That's cool. Owlet-Nightjar is probably my most-wanted Australian bird.
Exploring What’s on my Doorstep: WhistlingKite24 does South-east Queensland
- Thread starter WhistlingKite24
- Start date
heard it lots seen it only a few times.
Location 45: Samford Eco-Corridor, Moreton Bay - 28th January 2023:
The Samford Eco-Corridor is a relatively new location on the scene. In 2013 a project commenced to restore the habitat around the banks of the South Pine River through the creation of a corridor to re-establish biodiversity to the area. The corridor further connects to other stretches of riparian habitat in the area. There are a very dedicated and active group of volunteers that consistently work to manage and grow the area. In 2019 for example they launched a project to bring back the Richmond Birdwing into the area – a species that still has a very fragmented range that rarely travel out of their elevated subtropical forests in the north and south of Brisbane. The corridor links from Woodford to Samford to attempt to attract female butterflies from the isolated Sunshine Coast population to start spreading down towards the area. Let’s hope it will soon encounter some success and sightings are recorded. Bird surveys run by volunteer groups often reveal almost 70 species in the single outing including some occasional rainforest species that travel down from the nearby Mount Glorious if you’re particularly lucky. If you’re even luckier, platypus can also be found at this location. The volunteers also offer free wildlife tours if interested as well. It’s clearly a must location for this thread.
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I start this by saying it was hot today and it got hot very early despite arriving at around 6am so I felt I didn’t get the full experience from this location. The site itself is located right behind a set of tennis courts near the main parking space. There is a large eco-corridor sign right at the front of the area and all the pathways are grass that travel through quite dense remnant forest with a small well-hidden creek tucked past a stretch of grassland. As I walked towards the trees, I spotted a Spangled Drongo calling harshly as it travelled through the thick upper canopy. There was a lot of bird calls – rosellas, various honeyeaters, robins and fantails – but most were difficult to see. A pair of White-browed Scrubwrens were easily seen however collecting nest material so it seemed in the dense grasses that run along the path. Fairywrens were common as they usually are in this habitat – both Red-backed and Superb Fairywrens were spotted among the scrubwrens.
Spangled Drongo
There were some very large bird waves that were feeding in the morning light; large flocks of Silvereyes were the most common species but a closer look revealed my first Rufous Shrike-thrush of the year. I really am quite fond of this species in particular; the pale bill pops against its deep rufous plumage. The shrike-thrush was later joined by a Grey Fantail and continuing groups of Australasian Figbirds. Whipbird calls filled the undergrowth as did a few robins that remained very well-hidden. On a clear winter’s day when the birds would be more visible without the current heat, it would be quite the place to explore. Looking at this wet forest habitat and the diversity of native plantings, it becomes apparent how fruit-doves and now bowerbirds are starting to be recorded here as of late. The fairywrens came and went and there were some that were completely out in the open.
Red-backed Fairywren
The habitat gets drier as you approach the outer corridors that link to more suburban pathways. There are silvereyes here but also Brown Thornbills that hop through the trees along with the commoner Brown Honeyeaters that loudly declared their presence as well. Down towards the creek you descend slightly into a shady viewing area with small flocks of Bar-shouldered and Peaceful Doves drinking at the pools of water. Not a single introduced Spotted Dove in sight. The Peaceful Doves were particularly great to see as a species that is uncommon in sites around Brisbane; these doves are much more plentiful and visible in the Sunshine Coast region to the north. The creek is also a known spot for Azure Kingfisher but I seem to have the worst luck with this species so I of course didn’t see it.
Brown Thornbill
Finishing off the loop of the corridor, the two-metre-tall grasses travelled past some small farm properties up towards the community hall. There were several flocks of Lewin’s Honeyeaters here in good numbers as they fed from above. A pair of Double-barred Finches are also currently nesting in a lone hoop pine. One of the adults travelled across the site collecting grasses and remained very visible among all the fairywrens. There were a few White-breasted Woodswallows to finish a quick lap of the corridor.
Lewin’s Honeyeater
There is definitely an air of optimism at this eco-corridor with evidence of a lot of restoration work with sizeable patches of native plantings to restore valley rainforest on what was mainly an open sport field. Recently records for the site indicate a growing number of species like Australian Owlet-Nightjar and an impressive range of columbids. It’s also apparently a good spot for some of those elusive wetland birds like Pale-vented Bush-hen and Lewin’s Rail. I think I will return for either a frog/invert or bird survey that occur at this location another time to further explore what is a place with a lot of potential.
The Samford Eco-Corridor is a relatively new location on the scene. In 2013 a project commenced to restore the habitat around the banks of the South Pine River through the creation of a corridor to re-establish biodiversity to the area. The corridor further connects to other stretches of riparian habitat in the area. There are a very dedicated and active group of volunteers that consistently work to manage and grow the area. In 2019 for example they launched a project to bring back the Richmond Birdwing into the area – a species that still has a very fragmented range that rarely travel out of their elevated subtropical forests in the north and south of Brisbane. The corridor links from Woodford to Samford to attempt to attract female butterflies from the isolated Sunshine Coast population to start spreading down towards the area. Let’s hope it will soon encounter some success and sightings are recorded. Bird surveys run by volunteer groups often reveal almost 70 species in the single outing including some occasional rainforest species that travel down from the nearby Mount Glorious if you’re particularly lucky. If you’re even luckier, platypus can also be found at this location. The volunteers also offer free wildlife tours if interested as well. It’s clearly a must location for this thread.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I start this by saying it was hot today and it got hot very early despite arriving at around 6am so I felt I didn’t get the full experience from this location. The site itself is located right behind a set of tennis courts near the main parking space. There is a large eco-corridor sign right at the front of the area and all the pathways are grass that travel through quite dense remnant forest with a small well-hidden creek tucked past a stretch of grassland. As I walked towards the trees, I spotted a Spangled Drongo calling harshly as it travelled through the thick upper canopy. There was a lot of bird calls – rosellas, various honeyeaters, robins and fantails – but most were difficult to see. A pair of White-browed Scrubwrens were easily seen however collecting nest material so it seemed in the dense grasses that run along the path. Fairywrens were common as they usually are in this habitat – both Red-backed and Superb Fairywrens were spotted among the scrubwrens.
Spangled Drongo
There were some very large bird waves that were feeding in the morning light; large flocks of Silvereyes were the most common species but a closer look revealed my first Rufous Shrike-thrush of the year. I really am quite fond of this species in particular; the pale bill pops against its deep rufous plumage. The shrike-thrush was later joined by a Grey Fantail and continuing groups of Australasian Figbirds. Whipbird calls filled the undergrowth as did a few robins that remained very well-hidden. On a clear winter’s day when the birds would be more visible without the current heat, it would be quite the place to explore. Looking at this wet forest habitat and the diversity of native plantings, it becomes apparent how fruit-doves and now bowerbirds are starting to be recorded here as of late. The fairywrens came and went and there were some that were completely out in the open.
Red-backed Fairywren
The habitat gets drier as you approach the outer corridors that link to more suburban pathways. There are silvereyes here but also Brown Thornbills that hop through the trees along with the commoner Brown Honeyeaters that loudly declared their presence as well. Down towards the creek you descend slightly into a shady viewing area with small flocks of Bar-shouldered and Peaceful Doves drinking at the pools of water. Not a single introduced Spotted Dove in sight. The Peaceful Doves were particularly great to see as a species that is uncommon in sites around Brisbane; these doves are much more plentiful and visible in the Sunshine Coast region to the north. The creek is also a known spot for Azure Kingfisher but I seem to have the worst luck with this species so I of course didn’t see it.
Brown Thornbill
Finishing off the loop of the corridor, the two-metre-tall grasses travelled past some small farm properties up towards the community hall. There were several flocks of Lewin’s Honeyeaters here in good numbers as they fed from above. A pair of Double-barred Finches are also currently nesting in a lone hoop pine. One of the adults travelled across the site collecting grasses and remained very visible among all the fairywrens. There were a few White-breasted Woodswallows to finish a quick lap of the corridor.
Lewin’s Honeyeater
There is definitely an air of optimism at this eco-corridor with evidence of a lot of restoration work with sizeable patches of native plantings to restore valley rainforest on what was mainly an open sport field. Recently records for the site indicate a growing number of species like Australian Owlet-Nightjar and an impressive range of columbids. It’s also apparently a good spot for some of those elusive wetland birds like Pale-vented Bush-hen and Lewin’s Rail. I think I will return for either a frog/invert or bird survey that occur at this location another time to further explore what is a place with a lot of potential.
Birds
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Australian Brushturkey, Alectura lathami
Peaceful Dove, Geopelia placida
Bar-shouldered Dove, Geopelia humeralis
Masked Lapwing, Vanellus miles
Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae
Little Corella, Cacatua, sanguinea
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Superb Fairywren, Malurus cyaneus
Red-backed Fairywren, Malurus melanocephalus
Lewin's Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
White-browed Scrubwren, Sericornis frontalis
Brown Thornbill, Acanthiza pusilla
Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Coracina novaehollandiae
Rufous Shrikethrush, Colluricincla rufogaster
Australasian Figbird, Sphecotheres vieilloti
White-breasted Woodswallow, Artamus leucorynchus
Grey Fantail, Rhipidura albiscapa
Spangled Drongo, Dicrurus bracteatus
Silvereye, Zosterops lateralis
Double-barred Finch, Stizoptera bichenovii
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Australian Brushturkey, Alectura lathami
Peaceful Dove, Geopelia placida
Bar-shouldered Dove, Geopelia humeralis
Masked Lapwing, Vanellus miles
Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae
Little Corella, Cacatua, sanguinea
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Superb Fairywren, Malurus cyaneus
Red-backed Fairywren, Malurus melanocephalus
Lewin's Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
White-browed Scrubwren, Sericornis frontalis
Brown Thornbill, Acanthiza pusilla
Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Coracina novaehollandiae
Rufous Shrikethrush, Colluricincla rufogaster
Australasian Figbird, Sphecotheres vieilloti
White-breasted Woodswallow, Artamus leucorynchus
Grey Fantail, Rhipidura albiscapa
Spangled Drongo, Dicrurus bracteatus
Silvereye, Zosterops lateralis
Double-barred Finch, Stizoptera bichenovii
Location 46: Mookin-Bah Reserve, Brisbane – 4th February 2023:
The Mookin-Bah Reserve is part of the great Bayside Parklands which includes the ever-popular Wynnum Mangrove Boardwalk and has gradually been redeveloped as the land mainly consists of large housing estates that were reclaimed and regenerated which creates at times a very maze-liked jumbled layout. The reserve includes a good assortment of habitat for a relatively coastal location - woodland, grassland and wetland areas close to Tingalpa Creek; as well as, the intersecting Lota Creek. There are three entrance points but the most accessible is via Green Camp Road where there is a small gated entry that leads into the site. There have been some notable records here including Lewin’s Rail (January 2023), Little Bronze-Cuckoo (January 2023), Southern Boobook (November 2022), Grey Goshawk (July 2022) and White-eared Monarch (July 2022).
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Through the main entrance, the grassy path leads to a stretch of fragmented bushland where I spotted a single Channel-billed Cuckoo soaring past escaping the Noisy Miners. I do feel that often these types of small council-run bushland reserves are far too manicured but this one was far from it as an untamed site with the large patch of forest across a very pleasant stroll. The were tall grasses among the eucalypts with large populations of Glasswings – a small transparent-winged species of butterfly that is common especially around these coastal habitats. There were healthy populations of dragonflies as well; mainly Blue Skimmers, Red Arrows and Chalky Perchers. The dense understorey revealed fleeting glimpses of several small birds quickly as I made my first turn. Among them were Variegated Fairywrens, Red-backed Fairywrens and a pair of White-browed Scrubwrens turning up the leaf litter. A pretty common mix of small birds but always enjoyable to watch. Continuing through the bush, I was met with good views of large flocks of Silvereyes, a small Brown Honeyeater feeding on nectar high in a grevillea and three Bar-shouldered Doves. Pretty good assortment of bush birds considering it was already approaching 30°C by 6am, following the heatwave conditions in Brisbane yesterday.
Bar-shouldered Dove
The nearby honeyeater track lived up to its name with a Lewin’s Honeyeater in full view perched at eye level. There were continuing stretches of grassland that attracted a large assortment of invertebrates in the heat – butterflies like the moth-like Evening Brown, Common Crow, Monarch and Orchard Swallowtail. Approaching one of the signs that leads to an open road along a row of suburban houses there was a small critter lodged within the signage. It was a swift spider with an intricate pattern of black and white. The orange front legs were a good indicator that this was an Orange-legged/Spotted Swift Spider. A nice little lifer there and I have seen its close relative White-spotted Swift Spider at few closer locations. As fast runners, these diurnal spiders are ground-dwelling and overpower their prey rather than use a burrow or web frequently.
Orange-legged Swift Spider
On the topic of arachnids, I spotted a large spider that I was about to walk into – an impressive Humped Golden-Orb Weaver. These orb weavers often use large open spaces to allow their impressive webs to stretch across from tree to tree on either side of the pathway picking up any passing insects. I often overlook these spiders as they are so common even in Brisbane’s built-up areas but when you have one facing frontwards it’s hard to miss these familiar creatures. This particular specimen was one of the largest ones I’d seen to date with a warm palette of colours. I was recently reading that orb-weaver webs are so large they are often home to small Argyrodes spiders who can steal food off these largely sedentary spiders as they coexist on the margins of their web. A close relative – the Australian Golden Orb-weaver – is of a similar size but possesses a wider distribution. Both species are dwarfed by the jaw-dropping Giant Golden Orb-weaver which also occur in India, south-east Asia and northern Australia. The females can reach a total length of 20 centimetres. These giants are slowly spreading throughout the backwaters of south-east Queensland as a traditionally more tropical species and therefore it’s high on the list to see. So, if you think the spider below is big, that’s nothing in comparison.
Humped Golden-Orb Weaver
I then got a bit lost with all the unsigned paths that intersect through the bushland but once I regained my bearings, I was thrilled to enjoy close views of Dollarbird perched in a nearby tree. They aren’t always present in the region as they arrive in the early spring to breed from New Guinea and adjacent islands where they return in autumn. Most sightings of these rollers are fleeting but it was great to appreciate this species up close as it sat on its exposed branch hunting for insects.
Dollarbird
There was a really great diversity of habitat here with paperbark swamp forest reminiscent of Boondall Wetlands present and small ponds that were densely protected by vegetation. Patches of nearby lantana in brief clearings attracted more nectar-feeding insects including butterflies like Splendid Ochre and a new skipper for the books – Dingy Swift just as I nudge towards 60 species of butterfly in the wild. All are local ones which really captures the diversity of this group here in south-east Queensland with several targets still to be seen. A rather plain-looking butterfly but it was fascinating to watch its dexterous proboscis at full speed as it moved from plant to plant. There was a second new butterfly species in the form of a humble little Brown/Narrow-winged Awl nearby as well.
Dingy Skipper
Overall, Mookin-Bah Reserve will be worth another visit in the cooler months and considering its close proximity to Sandy Camp (which was the place that allowed some birders recently see both Black-backed and Black Bittern in the single visit!), provides valuable refuge and corridor for the bayside’s wildlife. It requires some careful navigation to not end up at one of its other exits but generally the bitumen path will allow you to successfully complete a loop. Today wasn’t really favourable conditions for a high diversity of birds with the intense heat but I was able to get a good feel for the place.
The Mookin-Bah Reserve is part of the great Bayside Parklands which includes the ever-popular Wynnum Mangrove Boardwalk and has gradually been redeveloped as the land mainly consists of large housing estates that were reclaimed and regenerated which creates at times a very maze-liked jumbled layout. The reserve includes a good assortment of habitat for a relatively coastal location - woodland, grassland and wetland areas close to Tingalpa Creek; as well as, the intersecting Lota Creek. There are three entrance points but the most accessible is via Green Camp Road where there is a small gated entry that leads into the site. There have been some notable records here including Lewin’s Rail (January 2023), Little Bronze-Cuckoo (January 2023), Southern Boobook (November 2022), Grey Goshawk (July 2022) and White-eared Monarch (July 2022).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Through the main entrance, the grassy path leads to a stretch of fragmented bushland where I spotted a single Channel-billed Cuckoo soaring past escaping the Noisy Miners. I do feel that often these types of small council-run bushland reserves are far too manicured but this one was far from it as an untamed site with the large patch of forest across a very pleasant stroll. The were tall grasses among the eucalypts with large populations of Glasswings – a small transparent-winged species of butterfly that is common especially around these coastal habitats. There were healthy populations of dragonflies as well; mainly Blue Skimmers, Red Arrows and Chalky Perchers. The dense understorey revealed fleeting glimpses of several small birds quickly as I made my first turn. Among them were Variegated Fairywrens, Red-backed Fairywrens and a pair of White-browed Scrubwrens turning up the leaf litter. A pretty common mix of small birds but always enjoyable to watch. Continuing through the bush, I was met with good views of large flocks of Silvereyes, a small Brown Honeyeater feeding on nectar high in a grevillea and three Bar-shouldered Doves. Pretty good assortment of bush birds considering it was already approaching 30°C by 6am, following the heatwave conditions in Brisbane yesterday.
Bar-shouldered Dove
The nearby honeyeater track lived up to its name with a Lewin’s Honeyeater in full view perched at eye level. There were continuing stretches of grassland that attracted a large assortment of invertebrates in the heat – butterflies like the moth-like Evening Brown, Common Crow, Monarch and Orchard Swallowtail. Approaching one of the signs that leads to an open road along a row of suburban houses there was a small critter lodged within the signage. It was a swift spider with an intricate pattern of black and white. The orange front legs were a good indicator that this was an Orange-legged/Spotted Swift Spider. A nice little lifer there and I have seen its close relative White-spotted Swift Spider at few closer locations. As fast runners, these diurnal spiders are ground-dwelling and overpower their prey rather than use a burrow or web frequently.
Orange-legged Swift Spider
On the topic of arachnids, I spotted a large spider that I was about to walk into – an impressive Humped Golden-Orb Weaver. These orb weavers often use large open spaces to allow their impressive webs to stretch across from tree to tree on either side of the pathway picking up any passing insects. I often overlook these spiders as they are so common even in Brisbane’s built-up areas but when you have one facing frontwards it’s hard to miss these familiar creatures. This particular specimen was one of the largest ones I’d seen to date with a warm palette of colours. I was recently reading that orb-weaver webs are so large they are often home to small Argyrodes spiders who can steal food off these largely sedentary spiders as they coexist on the margins of their web. A close relative – the Australian Golden Orb-weaver – is of a similar size but possesses a wider distribution. Both species are dwarfed by the jaw-dropping Giant Golden Orb-weaver which also occur in India, south-east Asia and northern Australia. The females can reach a total length of 20 centimetres. These giants are slowly spreading throughout the backwaters of south-east Queensland as a traditionally more tropical species and therefore it’s high on the list to see. So, if you think the spider below is big, that’s nothing in comparison.
Humped Golden-Orb Weaver
I then got a bit lost with all the unsigned paths that intersect through the bushland but once I regained my bearings, I was thrilled to enjoy close views of Dollarbird perched in a nearby tree. They aren’t always present in the region as they arrive in the early spring to breed from New Guinea and adjacent islands where they return in autumn. Most sightings of these rollers are fleeting but it was great to appreciate this species up close as it sat on its exposed branch hunting for insects.
Dollarbird
There was a really great diversity of habitat here with paperbark swamp forest reminiscent of Boondall Wetlands present and small ponds that were densely protected by vegetation. Patches of nearby lantana in brief clearings attracted more nectar-feeding insects including butterflies like Splendid Ochre and a new skipper for the books – Dingy Swift just as I nudge towards 60 species of butterfly in the wild. All are local ones which really captures the diversity of this group here in south-east Queensland with several targets still to be seen. A rather plain-looking butterfly but it was fascinating to watch its dexterous proboscis at full speed as it moved from plant to plant. There was a second new butterfly species in the form of a humble little Brown/Narrow-winged Awl nearby as well.
Dingy Skipper
Overall, Mookin-Bah Reserve will be worth another visit in the cooler months and considering its close proximity to Sandy Camp (which was the place that allowed some birders recently see both Black-backed and Black Bittern in the single visit!), provides valuable refuge and corridor for the bayside’s wildlife. It requires some careful navigation to not end up at one of its other exits but generally the bitumen path will allow you to successfully complete a loop. Today wasn’t really favourable conditions for a high diversity of birds with the intense heat but I was able to get a good feel for the place.
Birds
Spotted Dove, Spilopelia chinensis
Bar-shouldered Dove, Geopelia humeralis
Channel-billed Cuckoo, Scythrops novaehollandiae
Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus
Dollarbird, Eurystomus orientalis
Little Corella, Cacatua sanguinea
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Variegated Fairywren, Malurus lamberti
Red-backed Fairywren, Malurus melanocephalus
Lewin's Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
White-browed Scrubwren, Sericornis frontalis
Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen
Magpie-lark, Grallina cyanoleuca
Tawny Grassbird, Cincloramphus timoriensis
Silvereye, Zosterops lateralis
Notable Invertebrates
Blue Skimmer, Orthetrum caledonicum
Chalky Percher, Diplacodes trivialis
Red Arrow, Rhodothemis lieftincki
Glasswing, Acraea andromacha
Evening Brown, Melanitis leda
Common Crow, Euploea core
Monarch, Danaus plexippus
Orchard Swallowtail, Papilio aegeus
Splendid Ochre, Trapezites symmomus
Dingy Swift, Pelopidas agna
Narrow-winged Awl, Badamia exclamationis
Humped Golden-Orb Weaver, Nephila plumipes
Orange-legged Swift Spider, Nyssus coloripes
Spotted Dove, Spilopelia chinensis
Bar-shouldered Dove, Geopelia humeralis
Channel-billed Cuckoo, Scythrops novaehollandiae
Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus
Dollarbird, Eurystomus orientalis
Little Corella, Cacatua sanguinea
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Variegated Fairywren, Malurus lamberti
Red-backed Fairywren, Malurus melanocephalus
Lewin's Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
White-browed Scrubwren, Sericornis frontalis
Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen
Magpie-lark, Grallina cyanoleuca
Tawny Grassbird, Cincloramphus timoriensis
Silvereye, Zosterops lateralis
Notable Invertebrates
Blue Skimmer, Orthetrum caledonicum
Chalky Percher, Diplacodes trivialis
Red Arrow, Rhodothemis lieftincki
Glasswing, Acraea andromacha
Evening Brown, Melanitis leda
Common Crow, Euploea core
Monarch, Danaus plexippus
Orchard Swallowtail, Papilio aegeus
Splendid Ochre, Trapezites symmomus
Dingy Swift, Pelopidas agna
Narrow-winged Awl, Badamia exclamationis
Humped Golden-Orb Weaver, Nephila plumipes
Orange-legged Swift Spider, Nyssus coloripes
I like these. They were introduced to New Zealand last century and are commonly found living in houses over here.
I've always called them "Racing Car Spiders". Much better name.
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Location 47: Obi Obi Boardwalk, Sunshine Coast – 11th February 2023:
Target Species: Platypus
A comfortable hour’s north of Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast hinterland will always be of special reverence with its picturesque verdant hills while the ever-present Glass House Mountains frame every view of the area within the Blackall Range. The hinterlands are home to some of the richest biodiversity anywhere in the region as we have already established with sites like Mary Cairncross (location # 20). The area is home to a suite of national parks like Bellthrope, Conondale, Kondalilla and Mapleton. Continuing with a few of the humbler locations in this area initally, the township of Maleny has a 900-metre-boardwalk that travels through the heart of town that goes out towards the boardwalk. Accessing the boardwalk is straightforward as the main entrance point is opposite the town’s Woolworths (supermarket) and the walk begins near a real estate agency.
What’s special about this Obi Obi Boardwalk is that it’s probably the best place in south-east Queensland to see platypus in the wild. It’s also surely one of the most accessible places anywhere in Australia for that matter to see platypus reliably, considering it’s a simple flat boardwalk in a town centre quite close to a major city that leads onto a well-signed observation deck about ten minutes into the walk. Platypus within south-east Queensland have faced significant environmental pressures due to pollution, litter and habitat degradation especially and remain scarce within Brisbane these days. Fringing the northern suburbs, the Pine River network that passes through previous locations like Kumbartcho and Samford would be the closest known population along with individuals spotted in the far western suburbs of Brisbane in places like Moggill Creek. iNaturalist paints a more detailed picture of their distribution in south-east Queensland with several hotspots across the Sunshine Coast and the less disturbed areas of the Gold Coast.
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The boardwalk was really smack bang in the middle of the town of Maleny. There was clear signage present that provides a map of the wider Maleny Trail. The happy flashy chattering of blue-yellowy Pale-headed Rosellas caught my attention as a pair of them flew past the river’s vegetation along the first part of the boardwalk. There were lots of town birds around including a pair of Little Wattlebirds that moved quickly past the undergrowth along with flocks of Silvereyes and White-browed Scrubwrens along with the odd Brown Thornbill among them. The highlight so far was a fledgling Eastern Whipbird that was being fed by an adult in the densely-planted lomandras. The habitat around the river was mainly dense native plants with horse paddocks that stretched out across the opposite side of the site. I approached a sign that made me pick up the pace to reach the observation deck dedicated for the platypus before mid-morning.
Platypus up head!
Arriving at the boardwalk that overlooked a large pool of water lined by trees, I was initially surrounded by swallowtails – the usual Blue Triangles and Orchard Swallowtails were quickly noted but then I saw a vivid flash of yellowy-green catch my eye. A large Macleay’s Swallowtail passed overhead restlessly and quickly went out of view above the canopy. This species of swallowtail prefers the wetter and mountainous parts of south-east Queensland and is uncommon generally in this part of the world though it possesses a wide range well into the southern states. It’s also Tasmania’s only swallowtail. Well, I waited and waited for a good hour and soon uncovered that there were several Saw-shelled Turtles that kept restarting my heartbeat as they surfaced, thinking they were the platypus as I eagerly waited. Leaving the deck, I decided to go a few kilometres into the trail along the river and then return back to the deck for a second opportunity.
Saw-shelled Turtle
The neighbouring paddocks allowed for good views of Cattle Egrets, White-faced Herons and a pair of Pacific Herons that quickly took off. They soared over the paddock with long sweeping wingbeats and moved to a paddock further away. I imagine this would be a good place to wait and watch for raptors as well. The cool air in the warm full sun brought in several aerial acrobats; the skies were filled with chirpy White-breasted Woodswallows, Welcome Swallows and at least six White-throated Needletails. I don’t often get a good look at needletails but they remained very visible. They are large barrel-bodied torpedos with two distinguishable patches of white; one on the throat and one on their flanks to their tail.
White-faced Heron
The foresty areas of the trails were well-covered and shaded. I saw a good range of small birds like more silvereyes, large flocks of Lewin’s Honeyeaters, a Golden Whistler and several Grey Fantails. Rosellas were heard again and soft coos were also noted presumably belonging to unseen Bar-shouldered Doves. The cicadas were thick in the trees and didn’t hesitate to fly around and land on passer-byers. I had a large Black Prince land on my camera for a few seconds even. A few walkers I came across later didn’t react too well to having large noisy cicadas fly into their faces however!
Grey Fantail
There were some very interesting butterflies along with the birds. I spotted several Common Aeroplanes which have a habit of landing with wings flat open, perched high up. There were a few striking little blues as well – both populations of Green Small-banded Blue and White-banded Line-Blue were easy to find close to the ground in healthy numbers. I then retraced my steps back to the deck to continue the search for my first wild platypus.
Green Small-banded Blue
As I reached the viewing platform, I knew we were in business this time around with a platypus in our midst as there were bow-like movements near the water’s surface, as it rippled with sweeping dips. It was a waiting game now as I scanned carefully with great anticipation. Suddenly a brown head pushed its way right up to the surface near the grassy edge. It’s rubbery, artificial-looking bill contrasted the patchy densely-furred brown body as it swept its webbed feet through the water. Unmistakably a Platypus! The platypus remained in view for a full minute and it was fantastic to have unobstructed views of one in the morning sun. Zoos rarely house platypus outdoors and hardly do you ever get to look at them from above. I could really see how this species can navigate around the surface of the water remaining still and quiet, using its bill to navigate through the relatively clear water. I was simply lost for words. A big tick of one of the local superstar species.
Platypus
Target Species: Platypus
A comfortable hour’s north of Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast hinterland will always be of special reverence with its picturesque verdant hills while the ever-present Glass House Mountains frame every view of the area within the Blackall Range. The hinterlands are home to some of the richest biodiversity anywhere in the region as we have already established with sites like Mary Cairncross (location # 20). The area is home to a suite of national parks like Bellthrope, Conondale, Kondalilla and Mapleton. Continuing with a few of the humbler locations in this area initally, the township of Maleny has a 900-metre-boardwalk that travels through the heart of town that goes out towards the boardwalk. Accessing the boardwalk is straightforward as the main entrance point is opposite the town’s Woolworths (supermarket) and the walk begins near a real estate agency.
What’s special about this Obi Obi Boardwalk is that it’s probably the best place in south-east Queensland to see platypus in the wild. It’s also surely one of the most accessible places anywhere in Australia for that matter to see platypus reliably, considering it’s a simple flat boardwalk in a town centre quite close to a major city that leads onto a well-signed observation deck about ten minutes into the walk. Platypus within south-east Queensland have faced significant environmental pressures due to pollution, litter and habitat degradation especially and remain scarce within Brisbane these days. Fringing the northern suburbs, the Pine River network that passes through previous locations like Kumbartcho and Samford would be the closest known population along with individuals spotted in the far western suburbs of Brisbane in places like Moggill Creek. iNaturalist paints a more detailed picture of their distribution in south-east Queensland with several hotspots across the Sunshine Coast and the less disturbed areas of the Gold Coast.
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The boardwalk was really smack bang in the middle of the town of Maleny. There was clear signage present that provides a map of the wider Maleny Trail. The happy flashy chattering of blue-yellowy Pale-headed Rosellas caught my attention as a pair of them flew past the river’s vegetation along the first part of the boardwalk. There were lots of town birds around including a pair of Little Wattlebirds that moved quickly past the undergrowth along with flocks of Silvereyes and White-browed Scrubwrens along with the odd Brown Thornbill among them. The highlight so far was a fledgling Eastern Whipbird that was being fed by an adult in the densely-planted lomandras. The habitat around the river was mainly dense native plants with horse paddocks that stretched out across the opposite side of the site. I approached a sign that made me pick up the pace to reach the observation deck dedicated for the platypus before mid-morning.
Platypus up head!
Arriving at the boardwalk that overlooked a large pool of water lined by trees, I was initially surrounded by swallowtails – the usual Blue Triangles and Orchard Swallowtails were quickly noted but then I saw a vivid flash of yellowy-green catch my eye. A large Macleay’s Swallowtail passed overhead restlessly and quickly went out of view above the canopy. This species of swallowtail prefers the wetter and mountainous parts of south-east Queensland and is uncommon generally in this part of the world though it possesses a wide range well into the southern states. It’s also Tasmania’s only swallowtail. Well, I waited and waited for a good hour and soon uncovered that there were several Saw-shelled Turtles that kept restarting my heartbeat as they surfaced, thinking they were the platypus as I eagerly waited. Leaving the deck, I decided to go a few kilometres into the trail along the river and then return back to the deck for a second opportunity.
Saw-shelled Turtle
The neighbouring paddocks allowed for good views of Cattle Egrets, White-faced Herons and a pair of Pacific Herons that quickly took off. They soared over the paddock with long sweeping wingbeats and moved to a paddock further away. I imagine this would be a good place to wait and watch for raptors as well. The cool air in the warm full sun brought in several aerial acrobats; the skies were filled with chirpy White-breasted Woodswallows, Welcome Swallows and at least six White-throated Needletails. I don’t often get a good look at needletails but they remained very visible. They are large barrel-bodied torpedos with two distinguishable patches of white; one on the throat and one on their flanks to their tail.
White-faced Heron
The foresty areas of the trails were well-covered and shaded. I saw a good range of small birds like more silvereyes, large flocks of Lewin’s Honeyeaters, a Golden Whistler and several Grey Fantails. Rosellas were heard again and soft coos were also noted presumably belonging to unseen Bar-shouldered Doves. The cicadas were thick in the trees and didn’t hesitate to fly around and land on passer-byers. I had a large Black Prince land on my camera for a few seconds even. A few walkers I came across later didn’t react too well to having large noisy cicadas fly into their faces however!
Grey Fantail
There were some very interesting butterflies along with the birds. I spotted several Common Aeroplanes which have a habit of landing with wings flat open, perched high up. There were a few striking little blues as well – both populations of Green Small-banded Blue and White-banded Line-Blue were easy to find close to the ground in healthy numbers. I then retraced my steps back to the deck to continue the search for my first wild platypus.
Green Small-banded Blue
As I reached the viewing platform, I knew we were in business this time around with a platypus in our midst as there were bow-like movements near the water’s surface, as it rippled with sweeping dips. It was a waiting game now as I scanned carefully with great anticipation. Suddenly a brown head pushed its way right up to the surface near the grassy edge. It’s rubbery, artificial-looking bill contrasted the patchy densely-furred brown body as it swept its webbed feet through the water. Unmistakably a Platypus! The platypus remained in view for a full minute and it was fantastic to have unobstructed views of one in the morning sun. Zoos rarely house platypus outdoors and hardly do you ever get to look at them from above. I could really see how this species can navigate around the surface of the water remaining still and quiet, using its bill to navigate through the relatively clear water. I was simply lost for words. A big tick of one of the local superstar species.
Platypus
Mammals
Platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus
Birds
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Australian Brushturkey, Alectura lathami
White-throated Needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus
Little Pied Cormorant, Microcarbo melanoleucos
Pacific Heron, Ardea pacifica
White-faced Heron, Egretta novaehollandiae
Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
Australian White Ibis, Threskiornis molucca
Pale-headed Rosella, Platycercus adscitus
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Lewin's Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Little Wattlebird, Anthochaera chrysoptera
White-browed Scrubwren, Sericornis frontalis
Brown Thornbill, Acanthiza pusilla
Eastern Whipbird, Psophodes olivaceus
Golden Whistler, Pachycephala pectoralis
White-breasted Woodswallow, Artamus leucorynchus
Grey Fantail, Rhipidura albiscapa
Spangled Drongo, Dicrurus bracteatus
Welcome Swallow, Hirundo neoxena
Silvereye, Zosterops lateralis
Reptiles
Saw-shelled Turtle, Myuchelys latisternum
Notable Invertebrates
Common Flatwing, Austroargiolestes icteromelas
Wandering Glider, Pantala flavescens
Black Prince, Psaltoda plaga
Orchard Swallowtail, Papilio aegeus
Macleay’s Swallowtail, Graphium macleayanus
Blue Triangle, Graphium sarpedon
Common Aeroplane, Phaedyma shepherdi
Small Green-banded Blue, Psychonotis caelius
White-banded Line-Blue Nacaduba kurava
Platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus
Birds
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Australian Brushturkey, Alectura lathami
White-throated Needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus
Little Pied Cormorant, Microcarbo melanoleucos
Pacific Heron, Ardea pacifica
White-faced Heron, Egretta novaehollandiae
Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
Australian White Ibis, Threskiornis molucca
Pale-headed Rosella, Platycercus adscitus
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Lewin's Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Little Wattlebird, Anthochaera chrysoptera
White-browed Scrubwren, Sericornis frontalis
Brown Thornbill, Acanthiza pusilla
Eastern Whipbird, Psophodes olivaceus
Golden Whistler, Pachycephala pectoralis
White-breasted Woodswallow, Artamus leucorynchus
Grey Fantail, Rhipidura albiscapa
Spangled Drongo, Dicrurus bracteatus
Welcome Swallow, Hirundo neoxena
Silvereye, Zosterops lateralis
Reptiles
Saw-shelled Turtle, Myuchelys latisternum
Notable Invertebrates
Common Flatwing, Austroargiolestes icteromelas
Wandering Glider, Pantala flavescens
Black Prince, Psaltoda plaga
Orchard Swallowtail, Papilio aegeus
Macleay’s Swallowtail, Graphium macleayanus
Blue Triangle, Graphium sarpedon
Common Aeroplane, Phaedyma shepherdi
Small Green-banded Blue, Psychonotis caelius
White-banded Line-Blue Nacaduba kurava
Paradise in the Rainforest - Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve – 11th February 2023:
Target Species: Paradise Riflebird
After the thrills of seeing the platypus, I thought I would see if this luck would continue at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve which is only six minutes away from Obi Obi Boardwalk. For those who have been following this thread recently, I have been searching for the Paradise Riflebird, Ptiloris paradiseus at a few of the rainforest sites as a unique species that is high on my list to see. Not as well-reported on here but I have also been trying out a few of the trails within D’Aguilar National Park in wet forest habitat as riflebirds have also been recorded closer to Brisbane. It’s one of four species of birds-of-paradise to live in Australia and the only one to be found in south-east Queensland. This particular riflebird species is virtually a south-east Queensland endemic besides a few populations to the north and south of the region into New South Wales.
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The weekend heat attracted the butterflies to water – the small pond near the entrance had Orchard Swallowtails, Common Crows, Blue Triangles, Glistening Pencil-Blues with their pastel purple inner wings and of course the Richmond Birdwings. There were a few dragonflies, robber flies and the sound of cicadas, specifically Floury Bakers (what a name), were dense in the forest. The birdcalls were few and far, rather unusual for Mary Cairncross but not too surprising considering the midday heat. There were still a few smaller species like several flocks of Large-billed Scrubwrens, a lone Russet-tailed Thrush that hopped around and the odd Yellow-throated Scrubwren. The rattle-like calls of the Lewin’s Honeyeater dominated the rainforest soundscape and several of them later made an appearance. I heard the odd catbird and fruit-dove but none were seen after searching for a while.
Large-billed Scrubwren
The heat did mean I was hoping to see some rainforest reptiles and this proved to be successful. Several Murray’s Skinks were spotted for the first time and were much larger than I expected. They are long coppery skinks with black flecks and subtle blue spots along their sides, only slightly smaller than a Cunningham’s Skink. Unlike Maiala (location # 5), Land Mullets are no longer found in Mary Cairncross so these skinks have largely accommodated the understorey skink role and while they are claimed to be very common, this was the first time I’d ever see this species which is only found in fragmented rainforests across its range. There behaviour was unlike any wild skink I’ve come across; they freeze like a bearded dragon does when spotted and stay in a very still position. In fact, the three individuals I found were not spotted by sound of movement but rather simply seeing them first. I was also looking in the wrong places during previous visits; it doesn’t seem to be much of a leaf litter skink but rather one that favours the nooks and crevices of fallen logs especially. A lovely species that I enjoyed finding and it’s endemic to this region across south-east Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales.
Murray’s/Blue-speckled Forest Skink
While I was searching for angle-headed dragons perched on branches vertically (which I am still yet to see), I then spotted a second skink species running across the boardwalk. Initially I thought it was a young Murray’s Skink as I had been seeing them with relative success but it proved to be a Bar-sided Skink. A species that has a wider distribution across eastern Australia and looks very similar to its close relative – the Dark Bar-sided Skink – which is the species found through the Wynnum Boardwalk even cohabitating in the popular owlet-nightjar hollow currently.
Bar-sided Skink
As I was admiring a sunbathing Pale-Yellow Robin with wings stretched out across the leaf litter in the dappled light, a brown screeching flash suddenly materialised in the canopy as I turned into the final corner of the reserve. I took a quick reference shot – a long curved bill was definitely seen! A very good sign! I looked at the vine above me and met eyes with a female Paradise Riflebird. Finally, my first ever bird-of-paradise. A group of birds that have long captured my imagination for many years. A pair of birders suddenly approached and exclaimed that they had been been following the call and asked if I had seen it. I told them to look up but as they did, it took off with a call somewhere between a hiss and a growl into the canopy. Riflebirds are difficult to photograph in such dim conditions high in a canopy but I felt it was still worth to post a photo of it here to have a sense of finality to the riflebird mini project. Onto finding the pitta now!
Paradise Riflebird
It was a really great day across the Sunshine Coast ticking off several lifers with four main highlights that come to mind; the brightly-coloured Macleay’s Swallowtail was certainly one of my top butterflies to see, the Murray’s Skink as a locally-restricted lizard, the enigmatic Platypus of course and the glorious Paradise Riflebird which was my number one local bird to see.
Target Species: Paradise Riflebird
After the thrills of seeing the platypus, I thought I would see if this luck would continue at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve which is only six minutes away from Obi Obi Boardwalk. For those who have been following this thread recently, I have been searching for the Paradise Riflebird, Ptiloris paradiseus at a few of the rainforest sites as a unique species that is high on my list to see. Not as well-reported on here but I have also been trying out a few of the trails within D’Aguilar National Park in wet forest habitat as riflebirds have also been recorded closer to Brisbane. It’s one of four species of birds-of-paradise to live in Australia and the only one to be found in south-east Queensland. This particular riflebird species is virtually a south-east Queensland endemic besides a few populations to the north and south of the region into New South Wales.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The weekend heat attracted the butterflies to water – the small pond near the entrance had Orchard Swallowtails, Common Crows, Blue Triangles, Glistening Pencil-Blues with their pastel purple inner wings and of course the Richmond Birdwings. There were a few dragonflies, robber flies and the sound of cicadas, specifically Floury Bakers (what a name), were dense in the forest. The birdcalls were few and far, rather unusual for Mary Cairncross but not too surprising considering the midday heat. There were still a few smaller species like several flocks of Large-billed Scrubwrens, a lone Russet-tailed Thrush that hopped around and the odd Yellow-throated Scrubwren. The rattle-like calls of the Lewin’s Honeyeater dominated the rainforest soundscape and several of them later made an appearance. I heard the odd catbird and fruit-dove but none were seen after searching for a while.
Large-billed Scrubwren
The heat did mean I was hoping to see some rainforest reptiles and this proved to be successful. Several Murray’s Skinks were spotted for the first time and were much larger than I expected. They are long coppery skinks with black flecks and subtle blue spots along their sides, only slightly smaller than a Cunningham’s Skink. Unlike Maiala (location # 5), Land Mullets are no longer found in Mary Cairncross so these skinks have largely accommodated the understorey skink role and while they are claimed to be very common, this was the first time I’d ever see this species which is only found in fragmented rainforests across its range. There behaviour was unlike any wild skink I’ve come across; they freeze like a bearded dragon does when spotted and stay in a very still position. In fact, the three individuals I found were not spotted by sound of movement but rather simply seeing them first. I was also looking in the wrong places during previous visits; it doesn’t seem to be much of a leaf litter skink but rather one that favours the nooks and crevices of fallen logs especially. A lovely species that I enjoyed finding and it’s endemic to this region across south-east Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales.
Murray’s/Blue-speckled Forest Skink
While I was searching for angle-headed dragons perched on branches vertically (which I am still yet to see), I then spotted a second skink species running across the boardwalk. Initially I thought it was a young Murray’s Skink as I had been seeing them with relative success but it proved to be a Bar-sided Skink. A species that has a wider distribution across eastern Australia and looks very similar to its close relative – the Dark Bar-sided Skink – which is the species found through the Wynnum Boardwalk even cohabitating in the popular owlet-nightjar hollow currently.
Bar-sided Skink
As I was admiring a sunbathing Pale-Yellow Robin with wings stretched out across the leaf litter in the dappled light, a brown screeching flash suddenly materialised in the canopy as I turned into the final corner of the reserve. I took a quick reference shot – a long curved bill was definitely seen! A very good sign! I looked at the vine above me and met eyes with a female Paradise Riflebird. Finally, my first ever bird-of-paradise. A group of birds that have long captured my imagination for many years. A pair of birders suddenly approached and exclaimed that they had been been following the call and asked if I had seen it. I told them to look up but as they did, it took off with a call somewhere between a hiss and a growl into the canopy. Riflebirds are difficult to photograph in such dim conditions high in a canopy but I felt it was still worth to post a photo of it here to have a sense of finality to the riflebird mini project. Onto finding the pitta now!
Paradise Riflebird
It was a really great day across the Sunshine Coast ticking off several lifers with four main highlights that come to mind; the brightly-coloured Macleay’s Swallowtail was certainly one of my top butterflies to see, the Murray’s Skink as a locally-restricted lizard, the enigmatic Platypus of course and the glorious Paradise Riflebird which was my number one local bird to see.
Location 48: Karawatha Forest Park, Brisbane – 25th February 2023:
Only 18 kilometres south of Brisbane’s city centre, the Karawatha Forest Park is one of the largest patches of remnant bushland within the city and forms part of an essential corridor that is 61 kilometres long and stretches west all the way to Flinders Peak in Ipswich. Possessing a mix of open stringybark eucalypt forest with areas of fragile heath understoreys and wetlands, Karawatha is a bit like the nearby Toohey Forest; not particularly rich in birdlife at first glance compared to other nearby locations but still an incredibly special and important place. You have to admittedly work hard for your birds here. Karawatha, like Toohey, remains vulnerable to a rapidly expanding population on the southside of Brisbane and similar barrier effects.
However, it’s known for being a good spot for echidna and having the highest diversity of frogs in Brisbane with iNaturalist confirming regular sightings of Dainty Tree Frog, Eastern Dwarf Frog and Ornate Burrowing Frog and Desert Tree Frog. Other mammals like wallabies, gliders and the odd koala persist along with it being one of the few places to still have dunnarts rarely recorded in Brisbane. A 2016 thesis documenting the success of the overpass connecting to the nearby Kuraby Forest recorded 20 mammal species (seven introduced) which are pretty solid numbers for a Brisbane bushland reserve including additional dasyurids like antechinus and planigales even. Karawatha is well-signed and routed with a whole suite of tracks, most being very easy to navigate around the large patch of bushland with little elevation. In terms of public transport, the quickest route seems to be the bus 150 followed by a 30-minute walk which goes past the Stretton Wetland Reserve as an added bonus.
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The bushland reserve has a large, modern discovery centre with lots of interactive signage about Karawatha and the nearby waterways. There was also a small tank for Spiny Leaf Insects and some interesting information about a few local projects like Brisbane’s Big Butterfly Count which might be featured later on in a future post. The trail begins through open eucalypt where parrots and lorikeets reigned supreme with flocks of Galahs, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Rainbow Lorikeets being abundant. I was delighted to hear I was in the presence of Little Lorikeets but I couldn’t pinpoint them high up in the canopy with so many of the larger lorikeets. At least they are definitely around. The flat trail leads into the denser habitat away from the open ironbark forest and there was an abundance of little Orange Ringlets – a butterfly species I’d only seen once before at a similar-type of habitat at Bunyaville Forest. They rest on the pathway and flutter off a small distance and open their distinctive orange inner wings every few seconds.
Orange Ringlet
Noisy Friarbirds dominated the next portion of the bush with their unusual honking and squawking and congregated in large numbers in the upper branches of the eucalypts out in the open. There were lots of Ant-eating Jumping Spiders about feasting on the spiny ants. They are quite distinctive with their abdomens encircled with a white line and a central dot. Up a set of stairs I suddenly found myself in the middle of a large wave of smaller bush birds with at least ten Rainbow Bee-eaters circling above. A few of them later perched quietly close by and I was able to watch them from a close distance.
Rainbow Bee-eater
The bee-eaters were not the only birds with the second-most common bird in the wave being Leaden Flycatchers of both sexes. There were a few of the shier canopy specialists that joined them on the fringes with Striated Pardalotes darting from branch to branch with at least three White-throated Honeyeaters, two Rufous Whistlers and a single White-throated Treecreeper hopping up a nearby tree where I could appreciated its incredible long claws as it gripped onto the bark. The highlight of the wave was a dusky male Common Cicadabird that was being chased by a pair of Spangled Drongos. The bee-eaters later made a reappearance above some of the leafy gullies that run throughout the bushland.
Leaden Flycatcher
I only completed some of the quick smaller trails around the discovery centre to get a flavour for the place and was pleased with what I found. There are additional entrances and trails that would lead to some of the small waterbodies for the greater assortment of amphibians and insects but I was pleased to see a good range of small bushland birds (pardalotes, flycatchers etc.) which had up until now been lacking in my year list so far.
Only 18 kilometres south of Brisbane’s city centre, the Karawatha Forest Park is one of the largest patches of remnant bushland within the city and forms part of an essential corridor that is 61 kilometres long and stretches west all the way to Flinders Peak in Ipswich. Possessing a mix of open stringybark eucalypt forest with areas of fragile heath understoreys and wetlands, Karawatha is a bit like the nearby Toohey Forest; not particularly rich in birdlife at first glance compared to other nearby locations but still an incredibly special and important place. You have to admittedly work hard for your birds here. Karawatha, like Toohey, remains vulnerable to a rapidly expanding population on the southside of Brisbane and similar barrier effects.
However, it’s known for being a good spot for echidna and having the highest diversity of frogs in Brisbane with iNaturalist confirming regular sightings of Dainty Tree Frog, Eastern Dwarf Frog and Ornate Burrowing Frog and Desert Tree Frog. Other mammals like wallabies, gliders and the odd koala persist along with it being one of the few places to still have dunnarts rarely recorded in Brisbane. A 2016 thesis documenting the success of the overpass connecting to the nearby Kuraby Forest recorded 20 mammal species (seven introduced) which are pretty solid numbers for a Brisbane bushland reserve including additional dasyurids like antechinus and planigales even. Karawatha is well-signed and routed with a whole suite of tracks, most being very easy to navigate around the large patch of bushland with little elevation. In terms of public transport, the quickest route seems to be the bus 150 followed by a 30-minute walk which goes past the Stretton Wetland Reserve as an added bonus.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The bushland reserve has a large, modern discovery centre with lots of interactive signage about Karawatha and the nearby waterways. There was also a small tank for Spiny Leaf Insects and some interesting information about a few local projects like Brisbane’s Big Butterfly Count which might be featured later on in a future post. The trail begins through open eucalypt where parrots and lorikeets reigned supreme with flocks of Galahs, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Rainbow Lorikeets being abundant. I was delighted to hear I was in the presence of Little Lorikeets but I couldn’t pinpoint them high up in the canopy with so many of the larger lorikeets. At least they are definitely around. The flat trail leads into the denser habitat away from the open ironbark forest and there was an abundance of little Orange Ringlets – a butterfly species I’d only seen once before at a similar-type of habitat at Bunyaville Forest. They rest on the pathway and flutter off a small distance and open their distinctive orange inner wings every few seconds.
Orange Ringlet
Noisy Friarbirds dominated the next portion of the bush with their unusual honking and squawking and congregated in large numbers in the upper branches of the eucalypts out in the open. There were lots of Ant-eating Jumping Spiders about feasting on the spiny ants. They are quite distinctive with their abdomens encircled with a white line and a central dot. Up a set of stairs I suddenly found myself in the middle of a large wave of smaller bush birds with at least ten Rainbow Bee-eaters circling above. A few of them later perched quietly close by and I was able to watch them from a close distance.
Rainbow Bee-eater
The bee-eaters were not the only birds with the second-most common bird in the wave being Leaden Flycatchers of both sexes. There were a few of the shier canopy specialists that joined them on the fringes with Striated Pardalotes darting from branch to branch with at least three White-throated Honeyeaters, two Rufous Whistlers and a single White-throated Treecreeper hopping up a nearby tree where I could appreciated its incredible long claws as it gripped onto the bark. The highlight of the wave was a dusky male Common Cicadabird that was being chased by a pair of Spangled Drongos. The bee-eaters later made a reappearance above some of the leafy gullies that run throughout the bushland.
Leaden Flycatcher
I only completed some of the quick smaller trails around the discovery centre to get a flavour for the place and was pleased with what I found. There are additional entrances and trails that would lead to some of the small waterbodies for the greater assortment of amphibians and insects but I was pleased to see a good range of small bushland birds (pardalotes, flycatchers etc.) which had up until now been lacking in my year list so far.
Birds
Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae
Rainbow Bee-eater, Merops ornatus
Galah, Eolophus roseicapilla
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
White-throated Treecreeper, Cormobates leucophaea
Noisy Miner, Manorina melanocephala
White-throated Honeyeater, Melithreptus albogularis
Noisy Friarbird, Philemon corniculatus
Striated Pardalote, Pardalotus striatus
Common Cicadabird, Edolisoma tenuirostre
Grey Shrikethrush, Colluricincla harmonica
Rufous Whistler, Pachycephala rufiventris
Rufous Fantail, Rhipidura rufifrons
Spangled Drongo, Dicrurus bracteatus
Leaden Flycatcher, Myiagra rubecula
Invertebrates
Ant-eating Jumping Spider, Zenodorus orbiculatus
Orange Ringlet, Hypocysta adiante
Common Crow, Euploea core
Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae
Rainbow Bee-eater, Merops ornatus
Galah, Eolophus roseicapilla
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
White-throated Treecreeper, Cormobates leucophaea
Noisy Miner, Manorina melanocephala
White-throated Honeyeater, Melithreptus albogularis
Noisy Friarbird, Philemon corniculatus
Striated Pardalote, Pardalotus striatus
Common Cicadabird, Edolisoma tenuirostre
Grey Shrikethrush, Colluricincla harmonica
Rufous Whistler, Pachycephala rufiventris
Rufous Fantail, Rhipidura rufifrons
Spangled Drongo, Dicrurus bracteatus
Leaden Flycatcher, Myiagra rubecula
Invertebrates
Ant-eating Jumping Spider, Zenodorus orbiculatus
Orange Ringlet, Hypocysta adiante
Common Crow, Euploea core
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I noted that about a week ago - congrats on getting your photo on the eBird homepage!
A Day for Logrunners – Maiala, D’Aguilar National Park - 4th March 2023:
I was long overdue for a visit to Maiala, the closest subtropical rainforest to Brisbane along the peak of D’Aguilar National Park on Mount Glorious. It’s overall a much larger and biologically complex site than Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve being my other main rainforest of choice of course. I find it much easier birding in general at Maiala as well as the central picnic ground with dotted patches of rainforest trees and scrub providing an open clearing for a lot of rainforest wildlife especially some of the species that require a larger area of sustained wet forest including some rather sensitive and specialised creatures.
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I arrived right around 5:30am and the forest was vacant of people; the carpark was empty as well, contrasting the usual Saturday overflow of families and children. The picnic ground was of course the first place to start and the lack of people allowed lots of birds to be out feeding out in the open. Eastern Yellow Robins are usually the first species seen as they stalk insects from exposed perches and launch themselves into the grass. I always enjoy watching these birds up close but oddly enough I didn’t see a single Pale-Yellow Robin during my visit. A few birders have been getting the ‘robin trifecta’ as Rose Robin can also be found here at these higher altitudes throughout the year rather than the usual wait for the winter migration this species does into the lowland areas of south-east Queensland.
Eastern Yellow Robin
The morning was still young so Yellow-throated Scrubwrens hopped out of the deep dark rainforest and were feeding with the robins but were far more elusive. They kept themselves to the dark corners of the open picnic ground but allowed for improved viewing and a few passable photos finally to especially capture their well-defined facial markings. The old row of lantana bushes were filled with Red-browed Finches and Large-billed Scrubwrens. I lucked out on Eastern Spinebills which are not as common here locally as they are down south but they have been breeding at Maiala. No Land Mullets either but lots of green Macleay’s Swallowtails and the odd Orchard Swallowtail that glistened in the emerging sunlight to keep me occupied.
Yellow-throated Scrubwren
The final part of the picnic grounds to check is a small fenced-off rainforest clearing right before you enter the main circuit trail. This provided space for the small group of local Red-necked Pademelons to feed peacefully. Like my last visit, I only saw three individuals that clearly had a well-developed sense of navigation as they hopped in and out of view. The resident Grey Shrike-thrush and several of the Satin Bowerbirds were also spotted with relative ease but the bowerbirds remained visible only from a distance.
Red-necked Pademelon
In the rainforest, I was met with the chirps of little scrubwrens and gerygones as they fed. I was thrilled to also immediately see a Subtropical Antechinus momentarily as it scurried into the deeper forest with its pointed nose. I didn’t manage to get any photos but I doubt there would have been much chance due to the dim conditions and angle as well. The small birds continued consistently until I was met with a pair of alert Eastern Whipbirds as they were up in the higher branches. The whipbirds had company in the form of three Green Catbirds. The trio suddenly descended towards the forest floor and a young catbird came right up to the path silently, weaving its way through the branches. Certainly the best view I’ve ever had of a catbird.
Green Catbird
My excitement grew with the discovery of a male Australian Logrunner that was actively foraging with its stiffened tail propped and his large feet pushing sideways through the leaf litter, showcasing its unique feeding technique. The logrunner aptly headed towards an open log and I could really soak it what a fantastic species these are. A pitta was heard so I was on high alerts after the first logrunner but after a careful search I was greeted with more catbirds, bowerbirds, whipbirds, logrunners of both sexes and mobs of Red-legged Pademelons throughout the circuit.
Australian Logrunner
Emerging from the rainforest, a large day-flying moth caught my eye - Burgena varia. A striking species found in Australia and up towards Papua New Guinea, being a rainforest specialist and recorded locally at sites like Mount Glorious and Mount Tambourine. Overall, a really pleasing trip to Maiala with the catbirds and logrunners being the main highlights. Albeit briefly, it was also great to see an antechinus again and Maiala definitively seems to be the best place to find this particular species. Lots to see here as always.
Burgena varia
I was long overdue for a visit to Maiala, the closest subtropical rainforest to Brisbane along the peak of D’Aguilar National Park on Mount Glorious. It’s overall a much larger and biologically complex site than Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve being my other main rainforest of choice of course. I find it much easier birding in general at Maiala as well as the central picnic ground with dotted patches of rainforest trees and scrub providing an open clearing for a lot of rainforest wildlife especially some of the species that require a larger area of sustained wet forest including some rather sensitive and specialised creatures.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I arrived right around 5:30am and the forest was vacant of people; the carpark was empty as well, contrasting the usual Saturday overflow of families and children. The picnic ground was of course the first place to start and the lack of people allowed lots of birds to be out feeding out in the open. Eastern Yellow Robins are usually the first species seen as they stalk insects from exposed perches and launch themselves into the grass. I always enjoy watching these birds up close but oddly enough I didn’t see a single Pale-Yellow Robin during my visit. A few birders have been getting the ‘robin trifecta’ as Rose Robin can also be found here at these higher altitudes throughout the year rather than the usual wait for the winter migration this species does into the lowland areas of south-east Queensland.
Eastern Yellow Robin
The morning was still young so Yellow-throated Scrubwrens hopped out of the deep dark rainforest and were feeding with the robins but were far more elusive. They kept themselves to the dark corners of the open picnic ground but allowed for improved viewing and a few passable photos finally to especially capture their well-defined facial markings. The old row of lantana bushes were filled with Red-browed Finches and Large-billed Scrubwrens. I lucked out on Eastern Spinebills which are not as common here locally as they are down south but they have been breeding at Maiala. No Land Mullets either but lots of green Macleay’s Swallowtails and the odd Orchard Swallowtail that glistened in the emerging sunlight to keep me occupied.
Yellow-throated Scrubwren
The final part of the picnic grounds to check is a small fenced-off rainforest clearing right before you enter the main circuit trail. This provided space for the small group of local Red-necked Pademelons to feed peacefully. Like my last visit, I only saw three individuals that clearly had a well-developed sense of navigation as they hopped in and out of view. The resident Grey Shrike-thrush and several of the Satin Bowerbirds were also spotted with relative ease but the bowerbirds remained visible only from a distance.
Red-necked Pademelon
In the rainforest, I was met with the chirps of little scrubwrens and gerygones as they fed. I was thrilled to also immediately see a Subtropical Antechinus momentarily as it scurried into the deeper forest with its pointed nose. I didn’t manage to get any photos but I doubt there would have been much chance due to the dim conditions and angle as well. The small birds continued consistently until I was met with a pair of alert Eastern Whipbirds as they were up in the higher branches. The whipbirds had company in the form of three Green Catbirds. The trio suddenly descended towards the forest floor and a young catbird came right up to the path silently, weaving its way through the branches. Certainly the best view I’ve ever had of a catbird.
Green Catbird
My excitement grew with the discovery of a male Australian Logrunner that was actively foraging with its stiffened tail propped and his large feet pushing sideways through the leaf litter, showcasing its unique feeding technique. The logrunner aptly headed towards an open log and I could really soak it what a fantastic species these are. A pitta was heard so I was on high alerts after the first logrunner but after a careful search I was greeted with more catbirds, bowerbirds, whipbirds, logrunners of both sexes and mobs of Red-legged Pademelons throughout the circuit.
Australian Logrunner
Emerging from the rainforest, a large day-flying moth caught my eye - Burgena varia. A striking species found in Australia and up towards Papua New Guinea, being a rainforest specialist and recorded locally at sites like Mount Glorious and Mount Tambourine. Overall, a really pleasing trip to Maiala with the catbirds and logrunners being the main highlights. Albeit briefly, it was also great to see an antechinus again and Maiala definitively seems to be the best place to find this particular species. Lots to see here as always.
Burgena varia
Location 49: Jensen's Swamp Environmental Reserve, Somerset - 18th March 2023
Located west in the Somerset region between Brisbane and Toowoomba, the Jensen’s Swamp Environmental Reserve is right near the town of Lowood. There isn’t much online about this place but eBird reveals a relatively diverse mix of wetland and bushland birds, some including rather notable records like Weebill (August 2022) and Ground Cuckoo-shrike (August 2021). It’s also home to one of the most diverse range of species in the Somerset region so it's definitely seemed to be worth a visit to explore this underrated location.
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Upon arrival, I soon realised that the reserve had two main sections; a memorial garden with a carpark and toilets, and across the road, the main bushland with a network of grassy trails. It’s definitely worth exploring the trees around the carpark as they lead to the memorial garden that sits along a still wetlands, reminiscent of Sandy Camp. Butterflies were the first species spotted with several Small Green-banded Blues fluttering around their food plant, Common Aeroplanes, a Common Eggfly and several large Orchard Swallowtail males. The first couple of birds included a Rufous Whistler, several Willie Wagtails in the casuarina and a whole suite of wetland birds like Plumed Whistling-Ducks, Pacific Black Ducks, Grey Teals, Australian Wood Ducks, Black Swans, Dusky Moorhens and a lone Intermediate Egret. There were lots of Rainbow Bee-eaters that were perched on a casuarina island and were hawking dragonflies. A closer inspection revealed more species including Australasian Grebe and a lone Little Black Cormorant. Grebe chicks were noted here and I soon realised the flocks of noisy whistling-ducks also contained a few quieter Wandering Whistling-Ducks among the mix. Off to a good start.
Small Green-banded Blue
I didn’t see another soul at this reserve and entering the bushland reserve across the road I could tell not many people visit here. The picnic tables were covered in metre-tall grass and vegetation while the trails themselves were rugged and unkempt. This didn’t bother me too much as all this grass attracted a lot of interesting invertebrates especially skippers. Christmas Jewel Spiders were common as they caught my eye and the travelling groups of Red-backed and Superb Fairywrens were feasting on unsuspecting moths perched behind grass blades. Scrubwrens were heard but not seen.
Superb Fairywren
Butterflies continued in healthy numbers with a few more species that are particularly common in these reserves west of Brisbane like Chequered Swallowtail and Lesser Wanderer. I was really happy to see the Lesser Wanderers as one of my all-time favourites and there were several Monarchs nearby as well, providing good opportunities to compare both species. There were additional butterflies like Lemon Migrant and Meadow Argus perched in the thick grasses.
Lesser Wanderer
There weren’t many small birds found in this bushland reserve that I saw but it did later become parrots galore. There were large flocks of Galahs that were accessing several rotting hollows and I definitely heard the chirpy cries of Cockatiels but after a few anxious minutes I didn’t manage to pinpoint where they were, possibly beyond the reserve in some of the adjoining farmland with crops. King parrots were also definitely heard as well in the thicker, more denser parts of bush. All the unseen psittacines were quickly remedied when I spotted two Pale-headed Rosellas high in the eucalypts. The rosellas quickly travelled over the road back to the memorial gardens. I gradually made my way back across the road, noting a Dollarbird perched near the roadside and appreciated the better views of the wetlands near the carpark. There is a small part of weedy grassland nearby, and lo and behold, no less than seven rosellas were feasting on grass seeds. To be clear, rosellas aren’t uncommon but I’ve never really had an opportunity to observe wild ones in such close proximity with fantastic views.
Pale-headed Rosella
Near the rosellas, was a bird hide located on the trail and that’s really where the magic happened. The trees became alive with moment and I was ticking species off left, right and centre. A solitary Grey Shrike-thrush hopped from tree to tree while the most common species here today – Little Friarbirds – were moving higher up in the canopy that lined the water. I had to double check a few of the streaky looking friarbirds which revealed there were actually a pair of Striped Honeyeaters among them. The honeyeaters later came down for a drink. Columbids were represented with pairs of Peaceful and Bar-shouldered Doves. I saw a brown bulky bird earlier on with the rosellas which probably would have been a Common Bronzewing but I couldn’t get a decent look before it took off to confirm it confidently. This species is regularly recorded here despite being almost completely absent from Brisbane. A Sacred Kingfisher completed the first group of birds I saw.
Sacred Kingfisher
The undergrowth near the water revealed several thirsty Rufous Whistlers close to the ground along with two Golden Whistlers further in the dense cover. The bold whistlers shared this habitat with lots more Superb Fairywrens that were also drinking close to the water as the morning quickly warmed along with the smaller doves and fantails. The trees that led to more inaccessible parts of the reserve near weedy growth and grassland were home to some of the smaller species like Brown Honeyeaters, Striated Pardalotes and notably a pair of White-throated Honeyeaters. The pardalotes were later seen out in the open, perched on electric lines that run through the bushland.
Rufous Whistler
Leaden Flycatchers made a pleasing appearance with a pair in full view along with even better views of Striped Honeyeaters again. There was a lot of activity here but after a good half an hour I moved towards some of the taller eucalypts that contained groups of Olive-backed Orioles, Australasian Figbirds and an unexpected lifer in the form of a compact White-winged Triller. In coastal south-eastern Queensland, Varied Trillers are much more common compared to this species which is largely a semi-arid bird albeit being recorded at Oxley Creek Common every so often. I was really pleased to see it here.
Leaden Flycatcher
Overall, Jensen’s Swamp made for an excellent birding experience with the rosellas stealing the show and seeing just over 40 bird species in total. It was nice to see a good range of birds despite the hot weather and this location could be paired with the nearby Lake Atkinson/Seven Mile Lagoon or even some of the locations that sit around Gatton or Ipswich. I'll definitely make a return visit.
Pale-headed Rosella
Located west in the Somerset region between Brisbane and Toowoomba, the Jensen’s Swamp Environmental Reserve is right near the town of Lowood. There isn’t much online about this place but eBird reveals a relatively diverse mix of wetland and bushland birds, some including rather notable records like Weebill (August 2022) and Ground Cuckoo-shrike (August 2021). It’s also home to one of the most diverse range of species in the Somerset region so it's definitely seemed to be worth a visit to explore this underrated location.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Upon arrival, I soon realised that the reserve had two main sections; a memorial garden with a carpark and toilets, and across the road, the main bushland with a network of grassy trails. It’s definitely worth exploring the trees around the carpark as they lead to the memorial garden that sits along a still wetlands, reminiscent of Sandy Camp. Butterflies were the first species spotted with several Small Green-banded Blues fluttering around their food plant, Common Aeroplanes, a Common Eggfly and several large Orchard Swallowtail males. The first couple of birds included a Rufous Whistler, several Willie Wagtails in the casuarina and a whole suite of wetland birds like Plumed Whistling-Ducks, Pacific Black Ducks, Grey Teals, Australian Wood Ducks, Black Swans, Dusky Moorhens and a lone Intermediate Egret. There were lots of Rainbow Bee-eaters that were perched on a casuarina island and were hawking dragonflies. A closer inspection revealed more species including Australasian Grebe and a lone Little Black Cormorant. Grebe chicks were noted here and I soon realised the flocks of noisy whistling-ducks also contained a few quieter Wandering Whistling-Ducks among the mix. Off to a good start.
Small Green-banded Blue
I didn’t see another soul at this reserve and entering the bushland reserve across the road I could tell not many people visit here. The picnic tables were covered in metre-tall grass and vegetation while the trails themselves were rugged and unkempt. This didn’t bother me too much as all this grass attracted a lot of interesting invertebrates especially skippers. Christmas Jewel Spiders were common as they caught my eye and the travelling groups of Red-backed and Superb Fairywrens were feasting on unsuspecting moths perched behind grass blades. Scrubwrens were heard but not seen.
Superb Fairywren
Butterflies continued in healthy numbers with a few more species that are particularly common in these reserves west of Brisbane like Chequered Swallowtail and Lesser Wanderer. I was really happy to see the Lesser Wanderers as one of my all-time favourites and there were several Monarchs nearby as well, providing good opportunities to compare both species. There were additional butterflies like Lemon Migrant and Meadow Argus perched in the thick grasses.
Lesser Wanderer
There weren’t many small birds found in this bushland reserve that I saw but it did later become parrots galore. There were large flocks of Galahs that were accessing several rotting hollows and I definitely heard the chirpy cries of Cockatiels but after a few anxious minutes I didn’t manage to pinpoint where they were, possibly beyond the reserve in some of the adjoining farmland with crops. King parrots were also definitely heard as well in the thicker, more denser parts of bush. All the unseen psittacines were quickly remedied when I spotted two Pale-headed Rosellas high in the eucalypts. The rosellas quickly travelled over the road back to the memorial gardens. I gradually made my way back across the road, noting a Dollarbird perched near the roadside and appreciated the better views of the wetlands near the carpark. There is a small part of weedy grassland nearby, and lo and behold, no less than seven rosellas were feasting on grass seeds. To be clear, rosellas aren’t uncommon but I’ve never really had an opportunity to observe wild ones in such close proximity with fantastic views.
Pale-headed Rosella
Near the rosellas, was a bird hide located on the trail and that’s really where the magic happened. The trees became alive with moment and I was ticking species off left, right and centre. A solitary Grey Shrike-thrush hopped from tree to tree while the most common species here today – Little Friarbirds – were moving higher up in the canopy that lined the water. I had to double check a few of the streaky looking friarbirds which revealed there were actually a pair of Striped Honeyeaters among them. The honeyeaters later came down for a drink. Columbids were represented with pairs of Peaceful and Bar-shouldered Doves. I saw a brown bulky bird earlier on with the rosellas which probably would have been a Common Bronzewing but I couldn’t get a decent look before it took off to confirm it confidently. This species is regularly recorded here despite being almost completely absent from Brisbane. A Sacred Kingfisher completed the first group of birds I saw.
Sacred Kingfisher
The undergrowth near the water revealed several thirsty Rufous Whistlers close to the ground along with two Golden Whistlers further in the dense cover. The bold whistlers shared this habitat with lots more Superb Fairywrens that were also drinking close to the water as the morning quickly warmed along with the smaller doves and fantails. The trees that led to more inaccessible parts of the reserve near weedy growth and grassland were home to some of the smaller species like Brown Honeyeaters, Striated Pardalotes and notably a pair of White-throated Honeyeaters. The pardalotes were later seen out in the open, perched on electric lines that run through the bushland.
Rufous Whistler
Leaden Flycatchers made a pleasing appearance with a pair in full view along with even better views of Striped Honeyeaters again. There was a lot of activity here but after a good half an hour I moved towards some of the taller eucalypts that contained groups of Olive-backed Orioles, Australasian Figbirds and an unexpected lifer in the form of a compact White-winged Triller. In coastal south-eastern Queensland, Varied Trillers are much more common compared to this species which is largely a semi-arid bird albeit being recorded at Oxley Creek Common every so often. I was really pleased to see it here.
Leaden Flycatcher
Overall, Jensen’s Swamp made for an excellent birding experience with the rosellas stealing the show and seeing just over 40 bird species in total. It was nice to see a good range of birds despite the hot weather and this location could be paired with the nearby Lake Atkinson/Seven Mile Lagoon or even some of the locations that sit around Gatton or Ipswich. I'll definitely make a return visit.
Pale-headed Rosella
Birds
Plumed Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna eytoni
Wandering Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna arcuata
Black Swan, Cygnus atratus
Australian Wood-Duck, Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Grey Teal, Anas gracilis
Australasian Grebe, Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Peaceful Dove, Geopelia placida
Bar-shouldered Dove, Geopelia humeralis
Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa
Little Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Intermediate Egret, Ardea intermedia
Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus
Rainbow Bee-eater, Merops ornatus
Dollarbird, Eurystomus orientalis
Galah, Eolophus roseicapilla
Pale-headed Rosella, Platycercus adscitus
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Superb Fairywren, Malurus cyaneus
Red-backed Fairywren, Malurus melanocephalus
Lewin's Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Noisy Miner, Manorina melanocephala
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
White-throated Honeyeater, Melithreptus albogularis
Striped Honeyeater, Plectorhyncha lanceolata
Little Friarbird, Philemon citreogularis
Striated Pardalote, Pardalotus striatus
Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Coracina novaehollandiae
White-winged Triller, Lalage tricolor
Grey Shrikethrush, Colluricincla harmonica
Golden Whistler, Pachycephala pectoralis
Rufous Whistler, Pachycephala rufiventris
Olive-backed Oriole, Oriolus sagittatus
Australasian Figbird, Sphecotheres vieilloti
Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen
Willie-wagtail, Rhipidura leucophrys
Leaden Flycatcher, Myiagra rubecula
Plumed Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna eytoni
Wandering Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna arcuata
Black Swan, Cygnus atratus
Australian Wood-Duck, Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Grey Teal, Anas gracilis
Australasian Grebe, Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Peaceful Dove, Geopelia placida
Bar-shouldered Dove, Geopelia humeralis
Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa
Little Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Intermediate Egret, Ardea intermedia
Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus
Rainbow Bee-eater, Merops ornatus
Dollarbird, Eurystomus orientalis
Galah, Eolophus roseicapilla
Pale-headed Rosella, Platycercus adscitus
Rainbow Lorikeet, Trichoglossus moluccanus
Superb Fairywren, Malurus cyaneus
Red-backed Fairywren, Malurus melanocephalus
Lewin's Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii
Noisy Miner, Manorina melanocephala
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta
White-throated Honeyeater, Melithreptus albogularis
Striped Honeyeater, Plectorhyncha lanceolata
Little Friarbird, Philemon citreogularis
Striated Pardalote, Pardalotus striatus
Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Coracina novaehollandiae
White-winged Triller, Lalage tricolor
Grey Shrikethrush, Colluricincla harmonica
Golden Whistler, Pachycephala pectoralis
Rufous Whistler, Pachycephala rufiventris
Olive-backed Oriole, Oriolus sagittatus
Australasian Figbird, Sphecotheres vieilloti
Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen
Willie-wagtail, Rhipidura leucophrys
Leaden Flycatcher, Myiagra rubecula
Farewell to the Waders – Tabbil-ban dhagun Boardwalk, Brisbane – 25th March 2023:
Target Species: Pacific Golden-Plover, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
The migratory waiters of South East Queensland are reaching the end of their stay in their southern feeding grounds. As their breeding plumage starts to emerge and with stomachs filled and energy stocks replenished, most are soon to travel back to vast areas of Siberia and Alaska for breeding. There are still several waders to be ticked off my list so I decided to return to Nudgee Beach and attempt to find a few of the commoner yet still elusive species just before their departure north. The mudflats of this beach continue to be a local haunt for a wide range of waders whilst preserving a small pocket of mangrove forest close to the city and connecting to the greater Boondall Wetlands. High on my list to see were two species that are regularly recorded around the coasts of Moreton Bay. The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Calidris acuminata which are affectionally known as 'sharpies’ are a common summer visitor found along the coast and even more in inland regions. The second species was one I considered to be among my favourites - the Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva which is a rather striking bird both in non-breeding and breeding plumage.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
My journey started at the nearby Nudgee Waterhole Reserve where there is a small body of water surrounded by paperbark forest trails. It was a relatively quiet start however there were a pair of Australasian Grebes foraging in the thick water weed. The grebes remained in the centre of the water while I further observed a male Australasian Darter with wings open, perched high in the eucalyptus along with commoner cormorants. I had a good look at all the ducks around the perimeter of the lake and was pleased to see my first Hardhead of the year among all the usual black and wood ducks. Oddly enough I didn’t spot any of the usual turtles that are common throughout this area. There were interesting species of dragonfly around with several mating on the wing including Australian Emperor and Green Skimmer. Generally, it's a brief loop around the place so I continue onwards to the boardwalk.
Green Skimmer
I went straight down to the bird hide as it was still early morning and it was low tide. I was immediately met with an exciting range of species and there was a lot of activity and noise from the birds. A White-bellied Sea-Eagle sent a few of the smaller waders into a flurry of flight, enabling me to pinpoint a trio of Whimbrels as the first waders of the day. This species of course dwarfs many of the other migratory waders with its rather sturdy size and curved bill. They are usually near the bird hide and allow for very close views. None of the larger Eastern Curlews were spotted, presumably meaning they have already left or were in another part of the bay. Along with the whimbrels, the two main species out on the mudflats were the noisy Pied Stilts and the more subdued Bar-tailed Godwits. I was really excited to see that some of the godwits had already attained their full rich red breeding plumage, contrasting their usual rather drab yet familiar appearance. They looked very different! I kept a very careful eye out for any Black-tailed Godwits but all of the godwits out on the bay seemed to have upcurved bills and a generally densely barred plumage. The shorebirds were joined by larger flocks of White-faced Herons, Little Egrets and even several Masked Lapwings with the resident Eastern Osprey surveying from above on its usual perch over the mangroves.
Bar-tailed Godwits
Pied Stilt
Among the flock of Silver Gulls my eyes just caught sight of a flock of five waders that were slowly making their way across the mud. They had a more upright posture that most waders with large eyes and one of them had a bold gold spangled patterning with a blackening underparts as they entered breeding plumage, giving anyway their identities almost immediately. They were five Pacific Golden-Plovers that melded surprising well against the mud. as I reached the larger viewing area across from the platform, I soon realised also five Sharp-tailed Sandpipers were among the closer flock of stilts. Two excellent lifers that I was able to pick up right before their imminent departure.
Pacific Golden Plover
Striated Herons remained along the edges of the open space and one heron was right near the boardwalk allowing for unusually close views. Within the mangrove forest were the usual Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrikes that perch high up in exposed branches. I was keeping an eye out for a male Shining Flycatcher that had been recorded here recently but I was occupied instead with lots of kingfishers – a single Sacred Kingfisher close to the mudflat and the much more localised Torresian Kingfishers who were noisily calling as the sun rose and the day grew hotter. There were several species of crab as well with this low tide and I spotted a vibrant Scarlet Three-spined Mangrove Crab along with high densities of fiddler crabs. How could anyone tire of such striking crabs. Overall, a great morning that was successful in trying to slowly gain experience with waders.
Striated Heron
Scarlet Three-Spined Mangrove Crab
Target Species: Pacific Golden-Plover, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
The migratory waiters of South East Queensland are reaching the end of their stay in their southern feeding grounds. As their breeding plumage starts to emerge and with stomachs filled and energy stocks replenished, most are soon to travel back to vast areas of Siberia and Alaska for breeding. There are still several waders to be ticked off my list so I decided to return to Nudgee Beach and attempt to find a few of the commoner yet still elusive species just before their departure north. The mudflats of this beach continue to be a local haunt for a wide range of waders whilst preserving a small pocket of mangrove forest close to the city and connecting to the greater Boondall Wetlands. High on my list to see were two species that are regularly recorded around the coasts of Moreton Bay. The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Calidris acuminata which are affectionally known as 'sharpies’ are a common summer visitor found along the coast and even more in inland regions. The second species was one I considered to be among my favourites - the Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva which is a rather striking bird both in non-breeding and breeding plumage.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
My journey started at the nearby Nudgee Waterhole Reserve where there is a small body of water surrounded by paperbark forest trails. It was a relatively quiet start however there were a pair of Australasian Grebes foraging in the thick water weed. The grebes remained in the centre of the water while I further observed a male Australasian Darter with wings open, perched high in the eucalyptus along with commoner cormorants. I had a good look at all the ducks around the perimeter of the lake and was pleased to see my first Hardhead of the year among all the usual black and wood ducks. Oddly enough I didn’t spot any of the usual turtles that are common throughout this area. There were interesting species of dragonfly around with several mating on the wing including Australian Emperor and Green Skimmer. Generally, it's a brief loop around the place so I continue onwards to the boardwalk.
Green Skimmer
I went straight down to the bird hide as it was still early morning and it was low tide. I was immediately met with an exciting range of species and there was a lot of activity and noise from the birds. A White-bellied Sea-Eagle sent a few of the smaller waders into a flurry of flight, enabling me to pinpoint a trio of Whimbrels as the first waders of the day. This species of course dwarfs many of the other migratory waders with its rather sturdy size and curved bill. They are usually near the bird hide and allow for very close views. None of the larger Eastern Curlews were spotted, presumably meaning they have already left or were in another part of the bay. Along with the whimbrels, the two main species out on the mudflats were the noisy Pied Stilts and the more subdued Bar-tailed Godwits. I was really excited to see that some of the godwits had already attained their full rich red breeding plumage, contrasting their usual rather drab yet familiar appearance. They looked very different! I kept a very careful eye out for any Black-tailed Godwits but all of the godwits out on the bay seemed to have upcurved bills and a generally densely barred plumage. The shorebirds were joined by larger flocks of White-faced Herons, Little Egrets and even several Masked Lapwings with the resident Eastern Osprey surveying from above on its usual perch over the mangroves.
Bar-tailed Godwits
Pied Stilt
Among the flock of Silver Gulls my eyes just caught sight of a flock of five waders that were slowly making their way across the mud. They had a more upright posture that most waders with large eyes and one of them had a bold gold spangled patterning with a blackening underparts as they entered breeding plumage, giving anyway their identities almost immediately. They were five Pacific Golden-Plovers that melded surprising well against the mud. as I reached the larger viewing area across from the platform, I soon realised also five Sharp-tailed Sandpipers were among the closer flock of stilts. Two excellent lifers that I was able to pick up right before their imminent departure.
Pacific Golden Plover
Striated Herons remained along the edges of the open space and one heron was right near the boardwalk allowing for unusually close views. Within the mangrove forest were the usual Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrikes that perch high up in exposed branches. I was keeping an eye out for a male Shining Flycatcher that had been recorded here recently but I was occupied instead with lots of kingfishers – a single Sacred Kingfisher close to the mudflat and the much more localised Torresian Kingfishers who were noisily calling as the sun rose and the day grew hotter. There were several species of crab as well with this low tide and I spotted a vibrant Scarlet Three-spined Mangrove Crab along with high densities of fiddler crabs. How could anyone tire of such striking crabs. Overall, a great morning that was successful in trying to slowly gain experience with waders.
Striated Heron
Scarlet Three-Spined Mangrove Crab
Hunting for Bush-Chooks – 7th Brigade Park, Brisbane – December 2022 to April 2023:
Target Species: Pale-vented Bush-hen
For several months now, I’ve been visiting my local park with an underlying focus to find the Pale-vented Bush-hen, Amaurornis moluccana; a very secretive species of rail found in dense vegetation lining creeks and gullies across the region. These bluey-grey bush-hens with reddish undertails and vents are very hard to find as skulking residents that retreat as soon as they are spotted. While they are wary, they can be found in human-modified habitats like 7th Brigade Park with some luck and knowledge on where they exactly occur. Their clucking calls can also assist to find them.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been enjoying exploring the different parts of the park. Its varied habitat with small segments of remnant bushland in the furthest corners and Downfall Creek that runs through the park with thick weedy vegetation. There is a lot of new native plantings which have been attracting a lot of interesting invertebrates especially. The entrance point I always enter is opposite a set of hockey fields and there is a small waterhole with a wide range of waterbirds. Here a Little Egret has been spotted on most visits and the occasional Sacred Kingfisher is perched on an exposed branch around dusk. The cries of Australasian Swamphens travel through the reedbeds while glimpses of Brown Quail are not uncommon. The dragonflies are always common; notably I’ve picked up Australian Duskhawker here. Possessing bright green markings, it’s a unique species of dragonfly that is a vagrant and is crepuscular and is the only member of its genus to occur in Australia. An uncommon skipper species – Swamp Darter – has also been seen a few times.
Little Egret – 30th December 2022
The waterhole leads to a creek embankment where the otter-like Australian Water Rat is known to occur though I haven’t been lucky in spotting them. Instead Keelbacks are common and I often see these snakes closely along with Eastern Water Skinks that all seem to thrive in this riparian habitat. Cormorants – both Little Black and Little Pied – have been seen drying off in the paperbark trees that lead to the first bridge. On Friday I was lucky to find a Striated Heron in the area that was stalking the water skinks. Traditionally a species I associate with mangroves and mudflats, the heron has remained in the area close to suburbia.
Striated Heron – 31st March 2023
Near the bridge, there are lots of young eucalypts that when in flower are popular with eucalypt leaf beetles, soldier beetles, the Small Green-Banded Blue and notably the area where I found my first 32-Spotted Katydid. These immense bugs can reach ten centimetres in length and are such an impressive creature with a striking range of spots and stripes and very spiny legs. The katydid pictured below initially flew into me and then took off powerfully, landing in a nearby tree.
32-Spotted Katydid – 4th March 2023
Continuing on towards the dog park, the vegetation is denser allowing good coverage for White-browed Scrubwrens and occasional flocks of Striated Pardalotes, dodging all of the larger territorial birds. The occasional kingfisher is spotted here as well but generally are difficult to find. I did spot a Forest Kingfisher in the park about a month ago that seemed to be passing through as it was chased out by a mob of Noisy Miners. There is good coverage provided here for a large population of Buff-banded Rails that live throughout the watery edges of Downfall Creek. This area has to be one of the most reliable spots for this species surely and I have seen them here every single visit since December last year. This morning for example, there were three rails out in the open right near the dog park, feeding in the morning light. Buff-banded Rails are just one of those species I never tire of seeing.
Buff-banded Rail – 30th December 2022
A bit further out from the dog park is a grassland area with a walkway that is mowed allowing you to walk through the tall grass. I’ve been hearing the clucks of bush-hens here regularly and last Friday I was lucky enough to finally see no less than four Pale-vented Bush-hens with three zipping past and one that scrambled upwards in a flurry of brief flight. I returned today and was greeted with two bush-hens again with one individual staying in view just long enough to get a quick reference shot. These birds are significantly smaller than I was expecting. I was imagining something around the size of a moorhen but they are more the size of a small crake. They are admittedly quite plain (though several of the ones I saw were juveniles) but their red buffy vents do contrast nicely, allowing for clear identification from a distance. Great little birds and well worth the search.
Pale-vented Bush-hen – 3rd April 2023
Australasian Swamphen - 3rd April 2023
The cooler months attract the smaller bush birds into the park and I have been recording regular sightings of Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Fantail and even a Rufous Fantail at the park. They remain in low numbers and very much in isolated pockets often in the company of a range of fairywrens. The trunks of trees have often been filled with Green and Black Planthoppers and Treerunner Mantis recently. It's a challenge to find the mantis as they camouflage very well and they are quite small in comparison to larger, more conspicuous species. I often finish my visit to the park with a look at the local camp of Black Flying Foxes that roost near the exit. Overall, it’s been quite eye-opening to see how much life can be sustained in a small suburban park.
Green and Black Planthopper – 3rd April 2023
Black Flying Fox – 26th February 2023
Target Species: Pale-vented Bush-hen
For several months now, I’ve been visiting my local park with an underlying focus to find the Pale-vented Bush-hen, Amaurornis moluccana; a very secretive species of rail found in dense vegetation lining creeks and gullies across the region. These bluey-grey bush-hens with reddish undertails and vents are very hard to find as skulking residents that retreat as soon as they are spotted. While they are wary, they can be found in human-modified habitats like 7th Brigade Park with some luck and knowledge on where they exactly occur. Their clucking calls can also assist to find them.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been enjoying exploring the different parts of the park. Its varied habitat with small segments of remnant bushland in the furthest corners and Downfall Creek that runs through the park with thick weedy vegetation. There is a lot of new native plantings which have been attracting a lot of interesting invertebrates especially. The entrance point I always enter is opposite a set of hockey fields and there is a small waterhole with a wide range of waterbirds. Here a Little Egret has been spotted on most visits and the occasional Sacred Kingfisher is perched on an exposed branch around dusk. The cries of Australasian Swamphens travel through the reedbeds while glimpses of Brown Quail are not uncommon. The dragonflies are always common; notably I’ve picked up Australian Duskhawker here. Possessing bright green markings, it’s a unique species of dragonfly that is a vagrant and is crepuscular and is the only member of its genus to occur in Australia. An uncommon skipper species – Swamp Darter – has also been seen a few times.
Little Egret – 30th December 2022
The waterhole leads to a creek embankment where the otter-like Australian Water Rat is known to occur though I haven’t been lucky in spotting them. Instead Keelbacks are common and I often see these snakes closely along with Eastern Water Skinks that all seem to thrive in this riparian habitat. Cormorants – both Little Black and Little Pied – have been seen drying off in the paperbark trees that lead to the first bridge. On Friday I was lucky to find a Striated Heron in the area that was stalking the water skinks. Traditionally a species I associate with mangroves and mudflats, the heron has remained in the area close to suburbia.
Striated Heron – 31st March 2023
Near the bridge, there are lots of young eucalypts that when in flower are popular with eucalypt leaf beetles, soldier beetles, the Small Green-Banded Blue and notably the area where I found my first 32-Spotted Katydid. These immense bugs can reach ten centimetres in length and are such an impressive creature with a striking range of spots and stripes and very spiny legs. The katydid pictured below initially flew into me and then took off powerfully, landing in a nearby tree.
32-Spotted Katydid – 4th March 2023
Continuing on towards the dog park, the vegetation is denser allowing good coverage for White-browed Scrubwrens and occasional flocks of Striated Pardalotes, dodging all of the larger territorial birds. The occasional kingfisher is spotted here as well but generally are difficult to find. I did spot a Forest Kingfisher in the park about a month ago that seemed to be passing through as it was chased out by a mob of Noisy Miners. There is good coverage provided here for a large population of Buff-banded Rails that live throughout the watery edges of Downfall Creek. This area has to be one of the most reliable spots for this species surely and I have seen them here every single visit since December last year. This morning for example, there were three rails out in the open right near the dog park, feeding in the morning light. Buff-banded Rails are just one of those species I never tire of seeing.
Buff-banded Rail – 30th December 2022
A bit further out from the dog park is a grassland area with a walkway that is mowed allowing you to walk through the tall grass. I’ve been hearing the clucks of bush-hens here regularly and last Friday I was lucky enough to finally see no less than four Pale-vented Bush-hens with three zipping past and one that scrambled upwards in a flurry of brief flight. I returned today and was greeted with two bush-hens again with one individual staying in view just long enough to get a quick reference shot. These birds are significantly smaller than I was expecting. I was imagining something around the size of a moorhen but they are more the size of a small crake. They are admittedly quite plain (though several of the ones I saw were juveniles) but their red buffy vents do contrast nicely, allowing for clear identification from a distance. Great little birds and well worth the search.
Pale-vented Bush-hen – 3rd April 2023
Australasian Swamphen - 3rd April 2023
The cooler months attract the smaller bush birds into the park and I have been recording regular sightings of Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Fantail and even a Rufous Fantail at the park. They remain in low numbers and very much in isolated pockets often in the company of a range of fairywrens. The trunks of trees have often been filled with Green and Black Planthoppers and Treerunner Mantis recently. It's a challenge to find the mantis as they camouflage very well and they are quite small in comparison to larger, more conspicuous species. I often finish my visit to the park with a look at the local camp of Black Flying Foxes that roost near the exit. Overall, it’s been quite eye-opening to see how much life can be sustained in a small suburban park.
Green and Black Planthopper – 3rd April 2023
Black Flying Fox – 26th February 2023
That's interesting. I haven't seen one before and I too was expecting moorhen size - probably due to their moorhenny-colouration. They don't look like they would be a small bird.
The Pitter-Patter of Pittas – Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, Sunshine Coast – 4th April 2023:
Target Species: Noisy Pitta
Despite ticking off my first riflebird a few months ago, I had unfinished business at Mary Cairncross so this morning I was up bright and early to complete the increasingly familiar rainforest circuit. Something I realised today as I approached Mary Cairncross is how isolated the reserve actually is among the mountainous farmland. There is a fence that runs around most of the rainforest and the plants are literally bursting at the seams with little room to grow. I know there is some work to grow the forest beyond some of the back slopes with more rainforest plantings but I didn’t realise how restricted this pocket of rainforest actually is within Maleny. Anyway, the clear target for today was the Noisy Pitta, Pitta versicolor of course which has long been a target as anyone reading this thread would know. Despite being school holidays currently, I was hoping a weekday would work in my favour to track down this near mythical bird.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
As I walked into the rainforest, I was greeted with large flocks of Topknot Pigeons that were flying across the hinterland as they were no doubt finding their next source of food. These large slate-grey pigeons are highly nomadic birds following seasonal fruiting patterns and can often be seen in large numbers even around Brisbane, close to the city centre at the height of their altitudinal migration. The first bird I saw within the rainforest was a very bold White-headed Pigeon. I believe it was a young one that hadn’t quite figured out it should be right at the top of the canopy with all the other booming and cooing columbids. The pigeon came down to the forest floor among all the Red-legged Pademelons and was walking around the pathway near the visitor centre. With a few head bobs, it awkwardly flew to a higher vantage point and remained in full view for several minutes. It was the first time I’d managed to photograph a wild one with only previously fleeting glimpses of the wild ones that live around Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and the population up near D’Aguilar National Park. They are great large-bodied birds and were generally common throughout the rainforest circuit.
White-headed Pigeon
Deeper into the rainforest, I was met with at least two different pairs of Eastern Whipbirds scratching up the leaf litter for bugs and there were healthy numbers of the usual suspects – Pale-Yellow Robins perched regularly on tree trunks while active groups of Large-billed Scrubwrens and Brown Gerygones filled the clearings of the rainforest in the dappled light. A more careful eye revealed a male Golden Whistler on the fringes of the gerygones while Yellow-throated Scrubwrens were abundant on the logs throughout. The small bird of the day went to a lovely Spectacled Monarch which reminded me how long it had been since I had a really good look at this species. The calls of Crimson Rosellas, Australian King Parrots, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Green Catbirds were all definitely heard and I spent a good while trying to find the rosellas in the dark canopy especially as they are generally restricted to these upland rainforests in south-east Queensland. The pademelons had several joeys as well which were fun to spot.
Red-legged Pademelon
Hop, hop, hop. A compact bird with powerful leg movements emerged from the bowels of the forest silently right onto the track among a pair of feeding whipbirds. My eyes locked onto its unmistakeable appearance; a wonderful palette of rich green and lemony yellow with marked features like a black cap, a red undertail and a bright blue shoulder that glinted as it travelled across the leaf litter. My first wild Noisy Pitta at last. The pitta stayed for about three minutes; I fumbled around trying to get a photo but decided to just soak in the moment. It fed, froze a few times to survey its surroundings and followed the whipbirds for a while. It quickly hopped onto a buttress root and disappeared quietly into the rainforest once again. I was thrilled with this prolonged sighting but then five minutes later, I had a second opportunity with the Noisy Pitta as it reappeared once again in a more open clearing closer to sunlight so I was able to get an even better view. The pitta was absolutely silent and nimbly travelled across the forest floor. Magnificent birds and how fortunate to have them locally.
Noisy Pitta
Towards the final turn of the circuit, I enjoyed close views of a pair of Red-browed Finches creating a nest in a small shrub while I caught sight of a White-throated Treecreeper hopping up an exposed tree. There were several Lewin’s Honeyeaters darting through the lower canopy as well while several fantails were heard but surprisingly not easily seen. The palms were filled with coos of pigeons and doves including what I suspect were some unseen Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves. After much searching, I only managed to find a single Brown Cuckoo-Dove. The final species seen were a few Silvereyes flying from tree to tree as I left the rainforest.
Pale-Yellow Robin
It feels surreal to have finally seen a wild pitta; a goal of mine since I started the thread in 2021. It’s definitely one of the local stars as a good reminder of how rich and varied these subtropical rainforests are and a reminder of their fragility and distinctiveness. My quest to further explore my local natural places however did not stop with the pitta as there was a second target for today – a little red wonder that has caused a great deal of excitement for many. Stay tuned.
Target Species: Noisy Pitta
Despite ticking off my first riflebird a few months ago, I had unfinished business at Mary Cairncross so this morning I was up bright and early to complete the increasingly familiar rainforest circuit. Something I realised today as I approached Mary Cairncross is how isolated the reserve actually is among the mountainous farmland. There is a fence that runs around most of the rainforest and the plants are literally bursting at the seams with little room to grow. I know there is some work to grow the forest beyond some of the back slopes with more rainforest plantings but I didn’t realise how restricted this pocket of rainforest actually is within Maleny. Anyway, the clear target for today was the Noisy Pitta, Pitta versicolor of course which has long been a target as anyone reading this thread would know. Despite being school holidays currently, I was hoping a weekday would work in my favour to track down this near mythical bird.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
As I walked into the rainforest, I was greeted with large flocks of Topknot Pigeons that were flying across the hinterland as they were no doubt finding their next source of food. These large slate-grey pigeons are highly nomadic birds following seasonal fruiting patterns and can often be seen in large numbers even around Brisbane, close to the city centre at the height of their altitudinal migration. The first bird I saw within the rainforest was a very bold White-headed Pigeon. I believe it was a young one that hadn’t quite figured out it should be right at the top of the canopy with all the other booming and cooing columbids. The pigeon came down to the forest floor among all the Red-legged Pademelons and was walking around the pathway near the visitor centre. With a few head bobs, it awkwardly flew to a higher vantage point and remained in full view for several minutes. It was the first time I’d managed to photograph a wild one with only previously fleeting glimpses of the wild ones that live around Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and the population up near D’Aguilar National Park. They are great large-bodied birds and were generally common throughout the rainforest circuit.
White-headed Pigeon
Deeper into the rainforest, I was met with at least two different pairs of Eastern Whipbirds scratching up the leaf litter for bugs and there were healthy numbers of the usual suspects – Pale-Yellow Robins perched regularly on tree trunks while active groups of Large-billed Scrubwrens and Brown Gerygones filled the clearings of the rainforest in the dappled light. A more careful eye revealed a male Golden Whistler on the fringes of the gerygones while Yellow-throated Scrubwrens were abundant on the logs throughout. The small bird of the day went to a lovely Spectacled Monarch which reminded me how long it had been since I had a really good look at this species. The calls of Crimson Rosellas, Australian King Parrots, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Green Catbirds were all definitely heard and I spent a good while trying to find the rosellas in the dark canopy especially as they are generally restricted to these upland rainforests in south-east Queensland. The pademelons had several joeys as well which were fun to spot.
Red-legged Pademelon
Hop, hop, hop. A compact bird with powerful leg movements emerged from the bowels of the forest silently right onto the track among a pair of feeding whipbirds. My eyes locked onto its unmistakeable appearance; a wonderful palette of rich green and lemony yellow with marked features like a black cap, a red undertail and a bright blue shoulder that glinted as it travelled across the leaf litter. My first wild Noisy Pitta at last. The pitta stayed for about three minutes; I fumbled around trying to get a photo but decided to just soak in the moment. It fed, froze a few times to survey its surroundings and followed the whipbirds for a while. It quickly hopped onto a buttress root and disappeared quietly into the rainforest once again. I was thrilled with this prolonged sighting but then five minutes later, I had a second opportunity with the Noisy Pitta as it reappeared once again in a more open clearing closer to sunlight so I was able to get an even better view. The pitta was absolutely silent and nimbly travelled across the forest floor. Magnificent birds and how fortunate to have them locally.
Noisy Pitta
Towards the final turn of the circuit, I enjoyed close views of a pair of Red-browed Finches creating a nest in a small shrub while I caught sight of a White-throated Treecreeper hopping up an exposed tree. There were several Lewin’s Honeyeaters darting through the lower canopy as well while several fantails were heard but surprisingly not easily seen. The palms were filled with coos of pigeons and doves including what I suspect were some unseen Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves. After much searching, I only managed to find a single Brown Cuckoo-Dove. The final species seen were a few Silvereyes flying from tree to tree as I left the rainforest.
Pale-Yellow Robin
It feels surreal to have finally seen a wild pitta; a goal of mine since I started the thread in 2021. It’s definitely one of the local stars as a good reminder of how rich and varied these subtropical rainforests are and a reminder of their fragility and distinctiveness. My quest to further explore my local natural places however did not stop with the pitta as there was a second target for today – a little red wonder that has caused a great deal of excitement for many. Stay tuned.
I've tried a couple of times for pale-vented bush-hens but never succeeded. Congratulations.Hunting for Bush-Chooks – 7th Brigade Park, Brisbane – December 2022 to April 2023:
Target Species: Pale-vented Bush-hen
For several months now, I’ve been visiting my local park with an underlying focus to find the Pale-vented Bush-hen, Amaurornis moluccana; a very secretive species of rail found in dense vegetation lining creeks and gullies across the region. These bluey-grey bush-hens with reddish undertails and vents are very hard to find as skulking residents that retreat as soon as they are spotted. While they are wary, they can be found in human-modified habitats like 7th Brigade Park with some luck and knowledge on where they exactly occur. Their clucking calls can also assist to find them.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been enjoying exploring the different parts of the park. Its varied habitat with small segments of remnant bushland in the furthest corners and Downfall Creek that runs through the park with thick weedy vegetation. There is a lot of new native plantings which have been attracting a lot of interesting invertebrates especially. The entrance point I always enter is opposite a set of hockey fields and there is a small waterhole with a wide range of waterbirds. Here a Little Egret has been spotted on most visits and the occasional Sacred Kingfisher is perched on an exposed branch around dusk. The cries of Australasian Swamphens travel through the reedbeds while glimpses of Brown Quail are not uncommon. The dragonflies are always common; notably I’ve picked up Australian Duskhawker here. Possessing bright green markings, it’s a unique species of dragonfly that is a vagrant and is crepuscular and is the only member of its genus to occur in Australia. An uncommon skipper species – Swamp Darter – has also been seen a few times.
Little Egret – 30th December 2022
The waterhole leads to a creek embankment where the otter-like Australian Water Rat is known to occur though I haven’t been lucky in spotting them. Instead Keelbacks are common and I often see these snakes closely along with Eastern Water Skinks that all seem to thrive in this riparian habitat. Cormorants – both Little Black and Little Pied – have been seen drying off in the paperbark trees that lead to the first bridge. On Friday I was lucky to find a Striated Heron in the area that was stalking the water skinks. Traditionally a species I associate with mangroves and mudflats, the heron has remained in the area close to suburbia.
Striated Heron – 31st March 2023
Near the bridge, there are lots of young eucalypts that when in flower are popular with eucalypt leaf beetles, soldier beetles, the Small Green-Banded Blue and notably the area where I found my first 32-Spotted Katydid. These immense bugs can reach ten centimetres in length and are such an impressive creature with a striking range of spots and stripes and very spiny legs. The katydid pictured below initially flew into me and then took off powerfully, landing in a nearby tree.
32-Spotted Katydid – 4th March 2023
Continuing on towards the dog park, the vegetation is denser allowing good coverage for White-browed Scrubwrens and occasional flocks of Striated Pardalotes, dodging all of the larger territorial birds. The occasional kingfisher is spotted here as well but generally are difficult to find. I did spot a Forest Kingfisher in the park about a month ago that seemed to be passing through as it was chased out by a mob of Noisy Miners. There is good coverage provided here for a large population of Buff-banded Rails that live throughout the watery edges of Downfall Creek. This area has to be one of the most reliable spots for this species surely and I have seen them here every single visit since December last year. This morning for example, there were three rails out in the open right near the dog park, feeding in the morning light. Buff-banded Rails are just one of those species I never tire of seeing.
Buff-banded Rail – 30th December 2022
A bit further out from the dog park is a grassland area with a walkway that is mowed allowing you to walk through the tall grass. I’ve been hearing the clucks of bush-hens here regularly and last Friday I was lucky enough to finally see no less than four Pale-vented Bush-hens with three zipping past and one that scrambled upwards in a flurry of brief flight. I returned today and was greeted with two bush-hens again with one individual staying in view just long enough to get a quick reference shot. These birds are significantly smaller than I was expecting. I was imagining something around the size of a moorhen but they are more the size of a small crake. They are admittedly quite plain (though several of the ones I saw were juveniles) but their red buffy vents do contrast nicely, allowing for clear identification from a distance. Great little birds and well worth the search.
Pale-vented Bush-hen – 3rd April 2023
Australasian Swamphen - 3rd April 2023
The cooler months attract the smaller bush birds into the park and I have been recording regular sightings of Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Grey Fantail and even a Rufous Fantail at the park. They remain in low numbers and very much in isolated pockets often in the company of a range of fairywrens. The trunks of trees have often been filled with Green and Black Planthoppers and Treerunner Mantis recently. It's a challenge to find the mantis as they camouflage very well and they are quite small in comparison to larger, more conspicuous species. I often finish my visit to the park with a look at the local camp of Black Flying Foxes that roost near the exit. Overall, it’s been quite eye-opening to see how much life can be sustained in a small suburban park.
Green and Black Planthopper – 3rd April 2023
Black Flying Fox – 26th February 2023
Seeing Red – Kumbartcho Sanctuary, Moreton Bay – 4th April 2023:
Target Species: Red-capped Robin
Australia is filled with a whole suite of robins nestled within the Petroicidae family. The most common member seen locally is the Eastern Yellow Robin which has been well-covered in this thread at several of the locations that include any sizeable area of habitat, from dry bushland to rainforest. They are an enduring favourite by many and can often be confused with the Pale-Yellow Robin, a rainforest specialist. Both of these yellowy robins often live in the same habitat so they require careful observation. If you’re lucky a Jacky Winter (still to be seen) can be ticked off around the reserves west of Brisbane and fleeting glimpses of Rose Robin in the winter after a good search. That’s generally the extent of Australasian robins for most of the time. The Aussie red robins – Flame, Scarlet and Red-capped Robin - are generally off-limits. These birds are rare to non-existent locally as their strongholds are to the west and south. To the amazement of many however, the arid-loving Red-capped Robin, Petroica goodenovii has recently made an appearance at Kumbartcho Sanctuary (location 39). A male-female pair have been spotted reliably and clearly for the past four days in a suburban clearing. Anyone of the red robins would be top of my list when I bird in the southern states so this opportunity to tick one of them off locally was simply irresistible.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Upon arrival, I was reminded how accessible the area is with clear, well-planned trails that start around the main body of water. No doubt its layout is a result of it being the site of a former zoo. Here I spotted a single Forest Kingfisher darting for cover while there was a breeding pair of Australasian Grebes with their young with an assortment of common ducks and cormorants. I headed towards a viewing part that looks across the riverine rainforest where I spotted several Brown Cuckoo-Doves feeding close by. I was quietly hoping a Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove would pop up at either location today but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be. There was still lots to see as I made my way down to the South Pine River that runs through the sanctuary.
Brown Cuckoo-Dove
Now I didn’t really have much to go off to find these robins. It was mentioned there were in a clearing near the rainforest. I interpreted this as the opening that leads along the river. So I intently searched all along the casuarinas that run along the river banks. I spotted an assortment of wet forest birds including all four local pachycephalids with Rufous Shrike-thrush, Grey Shrike-thrush, Golden Whistler and Rufous Whistler all seen very quickly along the riverbank while Lewin’s Honeyeaters were the most common bird seen today. Spangled Drongos were perched high above while Grey Fantails and flocks of Red-browed Finches travelled through the weedy patches, allowing me to get a better idea on the diversity of this underrated area. My shockingly bad luck continued with Azure Kingfisher as apparently its yet another reliable site for them, despite their invisibility. The best bird from this patch thus far went to a striking Varied Triller who popped up surprisingly among all the fantails, honeyeaters and whistlers. There was still no sign of the red robins so I retraced my steps along the river and back into coverage.
Varied Triller
There is a sway bridge that travels deeper into the bush which provided clearer views of the shrike-thrushes and a few Eastern Yellow Robins that were perched quietly on tree trunks. One of the robins was feeding on the ground with a single Rufous Shrike-thrush close to the pathway which made for very enjoyable viewing. I had been searching the entire area and this was the final part I needed explore so I was slowly losing hope I’d find them. Just as I was about to call it a day and head back to the entrance, I suddenly realised there was a small clearing on the other side from the riparian rainforest that leads into a hilly corner. A part I hadn’t seen on my last visit and didn’t know existed.
Eastern Yellow Robin
The space was very open with short, freshly-mowed grass right on the edge of the sanctuary, bordering several residential backyards. There were a few birdwatchers standing right at the top of the hill admiring something so I quickly approached to join them. Sure enough they pointed to a small grey bird that was hitting a moth against a branch. The female Red-capped Robin was trying to get rid of the moth’s irritating hairs before consumption. The male robin was very close and was jaw-dropping in the flesh. He came even closer and seemed to be quite territorial. This species makes Eastern Yellow Robins look comparatively large but they make up for it with their colour. Even the female with a reddish tint on its crown is conspicuous. Quite dainty but incredibly striking. As such a rare species for the area, I relished the opportunity to see something so unique and have this sighting that probably won’t be experienced anytime soon locally again.
Red-capped Robin
Target Species: Red-capped Robin
Australia is filled with a whole suite of robins nestled within the Petroicidae family. The most common member seen locally is the Eastern Yellow Robin which has been well-covered in this thread at several of the locations that include any sizeable area of habitat, from dry bushland to rainforest. They are an enduring favourite by many and can often be confused with the Pale-Yellow Robin, a rainforest specialist. Both of these yellowy robins often live in the same habitat so they require careful observation. If you’re lucky a Jacky Winter (still to be seen) can be ticked off around the reserves west of Brisbane and fleeting glimpses of Rose Robin in the winter after a good search. That’s generally the extent of Australasian robins for most of the time. The Aussie red robins – Flame, Scarlet and Red-capped Robin - are generally off-limits. These birds are rare to non-existent locally as their strongholds are to the west and south. To the amazement of many however, the arid-loving Red-capped Robin, Petroica goodenovii has recently made an appearance at Kumbartcho Sanctuary (location 39). A male-female pair have been spotted reliably and clearly for the past four days in a suburban clearing. Anyone of the red robins would be top of my list when I bird in the southern states so this opportunity to tick one of them off locally was simply irresistible.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Upon arrival, I was reminded how accessible the area is with clear, well-planned trails that start around the main body of water. No doubt its layout is a result of it being the site of a former zoo. Here I spotted a single Forest Kingfisher darting for cover while there was a breeding pair of Australasian Grebes with their young with an assortment of common ducks and cormorants. I headed towards a viewing part that looks across the riverine rainforest where I spotted several Brown Cuckoo-Doves feeding close by. I was quietly hoping a Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove would pop up at either location today but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be. There was still lots to see as I made my way down to the South Pine River that runs through the sanctuary.
Brown Cuckoo-Dove
Now I didn’t really have much to go off to find these robins. It was mentioned there were in a clearing near the rainforest. I interpreted this as the opening that leads along the river. So I intently searched all along the casuarinas that run along the river banks. I spotted an assortment of wet forest birds including all four local pachycephalids with Rufous Shrike-thrush, Grey Shrike-thrush, Golden Whistler and Rufous Whistler all seen very quickly along the riverbank while Lewin’s Honeyeaters were the most common bird seen today. Spangled Drongos were perched high above while Grey Fantails and flocks of Red-browed Finches travelled through the weedy patches, allowing me to get a better idea on the diversity of this underrated area. My shockingly bad luck continued with Azure Kingfisher as apparently its yet another reliable site for them, despite their invisibility. The best bird from this patch thus far went to a striking Varied Triller who popped up surprisingly among all the fantails, honeyeaters and whistlers. There was still no sign of the red robins so I retraced my steps along the river and back into coverage.
Varied Triller
There is a sway bridge that travels deeper into the bush which provided clearer views of the shrike-thrushes and a few Eastern Yellow Robins that were perched quietly on tree trunks. One of the robins was feeding on the ground with a single Rufous Shrike-thrush close to the pathway which made for very enjoyable viewing. I had been searching the entire area and this was the final part I needed explore so I was slowly losing hope I’d find them. Just as I was about to call it a day and head back to the entrance, I suddenly realised there was a small clearing on the other side from the riparian rainforest that leads into a hilly corner. A part I hadn’t seen on my last visit and didn’t know existed.
Eastern Yellow Robin
The space was very open with short, freshly-mowed grass right on the edge of the sanctuary, bordering several residential backyards. There were a few birdwatchers standing right at the top of the hill admiring something so I quickly approached to join them. Sure enough they pointed to a small grey bird that was hitting a moth against a branch. The female Red-capped Robin was trying to get rid of the moth’s irritating hairs before consumption. The male robin was very close and was jaw-dropping in the flesh. He came even closer and seemed to be quite territorial. This species makes Eastern Yellow Robins look comparatively large but they make up for it with their colour. Even the female with a reddish tint on its crown is conspicuous. Quite dainty but incredibly striking. As such a rare species for the area, I relished the opportunity to see something so unique and have this sighting that probably won’t be experienced anytime soon locally again.
Red-capped Robin
Location 50: Coolum Parade Wetlands, Moreton Bay – 5th April 2023:
Target Species: Red-necked Avocet
Location 50 for the thread had to have special significance as we reach the first chunk of locations finally. Fittingly, the Red-necked Avocet, Recurvirostra novaehollandiae is a very distinct species that has long been a goal to see. Due to its highly nomadic nature, these avocets can be difficult to track down especially locally as they are uncommon near the coast and move quickly from wetland to wetland. I was happy to see that these avocets have been reliably recorded at a small unknown wetlands close to sea with promise for reliable and clear sightings. Serving as a gateway to Moreton Bay, the Cooolum Parade Wetlands however has an uncertain future. It’s a wetland reserve that sits within the suburb of Kippa Ring, amongst significant housing development and construction work currently surrounding the site. Rows and rows of houses are currently being built while the wetlands is at the heart of this development and the movement of workers and trucks is continuous. Viewing is currently only permitted behind a fence as it was recently erected while all this construction occurs.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Before the trip to the wetlands, I did the Sandy Camp/Wynnum Boardwalk combo which is a popular and the recommended way to see a lot of mangrove and wetland birds especially. 54 species were seen all up in a relatively hot morning. I didn’t have any specific targets for these sites but there had been regular sightings of a few of the rarer crakes and bitterns I’m chasing and a few old favourites at Wynnum like the babblers and everyone’s favourite owlet-nightjar. Sandy Camp proved to have large numbers of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins, large groups of honeyeaters including some of the tall canopy lovers like White-throated Honeyeater in the melaleucas and a high density of waterbirds. I ticked off my first Comb-crested Jacana for the year and the Australasian Darter chicks were another highlight as the adults fed them from their exposed nest. It was getting hot very quickly so I headed towards the mangroves at Wynnum, five minutes away and was rewarded with my best sighting of Grey-crowned Babblers. The family group was out in the open, feasting on cockroaches in the leaf litter. The babblers were seeing off a few of the brush-turkeys and crows and showed little fear to humans, showcasing their wonderful repertoire of calls as they fed noisily. Their large communal nests were cool to see as they are spreading out across the site. The Australian Owlet-Nightjar was still as visible as ever as it was two months ago. I once again relished this opportunity to have such easy and clear views of the resident celebrity. Most of the locals walking by now stop to chat about it and whether it was out this morning. Some of the big characters here.
Grey-crowned Babbler eating a cockroach
Australian Owlet-Nightjar
Onwards to the Coolum Parade Wetlands (which is on the other side of town essentially). This was probably the shortest visit I’ve made to a location as there was a lot of construction around and it didn’t make for ideal viewing opportunities. So it was a quick scan around at the first area which was a small body of water that looked relatively new. There were generally common waterfowl with most notably there being several Royal Spoonbills. There was no sign of any avocets but I spotted one Pied Stilt feeding close to the fence. The stilt took off quickly and flew across out of sight. I had a suspicion then there was a larger lake somewhere so I continued onwards, passing all the cement trucks and I found a much larger wetland. I was greeted with a large young White-bellied Sea-Eagle that was cruising across the water.
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
The small birds were seen instantly and the most common species here were surprisingly the Red-necked Avocets themselves! Spectacular birds with a very striking black and white plumage with a chestnut red head and that rather comical up-turned bill to sweep back and forth to catch their prey. I stop counting at 80 birds so there were plenty of avocets to see and several of them where right up near the fence in knee-deep water. There is nothing that really looks like them in Australia so it was very easy to identify them even from a distance. There were smaller groups of Pied Stilts among all the avocets but they didn’t seem to be so obvious among all the black and white waders as they usually are.
Red-necked Avocets
I was equally excited to spot my first Red-kneed Dotterels that were positioned a bit further out. This species is a very smart-looking bird; as if they were wearing a suit with a little mask and hood. They have a very striking black and white colouration with chestnut brown flanks and reddish lanky legs. Like the avocets, they too are a very distinctive species. The pair were a fair bit out towards a few remnant mangroves that were submerged in water. They quickly travelled across the wetlands feeding with at least thirtySharp-tailed Sandpipers and excitingly a third lifer in three minutes, several tiny weeny Red-necked Stints.
Red-kneed Dotterels, Red-necked Stints and lots of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers
I was delighted to have finally seen avocets which were one of those species that ignited my curiosity for birds generally. They didn’t disappoint seeing them in the flesh with such an oddball appearance, equipped with such a unique bill especially. The bonus dotterel and stint were exciting as well along with some of the best birds around the Bayside currently with the babblers and nightjar once again.
Red-necked Avocet
Target Species: Red-necked Avocet
Location 50 for the thread had to have special significance as we reach the first chunk of locations finally. Fittingly, the Red-necked Avocet, Recurvirostra novaehollandiae is a very distinct species that has long been a goal to see. Due to its highly nomadic nature, these avocets can be difficult to track down especially locally as they are uncommon near the coast and move quickly from wetland to wetland. I was happy to see that these avocets have been reliably recorded at a small unknown wetlands close to sea with promise for reliable and clear sightings. Serving as a gateway to Moreton Bay, the Cooolum Parade Wetlands however has an uncertain future. It’s a wetland reserve that sits within the suburb of Kippa Ring, amongst significant housing development and construction work currently surrounding the site. Rows and rows of houses are currently being built while the wetlands is at the heart of this development and the movement of workers and trucks is continuous. Viewing is currently only permitted behind a fence as it was recently erected while all this construction occurs.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Before the trip to the wetlands, I did the Sandy Camp/Wynnum Boardwalk combo which is a popular and the recommended way to see a lot of mangrove and wetland birds especially. 54 species were seen all up in a relatively hot morning. I didn’t have any specific targets for these sites but there had been regular sightings of a few of the rarer crakes and bitterns I’m chasing and a few old favourites at Wynnum like the babblers and everyone’s favourite owlet-nightjar. Sandy Camp proved to have large numbers of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins, large groups of honeyeaters including some of the tall canopy lovers like White-throated Honeyeater in the melaleucas and a high density of waterbirds. I ticked off my first Comb-crested Jacana for the year and the Australasian Darter chicks were another highlight as the adults fed them from their exposed nest. It was getting hot very quickly so I headed towards the mangroves at Wynnum, five minutes away and was rewarded with my best sighting of Grey-crowned Babblers. The family group was out in the open, feasting on cockroaches in the leaf litter. The babblers were seeing off a few of the brush-turkeys and crows and showed little fear to humans, showcasing their wonderful repertoire of calls as they fed noisily. Their large communal nests were cool to see as they are spreading out across the site. The Australian Owlet-Nightjar was still as visible as ever as it was two months ago. I once again relished this opportunity to have such easy and clear views of the resident celebrity. Most of the locals walking by now stop to chat about it and whether it was out this morning. Some of the big characters here.
Grey-crowned Babbler eating a cockroach
Australian Owlet-Nightjar
Onwards to the Coolum Parade Wetlands (which is on the other side of town essentially). This was probably the shortest visit I’ve made to a location as there was a lot of construction around and it didn’t make for ideal viewing opportunities. So it was a quick scan around at the first area which was a small body of water that looked relatively new. There were generally common waterfowl with most notably there being several Royal Spoonbills. There was no sign of any avocets but I spotted one Pied Stilt feeding close to the fence. The stilt took off quickly and flew across out of sight. I had a suspicion then there was a larger lake somewhere so I continued onwards, passing all the cement trucks and I found a much larger wetland. I was greeted with a large young White-bellied Sea-Eagle that was cruising across the water.
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
The small birds were seen instantly and the most common species here were surprisingly the Red-necked Avocets themselves! Spectacular birds with a very striking black and white plumage with a chestnut red head and that rather comical up-turned bill to sweep back and forth to catch their prey. I stop counting at 80 birds so there were plenty of avocets to see and several of them where right up near the fence in knee-deep water. There is nothing that really looks like them in Australia so it was very easy to identify them even from a distance. There were smaller groups of Pied Stilts among all the avocets but they didn’t seem to be so obvious among all the black and white waders as they usually are.
Red-necked Avocets
I was equally excited to spot my first Red-kneed Dotterels that were positioned a bit further out. This species is a very smart-looking bird; as if they were wearing a suit with a little mask and hood. They have a very striking black and white colouration with chestnut brown flanks and reddish lanky legs. Like the avocets, they too are a very distinctive species. The pair were a fair bit out towards a few remnant mangroves that were submerged in water. They quickly travelled across the wetlands feeding with at least thirtySharp-tailed Sandpipers and excitingly a third lifer in three minutes, several tiny weeny Red-necked Stints.
Red-kneed Dotterels, Red-necked Stints and lots of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers
I was delighted to have finally seen avocets which were one of those species that ignited my curiosity for birds generally. They didn’t disappoint seeing them in the flesh with such an oddball appearance, equipped with such a unique bill especially. The bonus dotterel and stint were exciting as well along with some of the best birds around the Bayside currently with the babblers and nightjar once again.
Red-necked Avocet
Birds
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Chestnut Teal, Anas castanea
Red-necked Avocet, Recurvirostra novaehollandiae
Masked Lapwing, Vanellus miles
Red-kneed Dotterel, Erythrogonys cinctus
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Calidris acuminata
Red-necked Stint, Calidris ruficollis
White-faced Heron, Egretta novaehollandiae
Australian Ibis, Threskiornis molucca
Royal Spoonbill, Platalea regia
Pacific Black Duck, Anas superciliosa
Chestnut Teal, Anas castanea
Red-necked Avocet, Recurvirostra novaehollandiae
Masked Lapwing, Vanellus miles
Red-kneed Dotterel, Erythrogonys cinctus
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Calidris acuminata
Red-necked Stint, Calidris ruficollis
White-faced Heron, Egretta novaehollandiae
Australian Ibis, Threskiornis molucca
Royal Spoonbill, Platalea regia
Finding Frogs - Mt Cootha Botanic Gardens, Brisbane – 9th April 2023
Target Species: Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog
I’ve always had pretty bad luck with finding frogs, both at night and day. This of course isn’t helped by increasing Cane Toad numbers, but on paper, south-east Queensland is home to a wide range of amphibians with the most notable native group being the tree frogs. In particular, the Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog, Litoria fallax can be a pain to find despite being common. These tiny frogs reach a maximum size of three centimetres and are variable in colour, ranging from light brown to a brilliant green with shades of bronze and a white belly. Along with Dainty Tree Frogs, this species is one of the main contributors to the ‘banana box frogs’; species of frogs that often turn up in other states in fruit markets and stores as stowaways from farms in Queensland. Dwarf frogs for example have been accidentally introduced to Melbourne, Victoria where there are now some self-sustaining populations.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The app iNaturalist continues to be a very useful resource to track down locations for target species. In Brisbane, dwarf frog populations are found across a few locations but seemed to be commonly recorded in the botanic gardens. I was assuming the dwarf frogs would be found in the main lake with the large waterlilies but that was not the case as I would soon discover. The dwarf frogs are actually found near the administration building/library where there are four small waterlily beds right outside, just near the main entrance of the gardens. The Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs were in full view and very easy to find on the waterlilies, remaining very still. I could appreciate the colour variation between the six different frogs I could see. Highly recommended for anyone visiting the gardens to pop by the waterlily beds for good views of a species that can be very difficult to find due to their size.
Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog
Due to the windy conditions, the bird activity were minimal elsewhere in the gardens but there was some good activity around the main lake. There were about eight Royal Spoonbills boldly roaming around all the picnickers with several chicks among them, begging the adults for food. The spoonbills were joined by a single White-faced Heron and Great Egret hunting for small fish in the shallow sections of water. There has been an Azure Kingfisher recorded in the area recently near the bamboo areas but I wasn’t able to spot it today. Out towards the open water, the Australasian Grebe was in full view but remained out towards the reeds. Cormorants were present as well with a small group of Little Black Cormorants. The botanic gardens continues to be a solid place to find urban wildlife and would make a good launching pad for anyone visiting the area for sure.
Royal Spoonbill with chick
Great Egret
Target Species: Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog
I’ve always had pretty bad luck with finding frogs, both at night and day. This of course isn’t helped by increasing Cane Toad numbers, but on paper, south-east Queensland is home to a wide range of amphibians with the most notable native group being the tree frogs. In particular, the Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog, Litoria fallax can be a pain to find despite being common. These tiny frogs reach a maximum size of three centimetres and are variable in colour, ranging from light brown to a brilliant green with shades of bronze and a white belly. Along with Dainty Tree Frogs, this species is one of the main contributors to the ‘banana box frogs’; species of frogs that often turn up in other states in fruit markets and stores as stowaways from farms in Queensland. Dwarf frogs for example have been accidentally introduced to Melbourne, Victoria where there are now some self-sustaining populations.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The app iNaturalist continues to be a very useful resource to track down locations for target species. In Brisbane, dwarf frog populations are found across a few locations but seemed to be commonly recorded in the botanic gardens. I was assuming the dwarf frogs would be found in the main lake with the large waterlilies but that was not the case as I would soon discover. The dwarf frogs are actually found near the administration building/library where there are four small waterlily beds right outside, just near the main entrance of the gardens. The Eastern Dwarf Tree Frogs were in full view and very easy to find on the waterlilies, remaining very still. I could appreciate the colour variation between the six different frogs I could see. Highly recommended for anyone visiting the gardens to pop by the waterlily beds for good views of a species that can be very difficult to find due to their size.
Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog
Due to the windy conditions, the bird activity were minimal elsewhere in the gardens but there was some good activity around the main lake. There were about eight Royal Spoonbills boldly roaming around all the picnickers with several chicks among them, begging the adults for food. The spoonbills were joined by a single White-faced Heron and Great Egret hunting for small fish in the shallow sections of water. There has been an Azure Kingfisher recorded in the area recently near the bamboo areas but I wasn’t able to spot it today. Out towards the open water, the Australasian Grebe was in full view but remained out towards the reeds. Cormorants were present as well with a small group of Little Black Cormorants. The botanic gardens continues to be a solid place to find urban wildlife and would make a good launching pad for anyone visiting the area for sure.
Royal Spoonbill with chick
Great Egret