out of the forest and sat quietly for me to clock excellent views. This was terrific and was a bird I had long hoped to see. I saw several more males and females along this stretch of road.

A short while after my first Pink Robin, the first of several Scarlet Robins showed equally well. Another cracking bird. Somewhere across the valley a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo was being brutally strangled. Well that's what it always sounds like to me when I hear them... Small parties of Grey-breasted Silvereyes moved through the canopy from time to time. The local race looks much more colourful than the blander Cairns birds.

The wind was starting to pick up again as I neared Fern Tree, but not before a few New Holland Honeyeaters put in an appearance. It was still bitterly cold, but at least the sun was shining. From the bus heading back to Hobart I actually managed to add two more endemics: first up was a single Black Currawong by the side of the road, followed shortly after by two Green Rosellas that flew across the road in front of the bus. Little was I to know at the time, but I never did see another Black Currawong, and only saw one other Green Rosella the whole trip, so just as well I remained alert on the bus!

By the time I'd staggered back to the apartment I was in considerable pain. My ankles were swollen and my right knee that has given me problems for a few years now was also very painful I was on powerful pain meds for recent wisdom tooth extractions and quickly availed myself of them. Nonetheless, despite getting half the endemics on the first day, I was worried about whether I was even going to be able to do any more trips. I took it easy for the rest of the day and tried to recuperate as best I could.

Spotted Dove.
European Blackbird.
House Sparrow.
Superb Fairy Wren.
Brush Wattlebird.
Grey Currawong.
Brown Thornbill.
Galah.
Tasmanian Scrubwren.
Brush Bronzewing
Grey Fantail.
Scrubtit.
Strong-billed Honeyeater.
Grey Shrike Thrush.
Crescent Honeyeater.
Eastern Spinebill.
Tasmanian Thornbill.
Pink Robin.
Scarlet Robin.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.
Grey-breasted Silvereye.
New Holland Honeyeater.
Black Currawong.
Green Rosella.

 

[edenwatcher]

Good stuff. Will be heading there in a couple of weeks ...

Rob

 

[Farnboro John]

Is birding Tassie generally difficult? Even leaving aside your physical difficulties (I sympathise as age 50 has definitely proved a watershed for me in that respect) it sounds like an uphill struggle, and I got the same impression from The Big Twitch.

Persistence seems to have paid off for you though!

John

 

[chowchilla]

@John, some of the endemics are surprisingly scarce as you'll see.

To my physical difficulties: I'm not all that old but I do have joint problems. The extreme cold meant that I was tensed against the weather and thus felt it more than I usually would. I often walk the 'blue arrow' a five hour round trip along a rough forest trail near my home and have far fewer difficulties presumably because I'm not cold.

I think if you have the time and a vehicle then you can crack all the endemics eventually. I have known people to get them all in a single day!

 

[chowchilla]

Up early once more and this time my destination was the Peter Murrell reserve near Kingston, South of Hobart. This is one of the few remaining mainland destinations for Forty-spotted Pardalote the rarest, and for most, the hardest endemic to see. Worryingly I had read before the trip how they had declined rapidly at this reserve and sightings were becoming infrequent. Nonetheless, with my limited transport options, I knew I needed to give it a good go, plus there were other endemics to be had there apparently.

Walking was very uncomfortable today and I had to move slowly. I brought painkillers with me and these gave me a modicum of comfort during the day, but it was still uncomfortable. At the bus stop in Hobart I could see a Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike sallying forth from the wires opposite. This was a good sign as these birds are migrants, so certain summer visitors may be within reach on this trip.

On arrival at my destination, I had to walk through an industrial estate to get to the reserve. En route, I saw the first of many Yellow Wattlebirds feeding in roadside trees. Endemic number seven. A number of Masked Lapwings were in open areas and a few Galahs were squealing to each other from lampposts. On arrival at the reserve it was quickly apparent which were the tall Manna Gums preferred by the Pardalote. within seconds of gazing in to the top of the nearest one I got on to a Pardalote almost immediately! Unfortunately it was a Striated Pardalote, a bird I've heard from my study. Nonetheless, it was another arrived migrant. A pair of Welcome Swallows were flying over the the small lake adjacent to the car park. I continued to scan the tall gums around the car park and the lake for a good hour with no luck. I did see a lot more Yellow Wattlebirds however, as well as Purple Swamphens around the margins and Chestnut Teal and Coot on the water itself.

After a thorough but fruitless search of the Manna Gums, I decided to go for a little walk to try and tick off some of the other endemics before trying for the Pardalote again later. First up were a small party of nervous Tasmanian Native Hens, flightless endemics which looked positively prehistoric on their thick stubby legs. Australia's Takahe one could say. Endemic number eight. Another bird that I kept hearing finally showed itself to be quite common as I saw the first of several Yellow-throated Honeyeaters. Endemic number nine.

I attempted to do a circuit of the reserve. It quickly became apparent that at the speed I was able to walk, I would miss the return bus, so I settled for a couple of trails across the top end of the reserve to try and mop up a few more birds. The wind was picking up and the birds in the trees promptly disappeared. A few did eventually show however and in about two hours of birding I had a pair of Swamp Harriers overhead; a solitary European Goldfinch blown by on the wind; and a beautiful male Golden Whistler singing loudly in a sheltered pocket. The only other bird of note on the entire walk was a single Dusky Woodswallow on the wires.

Returning to the pond I ticked off a new arrival in the form of a Great Cormorant and resumed my search for the Pardalote. Still no luck... I also needed Dusky Robin and had been searching every likely looking post and fence line and yet this supposedly easy bird continued to elude me.

I eventually decided to change tack and walk the edge of the forest at its Northern end. There were lots of tall Manna Gums here and it was off any trail. Perhaps the Pardalotes had retreated here? I sat and scanned the trees. Every now and then my heart skipped a beat as I got on to a Pardalote. All Striateds... I was running out of time. Then a small group of birds flew in to a tree directly overhead. Not Pardalotes, but still a bird I needed as they proved to be endemic number ten, Black-headed Honeyeaters. Just as well I had this little group all too briefly before they flew off as I didn't see this species again. Apart from a singing Skylark, small parties of Superb Fairy Wrens and lots more Yellow Wattlebirds there was little else here.

I walked up the little creek at the top of the reserve checking every tree. Still no luck. For the record, Pardalotes are tiny birds and they like nothing more than to flit restlessly through the very tops of tall trees. Irrespective of the fact I was getting a crick in the neck, they simply weren't showing, at least not for me. I was destined not to see this bird.

I clocked a few Maned Duck on a small pond at the very top end of the reserve. As I walked back through the industrial estate past a scrap yard, a pair of Tasmanian Native Hens plodded out from behind some sheet metal. They regarded me briefly before taking interest in little titbits on the ground. I was really close to them and they didn't seem in the least concerned. Made me wonder why the other group I'd seen were so shy...

I got back to the bus stop with minutes to spare, but fortunately the bus driver recognised me from the trip out and told me she would have waited for me! I encountered this sort of hospitality quite often in Tas. A very friendly place.

Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike.
Yellow Wattlebird.
Striated Pardalote.
Welcome Swallow.
Purple Swamphen.
Chestnut Teal.
Coot.
Tasmanian Native Hen.
Yellow-throated Honeyeater.
Swamp Harrier.
European Goldfinch.
Golden Whistler.
Dusky Woodswallow.
Great Cormorant.
Black-headed Honeyeater.
Skylark.
Maned Duck.

 

[chowchilla]

My intention today was to walk the Pipeline Trail which runs from Fern Tree back into Hobart. It is supposed to be a reliable area for Dusky Robin which I still needed. In fact I decided to focus entirely on trying to see this species today. The other reason for doing this trail was that it was entirely downhill and was well-graded and mostly not too steep.

As I set off down the trail, it was noticeably warmer than yesterday; in fact the weather was glorious! There was hardly a cloud in the sky and only an occasional gentle breeze. The trail descended through mostly dry schlerophyll woodland; fairy open and dominated by gums. The views across to Mt Wellington were stunning.

Most of the birds seen on the trail were ones already clocked on this trip. Scarlet Robin was pretty common and every now and then a female Scarlet would briefly have me thinking I'd found my quarry. Both Fan-tailed and Shining Bronze Cuckoos were calling at regular intervals but typically with Aussie cuckoos, remained well out of sight.

Then I came across the first major clearing complete with fence posts and wires so beloved of Duskies. There was a Robin on the first fence line but alas it was another Scarlet. Always nice birds to see, but not the one I was after! There were clearings on both sides of the road here and it looked ideal for Duskies. I slowly patrolled both clearings for well over an hour and eventually had to concede that the bird wasn't going to show. However the book I heard about this trail in did state there were 'several' clearings along this trail so I pushed on.

Spotted Pardalote and European Greenfinch both showed well as I continued my descent, but no more clearings were in evidence. None. The book was wrong. My Bransbury was old and the clearings may have disappeared of course, but I couldn't help but feel that I was unlucky with this bird nonetheless. Dusky Robins aren't rare! I really ought to have seen at least one by now.

The trail ends at a small artificial lake in a steep-sided valley which today was a hive of human activity due to it being Sunday. You can't actually access the lake to swim in it, but the campsite beside it was full of people. On the water itself were several dozen Kelp Gulls, Pacific Black Duck, Maned Duck and Coots and at one point the rather odd sight of a Tasmanian Native Hen striking out from shore. It just didn't look to me like a bird that belonged in water, despite being a rallid! On another smaller pond there were a couple of Hoary-headed Grebes.

Nothing else new was added on this walk as I headed in to town and my ankles were still really bad. For this reason, I decided to rest up the next day and hope that my ankles would be less of a problem by Tuesday. As it turned out, I had a very enjoyable and relaxing day on the Sunday lounging around and reading my book, as well as chatting to friends on FB and elsewhere.

Fan-tailed Cuckoo.
Shining Bronze Cuckoo.
Spotted Pardalote.
European Greenfinch.
Pacific Black Duck.
Hoary-headed Grebe.

 

[chowchilla]

My final full day in Tassie and this time I was heading to the summit of Mt Nelson, supposedly another reliable spot for Dusky Robin. Fortunately the bus went all the way to the summit.

Without a cloud in the sky and more glorious weather, I wasn't even cold up here. Mt Nelson affords amazing views all around of the heavily indented coastline and of Hobart and surrounding settlements. The clearings up here once again looked ideal for Dusky Robin and I gave them my thorough perusal. There were plenty of Superb Fairy Wrens tassing about, Forest Ravens and Grey Currawong aplenty; Crescent Honeyeaters, Yellow-throated Honeyeaters, only the second Strong-billed Honeyeater of the trip, Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike and several other birds already seen, but surprise, surprise no Dusky.

From Mt Nelson, there is a trail, steep in parts, that descends to the coast. It mostly wends through open dry schlerophyll but at one point follows a gully through wet schlerophyll with numerous large tree ferns. By now I'd given up on the bloody Robin. I had the intention of coming back to Tassie so it would have to wait, so I headed down the trail. There was a bird found here that I wanted anyway. Not an endemic, but it would be a lifer if I found it.

This is another beautiful walk. Tassie clearly has these in abundance, and the trail was quiet, so I sat for a while a couple of times just enjoying the peace and quiet. More Scarlet Robins were in evidence; this is clearly a very common bird here; but on the whole there wasn't a huge amount of bird activity. Eventually I came to the wetter forest and started looking and listening for my quarry. It didn't take long. I could hear a peevish whining which was definitely my bird. Then one flew up and landed right in front of me in a low tree showing extremely well for several seconds, a Beautiful Firetail. Finally, another lifer! Who needs a Dusky Robin anyway... This is a very pretty little bird with a big red bum and it showed very nicely all its salient features before flying off.

As I descended deeper into tall wet Scherophyll with massive gums, I was enveloped by the gloom of what was quite a steep enclosed valley. I saw not one but three Bassian Thrushes in this vicinity and a feeding Green Rosella up in a gum level on my eyeline on the other side of the valley. Only the third one I would see. But at least it gave me excellent views unlike the ones that flew across the road on the first day.

Eventually I reached the coastal highway and I started the long walk in to town. I had hoped for Olive Whistler on this trail but this was another one that would have to wait. I also hoped, rather against hope that there would be some coastal saltmarsh along this stretch of coast where I might be able to find another supposedly common bird, a White-fronted Chat. I spent hours looking for this species a few years ago in ideal habitat at Stoney Point, Victoria a few years back. As it turned out, such habitat didn't exist along this stretch, in fact it was almost completely urbanised. However, I wasn't done with the listing as it turned out.

I attempted a bit of sea watching in the calm windless conditions. Unsurprisingly I saw nothing of real interest. There were plenty of Silver and Kelp Gulls on and over the sea, with only a fly by Black-faced Cormorant to enliven things. There were also a few Little Pied Cormorants around. About halfway in to town I heard the strange call of a Common Bronzewing which appeared to be coming from under some huge conifers in someone's front garden, but the bird wouldn't show. I really didn't expect this bird in town tbh.

A small park on a point yielded lots of Noisy Miners and a pair of Eastern Rosellas. There were also several Musk Lorikeets feeding in the trees here. Close to my destination I added Pied Oystercatcher and Mallard to the trip list; both loafing on the roof a boat.

So that was it. Fifteen lifers all told, but I missed two of the endemics and a few others that I had hoped for. I intend to come back to Tassie and I like the place enough to even consider moving here. It is a beautiful part of the world and clearly has a lot to offer even if the avian diversity is much less than in Cairns. I could even adapt to the cold I reckon!

Most birders visiting Tassie go some time in Summer. This would seem to be the most sensible strategy for the best birding returns, especially migrants such as Swift Parrot, but this was partly an exploratory trip for me with the thought of moving here, and I deliberately chose a time when it would still be pretty cold. I needed to know if I could cope with that. I'm glad I experienced warmer weather in the mid 20s as well, all part of the experience.

With the benefit of a driver I would have headed to Bruny Island, reputedly the place to find the endemics, but that would have to wait until a later visit. I'd also like to visit and stay on Maria Island and do the pelagic. So plenty of reasons to come back, nature wise at least.

I was surprised nonetheless at how scare some endemics were; I could easily have missed one or two others. Whether they show better later in the year I don't know. And as for that pesky Robin... until I see one I refuse to believe it even exists.

Beautiful Firetail.
Bassian Thrush.
Common Bronzewing.
Black-faced Cormorant.
Little Pied Cormorant.
Common Bronzewing.
Noisy Miner.
Eastern Rosella.
Pied Oystercatcher.
Mallard.

 

[chowchilla]

Some very bad pictures:

1) Male Scarlet robin.
2) Superb Fairy Wren.
3) Crescent Honeyeater.

 

[chowchilla]

And some more bad 'uns. Apologies for the fact that I only have two or three images per post. Technological limitations of my ancient Mac I'm afraid. Hoping to get a new one soon:

1) Grey Currawongs.
2) Chestnut Teal.

 

[chowchilla]

Continued, It let me upload four this time! :

1) Galah.
2) Female Scarlet Robin.
3) Golden Whistler.
4) Little Pied Cormorant.

 

[chowchilla]

A few more:

1 and 4) Tasmanian Native Hen.
2) Yellow Wattlebird.
3) Strong-billed Honeyeater.

 

[stuartvine]

That Tasmanian Native Hen is very cool - the legs look like they didn't bother to evolve from a dinosaur's with the rest of the bird ;-)

 

[chowchilla]

Agreed, they're sort of a relict flightless bird that has somehow survived and is quite common in suburban Hobart (I saw it in people's back gardens).

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Nice one Chowie, glad you got to see nearly all the endemics and a whole bunch of other goodies too. No easy feat without your own transport in a short time. The pardalotte's notoriously tricky, and from memory the Dusky Robin ended up being one of the last endemics we connected with, so I wouldn't feel bad about that. I've heard of people missing the Scrubtit and the Strong-billed Honey, which you connected with ok :t:

 

[hampers]

Great report thanks.

Phil

 

[chowchilla]

Thanks Larry and Phil. Yeah I shouldn't grumble... I guess I was somewhat spoiled in Taiwan a few years back where I connected with 32 of the 33 endemics (allowing for maximum splits), and I have every opportunity to return! :t:

What you say about the Duskies does make me feel better Larry; guess they're not as easy as I thought...

 

[dandsblair]

Nice report

A nice report, made me think whether I need to add Tass to next Australia trip

 

[chowchilla]

Tassie is great. Very scenic, laid back and quite different from the mainland. Many of the native ground mammals such as Potoroos, Bettongs, Quolls and Eastern Barred Bandicoot are still common there. The Devils are in big trouble though sadly...

With a vehicle you will almost certainly do better than me. Go to Bruny Island close to Hobart for the endemics including that pesky Pardalote and the Dusky Robin apparently. Also go to Melaleuca if you can afford the flight for the Orange-bellied Parrot before they become functionally extinct, plus there are plenty of sites for Southern Emu Wren, White-fronted Chat, Striated Fieldwren, Olive Whistler and other birds I still need including a decent crack at Ground Parrot. I just couldn't get to them in the time I had. Also go later than me and hopefully the Swift Parrot's'll be back as well.

 

[Dom F]

Nice report Chowchilla must get down there at some stage!