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

[WhistlingKite24]

Flashes in the Forest – Enogerra Reservoir, D’Aguilar National Park – 11th April 2023:

Target Species: White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike

A few bits of Brisbane bird news before I continue. The Red-capped Robins at Kumbartcho continue to be found there daily and have proven so popular they have even made the local news on a radio station. In sadder news, the Australian Crake at Charles Kingsford Memorial (a location near the airport) was taken by a feral cat yesterday apparently in front of photographers. This was meant to be a future target species unfortunately. Not meant to be. On a lighter note however, it’s time to return to a familiar spot and complete the Araucaria Circuit at the doorstep of the greater D’Aguilar National Park once again. I’ve said it before but this location has to be one of the most accessible site to visit in the region with a quick #385 bus from Roma Street Station plunging you directly into the national park within half an hour. The goal for today was simply to accumulate more bush birds and this place is the perfect location to spend the morning quietly ticking them off as you go. Despite being school holidays, it always surprises me how empty the trails are; more of the visitors to the national park congregate around the water for canoeing or swimming in the reservoir.

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My morning immediately started with a high. As I got off the bus, I was met with a large brown bird perched in some of the bushes that was quick to move out of view. I followed the Pheasant Coucal as it started running along the pathway and it took off in a sweeping flight to a low branch. It was perched in full view so I quickly assembled my camera to take a quick photo. I’m always surprised by how bulky Pheasant Coucals are and amazed these birds can often remain so elusive. They are commoner than they seem in my area of Brisbane and recently I’ve been seeing them venture into suburban areas. I’ve even seen a coucal take up resident along weedy grassy patches along a train station.

Pheasant Coucal

The track was heaving with song however finding the birds was slow to begin with. There were a few Red-backed Fairywrens in winter plumage, feeding in the tall grass. It sounded like a lot of the birds were calling from the adjacent mountain bike trail which runs parallel with small paths to access both trails throughout. Here I spotted a flock of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, a few White-throated Honeyeaters and a single White-naped Honeyeater. The flock travelled back down to the usual circuit area and close to the water where they were feeding on the abundant nectar produced by the silkpod vines. My first blue flash of the day revealed a Forest Kingfisher in the area perched at the water’s edge, sunbathing in the emerging sun.

Forest Kingfisher

Around a corner, there were several confiding Eastern Yellow Robins and flocks of Silvereyes travelled just above the robins with their happy chirping as they joined the honeyeaters eventually in the nectar bonanza. There were several more insect-driven waves that passed through with the bulk of birds being Variegated Fairywrens flanked by White-browed Scrubwrens along with large numbers of Rufous and Grey Fantails that were everywhere in the middle portion of the circuit. The Red-browed Finches were also easy to find in the tall grass. So many small birds in the undergrowth but there was even more activity in the canopy – Spangled Drongos were eating grasshoppers, Golden Whistlers popped down once in a while, a single Rufous Whistler kept its distance and the fantails just kept coming. The wetter forest as you get deeper was home to a flock of four Brown Cuckoo-Doves that remained incredibly still. As I was searching for calling fairywrens, I caught sight of a eye-popping Azure Kingfisher in full view. It was tantalisingly close and completely out in the open, perched in the quiet branches that look over the still water. It bolted swiftly into coverage and its violet-blue flash with a wash of rusty orange was the last I saw of it. My consolation prize was just above where the kingfisher was perched; a young Spectacled Monarch accompanied by a pair of robins.

Spectacled Monarch

Near the set of stairs, there is a dip in the pathway that is filled with thick lantana. The first bird I spotted was a Tawny Grassbird which seemed a little odd for predominately eucalypt forest but with all the grass near the water I guess it makes sense. At this part of the walk the Eastern Whipbirds are at their loudest as their calls ring across the gully with reverberation. I have been finding that if you are patient enough, the whipbirds eventually emerge in the open to feed as there is just enough space here for them to comfortably go in and out of the bushes onto branches that meet the other side of the gully. On this visit the resident pair had three active juveniles that were bouncing around everywhere, giving away their locations so they were very active. It’s always a joy to watch whipbirds travel so openly in the forest as an uncommon sight.

Adult Eastern Whipbird

Juvenile Eastern Whipbird

The whipbirds eventually moved into the deeper forest which alarmed a pair of Large-billed Scrubwrens. Up the set of stairs, there was a pair of Rufous Shrike-thrushes feeding on the ground while a Grey Shrike-thrush popped down nearby for a feed. As you get deeper into the trail, the forest gets drier at times and there are larger eucalypts before the hoop pines. I was struck by a call I hadn’t heard before. I looked up and readjusted my position as the sun in my face. I spotted two largish birds with a clean colouration; two White-bellied Cuckoo-shrikes. Finally. This was one of my ‘nemesis’ species that had continued to elude me despite being regularly recorded. Now it’s just Brush Cuckoo…

White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike

Walking tentatively past two large Red-bellied Black Snakes passing by, the Forest Kingfishers continued in high densities. At one time I was surrounded by three kingfishers all perched closely. There were about six to seven different sightings of Forest Kingfishers throughout; not a single one of the traditionally commoner Sacred Kingfishers anywhere to be seen. One of the kingfishers darted past me and went straight into the water; it grabbed a large dragonfly. There was a bit of a struggle but the kingfisher secured it and flew back to a nearby tree. The kingfisher gave it several strikes against a branch and repositioned the dragonfly several times. It took a few tries to swallow it but it finally managed the task. The kingfisher flew back to the other two. I have a bit of an obsession with Forest Kingfishers so this was all paradise to watch.

Forest Kingfisher with dragonfly

One final wave revealed four Varied Sitellas and the harbingers of winter – my first Spotted Pardalote of the season inspecting a hollow. No doubt the Rose Robins will start popping up here as well as another colourful winter migrant. The Scarlet and Lewin’s Honeyeater made late appearances as I headed towards the exit. Just under 50 bird species were seen and lots more were heard. Araucaria Circuit always delivers and it was great to see so many species – largely thanks to all the seasonal winter migrants starting to arrive for the cooler months – at the national park.

Scarlet Honeyeater

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Two Big Finds – Oxley Creek Common, Brisbane – 12th April 2023:

Target Species: Spotted Harrier

I won’t go into great detail about my visit to Oxley Creek Common as the site has been well and truly covered. I will however quickly discuss two of the more interesting finds found this morning. The first bird of the day was the best find. It was a brownish raptor perched with powerful looking legs. It was larger than a kite and didn’t have the jizz of a goshawk or a sparrowhawk with an owl-like face. It was being mobbed by a pair of Willie Wagtails. Generally it had a more ‘wilder’ appearance compared to anything I am used to seeing regarding raptors. I initially thought it was a Swamp Harrier being an uncommon bird for Brisbane but looking back at the photos it just didn’t fully fit with this species so I got a second opinion – Spotted Harrier! A rare visitor to the region.

Spotted Harrier

The second-best bird of the day was one that hadn’t been recorded there for three years (last time was in 2020). I was searching for Brown Quails when I spotted a richly-coloured smallish bird cross the pathway and it remained in full view just behind some short grass – a Painted Buttonquail. It fed for a short while and darted back into the grass along the cow paddocks. It was amazing to see this buttonquail out in the open in such an unusual location for them. I surprisingly didn’t see a single Brown Quail as their numbers have been hit hard by flooding on several occasions. I did however find the resident Buff-banded Rail tucked in some tall grass near a pair of Australian Reed-Warblers.

Painted Buttonquail

Notably, while I was looking for the unseen Pink-eared Duck and Cotton Pygmy-Goose that had been recorded here yesterday, I found a White-necked Heron among all the egrets and swamphens. One of those species I just see enough of to think they aren’t uncommon but they aren’t exactly abundant. They are very stately birds and are more robust than the commoner White-faced Herons. The rest of the visit mainly included several birds I have covered here before with a grand total of 51 species. For context, yesterday eBird recorded a total of just under 80 birds species at the site in a single day so it’s certainly a productive place currently following a quiet summer. I will return again soon.

White-necked Heron

 

[WhistlingKite24]

A Dash of Rose and Azure – Kumbartcho Sanctuary, Moreton Bay – 30th April 2023:

Target Species: Azure Kingfisher

I decided to return to Kumbartcho this morning to seek out a few of the smaller bushbirds that are travelling through along with the elusive Azure Kingfisher. Probably my favourite of the Australian kingfishers, I’ve had some excellent views of them recently but have never managed to photograph them as they often take off at first glance. On this visit I went further along the South Pine River and saw that there were several more trails that lead into nearby bushland reserves and travel into deeper wet forest which therefore provided a much wider range of species that usual. Some walkers mentioned that they spotted a Platypus along their walk and I certainly thought I got close to seeing one as I saw the deep bow-like ripples in the water. Rakali has also been sighted here recently so it’s always worth having one eye in the forest and the other on the adjacent river.

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The suburb of Eaton Hills just outside Brisbane’s boundary has a definite rural feel in some parts and I watched a Whistling Kite soar over some of the adjacent properties near Kumbartcho. There were large quantities of cockatoos as well with flocks of Galahs and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos travelling over intermittently. I heard the whistles of king parrots so they were in the vicinity as well. The lake at the entrance of Kumbartcho had the high numbers of Australasian Grebes along with common species of waterfowl. The forest was wet after a long night of rain so a lot of the forest birds were elsewhere; there was a single Lewin’s Honeyeater spotted nearby but I continued onwards to the riverbank with kingfishers on the mind. There are always lots of bird calls from the river but it can be difficult to pinpoint different birds; Rainbow Bee-eaters are easy enough to find due to their flashes of colour while the White-browed Scrubwrens took time and patience. As mainly winter migrants, Grey Fantails were everywhere and found with ease.

Willie-Wagtail

I continued along the banks of the South Pine River which was all rather peaceful. There was a concrete path that served as a bridge across the river and led into much more established riparian forest. I spotted a small bird that moved differently to all the Rufous Whistlers in the area. I saw a small blush of pink through the binoculars and realised it was a lovely Rose Robin with a characteristically long tail; a species I hadn’t seen in a few years being seasonal migrants. This species rarely comes down and remains high in the canopy traditionally and it quickly moved away from the path.

A neck-craning view of a Rose Robin

The wet forest revealed healthy populations of Eastern Yellow Robins that were turning up the leaf litter. I chatted with a pair of birders that were surveying the area and apparently I was a minute too late for a pitta that had taken up residence in this patch of wet forest. It had quickly headed into the thicker vegetation. They hadn’t seen the Rose Robin on their travels so they headed towards where I saw it and I continued onwards into a small clearing which provided a good sighting of a Varied Triller. A close relative was also in the area in the form of a White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike which was exciting as I had only seen my first one a few weeks ago. I also saw a fantail without its tail, making it look more like a pardalote from a distance.

Eastern Yellow Robin

With no kingfisher in sight, I headed towards the clearing with the celebrity pair of Red-capped Robins that continue to be seen daily almost exactly a month after their first sighting. The male-female pair were feeding in a thicker eucalypt grove close to their usual spot. The male came out and hopped across the ground and perched on a branch. Absolute little pocket rocket! A male Scarlet Robin was recently seen at Moggill Conservation Park so more of these unusual sightings are continuing to be recorded as it dries out west. A Laughing Kookaburra was nearby, watching closely. Edit: I forgot to mention that Kumbartcho has a large frog habitat for wild amphibians and today I picked up a lifer; lots of Striped Marsh Frog tadpoles filled the pools.

Red-capped Robin

I headed down towards the river once more, retracing my initial steps and decided to wait in one of the weedy pathways that lead closer towards the edge of the water. Lo and behold, an Azure Kingfisher was perched in full view and remained just long enough. I continued a bit further and a second kingfisher was seen, this time about a meter and a half away. Even a pair of dog walkers stopped to watch it and it stayed in full view for at least a good minute. These kingfishers are small violet-deep blue birds with an orangey-buff breast; they almost look overly saturated in person coupled with their bright red little feet. Their bill is also cartoonishly large in comparison to the rest of its compact body. I was very pleased indeed to finally have a decent view of them. Kumbartcho is quickly becoming a personal favourite to visit.

Azure Kingfisher

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 51: Brighton/Sandgate Foreshore, Brisbane – 1st May 2023:

Brighton and Sandgate are two coastal suburbs in Brisbane’s northern parts, right towards the greater Moreton Bay area. There is a long walk that can be completed from Brighton/Decker Park up to Shorncliffe, along the ocean. This walk further connects to the rather isolated Dowse Lagoon (location #14) which I somehow didn’t put together till after I visited today. In the summer, there is a decent chance to see a few migratory waders especially Pacific Golden Plovers which I have tried for in summer. The problem is that early morning means lots of unleashed dogs out on the mudflats, limiting opportunity for close viewing. For today, I decided to do the full walk up to Shorncliffe and back. There isn’t much bird-rich habitat to the right of the path – beachfront houses with small patches of beach hibiscus and a few sparse mangroves with common suburban birds. Certainly not enough to sustain mangrove birds but to the right, out to the bay, there was a decent range of species seen with patience and luck.

It was high tide early in the morning but I immediately saw birds perched on raised concrete pathways that fisherman use. There was a flock of eight Australian Pied Oystercatchers that were easily seen. Brighton is traditionally a good spot for the more uncommon Sooty Oystercatchers but I have not seen them here yet. The oystercatchers seemed to be reliably seen throughout the walk and I was able to find lots of them huddled together. Further out to sea I watched flocks of the omnipresent Silver Gulls and Greater Crested Terns diving for mullet and bream. Luck was in my side when I spotted a White-bellied Sea-Eagle travel through the area heading out for a hunt as it tried to unsuccessfully grab a fish. Brahminy Kite was spotted on previous trips as well and I am sure the Ospreys regularly seen at Redcliffe fly through here as well.

Australian Pied Oystercatcher

Along the walk the oystercatchers were later joined by a flock of eight dainty Pied Stilts. I’d never seen stilts in this portion of the walk but I guess due to the high tide they were waiting for their mudflats to return. There were a few juveniles with the adults and a pair of terns later sat with all the oystercatchers and stilts. A juvenile Striated Heron was later seen as well along the small islands of land but flew out further along with a single White-faced Heron and a Great Egret. Both birds were flying through. Lots of Welcome Swallows were flying around and seemed to be occuping the rocky crevices that sit under the pathway. There were definitely some martins with them as well; probably Fairy Martins. Overall, a pleasant enough walk along some of Brisbane’s limited coastline but the diversity doesn’t seem to be as noticeable as nearby locations.

Welcome Swallow

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
Pied Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris
Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Great Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii
Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos
Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Great Egret Ardea alba
White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
Striated Heron Butorides striata
Australian Ibis Threskiornis molucca
White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Black-faced Cuckooshrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Australasian Figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti
Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Willie-wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca

Location 52: Nathan Road Wetlands Reserve, Moreton Bay – 1st May 2023:

Technically connected to Coolum Parade Wetlands (location #50), Nathan Road Wetlands Reserve is one of Moreton Bay’s largest and most well-known wetlands with a diverse range of birds having been recorded there over the years. Among the species include Brolgas and Black-necked Storks along with many species of more uncommon waders and waterfowl. The site is comprised of two main bodies of water that are surrounded by reeds and thick vegetation that is being established gradually. Great for the birds but it makes for poor viewing. There are some small openings along the further part of the second water body that allow for some good views. There is a portion of bushland across the road also labelled as the Nathan Road Wetlands Reserve but it seems to be currently closed off with the entrance locked. The current entrance is accessed via the sports centre where is adjacent to the wetlands near the carpark.

The water was filled with some common species; a large flock of two dozen Australian Wood-Ducks, a striking Australasian Darter and shrieking Australasian Swamphens fringed the borders along with Great and Intermediate Egrets as they stalked the large populations of Eastern Mosquitofish. The reeds were thick with movement – ideal crake/bittern habitat but today I saw several groups of Australian Reed-Warblers. Probably one of the best sites for them. There were other small birds; Brown Honeyeater, flocks of Superb Fairywrens, a lone Rufous Whistler and a delightful flock of no less than five Mistletoebirds; the best shade of red. Not a territorial Noisy Miner in sight as there are no real tall trees at this site with mainly thick undergrowth for small birds. There was one bird that had me stumped however; it was hanging around with the reed-warblers but it looked like a grassbird but with paler markings. It didn’t behave like a Tawny Grassbird either in terms of its call or movement. It suddenly clicked; it was a Little Grassbird which is a rare nomad to the region but they are having a good season with several records at the larger sites. A really nice lifer which I was also later able to confirm following a few reference shots.

Australasian Darter

I was stoked with this grassbird but I was also searching for Pink-eared Ducks and Australian Shovelers that had been recorded there yesterday. Long story short, no additional ducks were seen but I was able to find a Comb-crested Jacana to round the day off with just under 30 species or so. Little Wattlebird was ticked off on the way out which I am always pleased to see and a flock of about two hundred Little Corellas flew over. I enjoy visiting Nathan Road Wetlands; there are other larger and more prominent wetlands like Sandy Camp, Minnippi and Berrinba but it’s an interesting place to frequent being so close to Moreton Bay.

Comb-crested Jacana

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Australasian Swamphen Porphyrio melanotus
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea
Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos
Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Great Egret Ardea alba
Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia
Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea
Superb Fairywren Malurus cyaneus
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
Black-faced Cuckooshrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis
Australian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus australis
Little Grassbird Poodytes gramineus
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans
Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 53: White Hills Reserve, Brisbane – 6th May 2023

Target Species: Koala

The 170-hectare White Hills Reserve is an important bushland remnant about seven kilometres southeast of Brisbane’s CBD. Like several of the remaining bushland reserves within city boundaries, it shelters patches of dry rainforest – a habitat that used to be common across the area but was among the first habitat types to be cleared. The main entry is off Boundary Road, Coorparoo and there is a network of 13 tracks that interconnect to form a loop around most of the bushland, starting from the area near the sporting fields. In terms of wildlife, Oriental Cuckoo is the species that has piqued the interests for many birders recently as there has been a slight increase in records across a few of the sites in Brisbane’s southern suburbs. Several recent sightings of a white Laughing Kookaburra are also of note. It’s a hotspot for Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) which would be my main focus for the visit as there are high densities of them. It's renowned as one of the easiest stops to see these well-camouflaged tree blobs.

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The track for the bushland reserve is tucked near a set of sports fields and is well-signed with clearly defined trails through the initially dry eucalypt forest. The trail immediately heads out upwards towards a circuit that leads to some nice views of Brisbane city, framed by bushland. I took care to ensure I was checking each of the prominent tree forks for koalas and it wasn’t long till I found a rotund furry figure tucked high up, actually in one of the trees that overlooked the entire city. The Koala was quite active actually and climbed down a branch and slowly turned its head to observe its surroundings. Not my first wild koala but the first one for this thread which is nice. It’s always special to see wild koalas; there is definitely an excitement around seeing them high in the canopy, awkwardly perched on comparatively thin branches. Despite all the well-publicised threats koalas face locally, they remain present across several of the reserves across Brisbane’s southern suburbs. On the northside of the city, they are almost non-existent these days.

Koala

The birdlife was present throughout. The koala was surrounded by flocks of White-throated Honeyeaters, Rufous Whistlers, Golden Whistlers and Grey Fantails all feeding near the flowering tops of eucalypts. I later spotted a female Scarlet Honeyeater among all the whistlers later on but it was further up and out. There was a good variety around of small bush birds that were very visible pleasingly. The whistlers came down for a closer look and are often quite confiding of humans especially. The fantails remained very present throughout and were feeding regularly at eye level.

Grey Fantail

After seeing my fourth koala of the morning, I came across a few Rainbow Lorikeets inspecting nest hollows. They hopped down and I was able to see them up close which is an uncommon opportunity. Despite being abundant, wild lorikeets can rarely be seen up close and I always take them for granted. These lorikeets are highly mobile, have generalised feeding and breeding requirements and can quickly adapt to exploit new feeding and breeding resources. They have taken advantage of the year-round supply of native and exotic food plants available in Australia’s major cities and are expanding in number and distribution in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth. Their large evening communal roosts are also a conspicuous phenomenon across the cities.

Rainbow Lorikeet

The trend of psittacines continued with some wonderful views of five Pale-headed Rosellas that were feeding in a leafy gully managed by land care groups. Among the adults were a few red-headed juveniles that were feeding more out in the open. Rosellas really are wonderful birds and are another species that has managed to adapt to urban environments. Their flashes of blues and yellows are always a treat across the city. There were more rosellas in other parts of the bushland reserve, especially near the clearing that opened up to the sporting fields on my way back.

Pale-headed Rosella

I highly recommend the smaller tracks that intersect the dry rainforest for the more elusive birds. I took the Stringybark Track and was surrounded by no less than six Spotted Pardalotes; a winter migrant to the region. There were also three Yellow-faced Honeyeaters feeding nearby which are delightful birds with a yellow face patch. There is also a small pond that had Pacific Black Ducks, Dusky Moorhens and an Australasian Grebe diving regularly. Overall, White Hills Reserve is recommended as one of the premier spots in south-east Queensland for koalas and an assortment of rich wildlife, very close to the city centre.

Spotted Pardalote

Spoiler: Species Seen

Mammals
Koala Phascolarctos cinereus

Birds
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Yellow-faced Honeyeater Caligavis chrysops
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
White-throated Honeyeater Melithreptus albogularis
Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta
Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Water Sparkles – Brisbane River – 5th May 2023:

Bioluminescence is a truly special phenomenon and something I hadn’t really paid attention to until I recently had a very memorable experience the other night, right in the heart of the city. I was catching the ferry home from work and all the workers on the ferry all had their phones out excitingly recording something in the water. I made my way over to the edge of the ferry wondering what the commotion was (I was wondering if they had seen dolphins as they have been seen recently in the river). The water was glowing neon blue as the ferry’s motor agitated the water’s surface. It was astounding to see. A type of plankton that bioluminesces was the cause of this rare event following a large bloom. While this natural occurrence has been recorded in the greater Moreton Bay, the Queensland Museum have confirmed this was a very rare once-in-a-lifetime event as these plankton rarely bloom in such large numbers to create this glowing effect. Disturbance causes a chemical reaction to occur in the organism which emits light. So, there you have it, plankton featured in this thread; something I would have never guessed!

Bioluminescent plankton in the middle of Brisbane city

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 54: Davidson Arboretum, Toowoomba – 20th May 2023:

Target Species: Eurasian Blackbird, Eastern Spinebill

Today I embarked on a day trip around Toowoomba and Oakey, about two hours west of Brisbane to add some of the western species that I simply don’t have access to near the city. In short, it was very successful. The first location of the day was probably the smallest but the most striking. The Davidson Arboretum in the town of Highfields, is a distinctive botanic garden dedicated to plants from the northern hemisphere which can be supported in the area due to the cooler climate in the Toowoomba region compare to the coast. In the cool autumn season currently, the deciduous trees are in their rich reds, yellows and orange tones. My main target was a male Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) that had been recorded there recently. Although blackbirds are common around the southern states of Australia they reach their northern limit in southern Queensland and even then remain very uncommon. According to eBird it had been about five years since one had been recorded in the area; so even though I had seen them in Sydney and Melbourne it would be a good tick for the Queensland list. I was also on the hunt for Aussie hummingbirds – Eastern Spinebills (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) – which are regulars here.

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The gardens were worth the visit in their own right as they housed a range of ornamental plants that created a uniquely ‘European’ feel, contrasting the other sites nicely I visited today. The whole area was much smaller than I was expecting and was wedged between two houses but there was a clearly-marked pathway with a pleasant walk past lots of maples and other cool-climate plants that create thick coverage for the birds. Lots of seating and shelter as well. The most common species seen were the Lewin’s Honeyeaters, Golden Whistlers and Silvereyes that travelled in a skittish wave in the upper canopy of the trees. The contrast of the bright gold male whistlers with the red maples was incredibly eye-catching. The photo below captures the feel of the morning well. Thornbills were around as well but I couldn’t get a very clear look at them.

Golden Whistler refusing to turn around

About half way through the gardens, I spotted a large black bird that looked like no other local species; a male Eurasian Blackbird in full view along the trail. It was foraging for worms in the thick leaf litter and landed on a fence that bordered some of the nearby backyards. I know for some it might be unbelievable that a blackbird receives any attention beyond a passing mention and it’s of course an introduced species to Australia; it was however still interesting enough to see and is very distinctive.

Eurasian Blackbird

My other target was even easier to see as they were feeding at eye-level throughout the gardens; several flocks of eye-catching Eastern Spinebills were very easy to spot here west of the Great Dividing Range and were seen around the town’s neighbourhoods. It certainly beats the brief glimpses I am used to around Mount Glorious in the lantana bushes that border the mountainous rainforest. It’s was very short species list but it was a very targeted visit. I definitely heard Satin Bowerbirds in the area and another local rarity that is abundant more towards the south of the country – Red Wattlebirds. It’s worth a visit with the nearby large Highfields Falls which will be covered in the next post as I searched for a very unique speckly species.

Eastern Spinebill

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Superb Fairywren Malurus cyaneus
Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula [first personally seen in Queensland]

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 55: Highfields Falls, Toowoomba – 20th May 2023:

Target Species: Speckled Warbler

Highfields Falls is a large reserve in the Toowoomba region, situated in the town of Highfields. It’s an incredibly diverse habitat from flat rural grassland that is ideal for open country birds to dense gullies for robins, bowerbirds and fruit-loving pigeons. There are several circuits that interconnect and a trail that runs around the perimeter; just be mindful if you’re visiting to be conscious often the bushland leads directly past private property. My main target species for Highfields Falls was the Speckled Warbler (Pyrrholaemus sagittatus) which are patchily distributed west of Brisbane and is declining throughout its range. It’s rarely recorded near the coast and prefers the temperature forests. It’s a very distinctive ground-loving bird that’s a bit of a taxonomic oddball among Australian acanthizids. I’ve tried to find these warblers at a few locations now and was hoping one further west would do the trick.

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The entrance immediately had the calls of Little Lorikeets high up in the canopy but despite my best efforts yet again I was not able to locate them. Whilst searching for the pintsized parrots, I came across a Yellow-faced Honeyeater, two lovely White-naped Honeyeaters, a Spotted Pardolate and a Brown Honyeater; a good assortment thus far. It all felt very effortless as there was very thick well-established understorey allowing the smaller birds to travel through the forest with ease, contrasting the often over-manicured Brisbane bushland reserves. The small birds continued with large populations of Eastern Yellow Robins flanked by White-browed Scrubwrens, Superb Fairywrens slowly coming into breeding plumage and Red-browed Finches with juveniles. All the thick undergrowth allowed for close views.

Eastern Yellow Robin

About half way through I startled a wallaby that was engulfed by thick scrub; it looked more like a Red-necked Pademelon at first glance but after some thought it would have probably been a Black-striped Wallaby; a species I’ve never seen in a zoo or in the wild. It was hard to say for certain as it quickly took off and I didn’t see any further sign of it. Spirits however quickly lifted when I spotted a female Regent Bowerbird high up in the furthest trees along the horizon. Whilst considered a traditional rainforest species, this species does disperse to lowland regions. It was my first time seeing one in a eucalypt forest however. The presence of Double-barred Finches had me on high alert as well for any Zebra Finches as they sound pretty similar.

Double-barred Finch

In a deep revegetated gully with thick flowering bushes were more of the delightful Eastern Spinebills; there were a few chasing the Brown Honeyeaters out of their nectar patches. I wish these spinebills were common in Brisbane. Out towards the final corners of the reserve among more flocks of Double-barred Finches were finally a pair of Speckled Warblers with their bold streaking. The warblers were very well-camouflaged and didn’t stick around long. They were later seen with a few scrubwrens as they melded into the foliage. Overall, a great site that has a real sense of natural richness being home to a wide range of species found across different habitats. The next batch of locations will focus on a key species that is high on my list – chasing my first wild Cockatiels.

Speckled Warbler

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Regent Bowerbird Sericulus chrysocephalus
Superb Fairywren Malurus cyaneus
Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
Yellow-faced Honeyeater Caligavis chrysops
Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus
Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
Speckled Warbler Pyrrholaemus sagittatus
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis
Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
Red-browed Firetail Neochmia temporalis
Double-barred Finch Stizoptera bichenovii

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 56: Arthur Shooter Memorial Park, Oakey – 20th May 2023:

Target Species: Musk Lorikeet

Half an hour west of Toowoomba, the town of Oakey is traditionally view by many Brisbane birdwatchers as the gateway to the outback; a reservoir of western species that reach their eastern distribution limits all within a day trip from the city. Most birders would head straight to Devon Park Boundary Road for roadside birding along farmland for White-winged Fairywrens, Zebra Finches, Ground Cuckoo-shrikes etc. but I had two initial targets for Oakey that were more focussed in the town’s centre. The first of which was my favourite lorikeet species – the Musk Lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna) which is a medium-sized bright green lorikeet that is often overlooked among all the boisterous Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets. They are highly nomadic birds which follow flowering eucalypts and are uncommon along the coast but present west of the Great Dividing Range.

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The park was a very standard looking place; lollipop trees with mowed lawns and a few weedy parts near the water. This was enough for a solid range of species. I walked up to the first tree I saw near a childcare centre, looked up and a pair of Musk Lorikeets were immediately staring back at me. Wonderful birds that have a slightly different call to the larger lorikeets and are of course smaller. They were the most common lorikeets with more prominent numbers than the Scaly-breasted and Rainbow Lorikeets throughout the flowering eucalypts near the parkland pathways. Their red superhero masks and blushes of blue were very eye-catching as they flew around.

Musk Lorikeet

The diversity and density of psittacines was remarkable coming from the city; nine species in total were seen. Along with the three species of lorikeets, there were the more retreating pairs of Pale-headed Rosellas and Red-rumped Parrots. The latter species is largely restricted to these parts of southern Queensland and are distinctively sexually dimorphic birds. The males are bright-green with yellow and blue highlights and the characteristic red rump. The females are a wonderful muted olive-green which I have always preferred. Then there were the cockatoos – Little Corellas, Galahs and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. Nothing particularly special about them as they are common everywhere but it was the quantity of all three that was so impressive to see. Finally, four lifer Cockatiels flew over the park in a flurry of movement and noise with their long wings and trailing tails. The sounds of a pet store out in the country. The town of Oakey has recent records of Crimson-winged Parrots, Budgerigars and Greater Bluebonnets as well. Moments like these make you really think of Australia as the land of the parrots.

Red-rumped Parrot

The water contained a good range of species; White-faced Heron, Great Egret, a sun-soaked Australasian Darter and ducks which mainly included Grey Teals. There were lots more of those delightful Musk Lorikeets all throughout and they were also clearly living in the yards of many local residents as well. How lucky. I finished the quiet walk through the park with a surprise pair of Tawny Frogmouths that were well camouflaged. One of them followed my movements with slow head turns but resumed its sleeping position while I was leaving. The park served as a good starting point before I travelled into the larger Cory Street Park to become acquainted with more western species.

Tawny Frogmouth

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Australian Wood-Duck Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Grey Teal Anas gracilis
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) Columba livia
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
Great Egret Ardea alba
White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
Galah Eolophus roseicapilla
Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus
Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus
Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus
Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 57: Cory Street Park, Oakey – 20th May 2023:

Target Species: Cockatiel

A little slice of more arid parkland, the Cory Street Park is a flat expanse of land with a small waterhole towards the outer parts of the Oakey on the corner of Lorrimer and Cory Streets. It predominately meant to be an unleashed dog park but I didn’t see another human or dog the whole time I was there; just me and the wildlife. There is a long loop around the centre where there are a range of habitats with cracked riverbeds, small gullies and dry eucalyptus, all fringed by farmland with exposed tree hollows. The park further serves as a corridor for the Oakey Creek, providing a greenspace that links to riverine habitat. Although I had managed to see four Cockatiels at Arthur Shooter Memorial Park, I wanted to see if I could get better views of these wonderful parrots on here.

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Right at the entrance, there was a flock of five Cockatiels among a group of about thirty Galahs and a smattering of Australian Magpies. The cockatiels were quite acrobatic weaving their way past all of the larger cockatoos, seeking the top perches and they were accessing some of the nest hollows. They are agile flyers, capable of swift and precise movements, especially during flight displays and group manoeuvres. I really enjoyed watching Cockatiels in the wild; something I’d long been wanting to see and I am pleasantly surprised to see they can be found only a few hours from Brisbane. They are also recorded around the town of Gatton which is even closer to Brisbane. The galahs were the most common cockatoo seen throughout the park with pairs of them perched throughout quietly preening. Australia’s most widespread cockatoo.

Galahs

Past a tentative tiptoe next to a large colony of bull ants which are a genus of species that are capable of very painful stings with their powerful mandibles with some species also known to jump when threatened, I spotted a bright blue Superb Fairywren towards the dam. I was watching a large group of fairywrens this male joined when I was surprised to see a small passerine make its way down to the water. It paused and then turned revealing its identity; a single White-plumed Honeyeater. This species has a relatively small frame with a slightly curved bill adapted for feeding on nectar, insects, and pollen. The plumage of this species is predominantly olive-green on the upperparts, while the underparts are lighter, ranging from pale grayish to creamy white. It has a distinctive white streak extending from behind the eye to the nape of the neck, hence its common name. Coastal south-east Queensland is home to its close relative, the Fuscous Honeyeater, in some of the more larger bushland reserves but even then the Ptilotula honeyeaters aren’t common. Like the blackbirds and red wattlebirds, it’s a species that can be found in the southern cities of Australia in greater numbers but is rare locally. It was a real treat to see such an active and well-known honeyeater.

White-plumed Honeyeater

The unusual birds continued with a trio of Yellow-billed Spoonbills feeding along the side of the water. A generally paler bird that the Royal Spoonbills but they are a bit of a treat to see out here as they are only an occasional visitor to Brisbane that I’d seen once before. The spoonbills were accompanied by a quartet of Australasian Grebes and more Grey Teals. Along the farmland that was nearby were hovering Black-shouldered Kites which are common throughout Oakey and a few Black Kites as well. Both kites were actively hunting for rodents in the tall grassland.

Yellow-billed Spoonbill

Up the hill, there was a large wave with lots of new species for me. The most uncommon species I saw yesterday were a pair of Western Gerygones which was an eBird site first. They have conspicuous black and white tail markings but are generally a simply coloured bird. Its sister-species, the Mangrove Gerygone, is the one that replaces them around the coast of south-east Queensland. There was recently a Western Gerygone spotted in Sandy Camp in Brisbane but I hadn’t managed to get out there to find so I was very pleased to see them out here. The gerygones were outnumbered by a dozen or so Yellow-rumped Thornbills which look like large inland yellow robins with a white-spotted black forehead. They were quickly confiding birds and remain out in the open, feeding on the exposed ground. And finally, the smallest of them all – Australia’s tiniest bird – a single pale-eyed Weebill was perched relatively low to the ground with all the thornbills. There are accounts of Weebills being common once upon time in Brisbane but unfortunately that is no longer the case and their distribution in the area firmly sits to the west. These three species were lifers and were accompanied by Double-barred Finches, Rufous Whistlers and a pair of Striped Honeyeaters.

Yellow-rumped Thornbill

Making my way out of the park, I spotted a large entangled mass in a short eucalypt. It was the nest of the Processionary Caterpillar. The nest of these caterpillars consists of a silken structure, commonly referred to as a silken tent or web. It is built in a tree or shrub, typically located in the upper branches. The nest is constructed by the caterpillars by spinning silk threads, which they produce from specialized glands located in their mouthparts. The silken nest resembles tightly woven bag or cocoon. It is constructed by weaving silk around the branches, leaves, and twigs of the host plant. The caterpillars continuously add silk and reinforce the nest as they grow, resulting in a sturdy and well-protected structure. As the caterpillars moult and progress through their developmental stages, they enlarge the nest to accommodate their increasing numbers. Quite a remarkable structure constructed by these social insects during their larval stage.

Processionary Caterpillar nest

In the trees around the front of the carpark I enjoyed good views of more Red-rumped Parrots and a larger flock of Cockatiels. The flock of cockatiels moved towards the trees allowing for a good look at them where I could really appreciate how unique they are up-close. Overall, my day-trip around Toowoomba and Oakey produced seven bird lifers – Speckled Warbler, Cockatiel, Musk Lorikeet, White-plumed Honeyeater, Weebill, Yellow-rumped Thornbill and Western Gerygone – comfortably pushing me towards 180 bird species for the year. My best year to date for wild birds with more to come.

Cockatiel

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Australian-Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Grey Teal Anas gracilis
Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platalea flavipes
Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris
Black Kite Milvus migrans
Galah Eolophus roseicapilla
Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus
Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus
Superb Fairywren Malurus cyaneus
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
White-plumed Honeyeater Ptilotula penicillata
Striped Honeyeater Plectorhyncha lanceolata
Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris
Western Gerygone Gerygone fusca
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Double-barred Finch Stizoptera bichenovii

Invertebrates
Bag-shelter Moth/Processionary Caterpillar, Ochrogaster lunifer

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 58: City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane – 3th June 2023:

Target Species: Noisy Pitta

As the most urban site possible for this thread, the city botanic gardens are located right in the heart of Brisbane city, along with banks of the river and close to Queensland’s Parliament House and one of its major universities. Established in 1828 its primary intention was to provide food for the early penal colony but it formally opened as the city’s first botanic gardens in 1855. It’s a valuable greenspace for Brisbane’s people and wildlife alike and has long served as a leafy reprieve from the bustling city that envelops its historic perimeter. There are some very interesting historic records for the botanic gardens. One of the old books I have Wildlife of the Brisbane Area (1983) has a detailed account by the superintendent that used to live in the gardens with vivid recount of birdbaths with robins, confiding whipbirds, wintering flocks of finches and nesting Brahminy Kites. From then to now, it remains an important site for Brisbane’s birds. Today’s target for the city botanic gardens is a surprising one. A pair of Noisy Pittas (Pitta versicolor) have been sighted there for the past week. This year wild pittas have apparently had a very successful year and their altitudinal dispersal has seen them travel further and deeper into the lowlands – out in the city greenspaces and even out to the coast in some cases towards Nudgee Beach.

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I highly recommend walking to the botanic gardens from South Brisbane and cross the Goodwill Bridge into the botanic gardens. This provides access to a small patch of mangrove right in the middle of the city; probably not as expansive as it used to be but it’s still there surprisingly. It’s not always easy to find these mangroves from the traditional city entrance to the botanic gardens but it’s worth a good search. I was surprised that my first birds of the day were a pair of Buff-banded Rails chasing each other across the mangroves. Once its high tide I wondered where these rails would go as the mangrove roots are quickly submerged but I found out on my back that the rails cross the path and enter the thick weeds opposite the mangroves. Pale-vented Bush-hen was also recorded in this part for this first time recently as well.

Buff-banded Rail

The rails were joined by a single buffy Sacred Kingfisher skulking in the furthest parts of the mangrove. Kingfishers aren’t common in the city centre as Noisy Miners drive out most small birds so it’s a real treat to see one on the fringes. It later flew near some of the fishing boats and perched out in the open opposite the Kangaroo Point cliffs. It was driven back into cover by swooping Welcome Swallows and lots of Tree Martins. Across the walk by the river, I was further able to see a pair of Greater Crested Terns and pleasingly a single Australian Gull-billed Tern with a black cap. It’s always worth checking carefully as I almost overlooked it for a seagull. A single male Australasian Darter was also perched in the mangroves; a species that can be seen relatively reliably along the banks of the Brisbane River often. Striated Herons were also common and were spotted easily as large dark figures perched over the water.

Striated Heron

The city ponds within the gardens had high densities of Dusky Moorhens and single figures of Little Pied Cormorant and Australasian Swamphen. The gardens are fringed by a large of colony of Black Flying Foxes that roost there daily often with other species of flying-fox at different times of the year. The flying-foxes were squabbling and often flew over the city skyscrapers and found different palms to roost. Definitely if you visit Brisbane and want to quickly see flying-foxes this is the place to go. My search for the pitta continued around the fringes of water but was unsuccessful around this part of the gardens so I continued towards parliament house where there are some very large fig trees along the perimeter of the botanic gardens.

Black Flying Fox

I soon went through some side trails that travel into the bat roost a bit deeper into the leafier portions of the water. I turned were there is a small waterfall and there was a bright little Noisy Pitta turning up the leaves for bugs. It was wary; it travelled into the scrubs but quickly emerged again and paused on a rock out it the open, allowing for some excellent views and quick photos as it froze. I didn’t want to disturb it further to not push it onto the lawn so I got my shot and moved on. What a thrill. It was very surreal to see a pitta in the city; almost feels too easy compared to trekking through dense damp rainforests where they are traditionally associated with. It further shows the value of these city green spaces.

Noisy Pitta

The species I associate with the botanic gardens are the Bush Stone-Curlews which were wailing across the gardens and are very easy to see here as they congregate in large numbers. There were also large numbers of traditional parkland birds like Blue-faced Honeyeaters feeding across the flowering plants, a quartet of Laughing Kookaburras travelling quickly across the palms and several melodic Grey Butcherbirds. The city gardens exceeded expectations today with just under 30 species – best result I’ve had there. A beating green heart of the city and definitely worth visiting on a quiet winter’s morning tied in with making sure the nearby mangroves are thoroughly explored as well for some extra species that are uncommon in the city centre.

Bush Stone-Curlew

Spoiler: Species Seen

Mammals
Black Flying Fox Pteropus alecto

Birds
Australian Brushturkey Alectura lathami
Rock Pigeon Columba livia
Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Australasian Swamphen Porphyrio melanotus
Bush Stone-Curlew Burhinus grallarius
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Australian Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon macrotarsa
Great Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii
Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos
Great Egret Ardea alba
Striated Heron Butorides striata
Australian Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Noisy Pitta Pitta versicolor
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Hinterland Tales – Mary Cairncross Reserve + Obi Obi Boardwalk, Sunshine Coast – 11th June 2023:

Target Species: Dusky Honeyeater

Today I decided to spend the morning returning to Mary Cairncross for a bit of a rainforest respite in the cool mountain air followed by a return to Obi Obi Boardwalk which like I have mentioned is probably the most reliable location for platypus in south-east Queensland. The pitta sightings have remained consistent at Mary Cairncross and they continue to be very visible and eagerly seen. The one in the city botanic gardens is going strong and is still seen daily. The goal for today was to hunt down the polar opposite of a vivid pitta; the Dusky Honeyeater (Myzomela obscura) is a very plain tropical species that remains uncommon to rare locally but one I would like to see and the Sunshine Coast region was the place to find them.

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Mary Cairncross was surprisingly quieter than usual perhaps as it was the cooler months. There were seemingly less robins, gerygones and scrubwrens near the visitor pathway than usual but their calls confirmed their presence. At least the Red-legged Pademelons are always very easy to see. They were hopping around near the entrance, slipping in and out of view right before I entered the actual reserve. A few large males were following a young female; the female bounded straight towards visitors followed by two very vocal males along the visitor pathway. The female eventually hopped onto some thick tree buttress roots and used her tail to balance, about a meter off the ground. Something I haven’t seen pademelons do before. I’d never seen so much activity among them! I always have in the back of my mind that echidnas do pop up here at Mary Cairncross from time to time but of course wild echidnas find you rather than you find them. The thought of a double-monotreme day does sound tantalising....

Red-legged Pademelon

The rainforest birds quickly picked up with a dramatic flash of colour confirming that it really has been the year of the Noisy Pitta. The pitta was right near the entrance of the visitor centre and hopped straight onto the path and took a few powerful jumps back into the scrub. It nimbly manoeuvred around the large roots but quickly disappeared before I could get a really good look. Interestingly the three pittas I have seen at Mary Cairncross are always accompanied by a pair of Eastern Whipbirds; another elusive specialist of the undergrowth. There were lots of whipbirds today seen though; at least six different individuals and another four later at Obi Obi Boardwalk. There was even a whipbird hunting for bugs on the boardwalk later on in full view of people; something that is rare outside of O'Reilly's.

Eastern Whipbird

The Crimson Rosellas continue to tease me with their metallic calls but remained hidden after patient waiting. A pair of silent Green Catbirds were spotted high up while I waited. I still haven’t seen a Wompoo Fruit-Dove this year strangely but had to make do with a single Brown Cuckoo-Dove near the palms and a pair of Pacific Emerald Doves that wandered along the forest floor and shot high up into the canopy upon first glance. The scrubwrens – White-browed Scrubwrens mainly and the odd Yellow-throated Scrubwren - appeared every so often and it wasn’t until I was around the last corner did I see a Brown Gerygone finally. An orangey-looking Rufous Shrike-thrush spiced up the mix while a main highlight was seeing my first Australian Logrunner at Mary Cairncross. I’d seen them many times at Maiala where there is more extensive habitat but at the smaller reserve it can be hit and miss. The hunched logrunner remained in clear view in dappled lighting and was perched low to the ground as expected, balancing its disproportionally long legs.

Australian Logrunner

Onto Obi Obi Boardwalk which lies in the centre of the nearby town of Maleny. The first portion of the walk was eventful with large flocks of Lewin’s Honeyeaters everywhere. They are like Brisbane’s Noisy Miners; highly visible, territorial and the dominant bird around the hinterland. Among all the brown flashes of movements along the boardwalk I pinpointed two sooty-brown Dusky Honeyeaters seeking shelter with bursts of nectar feeding giving away their location. The Sunshine Coast region is the southernly limit for their distribution and they are not a species found in Brisbane past a seldom record. I saw my lifer Dusky Honeyeater a few years back on the grounds of a nearby Sunshine Coast zoo - Wildlife HQ - harassing a red panda so it was great to be reacquainted with the lesser-known cousin of the Scarlet Honeyeater; also, it’s the first one for the thread.

Dusky Honeyeater

The Platypus came quickly and easily without search nor anticipation. There was one literally bobbing right in the town centre, opposite the main road, near a barber’s shop and real estate place. In fact, eagled-eyed customers of the nearby shopping centre would have been able to see the platypus from the carpark as the creek runs past it. There can’t be too many places where you can do your grocery shopping and see wild platypus. Pretty special. I’d imagine on a quieter weekday the platypus would be even closer and bolder. Something I hadn’t realised on my last visit was that there were dirt trails that intersected the scrub to lead right to the creek’s edge especially in parts where you lose sight of the water due to very compact vegetation and plantings.

Platypus near shopping centre

At the official viewing area, there were immediately two platypus in full view at the same time on either side of the water along with the resident Saw-shelled Turtle. One seemed quite a bit smaller than the other one but then slowly took turns diving and surfacing. Only occasionally were they both on the surface. There was a third platypus that soon appeared so I was basking in the delights of these wonderful animals, spoilt with monotremes. I really didn’t know where to look. The observation deck is great for birds as well; a pair of Eastern Yellow Robins, White-browed Scrubwrens galore, Eastern Whipbird fledglings and my first Shining Bronze-Cuckoo of the year were all around the fringes of the delightful antics of the platypus.

Platypus at observation deck

There is a nearby pathway that leads to the edge of the main creek. While Obi Obi Boardwalk is known for platypus its second celebrity is the Azure Kingfisher. I was lucky enough to spot one right near the platypus where it froze. Every time I see one it feels like the first time. There was also a larger Sacred Kingfisher nearby but it was on the other side of the path and it was more visible out in the open. Kingfisher number three was a Laughing Kookaburra that pursued a flock of Australasian Figbirds. The bright and colourful continued with a flock of five Galahs and a pair of Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos. The black cockatoos separated from the galahs and continued towards the tall pines that sit past the adjacent farmland. My morning finished comparatively quietly with a flock of Red-browed Finches that had settled near the grasses in the town centre. Overall, a very productive and successful morning in the hinterland.

Azure Kingfisher

 

[MRJ]

Location 58: City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane – 3th June 2023:

Target Species: Noisy Pitta

As the most urban site possible for this thread, the city botanic gardens are located right in the heart of Brisbane city, along with banks of the river and close to Queensland’s Parliament House and one of its major universities. Established in 1828 its primary intention was to provide food for the early penal colony but it formally opened as the city’s first botanic gardens in 1855. It’s a valuable greenspace for Brisbane’s people and wildlife alike and has long served as a leafy reprieve from the bustling city that envelops its historic perimeter. There are some very interesting historic records for the botanic gardens. One of the old books I have Wildlife of the Brisbane Area (1983) has a detailed account by the superintendent that used to live in the gardens with vivid recount of birdbaths with robins, confiding whipbirds, wintering flocks of finches and nesting Brahminy Kites. From then to now, it remains an important site for Brisbane’s birds. Today’s target for the city botanic gardens is a surprising one. A pair of Noisy Pittas (Pitta versicolor) have been sighted there for the past week. This year wild pittas have apparently had a very successful year and their altitudinal dispersal has seen them travel further and deeper into the lowlands – out in the city greenspaces and even out to the coast in some cases towards Nudgee Beach.

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I highly recommend walking to the botanic gardens from South Brisbane and cross the Goodwill Bridge into the botanic gardens. This provides access to a small patch of mangrove right in the middle of the city; probably not as expansive as it used to be but it’s still there surprisingly. It’s not always easy to find these mangroves from the traditional city entrance to the botanic gardens but it’s worth a good search. I was surprised that my first birds of the day were a pair of Buff-banded Rails chasing each other across the mangroves. Once its high tide I wondered where these rails would go as the mangrove roots are quickly submerged but I found out on my back that the rails cross the path and enter the thick weeds opposite the mangroves. Pale-vented Bush-hen was also recorded in this part for this first time recently as well.

Buff-banded Rail

The rails were joined by a single buffy Sacred Kingfisher skulking in the furthest parts of the mangrove. Kingfishers aren’t common in the city centre as Noisy Miners drive out most small birds so it’s a real treat to see one on the fringes. It later flew near some of the fishing boats and perched out in the open opposite the Kangaroo Point cliffs. It was driven back into cover by swooping Welcome Swallows and lots of Tree Martins. Across the walk by the river, I was further able to see a pair of Greater Crested Terns and pleasingly a single Australian Gull-billed Tern with a black cap. It’s always worth checking carefully as I almost overlooked it for a seagull. A single male Australasian Darter was also perched in the mangroves; a species that can be seen relatively reliably along the banks of the Brisbane River often. Striated Herons were also common and were spotted easily as large dark figures perched over the water.

Striated Heron

The city ponds within the gardens had high densities of Dusky Moorhens and single figures of Little Pied Cormorant and Australasian Swamphen. The gardens are fringed by a large of colony of Black Flying Foxes that roost there daily often with other species of flying-fox at different times of the year. The flying-foxes were squabbling and often flew over the city skyscrapers and found different palms to roost. Definitely if you visit Brisbane and want to quickly see flying-foxes this is the place to go. My search for the pitta continued around the fringes of water but was unsuccessful around this part of the gardens so I continued towards parliament house where there are some very large fig trees along the perimeter of the botanic gardens.

Black Flying Fox

I soon went through some side trails that travel into the bat roost a bit deeper into the leafier portions of the water. I turned were there is a small waterfall and there was a bright little Noisy Pitta turning up the leaves for bugs. It was wary; it travelled into the scrubs but quickly emerged again and paused on a rock out it the open, allowing for some excellent views and quick photos as it froze. I didn’t want to disturb it further to not push it onto the lawn so I got my shot and moved on. What a thrill. It was very surreal to see a pitta in the city; almost feels too easy compared to trekking through dense damp rainforests where they are traditionally associated with. It further shows the value of these city green spaces.

Noisy Pitta

The species I associate with the botanic gardens are the Bush Stone-Curlews which were wailing across the gardens and are very easy to see here as they congregate in large numbers. There were also large numbers of traditional parkland birds like Blue-faced Honeyeaters feeding across the flowering plants, a quartet of Laughing Kookaburras travelling quickly across the palms and several melodic Grey Butcherbirds. The city gardens exceeded expectations today with just under 30 species – best result I’ve had there. A beating green heart of the city and definitely worth visiting on a quiet winter’s morning tied in with making sure the nearby mangroves are thoroughly explored as well for some extra species that are uncommon in the city centre.

Bush Stone-Curlew

Spoiler: Species Seen

Mammals
Black Flying Fox Pteropus alecto

Birds
Australian Brushturkey Alectura lathami
Rock Pigeon Columba livia
Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Australasian Swamphen Porphyrio melanotus
Bush Stone-Curlew Burhinus grallarius
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae
Australian Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon macrotarsa
Great Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii
Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos
Great Egret Ardea alba
Striated Heron Butorides striata
Australian Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Noisy Pitta Pitta versicolor
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans

Love it, noisy pitta in the heart of Brisbane!

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 59: Boronia Bushland Reserve, Logan – 18th June 2023:

Target Species: Common Bronzewing

I need to put a bigger dent into my wild columbid list but as Wonga Pigeon and Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove continue to elude me I thought I’d draw my attention to a more dryland species that would perhaps be more visible. The plump, iridescent-winged Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera) is not as common as I’d like it to be. While they are considered one of Australia’s most widespread and commonly-seen pigeons especially in the southern states, they are not present in most of Brisbane but are apparently found in localised numbers in western scrubland and forest. Bronzewings seem to be common across the Logan and Ipswich regions especially, west of Brisbane and Boronia Bushland was the name that kept popping up for them. It’s a small reserve with a three-kilometre walk that winds through a remnant eucalypt forest in Logan’s growing and urbanising heartland. It is accessed via Conlan Street, Boronia Heights but there are several entrance points.

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My walk began quietly in the early morning chill. I quickly noticed that the park was filled with scribbly gums. The most distinctive feature of this eucalypt are the ‘scribbles’ made by moth larva as it tunnels between the layers of bark. Scribbly gum moths are one-centimetre-long creatures that are rarely seen and are poorly understood yet they leave their distinctive mark on these ecosystems. When I talk about trees you know it was a quiet start but I was relieved to find where all the birds were hanging out with a large nectar-driven bonanza driven by Blue-faced Honeyeaters, Noisy Friarbirds, Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, Rainbow Lorikeets and notably Yellow-faced Honeyeaters. I definitely heard Little Lorikeets, but like it has been a continuing pattern with me and my pursuit of these noisy yet elusive green pocket rockets, I couldn’t pinpoint them. The midstory birds came in trickles; Grey Fantails of course as it’s the season for them, a handful of Golden and Rufous Whistlers and notably a single Rose Robin with my best view yet of one. Another species that is having a good season locally. Where the scrub reached eye-level towards the small creek the density of Variegated Fairywrens was quite outstanding; I counted a dozen at one time crossing the path. Big birds returned with a Laughing Kookaburra that was eyeing off a dead Tawny Frogmouth that was splayed across the path, wings open. Looked quite fresh and I couldn’t see any sign of predation.

Rose Robin

I suddenly saw three large bulky birds high up in one of the tallest eucalypts. Convinced these were bronzewings, I got my camera ready again to take a reference shot at least as they were perched awkwardly. I soon realised these rotund figures had a longish neck and the wrong bill shape for a pigeon – they were Australian Wood-Ducks! I did have to remind myself that wood-ducks do roost in trees and nest in hollow cavities. I had completed the whole loop around the bushland and was starting to feel like it would be a pigeonless morning. There was a small pathway behind the kid's park at the entrance so I tried that to finish. As I was walking there was a powerful chestnut-winged flash; not the elegant movement of a cuckoo-dove but a rather frantic push forward. It was definitely a Common Bronzewing. Turns out it was one of three pigeons that were later spotted on an exposed branch. A long overdue species to see in the wild finally.

Common Bronzewing

Opposite the bronzewings, were a small mob of about six Eastern Grey Kangaroos; most of them appeared to be youngsters with very few adults among them. I’m always surprised how well macropods in the wild blend in so well especially against tree trunks; the kangaroos sat silently until I moved on and a couple hopped closely to the path as I moved away. Overall, it was great to finally tick off Common Bronzewing and hopefully it’s a species that will be seen at a few future locations again.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

Spoiler: Species Seen

Mammals
Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus

Birds
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Variegated Fairywren Malurus lamberti
Yellow-faced Honeyeater Caligavis chrysops
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Willie-wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Rose Robin Petroica rosea

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 60: Kondalilla National Park, Sunshine Coast – 26th June 2023:

Kondalilla National Park, situated in the Sunshine Coast region, is an ecological gem that showcases the unique biodiversity and geological features of the area. Spanning an area past the towns of Maleny and Montville, the park serves as a significant habitat for a wide range of flora and fauna species, many of which are endemic or rare. The park's geographical location, nestled within the Great Dividing Range, contributes to its remarkable ecological diversity. Kondalilla National Park is characterized by its rainforests, which exhibit a variety of distinct vegetation communities. These include tall open forests dominated by eucalypt species, subtropical rainforests with a rich understory of ferns and vines, and montane heathlands that surround an immense rocky gorge. The park is also renowned for its waterfalls, particularly the picturesque Kondalilla Falls, which cascades over a series of rock platforms deep into a dark forest floor. My thoughts on Kondalilla are however always tinged with sadness. The Southern Gastric-brooding Frog or Southern Platypus Frog Rheobatrachus silus was uncovered by the western world here in this very national park in 1972, officially described in 1973 and quietly disappeared by the early 1980s. This aquatic species had a very restricted range and famously reared their young internally. This frog is attributed with providing the national park’s core forest areas of the Conondale Range protection. Many individuals continue to search for them as the thylacine of the Australian frog world. The national park remains home to the rarely-seen Pouched Frog, Assa darlingtoni which carry their tadpoles out of water in a pouch near its hips.

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As soon as I arrived I quickly knew that whatever I saw in Kondalilla would probably pale in comparison to the striking habitat and geological features encountered through the five-kilometre walk. Sometimes the location itself completes upstages its wildlife and that’s what occurred here. The walk starts in a very dense subtropical rainforest with a few particularly old eucalypts that towered over, breaking free from the dense canopy, providing light. I swear I spotted an owl in one of these grand trees but this was quickly confirmed to simply be an optical illusion with some funny-looking bark and streaky leaves. The birds were generally modest but regular; small flocks of Brown Thornbills, Lewin’s Honeyeater and White-browed Scrubwrens travelled through the forest with reliability. Deeper in, I got my first Eastern Whipbird of the day high in the canopy for once. The whipbird was being trailed by a Pale-Yellow Robin. It can sometimes be difficult to find these often very localised species so it was a nice addition quickly on in the walk. Pairs of Australian King-Parrots nosily chattered and I also stopped to look at a single White-throated Treecreeper hop its way around a tree.

Pale-Yellow Robin

The subtropical rainforest finished dramatically and dried out as I approached the first lookout that provided sweeping views of Obi Obi Gorge. I’m told it can be a good spot for Peregrine Falcon but alternatively I saw a Pacific Baza eating a large insect and lots of Grey Fantails along with more thornbills. The birds for now on in were very hard to pinpoint; the tracks aren’t ideal to stop and survey as they were narrow, quite steep at times and were often obscured by rocky formations or tree trunks. Sulphur-crested Cockatoos raucously flew over regularly providing steady entertainment while I descended into the gorge to reach the rockpools and additional viewing areas across the water. There were more honeyeaters and I enjoyed the reverberating calls of Wompoo Fruit-Doves as I reached ground level of the 80-metre-tall waterfall.

Lewin’s Honeyeater

The forest floor of the gorge was thick and dense with very little light but provided some views of some very well-developed and complex rock pools that no doubt would be prime frog habitat at night. The habitat were fantastic; dense ferns and moss galore. There wasn’t a lot of wildlife activity for the next couple of hours as I ascended back up the gorge and it dried. The absolute highlight on my way up was a pair of Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos feeding quietly as they stripped the bark of a dying tree searching for grubs. They were with a few white cockatoos and they dwarfed them with their larger frames and sweeping wingbeats.

Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo

After finishing up at Kondalilla, I made my way to Mary Cairncross (yes, again!) because it’s such a great little spot for rainforest activity and very easy to navigate. The entrance pools provided a lifer in the form of Great Barred Frog tadpoles feeding on the linings of black bean seed pods according to centre staff. They were enormous tadpoles that will grow into quite hefty frogs by Australian standards and are abundant in this rainforest but are rarely seen in the daytime. It’s my second herptile lifer in twenty-four hours with a Scute-snouted Calyptotis [Scute-snouted Calyptotis, Calyptotis scutirostrum - ZooChat] found in my local suburb yesterday; a common but equally elusive species of skink with a tendency to burrow in gardens. The bird of the afternoon at Mary Cairncross was the Yellow-throated Scrubwren as I counted about 34 different individuals with most of them hopping about on the path. I had a few of them following my footsteps for metres and metres on end. They were fearless. Other highlights included an Eastern Whipbird on the track again, Red-legged Pademelons with bulging pouches but those pesky Crimson Rosellas continue to call throughout but refuse to show themselves. Overall, another pleasant day in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

Yellow-throated Scrubwren following me

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Brown Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia phasianella
Pacific Baza Aviceda subcristata
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Zanda funerea
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Australian King-Parrot Alisterus scapularis
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea
Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
Large-billed Scrubwren Sericornis magnirostra
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Pale-yellow Robin Tregellasia capito

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The Off-Season – Kakadu Beach, Bribie Island - 27th June 2023:

Target Species: Sooty Oystercatcher

This morning I decided to return to Kakadu Beach in Bribie Island; one of only a handful of dedicated beaches for waders locally and one of even fewer that is completely fenced-off from the public allowing birds to have full access to the beach without the risk of dogs especially. There has been a particularly exciting event here since I last visited late last year; the resident Beach Stone-Curlews reared a chick which is a very rare record for south-east Queensland for this threatened species. During the off-season when all the waders are in the northern hemisphere breeding, there are notably the Double-banded Plovers that arrive from New Zealand in the winter however I dipped on those. Today’s aim was to find a resident species being the Sooty Oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus) as one had been hanging around recently around to recent eBird lists. Preferring rocky shorelines, they are a solid black oystercatcher and have a much sparser population that the Pied Oystercatchers.

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Arriving at low tide, the sandy beach met the mudflats. From the first bird hide, the shorelines were filled with about a dozen little blobs that chased the gentle waves; male and female Red-capped Plovers were common throughout the edges of the coast. Usually these plovers blend in among all the godwits and knots but in the cooler months they largely have the place to themselves. They were dwarfed by the local terns that huddled out on the mudflats; oddly enough not a single crested tern in sight but red-billed Caspian Terns were numerous and a single Australian Gull-billed Tern sat near some Silver Gulls and Masked Lapwings.

Red-capped Plover

My eye was drawn to a calling brightly-coloured Striated Pardalote near the first bird hide; unusually bold out in the open with very little coverage. The pardalote quickly plunged into the thin coastal grasses as the resident packs of noisy yet wary Little Wattlebirds did their patrol around the banksias and grevilleas that fringe the beach. The native plants are packed closely together further allowing enough food for Blue-faced Honeyaeters and Noisy Friarbirds to feed alongside these wattlebirds. The occasional Brown Honeyeater tentatively passed through, dodging the larger bullies and rarely the odd White-cheeked Honeyeater is also seen but I’ve only ever seen this species once before. Rainbow Lorikeets always join the wattlebirds, friarbirds and co, making for very pleasant viewing as all the plants are generally at eye level.

Striated Pardalote

A large flock of Little Corellas joined the plovers and terns out on the sand. Corellas being corellas, they began tossing the seaweed and digging up the sand. They were feeding on something but it wasn’t very clear what it was; very interesting behaviour to watch nonetheless. There were lots of Rainbow Lorikeets and Galahs as well in the old trees along the path further past the beach. A single Pale-headed Rosella also travelled across the beach adding a splash of colour. The resident population of Pied Stilts began growing in numbers as the water receded and some of the Black Swans, Chestnut Teals and Australian Pelicans began arriving from nearby Toorbul. Cormorants were common – Pied, Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants – were fishing in the shallow waters. As I was watching the cormorants out in the open water I spotted a bird fly past that looked like some sort of petrel but upon closer inspection it was a jet black oystercatcher with a red bill; a Sooty Oystercatcher. It didn’t stop on the beach but flew by so I was glad to get a momentary glance.

Galah

On one side of the beach past the fence it’s always worth looking for wildlife here. A single vibrant Sacred Kingfisher glowed in the morning light. These kingfishers are highly variable and I’ve seen some very dark deep bluey ones but this one was a particularly bright aquamarine. It was perched near the mudflats following the Pied Oystercatchers around. Raptors were represented by single figures of both Brahminy Kite and Eastern Osprey that past over from a distance. The Buff-banded Rails quietly emerged from the banksias and onto the beach to hunt. While crabs seem to be their main meal of choice, I observed one catch a clam and then it tried to pry it open carefully. It was unable to open it so it took its meal to a salty pool with seaweed which it used as an abrasive material to rub against and pull apart the shell from the meat. Smart bird.

Sacred Kingfisher

I was a little surprised to not see the resident Beach Stone-Curlew which are almost guaranteed here so I travelled along the parkland that sits nearby and was pleased to see one among all the stilts, teals and cormorants. With its subtle plumage, long legs, and piercing yellow eyes, it blended seamlessly into the coastal landscape as it cautiously moved across past a few remnant mangroves. Overall, Kakadu Beach is a well-known and beloved wader hotspot in summer but at an impressive 42 species seen today it’s well worth visiting this small site during the off-season for the resident birds that call this space home.

Beach Stone-Curlew

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The Old Favourites – Kumbartcho + Forgan Cove, Moreton Bay – 29th June 2023:

Today I spent exploring four different locations across the Moreton Bay region, just north of Brisbane with a very specific target species in mind. Before discussing that part of today in a separate post, I returned to two very well-known locations which are ten minutes apart – the Kumbartcho Sanctuary (location #39) and Forgan Park (location #17) as prolific and consistently successful locations. I had Kumbartcho to myself for the first hour from 7 to 8am which was simply paradise. It’s traditionally a popular place for local families to take their little squealing cherubs to explore the delights of this greenspace. It’s equally popular with birders which is not too bad of course but that means you are often sharing all the good bits with the narrow pathways and having to wait patiently at times. Kumbartcho continues delivering more new site firsts which continues to impress for such a small but well-planted location. An example of this is that Kumbartcho has been yet another site that has recorded Noisy Pitta this year. The place has a small riparian rainforest that is jam-packed with wildlife and a pair of them were quickly seen five minutes after arriving. They represent wild pitta no. 5 and 6 for me. It’s pretty astounding to see just how many pittas are being seen this year across south-east Queensland; there are still regular records out in the city botanic gardens and towards the mangroves along the coast.

Noisy Pitta

The pittas were initially wary and did a quick scan and bolted to cover in an vivid flash. Newfound experience with wild pittas told me to wait and fortunately they came back for an intense stare-down on a log from their territory. I was fascinated to see that the pittas were now not alone feeding on the forest floor and had company. A Russet-tailed Thrush was accompanying the pittas in feeding. For context, these are traditionally more or less strictly rainforest/wet forest birds, but like the pittas, have been dispersing further into south-east Queensland lowlands; much more than usual. Kumbartcho is the place that keeps on giving. Comparing the pittas with the thrush, I can see how Noisy Pitta are sometimes called painted thrushes; the head shape and general movements are pretty similar.

Russet-tailed Thrush

Past the small patch of wet forest and the calls of invisible scrubwrens, there is the clearing with eucalypts that is still regularly recording the Red-capped Robins that I have now seen three times. I wanted to see the female in particular again as she is a rather lovely bird and often overlooked by the showy male. She was extremely well-camouflaged against the leaf litter but I was able to appreciate her more muted but equally striking cap; a blush of red. I had the robins completely to myself which was unusual as they continue to be extremely popular and there is usually at least one birder around monitoring them. In the early morning lights, the robins hardly left the ground as they fed but always flew back to low-lying branches and logs for safety. They later travelled into the nearby backyard and their favourite perch was on a water sprinkler.

Female Red-capped Robin

Close to the robins is a steel bridge which is always worth searching for koalas as this region is the main hotspot for them and Kumbartcho is often used as a site to release wild koalas. I was scanning the trees for Spotted Pardalotes which were also recently seen with the robins but I wasn’t able to see any. My search ended but I was rewarded with a stunning Golden Whistler; after lots of female and immature birds I realised it had been ages since I had a memorable sighting with an adult male whistler.

Golden Whistler

Moving down towards the river walk, I was able to quickly find an Azure Kingfisher in the same location as last time. It didn’t stay around for long and bolted quickly over the river into coverage. Waterbirds were well-seen; better than usual. I saw a juvenile Striated Heron hunting for fish along with a Great Egret, a Little Pied Cormorant and flocks of Pacific Black Ducks and Hardheads. The dense coverage that borders the water contained lots of Rufous Whistlers and Grey Fantails with the sounds of bee-eaters further ahead. I’m told Rakali are found here and further down the river into the Sergeant Reserve, Platypus as well, with one recently spotted so it’s important to be slow and thorough in your search along the South Pine River. Kumbartcho provided the quality and colour for today undoubtedly.

Azure Kingfisher

Managed by SEQ Water, the nearby Lake Samsonvale contains several entrance points to the bush along the dam with popular picnic spots and even a section that is exclusively for birders with a permit required. The Forgan Park is a popular way to complete the five kilometre trail that sits alongside the dam. One of my favourite parts of this place is that it’s a reliable site for Great Crested Grebe; a species that is uncommon elsewhere in this region. Today for example, I counted a total of 23 grebes all out in the dam; incredibly elegant birds. This entrance point near the picnic area is always a good spot for waterbirds; Australian Pelican, Little Pied Cormorant, Pied Stilts on the muddy boundaries, Grey Teal, Hardhead, Pacific Black Duck and Dusky Moorhen.I enjoyed watching the terns – both Greater Crested and Australian Gull-billed Terns as they swiftly did laps. I find it odd to see terns away from coastal areas but of course there are species that are commonly found near freshwater. The nearby bush was in heavy flower meaning the honeyeaters were out in force as they usually are in the winter months; Scarlet Honeyeaters, Brown Honeyeaters, Lewin’s Honeyeaters, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters and Noisy Friarbirds were feeding across the site. The scarlets in particular were probably the most common bushbird I came across here. The forest floor was home to a pair of Eastern Yellow Robins and a very noisy Grey Shrike-thrush hopping about. Echidna had been seen in the past week along the track so I was on high alert with every leaf litter rustle.

Grey Shrike-thrush

There is a messy patch of the track that is dry but thick with bush and there small birds. There was a very large wave that passed through. I was in the middle of more honeyeaters and robins along with Golden Whistlers, Grey Fantails, Silvereyes, Variegated Fairywrens, White-browed Scrubwrens and two gems – a single male Varied Triller and a flock of Varied Sittellas that were close to eye-level which is unusual for these canopy huggers. Lake Samsonvale is a great place for sittellas as I have found over the years and they seem to usually be quickly ticked off about halfway through the walk. They are fascinating-looking birds up close with their slighty upturned bill and they hop around the full circumference of the branch in an erratic fashion, often remaining upside down. As their name eludes, they are highly variable with the ones locally having white heads which can help to gain quick identifications as they are distinctive from other local birds. A Brown Goshawk send the small birds in all directions and a Whistling Kite overhead kept them wary. I was later on pleased to see a single Fan-tailed Cuckoo remained out in the open but it swiftly flew off. Overall, a really pleasing morning thus far that would soon become much more targeted as I began the search for the nomadic phantom of the duck world.

Varied Sittella

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 61 + 62: Warner Lakes + Murrumba Downs, Moreton Bay – 29th June 2023:

Target Species: Cotton Pygmy-Goose

South-east Queensland’s waterfowl can roughly be divided into different groups based on their habits. You have the residents like the teals, hardheads, black ducks, wood ducks and swans which are common throughout and regularly encountered. Then there are the ‘Murray-Darling River’ ones as I call them like Blue-billed Duck, Pink-eared Duck, Australasian Shoveler and the rarer Freckled Duck and Musk Dusk (though for the latter species they have been popping up at places) take some planning to find but there are some regular sites for most of them. Radjah Shelduck further deserves a mention of a species that is now rapidly expanding south and breeding on the Sunshine Coast. But then there is the wild card; the Cotton Pygmy-Goose (Nettapus coromandelianus) is a rare, shy and highly aquatic species with its numbers only increasing in winter locally. Despite ranging across Asia, the Australian population is only predicted to be a few thousand individuals and south-east Queensland is just about the southernly limit for this tropical species and they are declining in northern New South Wales. I had searched for this species countless of times but I saw that they had been recorded twice at two nearby locations – Warner Lakes and Miers Park in Murrumba Downs. I was hoping a two-pronged plan would finally track down these elusive ducks.

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Warner Lakes is a series of suburban water bodies that are surrounded by newish native plantings in an affluent and quite exclusive area. It hosts a pretty standard range of species and not much can be said of it; lots of Eurasian Coots everywhere with well over hundred of them across the lakes. There were the standard birds like Pacific Black Duck, Australian Wood Duck and Dusky Moorhen along with a few more interesting ones like lots of Australasian Grebes and even an Australasian Darter perched clearly. Small birds were uncommon as they sheltered in the thick vegetation around the lake; I spotted Superb Fairywren and Grey Fantail but could hear much more; pardalotes and doves mainly. The search continued for the pygmy-geese as I made my way around the edge of the water; Brisbane River Turtles were everywhere as I scanned the water carefully being fooled more than once by some pale grebes. Right at the far edge in an inaccessible part of the lake I finally found four wonderful white Cotton Pygmy-Geese foraging among a small group of moorhens. They didn’t approach the shore at all and remained tightly together. No chance of clear photos due to the bright conditions and distance but I was just really pleased to see them after years of searching.

Eurasian Coot

The second location in Murrumba Downs was far more impressive with more complex and interesting habitat; two large wetlands with a thick border of paperbarks that stretch across the entire perimeter. Also, there were lots of old dying trees out on the water, providing safety for birds to nest and roost. Labelled as Miers Park, this area is colloquially known as Black Duck Hole and serves as prime breeding habitat for cormorants especially and there were hundreds of Little Black Cormorants, Australasian Darters and Little Pied Cormorants. The darters were the absolute highlight of the three as they were not flighty but very accustomed to humans as they lounged around the water’s edge. Some were even drying off on the path and I had to walk around them.

Australasian Darter

Out on the water were roughly equal numbers of Grey and Chestnut Teals, allowing me to test my identification skills. The female Chestnuts are really much richer in colour compared to the paler Greys with their whitish throats. About a metre from the water’s edge, I was then stunned to see a Cotton Pygmy-Goose so close. I approached carefully and it didn’t move at all. A dogwalker strolled past and it didn’t flinch; just kept feeding with the moorhens. The male showcased a velvety black head, contrasting beautifully with the snow-white feathers that adorned his neck and underparts. His back was a splendid mix of chocolate brown while his wings bore intricate patterns of dark and pale greys coupled with a very subtle iridescence that caught light as he quickly turned.

Cotton Pygmy-Goose

The pygmy-goose was dwarfed by a breeding pair of habituated Black Swans that were clearly accustomed to free handouts of food. The swans came right up to the shore with a single cygnet that never left their side. There is a dirt pathway that runs across the middle of the wetlands and here were all the small birds like Superb Fairywrens, Grey Fantails, a male Rufous Whistler and a glorious little but richly-coloured Forest Kingfisher. The kingfisher was taking full advantage of the tall perches available out on the water as did some more traditional parkland species like Rainbow Lorikeets investigating nest hollows and a single Laughing Kookaburra cackling away to establish its territory.

Black Swan and cygnet

There was a small patch of waterlilies with a single Comb-crested Jacana and the shadier parts of still water had a pair of Little Egrets waggling their feet to attract prey while a Great Egret was also hunting nearby. Finally, a large group of about twenty-five Australasian Grebes were really fascinating to watch as they tightly travelled in a group across the water. Overall, I particularly enjoyed the second location of Miers Park in Murrumba Downs as a miniature version of the popular Sandy Camp Road Wetlands Reserve in a much more accessible location with a good variety for a site that is surrounded by housing estates. Five Cotton Pygmy-Geese in a day was a bit of luck but it was truly excellent to finally see this wonderful little species that took some patience to locate.

Australasian Grebes – part of a group of twenty individuals

Spoiler: Species Seen

WARNER LAKES:

Birds:
Cotton Pygmy-Goose Nettapus coromandelianus
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Mallard (Domestic type) Anas platyrhynchos
Grey Teal Anas gracilis
Hardhead Aythya australis
Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
Australasian Swamphen Porphyrio melanotus
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos
Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Superb Fairywren Malurus cyaneus
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Black-faced Cuckooshrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Gray Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Fairy Martin Petrochelidon ariel

MURRUMBA DOWNS:

Birds:
Black Swan Cygnus atratus
Cotton Pygmy-Goose Nettapus coromandelianus
Australian Wood-Duck Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Grey Teal Anas gracilis
Chestnut Teal Anas castanea
Hardhead Aythya australis
Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea
Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos
Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Great Egret Ardea alba
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Forest Kingfisher Todiramphus macleayii
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Superb Fairywren Malurus cyaneus
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Willie-wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Common Myna Acridotheres tristis

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 63: Caboolture Region Environment Education Centre, Moreton Bay – 3rd July 2023:

Situated on an 18-hectare reserve, the Caboolture Region Environment Education Centre (or CREEC for short) is a diverse nature centre situated along the Burpengary River with a prominent mix of riparian rainforest and acacia woodland with a few small pockets of wetlands and grassland. The one-kilometre track is short and easy to navigate but it’s also worth birding along the macadamia plantation in front of the trail entrance as it was very productive. There is an environmental centre at the front near the carpark and is one of three in the region managed by the local council; the other two are at Kumbartcho (location #39) and the Osprey House (location #22).

The superstar species here is the monochromatic wonder that is the White-eared Monarch as a reliable lowland site for them. It’s a species that can be very uncommon and difficult to find generally. I spotted one individual in the macadamia trees almost immediately and it didn’t stay in sight for long but just long enough for a very confident identification. In the macadamia grove the trees were heaving with the movement and song of Silvereyes and Scarlet Honeyeaters. The undergrowth was filled to the brim with Golden and Rufous Whistlers and the occasional Eastern Yellow Robin near the wetter patches along the river and gullies. There is a drier stretch of bush towards the middle with a lower canopy that was filled with Double-barred Finches, Brown Honeyeaters, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, Lewin’s Honeyeaters and a pair of Olive-backed Orioles. There were lots of birds around but the walk was short and as it was very overcast it was difficult to observe clearly my surroundings and all the tree coverage was creating even more dimly-lit conditions. I noted some quality-looking fig trees around that I’m sure would attract fruit-eating pigeons as the right time of year. Around the exit, there were lots of Little Wattlebirds and Rainbow Bee-eaters. In short, a quick walk around through a range of habitat. The birds came quickly and it seems to be a hidden gem. I will return soon for a closer look in the spring.

Yellow-faced Honeyeater

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Australian Wood-Duck Chenonetta jubata
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus
Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
Yellow-faced Honeyeater Caligavis chrysops
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta
Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus
Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
White-eared Monarch Carterornis leucotis
Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis
Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
Double-barred Finch Stizoptera bichenovii

Location 64: Lake Eden, Moreton Bay – 3rd July 2023:

In front of one of the largest shopping centres in the region – Westfield North Lakes – there is a suburban lake that includes a looped pathway that encircles the area with a small bridge as well to cross a part of the water through thick patches of papyrus and waterlilies. There were also small pools that tuck away from the main trail along with a small bird hide in the casuarinas allowing you to get much closer to the wildlife action. Suburban lakes tend to be rather sterile, overly-manicured and boring but this one had some complex habitat all around the water and there were small birds seen throughout. There have been some very impressive records recently for this lake – Striped Honeyeater and Azure Kingfisher notably. There was no Azure seen today but a single Sacred Kingfisher was spotted on the wooden bridge out in the open. Something I didn’t really realise was that Sacreds are seasonal migrants within Australia. The local ones move north in autumn and can be found as far north as Papua New Guinea. There are always a few that stay behind and I’ve been noting them only occasionally; plenty of Forest and Torresian Kingfishers all year round in the right spots however.

Sacred Kingfisher

The waterbirds were abundant and easy to see; there were a trio of Black Swans, a handful of Australasian Darters, Little Pied Cormorants and Little Black Cormorants and then a motley crew of Hardheads, Pacific Black Ducks, Dusky Moorhens and Eurasian Coots seeking free handouts as they followed visitors and picnickers. There were a pair of Comb-crested Jacanas feeding across the waterlilies along with a few of the smaller egrets – both Little and Cattle Egrets – hunting for fish.

Little Pied Cormorant

There were lots of Blue-faced Honeyeaters and Little Wattlebirds across the site, including some that were bathing in the water. Notably, there were also lots of White-breasted Woodswallows are highly sociable, often congregating in large flocks of 50 to 60 birds on power lines and branches. They huddle close together to conserve heat and energy. Despite their small size, these woodswallows are territorial and groups will mob larger birds as a form of defence which I observed as they saw off a Little Friarbird that got too close to their roost. Finally, there were flocks of Superb Fairywrens along the water’s edge that quickly retreated to cover. Overall, a nice little place to spend some time looking carefully all set in a very convenient location.

Blue-faced Honeyeater

Spoiler: Species Seen

Birds
Black Swan Cygnus atratus
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Hardhead Aythya australis
Australian Brushturkey Alectura lathami
Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
Australasian Swamphen Porphyrio melanotus
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea
Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos
Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Australian Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Superb Fairywren Malurus cyaneus
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis
White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Willie-wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 65: Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area, Gold Coast – 6th July 2023:

Target Species: Swamp Wallaby, Koala

Despite being the gateway into the greater riches of the ‘big boys’ like Lamington National Park, Springbrook National Park and Mount Tambourine, rampant urbanisation and intensely localised tourism has largely left the coastal regions of the Gold Coast without substantial stretches of uninterrupted natural places. Coombabah is a rare exception however as the Gold Coast’s premier wildlife-watching site along the coast wedged among all the nearby theme parks and housing estates. As a mix of wetland, eucalypt forest, saltmarsh and mangroves, the site is an important location for the Gold Coast’s wildlife; eBird records well over 200 species and it’s a stronghold for koalas and kangaroos as well. I’ve always known it as one of the few sites with golden Swamp Wallabies; a very striking mutation that is recorded every so often among the Gold Coast populations. These wallabies can also be found on Stradbroke Island.

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

The Coombabah Wetlands can be access via Shelter Road where there are several access points that initially starts with paperbark swamp with a well-signed and defined boardwalk that is a kilometre circuit that leads back to the entrance. It was one of those visits where I heard a lot more birds than I saw. The Scarlet Honeyeaters dominated the flowering melaleucas and their melodic far-reaching songs travelled across the bush. There were the Grey Fantails out in force and a nesting pair of Red-browed Finches were a highlight to watch as they quietly collected nesting material. There is some lovely habitat here; a fern-rich understorey with dense rows of flaky paperpark trees with creamy white flowers. In the bushier parts there was a single female Mistletoebird which look very different to the vividly-coloured males; a bluish-grey bird with a pale red undertail. This species has a diet of mistletoe berries and they pass very quickly through the system. They excrete the sticky seeds onto branches allowing the parasitic mistletoe to germinate quickly. There was also a pair of Rufous Whistlers and a single Spangled Drongo that sent the smaller birds deeper into the bush as it swiftly travelled overhead. My first macropod of the day was a single Eastern Grey Kangaroo that hopped across the pathway.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo hopping towards bush

A single Australian King-Parrot travelled quickly past and drew my attention elsewhere. Suddenly a wallaby exploded onto the pathway as they tend to do and bolted into the bush. It paused and then turned momentarily revealing it was a Swamp Wallaby with a Grey Shrike-thrush following nearby. Was it a golden wallaby? Well no. It certainly had some lighter features I thought around its forehead though with some goldish patches and generally pronounced facial markings. There is lots of variation among the local populations. It was the only wallaby I saw today but for a midday visit I considered it lucky to see one. Close to the wallaby were some more drongos hawking for insects with a single Rainbow Bee-eater with more heard.

Swamp Wallaby

As you approach the final pathway through the entrance again of the loop, there is a turn off into an open field opposite Southport Airfield with a mob of about eighty Eastern Grey Kangaroos along the aptly-named kangaroo trail; hardly any adult males among them with mainly females with pouch young and older joeys. I was surprised to see hordes of tourists fawning over them and they were getting quite close to these wild kangaroos; it must be a popular spot. It was like I was in a kangaroo walkthrough at a zoo with the density of people around. The mob were quite habituated to humans and didn’t react to their presence seemingly. Helicopters were regularly flying over towards the airstrip and the roos remained out in the open, grazing and resting. I was particularly interested to see the females raising multiple joeys at the same time; with a larger one outside the pouch and one cooking in the pouch. There were several Laughing Kookaburras around as well pouching on skinks.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo with joey

Well what could be more Australian than hopping kangaroos and laughing kookaburras? Well, the nearby koala trail was a worthy contender. The trail continued further past the kangaroo mob for two kilometres providing great opportunities to find them in the open country. My strategy to find wild koalas was simple - follow a flock of noisy tourists and they could do the searching for me as they stopped at each large tree along the trail. Soon enough while I was observing a White-faced Heron, I was alerted with the sounds of squeals and exclamations at the sight of a Koala, slumped on a tree fork. The male quickly climbed up several metres and even leaped to another branch about a metre away with impressive agility before finding an angle that allowed it to camouflage incredibly well. Overall, I highly recommend Coombabah as a top spot on the Gold Coast; there are more trails here for me to explore and undoubtedly the wildlife here is very visible. A great site for a kangaroo-koala combo as well.

Koala

Spoiler: Species Seen

Mammals
Koala Phascolarctos cinereus
Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor
Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus

Birds
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Australian Brushturkey Alectura lathami
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus
Australian King-Parrot Alisterus scapularis
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta
Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis
Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus
Grey Shrikethrush Colluricincla harmonica
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus
Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Willie-wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus
Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum
Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis