Golf course antics

Anyone for golf?...if you can find your ball amongst the honkey nuts!

I recently watched these cockatoos at Collier Park Golf Course making a mess of the fairways with their feeding efforts and doing gymnastic exercises with a hole marker flag.

The satellite tracking devices have shown that at least two of my study birds have been roosting at night in the pines around Collier Park Golf Course, Curtin University and Technology Park. I was hoping to spot them amongst the flocks feeding and drinking at the golf course. No luck this time though.

Map of movements

Here's a map which summarises the movements of all 11 Carnaby's cockatoos fitted with satellite tracking devices for the first month after release. They have certainly travelled a few kilometres!

For the young artists

The WA Museum has prepared a series of colouring-in sheets of black cockatoos including one of Carnaby's cockatoo standing on a fence post and another of Carnaby's cockatoo at a nest box.

Like me you can colour their tails all sorts of bright colours!

Why sightings are important

I have had a few questions about why I need sightings of my study birds when they are being tracked by satellite so I thought I'd explain.

The tracking devices are tiny weighing only 17g so they have limited battery life. They are programmed to switch on for only a few hours at a time. There are also gaps in when satellites are overhead to be able to receive the signal and tell me where they are. Sightings help fill in the gaps.

The tracking devices will stop transmitting well before the marking on their tails fade or the feathers are moulted early next year so sightings will extend the time over which the study birds are followed.

Sightings also provide the opportunity to make other observations such as what they are feeding on, flock size and direction of travel. These observations help explain why they might be in a particular location.

Where are they now?

Yesterday was the last day for getting daily updates on the location of my study birds. To save battery life they will now only switch on for a few hours each morning every 5 days.

It is really important to get public sightings to fill in the gaps in where they are moving. Here are some clues on the last known whereabouts of my study birds. If you happen to live or visit the areas mentioned please keep an extra keen look out for them!

Blue tails
Two are still in the vicinity Morangup/Bailup in the Perth hills. They seems quite happy circling around that area. One is still heading south with its last location fix inland from Preston Beach - he is now over 100 km from the release site! Two that were in the general vicinity of Mount Lawley have drifted north into Malaga and Landsale. Probably just as well given the bad weather that swept though the Morley area yesterday. The third blue tail that was previously recorded in the vicinity of Mount Lawley ceased transmitting at the end of May.

Pink tails
Two pink tails are still doing laps into and out of Yanchep National Park to visit the nearby Pinjar pine plantation. Another pink tail spends most of its time in the vicinity of Sea Trees estate on the road to Two Rocks. One has drifted south to the vicinity of Nowerup. The remaining pink tail has settled in an area along Lancelin Rd to the north of Yanchep National Park between Seabird and Ledge Point.

Who ate it?

Did you know that you can identify which cockatoo or parrot species has fed upon a Marri nut (Corymbia calophylla) based on the marks left by the lower mandible and the level of chewing?

The WA Museum has prepared an information sheet that illustrates Marri nuts fed upon by a number of species including Carnaby's cockatoo.

Launch of a book about Carnaby's cockatoo

If you'd like a chance to meet Leighton De Barros film maker and author of the new book On a Wing and  Prayer: The Story of  Carnaby's cockatoo family, here are the details of the book launch event. Both Rick Dawson (the human star of the documentary) and myself will be there too.

When: 5.30pm Friday 8 June 2012
Venue: Western Australian Conservation Science Centre. 17 Dick Perry Ave, Kensington, WA
RSVP: Cathy Birch on 9334 0296 by Tuesday 5 June

Light refreshements will follow.

"On a Wing and a Prayer: the story of a Carnaby’s cockatoo family introduces us to the world of the Carnaby’s cockatoo; one of five species of black cockatoo whose populations have declined dramatically.  Every milestone in their struggle to survive is documented through the engaging story of one cockatoo family.  This is a story of love, loss and sheer endurance.

Witness the parent’s unique nest-selection behaviour, see their elaborate courtship, and revel in the miracle of new life as the first chick breaks through its shell.  Much depends on the chick’s survival but life at the hollow is tough and threats are many – hypothermia, starvation, predators and poachers are but a few.  While the female tries to protect her precious offspring, the male risks predation, exhaustion and road traffic accidents to find food for his family in a depleted natural habitat. 

We follow Department of Environment and Conservation senior wildlife investigator Rick Dawson’s work as he passionately shepherds the birds on their life journey.  Whether he’s using surveillance devices to protect against poachers, rescuing an injured Carnaby’s cockatoo, or releasing rehabilitated birds back into the wild, he will go to great lengths to help save this endearing bird.  Join him on his journey."

RRP $24.95 – Available from Department of Environment and Conservation offices, ABC shops and other good bookstores.