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VWSG KING ISLAND REPORT

4-13 DECEMBER 2017

THE PROJECT The primary target species for the trip was Ruddy Turnstone and this was the 19th catching visit on King Island (KI) since March 2007.

A secondary target of Crested Terns was added after a very large colony with many banded adults was discovered at Burgess Bay. The Objectives for the trip were: 1. Retrieve as many existing geolocators as

possible. 2. Amplify data on the percentage of juveniles in

the King Island population. 3. Take throat and cloaca swabs to assess the

prevalence of current virus infections, and to further isolate any viruses detected.

4. Take blood samples to assess the level of antibodies in the population ie determine whether captured birds have been exposed to previous infection, notably anything nasty on their southward migration from Asia. Blood samples may also be screened for other viral

infections eg Newcastle Disease, Corona Virus (eg SARS and MERS).

5. Capture as many banded adult Crested Terns as possible to determine where the colony came from.

THE PEOPLE: Visiting Team Members: Robyn Atkinson (Lead Investigator), Marcel Klaasen, Katherine Leung, Rob Patrick, Alan Pilkington, Wendy Pilkington, Annabelle Richards, Roger Richards, Michelle Wille.

Crested Tern, Burgess Bay

(Photo by Roger)

Flagged Ruddy Turnstone,

Surprise Bay (Photo by Katherine)

Marcel Klaasen

Rob Patrick

(Photo by Katherine)

Alan Pilkington

(Photo by Michelle)

Wendy Pilkington

Annabelle and Roger Richards

Michelle Willie

Robyn Atkinson

Katherine Leung

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Local Team Members: Three locals, Graeme and Margaret Batey and Margaret Bennett, have been long term participants in VWSG activities on King Island and provide much appreciated support to the visiting team. Unfortunately this trip they were all off the Island for much of our visit and were not able to participate fully in the field work. FIELD WORK On 4 December the team boarded early morning flights (seven on a charter with Annabelle and Roger following on the regular scheduled flight approximately 10 minutes later) at Moorabbin for the hour long trip to KI. As we approached the island we noted the western beaches had very little kelp build up and hoped this wouldn’t mean that Ruddy Turnstones (RT) would be in short supply! At the KI airport we were met by locals Margaret Bennett, and Margaret and Graeme Batey. After picking up 2 rental vehicles, and a trailer with the equipment that remains on KI at Margaret Bennett’s property we drove to our accommodation in Currie: seven stayed in Jenny’s house which functioned as the team’s base and Robyn and Katherine slept at Margaret Batey’s but had their meals etc at the base. Clive’s car had been shipped over with additional banding equipment but couldn’t be driven for two days as it had two flat batteries. After trying unsuccessfully to recharge the batteries Rob arranged for a mechanic to check the car the next morning. Following a quick break we (the 9 visiting team members and Margaret Bennett) split into 3 teams to do a count of RT present on the west coast

(southern, central and northern sectors). Lunch was eaten on the run sometime during the count, supplies having been picked up in Currie before setting out. All teams were back at base by 1630 with their counts – a paltry 265 RT had been located with the biggest flock being at Dripping Wells. However, the birds are not in pre-migratory feed mode at this time of year and we thought it likely there would be more lurking on the offshore rocks out of sight – at least we hoped so. With this in mind we repeated the census at selected sites throughout our visit and we ended up with a more respectable final count of 564 RT.

Table 1: Final Counts of Ruddy Turnstone on King Island, 4 to 13 December, 2017

West Coast Dec 2017

Seal Bay 18

Stokes Point 65

Stokes Point to Surprise Bay 6

Surprise Bay (including Denby Beach) 55

Dripping Wells 70

Burgess Bay (Currie Golf Course) 80

Currie Harbour 0

Manuka – South 25}

77 Manuka – Central 25}

Manuka – North (Whalebone) 27}

South Porky 8

Unlucky Bay 60

North of Bungaree Creek 0

Duck Bay 60} 80

Green Island Point / South Whistler 20}

Whistler Point 0

The Springs 45

Total 564

We also noted that the Crested Tern colony was much larger than normal, breeding was underway (approximately 2,000 nests were sighted) and many banded birds were present. When we arrived at Dripping Wells the next morning a good sized flock including 5 birds with geolocators (geos) was present and we were hopeful of an early success. However, the birds had other ideas and when the tide conditions were such that we had no hope of making a catch we withdrew at 1350 without firing. We next drove to Burgess Bay to recheck the census – 64 RTs, four with geos were sighted but they weren’t using a

Margaret Bennett

Graeme Batey

Margaret Batey

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suitable catching area. Marcel decided to turn the kelp over to see if this would encourage them feed where we could catch them. Whilst he and others did this Wendy and Alan walked to the nearby Crested Tern colony to see how catchable they would be with a crook – we were able to get very close without the birds lifting off their eggs so our prospects looked good. As Crested Terns have not been banded on KI for many years and the colony was missing from Phillip Island we added the capture of banded adults to our trip objectives so that we could check where they came from. The Manuka beaches were also recounted. When we rechecked RT activity at Burgess Bay after dinner we found that they didn’t appear to be interested in feeding in the turned over kelp and they were still inaccessible. Whilst at Burgess Bay in the afternoon we found a Fairy Tern egg in a scrape on the track across the causeway – it was still there the next day but that was the last we saw of it.

We made an early start on day 3, leaving base at 0610 to return to Dripping Wells. Forty-three RTs were present when we arrived and twinkling began immediately. The birds were still not co-operative and at 0830 we decided to set another net near a sandy patch they seemed to be favouring. Birds were in the vicinity of the second net by 1200 but it wasn’t until 1300 that Katherine determined it was ‘safe’ to fire and a small catch of nine birds (none carrying geos) was made. We left the original net in situ for another try the next day. Day 4 saw us up even earlier, determined to get the Dripping Wells birds. We were onsite by 0535, RTs were in the area (including some with geos) but there was insufficient beach in front of our net and the birds were very reluctant to move to the catching area despite twinkling by car and Marcel crawling over rocks. When the tide dropped too far to catch, we set the second net and then retreated up the hill for morning tea and lunch whilst waiting

for the incoming tide to push birds in our direction. After much patience Katherine called the ‘321 fire’ command just before 1500 and we captured 14 RT (3 geos) and 1 Pied Oystercatcher. By the time the catch was made it was raining so the RTs were hung in a car and driven back to base for processing (the Pied Oystercatcher was released unbanded). Following processing the RTs were driven back to Dripping Wells and released safely. A large black cat was an unwelcome visitor at Dripping Wells – fortunately, its prey (at least this time) was a rat and not a bird.

Thanks to the tide we had a slightly later start on day 5. The ‘work’ day started with us spreading two nets on the lawn at the Currie Museum for cleaning and drying. Then another bird census was taken at the Manuka beaches before we returned to the house for morning tea prior to departing to try our luck at Burgess Bay.

Fairy Tern Egg, Burgess Bay

Setting The First Net, Dripping Wells

Processing RT In Comfort, Currie

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On arrival at Burgess Bay, 80 RT, six carrying geos, were in the area but they refused to have anything to do with the area we prepared for them despite several twinkling attempts - the wind strengthened and high tide came and went before we gave in and called the catch off at 1645. Before leaving the site we moved the net to higher ground so it wouldn’t get washed away by the higher overnight tide and yet be quick to reset on the falling tide early in the morning.

On day 6 we made a 0700 departure for Burgess Bay. A second net was set before the causeway (as insurance) and the original net reset before 0915. There were plenty of birds in the area but they wouldn’t settle in front of either net before the tide dropped so at 1100 the team retreated to wait for more favourable tide conditions -Alan and Wendy remained on sentry duty and the rest went back to the house. The team arrived back on site at 1325 just as the RTs started to move towards one of the nets. It only took slight pressure from two cars to move them into position and we ‘fired’ at 1346, achieving an excellent (partially wet) catch of 63 RTs (9 carrying geos), 2 Red-capped Plover, 4 Silver Gulls (released immediately) and 2 Pied Oystercatchers. This catch revived our spirits and reset our expectations!

A 0700 departure the next morning (Sunday) got us to South Manuka in time to set a net for a morning catch but the 20 birds spotted on the off shore rocks when we arrived disappeared and weren’t spotted again until they were seen at Central Manuka at about 1230. When put up this flock turned out to be 50-60 strong so the team quickly relocated to Central Manuka and set a second net. Unfortunately by the time we’d finished the birds had moved again and took some persuading to return! After several round-ups and much twinkling the birds moved into position and the canons fired at 1820 with a wet catch of 25 RTs, 2 with geos, being our reward for patience. The Central Manuka net was packed but the one at South Manuka was left out overnight. Even so, it was 2000 by the time we returned to base.

Cleaning/Drying Nets At The Currie Museum

Burgess Bay

POC

Twinkling Rob-style, Burgess Bay

(Photo by Katherine)

Net Setting, Central Manuka

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The next morning we made an early start (left the house at 0645 which given the late finish the previous day took some doing) at South Manuka. Ruddy Turnstones, including 2 carrying geos, were present and twinkling to get them into a catchable position began immediately. Once again the birds outwitted us and at 0900 we drove back to base for morning tea with the Bateys who had returned to KI. After morning tea various jobs got done (eg yesterday’s net cleaned and dried, the evening meal prepped, and water collected) before the team set off to try their luck at Crested Tern catching. In approximately 1 ½ hours 69 different birds (60 bands read + 9 not banded) were caught using a crook, their details recorded and swabs taken. Very few chicks had hatched in what looked like a very successful colony.

We then ate lunch at base before returning to South Manuka at about 1530 to try our luck again. Fifteen RTs were spotted at the gate before South Manuka but these flushed north wards and didn’t return. We watched and waited until 1700 but when no RTs appeared called it quits and took the net in.

Our second to last day (Tuesday) on King Island began with a 0710 departure for Dripping Wells – we wanted to see if we could get any more of the geos seen in the area. Thirty-eight birds were in the general area when we arrived but the tide was much lower than expected and a catch on a falling tide seemed unlikely so after setting a single net we left Robyn on sentry duty, 2 cars (with Marcel, Rob and Annabelle) returned to the house and the remaining car and team went sightseeing.

Morning Tea With The Bateys

Michelle Trying To Move RT Off The Rocks,

South Manuka

The Effects Of A Late Night And Early

Morning (Photo by Michelle)

(Photo by Roger)

(Photo by Roger)

Crested Tern

Chick (Photo By Roger)

(Photo By Roger)

Crested Tern Colony, Burgess Bay

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Everyone was back at Dripping Wells by 1345 and car-based twinkling began fairly soon after this. What followed was an amazing demonstration of Katherine’s skill and patience when by 1725 RTs were catchable but 2-3 Pied Oystercatchers kept wandering in and out of danger. It wasn’t until 1741 that a cool, calm and collected Katherine deemed it safe to fire. The result: a safe catch of 3 Pied Oystercatchers and 12 RTs, 2 carrying geos. We left the site at 1845 after processing the birds and packing the equipment.

All good things must come to an end and so it was with this KI expedition. After a quick breakfast six team members and the Bateys left to do a recount of the southern sector of the west coast. Wendy dropped Annabelle and Roger at the airport early for their 0900 departure before returning to the finish cleaning the house. The rest of the team were back by 1100 with good reports – an increased number of birds seen and Katherine managed to read 138 leg flags (101 individual RTs, 71 of which had not been caught this trip and 9 Oystercatchers). Lunch was had at base, Clive’s car and the trailer were repacked with equipment, Clive’s car was driven to Grassy for the return voyage to Melbourne and Marcel visited the Kelp Factory to find out what kelp data are available for the Island. Finally all was done and we left for the airport at 1600. The two Margarets and Graeme were there to see us off. After a smooth flight we landed in 37 degree heat at Moorabbin and said our farewells. FIELD WORK RESULTS In 7 catching days we made 5 catches resulting in a total of: 123 RT (61 new and 62 retraps) and 5 Pied Oystercatchers being processed (Table 2). Although this seemed like a modest achievement for the effort expended the output was similar to that of prior November/December visits (Table 3).

Table 2: Totals for King Island 4 – 13/12/17 (5 catches)

Species New Retrap Total (Juv)

Ruddy Turnstone

61 62 123 (7)

(5.7%)

Pied Oystercatcher

5 0 5 (0)

Total 66 62 128

Table 3: Ruddy Turnstone Catches on King Island 2007-2017

*Excludes catches of Silver Gulls. Average individual catch size: 30 birds Average catch total per visit: 176 birds

Table 4: VWSG Catch Details: King Island Visit

4-13Dec2017

Date 2017

Location Species New Re-trap

Total (Juv)

6 Dec

Dripping Wells

Ruddy Turnstone

6 3 9 (0)

7 Dec

Dripping Wells (3 geos retrieved)

Ruddy Turnstone

6 8 14 (0)

9 Dec

Burgess Bay (9 geos retrieved)

Ruddy Turnstone

35 28 63 (0) (11%)

Pied Oystercatcher

2 0 2 (0)

Sub Total 37 28 65

10 Dec

Central Manuka (2 geos retrieved)

Ruddy Turnstone

12 13 25 (0)

12 Dec

Dripping Wells (2 geos retrieved)

Ruddy Turnstone

2 10 12 (0)

Pied Oystercatcher

3 0 3 (0)

Sub Total 5 10 15

Date of visit Catches Total birds caught

March 2007 7 307

March 2008 8 428

March 2009 6 223

March 2010 8 217

November 2010 3 72

April 2011 8 211

November 2011 3 117

April 2012 7 118

November 2012 5 133

March/April 2013 10 185

November 2013 2 55

March 2014 6 168

November 2014 6 150

February 2015 5 154

Nov/December 2015 5 158

February 2016 4 79

November 2016 7 111

Mar/Apr 2017 7 227

December 2017 5 128

11 years (19 visits) 112 3,341

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Juvenile RTs were only caught at Burgess Bay and even here their numbers were lower than expected (Table 4). One RT retrap, VMX, was caught on each of the three catches at Dripping Wells (6, 7 and 12 December).

Sixteen geolocators were retrieved and replacement ones deployed (Table 4). Analyses of the data available from the geolocators will take some time, however Ken Gosbell has sent some very interesting preliminary information on RT WMA (see next column). Swabs and blood samples were taken from all (except trip recaptures) captured birds. Seventy-three adult Crested Terns were captured: 60 bands were read, nine were unbanded and four were trip recaptures. Impressions were that approximately half of the colony was banded, some with coloured bands. Details of where and when the banded terns were banded were not available at the time of going to print. However, it may be of interest to team members that the Crested Tern colony usually resident at Corner Inlet was also totally absent during a reconnaissance on 21 December. THE SIGHTSEEING There was very little ‘free’ time during the expedition. However on our second to last day (12 December) while we were waiting for the tide to do its thing some of the team (Roger, Katherine, Michelle, Alan and Wendy) with Roger as driver took advantage of a four hour window of opportunity to do further bird counts and explore a little. Our first stop was a Pearshape Lake.

Our schizophrenic Ruddy Turnstone! The next chapter of the travels of WMA.

On 9 December the tenacious team of the VWSG retrieved the geolocator from Ruddy Turnstone WMA. This was only one of 16 loggers retrieved but has been singled out for early analysis due to the interest it has drawn. Does it call Newcastle (NSW) or King Island (Tasmania) home?

It will be recalled that this bird created interest last year when the geolocator analysis showed it not only made a southward journey across the Pacific from Japan to Bougainville but also spent the 2015 austral summer in Newcastle on the NSW coast before it made its 2016 migration north again through Taiwan. As the geolocator failed on the breeding grounds we have little detail of this track but the bird was seen again in Newcastle on 4 November, 2016. At some time over the summer it must have returned to King Island because it was recaptured there on 30 March, 2017, its geolocator removed and a new one fitted.

This geolocator was retrieved on 9 December, 2017; I set out below some of the salient notes on its journey. The attached map shows the simplified track which was obtained from data provided by the geolocator. The fundamental observation is that the journey it made in 2017 almost exactly replicates that made in 2015 and 2016. I also attach the map which plots the tracks for those years. It departed King Island on 24 April 2017 and flew nonstop to Taiwan in 6 days where it stopped over for 3 weeks before flying over the Korean peninsula to Sakhalin Island. From here it went to the breeding grounds in northern Siberia. (The actual breeding location is yet to be analysed). At the end of July it departed the breeding grounds and after a brief spell on the Sea of Okhotsk, it spent a month in Japan. It then made a long flight of 5,300kms across the Pacific to Bougainville Islands where it spends some 6 weeks. It then flies south and makes landfall at Newcastle on the NSW coast. It was here that the keen wader watchers noted its arrival on the 27 October. It was observed several times up until the third week of November. On about 24 November it makes its final leg to King Island where it arrives approx. 5 December. It was cannon netted on 9 December! A new geolocator was fitted so the story will hopefully continue.

This is a remarkable story and thanks are due to a lot of people who have contributed; Deakin University for provision of funds for the geolocators, the VWSG teams who undertook the task of retrieving and deploying them and particular thanks to the wader watchers in Newcastle whose observations have assisted enormously in ground truthing the geolocator data.

Please be aware that this is a preliminary analysis and there is more to do but I wanted to get this feedback to all those interested before we get caught in the holiday season.

With my thanks and best wishes,

Ken Gosbell

Surveying Pearshape

(Photo by Katherine)

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Next we stopped at Stokes Point where we found 31 RT on the offshore rocks and a number of occupied Fairy Penguin burrows. Only two RT were seen at Surprise Bay. After a quick look at Grassy Port we had lunch in the bus shelter at Grassy before returning to Dripping Wells in time for what was to be the last catch of the trip.

THE FOOD Another highlight of the trip was the food – the menu was varied and the quality excellent. Every day was kick-started with a cappuccino lovingly made by our resident barista (Marcel) no matter how early the start. Breakfast was a self-help affair usually consisting of cereals, fruit and toast but sometimes incorporating left overs and/or boiled eggs. Morning tea and lunch were similarly self-help and generally involved fruit cake, a sandwich, wrap or left overs and fruit. Dinner was an entirely different scene. Individuals self nominated a night to be chief cook. The chief cook generally determined the menu and shopped for the ingredients but sometimes a helper took over responsibility for the dessert. Despite the unpredictable preparation time, late returns to base, restricted shopping time and lack of fridge and freezer space, every meal was a success and the effort each cook went to was greatly appreciated by the rest of the team.

EXPEDITION MENU Mon 4 Dec Chicken Curry and Rice

Tues 5 Dec Spaghetti Bolognese with Salad Apricot Crumble with Custard

Wed 6 Dec Chicken Stir Fry Chocolate Brownie

Thurs 7 Dec Steak and Kidney Pie with Vegetables Coconut Rice with Stewed Rhubarb

Fri 8 Dec Corned Beef with Parsley Sauce and Vegetables Custard Tarts

Sat 9 Dec Spanish Chorizo Soup, Pizza (Vegetarian, Meat Lovers and Seafood Marinara) White Chocolate Mousse with Raspberries

Sun 10 Dec Moroccan Chicken with Couscous Tiramisu

Mon 11 Dec Slow Cooker Braised Beef with Roast and Steamed Vegetables Sticky Rhubarb Tart with Ice-cream

Tues 12 Dec Sausages (3 varieties), Jacket Potatoes, Salad, Sticky Rice and Vegetables Chinese Corners (nuts, coconut, sugar and spices in rice paper wraps and fried)

Cape Barren Geese, Pearshape

Grassy Port

Grassy Township

Resident Barista At Work

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December 6, was Michelle’s birthday – to celebrate she made us chocolate brownie for dessert. On Tuesday 11 December the two Margarets and Graeme joined us for dinner. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Firstly a big thank you to Robyn for organising this wonderful experience. Next an equally big thank you to each of the team members for making the trip enjoyable and memorable. Thank you also to those marvelous KI residents, the two Margarets and Graeme who provided us visitors with generous support. All photos, except where otherwise attributed were taken by Alan Pilkington. Data (except for the preliminary geolocator analysis contributed by Ken Gosbell) were provided by Katherine Leung. The report was compiled by Wendy Pilkington.

Pizza Preparation

(Photo by Michelle)

Dinner With Guests, 11 December

(Alan, photographer missing)

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Porky Beach

Dripping Wells

Manuka Beach

Surprise Bay

Stokes Point

KING ISLAND