Exploring What’s on my Doorstep: WhistlingKite24 does South-east Queensland

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 19: UQ [University of Queensland] Lakes, Brisbane– 8th November 2021

Target Species: Bush Stone-curlew, Broad-shelled River Turtle

Universities tend to provide refuge for unexpectedly rich levels of wildlife. They often function as green spaces within the heart of the concrete jungles that are cities. Being such a large campus, the University of Queensland is no different with the highlight species for me there being their large groups of Bush Stone-Curlews. Surprisingly, I have yet to cover this locally iconic and well-known species for the thread!

The curlews in Brisbane have funny habits. They commonly live near human settlements close to the city. They can be found across the central botanical gardens, golf courses and parks, often venturing well into the city. I’ve seen a pair cross the road in Brisbane’s main central district and another pair that nest in the lawn opposite the convention centre in South Bank. Some theories suggest that the bright lights at night which attract Asian house geckoes and insects lead them to stay close to built-up areas for a feed. Unlike their southern counterparts in Victoria and New South Wales, they remain relatively easy to find locally. Also at UQ, Broad-shelled River Turtles are said to live right near the bus stop and some lucky people have photographed these huge turtles with necks as long as their body lumbering out of the water onto the path. Fat chance I’d actually find one when I was actively searching for said turtle but it's worth looking just in case.

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The university has three separate bodies of water that are located right near the main bus stop along the Brisbane River. The first two sections are smaller, being more shadier and edged with trees. The final one is a large lake that is nearby. This area is a popular place for students and members of the public as well. The main lake is home to dozens of Brisbane River Turtles that can often be seen basking or surfacing regularly. The Little Black Cormorants were actively fishing as well today. Their eyes are just extraordinary up close! The most beautiful shade of blue-green. There was also a pair of Little Pied Cormorants further out in the water that weren’t as bold and stayed at a distance. The resident pair of Australasian Darters are always very showy birds and are not wary of humans. The male was displaying to the female all afternoon. He was raising his wings and swung them around in rotation, one after the other. It was one of those completely strange but fascinating things to watch. A Nankeen Night-heron was also seen by complete surprise. It was well-hidden in the large tree that hangs over the water’s edge. Masked Lapwings were also common.

Little Black Cormorant

Being late spring here currently, the nearby jacaranda trees were in full bloom creating mass carpets of purple flowers everywhere. Large flocks of Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets were feeding on this ready supply of flowers whilst different pairs of Australian Wood Ducks were feeding on the grass below. A few Galahs later joined the lorikeets. The smaller bodies of water away from the main lake had the usual Australasian Swamphens, Dusky Moorhens and notably a Eurasian Coot which I don’t see that often. There were also several Eastern Water Dragons all along the water.

Eastern Water Dragon

The craziest looking damselflies were perched all along the water's vegetation. Their bodies were red but some had a really vivid blue tip. A quick search confirmed them as Blue and Red Damsels. They were pretty spectacular and after researching them, are placed in a monotypic genus due to their completely unique appearance. A nice new species to see that I didn’t know existed. There were also several Blue Riverdamsels as well. After my attention was diverted from the damselflies, I realised I was standing right near a Pacific Black Duck near the rocky perimeter of the water. I then noticed it had six little bodies following its every move – ducklings!

Pacific Black Duck – ducklings

A storm was rapidly approaching but before I ran to shelter, I found what I was looking for, well they basically found me as they flew in. Nine Bush Stone-Curlews congregated near the water – a combination of adults and juveniles. Flying is very unusual for these birds but it was interesting to see they are rather swift and controlled in the air. Once settled, they stood motionless in odd positions as curlews traditionally do. Some later quickly moved into the vegetation whilst one was carefully watching the water. I’m always surprised to see how large these curlews are. Despite being well-camouflaged, they are attention-grabbing, distinguishing birds. Whilst I saw no long-neck turtle I saw lots of curlews in return. The lakes area is a nice, accessible slice of nature that provides some desirable wildlife within close range.

Bush Stone-curlew

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Australian Brush-turkey, Alectura lathami
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Australian Wood Duck, Chenonetta jubata
Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa
Eurasian Coot, Fulica atra
Australasian Swamphen, Porphyrio melanotus
Masked Lapwing, Vanellus miles/novaehollandiae
Bush Stone-curlew, Burhinus grallarius
Australasian Darter, Anhinga novaehollandiae
Little Pied Cormorant, Microcarbo melanoleucos
Little Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Nankeen Night-heron, Nycticorax caledonicus
Galah, Eolophus roseicapilla
Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus
Noisy Miner, Manorina melanocephala
Magpie-lark, Grallina cyanoleuca

Reptiles
Brisbane River Turtle, Emydura macquarii signata
Eastern Water Dragon, Physignathus lesueurii

Invertebrates
Blue Riverdamsel, Pseudagrion microcephalum
Blue and Red Damsel, Xanthagrion erythroneurum

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The Todiramphus Trifecta – Boondall Wetlands Reserve – 16th November 2021

I spent a few hours at Boondall Wetlands today for a shorter time than expected due to the searing heat – summer is approaching. The wildlife was surprisingly easy to find in comparison to previous visits during the cooler months. The recent rain has really increased the amount of new vegetation and there was evidence of fresh growth everywhere. As the title implies, there have been very recent records of all three Todiramphus kingfishers that occur locally. The Forest Kingfishers have been popping at several locations including Boondall Wetlands. So, with the abundant Torresian and Sacred Kingfishers, one could relatively easy pick up all three of them at the one location – a trifecta.

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The first species I came across was a large Lace Monitor just outside the visitor centre! It started walking through the thick grass but then a group of Noisy Miners were harassing it continually so it climbed up a tall eucalypt. The staff at the visitor centre were excited to see one locally as apparently, they aren’t too common for the Boondall Wetlands area. I soon realised why the group of miners were so persistent in their attack, the monitor continued up the tree and raided their nest very efficiently. With skin like chain mail, there was nothing stopping the large lizard. Lace Monitors are really such versatile predators; equally adapted for land and trees.

Lace Monitor

The resident population of Tawny Frogmouths found near the entrance are currently nesting and/or raising their chicks. I just made out the silhouette of a young bird perched near an adult. The frogmouths are usually resting high up in the tree preventing clear photographs of them but there was one time when there was a pair sitting at eye level (pictured below). The centre staff sometimes place signs at the base of trees when the frogmouths are at particular locations that are easy to see.

Tawny Frogmouth (December 2020)

Continuing onto the main path, there were lots of invertebrates. The main ones I could pinpoint were Blue Tigers, Glasswing Butterflies, Common Brown Ringlets, Scarlet Perchers and Blue Skimmers. There was also a huge, rather brightly-patterned cicada that flew into view. I will get it identified soon. The Sacred Kingfishers were busily finding food for their young. I saw several more cicadas and damselflies being brought into the termite nests while one kingfisher was perched outside the nest.

Sacred Kingfisher sitting outside the nest

Out towards the mangroves, the Torresian Kingfishers were seen calling from the top of the mangroves on the other side of the river along with an acrobatic Spangled Drongo and Grey Fantail found in the neighbouring trees. Looking from the bird hide across the open mud flats were also a Little Egret, a Striated Heron and a pair of Australian Pelicans. I spent a little time also watching a Grey Butcherbird catching insects to feed to two young birds which were almost as large as the adults.

Towards the final stretch of pathway is where the majority of the bushland birds can be found. Striated Pardalotes are easy to pinpoint with their prominent calls whilst the Red-backed Fairywrens are common throughout the grassland. A male Rufous Whistler was living up to its name and calling melodically from a distance. Bar-shouldered Doves were also everywhere as well. Finally, a magnificent Forest Kingfisher remained motionless high up near the doves. The clean white markings, as opposed to the buffy colouration of the Sacreds, made me think it was a Torresian initially but that rich blue caught light. Just a splendid bird.

Forest Kingfisher

As I was walking out of the trail, I spotted something on the road. It looked like rubbish or a bit of rubber that had fallen off a car. Upon closer inspection, it was a snake; an Eastern Brown Snake. The poor snake had been run over by a car and was in an awkward position that made me initially believe it was alive with its mouth open pointed in my direction. It wasn’t particularly small either; what a waste of life. The ups and downs of wildlife watching. It was however great to see how reinvigorated Boondall Wetlands looked today after a relatively few quiet and unproductive months for finding wildlife there for me. Hope it’s a sign of what's to come.

Roadkill – Eastern Brown Snake

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 20: Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, Sunshine Coast – 20th November 2021

Target Species: Any of the ‘top six’ rainforest species – Australian Logrunner, Paradise Riflebird, Noisy Pitta, Rose-crowned Fruit Dove, Topknot Pigeon, Regent Bowerbird

I had to do something special as we have reached 20 locations! The Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve is located near the Sunshine Coast town of Maleny and is 55 hectares of subtropical rainforest where 141 species of bird have been recorded. A wide range of mammals, reptiles and amphibians are also present in the area. A pre-booked guided tour with the volunteers from the centre is an potential option for wildlife watchers who would like to really maximise their time there. For me, however, I like to use it as an opportunity to practice independently.

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My morning started strongly with a beautiful male Richmond Birdwing with iridescent green wings that flew across the car park. I followed him to a nearby tree and watched him flutter over the canopy of one of the main trees near the visitor centre. His flight was rapid so photography was virtually impossible. They are of course one of Australia’s largest butterflies and are such a striking species. This butterfly now suffers from a fragmented range but there were once records of them occurring in large numbers across Brisbane. One of the books I use as a reference for this thread to map out target species and locations, Wildlife of the Brisbane Area (1983) discusses they were once even found in the city botanic gardens in Brisbane. They are now largely restricted to small pockets of subtropical rainforest in the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast where inbreeding has emerged as a problem along with the introduced Dutchman’s Pipe, negatively impacting their future survival. In my personal opinion, they are one of the iconic species of south-east Queensland considering they are virtually endemic to the region (bar a small section of northern New South Wales).

My jaw suddenly dropped as I was watching the birdwing. I caught sight of a pair of Topknot Pigeons flying over. I hadn’t even entered the rainforest yet but had finally seen one of my favourite native birds in the wild from my ‘top six’. It was momentary but memorable. Incredibly impressive birds with a strong flight pattern. Subtropical rainforests are usually home to a large population of Brown Gerygones and this place is no different. They were common throughout the grounds near the café. These gerygones never sit still but that’s part of the fun watching them.

Brown Gerygone

Starting at the trail, I soon realised portions of the track were closed for a revamp of the pathway. Fortunately, the majority of the main loop was still accessible enabling me to see a good range of classic rainforest birds. Yellow-throated Scrubwrens are abundant here; even more so than Maiala I find. About two-thirds of the species I saw on the forest floor were these scrubwrens. They are a great species though. Another classic bird found here are Rufous Fantails which remained close to the ground. They aren’t a particularly unusual species but they are my favourite local fantail with their orangey patches of colouration.

Rufous Fantail

Rainforest birding remains quite a challenge (but a challenge I am willing to pursue) and I have picked up a few tricks to try and improve my success in these areas. I always now look at trees that are positioned in front of light and usually the silhouettes of the larger birds can be see against the light that comes through the canopy. Brown Cuckoo-doves, Wompoo Fruit-doves and more Topknots were seen through this manner. I was also excited to find a cuckoo-dove nest nearby the ground complete with a young chick. The pair of cuckoo-doves were collecting berries and nesting materials only about two metres or so from me. Pigeon nests always seem to be such flimsy structures; how they manage to survive generation after generation is beyond me. I also was able to locate at least two Green Catbirds which can be such a challenge to find in the rainforest. They blend in so well, but with patience, their distinctive call can give their location away.

I also flushed out a pair of Australian King Parrots that were feeding close to the ground. The female stayed close-by and I was able to get a few photos. I also spotted a Large-billed Scrubwren which are fantastic birds. I was a bit surprised I hadn’t come across any robins yet which are usually widespread in these parts. This was soon remedied with several sightings of both Eastern Yellow Robins and Pale-yellow Robins. Both species included some young animals.

Australian King Parrot

While I was admiring a juvenile Pale-Yellow Robin, a pair of furry mammals came bolting along the path but went straight into the understorey to avoid running straight into me. I thought they were pademelons but they looked like something like a mara with long legs and marked rumps and they were hopping. A pair of European Hares. What on earth were they doing in a rainforest?! I was starting to think I had simply been spending too much time in the sun but my photos confirmed their presence as I later caught up with them. Such a strange sight in rainforest. Despite being non-natives and that they certainly shouldn’t be there, I was admittedly quite pleased to find this species for the first time. Upon further research, they are apparently common around Maleny but rarely venture into the rainforest.

European Hare

Red-legged Pademelons were also quickly spotted after the hares. Still no sign of any Red-necked Pademelons despite my searches at several sites. I also came across a group of Eastern Whipbirds; an adult and two fledglings on the forest floor. The young birds look quite different to the adults that I am familiar with. A Lewin’s Honeyeater was also seen. Finally, I spotted something exciting in a hollow on my way out. It was a possum; a Short-eared Brushtail Possum being the main possum species found at Mary Cairncross! It was sleeping only a metre or two off the ground and I could just make out its white belly and greyish fur that looks like a very different texture to the usual Common Brushtails. These are one of those species I associate with rainforests in south-east Queensland but they can also be found in suburbia north of Brisbane.

Short-eared Brushtail Possum

Mary Cairncross makes for a such a pleasant visit. I was happy to pick up two mammalian lifers in one visit – the European Hare and Short-eared Brushtail Possum – which is unprecedented for me especially considering how hard wild mammals can be to find in Australia. Finally seeing wild Topknot Pigeons has now reduced my ‘rainforest six’ down to three leaving only the pitta, riflebird and fruit-dove to find. A visit here is certainly a must for those interested in finding some often enigmatic rainforest species.

Spoiler: Species Seen

Mammals
Short-eared Brushtail Possum, Trichosurus caninus
Red-legged Pademelon, Thylogale stigmatica
European Hare, Lepus europaeus

Birds
Australian Brush-turkey, Alectura lathami
Brown Cuckoo-dove, Macropygia phasianella
Topknot Pigeon, Lopholaimus antarcticus
Wompoo Fruit-dove, Ptilinopus magnificus
Australian King Parrot, Alisterus scapularis
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae
Green Catbird, Ailuroedus crassirostris
Eastern Whipbird, Psophodes olivaceus
Lewin’s Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Rufous Fantail, Rhipidura rufifrons
Eastern Yellow Robin, Eopsaltria australis
Pale-Yellow Robin, Tregellasia capito
Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Sericornis citreogularis
Large-billed Scrubwren, Sericornis magnirostra
Brown Gerygone, Gerygone mouki

Invertebrates
Richmond Birdwing, Ornithoptera richmondia

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 21 – David Fleay Wildlife Park/Tallebudgera Creek Conservation Park - 19th November 2021

I don’t plan on usually including zoos as locations for additional wildlife but David Fleay Wildlife Park blends in so well with its natural surrounds and links to the neighbouring Tallebudgera Creek seamlessly. They are synonymous with one another and therefore shall be discussed together under the one location. On the Gold Coast, the zoo is well-positioned with a mangrove boardwalk leading up to the entrance and it’s surrounded by wetlands and waterways that intersect. The Tallebudgera Creek can be access from the zoo simply by following the mangroves that surround the perimeter of the park’s fence. They then lead onto the main Tallebudgera Creek Conservation Park which is a straightforward loop.

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Near the zoo’s entrance were several White-breasted Woodswallows that were high up in the trees opposite the car park. As I walked in towards the zoo it was high tide with a few fish species – Banded Toadfish, Common Toadfish and Yellowfin Bream all being noted. The harsh calls of kingfishers were far reaching but I didn’t see any of them despite being close. After entering the zoo, the main dam is surrounded by tall trees serving as roosting areas for several species. There were Eastern Great Egrets and Nankeen Night-Herons that occur reliably in this area. They are fed during the bird show. I also saw a Little Pied Cormorant and several Little Black Cormorants perched along the main dam. The walkthrough kangaroo enclosure had lots of freeloaders notably Magpie Geese and Plumed Whistling Ducks. Come to think of it, both Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and David Fleay Wildlife Park have reliable wild populations of both species. Currumbin also attracts wild Wandering Whistling Ducks in addition to these two species. The brolga enclosure is usually home to wild Buff-banded Rails which can be spotted from the boardwalk along the fence perimeter. A Royal Spoonbill was also seen. The park has signage for wild Tusked Frogs and Azure Kingfishers that live on the grounds as well but I’ve never seen them. Actually, the ‘tusked frog pond’ had a pair of mating Cane Toads producing more of their prolific spawn.

Plumed Whistling Duck

Nankeen Night-heron (June 2020)

The mangroves were alive with song; Olive-backed Orioles were calling from several vantage points and were seen on a few occasions. A few other species included Grey Fantail, Grey Shrike-thrush and a White-faced Heron were also noted. A pair of Rainbow Bee-eaters were perched on an exposed branch, later hunting insects on the wing. Surprisingly, several Mangrove Honeyeaters emerged and joined them. I often find these honeyeaters rarely stray far from the cover of mangrove foliage so it was nice to see them out in the open. Torresian Kingfishers were calling close-by and were seen with ease.

Torresian Kingfisher

Moving away from the mangroves and following the trail, it’s hard to describe the habitat I walked through. It was like a blend of traditional eucalypt bushland that was wetter in some areas that then linked to casuarina and then mangroves as it reached the crystal-clear water. You could actually see where each vegetation type commenced and ended. The water had sandy pockets of land that were home to Australian Pelicans, Silver Gulls and Australian White Ibis. An Eastern Osprey was soaring above as well and I could see large schools of unidentifiable fish. I also saw an unusual-looking butterfly with earthy tones. It was identified as a Splendid Ochre; which is my first skipper (Hesperiidae) I’ve managed to get identified to species level.

Splendid Ochre

A noisy rustle was heard near the set of trees that reach the water. It was a large creature with powerful legs upturning the leaf litter with ease but it was difficult to see through the dense foliage. I caught glimpse of it and then it emerged into full sight. When I saw this animal, I don’t think I fully processed what I was actually seeing as it was so unexpected. It was a Brolga! I was completely speechless as it was certainly not what I was expecting. Before I got my hopes up, I realised I didn’t see the usual trio of Brolgas at David Fleay and just two individuals including one brolga that was missing its mate… a rather adventurous brolga had hopped out of its exhibit, crossed the zoo and travelled a kilometre down the road into Tallebudgera Creek and into the scrub right on the edge of the water. David Fleay Wildlife Park later confirmed that they managed to recapture the brolga and return it to its exhibit. I got the impression this wasn’t the first time this had happened. I am sure they had their hands full with operation 'catch the brolga and trim a wing'.

Brolga – zoo escapee

After the confusion with the brolga, I continued onwards through the bush that meets the ocean. A Dollarbird whizzed around in the trees, flashing its ‘silver coins’ it has in flight. I’ve seen these birds a handful of times now and they are never boring to watch. They also sometimes pop up in Australian zoos but not often. A pair of Variegated Fairywrens were also seen momentarily before they retreated further into the bush. Sacred Kingfishers were also widespread. This area seems to be a popular nesting area for Torresian Kingfishers and I saw several nests as well. Not many other birds were seen as my attention had been redirected to this large crane walking around. Well wildlife watching is certainly never boring and with my recent encounters with hares in rainforest and a brolga escapee, I’ve certainly understood the valuable lesson of always expect the unexpected.

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Australian Brush-turkey, Alectura lathami
Australian Wood Duck, Chenonetta jubata
Plumed Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna eytoni
Magpie Goose, Anseranas semipalmata
Little Pied Cormorant, Microcarbo melanoleucos
Little Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Australian Pelican, Pelecanus conspicillatus
Australian White Ibis, Threskiornis moluccus
Royal Spoonbill, Platalea regia
Eastern Great Egret, Ardea modesta
White-faced Heron, Egretta novaehollandiae
Nankeen Night-Heron, Nycticorax caledonicus
Silver Gull, Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa
Buff-banded Rail, Gallirallus philippensis
Brolga, Antigone rubicunda – [zoo escapee]
Dollarbird, Eurystomus orientalis
Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae
Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus
Torresian Kingfisher, Todiramphus sordidus
Eastern Osprey, Pandion cristatus
Variegated Fairywren, Malurus lamberti
Lewin’s Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Mangrove Honeyeater, Lichenostomus fasciogularis
Noisy Miner, Manorina melanocephala
Olive-backed Oriole, Oriolus sagittatus
Grey Shrike-thrush, Colluricincla harmonica
Grey Fantail, Rhipidura albiscapa
Australasian Figbird, Sphecotheres vieilloti
White-breasted Woodswallow, Artamus leucorynchus
Pied Currawong, Strepera graculina
Pied Butcherbird, Cracticus nigrogularis
Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen
Torresian Crow, Corvus orru

Reptiles
Eastern Water Dragon, Intellagama lesueurii

Amphibians
Cane Toad, Rhinella marina

Fish
Yellowfin Bream, Acanthopagrus australis
Common Toadfish, Tetractenos hamiltoni
Banded Toadfish, Marilyna pleurosticta

Invertebrates
Monarch, Danaus plexippus
Common Eggfly, Hypolimnas bolina
Orchard Swallowtail, Papilio aegeus
Splendid Ochre, Trapezites symmomus

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Bonus Location: The Queensland Museum – 26th November 2021

Considering it presents a range of relevant local wildlife found in the Queensland, I thought I’d include my visit to the Queensland Museum today as a bonus post just for something a bit different and give some context to the wildlife I’ve been looking especially for overseas readers mainly. Located in centre of Brisbane, the Queensland Museum is part of Brisbane’s cultural precinct and has free entry for all visitors. The two main permanent exhibitions that focus on wildlife are the Discovery Centre with live animal displays and Wild State. Both areas focus heavily on local species displaying a range of animals either taxonomically for the first area or by habitats like for the latter. The museum also runs an ‘ask an expert’ service where members of the public can send in their photos or queries which are then forwarded to the relevant department.

From time to time, the museum also does paid temporary exhibitions related to wildlife. Two that spring to mind were the relatively recent exhibitions for primates [New ‘Monkeys’ Exhibition [Queensland Museum]] and spiders [New Spider Exhibition [Queensland Museum]]. The primate exhibition was superb with the museum displaying a range of taxidermied animals from European zoos – everything from mouse lemurs to Hamlyn’s monkeys. Lots of species that will probably never be found as live zoo animals on Australian soil anytime soon. The spider exhibition was even more comprehensive as the museum incorporated a large range of live spiders and superb educational displays. They also had a recent collaboration with the Queensland Finch Society with a temporary aviary with live finches and an exhibition with some of John Gould’s work. I hope they will continue with the animal exhibitions after the current exhibition for lego is over…

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The Discovery Centre is the museum’s main section for taxidermied displays but it also has a series of tanks that are positioned in a simple row for a few live insects and reptiles. A really fascinating species is now on-display at the museum – the Australian/Monteith’s Leaf Insect, Phyllium monteithi. These insects were only discovered in 2003. According to the signage present, the smaller winged adult males are attracted to lights and were known well before the flightless females which were not discovered until 2014 near Kuranda, in far north Queensland. The museum currently have a group of small leaf insects and they only live for 8-15 months in captivity. I patiently waited for one of them to crawled along the side of the glass to get a photo as most of them were well-blended into the foliage. Leaf insects are just great.

Australian/Monteith’s Leaf Insect

The museum has two exhibits for stick insects representing four species; Spiny Leaf Insect, Children’s Stick Insect, Goliath Stick Insects and Titan Stick Insects. One enclosure for nymphs along with a Saunders' Case Moth and a vertical tank for the adults. It was the first time I had managed to photograph the Titans today – Australia’s longest stick insects and they are certainly very impressive creatures. Nearby is a set of smaller glass cases for Giant Burrowing Cockroaches. The neighbouring enclosure has a Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko which are great to see. Leaf-tailed geckoes don’t seem to be very popular additions among Australian zoos unfortunately. Completing the row, the Green Tree Python was active! It was moving around and then proceeded to coil itself up in their traditional position. There is also now a new display on the reception desk for an Australian Giant Mantis which hadn’t been part of the collection for a while.

Green Tree Python

Near the live displays, there are now new graphics with size comparisons between different species. There is one with large invertebrates (birdwings, goliath beetles etc.) comparing them with very small fish, bats and birds. The main sections of the discovery centre are broken up into rows of glass-fronted displays for each of the main group of animals and drawers with a range of additional specimens like eggs, nests, wings and skulls. The layout of this area hasn’t changed much over the years but the museum did give the space a facelift a few years ago. There is a diverse range of specimens; some of them must be absolutely ancient as they have seen better days but the museum has also introduced a few newer specimens especially among the birds.

Shining Oak-Blue

The second exhibition is called Wild State – representing Queensland’s wildlife through roughly four sections – desert, bushland, rainforest and coastal regions. Queensland possesses 13 different terrestrial bioregions and 14 different marine bioregions. These bioregions serve as home to 70 percent of Australia’s mammal species, 80 percent of its bird species, half of its reptiles and amphibians and 8,000 different species of plants according to signage outside of the exhibit. These displays have a more modern finish with overall better-quality specimens. There are some take-home messages from this exhibit: don’t mess with giant wood moths they are monsters, long-haired rats gather in plague proportions as they can produce 12 young every three weeks and longtail morays can reach insane lengths. The specimen on show is a cast of an individual caught from the Maroochy River in 1927. It was four metres long! One of the other unique specimens is a large orca skull. In 2013, three Orcas followed Humpback Whales up the coast to Hervey Bay. They beached themselves and one of the females died. Actually, the museum has a very nice display with a range of mammal skulls with everything from leopard seals to rhinos down to duikers, warthogs and armadillos.

Thorny Devil

Finally, a classic display at the Queensland Museum is a perentie that tried to consume an echidna. It’s well over 100 years old (earliest record for it is 1912) and this unfortunate choice of a meal was the perentie’s demise. To quote the concluding line of the sign, “locked together, predator and prey died, then mummified beneath the desert sun”. What a way to go.

A Fatal Feast

Playing an important role in preserving natural history, the museum does a good job in relaying the biodiversity of Queensland whilst also presenting opportunities for members of the public to connect with their local wildlife within an accessible location.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 22: Osprey House, Moreton Bay – 29th November 2021

Situated along the edge of the North Pine River slightly north of Brisbane, the Osprey House is a well-known location, famous for their resident pair of Eastern Ospreys that raise chicks annually. Installed in 2006, the ospreys nest on top of a 21-metre-tall nesting pole down near the eastern end of the carpark. Their nest is well-documented enabling members of the public to follow their chicks (the most recent ones have now fledged a month or so ago). Ospreys are certainly not the only birds to see as there is a diverse range of habitats present including mudflats, mangroves, saltmarsh flats and open eucalypt forest. It’s also a popular area for migratory waders attracting some of the more elusive species regularly.

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When I arrived, I quickly realised the whole place was a lot smaller than I was expecting. There was the main education/visitor centre, a very short boardwalk with a bird hide and the tall osprey pole. The Eastern Osprey were unmissable. I believe I saw the resident pair perched on the nest but saw no sign of their offspring. One of the ospreys later took off for a patrol of the area and went for a fish in the rising tide. They are very efficient hunters.

Eastern Osprey

The nearby mangroves were filled with Sacred Kingfishers and their harsh calls. Interesting to note that kingfishers were also seen in people’s backyards on my way out of the osprey house. Some were even perched on washing lines in the homes a few suburbs over! Besides the kingfishers and a pair of Blue-faced Honeyeaters, the remainder of birds were seen out on the mud flats. I saw Whimbrels, an Eastern Great Egret and a Little Egret. Several Little Pied Cormorants and an Australian Pelican also flew over. There were at least two other species of wader but they were beyond the reach of clear sight to be identified. The waders were with several Silver Gulls. So, there wasn’t much action at this location today but I will certainly return as these coastal locations are always a bit hit and miss with the tides and so on. I did enjoy the close views of the ospreys – they are a clear highlight as the name suggests.

Whimbrels

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Little Egret, Egretta garzetta
Eastern Great Egret, Ardea modesta
Australian White Ibis, Threskiornis molucca
Little Pied Cormorant, Microcarbo melanoleucos
Australian Pelican, Pelecanus conspicillatus
Silver Gull, Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
Eastern Osprey, Pandion cristatus
Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus
Blue-faced Honeyeater, Entomyzon cyanotis
Noisy Miner, Manorina melanocephala
Magpie-Lark, Grallina cyanoleuca
Torresian Crow, Corvus orru

Location 23: John Oxley Reserve, Moreton Bay – 29th November 2021

Target Species: Varied Triller

Not to be confused with the larger Oxley Creek Common, the John Oxley Reserve is a smaller patch of bush situated among a traditional park in the Moreton Bay suburb of Murrumba Downs. It’s in a historical area of the region with colonial houses and signage discussing John Oxley’s travels into the area in search of hoop pines in the mid-1800s. The reserve has been managed by a landcare group and it’s very apparent that all the revegetation projects have led to a pleasingly diverse range of species in a comparatively small land area.

There have been recent records of the Varied Triller (Lalage leucomela) at the reserve, being a relatively uncommon bird in the general area. I’ve mentioned them before at another larger location for this thread but as they are such a unique species, they are worth to see many times.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The reserve began with the simple path, the Carole Green Walkway, towards the bushland. Beside large groups of Australasian Figbirds and Brown Honeyeaters that travelled through the trees, a pair of Sacred Kingfishers were attending to their termite nest as most kingfishers are currently in the area. It does make them easier to find during the warmer months. This place has an incredibly large population of Eastern Yellow Robins – both young birds and adults. They were everywhere and some were even seen among the mangrove portion of the walk. Seeing so many of them also enabled me to familiarise myself with their piping call.

A large group of Variegated Fairywrens were found, busily feeding in the undergrowth. I counted eight individuals so a sizable family. The adult male remained perched above the other individuals for a few minutes so I was able to get a good look at him. Front on, the black ‘bib’ is much more prominent than I once thought as it runs to the corner of the male’s eyes and just above the beak. They are the perfect blend of the black and white complemented with the eye-catching electric blue crown, chestnut shoulder patches and rich purple-blue tail. While I was admiring the fairywren, several Grey Fantails were found a few metres from the fairywrens. I was happy to a see a larger bird join the wave of fantails, fairywrens and robins – a Varied Triller! Delightfully-patterned birds with barring across its front and the orange-rufous wash under its tail. I also spotted a White-browed Scrubwren with the younger fairywrens in the leaf litter. The triller began ‘trilling’ as well.

Variegated Fairywren

I also found an Evening Brown pretending to be a dry leaf. These butterflies are very common throughout Brisbane, but once disturbed, they rarely settle making photography difficult. They look rather drab but once they open their wings that have a pleasant rusty colouration. Nearby, I saw a Bar-shouldered Dove perched high in the trees while a pair of Grey Shrike-thrushes were also found. They were incredibly bold and seemed to have little fear of humans. I also saw an immature shrike-thrush later on. This bushland area was then followed by riverine scrub and mangrove as the trail leads on closer to the North Pine River. There were at least five Leaden Flycatchers seen with relative ease as the canopy got thinner. The only water birds identified were three Striated Herons flying along the banks of the river.

Evening Brown

Along the mangroves, a Rufous Shrike-thrush popped out and approached me! It came within centimetres and I had to step back to keep a reasonable distance. I assume I was near a nest so I moved on to not disturb it. More fantails were seen along the path with Rainbow Bee-eaters chirping above and pairs of Lewin’s Honeyeaters.

Rufous Shrike-thrush

I was very impressed with the John Oxley Reserve. I was expecting more of the suburban staples but there was a nice range of species for a small patch of bushland and mangrove that joins to a busy park. There were signs of active community involvement to improve the reserve and this in turn has led to a welcome result. Some of the rarer species recorded here include Australian Owlet-Nightjar (August 2021) and Spotless Crake (October 2018). Well worth a visit as it could be combined with the Osprey House and Tinchi Tamba.

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Australian Brush-turkey, Alectura lathami
Striated Heron, Butorides striata
Rainbow Bee-eater, Merops ornatus
Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus
Bar-shouldered Dove, Geopelia humeralis
Australasian Figbird, Sphecotheres vieilloti
Varied Triller, Lalage leucomela
Leaden Flycatcher, Myiagra rubecula
Grey Shrike-thrush, Colluricincla harmonica
Rufous Shrike-thrush, Colluricincla rufogaster
White-browed Scrubwren, Sericornis frontalis
Lewin’s Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
Grey Fantail, Rhipidura albiscapa
Eastern Yellow Robin, Eopsaltria australis
Variegated Fairywren, Malurus lamberti

Invertebrates
Evening Brown, Melanitis leda

 

[steveroberts]

@WhistlingKite24 Your photos are incredible

 

[WhistlingKite24]

@WhistlingKite24 Your photos are incredible

Thanks! For every good one there are hundreds of bad ones.

 

[Chlidonias]

Thanks! For every good one there are hundreds of bad ones.

Shh, don't reveal the photographer secret!

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The Koel, The Coucal and The Channel-bill – Keith Boden Wetlands – 30th November 2021

Spring signifies the arrival of the larger cuckoos that travel from New Guinea and as far away as South-east Asia. The Eastern Koel and the Channel-billed Cuckoo are raucous, large birds that come from their wintering grounds to Australia to breed and find host birds for their chicks. Both species have far-reaching calls that travel across Brisbane at the moment. The koels, in particular, possess a repetitive call that is especially common during the morning much to the disdain of many locals.

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At a nearby wetlands, the Eastern Koels were common throughout the stretch of mainly parkland. I spotted two males sheltering from the light rain a metre or so from where I was standing. They are usually hard to find or are very well-hidden behind foliage but these two remained perched out in the open. I’ve only seen female koels a handful of times and generally, the males are the ones seen the most. As pictured below, males are glossy-black with a red eye.

Eastern Koel

I also saw two Channel-billed Cuckoos calling loudly as they flew past. They are formidable birds with an impressively large beak, and besides the occasional raptor that flies in, are probably the most imposing bird that occurs in Brisbane’s suburbs. I’ve seen them eat figbird and honeyeater chicks easily and they often use crows and currawongs as hosts for their chicks. You can often tell when one of these cuckoos is raiding a nest as it’s a noisy affair involving the frantic smaller birds attempting to see off such a large bird. Just to visualise their size a bit better, these cuckoos are about 70 centimetres long and have a metre long wingspan. I’ve never seen a hornbill before but they are the next best thing in Australia. As it was a wet day, the nearby banks of the waterways had flooded into the adjacent sports field. The usual groups of Australian White Ibis, Straw-necked Ibis, Australian Wood Ducks, Masked Lapwings and Crested Pigeons were joined by a lone Royal Spoonbill out in the open. A nice surprise to see the spoonbill as they are only sometimes seen here. Some of the species that traditionally congregate in the main body of water were also out in the flooded lawn including Pacific Black Duck, Dusky Moorhen, Australasian Swamphen and Grey Teal.

Royal Spoonbill

Australian Reed-Warblers and Superb Fairywrens were common along the overgrown vegetation throughout the waterway following the main park. The reed-warblers were great to see as usual in this area. I suddenly heard a very strange metallic-like call come from the undergrowth along the waterway. It was a Pheasant Coucal that was hiding among the lantana – first time I’d seen one in this area before. Unlike the other cuckoos, this species is a resident to the area all year round and is not a nest parasite, raising its own offspring. These birds traditionally stay close to the ground. They move in a very interesting manner and I’ve seen them run into grass when approached with pheasant-like movements, rarely flying. Very interesting birds to watch. So interesting in fact, I forgot to take a photo of it for this thread. There is always next time and they are found at a few of the locations I’ll be going to soon. Oddly enough, I sometimes see them hanging around the side of the Bruce Highway when travelling up through the Sunshine Coast.

Nearby there are lines of eucalypts with established hollows. I found a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo which may be common in the suburbs south and west of where I am but I find are not as populous as corellas and galahs locally. The usual groups of Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets were abundant as always. I also heard several Sacred Kingfishers which aren’t usually found in this area so close to suburbia which was nice to hear.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Despite it being a rather wet weather day, today was a good day to appreciate the diversity of the cuckoos. Sometimes maligned creatures, I find them to be interesting birds that cover a wide range of niches. Some are monsters like the channel-bill while others are tiny like the shining-cuckoos I’ve discussed at previous locations. Certain species dwell close to the ground like the coucal while other remain well in the trees like the koel. Being adaptable animals to their environments and requirements, there is a huge variety among them and not just in Australia of course.

 

[birdsandbats]

Very interesting birds to watch. So interesting in fact, I forgot to take a photo of it for this thread.

Been there, done that, with several different species.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Black Shoulders to Pale Heads – Oxley Creek Common – 3rd December 2021:

I headed back to Oxley Creek Common for the afternoon and enjoyed about three hours of peaceful birding with less people around than usual. Brisbane has received lots of rain (not as much as out west though) over the past couple of days. Today it finally started to clear up so I made the most of the weather. It was very humid today as temperatures quickly rise here and the ground was still soft due to all the rain, but the birds came out in their droves.

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I was greeted by a stunning Black-shouldered Kite. It was demonstrating its classic hovering behaviour over the grassland near the entrance. I would soon catch with them on my return around so more on them later. The nearby trees had large groups of Australasian Figbirds and the red barn area was home to two Common Brushtail Possums – a female and joey. The joey briefly peeped out of its sleeping area along one of the beams.

Common Brushtail Possum

Passing the stock gate and into the first proper stretch of bushland, the first species I saw was a lone Sacred Kingfisher. There were scores of fairywrens which Oxley Common is renowned for – both Red-backed Fairywrens and Superb Fairywrens. I even saw a male of each species perched side by side. Most impressive birds. Another pair of just as brightly coloured animals, Mistletoebirds, flew into the thick bush. What I think is particularly great about Oxley Common is the layers of vegetation having native bushes and grass that then back onto taller flowering trees functioning as a buffer zone for the nearby paddocks. Some of the larger birds noted included a pair of Laughing Kookaburras, a Grey Butcherbird and a Royal Spoonbill flying overhead. The Brown Quail were constantly calling and were harder to find as the grass had doubled in height since my last visit.

Red-backed Fairywren

A wave with more fairywrens, Brown Honeyeaters and a Varied Triller soon followed. The triller proceeded to consume a small stick insect! Seems like the only time I find wild stick insects is when they are in the bird’s beak (especially with bazas). After reading through a few birding groups turns out the Varied Triller appeared unexpectedly recently as they are rarely recorded there. I then caught sight of a pair of large figures just on the fringe of the grassland area. They were Pale-headed Rosellas! These birds are a common sight among Brisbane’s suburbs but you rarely seen more than a flying vivid flash of gold and blue. They were busily feeding so I was able to attempt to photograph them. These are by far the most common rosella in the region with the Eastern Rosella quickly replacing them south of the border into New South Wales with known wild hybrids. On the other hand, Crimson Rosellas are almost exclusively found in rainforests in south-east Queensland. I remember when I first visited the southern states and being surprised at how common the Crimsons were among the cities (especially Canberra).

Pale-headed Rosella

Out in the more open grasslands, I caught up with the usual Tawny Grassbirds and Golden-headed Cisticolas. The grassbirds have one of the most unusual behaviours. When disturbed they produce this harsh chirp, fly upwards and slowly return back into the grass with a call that sounds like a descending chromatic scale, moving metres away from their original site. It makes them easier to pinpoint than the cisticolas. I believe some of the Red-browed Finches currently have young as the adults were constantly coming and going among the main patches of seeding grass. It was nice to see them out in the sun; their markings really pop in the light. A range of damselflies and dragonflies were also readily seen as well as wet patches still remained from the heavy rainfall. I also saw my Rainbow Bee-eaters which I hadn't seen at the Oxley Common before.

Blue Skimmer

I need to also mention the incredible range and number of butterflies seen today – Lemon Migrants, Blue Tigers, Purple Crows, Monarchs and Common Crows. They were virtually all frantically mating on the wing. If they weren’t mating, they were feeding on the abundant nectar. It was particularly great to see all the Purple Crows which are large brown butterflies with delicate white markings and a subtle purple hue under sunlight. There was one particular tree that was teaming with activity with lots of movement and noise. There were Scaly-breasted Lorikeets and more Pale-headed Rosellas in the upper branches. Brown Honeyeaters and Lewin’s Honeyeaters fed at eye level with the hugely impressive Great Carpenter Bees which are very large black bees with a yellow thorax. They look even bigger when compared to the Brown Honeyeaters! There was a Common Eggfly that also joined the feeding frenzy. One plant sustaining so much life. A pair of Australian Pelicans soaring over caught my eye as well and the final species was a lone Grey Shrike-thrush.

Common Eggfly

I went back to watching the stunning Black-shouldered Kites again which were now a lot closer. This time around I realised the adult was not alone but was caring for a pair of juvenile birds that were perched in a nearby tree. The adult would continually hover over the grassland and when it spotted something, then plunge into grass for a quick rodent snack. The sound of this bird hitting the grass at high speed was incredible. Both juveniles would immediately beg for the morsel and the adult would usually pass over the prey item or fly off with it. It made for fantastic entertainment. I can count the number of times I’ve seen this species on one hand so it was also my first opportunity to photograph them.

Black-shouldered Kites

As always, Oxley Creek Common is a great spot especially for the good old ‘sit and wait’ strategy. Birds will certainly come if you’re patient especially at this time of year when half the plants there are in flower, producing bountiful nectar and subsequently, insects. It’s one of those locations you could visit daily and still be surprised but whatever turned up. A high concertation of species jam packed into one location.

 

[Therabu]

Thank you Whistlingkite. I thoroughly enjoy those reports and make me willing to visit one day Brisbane are (and Australia in general).

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The Floodgates – Kedron Brook Wetlands – 5th December 2021:

I visited my main birding site today. Being a low-lying location open to the elements with a largely flat topography with several dips, the recent rain has left its mark in the area with the Kedron Brook flooding its banks and the majority of the grass now having temporary water pockets. The grass has grown incredibly tall and the main water source was teaming with life today. There was a feeling of rejuvenation in certain parts; the grasses were sheening, some were in flower, and the saltmarshes were rich in invertebrates. Butterflies, spiders and dragonflies were in higher numbers than I had seen previously.

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Pairs of Chestnut Teals were found along the pathway as they were living in the puddles formed over the grass. They are usually relatively retreating here but today were seen up close. There are lots of skinks at the Kedron Brook but I rarely get more than a glimpse but today, Eastern Water Skinks were frequently found. The parkland birds – Superb Fairywrens, Willie Wagtails and Brown Honeyeaters mainly - were joined by a little bird with a black and white colouration. A single Double-barred Finch which is a species I hadn’t seen here before. In the sky, I spotted a range of species soaring over – Straw-necked Ibis, Little Pied Cormorant and a Brahminy Kite.

Superb Fairywren

Egrets were everywhere especially in open areas, foraging with the most pristine flock of Australian White Ibis I have seen. I sometimes feel egrets are often overlooked creatures but today I saw no less than four species showing the subtle differences between each species – Eastern Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Little Egret and Cattle Egret. Most were in breeding flushes which makes identification easier on first glance. Along with all the egrets and ibis were noisy Pied Stilts and a White-faced Heron on the fringes. Out towards the lake, I was surprised to find a group of ten Black Swans. I don’t get to see many wild swans often. The swans were joined with a dozen Australian Pelicans, Pacific Black Ducks, more teals and an eye-catching pair of Black-fronted Dotterels. I kept my eyes peeled for other dotterels or avocets but no luck there. The barren trees that line the lake had groups of Welcome Swallows and Fairy Martins perched in rows.

Eastern Great Egret

The smaller flowering shrubs around the water had scores of butterflies feeding - Common Eggflys, Monarchs and Common Crows mainly. I also photographed a rather colourful locust that was confirmed as a Spur-throated Locust. They were everywhere throughout the tall grass. The highlight for today was a Striped Honeyeater that flew into view very briefly. They are very unique birds with distinctive streaking around the face in particular. I’ve only seen them once before today in the wild at this particular location (probably the exact tree I saw it today!). I’ve also seen them at Taronga as they have a few of these honeyeaters in the Wollemi Aviary. The mangroves were filled with Torresian Kingfishers, Mangrove Gerygones, Mangrove Honeyeaters, Grey Fantails, Olive-backed Orioles and Australasian Figbirds. Some visits I see nothing but today they were along near the pathway permitting easy sightings. The waterway that runs along the really large mangroves had a pair of Little Black Cormorants fishing for a meal as well and even more teals.

Pied Stilt

The grassland around this lake was also filled with birds. I enjoyed watching the Chestnut-breasted Mannikins and only noticed today how golden their rumps and tails are. The Tawny Grassbirds and Golden-headed Cisticolas popped up everywhere along this stretch. I also saw a Common Albatross (the butterfly, not the bird (yet)) flying over the tall grassland. I suddenly spotted a rather pretty spider along the gravel path near a puddle. I initially thought it was one of the fishing spiders but I got it identified as Venatrix sp.– a type of wolf spider. A nice little find and overall, a rewarding visit today. It was good to see the Kedron Brook flourishing after the recent rain.

Wolf Spider, Venatrix sp.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 24: Queens Park, Ipswich – 7th December 2021:

I wasn’t going to include Queens Park in Ipswich on my list but I was pleasantly surprised with the diversity of wildlife I found today whilst visiting Ipswich Nature Centre. I thought I’d include just for interest’s sake. Being a well-established park near Ipswich’s central centre, Queens Park is home to the Ipswich Nature Centre and the Nerima Japanese Gardens, attracting an interesting range of wildlife to the area. The park is well-known for its colonies of flying foxes that roost in the area annually.

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Firstly, I should point out how great it was to still see Superb Fairywrens in healthy numbers living in Ipswich’s CBD, something which is no longer the case for most of Brisbane’s inner-city areas. As I was approaching the park, I saw several pairs of them perched all along the walkways of the city streets and even at a McDonald’s! The first couple of species you notice when you reach Ipswich Nature Centre and the neighbouring trees are large populations of Black Flying Foxes and Grey-headed Flying Foxes. There are usually Little Red Flying Foxes in the warmer months as well but they weren’t seen today. A recent article mentions that up to 5000 flying foxes roost in the zoo and adjoining areas. The flying foxes get so numerous at times that the zoo has had to close in the past temporarily due to the sheer volume of bats and increased public risk. This time of year is a great opportunity to watch the flying foxes as lots of them have pups at the moment. Pictured below, is one such example.

Black Flying Fox – female and clinging pup

The pagoda at the front of the nature centre is home to several Common Brushtail Possums. They are so common across the zoo’s grounds in fact, the zoo has placed new signage in the petting zoo area for them. Today, I counted six possums in the farmyard barn and three in the pagoda. The possums are usually sleeping of course but sometimes one or two can be seen moving from place to place during the daytime.

Common Brushtail Possum

The waterbirds seen today included the staples – Pacific Black Ducks and Dusky Moorhens – along with Eastern Water Dragons and Brisbane River Turtles. The moorhens have several chicks at the moment. The turtle enclosure was home to a range of damselflies and dragonflies – Australian Emerald, Blue Skimmer and Scarlet Percher. The nearby trees had several groups of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Rainbow Lorikeets and a lone Pale-headed Rosella. A pair of Channel-billed Cuckoos were also seen flying over the zoo. There was also small bird which I couldn’t see clearly at first but it was a Little Friarbird. I soon realised the friarbird only had one functioning eye as all that remained of one of them was a scar across its face. The final notable birds that I saw at Queens Park were a pair of Bush Stone-Curlews that raise their chicks there. They live right near the walkthrough aviary.

One-eyed Little Friarbird

Opposite said aviary along a row of wooden posts, I spotted something completely unexpected. It was a stick insect… and it only had five working legs! Later identified as a Tessellated Stick Insect, this stick insect was seemingly trying to get off the post without success. I generally keep a hands-off approach with wildlife but couldn’t help but give the little critter a boost to the nearest tree before the hordes of squealing children exited the aviary, a monstrous pram ran over it or a Noisy Miner grabbed it as a quick meal as it was completely exposed. So, I gently held out my hand and as it was feeling around in the air, climbed on quickly. It was lighter than air. I took it to the nearest tree after some oohing and aahing from a few visitors that were watching. The stick insect quickly walked up the eucalypt branch and melded into the leaves almost immediately. This species is also only the second ever wild stick insect I’ve properly identified; the first one was a Goliath Stick Insect I found in 2019 similarly by chance. Stick insects are certainly creatures that find you rather than you finding them!

Tessellated Stick Insect

Queens Park is mainly just a case of just being observant of the wildlife in the area whilst visiting the local attractions within the park essentially. During mid-summer, there are almost guaranteed sightings for three species of flying foxes and dozens of possums that live throughout the park. The grounds of Ipswich Nature Centre are home to a range of nectar-loving birds and waterfowl that are drawn in due to the blooming native plants and small water source that runs throughout the park. A good spot for wildlife in the midst of a growing city.

Spoiler: Species Seen

Mammals
Common Brushtail Possum, Trichosurus vulpecula
Black Flying Fox, Pteropus alecto
Grey-headed Flying Fox, Pteropus poliocephalus

Birds
Australian Brush-turkey, Alectura lathami
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa
Bush Stone-Curlew, Burhinus grallarius
Channel-billed Cuckoo, Scythrops novaehollandiae
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita
Pale-headed Rosella, Platycercus adscitus
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Superb Fairywren, Malurus cyaneus
Noisy Miner, Manorina melanocephala
Little Friarbird, Philemon citreogularis
Torresian Crow, Corvus orru

Reptiles
Brisbane River Turtle, Emyduras macquarii signata
Eastern Water Dragon, Physignathus lesueurii
Garden Skink, Lampropholis delicata

Invertebrates
Blue Skimmer, Orthetrum caledonicum
Scarlet Percher, Diplacodes haematodes
Australian Emerald, Hemicordulia australiae
Tessellated Stick Insect, Anchiale austrotessulata

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Red-belly Round-up – Kedron Brook Wetlands Reserve - 16th December 2021:

A big part of wildlife watching so it seems is being conscious of nature’s patterns and habits that come and go throughout the year influenced by climate and seasonal change. When you have an idea of what to look for and what to expect, there is a greater chance of success. I’ve recently been reading an RSPB guide to discovering birds and even though it’s for a largely British audience (European birds do very much fascinate me I must say however), it emphasises the importance of understanding habitat and being sensitive to the needs of each species. A patch of swaying grass isn’t guaranteed to have certain grassland species especially if it's missing say observation posts to visually find their prey, or for example, if particular feeding or nesting requirements aren’t met in the area. Many species are very adaptable but a large portion of them do have specialised needs. Sounds obvious but these are important things to consider.

Throughout my travels over the past six months to document different locations for this thread, I am starting to notice the bigger picture and when certain waves of species come through the region through the different habitats I’ve encountered. During early summer as the mercury rises into the consistent 30s, it’s the time for lots of baby birds. Lots and lots of fledglings and immature birds are around at the moment. Summer also marks snake season so it’s a good opportunity to continually watch where you step or even come across a few sunning reptiles like the striking Red-bellied Black Snake.

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As I reached the main portion of the Kedron Brook what immediately struck me was a notable increase in Silvereyes in the area. The trees along the grassland were filled with them and their rich olive heads popped in the canopy. They were joined by the usual Superb Fairywrens, Tawny Grassbirds and odd Golden-headed Cisticola. Olive-backed Orioles, Australasian Figbirds and Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes were present in plentiful numbers. I spotted an immature cuckoo-shrike as well which look very different to the masked adults I am more familiar with.

Immature Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

I don’t think I could ever tire of seeing flocks of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins feed throughout the grassland. Today, I noted several fledglings among the adults, begging for food. When threatened, these finches always fly into a tall tree huddled together but if you wait long enough, they sometimes return to the open fields. I also spotted a Channel-billed Cuckoo flying over the grassland. The sky was really filled with birds today from the minute – White-breasted Woodswallows, Fairy Martins and Welcome Swallows, to the immense with slow wing strokes – Australian Pelicans and White-bellied Sea Eagles and everything in between – White-faced Herons, Eastern Great Egrets, Little Egrets, Cattle Egrets and Little Pied Cormorants. I was pleased to pinpoint a pair of Brown Quails along the edge of the grassland as they crossed the bike path.

Just past the quails, a glossy animal was resting on the pathway in full view. As it was in the full sun, its streamlined body was iridescent. It was a beautiful Red-bellied Black Snake. Being the retreating animals they are, they almost always bolt into the grass at the sight of human presence and this individual was no different. The only photo I’ve managed to get of them at the Kedron Brook (below) was when I found one along the edge of the grass by chance. One of the many very good reasons to not go wandering in the long grass carelessly!

Red-bellied Black Snake

The Mangrove Honeyeaters had several young – seemingly juveniles. They were sitting in full view (a bit too far for clear photos though) in a bare tree and the adults were busily finding food for them. There must have been at least 10 different honeyeaters spotted today. Continuing along the edge of the main water source with the Pied Stilts and Chestnut Teals, was a lone male Red-backed Fairywren which are far more uncommon here compared to their blue cousins.

I also saw my first Blue Triangle of the season – a striking species of butterfly with a solid blue wing patches. As I was admiring it, it flew straight into an orbweaver’s web right in front of me! I haven’t mentioned this but the Kedron Brook is covered with enormous spider webs that sit two metres above the ground, connected from tree to tree above the path. The frantic movements of the butterfly quickly lured the large spider to its prospective meal. All the movement between the spider and the butterfly, enabled the Blue Triangle to just escape into the skies once more. Thrilling stuff to watch! As I walked back towards the exit, the resident pairs of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Little Corellas were actively tending to their nest hollows in the old weathered tree. The Grey Fantails were busily feeding their fledglings nearby along the trees that line the water as well.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Finally, thank you to those who nominated this thread as a finalist for thread of the year. I know 2021 was a relatively poor year with limited options but I hope I’ve provoked a little interest into my slice of the world and perhaps some inspiration to take note of what you see on your own doorsteps wherever that may be.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 25: Mon Repos Coastal Track, Bundaberg Region – 18th December 2021:

So Bundaberg isn’t technically in south-east Queensland being north of the Sunshine Coast but I wasn’t about to start a new thread just for the two locations I visited for wildlife on my trip to the Bundaberg region so I’ll just add them onto here. Mon Repos is a well-known location for nesting sea turtles but my visit focussed on birds along the coastal track. The trail is closed during the nesting season between 6pm to 6am to protect the sea turtles but is open for the remainder of the time.

Before I get into my morning at Mon Repos, the trip into Bundaberg finally produced my first ever wild ratites – a group of Emus with both adults and several darkish juveniles. It’s such a different experience seeing them in the wild. They were feeding among the patches of grass that segment the vast sugarcane fields that line the highway leading up to Bundaberg. Wild emus are virtually non-existent in the Brisbane area unfortunately but they remain in healthy numbers to the north and west of the city. Now I just need to tick off the cassowary.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

What immediately struck me about Mon Repos was that there wasn’t a mangrove in sight! I’ve grown accustomed to almost always seeing a patch of mangroves in coastal reserves but Mon Repos was populated with mainly swaying casuarinas and beach hibiscus, providing a decent canopy that filtered dappled light. The ocean was constantly in sight as the trail follows the rocky coastline and there were small sandy trails that divert from the main patch being a good opportunity to check for sea birds. There is not only coastal habitat here but also remnant rainforest where fruit-doves are occasionally recorded. The first species seen was a pair of Eastern Grey Kangaroos in the carpark of the visitor centre. They bolted into the grassland that runs along the entrance area. It was interesting to immediately note the subtle differences between Brisbane’s and Bundaberg’s staple bird species – instead of mainly introduced Spotted Turtle Doves they still have very large populations of Bar-shouldered Doves everywhere, Rainbow Bee-eaters were prevalent across all habitats not just a select few locations like in Brisbane and White-breasted Woodswallows congregate in massive numbers outnumbering the actual swallows. Some things never change however – Australasian Figbirds, Rainbow Lorikeets and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets are all equally as abundant. These species were all seen in a dense forested area that is located near the visitor centre. Also spotted were a Rufous Shrike-thrush and a delightful Pacific Emerald Dove. The emerald dove took off immediately but the shrike-thrush stayed for a while.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo in carpark

Continuing on to the actual coastal trail, I soon realised that the figbirds would be the most populous species found here as they travel in large flocks across the area and often perched on exposed branches. They were joined by the odd Olive-backed Oriole. I swear the orioles at Mon Repos had a different “accent” to the Brisbane ones as they produced a higher-pitched, harsher call than the ones I see here. The groups of figbirds were constantly shadowed by a few Eastern Koels as well. The fairywren of choice at Mon Repos were lots and lots of Red-backed Fairywrens.

Along the coast, a Dollarbird remain sheltered in the trees but took off soon afterwards. There were other species around in the early morning sun including several bold Rufous Whistlers and Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes. One of the whistlers was very close to the ground and I soon realised it was sitting near a Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo. I’d only ever seen this species at Enoggera Reservoir once earlier in the year and got to see it up close where it was perched right near the shore. A bright butterfly then caught my attention in the coastal vegetation near the whistler and cuckoo. My first Lesser Wanderer of year; only took me 12 months! They are very pretty butterflies with an orange colouration, dark wing edges and a bold white patterning on their forewings. I think they are much nicer than their more popular relatives; the Monarchs.

Rufous Whistler

As I was watching a Laughing Kookaburra, a large White-bellied Sea-Eagle flew overhead. The sea-eagle remained close to the shore, keeping an eye on the shallow water. It suddenly dropped with talons opened, plunged into the water momentarily and grabbed a slippery fish. Immediately flying off, a pair of Australian Hobbies came into full view suddenly and were pursuing the sea-eagle, attempting to dislodge the fish for a free meal. The sea-eagle quickly gained height and escaped with its catch. One of the hobbies later returned to the desiccated casuarinas along the beach and I got a close look at it. A rather scruffy bird.

White-bellied Sea-Eagle

Australian Hobby

The beach hibiscus was home to more fairywrens, bee-eaters and a lone Double-barred Finch perched high in the trees. The bird was facing directly near the sun so I couldn’t get a clear look at it until it hopped down a few branches. There were a few Sacred Kingfishers around and across the ocean, a Pied Cormorant tricked me into believing it was an albatross until I could get my binoculars. Devious birds those cormorants are.

Just outside the track which was slightly shorter than I was expecting was a small bridge. Just beyond the bridge and near a little row of houses was a small freshwater pond with a pair of Pacific Black Ducks and a White-faced Heron. I travelled a little inwards along the side of the lake and there waiting for me were a pair of Black-fronted Dotterels. They were pretty close but remained wary so I took a quick photo and retraced my steps away from the water. There were a few other medium-sized birds around including more cuckoo-shrikes, Lewin's Honeyeaters, a Little Friarbird and a few Magpie-Larks including fledglings.

Black-fronted Dotterel

Retracing my way through the trail, I noticed all the lorikeets and figbirds were actually joined by several additional species a bit further up in the canopy. There were waves of Silvereyes, Brown Honeyeaters and Leaden Flycatchers. The flycatchers were a mix of fledglings and adults. I finally came across a dense barrier of beach hibiscus with a few of the small brown honeyeaters. I waited around and was rewarded with a White-browed Scrubwren and my first ever Fairy Gerygone. The gerygone was particularly exciting as it was one of the species I was most hoping to find here in the Bundaberg area. They look a lot like White-throated Gerygones but with more brown, the yellowish plumage is more muted and less whitish facial markings. From the main pathway, I was also fortunate enough to find a male flycatcher incubating in a cup-shaped nest along a bare branch. He remained incredibly still.

Leaden Flycatcher on nest

For being slightly smaller than expected, Mon Repos is clearly home to a large range of species thanks to the incredible contrasts of habitats in the one area. If I had more time there, I’d probably make it a double morning visit to maximise chances of seeing a greater range of species but I was pleased with what I saw. Certainly a must visit for anyone’s visiting the Bundaberg region for wildlife.

Spoiler: Species Seen

Mammals
Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Macropus giganteus

Birds
Emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae – on the way into Mon Repos
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Pied Cormorant, Phalacrocorax varius
White-faced Heron, Egretta novaehollandiae
Black-fronted Dotterel, Elseyornis melanops
Masked Lapwing, Vanellus [miles] novaehollandiae
Rainbow Bee-eater, Merops ornatus
Dollarbird, Eurystomus orientalis
Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae
Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus
Eastern Koel, Eudynamys orientalis
Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo, Chrysococcyx basalis
Bar-shouldered Dove, Geopelia humeralis
Pacific Emerald Dove, Chalcophaps longirostris
White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Haliaeetus leucogaster
Australian Hobby, Falco longipennis
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus
Australasian Figbird, Sphecotheres vieilloti
Olive-backed Oriole, Oriolus sagittatus
Little Friarbird, Philemon citreogularis
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
Lewin’s Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Fairy Gerygone, Gerygone palpebrosa
White-browed Scrubwren, Sericornis frontalis
Rufous Whistler, Pachycephala rufiventris
Rufous Shrike-thrush, Colluricincla rufogaster
Willie Wagtail, Rhipidura leucophrys
Leaden Flycatcher, Myiagra rubecula
Magpie-Lark, Grallina cyanoleuca
Red-backed Fairywren, Malurus melanocephalus
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina novaehollandiae
Pied Butcherbird, Cracticus nigrogularis
Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen
White-breasted Woodswallow, Artamus leucorynchus
Silvereye, Zosterops lateralis
Double-barred Finch, Taeniopygia bichenovii

Invertebrates
Common Glider, Tramea loewii
Blue Skimmer, Orthetrum caledonicum
Glasswing, Acraea andromacha
Lesser Wanderer, Danaus petilia

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 26: Baldwin Swamp Environmental Park, Bundaberg – 18th December 2021:

The Baldwin Swamp Environmental Park is positioned in a more industrialised area of Bundaberg and is a large wetland that stretches across several separate water bodies. There is a good diversity of habitat here with grassland and some patches of open forest which are always close to water. According to eBird, 178 species of bird have been recorded with highlights including Cotton Pygmy-Goose (October 2021), Large-tailed Nightjar (October 2019) and Plum-headed Finch (January 2017). More usually however, it’s home to a range of more familiar waterfowl that are relatively easy to pinpoint along the water. It’s also home to large colonies of flying foxes which quickly make their presence known quickly.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… . . . .

The first few species that were seen were soaring above – pairs of Australasian Darters and flocks of Cattle Egrets. The darters look very impressive in the air. On land, there were large flocks of Magpie Geese everywhere staying close to the water’s edge. I’m fortunate to see this species relatively regularly where I live in Brisbane as there is a reliable location nearby but it’s always great to get a close look at them. They are unmistakable birds.

Magpie Goose

The magpie geese were joined by large groups of Dusky Moorhens, Australian Wood Ducks and Pacific Black Ducks. The further banks of the water also had a large population of the usual Eastern Water Dragons and there was the odd Willie Wagtail along the pathway. I then noticed the trees were filled with these smallish birds that would bolt with any sudden movement. These birds kept in compact flocks and were study animals with long tails. They were Peaceful Doves and lots of them. I saw some immature birds among all the adults as well. This species has a very distinctive three-note call as well which makes them straightforward to find.

Peaceful Dove

Continuing onwards, I reached the water to scan for dragonflies and found a large group of Krefft’s Turtles. I then realised I was just far enough north that the turtles start having the pale facial stripe and they look very different to the short-necked turtles found in Brisbane The taxonomy for these turtles seems to be a bit of a mess with some schools of thought splitting the Krefft’s Turtle from the southern Murray River Turtles while also considering the Brisbane River Turtles to be a subspecies of the Krefft’s Turtle. Whatever they are considered these days, they were a nice change from the usual turtles found locally. There were several adults and a few brightly-coloured juveniles free from algae.

Krefft’s Turtle

Past the turtles was a small group of eucalypts that had a few birds. A Little Friarbird was seeing off a young Laughing Kookaburra. The honeyeater relentlessly swooped the kookaburra from behind until it flew off. There were smaller birds higher up in the canopy – little flashes of red and white indicated the presence of Mistletoebirds. There were lots of Silvereyes and Brown Honeyeaters as well. Approaching the second viewing area across the water I spotted an elegant Eastern Great Egret, a Little Pied Cormorant and more of the aforementioned water birds. A large dark figure then moved towards the edge of the water from the horizon. It was a Black Swan and clearly one that had grown accustomed to humans. It got out of the water, approached me and followed me around the path slowly. It soon lost interest and went back into the water.

Black Swan

Along the water, there is a portion of the path that traverses through grassland. There were lots of Red-backed Fairywrens including some very young fledglings with short stumpy tails that were clinging onto the grass. The main adult male wasn’t too pleased with my presence and emerged quickly out of the grass and landed right at my feet, chirping away. Unusually bold for a fairywren I thought. Among the fairywrens, were flocks of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins feeding on the tall grass as they usually do. There were more doves including a lone Bar-shouldered Dove, a Lewin’s Honeyeater scoffing down a caterpillar and additional flocks of geese. The trails passed through more grassland until it reached the colonies of flying foxes. I spotted predominantly Little Red Flying Foxes along with a handful of large Black Flying Foxes. The final bird seen was a Grey Butcherbird perched carefully watching its surroundings.

As I was exiting the park, I spotted a large dragonfly sitting out in the open. It was a splendid creature with vibrant black and yellow bands that stretched across its entire body. It was an aptly-named Australian Tiger. I always keep an eye out for odonatids as they are among the easiest invertebrates to identify (well as "easy" as invertebrate identification can get). They are usually conspicuous, lively and eye-catching; what more could you want. All in all, the Baldwin Swamp is a very nice location to visit. I didn’t feel like I visited at its best but felt satisfied with what I found.

Australian Tiger

Spoiler: Species Seen

Mammals
Little Red Flying Fox, Pteropus scapulatus
Black Flying Fox, Pteropus alecto

Birds
Magpie Geese, Anseranas semipalmata
Australian Wood Duck, Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Black Swan, Cygnus atratus
Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
Eastern Great Egret, Ardea modesta
Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa
Australasian Darter, Anhinga novaehollandiae
Little Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Little Pied Cormorant, Microcarbo melanoleucos
Peaceful Dove, Geopelia placida
Bar-shouldered Dove, Geopelia humeralis
Laughing Kooakburra, Dacelo novaeguineae
Willie Wagtail, Rhipidura leucophrys
Little Friarbird, Philemon citreogularis
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
Lewin’s Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Grey Butcherbird, Cracticus torquatus
Silvereye, Zosterops lateralis
Mistletoebird, Dicaeum hirundinaceum
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Lonchura castaneothorax

Reptiles
Krefft’s Turtle, Emydura [macquarii] krefftii
Eastern Water Dragon, Intellagama lesueurii

Invertebrates
Blue Skimmer, Orthetrum caledonicum
Australian Tiger, Ictinogomphus australis
Common Eggfly, Hypolimnas bolina

 

[WhistlingKite24]

New Year, New Mammals – Maiala [D’Aguilar National Park] – 10th January 2022:

Target Species: Red-necked Pademelon

I went back to Maiala today as it’s a great location to continue exploring. My favourite part of rainforests is that you are always bound to see something new or unexpected with lots of exciting opportunities to come across very localised species. I decided to visit during the afternoon as several Brisbane birdwatchers from various groups have been having good success during the warmer parts of the day. The Red-necked Pademelon (Thylogale thetis) was my main target species today as it has regularly been recorded at Maiala especially during the time I was visiting just around midday. Traditionally shy animals, I’ve seen very recent photos of them emerging in the picnic grounds out in the open.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I headed straight to a patch of rainforest that sits behind the toilet block. It’s always very quiet here and several birds are usually around. The first species I spotted was one I hadn’t seen in about three years according to my life list; two Eastern Spinebills were hovering like hummingbirds feeding on the lantana flowers. There are such striking honeyeaters but a species that seems to be uncommon locally. The spinebills quickly left as I approached a bit closer but the Brown Gerygones remained abundant as they always are in these rainforests. I also heard a harsh call from the bushes so I watched patiently as a White-browed Scrubwren was peeping from the low-lying bushes. I also found an enormous skink which quickly hid as soon as I found it. I believe was a Major Skink but I doubt I’ll be able to confirm for sure. Or even a Land Mullet as the angle at which I saw it could have reflected a lighter sheen of colour. A neat find whatever it was as the really large native skinks are an enduring favourite of mine.

White-browed Scrubwren

As I started the rainforest trail I soon realised the familiar morning birds at Maiala are vastly different to the afternoon ones. Black-faced Monarchs were common throughout the rainforest representing a species I’d never seen here before. They truly are a beautiful species with a wonderful grey and orange plumage with a black face patch. I counted five different monarchs about five minutes into the walk but most were seen from a great distance in the canopy. One however was clearly seen a bit closer. The forest floor was alive with sound; Yellow-throated Scrubwrens and Eastern Yellow Robins were the main culprits but I also found an Eastern Whipbird and a pair of Lewin’s Honeyeaters close to the ground.

Black-faced Monarch

Along the track were a series of fallen logs that allow a slight opening of sunlight. There is often a Rufous Fantail or two that hang out in this area. There was also a Green Catbird feeding as well that was in full view. Lots of interesting fledglings and immature birds as well including an orangey-brown Pale-Yellow Robin. My ears then rung as I heard a most anticipated call travel through the rainforest:

"walk-to-work"

I knew exactly what that call was; a Noisy Pitta was calling from afar. From my encounters with this species at several zoos, I know their call is far-reaching and travels quite an unexpected distance. I heard it repeatedly and followed the call as best I could as it resonated in the gulley whilst I scanned the forest floor and every buttressed tree.

As I was straining my ears listening for the pitta I suddenly came across a small rodent-sized animal foraging in the leaf litter. The good thing about Maiala is that a lot of the forest floor is often at eye level as the path dips below at various parts of the track so I was able to keep my eye on this little creature as it came a bit closer. I was able to take a few very poor images in the dim light but I managed to definitely confirm it was an antechinus out about around midday. Fortunately, my photos were able to identify it as a Subtropical Antechinus; a species with a very restricted range largely confined to rainforest almost exclusively in south-east Queensland. Apparently, Maiala is a reliable spot for them at night usually and they have even been recorded predating on pitta nestlings here – what feisty little animals (Predation of Noisy Pitta nestling by the Subtropical Antechinus, a carnivorous marsupial | Noske | Australian Field Ornithology). On a personal level, it was my first antechinus I’d seen in the flesh and my first ever wild dasyurid! Definitely a significant find to begin 2022.

Buzzing from the antechinus sighting but with no further sign of the calling pitta, I made my way to the clearing that opens up along a path that connects to a longer track. This is traditionally a good spot to observe robins and scrubwrens with more light. I watched them all for a little while as they were feeding in the dappled light. The second half of the track revealed a surprisingly high concentration of Russet-tailed Thrushes that were common throughout the area. My only pigeon of the visit was a lone Wompoo Fruit-Dove; a stark contrast from the usual morning fig and quandong feeds with large flocks of rainforest pigeons I’m more used to. There were a few Red-legged Pademelons with full pouches but I didn’t find any of the Red-necks I was looking for. Quite incredible to always watch how nimble pademelons move about in the really thick understorey of the rainforest.

Red-legged Pademelon

Back outside the rainforest in the picnic grounds, it was approaching mid-afternoon and all the family picnickers had packed up and left. It’s very peaceful at this time of day (2pm) and there were still lots of birds; the spinebills made a return, yellow robins were flitting about near the carpark and an Australian Golden Whistler was around as well. A Pied Currawong then arrived which set most of the birds, gerygones especially, into a frenzy as they dived deeper into the forest. All very interesting to observe.

Eastern Yellow Robin

As I was walking down the hill, I soon realised I was right next to four Red-necked Pademelons in a grassy clearing near the main fig tree with the picnic tables. I almost completely missed them and I saw an adult pair, a younger animal and a small joey that seems to have only recently emerged from the pouch. I’d never seen this species at any of the zoos I have visited so these were another first from this visit to Maiala. Red-necked Pademelons do actually look very different to the more familiar Red-legged ones; they are much greyer overall allowing the ‘red neck’ to really pop. As I was watching the four pademelons, several Satin Bowerbirds also arrived and began feeding in the tall palms that fringe the grass opening. So while I didn’t see the pitta I was elated to find the pademelons and antechinus as two fantastic lifers to kickstart my 2022 adventures. Hopefully setting the tone for the rest of the year.

Red-necked Pademelon

Red-necked Pademelon joey

 

[MRJ]

New Year, New Mammals – Maiala [D’Aguilar National Park] – 10th January 2022:

Target Species: Red-necked Pademelon

I went back to Maiala today as it’s a great location to continue exploring. My favourite part of rainforests is that you are always bound to see something new or unexpected with lots of exciting opportunities to come across very localised species. I decided to visit during the afternoon as several Brisbane birdwatchers from various groups have been having good success during the warmer parts of the day. The Red-necked Pademelon (Thylogale thetis) was my main target species today as it has regularly been recorded at Maiala especially during the time I was visiting just around midday. Traditionally shy animals, I’ve seen very recent photos of them emerging in the picnic grounds out in the open.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I headed straight to a patch of rainforest that sits behind the toilet block. It’s always very quiet here and several birds are usually around. The first species I spotted was one I hadn’t seen in about three years according to my life list; two Eastern Spinebills were hovering like hummingbirds feeding on the lantana flowers. There are such striking honeyeaters but a species that seems to be uncommon locally. The spinebills quickly left as I approached a bit closer but the Brown Gerygones remained abundant as they always are in these rainforests. I also heard a harsh call from the bushes so I watched patiently as a White-browed Scrubwren was peeping from the low-lying bushes. I also found an enormous skink which quickly hid as soon as I found it. I believe was a Major Skink but I doubt I’ll be able to confirm for sure. Or even a Land Mullet as the angle at which I saw it could have reflected a lighter sheen of colour. A neat find whatever it was as the really large native skinks are an enduring favourite of mine.

White-browed Scrubwren

As I started the rainforest trail I soon realised the familiar morning birds at Maiala are vastly different to the afternoon ones. Black-faced Monarchs were common throughout the rainforest representing a species I’d never seen here before. They truly are a beautiful species with a wonderful grey and orange plumage with a black face patch. I counted five different monarchs about five minutes into the walk but most were seen from a great distance in the canopy. One however was clearly seen a bit closer. The forest floor was alive with sound; Yellow-throated Scrubwrens and Eastern Yellow Robins were the main culprits but I also found an Eastern Whipbird and a pair of Lewin’s Honeyeaters close to the ground.

Black-faced Monarch

Along the track were a series of fallen logs that allow a slight opening of sunlight. There is often a Rufous Fantail or two that hang out in this area. There was also a Green Catbird feeding as well that was in full view. Lots of interesting fledglings and immature birds as well including an orangey-brown Pale-Yellow Robin. My ears then rung as I heard a most anticipated call travel through the rainforest:

"walk-to-work"

I knew exactly what that call was; a Noisy Pitta was calling from afar. From my encounters with this species at several zoos, I know their call is far-reaching and travels quite an unexpected distance. I heard it repeatedly and followed the call as best I could as it resonated in the gulley whilst I scanned the forest floor and every buttressed tree.

As I was straining my ears listening for the pitta I suddenly came across a small rodent-sized animal foraging in the leaf litter. The good thing about Maiala is that a lot of the forest floor is often at eye level as the path dips below at various parts of the track so I was able to keep my eye on this little creature as it came a bit closer. I was able to take a few very poor images in the dim light but I managed to definitely confirm it was an antechinus out about around midday. Fortunately, my photos were able to identify it as a Subtropical Antechinus; a species with a very restricted range largely confined to rainforest almost exclusively in south-east Queensland. Apparently, Maiala is a reliable spot for them at night usually and they have even been recorded predating on pitta nestlings here – what feisty little animals (Predation of Noisy Pitta nestling by the Subtropical Antechinus, a carnivorous marsupial | Noske | Australian Field Ornithology). On a personal level, it was my first antechinus I’d seen in the flesh and my first ever wild dasyurid! Definitely a significant find to begin 2022.

Buzzing from the antechinus sighting but with no further sign of the calling pitta, I made my way to the clearing that opens up along a path that connects to a longer track. This is traditionally a good spot to observe robins and scrubwrens with more light. I watched them all for a little while as they were feeding in the dappled light. The second half of the track revealed a surprisingly high concentration of Russet-tailed Thrushes that were common throughout the area. My only pigeon of the visit was a lone Wompoo Fruit-Dove; a stark contrast from the usual morning fig and quandong feeds with large flocks of rainforest pigeons I’m more used to. There were a few Red-legged Pademelons with full pouches but I didn’t find any of the Red-necks I was looking for. Quite incredible to always watch how nimble pademelons move about in the really thick understorey of the rainforest.

Red-legged Pademelon

Back outside the rainforest in the picnic grounds, it was approaching mid-afternoon and all the family picnickers had packed up and left. It’s very peaceful at this time of day (2pm) and there were still lots of birds; the spinebills made a return, yellow robins were flitting about near the carpark and an Australian Golden Whistler was around as well. A Pied Currawong then arrived which set most of the birds, gerygones especially, into a frenzy as they dived deeper into the forest. All very interesting to observe.

Eastern Yellow Robin

As I was walking down the hill, I soon realised I was right next to four Red-necked Pademelons in a grassy clearing near the main fig tree with the picnic tables. I almost completely missed them and I saw an adult pair, a younger animal and a small joey that seems to have only recently emerged from the pouch. I’d never seen this species at any of the zoos I have visited so these were another first from this visit to Maiala. Red-necked Pademelons do actually look very different to the more familiar Red-legged ones; they are much greyer overall allowing the ‘red neck’ to really pop. As I was watching the four pademelons, several Satin Bowerbirds also arrived and began feeding in the tall palms that fringe the grass opening. So while I didn’t see the pitta I was elated to find the pademelons and antechinus as two fantastic lifers to kickstart my 2022 adventures. Hopefully setting the tone for the rest of the year.

Red-necked Pademelon

Red-necked Pademelon joey

Pittas are the hardest.