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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · 19h

Nope! There’s been a little bit of exploration from a couple birds (one even stayed the day at the GP track!) but they’ve mostly settled in the woodlands where they were released.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · 20h

Our April cohort of birds have officially graduated the close monitoring phase!

Having completed 6-months of living their best wild lives means that I’ll now be mostly hands off (except for following their movements via their GPS backpacks like the creep that I am)

Thrive, birdies, thrive!

A medium sized brown mottled bird with a solar powered GPS device on its back.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · 19d

While adoption in geese (& waterfowl in general) is well known, never have I seen such an age difference!

If you look closely, you’ll see two very young cape barren goslings amongst four much older ones.

I’ve been watching this family all week and they certainly appear to be in harmony.

Two adult cape barren geese (large, grey geese), with four ‘teenager’ goslings that are grey and white striped. There are two young black and white goslings in the flock as well.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · 21d

All geared up and ready to go. The past two weeks have been busy getting more bush stone-curlews ready for release on Milawul, Phillip Island.

A brown mottled bird laying on the ground with a solar powered GPS device on its back.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Aug 18

Here’s a superb fairy-wren living up to his name and looking superb.

My days are currently being spent between appointments, tests, and slow walks in nature. I’m not mad about it.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Aug 7

Within an hour of getting off the nest, these cape barren goslings were already getting some important goose lessons.

Once (still?) considered one of the rarest geese in the world, Milawul, with its fox-free status, is now a population stronghold for the species.

A large grey goose with a yellow beak, swims in a dam with four black and white striped goslings.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Jul 26

Had the pleasure chatting with one of my favourite humans today, but this time on the stage! I love Dr Ann beyond measure. Especially when she reveals, in great detail, how alpacas copulate.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Jul 22

Alison and her family have been such wonderful champions of the reintroduction program. On some nights, up to five birds visit their property and run laps around their home - and they love it! (And no, the birds don’t keep them awake - they’ve never heard a peep!)

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Curlews return to fox-free Phillip Island, 40 years after last sighting

Decades after the bush stone-curlew went extinct on Phillip Island, scientists reintroduce the species and hope the eradication of foxes will enable the flock to grow in the wild again.

www.abc.net.au

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Jul 1

Officially completed the first year of my PhD 🎉 it sure has been a whirlwind with two translocations done and more data than you can poke a stick at.

Today is also 4 weeks until I undergo surgery for thyroid cancer 🫠
You win some, you lose some.

Here’s a cake I gifted my GP today.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Jun 15

Hi friends! Tomorrow I’ll be chatting at #ICCB2025 about our bush stone-curlew pilot release on Milawul, Phillip Island. Hope to see you there!

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · May 9

Welcome back, flame robins!

Each year I struggle with the colder weather, and I like to look for the things that spark joy- like the whales that migrate past my local beach, the cape barren geese breeding, and the flame robins that come down from the high country.

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Reposted by Paula Wasiak

ANU Fenner School @anufennerschool.bsky.social · Apr 14

The @coexistconservlab.bsky.social is bringing the bush stone-curlew back to the wild in SE Australia.

“If successful, the reintroduction will demonstrate how we can work together to recover species from extinction and return them to their natural ecological roles across south-eastern Australia.”

Birds with backpacks released on Phillip Island

Twenty-four bush stone-curlews will be reintroduced to the wild on Phillip Island to help the species regain a foothold in Victoria, where it is critically endangered.

fennerschool.anu.edu.au

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Apr 13

Efforts will continue in N Vic, particularly through Odonata’s network of havens - I agree, those in the north are in desperate need of assistance.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Apr 13

Thanks for that, I was curious as to where your thoughts were heading.
The island itself could support 50 - ~300 birds. I imagine birds will also eventually go to French Isl and perhaps attempt Morn. Pen., where they previously were also.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Apr 12

How so? They were found here until the 1970s and we’re now fox-free.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Apr 12

It would not have been possible without the dream team effort between @coexistconservlab.bsky.social , the Phillip Island Nature Parks & the Odonata Foundation.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Apr 12

(I was hoping to add some more intelligent thoughts but it’s been an absolutely massive week and I am now ready to curl up into the foetal position for a while. In between checking GPS locations of the birds, of course)

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Apr 12

Another 24 bush stone-curlews have now been released on Milawul, Phillip Island, in an effort to establish a population here.

With over thirty birds on the island, it’s likely the largest bush stone-curlew population in the state.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Apr 9

I had a quick chat with Michael between catching birds yesterday.

au.news.yahoo.com/creatures-ha...

Creature's 'haunting' cry heard on Aussie island for first time in 50 years

Since returning, the knee-high birds have shown a remarkable ability to survive. Find out more.

au.news.yahoo.com

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Apr 9

Huge news!
Our pilot reintroduction of bush stone-curlews on Phillip Island has been a success, with a 75% survival rate over 7-months post-release.

This week, we’re moving onto the next phase and attempting to establish a population.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Apr 3

One does not spend 40+ hours sewing GPS backpack harnesses for birds without making a silly video about it.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Mar 25

Ha! Brilliant!

Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Mar 25

How wonderful! I hope I get to hear them around me soon, too.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Mar 25

There are seven bush stone-curlews in this photo.

Their decline in southern Australia is due to ⬇️ roosting habitat and ⬆️ in predation by invasive predators.

This photo shows just how important daytime roosts are to avoid predation - overstory to hide under & woody debris to camouflage amongst.

An open eucalyptus woodland with fallen branches on the ground.

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Paula Wasiak @paulawasiak.bsky.social · Mar 24

Certainly depends on the species. For the bush stone-curlew they work remarkably well. The birds get regular health checks so that we can see if there’s any issues with the harnesses. I’ve not observed any irritation or feather damage from them & all birds have maintained good body condition

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