The Zoologist/4th series, vol 5 (1901)/Issue 721/Notes from Point Cloates, N.W. Australia, Carter

by Thomas Carter

 

NOTES FROM POINT CLOATES, N.W. AUSTRALIA.

By Thomas Carter.

 

At Mauds Landing, thirty-five miles south of here, on May 1st, 1900, the extensive salt-marsh, which is usually a dreary lifeless plain, with little growing on it but numerous samphire-bushes about eighteen inches in height, was covered with water, owing to the excessive rainfall this year—a West Australian "lake," about three miles in length, half a mile wide, and in places three or four feet deep. Great numbers of White-headed Stilts (Himantopus leucocephalus) were breeding; the nests, which were mostly on the small patches of higher ground which formed islands, were merely a slight depression lined with a few samphire-twigs or roots. A few nests were built in the tops of the low bushes just above the surface of the water; these nests, naturally, were more compactly built. The eggs, four in a clutch, varied considerably in colour, some of them having the ground colour deep golden yellow, others quite green, but all with numerous and large black blotches. Fresh eggs were to be found there until Sept. 2nd, the birds having an uneasy time, as some natives visited the spot, and kept robbing the nests. On that date many young were fledged, and I also found young in down, which were difficult to detect, as they squatted flat and kept motionless. One of the islands proved a particularly rich field. It was only about fifty yards long and ten wide, but upon it were about twenty Stilts' nests, four of Red-necked Avocets (Recurvirostra novæ-hollandiæ), two nests of the rare Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon anglica), one of the Red-kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus), and newly-hatched young of the Red-capped Dotterel (Ægialitis ruficapilla), There was one egg in each of the Gull-billed Terns' nests, though they were hardly worthy of the name of nest, the egg being laid in a slight hollow where the surrounding ground was perfectly bare. In shape they were a long oval, pointed at the small end, of a stone-grey colour, with numerous dark brown blotches and spots, other underlying spots appearing lilac. I shot two specimens of these Terns; there were several pairs there. One bird contained a quantity of grasshoppers, the other small Lizards. The Red-kneed Dotterel's nest was snugly concealed under a tuft of samphire. The eggs (four in number) were richly marked, but just on the point of hatching. The Stilts showed much anxiety about their nests, uttering their plaintive cries, and with fluttering wings feigning lameness to entice one away. The Avocets were very shy, and kept well out of gunshot; their eggs were very similar to the Stilts', but rather larger in size. In the deepest part of the lake was a small island with thick samphire-bushes. Here a pair of Black Swans had built a nest, and had five eggs on May 2nd. On July 27th the young were about as large as a Goose. The family left about the end of September, when the water was rapidly drying.

On May 11th one of the boys, who had been to the boat to wash her down, returned with a Yellow-nosed Albatross (Thalassogeron chlororhynchus) in beautiful plumage, but the end of one wing had been hurt, and slightly crippled it. It was in very poor condition. On the 18th I found a clutch (two) of the Rust-coloured Bronzewing (Lophophaps ferruginea). The eggs were laid on a few sprigs of spinifex between two boulders. On Oct. 25th I also found two fresh eggs of this bird. On May 18th I came across a family of Striated Grass-Wrens (Amytis striata) on the rugged range. The young had just left the nest, which was a bulky structure, with foundation of bark off a species of mulga, then made of soft spinifex, with large opening near the top. It was lined with cotton, and built in a bunch of soft spinifex. It was with the greatest difficulty I secured one of the young; they would not fly, but darted from one bunch of spinifex to another with incredible agility. The male bird sat motionless in the middle of a large fig-tree, until detected by the sharp-eyed native, and I shot it, as I did not think at the time it was a Grass Wren perching so quietly in the dense leaves. On May 22nd I found a nest of the Wedge-tailed Eagle (Uroaëtus audax) with one egg, on the side of a precipitous gorge in the range. The nest was easy of access from above, and contained a freshly-killed Wild Cat of large size. The same nest contained another egg on May 27th, and yet a third on June 4th. I took them all, as I did not want these birds rearing young in the middle of a lambing paddock. On June 30th I found another nest, also containing one egg, about three miles further north in the range; probably the same pair of birds. On June 13th, in the great cliffs at the Jardie creek, a White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaëtus leucogaster) was sitting on her bulky nest, about one hundred feet above the water, and fifty from the edge of the cliff. On getting above I could plainly see the two dirty-white eggs. The nest was built on a large milk-bush growing on a ledge. In previous years these birds have always laid in a nest on a ledge of cliff on the opposite side of the creek, but quite inaccessible owing to the cliff overhanging. This time I determined to secure the eggs, and returned two days after with ropes and three native boys. Rigging the ropes the same way as the "climmers" on the Yorkshire cliffs, we soon had the eggs. The birds flew round without attempting to interfere, uttering an occasional cry. They afterwards took possession of a newly-built Wedge-tailed Eagle's nest further up the gorge. I took a White-eyed Crow's nest, June 29th, with the unusual number of seven eggs. Brown Hawks had eggs, and Spotted Harriers were building.

Found an Osprey's nest, July 1st, with one egg, on the 2nd one with three eggs, and two other nests containing eggs the next day. The White-headed Sea-Eagle (Haliastur girrenera), which is common here in the summer, especially about the Jardie cliffs, disappears in the winter to breed, where I do not know, unless in the mangroves of the Exmouth Gulf. In a large patch of mangroves near the N.W. Cape, July 2nd, Curlews (Numenius cyanopus) were in large flocks, which does not give them much time if they are to breed, as they appear again here on the beach regularly about the end of September. I shot one, but there were no signs of breeding. Teal (Nettion castaneum) were in numbers in the salt-creeks in the mangroves, and, what is a very uncommon circumstance, were in their full breeding plumage, which is rarely seen. They were breeding there, young in down being numerous, although there is no fresh water within fifteen miles. I shot a Green Bittern (Butorides javanica) after some trouble, as it is a very skulking bird, and I have tried before to secure specimens. July 5th, shot a Carter's Desert Bird to see if any indications of breeding. This new species was described by Mr. North in the Vict. Nat. August, 1900. It is not uncommon in parts of the N.W. Cape peninsula. It appears mostly in the dense low scrub on the flat between the range and the sea, but also occurs in the spinifex in the high range. It flies readily when disturbed, and does not appear to creep so much as the Amytis and Stipiturus; but its flight is heavy and fluttering, and only for about twenty or fifty yards. They will lie very close after being once flushed. I have no data of their breeding except on Oct. 25th, I shot two which appeared to have been recently breeding. One of them contained a grasshopper fully an inch long, the other a quantity of small black beetles. The only noise I have heard them utter is a harsh "chat chat." Turkeys in down were noted on July 11th, the first eggs on June 4th, and the last on Aug. 28th. July 12th, found a Spotted Harrier's nest with two eggs. These birds were common this good season, and I found numerous nests up to Sept. 13th, when a nest contained two fresh eggs. The nests are built sometimes in a tree forty feet from the ground, or in a bush only four feet high. They frequently contain large Lizards in a paralysed state, placed for the benefit of the sitting bird; one nest contained four eggs.

Kites (Milvus affinis) were very common in 1900, but rarely visited the coast. Inland, when driving through the high grass, they were at times a nuisance, as several of them would accompany the buggy in order to feed upon the numerous grasshoppers which were disturbed in the vegetation. The birds would flit close past the horses' heads, making them startled and nervous. They appeared to catch the grasshoppers with their feet, and fed on the wing. About the middle of July numbers of their nests were to be found in the white gums. The birds appear to prefer to build towards the end of horizontal limbs. Little Eagles (Nisaëtus morphnoides) generally build in the fork of a large straight-stemmed tree. I found a nest containing one egg on July 18th, another on the 21st with two, and one with newly-hatched young, and a fourth nest the next day with two eggs much incubated. The birds are very shy, and seem to be fond of feeding on the Teal. Black-shouldered Kites (Elanus axillaris) were fairly plentiful this winter, but very shy. They have not occurred here since the great drought of 1890–91. I failed to find any nests, but saw birds here early in October. About thirty miles inland from here are numerous belts and patches of a sort of mallee timber. Several times, passing through, I have heard beautiful rich flute-like notes from a bird that kept out of sight. Being in the locality on July 20th, I determined to try again to identify it, and camped in the timber. Some hours before daybreak, by the light of the moon, the bird began its rich notes, and continued until after daylight. The native and self followed the notes a long time without seeing the bird, the song always keeping ahead as we walked. We were returning to camp somewhat disgusted, when I saw two black and white birds fiercely attacking a Crow. On going that way we noticed a bulky nest in a tree about twenty-five feet from the ground. Feeling sure this was the nest of the strangers, we sat down to wait; but the Crows made most persistent and daring attempts to steal the eggs above us. Before long one of the birds returned to drive off the Crows, and I shot it. It proved to be a Black-throated Butcher-Bird (Cracticus nigrigularis). The male was of a dingy grey colour, not black as was the female. The nest contained four eggs. Very curiously, as we were walking away well pleased with our success, we saw a similar nest, but not so large, about fifteen yards from the other. Again we hid, and awaited results. The birds soon came to the vicinity of the nest, and on shooting one, to my surprise, it was the handsome Yellow-throated Minah (Manorhina flavigula), a bird quite unknown here before. The nest was built among slender twigs at the top of the tree. However, I sent to the buggy for a tomahawk, and, cutting down another tree, trimmed its branches so as to make a rough ladder, by which I secured the two handsome salmon-coloured eggs. The nest was somewhat large, foundation of twigs, lined with spinifex and grass; the depression for eggs was shallow, that of the Butcher-Birds deep and cup-shaped.

The same trip I noted nests of Ptilotis leilavalensis, with eggs, young, and uncompleted; also several nests of Black-tailed Native Hen, Kestrel, and Fairy Martin. There was a small colony of the latter nests under a slightly hanging shaly cliff. Examining the nests, two were found to contain Snakes. As it was an awkward place to kill them, and I did not want to destroy the surrounding nests, I went below and fired a shot into each nest containing a Snake. A Carpet Snake, about four feet long, came tumbling out of each; they had been tightly coiled up inside, and, when suddenly disturbed by the smashing of the nest, rolled down the sloping foot of the cliff still coiled. Each Snake contained two or three unfortunate Martins. I may mention that one very hot day last summer I went to have my dinner in a large cave in the range. Water drips from the roof, and we have a hole hollowed out below large enough to dip a pannikin in to catch the drip. Seeing no water, I foolishly thrust my hand in the hole, and felt a large Snake. After a great deal of poking it was induced to come out, and was killed. It was nearly five feet in length, and, on being cut open, was found to contain four Chestnut-eared Finches, fallen victims to their insatiable thirst. These little birds frequently build their flimsy grass-nests in the bottom part of larger nests, especially Hawks' and Eagles'.

Shot four Freckled Ducks (Stictonetta nævosa) on July 21st, a species which, as far as I know, has not been recorded from this district. They were fat and remarkably good eating. Plumed Whistling Ducks were in great numbers this year, and I secured specimens of Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis) and Pied Goose (Anseranas semipalmata).

On Oct. 24th I found an egg of the Long-billed Stone Plover (Esacus magnirostris) laid on the summit of a high shingly ridge on the beach towards the N.W. Cape. There was no nest whatever. I took the egg (which resembled that of a Caspian Tern in colour and size, but was blunter at the small end), and, watching the bird half an hour later through my binoculars, saw it cautiously return to where it had laid, and seat itself in the empty nesting-site. In a few seconds, however, it seemed to realize its loss, and, rising, ran down the ridge to its mate. A pair or two of these birds are always at that particular spot, where the reef comes in to the beach, which is formed of coarse shingle and shell, with broken surf. I have seen odd birds south of there, but never so far as here. Noted a Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides), Oct. 30th, sitting on two fresh eggs in a mallee tree, about ten feet from the ground. The nest was absurdly small and slight. The bird sat motionless in an upright position, in which it looked just like a short broken dead limb, although the buggy passed immediately beneath it. On Dec. 4th the natives brought in a fledgling bird.

At the end of September, when visiting my inland run, there were great flocks of Straw-necked Ibis (Geronticus spinicollis) about the pools and adjoining flats. When there again on Nov. 3rd, my man in charge of stock told me that about the middle of October he had sent two boys with the bullock-cart eight miles down the creek to bring back a large iron tank swept away by the floods. They returned with quantities of Ibis's eggs, and said they had eaten a great many, and more were left; "can't finish 'um." As a colony of these birds is a rare sight—in fact, I do not know if there is any record of their breeding in West Australia—I drove down, but found most of the young birds had fledged, and only a few addled eggs were left in the nests. Of these I secured about a score. The nests were in hundreds, mostly built on low bushes flattened down by the flood, about three feet from the ground. Some of the bushes contained a cluster of six or eight nests, all interbuilt; they were of flat form, lined with white gum-leaves. A few nests were built on the ground. The colony must have been a most interesting sight when all the birds were there. A few full-grown young were about which could not fly. The native with me caught several, and of course started killing them all. However, I was in time to save one, and brought it back to the camp, where in a few hours it seemed quite content; but, as it was liable to stray too far away in pursuit of its favourite grasshoppers, we tethered one leg by a string, and fed it out of a damper-dish in which pieces of bread and meat were dropped. The bird would stand inside, and feel about for the lumps, holding its beak mostly in a horizontal position, at times almost reversing its head. After a meal it would attack, with a sharp scream, some of the fowls or young Cockatoos as far as its tether would permit; its long reach of bill giving it all the advantage. It is now at the house, with full liberty. It feeds readily from the hand, and will attack the Dogs and Cats if they venture too close. Two specimens of the rare Painted Finch (Emblema picta) were obtained here, and others seen; they had doubtless bred in the neighbourhood.

To our surprise, this year the large pools at my inland run on the Cardabia Creek contained numbers of small fish from four to six inches in length, and I hear they also occur in the Lyndon River, but were certainly never there before. I think their presence can be accounted for by the action of a squatter on the Upper Minilya River, Mr. M.C.R. Bunbury, who wrote a letter to the 'Western Mail' of April 22nd, stating that in the winter of 1899 he brought a number of small fish from the Lyons River (which runs into the Gascoyne), and turned them into the Minilya, where they soon spread. The Lyndon River runs west parallel to the Minilya about twenty miles more or less to the north. Both rivers (when they do run) empty into the vast saltmarshes near the coast, but, so far as is known, do not reach the sea. The Cardabia Creek is a tributary of the Lyndon, and during the floods the fish must have come down the Minilya from Mr. Bunbury's house to the marsh, about ninety miles, then swam up to the Lyndon, about thirty miles, and thence up it and its branches. Unless they have the power of living under the dry mud, like the fresh-water Turtles and Frogs, they must all die when the pools dry up, as they are not permanent; but perhaps the spawn will serve to propagate the species.