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

[WhistlingKite24]

A Day of Reptiles – Boondall Wetlands Reserve, Brisbane – 25th September 2022:

Spring is well and truly here in south-east Queensland. Butterflies are out in droves and I am quickly ticking them off as I go from location to location and as I revisit a few familiar sites now. The birds are nesting and the reptiles are becoming very visible as it quickly warms up. The migratory waders are back finally again. Today at Boondall Wetlands proved these statements true with some exciting finds and lots of reptilian activity as I made my way around this ever-popular site for wildlife.

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As I arrived a crowd gathered around a tree with a few guides from the visitor centre. A Tawny Frogmouth had been spotted on a nest with eggs and they were all admiring it. It was sitting well-camouflaged as expected on a tree fork a few metres from the entrance of the centre on its very flimsy nest of twigs. A second frogmouth, presumably the second half of this pair, was spotted later on the track high up in a different tree. Hopefully the resident Lace Monitors don’t get to the eggs as they have been seen right near the trees where the frogmouth was nesting.

Tawny Frogmouth on nest

As I walked past the visitor centre the wetlands were notably lusher with the grass much taller and bushes much thicker; all the rain had clearly benefited the vegetation. A Buff-banded Rail plunged into the grasses with its bobbing tail as I turned a corner. I’d never seen a rail at Boondall before. Lots of interesting butterflies around the wetlands including Swamp Tigers as well. As I approached the mangroves, a large olive-coloured skink caught my eye on an ageing tree with peeling bark as it was sunning itself. I was just able to see it and it was about the size of a Cunningham’s Skink but with a prominent white facial stripe. I’d definitely never seen such a large lizard clenched onto a tree like it; certainly an Egernia skink and there was only really one option. I creeped closer and it flattened its body and wedged into the space under the bark. It was definitely a Tree Skink! I was able to see this remarkable animal just under the bark and take a few terrible shots as it had gone further into the tree. I waited patiently to see if it would remerge but all I saw later was a tail slide out as it moved further up the decaying tree. Absolutely amazing to see them here and even the book A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia uses a photo of this species from Boondall so it’s a known spot for them but just hard to find. Interestingly the tree the skink was living in was covered in Elegant Snake-eyed Skinks cohabitating the same tree; no doubt both species were feeding on the large colonies of spiny ants. Really fascinating as well to see how these tree skinks live in the wild and the type of habitat they can be found in.

Elegant Snake-eyed Skink

There were more reptiles down the track as my eyes followed a large lizard run off the path. It immediately flattened its body and remained incredibly still. It was an Eastern Bearded Dragon and did not move at all as I approached it. Generally these bearded dragons replace the commoner water dragons as the habitat moves away from freshwater waterways so it’s always a treat to see them. I just don’t see them enough. The birds were around as well with a melodic Grey Shrike-thrush and Olive-backed Oriole seen right before the bird hide.

Eastern Bearded Dragon

It was low tide at the bird hide meaning the mangroves were filled with waterbirds feeding. I immediately spotted a flock of Australian Pelicans, a single Silver Gull and Australian White Ibis. On the mudflats were a single Far-Eastern Curlew, a Striated Heron, Little Egrets and White-faced Herons. One of life’s great joys is watching the Torresian Kingfishers catch and eat fiddler crabs. There were a pair of kingfishers that both perched on different rock vantage points, they’d scan the mud for crabs peeking out of their muddy burrows, swiftly fly down into the mud sometimes awkwardly with wings out for balance, catch the crab and fly back to their post to consume it whole with a quick swing back of the neck. It’s such a spectacle if you’re lucky enough to see and wonderful to witness. In the trees behind the mangroves, I spotted more kingfishers, White-breasted Woodswallows, a pair of Bar-shouldered Doves and Rainbow Bee-eaters. Raptors included a White-bellied Sea-Eagle, a Brahminy Kite and an Eastern Osprey. There were also a pair of Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrikes on my way out of the bird hide.

Torresian Kingfisher

Back on the boardwalk there wasn’t much else besides a male Rufous Whistler calling from a well-hidden branch and lots of Brown Honeyeaters. The final reptile of the day was a small Coastal Carpet Python spotted coiled up on a lower branch resting quietly out of main sight. The pythons are definitely starting to pop up at a few areas. Overall, today was very successful and I was delighted to tick off the Tree Skink and see a good range of reptiles around in particular.

Coastal Carpet Python

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The Cryptic Crake - Sandy Camp Road Wetlands Reserve, Brisbane – 30th September 2022:

Target Species: Spotless Crake

Last time I visited Sandy Camp Road Wetlands Reserve (September 2021) it was very rushed as I also had to squeeze in Wynnum Boardwalk for the babblers which I didn’t see until this year. This time I had the full afternoon to explore Brisbane’s third best birding spot according to eBird. I would first like to praise its accessibility with public transport; it’s a quick Cleveland train from Roma Street Station, you get off at Wynnum North station and walk for 10 minutes along Sandy Camp Road until you reach the entrance opposite a school. Secondly the diversity is quite impressive for a site that’s notably smaller than the other popular birding locations.

My target species was the incredibly elusive Spotless Crake (Porzana tabuensis) as Sandy Camp is a highly-regarded spot for these elusive creatures. There are long stretches of reeds with pockets of still shallow water with muddy open patches where a crake or two can be spotted feeding before they dart into coverage. It is one of several species of smaller crakes and rails that seem almost mythical due to their incredible obscurity. Sandy Camp would be my best shot so far to finally find one of these birds as it’s also a known spot for Lewin’s Rail and Baillon’s Crake, increasing my chances of least catching a glance of one of them.

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A late afternoon visit seemed to be a good choice. I didn’t see a single other person on my visit and the birds were active and visible. The harsh full sun was also dimming gradually. I started along the first pathway by watching the pair of Eastern Ospreys that raise their chicks annually. I watched as one of the adults was collecting sticks and flying back to the artificial platform. The osprey would just fly over the backyards of people’s homes that sit right along the reserve. An Australasian Darter flew over as well and the powerlines were well-populated with territorial Sacred Kingfishers that were swooping the White-breasted Woodswallows. The kingfishers were busily diving upon lots of birds today persistently.. Flashes of bluey-green were constant as the flew past targeting mainly the woodswallows and a large population of Little Friarbirds. The bushes were filled with Variegated Fairywrens and the calls of Brown Honeyeaters rung across the canopy.

Variegated Fairywren

The waterbirds appeared in good numbers on both sides of the main pathway that cuts through the water. There were large flocks of Dusky Moorhens, Pacific Black Ducks, Australian Wood Ducks and the odd Australasian Swamphen. The moorhens remained very wary of humans which is unlike most of the other moorhens found in more urban areas. I do have to say, despite being very common wherever there is water, I find swamphens to be incredibly stately birds when they stand at full height as they stretch their necks, peering through the tall grass. Sandy Camp is also an excellent place for Comb-crested Jacana and they are very easy to spot here (far easier than Enogerra Reservoir). There were at least six or so seen including a very flighty pair jumping on each other's backs. With their large, rather ungainly feet, it was quite a sight to see them coordinate together. On first glance when you are looking at them front on, they are mainly white and black birds with a bright red top but once they move around the yellowish tinge becomes more apparent.

Comb-crested Jacanas

A recent regular addition to the Sandy Camp waterfowl population is a flock of Wandering Whistling-Ducks that have been hanging around. I counted seven birds and they were very vocal with their continuous high-pitched whistling and a few twitters. The flock of whistling-ducks were very obliging being only a metre or so away. They are very pretty ducks up close with rich red-brown plumage. There were also a pair of Grey Teals staying close to the whistling-ducks. A pair of Australasian Figbirds and a single Grey Shrike-thrush were perched in some of the trees near the edge of the water. The shrike-thrush suddenly grabbed a frog and began swiftly hitting it against a branch. Its sharp beak sliced through the frog and it was quickly consumed on an upper branch. The circle of life.

Wandering Whistling-Duck

My attention was drawn back to the flighty moorhens that were creating quite a stir. As I reached around the corner towards the observation deck, I spotted what I first thought was a juvenile moorhen but it moved in a completely different manner and I saw two physical features that I was searching for among every waterbird – pink legs and a red orbital ring. It was in fact a Spotless Crake completely out in the open, feeding among the moorhens and jacanas. It stayed out in shaded view for about a minute. Absolutely magical to watch it and such a mysterious species. They are much smaller than I was expecting; they have a barred undertail which I didn’t realise and a wonderful two-toned plumage. The crake flew over the water a bit like a jacana does diving into the reeds once more after a noisy swamphen disturbed it. Undoubtedly the bird of the year for me so far. It makes me want to find Pale-vented Bush-hen and the crake’s equally, if not, rarer cousins even more now.

Spotless Crake

After the thrill of finding the elusive crake, I soon realised I was standing right next to an Eastern Brown Snake sunning on the path. It was very still and I moved back to continue onwards to the casuarina-dominated bushland portion of Sandy Camp. There were lots more of the kingfishers and friarbirds congregating in large numbers along with Spangled Drongo, Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike and more fairywrens in the grasses. The osprey did another lap of the reserve as well. There were no sign of any Marsh Snakes but I’ll keep looking, from a distance of course. I went back to look for the crake again and see if I could get a second glimpse but the reeds were still and quiet as if there never was a single one. All I saw along the quiet path behind the viewing platform was a Bar-shouldered Dove. I was so glad to tick off this crake as it's one of those ‘next level’ birds to add to the life list. A very satisfying find.

Eastern Brown Snake

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The shrike-thrush suddenly grabbed a frog and began swiftly hitting it against a branch. Its sharp beak sliced through the frog and it was quickly consumed on an upper branch. The circle of life.

An update on the frog. It was identified as a Desert Tree-Frog, Litoria rubella which are also known as the Naked Tree-Frog due to their translucent appearance. Apparently its one of the few tree-frogs that lives in a wide range of environments, from arid to tropical climates. They are often found close to human settlements near water. It was very much alive when I initially saw it so I am counting it as a nice little lifer. It's the first actual frog of the thread as well despite lots of frog calls at several locations! A picture below of the frog's final moments of life.

Grey Shrike-thrush with Desert Tree-Frog

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 35: Grange Forest Park, Brisbane – 3rd October 2022:

This place took a few goes to complete due to construction work. It’s located behind a set of stores near the suburb of Stafford and runs along the bike path of the Kedron Brook. It’s mainly open parkland with a clear, well-marked path along the creek with stretches of mainly weeds that provide thick undergrowth for birds. There were a lot of the staple parkland species including a nice flock of Galahs and Rainbow Lorikeets adding a good amount of colour. A Little Pied Cormorant posed nicely on a rock and there were flocks of Pacific Black Ducks and an even larger number of Australian Wood-Ducks. Small groups of Rainbow Bee-eaters were perched on the far bank of the creek, just above residential backyards. They were flying quite low over the water hunting dragonflies and butterflies. There were also a few groups of Superb Fairywrens in the densest, most thickest parts of the vegetation. I received an earful from an Eastern Whipbird, Striated Pardalotes were around and an Olive-backed Oriole was also calling; these three species however were not seen.

The bird of the day was an impressively large Channel-billed Cuckoo that was being dived bombed by a large group of Noisy Miners and later on a pair of Masked Lapwings. The cuckoo remained in full view and was observed from a close distance. A very imposing bird especially in flight with slow raptor-like wingbeats and a long tail that fans out broadly. When one of these birds take flight, you simply cannot ignore it. Their scarlet red facial skin paired with their toucan-like curved bill make them an absolutely unmistakable species. The cuckoo did a lap of the neighbouring sporting field and then took off into the suburbs tree towards a line of tall eucalypt trees. I soon realised there were actually a pair of them circling the area. The forest park seems to be a good location to look for some notable species very close to the city and there have been some solid impressive records on eBird like Grey Goshawk (August 2022), Pale-vented Bush-hen (October 2022) and Oriental Cuckoo (November 2019).

Channel-billed Cuckoo

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Australian Wood-Duck, Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Australian Brushturkey, Alectura lathami
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon), Columba livia
Spotted Dove, Streptopelia chinensis
Channel-billed Cuckoo, Scythrops novaehollandiae
Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa
Masked Lapwing, Vanellus miles
Little Pied Cormorant, Microcarbo melanoleucos
Australian White Ibis, Threskiornis molucca
Rainbow Bee-eater, Merops ornatus
Galah, Eolophus roseicapilla
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Superb Fairywren, Malurus cyaneus
Noisy Miner, Manorina melanocephala
Grey Butcherbird, Cracticus torquatus
Pied Butcherbird, Cracticus nigrogularis
Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen
Welcome Swallow, Hirundo neoxena

Invertebrates
Cabbage White, Pieris rapae
Monarch, Danaus plexippus
Common Grass-Blue, Zizina labradus

Location 36: Bridgehaven Park (North Lakes), Moreton Bay – 8th October 2022:

The Bridgehaven Park is part of a greater network of parkland in the growing suburb of North Lakes (the place with a huge IKEA for any locals reading this!), just north of Brisbane. It’s not your usual traditional park with a few isolated trees and manicured lawns as there are actual patches of bushland and wetter forest among the playground equipment and sporting fields. The majority of the paths are along the outside of the park fringed with dense flowering vegetation, allowing traditional bushland and wet forest birds to be well within reach of houses. There is very little online about this site so I was interested to see what it was like and despite being a small size with limited pathways at time, it was well-populated with wildlife from initial impressions.

One of the first species I spotted was a Rufous Fantail that quickly darted into the bushes as I walked past the pathway towards the vegetation. A wide range of native flowers were in full bloom allowing large groups of Brown Honeyeaters and Noisy Friarbirds to feed freely out in the open. I probably saw more Brown Honeyeaters than any other species here. Turning into the first boardwalk, I startled an Eastern Yellow Robin and it quickly took off into the undergrowth out of sight. There was a male Rufous Whistler and a Grey Shrike-thrush searching for morsels in the leaf litter. Waves of chirpy Silvereyes and groups of Variegated Fairywrens travelled from bush to bush as a close unit. It was excellent to see a female fairywren out in the open with their silvery-blue tail and red facial patch. The tail colour sometimes looks more lavender to me but that could be due to dim lighting as this species is the shiest of the three local fairywrens. There was also a flighty bird high up in the canopy; it had the gist of a cuckoo and I have been searching for Brush Cuckoo in particular everywhere as it remains that one species that continues to evade me. It took off before I could get a closer look unfortunately. This area had to be one of the smallest and most isolated patches of bushland I’d been in but the birds were easy to find and the variety was decent.

Variegated Fairywren

Arguably the most striking of all the Australian pierids – at least eight Scarlet Jezebels were found along the path that back onto people’s yards along the bushland trail. They are a stunning butterfly with a red wash on the outer wing that contrasts with the lighter colouration. In flight, the red is hard to see and sort of melds with the lighter yellower shades to create an “orange glow” as they flutter high in the canopy of the trees. They rarely stop and I was lucky to spot one resting allowing for a quick photograph. Really spectacular to see in the flesh and a big tick off my butterfly list seeing as they were in my top five local butterfly wish list. The other four remaining being Leafwing Doleschallia bisaltide, Macleay’s Swallowtail Graphium macleayanus, Blue Argus Junonia orithya and Small Green Banded Blue Psychonotis caelius. Whilst I am always happy to see anyone of these bigger showy species I am equally interested in the smaller blues and I was able to identify at least one Glistening Line-Blue which was a second butterfly lifer tick to add to the list. It was feeding while several paper wasps were on the prowl. Overall for such a small location wedged in suburbia with little opportunities for a buffer zone, I was pleasantly surprised.

Scarlet Jezebel

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Australian Brushturkey, Alectura lathami
Spotted Dove, Streptopelia chinensis
Masked Lapwing, Vanellus miles
Australian White Ibis, Threskiornis molucca
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Variegated Fairywren, Malurus lamberti
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
Blue-faced Honeyeater, Entomyzon cyanotis
Noisy Friarbird, Philemon corniculatus
Grey Shrikethrush, Colluricincla harmonica
Rufous Whistler, Pachycephala rufiventris
Pied Butcherbird, Cracticus nigrogularis
Rufous Fantail, Rhipidura rufifrons
Torresian Crow, Corvus orru
Eastern Yellow Robin, Eopsaltria australis
Welcome Swallow, Hirundo neoxena
Silvereye, Zosterops lateralis

Reptiles
Eastern Water Dragon, Intellagama lesueurii

Invertebrates
Scarlet Jezebel, Delias argenthona
Glistening Line-Blue, Sahulana scintillata

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 37: Toohey Forest, Brisbane – 15th October 2022:

Target Species: Major Skink

Whilst well known for Powerful Owl and Koala, Toohey Forest can be very hit and miss for wildlife. Despite stretching across the inner southern suburbs of Brisbane from Mt Gravatt to Tarragindi with rather expansive bushland, Toohey remains isolated from other natural areas by urban development and roads that encircle or pass through the forest. It is mainly dry eucalypt with a shrubby understorey of heath – an uncommon habitat type for south-east Queensland. There are a wide range of trails that travel throughout the bushland ranging from well-worn popular paths through the taller eucalypts to shorter sandstone trails to lookouts and more challenging walks along the rocky outcrops. My main goal was to find the Major Skink (Bellatorias frerei) as they are apparently found reliably at Toohey. Ranging from Cape York to northern New South Wales, this species is one of Australia’s largest skinks but are usually skittish and retreating.

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Under a minute of walking along the path I spotted a large skink in the leaf litter. It hauled its long body onto a log but only when it turned to dig its face into the rocky crevice did I realise it was a Major Skink and they were surprisingly very easy to find. I saw a total of four skinks along that first pathway. Most bolted straight under logs when spotted but one did linger a little longer allowing for a few quick photographs. This species is robust yet rather elongated with brown and black stripes down their backs with spots down their sides. I’ve always thought of Major Skinks as a rainforest species so would be looking for them in the ‘wetter’ parts of Toohey closer to watercourses but after further reading they are equally adapted to dry eucalypt forest with well-established rocky outcrops like Toohey has near the entrance of the Toohey Ridge Track. There were also a few Elegant Snake-eyed Skinks noted on the nearby trees.

Major Skink

While I was busy finding the large skinks, a few Noisy Friarbirds came into view and one landed on the ground which I had never seen a friarbird do. These friarbirds were common through the first portion of Toohey also with several of the common suburban birds. The calls of kingfishers and pardalotes travelled far through the canopy and I was able to find two Sacred Kingfishers seen from quite a distance perched along a different track later on. The birds were few and far between but notably a pair of glossy Spangled Drongos provided a rare close-up view of these common yet often shy birds.

Spangled Drongo

The biggest bird wave was encountered near the entrance of the Nathan Ridge Track with large flocks of White-throated and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters travelling quickly but noisily. A Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike and Grey Shrike-thrush followed closely behind while I spotted a female Leaden Flycatcher among all the small honeyeaters. Birding is hard work at Toohey when you’re constantly working with back-lit conditions, small birds and large-leafed foliage that allows the birds to blend very well. There seems to be a decent range around but locating them is a bit of a challenge. A good tip I’ve read is to try and organise your visits to Toohey when the grass trees are in flower around winter allowing a unique opportunity to watch some of the honeyeaters up close with some often spectacular photographic results. Whilst I didn’t make a winter trip, I was still pleased to see a few nice bushland birds very close to the city centre and tick off a long-awaited lifer being the Major Skink. Toohey Forest would definitely also make a great combination with Oxley Creek Common and/or Archerfield Wetlands for a full and satisfying day of Brisbane wildlife watching.

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Australian Brushturkey, Alectura lathami
Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae
Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Caligavis chrysops
Noisy Miner, Manorina melanocephala
White-throated Honeyeater, Melithreptus albogularis
Noisy Friarbird, Philemon corniculatus
Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Coracina novaehollandiae
Grey Shrikethrush, Colluricincla harmonica
Gray Butcherbird, Cracticus torquatus
Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen
Pied Currawong, Strepera graculina
Spangled Drongo, Dicrurus bracteatus
Leaden Flycatcher, Myiagra rubecula
Torresian Crow, Corvus orru

Reptiles
Major Skink, Bellatorias frerei
Elegant Snake-eyed Skink, Cryptoblepharus pulcher

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Fiddlers and Tattlers - Tabbil-ban Dhagun Boardwalk, Brisbane - 23rd October 2022:

It was time to return to Tabbil Dhagun Boardwalk along Nudgee Beach to search for waders. It lightly rained for the majority of my visit but I made the most of the bird hide in particular as a good spot to sit in shelter and wait for the waders. There was generally a good number of birds despite the poor weather conditions and I was pleased to see a good range of species in a short frame of time.

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Near the main pathway is a section that overlooks the actual shoreline with uninterrupted views of the mudflats. There is a small row of mangroves that often provides closer views of waders during low tide. The first animal I saw was an unfortunate dead Green Sea Turtle. The intact carcass was fresh and one of the turtle’s flippers seemed to have been caught by mangrove roots, not allowing it to retreat back to the ocean. The situation was quickly lightened by the appearance of a Scarlet Jezebel in full view with its rich colouration that popped against the mudflats. There were lots of mud whelks and moon snail egg sacs (look them up if you have never seen them!) across the shoreline as well.

Scarlet Jezebel

There were good but distant numbers of waders including Whimbrels and Eastern Curlews. The waders were joined by a pair of Australian Pied Oystercatchers and a single Striated Heron that remained wary out in the open. A pair of birds then materialised next to the whimbrels; they were ‘sandpiper-like’ birds but didn’t have the continual tail bobbing. I took a few photos as they took off and they were confirmed as a pair of Grey-tailed Tattlers. A nice little lifer there. Listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN, these tattlers breed in Siberia having also been recorded travelling through Japan. I hope they will be the first of several new shorebirds with several targets like Red-capped Plover and Beach Stone-Curlew coming up in due course. I largely missed out on a lot of shorebirds during the 2021/2022 season due to higher-than-average rainfall leaving the mudflats and shorelines inundated. The tattlers who were trilling loudly flew out towards another flock of waders were they joined the first Bar-tailed Godwits of the season.

Grey-tailed Tattlers

Onto the actual pathway, I was met with good views of a White-bellied Sea-Eagle being pursued by an Eastern Osprey. The mangroves themselves had the usual Mangrove Gerygone, Torresian Kingfisher and Willie Wagtail. I just realised I haven’t seen many Mangrove Honeyeaters this year despite being very successful in locating several wild flocks last year. As the path was largely empty of people and their dogs, a plumed Intermediate Egret in full resplendent breeding flush made the most of the empty pathway to stalk larger insects. I followed it for most of the track.

Intermediate Egret

The crabs were everywhere as it was low tide and the track remained very quiet and still meaning they didn’t immediately scuttle into their burrows. I was able to appreciate the visible variability of the Orange-clawed Fiddler Crabs which included some of the traditional males with the large vibrant orange claw but others in various stages of ages and sexes showcasing how incredibly varied this species is. One particular individual was really quite striking with a mix of yellows, oranges and blues of various shades. They are fascinating creatures to watch and were out with several impressive Scarlet Three-spined Mangrove Crabs and Maroon Mangrove Crabs. All very striking crabs to observe while I waited for birds. A good little afternoon out in rather drizzly conditions but with impressive wildlife to keep me occupied.

Orange-clawed Fiddler Crab

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 38: Minnippi Parklands, Brisbane – 5th November 2022:

The Minnippi Parklands comprises of several different parks along a set of Brisbane’s eastern suburbs - Tingalpa, Cannon Hill, Carina and Carindale. It’s a sizeable stretch of parkland with a central lagoon that dates back to pre-colonial times. The park also has large networks of pathways that intersect the grasslands and waterways. On first impression, the parkland was larger than expected with an overall verdant feel with a combination of large native trees with an understory of predominantly ornamental weeds that create a thick undergrowth. There are several entrance points dotted across the park which mainly surround the main lake. In terms of wildlife, Minnippi supports a range of large-bodied water birds with a mix of parkland species and a few bushland birds for the eagle-eyed visitor.

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Upon my arrival, it was clearly a day for parrots. There was a trio of Galah feeding close to the path well within view. I quickly realised one of the galahs was unusually greyer than the rest and had an overall scruffier appearance with more pastel pinks compared to its counterparts. It was a juvenile that stayed close to the adults. Cockatoos continued in healthy numbers with the presence of a pair of Little Corellas high in a eucalypt as well as a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo flying across the lagoon, seen later on. Due to the flowering plants present, Rainbow Lorikeets were also very visible as they fed noisily in large flocks.

Galah

Moving from parkland to grassland, there were several Australian Brush-Turkeys scratching up the dirt. The grasses were alive with insects including various species of planthoppers and butterflies including Meadow Argus, Blue Triangle, Monarch, Caper White, Cabbage White and some of the larger blues. Hoverflies and several smaller leaf beetles were also easily seen. As I approached the view over the main lagoon, the sounds of bushbirds filled the trees. Several family groups of Variegated Fairywrens made fleeting appearances in the scrub including at least three adult males in the one tree. A male Red-backed Fairywren arrived in the same tree and all these coloured fairy wrens made for a rather festive scene I thought. Whipbirds, robins and some of the smaller honeyeaters were heard but not seen as it approached mid-morning.

Variegated Fairywren

A Laughing Kookaburra quickly sent the fairywrens back into the dense bush. The kookaburra watched carefully and honed in on a skink in the grass, pouncing on it. It quickly consumed it after a few efficient strikes to the head. Nearby, several flocks of noisy Australasian Figbirds gathered in high densities, unusually out in the open. Males and females were chasing each other and having some disputes over nesting material seemingly. Past a rather strange looking park, was the main viewing platform for the lagoon. Immediately I saw a few elusive waterbirds out towards the horizon. There were at least five Comb-crested Jacanas feeding on the waterlilies. Near the jacanas was also an Australasian Grebe. There were also commoner water birds like a female Australasian Darter that flew a few laps over the water, a flock of Little Black Cormorants as well as the usual ducks - Australian Wood Duck and Pacific Black Duck. The highlight of the lagoon was a group of very approachable Black Swans. It included the adult pair and their three offspring that were almost the same size as the adults. The immature birds were grey in colour and had some of the down feathers still present on the underside of their bodies. Both of the adult birds were notably banded. The only other notable birds of the day included several flocks of Brown Honeyeaters and a single Tawny Grassbird spotted along the water. Due to the extensiveness and inaccessibility in some parts of the grasses that surrounds the water, it becomes more apparent how some of the rarer rails and crakes have been recorded there recently.

Black Swan

Despite being in a very suburban location, Minnippi Parklands has a good range of species with pleasing accessibility. I wouldn’t be expecting a huge amount of diversity among the bushbirds especially but if you’re after a few of the parkland staples with a good mix of waterbirds then Minnippi is a good choice. I’d certainly rate it higher than Sherwood Arboretum as a location with a similar feel and layout but on a larger more varied scale. Overall, a relatively good range of habitat in a well-positioned area right on the gateway towards the coast with Wynnum and Sandy Camp nearby.

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Black Swan, Cygnus atratus
Australian Wood Duck, Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Australian Brushturkey, Alectura lathami
Australasian Grebe, Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Feral Pigeon, Columba livia
Crested Pigeon, Ocyphaps lophotes
Masked Lapwing, Vanellus miles
Comb-crested Jacana, Irediparra gallinacea
Australasian Darter, Anhinga novaehollandiae
Little Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Australian White Ibis, Threskiornis molucca
Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae
Galah, Eolophus roseicapilla
Little Corella, Cacatua sanguinea
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Variegated Fairywren, Malurus lamberti
Red-backed Fairywren, Malurus melanocephalus
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Coracina novaehollandiae
Australasian Figbird, Sphecotheres vieilloti
Grey Butcherbird, Cracticus torquatus
Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen
Willie-wagtail, Rhipidura leucophrys
Magpie-lark, Grallina cyanoleuca
Torresian Crow, Corvus orru
Tawny Grassbird, Cincloramphus timoriensis
Welcome Swallow, Hirundo neoxena

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 39: Kumbartcho Sanctuary, Moreton Bay - 19th November 2022:

Kumbartcho Sanctuary is the former site of the Bunya Park Zoo situated just on the northern fringes near Brisbane and is currently owned by the council. As soon as you enter past the former ticket office, a network of pathways and former animal enclosures are dotted across the space. Still possessing the bare bones of a zoo, it would have been a superb site for a wildlife park back in the day and I couldn’t help but think what an asset it would have been in the current patchwork of zoos especially around the northern suburbs of Brisbane/Moreton Bay where a well-established zoo facility is lacking and yet to be filled comprehensively since Alma Park Zoo’s closure.

The site itself centres around the South Pine River and most of the wildlife is concentrated around the water along a gravelly shore peppered with immense trees like red gums, statuesque hoop pines and river oaks. Rather scenic. There are remnant patches of riverine rainforest being a very valuable site for fruit-doves especially. Powerful Owl and Australian Owlet-Nightjar are also regularly recorded here. There is a variety of environmentally friendly initiatives including a native plant nursery, a butterfly garden and a series of ponds designed specifically for frogs (none seen however) which further support a healthy level of diversity on a relatively small site.

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Upon entering, I was met with a large dam with a small bird hide that promised platypus. I encountered a much more modest range of Australian Wood Ducks, Dusky Moorhens, a pair of Pacific Black Ducks, two Little Black Cormorants and basking turtles – notably Saw-shelled Turtles being among the usual Brisbane River Turtles. The water was a rather vast body but fringed with thick grasses and pockets of shallow still water. The bird of the day was what I initially thought was a Buff-banded Rail chick due to its darkish sooty-like plumage and small size. Upon closer inspection, it was a Spotless Crake that quickly retreated into the grasses. It was my second one in the past two months following my lifer bird at Sandy Camp. It must be a good season for them.

Dusky Moorhen

The unfamiliar call of a Little Wattlebird revealed the presence of this underrated species nearby. For some reason, these wattlebirds are not particularly common within the boundary of Brisbane but elsewhere seem visible and easily found especially north of the city towards the Sunshine Coast. The leaf litter was alive with Eastern Yellow Robins, a bold Australian Golden Whistler and a Lewin’s Honeyeater spotted from a distance as it fed in the canopy. What was most impressive was seeing large flocks of Brown Cuckoo-Doves travel down the river as they searched for fruiting trees. I later caught up with them in a nearby tree but they remained very wary and retreated into the depths of the bush. A scruffy Rufous Fantail further supported this cast of wet forest birds. A other few tantalising bird sounds emanated but the birds in question couldn’t be seen.

Feeling my visit didn’t capture Kumbartcho at its full potential (Powerful Owl spotted there last week), I later returned for a second visit to further explore this rather eclectic location. Leaving without sight nor sound of an owl, I saw a very similar suite of birds this time including a glorious Azure Kingfisher perched along river and a really nice surprise in the form of an Olive-backed Oriole minding two chicks in a rather exposed nest that was relatively low lying over the river on a branch. I maintained my distance from the nest and took a few quick photos while I admired the surprising complexity of their nest structure and the rusty-brown colouration of the chicks. All in all, Kumbartcho is a nice enough spot. I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to visit it but it’s a good option to combine with Clear Mountain or Lake Samsonvale.

Olive-backed Oriole with chicks

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Australian Brushturkey Alectura lathami
Brown Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia phasianella
Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Spotless Crake Zapornia tabuensis
Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Red-backed Fairywren Malurus melanocephalus
Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
Gray Shrikethrush Colluricincla harmonica
Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Willie-wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons
Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis

Local Invertebrates:

Considering its probably the most fruitful time of year for invertebrates, I thought I'd also share my top five recent inverts in and around Brisbane. My dragonfly/damselfly list recently reached over 30 species and the butterfly list is almost at 50 species. Spiders are growing comfortably but a lot of the true bugs and beetles (including some of the common widespread families) need to still be filled in. The native bees had a rather unexpected boost included an aptly-named Fire-tailed Resin Bee Megachile mystaceana that made an appearance in a backyard "bee hotel". A superb species worth looking up!

1) Green Jumping Spider, Mopsus mormon

2) Green and Mottled Planthopper, Desudaba aulica - note barely visible green abdomen!

3) Red-winged Lycid Beetle, Porrostoma rufipennis

4) Spotted Lichen Moth, Asura cervicalis

5) Splendid Ochre, Trapezites symmomus

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Black Cockatoos in the Burbs – Seventh Brigade Park, Brisbane – 4th December 2022:

Black cockatoos are (or rather should be greater) symbols of Australia. They are the group of birds that always spring to mind whenever someone mentions the natural spaces of this country. Regardless of the species, they are all incredibly striking and active birds that are fascinating to observe, both in captivity and in the wild. In Brisbane, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos are the most common black cockatoo but are still significantly less common compared to their pink and white cousins. They are mainly restricted locally to upland wet forest and less disturbed stretches of open bushland to the west and north of Brisbane. There are occasional nomads that travel into parks when there is plenty of food in well-built suburbs and I was fortunate enough to come across a trio of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos on a recent trip to Seventh Brigade Park by complete surprise as they fed along the creek. They are recorded here about once a year at this location so I was very lucky to find them. Besides the crunching noises from their feeding, the cockatoos remained silent as they moved together from tree to tree, intently feasting on the abundant seed pods and nuts. There is always a sense of gravitas when I see them, especially up close; they are such large birds with an attention-grabbing presence. The cockatoos were feeding just along a pathway about 500 metres from a main road, opposite a stretch of houses with the backyards facing the park. They moved in a tight group, ignoring the territorial Noisy Miners and Grey Butcherbirds, as they travelled with large sweeping wingbeats, showcasing their pale-yellow tail panels in flight. I spent far too long watching the cockatoos but left them where I found them as I moved along the creek.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

The creek was filled with the cries of Sacred Kingfishers and sure enough several of them were found enough the parkland. They seemed to have recently bred as there were several juveniles spotted and a generally higher concentration of them across a much larger range, throughout the parkland. Fairywrens appeared in healthy numbers with both Red-backed and Superb Fairywrens appearing in the thick grasses as they hunted small insects. I suddenly heard the mournful wailing calls of the black cockatoos as they moved along the banks of the creek and as the real stars of the show, I followed them. I must say their calls always sharply contrast the harsher sounds of the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo.

Sacred Kingfisher

The three black cockatoos had moved into denser tree cover but poked their heads out every so often to observe their surroundings. Very neat to seen them in a relatively urban area; almost surreal to see such enormous birds transverse through a relatively small patch of park. Stay tuned for location 40 over the coming week and a bit – if it proves to be successful weather-permitting, it should be done across several posts.

Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 40: Lake Gallelty, Lockyer Valley – 10th December 2022:

Target Species: Pink-eared Duck, Blue-billed Duck

I’ve had pretty average luck with the more uncommon species of ducks found in south-east Queensland met with the consistent monotony of teals, black ducks, wood ducks and hardheads. I’ve been chasing Cotton Pygmy-Geese for example since the inception of this thread at several locations, sometimes well within 24 hours of their initial record at particular locations. Don’t get me started with Radjah Shelduck, which is a species that is rapidly expanding its range south comfortably around Brisbane with a spike in sightings including successful breeding records. One popped up at Oxley Common in September for example but I had no luck in finding it.

The trick seems to wait for these more nomadic and uncommon ducks to begin nesting and raising young which is exactly what has been occurring at Lake Galletly recently, a large body of water located within the University of Queensland’s Gatton campus, just over an hour west of Brisbane on the way to Toowoomba. This lake is home to two species that are high on my wish list – the Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis) and the striking Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus). Both species are rare within Brisbane and are traditionally more temperate southern state birds but can be found in more regional areas towards the New South Wales border. If you look at their distribution maps they very much have a range that is influenced by the Murray-Darling basin. Anyways, my favourite Aussie ducks have always been the ‘odd ones out’ so to speak like the Musk Duck and Freckled Duck but the fang-like spatulate bill of the stripy Pink-eared Duck is something that really captures my imagination of this intriguing species. I wanted to see this oddity in the flesh especially.

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The university campus is largely positioned on farmland and as I approached the lake, I was inundated with the sights and smells of Cattle Egrets and Australian White Ibis nesting along the trees that fringe the lake. There were dead chicks and cracked eggs everywhere as the large flocks noisily fed their young. I approached the wooden bird hide that sits in a small corner of the lake and was thrilled to spot three Pink-eared Ducks swimming from a distance almost immediately. Everything about this species is so unique but I was particularly struck by how prominent the daring zebra-striped plumage contrasted against their well-defined facial mask. The pink ear patch was barely visible and almost nonapparent but their enormous square-tipped grey bill almost looks comically oversized. An unmistakable bird and fantastic lifer.

Pink-eared Ducks

The Blue-billed Ducks proved harder to find. I saw flocks of Grey Teals with at least four chicks dispersed across the back end of the lake. Pacific Black Ducks were equally as prolific with evidence of widespread breeding activity. However, the most populous species on the lake were by far the Plumed Whistling-Ducks with a large of flock of easily over 100 birds, adding to the cacophony of noise made by the nesting egrets and ibis. The whistling-ducks were in such high densities that it quickly became difficult to find the Pink-eared Ducks again after a few minutes of observing them as they melded among the volume of waterfowl. There were a few bush birds around the hide itself including a Golden-headed Cisticola, Brown Honeyeater, Willie Wagtail and several unseen fairywrens. I was far too busy looking for ducks to pay the usual careful attention to all the bird calls.

Plumed Whistling-Ducks

I made my way around the perimeter of the lake searching among all the whistling-ducks until I saw a small brown blob of feathers with a darkish squat head. The darkish head revealed a pale blue bill confirming it was a male Blue-billed Duck in full breeding plumage. He was joined by two females and they were quietly sitting in the middle of the lake. Being highly aquatic ducks, they remained out in the open water but used artificial barriers within the water as resting spots. The male was highly active and was chasing the females intently. It was also very interesting to watch how they dived for food, contrasting the surface level feeding Pink-eared Ducks do which I had just been watching. Being right at the top of its range in southern Queensland, it was a real privilege to find them here and this is probably the most reliable location for them in the area being such a secretive species.

Blue-billed Duck

After two duck lifers in quick succession, I walked along the road that leads to the lake and spotted a few small furry creatures in one of the horse paddocks; a pair of Brown Hares attempted to keep a low profile by remaining close to the ground. They were very wary but gradually started feeding. I don’t think I will ever get used to seeing hares in Queensland; quite an odd experience no matter the location. Along with regular appearances of Australian Shoveler as well older records of Freckled Duck from 2019, Lake Galletly is a must visit for uncommon water birds that take a preference to more inland water.

Brown Hares

Spoiler: Species Seen

Mammals
European Hare, Lepus europaeus

Birds
Plumed Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna eytoni
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Grey Teal, Anas gracilis
Pink-eared Duck, Malacorhynchus membranaceus
Blue-billed Duck, Oxyura australis
Peaceful Dove, Geopelia placida
Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa
Great Egret, Ardea alba
Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
Australian White Ibis, Threskiornis molucca
Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus
Little Corella, Cacatua sanguinea
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
Willie-wagtail, Rhipidura leucophrys
Golden-headed Cisticola, Cisticola exilis

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 41: Lake Apex Park, Lockyer Valley – 10th December 2022:

The Lake Apex Park is located within the rural town of Gatton, right in the heart of the place. The land mainly comprises of several large water bodies that intersect with more urban-looking parkland but also some patches of grassland, thick water vegetation and more distant open bushland along the furthest corners of the park. It’s a good mix of habitat with a heavy emphasis on the waterbirds along with a smattering of open grassland and bushland birds as well along the trail that follows the water throughout the site. I should also mention that this was a rather spur-of-the-moment visit realising that this location was nearby and I had never visited despite passing it several times over the years.

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The first thing I noticed was sheer volume of waterbirds that were breeding which immediately caught my attention; besides the flocks of Cattle Egrets and Australian White Ibis which I had seen at Lake Galletly, there were large colonies of Great Egrets, Australasian Darters, Little Pied Cormorants and Little Black Cormorants. I saw chicks and fledglings for all of these species but I found the Great Egret chicks particularly impressive to watch. Hundreds and hundreds of large-bodied waterbirds squabbled and balanced on rather precarious looking trees on ‘islands’ further out in the water. The second thing I noticed was the huge flocks of Little Corellas everywhere; almost on every tree.

Little Corella

After appreciating the incredible density of waterbirds and cockatoos at this site, I started doing the lap of the lake and noticed that the majority of the smaller flowering plants and trees (e.g., bottlebrushes) were flooded almost to the canopy level allowing smaller birds to have coverage whilst out on the open water. An Australian Reed-Warbler made a sudden appearance with its noisy fledgling for example. This species can be hit and miss sometimes so it was great to have prolonged views of them. Brown Honeyeaters also remained common throughout as excepted while impressively large flocks of Little Friarbirds moved from flooded tree to tree across the water. Some of the corellas also carefully balanced on the tops of old shorter branches right in the centre of the lake. The best bird seen at Lake Apex was an Oriental Dollarbird that did a quick noisy flyover as I reached the first quarter of the site. I simply can’t get enough of these wonderful birds but rarely get more than a glimpse. The friarbirds continued in healthy numbers and were joined by four Scaly-breasted Lorikeets.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

There was one particular tree that was flourishing with nectar-loving insects. Upon further inspection I could immediately identify 28-Spotted Potato Ladybird, Red-shouldered Lycid Beetle, Punctate Flower Chafer, Brown Flower Beetle, more of the yellow soldier beetles I have been seeing everywhere and a sole vibrant Scarlet Jezebel. These insects were all very visible and great to watch as they actively fed from the flowers. Across towards the water there were the ducks – Australian Wood-Duck, Pacific Black Duck and more of the stately Plumed Whistling-Ducks. I kept a close eye on the breeding colonies of waterbirds just in case a night heron or something similar popped up. No additional ones were seen but I did see an Australian Pelican.

Scarlet Jezebel

A more rugged-looking body of water called Lake Freeman sits opposite the central one with the waterbird colonies and has a much quieter feel with a greater amount of vegetation generally. I spotted here a single Hardhead and three Australasian Grebes. There were long stretches of electric lines which I imagine would frequently make good vantage points for raptors in particular but I just didn’t see any of course.

Australasian Grebe

The kingfishers here were particularly bold and seemed to remained unfazed by humans generally, especially in the grassy pathways that divide the two lakes. Several Sacred Kingfishers perched close by on signage throughout the trail along this quieter stretch of water and it was great to watch them up close. Overall, Lake Apex is a nice little patch of more rural wetlands providing some great opportunities to appreciate a place with a high volume of birds in what seems to be a diverse location. There are some further interesting species that seem to turn up here quite regularly like Cockatiel (September 2022) that makes me want to return another time. It’s also only ten minutes from location 40 above and can be easily done together across a single, very satisfying morning of birding.

Sacred Kingfisher

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Plumed Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna eytoni
Australian Wood-Duck, Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Hardhead, Aythya australis
Australasian Grebe, Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Crested Pigeon, Ocyphaps lophotes
Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa
Australasian Swamphen, Porphyrio melanotus
Little Pied Cormorant, Microcarbo melanoleucos
Little Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Australian Pelican, Pelecanus conspicillatus
Great Egret, Ardea alba
Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus
Oriental Dollarbird, Eurystomus orientalis
Galah, Eolophus roseicapilla
Little Corella, Cacatua sanguinea
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus
Noisy Miner, Manorina melanocephala
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
Little Friarbird, Philemon citreogularis
Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Coracina novaehollandiae
Willie-wagtail, Rhipidura leucophrys
Magpie-lark, Grallina cyanoleuca
Australian Reed-Warbler, Acrocephalus australis

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 42: Kakadu Beach, Bribie Island – 11th December 2022:

Target Species: Beach Stone-Curlew, Red-capped Plover, migratory waders

This location finally represents the first island for this thread. Just under an hour north of Brisbane, Bribie Island is the only island in Queensland that is connected to a land bridge, allowing for a very accessible visit either by car or a bus from Caboolture. Kakadu Beach is a fenced-off sanctuary specifically protected for shorebirds. No visitors are allowed to go on the actual beach and there are two bird hides on either end of the beach which is as close as you can get. A path goes behind the beach area through dense vegetation with mainly banksias. The pathway is right along a block of houses so some residents would be able to see the migratory waders from their balconies. The near-threatened Beach Stone-Curlew (Esacus magnirostris) was my number one bird to see and is my main 2022 bird target for south-east Queensland. I have been trying to visit the island just for them but rain has forced rescheduling many times. Today was the day and I was very keen to see these very impressive shorebirds.

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I initially started my morning at Buckley’s Hole but that was a big mistake; far too many dogs unleashed on the beach and I saw very few notable birds. I went to the nearby lagoon and bird hide, and again, there were more dogs. My recommendation to anyone visiting this specific location is to go during a weekday. In fact, the best bird here was seen on the way out as it’s often the case. A Pheasant Coucal in breeding plumage was foraging in the grass near a fence line of houses. This species was seemingly common throughout so I was able to really take my time watching them unlike the usual brief glimpses of these crashing into the undergrowth. I saw five coucals across the island with all of them being found in suburban areas. The locals of Bribie are very lucky to have them so close and visible. These coucals are definitely one of my personal favourites.

Pheasant Coucal

Onto Kakadu Beach which is about ten minutes from Buckley’s Hole. This site was smaller than expected but was really easy to navigate around and it was a matter of juggling the two bird hides on either end of the beach, following the movement of the shorebirds for whatever provided the best viewing. Something important to note about Kakadu Beach is to visit when it’s high tide (usually around 10am) as it pushes the birds onto the beach otherwise they would be feeding at different sites throughout Moreton Bay. I started searching for birds around the bushier pathway that runs along the beach and immediately saw lots of Little Wattlebirds and Noisy Friarbirds. They were feeding on the large banksias and were very vocal as they fiercely maintained their little territories. The wattlebirds still haven’t lost their novelty for me in particular as birds that are rarely found within the city of Brisbane and that seem to prefer these coastal habitats. I also spotted a Buff-banded Rail which sometimes venture down to the beach in search for crabs.

Little Wattlebird

As I continued watching both sides of the path, I ensured I carefully checked the vegetation along the beach side for the curlews and was thrilled to spot a single Beach Stone-Curlew resting. This species was slightly larger than I was expecting and are incredibly impressive creatures. They overall have a much more uniform plumage compared to the locally commoner Bush Stone-Curlews but what immediately grabs your attention is the massive bill with the yellow base and the boldly-patterned wing markings.

Beach Stone-Curlew

I keenly watched the stone-curlew as it made its way down to the sand where I could get a clearer view of its fascinating movement and size in comparison to the nearby Australian Pied Oystercatchers and a single Caspian Tern. The oystercatchers had recently raised chicks on the beach and as the stone-curlew approached the oystercatchers drove the curlew back into the vegetation.

Beach Stone-Curlew

Bang on 10am, a flock of five Far Eastern Curlews joined the oystercatchers and curlew. I suddenly spotted what I initially thought was a Double-barred Finch among them with a whitish complexion and well-defined head markings. The binoculars revealed it was an adult male Red-capped Plover. No wonder I hadn’t seen one before – these birds are insanely small and thankfully the white sand made the rufous-red crown pop as the little plover followed the comparatively ginormous curlews. It would be much easier to see this species here on the beach rather than a freshwater wetland where they can also be found. I soon realised I hadn’t properly scanned a patch of sand for equally small plovers and retraced my steps to a patch of the beach visible from the banksias. My binoculars quickly revealed ten Lesser Sand Plovers that would have been near impossible to see with the naked eye. It was very useful to have a Red-capped Plover still in view when identifying them and I did double check what they actually were, considering Greater Lesser-Plovers are also recorded here. Daintier bills and a generally smaller size were good indications.

Far Eastern Curlews

After a while watching all the curlews and plovers, every ten minutes or so flocks of Bar-tailed Godwits flew in joining the existing shorebirds – hundreds and hundreds of birds ended up on this tiny stretch of beach. I was quick to also see more whitish birds with black shorter bills – definitely some Great Knots and then ones that had features (shorter bill, different streaking on flanks) that matched Red Knot. Both species were later confirmed as well like the sand-plovers. The waders continued coming in great numbers and completed incredible aerial displays, doing laps of the beaches whenever a new flock arrived.

Bar-tailed Godwits (with a bonus knot and seagulls)

Kakadu Beach has to be one of the premier birding sites for waders and it's amazing to think how simply fencing off a portion of beach close to the island’s suburbs can assist to sustain such diversity. I ticked off a total of five lifers in two hours – Beach Stone-Curlew, Lesser Sand-Plover, Red-capped Plover, Red Knot and Great Knot – finally delving deeper into the shorebirds further. The glorious little male Red-capped Plover I discussed earlier is fittingly bird number 200 for my total list of wild birds. With several upcoming trips out of south-east Queensland to supplement all of the local birding coming up let’s hope the journey to 300 doesn’t take as long.

Incoming Waders

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis
Beach Stone-Curlew Esacus magnirostris
Australian Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris
Lesser Sand-Plover Charadrius mongolus
Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus
Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris
Red Knot Calidris canutus
Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus

Reptiles
Eastern Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The Bauble Bee – 25th December 2022:

While doing some maintenance in the garden this afternoon I came across a lovely little Christmas present perched on an exposed branch. The creature was very still and upon further inspection it was a Neon Cuckoo-Bee with its metallic blue sheen that catches the eye brilliantly in the afternoon light. This species is parasitic and seeks out the burrow nests with unsealed brood cells of Blue-banded Bees to deposit their egg. The Blue-banded Bees are a bit larger than the cuckoo-bees but are generally common in most Brisbane backyards with good leaf coverage and well-established gardens. While they are generally solitary the females do come together for communal nest building. This of course is when the cuckoo-bees strike and it was a matter of time until I saw these little bejeweled beasties.

On the topic of bees, I swear I’ve seen a Teddy Bear Bee Amegilla bombiformis around which has the best common name ever! It’s hard to pinpoint an accurate identification as they are essentially big golden furry balls that hover and dart rapidly in a similar manner to all the Blue-banded Bees which are quite variable. I will keep a closer eye out for them. The resident Fire-tailed Resin Bee is now seen daily as it has an established nest in a wooden burrow. Thought I’d just share this little bee interlude between locations. Over the next week, I have a few additional places to tick off before the year is done. 2023 is set to be the biggest year yet for this thread.

Neon Cuckoo Bee

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 43: Walter Zimmerman Park, Ipswich – 10th January 2023:

The Walter Zimmerman Park is located in the Ipswich region, west of Brisbane. It’s a small patch of dry eucalypt forest with some sections of moister vegetation providing the opportunities for some rainforest birds as well. Flowing through the reserve is a small creek that is part of the upper catchment of Iron Pot Creek. This creek runs through the northern suburbs of Ipswich before joining to the larger Bremer River. The reserve is surrounded by large rural houses but is also connected to the wider Brisbane Valley Rail Trail being an old railway line that was built between 1884 and 1913. It’s no longer in use of course but provides some open tracks in between the dry forest, improving visibility overall. There are some decent records for this humble reserve like Speckled Warbler, Square-tailed Kite and Dusky Woodswallow. But it should be pointed out that most of these records are at least two years old.

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The first creature I came across was incredibly exciting to see – the Christmas Beetle is part of a group of iridescent large scarab Anoplognathus beetles that have recently received widespread media attention due to a marked drop in numbers in their overall populations. As the harbingers of the festive season, traditionally these beetles are a staple around summer time in large numbers in Australian backyards but they are now part of a widespread study to see if these anecdotal discussions about ‘where have the Christmas Beetles gone?’ holds truth. There is one story that makes the rounds that there once were so many Christmas Beetles in Sydney Harbour that the trees bent under the weight into the water in the 1920s and there are several records of Queensland rural towns becoming inundated with them throughout the 20th century. I can say for certain it has been several years since I’d seen one so I was thrilled. Unfortunately I cannot add it to my personal list as it was deceased but I have still submitted my sighting to the project run by the University of Sydney through iNaturalist. Another festive-themed invert was nearby and I couldn’t believe that I was finally laying my eyes on what has to be one of the prettiest Australian spiders – the Christmas Jewel Spider is a compact bedazzling species with spine-like projections. They are at there most common through the summer period and these richly-coloured spiders were found throughout the bushland here. What a delight to see.

Christmas Beetle

When I am talking about inverts so much, it’s a good indicator that the birds were few and far in between; there were several Laughing Kookaburras announcing their noisy presence. I also heard several kingfishers throughout but didn’t seen much besides several cockatoos – Long-billed Corellas, Little Corellas, Galahs and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos making regular aerial displays over the bushland which broke up the searching nicely. The Long-billed Corellas were particularly nice to see as being far less common than the Little Corellas. As I made my way out to the opener valley trail, I was rapt to find that Australian Painted Ladies were common throughout the bushland and very showy in the rapidly heating sun. Their close relatives – the Meadow Argus – are the staple orange butterfly across most grassland but I was so glad to find them here. I’d only seen this butterfly species once before struggling in the beak of a bee-eater.

Australian Painted Lady

Along the valley trail were several paddocks with some plots of farmland with a few White-browed Scrubwrens deep in the thicket. There were lots of fairywrens – both Variegated and Red-backed Fairywrens – with large family groups flitting about around the wire fencing that separated the trail. It was great to see so many Variegated Fairywrens out in the open farmland as a traditionally shy and retreating species. A juvenile Oriental Dollarbird was a neat find as well; a more muted shade of greyish green with a darkish bill as opposed to the bright red one the adults have.

Variegated Fairywren

The best find of the day however was a bucket list butterfly species. I distinctly remember visiting the Queensland Museum as a kid when they had a big dusty case filled with old Australian butterflies. Ignoring the big swallowtails, one of the smallest species caught my eye and the striking blue and white patten of the Small Green-banded Blue has never left me. I suddenly spotted that classic bold blue and white flash perched high above. The butterfly fortunately fluttered down and I snapped a single photo of my most-wanted local butterfly species. There were some fantastic inverts here.

Small Green-banded Blue

Overall the Walter Zimmerman Park was smaller than expected and I saw less than I was hoping but still enjoyed this little slice of what the locations west of Brisbane have to offer. A small little taster before I start with some of the bigger locations. The new butterfly and spider made the trip worth it and it’s these mini locations that add to the overall experience generally. Wildlife watching is a piecemeal, slow process and I’ll get what I can take in bits and pieces.

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae
Oriental Dollarbird, Eurystomus orientalis
Long-billed Corella, Cacatua tenuirostris
Little Corella, Cacatua sanguinea
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita
Galah, Eolophus roseicapilla
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Grey Butcherbird, Cracticus torquatus
Torresian Crow, Corvus orru
White-browed Scrubwren, Sericornis frontalis
Variegated Fairywren, Malurus lamberti
Red-backed Fairywren, Malurus melanocephalus

Notable Invertebrates
Christmas Jewel Spider, Austracantha minax
Small Green-banded Blue, Psychonotis caelius
Australian Painted Lady, Vanessa kershawi
Common Brown Ringlet, Hypocysta metirius
Christmas Beetle, Anoplognathus sp. [deceased animal]

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The Chainsaw of the Rainforest – Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, Sunshine Coast – 12th January 2023:

Target Species: Noisy Pitta, Paradise Riflebird, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove

One of my goals for this year is to tick off the final three of the ‘rainforest six’ – Noisy Pitta, Paradise Riflebird and Rose-crowned Fruit Dove. While I enjoy the challenge I must say, it’s getting slightly annoying now as I have ventured into several south-east Queensland rainforests where they are found (several more times than I mention on this thread) but just have not seen them. Lamington National Park will be the last resort but I want to exhaust these closer options first. I’ve heard the pitta nice and clearly on two occasions now but not a peep from the other two. Rainforest birding is hard but I am determined to get more comfortable with it and I am certainly picking up more species the more I visit. The senses are heightened in such a dynamic space; you start hooking onto the sounds of movement and getting a rough idea what’s in the general vicinity based on its volume. Bird calls can help but honestly the sound of movement in the trees and the forest floor are more important to pinpoint here I feel in such an expansive space.

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

The small stretch of forest before the visitor centre and official entrance into the rainforest is always worth a look. There is a raised boardwalk that passes through a dedicated garden for wild Richmond Birdwings and its almost guaranteed in the warmer months to get a good look at this threatened species. I got a few up-close looks of some females but no sign of the green males. The dense undergrowth is home to flocks of Brown Gerygones that are here in large numbers. In fact, they are probably the most numerous bird here and are easy to find. There was a noisy pair of White-browed Scrubwrens in the undergrowth as well with the first of several different pairs of Eastern Whipbirds turning up the leaf litter for bugs. Loud, heavy thuds in the leaves indicated the first of several Red-legged Pademelons. There were many females with very young joeys and some of the adults were in large feeding mobs across the forest floor. There were a few noisy scuffles among them the deeper you got into the forest and as their numbers increased.

Red-legged Pademelon

Into the actual rainforest, the sights and sounds appeared in quick succession. Several Pale-Yellow Robins including young birds were abundant in the first stretch of the forest. They are pretty bold here and get extremely close, often perching obligingly on the large logs. Their brighter cousins, Eastern Yellow Robins were common as well but unusually took a tad longer to find. The dominant ground bird here is definitely the colourful Yellow-throated Scrubwren. A striking little bird but one that is difficult to photograph as they are always moving. There were several young ones begging for food. All the robins, scrubwrens and Russet-tailed Thrushes made way for the best find of the day. I clued onto several coos coming from the canopy and then actually found the birds high on an exposed branch. They didn’t have the orange underparts of the Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove – the diagnostic feature for this species - but were still a very compact dove. A quick look through the binos revealed a pair of Pacific Emerald Doves. A volunteer at the centre was telling me that the staff had been trying to find them but they were proving difficult to find. An uncommon species for Mary Cairncross.

Pale-Yellow Robin

Hoping my luck would continue on an upwards trend, I continued past some very impressive wonga vines and found a Rufous Fantail on a nest. I quickly and quietly walked past to find large flocks of Large-billed Scrubwrens close to the ground. The olivey-green sheen coming off several of the young robins almost gave the gist of a pitta at first glance but none were seen here. A Laughing Kookaburra was busily breaking up a rotting log for skinks when a couple walked by.

“Did you see the riflebirds mate? They have been hanging around this week.”, one knowingly said in passing.

*a sudden raspy riflebird call directly above me*

I’ve memorized the riflebird call. I searched and searched every visible branch. I could hear they were in the area as their chainsaw-like calls filled the canopy as the anticipation grew. I locked onto movement and looked up with the binoculars; a Pied Currawong which has a similar shade of colouration to the male riflebirds. The riflebirds were simply not in view or were extremely well-hidden. The currawong certainly didn’t help either. Aargh. A bit later on the trail I caught sight of three black figures with a metallic sheen behind a palm frond. Where these male riflebirds? Nope, three Spangled Drongos including two dependent fledglings which I must say was an odd sight in a rainforest but apparently they do occur here. There seemed to be a few more open clearings in the second half of the trail than usual; recent storms must have brought down some of the giant trees. These open patches are really where the magic happens I find with clearer visibility as a relief from the damp, dark rainforest. There were several Black-faced Monarchs and I spotted one very close to the trail. It suddenly hopped onto a mossy nest and sat quietly melding into the lush landscape. I didn’t realise it was sitting on a nest until I looked at my photos; in person it looked like it was just hiding behind some leaves. It must be a fantastic season for monarchs; they have been popping up at most of the larger locations.

Black-faced Monarch on nest

The common smaller birds continued in numbers I hadn’t seen before at Mary Cairncross; a large wave added a Golden Whistler to the mix which could be easy to miss among all the robins. The harsh but comical echoes in the canopy revealed a pair of Green Catbirds feeding. It simply wouldn't be a trip to a south-east Queensland rainforest without a catbird. Splendid birds. It got me thinking that I always find that Maiala is a much stronger and reliable location for Satin Bowerbirds; I’ve never seen one here at Mary Cairncross before. It doesn’t mean they are not here it’s just at Maiala they are everywhere in the picnic grounds along with the occasional Regent Bowerbird.

Golden Whistler

The Piccabeen Palms were in fruit meaning there were the larger fruit-doves as well; oddly not a single Wompoo seen but several passing flocks of the underrated Brown Cuckoo-Doves. The cuckoo-doves were in healthy numbers and there were lots of nests throughout as well; their population here is always strong. I always like their iridescent pinky-green colouration on their nape. Only found on the males according to a few bird books. These birds are also much more gracile in flight with their streamer-like tail than expected.

Brown Cuckoo-Dove

Mary Cairncross always delivers something unexpected and I will be visiting this location much more frequently across the year. I saw lots of great rainforest birds to tick off early in the year and at least heard the riflebird, giving me a better chance next time if I am optimistic. But in short, the only riflebirds I saw were in the playground – a nice little painting of a pair with a displaying male that always ‘teases’ me when I am there, on my way in and on my way out. The quest continues.

Paradise Riflebird artwork on playground

 

[animal_expert01]

The Chainsaw of the Rainforest – Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, Sunshine Coast – 12th January 2023:

Target Species: Noisy Pitta, Paradise Riflebird, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove

One of my goals for this year is to tick off the final three of the ‘rainforest six’ – Noisy Pitta, Paradise Riflebird and Rose-crowned Fruit Dove. While I enjoy the challenge I must say, it’s getting slightly annoying now as I have ventured into several south-east Queensland rainforests where they are found (several more times than I mention on this thread) but just have not seen them. Lamington National Park will be the last resort but I want to exhaust these closer options first. I’ve heard the pitta nice and clearly on two occasions now but not a peep from the other two. Rainforest birding is hard but I am determined to get more comfortable with it and I am certainly picking up more species the more I visit. The senses are heightened in such a dynamic space; you start hooking onto the sounds of movement and getting a rough idea what’s in the general vicinity based on its volume. Bird calls can help but honestly the sound of movement in the trees and the forest floor are more important to pinpoint here I feel in such an expansive space.

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

The small stretch of forest before the visitor centre and official entrance into the rainforest is always worth a look. There is a raised boardwalk that passes through a dedicated garden for wild Richmond Birdwings and its almost guaranteed in the warmer months to get a good look at this threatened species. I got a few up-close looks of some females but no sign of the green males. The dense undergrowth is home to flocks of Brown Gerygones that are here in large numbers. In fact, they are probably the most numerous bird here and are easy to find. There was a noisy pair of White-browed Scrubwrens in the undergrowth as well with the first of several different pairs of Eastern Whipbirds turning up the leaf litter for bugs. Loud, heavy thuds in the leaves indicated the first of several Red-legged Pademelons. There were many females with very young joeys and some of the adults were in large feeding mobs across the forest floor. There were a few noisy scuffles among them the deeper you got into the forest and as their numbers increased.

Red-legged Pademelon

Into the actual rainforest, the sights and sounds appeared in quick succession. Several Pale-Yellow Robins including young birds were abundant in the first stretch of the forest. They are pretty bold here and get extremely close, often perching obligingly on the large logs. Their brighter cousins, Eastern Yellow Robins were common as well but unusually took a tad longer to find. The dominant ground bird here is definitely the colourful Yellow-throated Scrubwren. A striking little bird but one that is difficult to photograph as they are always moving. There were several young ones begging for food. All the robins, scrubwrens and Russet-tailed Thrushes made way for the best find of the day. I clued onto several coos coming from the canopy and then actually found the birds high on an exposed branch. They didn’t have the orange underparts of the Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove – the diagnostic feature for this species - but were still a very compact dove. A quick look through the binos revealed a pair of Pacific Emerald Doves. A volunteer at the centre was telling me that the staff had been trying to find them but they were proving difficult to find. An uncommon species for Mary Cairncross.

Pale-Yellow Robin

Hoping my luck would continue on an upwards trend, I continued past some very impressive wonga vines and found a Rufous Fantail on a nest. I quickly and quietly walked past to find large flocks of Large-billed Scrubwrens close to the ground. The olivey-green sheen coming off several of the young robins almost gave the gist of a pitta at first glance but none were seen here. A Laughing Kookaburra was busily breaking up a rotting log for skinks when a couple walked by.

“Did you see the riflebirds mate? They have been hanging around this week.”, one knowingly said in passing.

*a sudden raspy riflebird call directly above me*

I’ve memorized the riflebird call. I searched and searched every visible branch. I could hear they were in the area as their chainsaw-like calls filled the canopy as the anticipation grew. I locked onto movement and looked up with the binoculars; a Pied Currawong which has a similar shade of colouration to the male riflebirds. The riflebirds were simply not in view or were extremely well-hidden. The currawong certainly didn’t help either. Aargh. A bit later on the trail I caught sight of three black figures with a metallic sheen behind a palm frond. Where these male riflebirds? Nope, three Spangled Drongos including two dependent fledglings which I must say was an odd sight in a rainforest but apparently they do occur here. There seemed to be a few more open clearings in the second half of the trail than usual; recent storms must have brought down some of the giant trees. These open patches are really where the magic happens I find with clearer visibility as a relief from the damp, dark rainforest. There were several Black-faced Monarchs and I spotted one very close to the trail. It suddenly hopped onto a mossy nest and sat quietly melding into the lush landscape. I didn’t realise it was sitting on a nest until I looked at my photos; in person it looked like it was just hiding behind some leaves. It must be a fantastic season for monarchs; they have been popping up at most of the larger locations.

Black-faced Monarch on nest

The common smaller birds continued in numbers I hadn’t seen before at Mary Cairncross; a large wave added a Golden Whistler to the mix which could be easy to miss among all the robins. The harsh but comical echoes in the canopy revealed a pair of Green Catbirds feeding. It simply wouldn't be a trip to a south-east Queensland rainforest without a catbird. Splendid birds. It got me thinking that I always find that Maiala is a much stronger and reliable location for Satin Bowerbirds; I’ve never seen one here at Mary Cairncross before. It doesn’t mean they are not here it’s just at Maiala they are everywhere in the picnic grounds along with the occasional Regent Bowerbird.

Golden Whistler

The Piccabeen Palms were in fruit meaning there were the larger fruit-doves as well; oddly not a single Wompoo seen but several passing flocks of the underrated Brown Cuckoo-Doves. The cuckoo-doves were in healthy numbers and there were lots of nests throughout as well; their population here is always strong. I always like their iridescent pinky-green colouration on their nape. Only found on the males according to a few bird books. These birds are also much more gracile in flight with their streamer-like tail than expected.

Brown Cuckoo-Dove

Mary Cairncross always delivers something unexpected and I will be visiting this location much more frequently across the year. I saw lots of great rainforest birds to tick off early in the year and at least heard the riflebird, giving me a better chance next time if I am optimistic. But in short, the only riflebirds I saw were in the playground – a nice little painting of a pair with a displaying male that always ‘teases’ me when I am there, on my way in and on my way out. The quest continues.

Paradise Riflebird artwork on playground

I’ve only seen paradise riflebird at Mary Cairncross once from countless visits. When I did see them all I managed was several fleeting glimpses of black and brown shapes through small gaps in the foliage very high up in the canopy as the male chased the female around, with only one of the birds ever actually being fully exposed which was for less than a second. From my experience it would be impossible to see them through binoculars, (unless of course you happen upon a displaying male/and or female watching him).

Asking the staff at the desk are normally your best bet for finding wildlife there (although you probably already know that), with staff there having shown me a rough-scaled snake that had been basking all day in the same spot and a nesting woompoo pigeon. One staff member told me he had volunteered there for many years before he saw a riflebird, (although, when he did see one, it was a male displaying on a branch across the small pond directly outside the large window beside the door that enters the park from the information centre).

One staff member also once told me the staff at the park rescued a coxen’s fig parrot that become injured after flying into the glass of the information centre, and then later rereleased it at the park, but I’m not sure how true that is likely to be.

Loving this thread, and goodluck with your search for the riflebird.

 

[OskarGC]

I’ve only seen paradise riflebird at Mary Cairncross once from countless visits. When I did see them all I managed was several fleeting glimpses of black and brown shapes through small gaps in the foliage very high up in the canopy as the male chased the female around, with only one of the birds ever actually being fully exposed which was for less than a second. From my experience it would be impossible to see them through binoculars, (unless of course you happen upon a displaying male/and or female watching him).

Asking the staff at the desk are normally your best bet for finding wildlife there (although you probably already know that), with staff there having shown me a rough-scaled snake that had been basking all day in the same spot and a nesting woompoo pigeon. One staff member told me he had volunteered there for many years before he saw a riflebird, (although, when he did see one, it was a male displaying on a branch across the small pond directly outside the large window beside the door that enters the park from the information centre).

One staff member also once told me the staff at the park rescued a coxen’s fig parrot that become injured after flying into the glass of the information centre, and then later rereleased it at the park, but I’m not sure how true that is likely to be.

Loving this thread, and goodluck with your search for the riflebird.

a Coxen's Fig-Parrot

 

[Chlidonias]

One of my goals for this year is to tick off the final three of the ‘rainforest six’ – Noisy Pitta, Paradise Riflebird and Rose-crowned Fruit Dove. While I enjoy the challenge I must say, it’s getting slightly annoying now as I have ventured into several south-east Queensland rainforests where they are found (several more times than I mention on this thread) but just have not seen them. Lamington National Park will be the last resort but I want to exhaust these closer options first.

I found the Riflebirds easy enough at Lamington (back in 2008). When they fly they sound like Japanese fans rustling.

Also I found Albert's Lyrebirds to be very easy to see every day I was there - but someone else I know found them extremely difficult so I guess down to luck or maybe time of year.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 44: Egernia Circuit [D’Aguilar National Park], Mt Nebo – 21st January 2023:

What I love about D’Aguilar National Park is that variety of habitat found across the site – from open dry forest right up to established dense subtropical rainforest upland. I’d put the comparatively small Egernia Track somewhere in between as a ‘transition zone’ between closed-canopy subtropical rainforest and eucalypt bushland. It has the best of both worlds here and is attached to the greater Jolly’s Lookout providing views out to the ocean and the nearby larger Thylogale Track which will be covered in a later post. The Egernia Circuit is a small loop, about 1.5 kilometres in length. The track winds pasts towering bunya pines and descends into the deep and dark forest floor with dense ferns through a narrow and overgrown trail.

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

I initially first went up to Jolly’s Lookout which provides an incredible view over the majority of the area – a patchwork of bushland and farmland across the region out towards Moreton Bay. From such an elevation I was able to spot some of the previous locations from here like the large Lake Samsonvale (location 17) and the mountain ranges that contain Maiala (location 5) across towards Mount Glorious. The lookout has historical value as well as it was in fact the first piece of the puzzle for this national park – having gained protected status since 1938. Around the lookout platform towards the bushland that envelops the landscape, there was a big rustle in the denser parts and out emerged a pair of Bush Stone-Curlews. The curlews froze out in the open and I then searched through some of the bush around the perimeter – a sole Lewin’s Honeyeater was spotted feeding and large flocks of Brown Thornbills surrounded the site as the most populous bird here. A White-throated Treecreeper was hopping from tree to tree out in the open of the picnic grounds near the lookout as well.

Bush Stone-Curlews

Down the hill towards the entrance of the Egernia Circuit it was markedly wetter and denser. At times the trail had several sets of mossy stairs that travelled deeper into the bush until you were right in the heart of rainforest with dappled light. The first animal I came across was a stunner – an Orange Ground Assassin Bug caught my eye immediately on one of the eucalypts near the entry pathway. It was an eye-catching animal and one that had the bright characteristic warning colours. The grasses of the forest were filled with Common Brown Ringlets as the staple butterfly species found here.

Orange Ground Assassin Bug

The birds continued in dribs and drabs throughout the forest. Visibility was difficult as often the path was surrounded by very dense vegetation, enclosing your view of the canopy with thick scrub. There was a classic mix of wet forest birds here with lots of the chirpy little thornbills, larger Lewin’s Honeyeaters and silent pairs of Variegated Fairywrens. They remained higher up in the mid-canopy and didn’t enter into the undergrowth. The trail moved through bunya pine territory with open patches of light into the wet leaf litter. I hear an explosion of sound of a large-bodied creature as I made a turn revealing a Lace Monitor in the area. It didn’t immediately bolt off the path and remain in full view for a good minute. The large lizard then slowly walked into the undergrowth and quickly disappeared into the dense thicket.

Lace Monitor

There was a big congregation of birds right at the end of a set of stairs. I ensured I got a good look from a distance before I approached – there was a pair of Brown Gerygones high above, several active fantails – both Grey and later Rufous Fantails, a White-browed Scrubwren and at least three Eastern Whipbirds rummaging in the leaf litter for insects. The scrubwren stuck around as I passed by, remaining relatively still on a mossy log.

White-browed Scrubwren

A huge creature was descending down a tree trunk right behind the entrance area on my way out. I initially thought it was some type of monitor or large skink but upon further inspection, it was definitely an invert and a pretty special one. Reaching a maximum length of just under 30 centimetres, the Titan Stick Insect is a large lanky beast indeed. As Australia’s second longest stick insect, it was such a stunning creature with longs legs that sprawled outwards at all angles as it clambered down. It was seemingly escaping a group of very large ants so was moving at high speed for a stick insect and I was unable to get a really clear photo. A fantastic way to end the loop. These small pockets of forest via the circuits and trails provide glimpses into the larger national park presenting a small snapshot of its greater diversity time and time again. The Egernia Circuit can also be combined with several sites along the journey hopping from one site to the next (e.g. Camp Mountain, Bellbird Grove).

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Bush Stone-Curlew, Burhinus grallarius
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita
Olive-backed Oriole, Oriolus sagittatus
Spangled Drongo, Dicrurus bracteatus
Brown Thornbill, Acanthiza pusilla
Lewin’s Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Eastern Whipbird, Psophodes olivaceus
Grey Fantail, Rhipidura albiscapa
Rufous Fantail, Rhipidura rufifrons
White-browed Scrubwren, Sericornis frontalis
Brown Gerygone, Gerygone mouki
White-throated Treecreeper, Cormobates leucophaea
Variegated Fairywren, Malurus lamberti

Reptiles
Lace Monitor, Varanus varius

Notable Invertebrates
Yellow-striped Flutterer, Rhyothemis phyllis
Titan Stick Insect, Acrophylla titan
Orange Ground Assassin Bug, Ectomocoris patricius
Common Brown Ringlet, Hypocysta metirius
Split-faced Silver Spider, Argyrodes fissifrons

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The Mangrove Moth Owl – Wynnum Mangrove Boardwalk – 22nd January 2023:

Target Species: Australian Owlet-Nightjar

It’s time to delve back into the mangrove forests for the year and this time we have a mighty little species to tick off the list. The Australian Owlet-Nightjar, Aegotheles cristatus is one of my local must-see species. They aren’t particularly rare but are difficult to see and locate reliably. Despite being recorded there for many years now, recently a particular owlet-nightjar at Wynnum Boardwalk has been gaining an almost celebrity status among the Brisbane birding community. This little bird has been attracting a great deal of attention at a site that is accessible and allows for good views from a distance at its resident hollow. I decided to let the excitement around this owlet-nightjar settle down a bit before I go and try to see it but have been keeping a close eye on the records. Today was the day to finally give this target species a proper go.

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

I started at Wynnum along the stretch of grassland and mangroves that runs towards the main bird hide. For those not familiar with Brisbane’s summer weather, it gets hot very quickly in the morning and by 8am it felt like midday. The birds were still here in healthy numbers in the full sun and the first species spotted were the Tawny Grassbirds launching themselves above the humid grasslands in noisy sudden bursts. There were small groups of Superb and Red-backed Fairywrens in some of the densest bushes, away from the full sun. Further towards the bird hide was where the large waves of birds were found in the mangroves that fringe the horizon. A pair of noisy birds caught my eye in the highest corner of one of the mangroves; they were quickly confirmed as a pair of Mangrove Honeyeaters. The honeyeaters eventually hopped down surprisingly coming closer as they gleaned for insects. I rarely get to photograph this lovely species so I relished the opportunity to get a closer look.

Mangrove Honeyeater

The large wave had an assortment of species – Mangrove Gerygones, Silvereyes and Grey Fantails were identified among the mix. The mangroves towered over an influx of seawater that had come in as it was high tide. It almost completely engulfed parts of the boardwalk. The advantage of this was that it brought some fantastic species that would traditionally need to be seen well by boat but more on those creatures later. As I searched for the resident group of babblers (which I didn’t see on this visit), I passed a few birdwatchers saying they hadn’t managed to see the owlet-nightjar in the early hours of the morning. Unperturbed I continued onto the boardwalk.

Mangrove Gerygone

Walking through the mangrove boardwalk, there were lots of Dark Bar-sided Skinks that were clambering up the sides of the mangrove trunks. I did try to search for the resident population of Tree Skinks that can be found here but no sign of them despite some very recent records here. I didn’t really know where this owlet-nightjar had taken residence so I was actively checking every tree hollow I came across before I suddenly spotted a photographer at the end of the first part of the boardwalk before a turn. Seeing my camera and binoculars, he gave me a thumbs up and a gesture to approach. I quietly crept up to the site he was at and we both shared our muted excitement at the local celebrity - the Australian Owlet-Nightjar was in full view and had only just popped up out of its hollow. I was in luck! The first two things that strike you about these birds is how small they actually are and how well-camouflaged they can be among the bark and deep hollows. The owlet-nightjar remained very still, surveying its surroundings.

Owlet-nightjar hollow

Australian Owlet-Nightjar

A large body moved through the water nearby underneath the boardwalk. It was a sizeable creature but I didn’t get a good look so I waited patiently while I watch the owlet-nightjar. It materialised once again among the submerged mangrove roots and I was able to get a confident identification – a Giant Shovelnose Ray! As I’d only ever seen this species in dark, dimly-lit aquariums, it felt very different to see one of these shovelnose rays out in the open, in the sunlight from above. The shovelnose ray did not stick around and travelled out to the open ocean swiftly. I then moved on to the main viewing area out towards the Moreton Bay that marks the rough halfway point. The waves revealed yet another surprise. A large breath of air erupted out of the waves and two reddish creatures emerged momentarily – a pair of Green Turtles were actively swimming among the mangroves. The sea turtles disappeared but after a while they delightfully came to surface again for a split second. I took some terrible reference shots of both the turtles and ray to capture these memories. The shovelnose ray and turtles were wild lifers so I was simply thrilled to see such captivating species in close proximity.

The second half of the boardwalk was completely submerged by water so it was blocked off. This second part is usually where I find the Pale-headed Rosellas and Torresian Kingfishers but there are always other opportunities to find them. I retraced my steps back towards the owlet-nightjar and it was still out in the open, snug in its hollow. It did a few head turns, locking its deep dark widening eyes onto a few noisy joggers as they bounded past. I was simply in awe of such a creature. Overall, it was a great trip to Wynnum overall with the turtles, shovelnose ray and owlet-nightjar as the obvious highlights. Some waders would have been nice if low tide had been around but the three lifers seen today was a definite highpoint for the year so far.

Australian Owlet-Nightjar.