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Collapse Issue 482 - 11 Nov 2019Issue 482 - 11 Nov 2019
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Edna celebrates her 100th birthday
Young artist aims to raise $5000 for support service
Two marine rescues near Lion Island
Tawny frogmouth population under threat, say carers
Heritage study being prepared for Woy Woy
One more week to comment on roundabout plans
Remembrance Day
Empire Bay wharf will close for replacement program
Trust asks about use of endangered bushland money
Mayor may visit Peninsula on 'travelling roadshow'
Council refuses to rezone Ettalong land
Council approves five two-storey units at Ettalong
Dredging program 'complete', says Crouch
Partly-restored ferry towed to Blackwall
Library renovation
Marquart opposes water tank scheme
Gosford council chambers security costs to be tabled
Council decides not to set up ethical standards unit
Council pecuniary interests register to go on website
Abrahams criticises election donation disclosure system
Community input sought for flood study
Dark Corner carpark upgrade is completed
Council proposal leads to call on Federal Government
Council staff propose grant for Ducks
CWA branch member awarded life membership
Bill Graham granted life membership at Men's Shed
Umina CWA almost doubles membership in a year
Members of original Guide group celebrate 70 years
Kate Da Costa re-elected to NCC
Rotary has lawyer as guest speaker
Ettalong to light up for Christmas
Rotary club announces Pride of Workmanship awards
Funding available for safety projects
Organiser claim 6000 at Coastal Twist
Staff celebrate anniversaries
Record fair
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
Strategic planning should be based on real communities
What is the point of having planning controls?
Council fence creates reserve instead of urban forest
If councillors want our opinions, read Peninsula News
Roundabout expense could buy 35 homes
New ferry wharf will open onto 'scourge of the Coast'
Why is Chambers Place so ugly?
Urinating for all to see
We should support the use of mobility scooters
Constitution is frozen in time
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Bladder scanner donated to aged care home
Film documents 'long walk' for effective drug treatment
Mingaletta wins Koori Mini Olympics
Pink Day in Woy Woy raises $12,000
Assistance dogs provided to veterans
Free healing group sessions
Money raised for mental health service
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Council seeks sculpture for Anderson Park
Blues and roots duo at folk club
Free children's Christmas party
Satirical variety show promoted for Lakes Festival
Council seeks artists for its art competition
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Rotary club donates five computers
Geography students add to school world map mural
Garden club holds first produce sale
Para-athlete returns with bronze medal
Students take indigenous cooking lessons
Students partner with Rotary for international aid
Senior choir performs at choral festival
Mini fete at Woy Woy South
Camp Quality puppet show visits Woy Woy
Two win Hunter TAFE Foundation awards
Big Bouddi beach bushwalk
Private preschool receives gazebo grant
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Jemma Smith comes second in Coolangatta Gold
Back from round of swimming world cup
Awards for Woy Woy club
Umina United holds presentation
Mixed results for Peninsula Ducks
Surf club celebrates 50 years of 'rubber ducky'
Ettalong pair wins Champion Pairs title
Veterans' Pairs champions

Tawny frogmouth population under threat, say carers

The tawny frogmouth population of Pearl Beach is under threat, with 10 deaths in the last year, according to a local pair of wildlife carers.

Wildlife Arc carers Mr Michael Dahlstrom and Ms Augusta Miller say the most recent deaths were a healthy breeding pair killed by a domestic cat in late October.

The carers, who specialise in tawny frogmouths, are now caring for a surviving chick, which Ms Miller named Spoon after it spooned itself into her hand when it came into their care.

The orphaned female suffered extensive wounds following the attack, but the couple are hopeful she will make a full recovery.

According to Mr Dahlstrom, the initial prognosis was poor with only Ms Miller believing Spoon would pull through.

"It wasn't looking good when she first came to us.

"The bacteria in cat saliva is toxic to birds and she had been bitten multiple times, so I didn't have much hope," he said.

But Ms Miller spent a week administering around the clock care and a course of antibiotics to the chick and, while she isn't completely out of the woods, Spoon's future looks bright.

They said tawny frogmouths were threatened by domestic pets, collisions with cars, poisoning and habitat loss.

Mr Dahlstrom said Pearl Beach's population in particular had an extremely high mortality rate with the carers now concerned that releasing Tawny's back into the area could be a death sentence, with the decision already made to release Spoon elsewhere when the bird is able to fend for herself.

"For Pearl Beach, car collisions are a major problem.

"Tawny's get struck by cars while hunting.

"They get disoriented by headlights and then don't react in time to avoid getting hit," Mr Dahlstrom said.

Tawny's on the ground don't fare any better.

"A tawny on the ground will rely on its natural camouflage as its defence.

"The birds bear a striking resemblance to tree bark.

"If they're on the road though, that won't help them," Mr Dahlstrom said.

Mr Dahlstrom said birds also suffered from secondary poisoning as a result of snail and rodent poison.

"If you're using either of those poisons, you're killing birds," he said.

Domestic cats were also notoriously problematic for native wildlife around Pearl Beach.

"As a wildlife carer it is really quite horrifying having to clean up after someone's cat or dog has just decimated a native species," he said.

Mr Dahlstrom said the other big issue facing the birds was the well-meaning people that separate parents from fledglings.

"We have almost a dozen Tawny chicks in our care at the moment and only three of them actually needed care, the rest were just fledglings that had fallen from the nest or failed their first flight," he said.

According to Mr Dahlstrom, delivering these birds to vets was actually doing more harm than good.

"The best place for a tawny chick is with mum and dad.

"If a fledgling is on the ground, its parents are nearby."





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