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

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 78, 79 + 80: Maroochydore Sewage Treatment Plant, Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary + Fairhill Botanic Gardens, Sunshine Coast – 20th September 2023:

Target Species: Radjah Shelduck

The march south for many tropical species continues in south-east Queensland and the Sunshine Coast region is where lots of species are currently at their southernly limits. Fairy Gerygones and Long-tailed Nightjars are among several birds that are increasingly popping up in larger numbers stretching past their traditional range. The most obvious example of this however is the Radjah Shelduck (Radjah radjah) as a species that is rapidly expanding its distribution and now breeding across south-east Queensland and even now with a few records in New South Wales as well. No longer considered rare on the Sunshine Coast, there are several locations for this distinctive species peppered across the region. One of their known sites is a sewage treatment plant in Maroochydore with two large ponds that can be seen clearly from the main road. I saw the Radjah Shelducks instantly as I approached and they were wonderful to watch. The pair bred last season and are well-established. There were other waterfowl species like Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead, Chestnut Teal and Grey Teal. Among all the large species were flocks of Pied Stilts, four Black-fronted Dotterels and notably a single uncommon Red-kneed Dotterel as well.

Radjah Shelducks and co

The nearby Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary is the sister site for Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve and is an incredibly-rich habitat consisting of something like seven different habitat zones, commencing with littoral rainforest providing an almost closed canopy providing protection for an understory of ferns, orchids, vines, palms, fungi and grasses which travels outwards towards the river’s month into thick tall mangroves. There is a bird hide and even a crab hide especially designed to watch the incredible numbers of crustaceans that have been recorded here (of course I was visiting during high tide…). The layout is all conveniently organised with a single boardwalk and while I didn’t see much due to the midday heat, I certainly felt it’s a great place to bird in the right conditions. The first portion provided a trickle of few wet forest birds – a Spectacled Monarch, an Eastern Yellow Robin and Eastern Whipbirds. I am not big into plants but even I was struck with a unique species found here – Mangrove Ferns Acrostichum speciosum covered the understorey and add an incredible character to the place. Golden Whistlers, Red-browed Finches and White-browed Scrubwrens were sheltering throughout in these ferns while Mistletoebirds were calling loudly in the melaleucas. The bird hide revealed several Mangrove Gerygones bathing in the heat of the day while lots of fish – Sea Mullet, Yellowfin Bream, Common Toadfish and Banded Toadfish were easily seen in the full sun. It’s a place that requires several visits to really appreciate this site but definitely one of the top sites on the Sunshine Coast.

Mangrove Gerygone

Finally, I made my way to Fairhill Botanic Gardens about twenty minutes north. It was a very small botanic gardens and nursery which I heard about when seeking information on sites with Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves which I think I actually heard for once but didn’t see them. The carpark area had a dam nearby with some interesting bits and pieces – a large group of Krefft’s River Turtles with the pale white eye stripe, an Australasian Grebe halfway between breeding and non-breeding plumage and a single Azure Kingfisher hiding in the bushes on the furthest side. I entered the nursery and was greeted with an Eastern Yellow Robin, an Eastern Whipbird that was feeding on the lawn shockingly but retreated swiftly and a flock of White-browed Scrubwrens. The best find here was a single Children’s Stick-Insect that had fallen about twenty metres from a eucalyptus I was standing under. The bright green insect landed at my feet as it clambered across the grass (imagine wildlife-watching was as easy as that!). After a few excited moments and photos, I gave the stick insect a head start and placed it on a nearby branch. It took off with its pink wings unfolded and headed out of sight in a clumsy manner. Fantastic critter.

Children’s Stick-Insect

In the carpark area, my eye caught sight of two green blobs in a shady corner. They were a pair of Pacific Emerald Doves but this was the first time I had seen them on the ground sitting absolutely still. They usually just take off but this pair were lovely to view in close proximity and one of the main highlights. An Olive-backed Oriole was also briefly seen close to the doves which continued to bob around the carpark. Probably not a place I would visit again due to its limited size and its awkward location but I certainly saw some interesting species. Overall, my trip to the Sunshine Coast produced a bird lifer, a reptile lifer and a couple of high-quality invertebrates.

Pacific Emerald Dove

Spoiler: Species Seen - Location 78

Birds:
Radjah Shelduck Radjah radjah
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Grey Teal Anas gracilis
Chestnut Teal Anas castanea
Hardhead,Aythya australis
Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Pied Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
Red-kneed Dotterel Erythrogonys cinctus
Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops

Spoiler: Species Seen - Location 79

Birds:
Australian Brushturkey Alectura lathami
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
Mangrove Gerygone Gerygone levigaster
Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Spectacled Monarch Symposiachrus trivirgatus
Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum
Red-browed Firetail Neochmia temporalis

Fish
Common Toadfish Tetractenos hamiltoni
Banded Toadfish Marilyna pleurosticta
Sea Mullet Mugil cephalus
Yellowfin Bream Acanthopagrus australis

Invertebrates
Chequered Swallowtail Papilio demoleus

Spoiler: Species Seen - Location 80

Birds
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Australian Brushturkey Alectura lathami
Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Pacific Emerald Dove Chalcophaps longirostris
Azure Kingfisher Ceyx azureus
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
Scarlet Myzomela Myzomela sanguinolenta
Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
Gray Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis

Reptiles
Krefft’s River Turtle Emydura macquarii krefftii

Invertebrates
Children’s Stick-Insect Tropidoderus childrenii
Red-shouldered Leaf-Beetle Monolepta australis
Common Aeroplane Phaedyma shepherd
Speckled Line-Blue Catopyrops florinda

 

[WhistlingKite24]

New Arrivals – Dowse Lagoon, Brisbane – 24th September 2023:

A quick post from me to document finding a big target species of mine at Dowse Lagoon today. The site has reached its ‘sweet spot’ as the water level slowly recedes and all the mud is appearing around the fringes of still a lot of water, attracting hordes of worm-loving marshy waders, crakes and nice oddities like Glossy Ibis. All the good stuff. The lagoon has seen a spite in records that I was hoping for and thankfully the search for Latham’s Snipe in particular was short and sweet. A pair were feeding right in front of the mud at the bird hide which is located at the back of the lagoon. They were lots of fun to watch as their long bills probed deep into the mud and they had to continually clean them as the debris built around their faces. These snipes fly from their breeding grounds in northern Japan annually and there is a small window to see them when they stop by south-east Queensland. Charming birds but they could have been easily overlooked if it were not for their active feeding. The second highlight at Dowse Lagoon were lots of Whiskered Terns fishing on the wing. A classic freshwater tern of well-established wetlands with distinctive dark slate-grey underparts in breeding plumage. A first for the thread but I have seen these terns in the centre of Brisbane along the river passing through. All up 47 species at Dowse Lagoon were seen including all four species of local cormorant, three Buff-banded Rails while I waited for the ghost crakes, two different raptors – a Whistling Kite and Eastern Osprey - were aggressively seen off by the territorial bird mobs and a stunning Great Egret with a turquoise-blue breeding flush. An example of this dramatic change can be seen here: https://www.zoochat.com/community/media/great-egret-in-breeding-flush.682916/

Latham’s Snipes

Migratory waders were also well-represented with a spur-of-the-moment trip to Bribie Island the other day to good old Kakadu Beach. Workers have cleared parts of the thick vegetation which horrified some birders but was part of a carefully-managed plan to reclaim parts of the beach for the thousands of waders that rely on the open space for refuge and feeding groups. The Far-Eastern Curlews are currently found throughout the site with no godwits yet. The Red-capped Plovers have been joined by a single Red-necked Stint, blending in incredibly well together. The sand-plovers should soon start appearing as well. The Pied Oystercatchers have increased their numbers as well and now have two fuzzy little chicks in the fenced sanctuary. The main highlight was a single Grey-tailed Tattler that was feeding along the rocky shores nearby which was the first one of the season for the site.

Grey-tailed Tattler

 

[Zorro]

New Arrivals – Dowse Lagoon, Brisbane – 24th September 2023:

A quick post from me to document finding a big target species of mine at Dowse Lagoon today. The site has reached its ‘sweet spot’ as the water level slowly recedes and all the mud is appearing around the fringes of still a lot of water, attracting hordes of worm-loving marshy waders, crakes and nice oddities like Glossy Ibis. All the good stuff. The lagoon has seen a spite in records that I was hoping for and thankfully the search for Latham’s Snipe in particular was short and sweet. A pair were feeding right in front of the mud at the bird hide which is located at the back of the lagoon. They were lots of fun to watch as their long bills probed deep into the mud and they had to continually clean them as the debris built around their faces. These snipes fly from their breeding grounds in northern Japan annually and there is a small window to see them when they stop by south-east Queensland. Charming birds but they could have been easily overlooked if it were not for their active feeding. The second highlight at Dowse Lagoon were lots of Whiskered Terns fishing on the wing. A classic freshwater tern of well-established wetlands with distinctive dark slate-grey underparts in breeding plumage. A first for the thread but I have seen these terns in the centre of Brisbane along the river passing through. All up 47 species at Dowse Lagoon were seen including all four species of local cormorant, three Buff-banded Rails while I waited for the ghost crakes, two different raptors – a Whistling Kite and Eastern Osprey - were aggressively seen off by the territorial bird mobs and a stunning Great Egret with a turquoise-blue breeding flush. An example of this dramatic change can be seen here: https://www.zoochat.com/community/media/great-egret-in-breeding-flush.682916/

Latham’s Snipes

Migratory waders were also well-represented with a spur-of-the-moment trip to Bribie Island the other day to good old Kakadu Beach. Workers have cleared parts of the thick vegetation which horrified some birders but was part of a carefully-managed plan to reclaim parts of the beach for the thousands of waders that rely on the open space for refuge and feeding groups. The Far-Eastern Curlews are currently found throughout the site with no godwits yet. The Red-capped Plovers have been joined by a single Red-necked Stint, blending in incredibly well together. The sand-plovers should soon start appearing as well. The Pied Oystercatchers have increased their numbers as well and now have two fuzzy little chicks in the fenced sanctuary. The main highlight was a single Grey-tailed Tattler that was feeding along the rocky shores nearby which was the first one of the season for the site.

Grey-tailed Tattler

Wonderful photos. Have you been out to the Port of Brisbane I heard they re-landscaped the area for shore birds when it was built?

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Wonderful photos. Have you been out to the Port of Brisbane I heard they re-landscaped the area for shore birds when it was built?

Thanks. It's definitely on the list to visit along with a few sites around the Redlands area for additional shorebirds as the season progresses.

 

[Zorro]

Thanks. It's definitely on the list to visit along with a few sites around the Redlands area for additional shorebirds as the season progresses.

If you go to the website The Port of Brisbane there is some information regarding shorebirds and other info.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Brisbane Bits and Pieces – 26th and 27th September 2023

Target Species: Baillon’s Crake

I spent yesterday morning at the well-worn Enogerra Reservoir and completed a quick loop of the place. The highpoint of the visit was seeing my first Yellow-footed Antechinus with diagnostic orangey underparts in the thicket. It moved very erratically and hopped onto tree trunks for security after a few seconds and then continued travelling through disturbing all the whipbirds and scrubwrens. The new Strahan book for Australian mammals document the antechinus in south-east Queensland in great detail. Following significant taxonomic work, there are five species of these delightful dasyurids that occur in the region but they all fit very different niches in contrasting sometimes extremely fragmented locations. The three more coastal species are loosely separated by habitat; Subtropical Antechinus are found in closed wet upland forests, Buff-footed Antechinus are in mid-elevation forest and the Yellow-footed are the all-rounders with mainly more open and drier habitats. In theory all three can be ticked off at known sites; Subtropicals at Maiala where I have seen them reliably a few times, Buff-footed is at Mary Cairncross confidently (never seen but December/January is the time to see them with the flourish of juveniles) and Yellow-foots at lots of larger bushland reserves. West towards Lamington, two species coexist - Brown Antechinus is the generalist there while the incredibly elusive and rare Black-tailed Antechinus is believed to live close to the ground. A fantastic group of critters that can often be very active throughout the day at the right time of year. In addition to the antechinus, the spring bloom is arriving and 49 species were seen throughout the walk – flocks of Little Lorikeets were very visible for once as the flew from eucalypt to eucalypt. Yellow-faced Honeyeaters dominated the walk and the few nooks that led to water pools were very effective for finding birds. White-naped Honeyeaters and White-browed Scrubwrens were bathing mainly but the Varied Sittellas were approaching the water as well tentatively. The monarchs are starting to grow in numbers with Black-faced Monarch popping up again at several places including here.

No clear antechinus photo so here's a Yellow-faced Honeyeater instead

Today saw me travel to a different type of habitat to have a go finding the tiny Baillon’s Crake (Zapornia pusilla) at Sandy Camp Road Wetlands Reserve which should also be known as ‘crake central’. In the spring, the reserve is home to good numbers of crakes which led me to find my first Spotless Crake last year but this year its all about the Baillon’s and they have been recorded at most wetland reserves in Brisbane. I keep kicking myself about not visiting the Australian Spotted Crake at the wetlands near the Brisbane Airport that stayed around for weeks earlier this year so there was no way I would miss the chance to find the Baillon’s this time. The search was long and I started with a pair of Buff-banded Rails feeding in the receding waterline with a few Grey Teals. The waterfowl were present in healthy numbers with the Wandering Whistling-Ducks continuing in good numbers along with several Comb-crested Jacanas and a single spring Sacred Kingfisher. After some searching along the grassy fringes and checking where I found the Spotless Crake last year in a shady nook, a single Baillon’s Crake emerged in the open baking sunlight in the waterlily pond with all the jacanas. I initially didn’t process what it was; “Oh just a moorhen chick or something? Have the jacanas bred already? Nope. A crake!” Absolutely tiny things. No wonder crakes are so elusive, everything could eat them! A second crake then materialised and this one was much closer and bolder and walked towards me. A spring trip to Sandy Camp always delivers something.

Baillon’s Crake

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Freshwater Venom – Kumbartcho Sanctuary, Moreton Bay – 29th September 2023:

Today I visited Kumbartcho again. It’s just so productive every time. I wasn’t expecting to stay that long but suddenly found myself spending three hours there as there were birds everywhere after the overnight storm in the sunny weather; a total of 59 bird species were seen across the walk with the bulk of the species found along the South Pine River and crossing into the Sergeant Reserve where I kept a close eye for any platypus. The riverwalk was filled with little ponds and mud attracting some interesting activity by some of the traditionally more elusive species. The Little Pied Cormorants were fishing intently and I caught eye of one that had grabbed something large. It was a big struggle for the cormorant to pull up its prey to the surface. The cormorant was hunched over looking like a rakali bobbing about as it clamped down on its prey but it did eventually pull up a large fish that powerfully slapped the surface. It took a while to get a good look at it as it was thrashing about but it was incredibly a Bullrout also known as a Freshwater Stonefish; a venomous bottom-dwelling fish found from Cooktown to Sydney. They are a sluggish and well-camouflaged species and stings can occur at popular swimming sites across south-east Queensland with occasional reports. They possess 15 sharp, strong dorsal spines that readily inject venom from the spine into the flesh and is said to cause agonising pain for humans and in rare cases require a trip to the hospital. Thankfully, non-lethal. More of a tidal/estuary species, it’s uncommon to find one in a freshwater system in a reasonably developed area of Brisbane but footwear is always a must for Brisbane’s waterways. Interestingly bullrouts are also starting to appear in the pet trade I have noticed as well; often marketed as ‘freshwater lionfish’ for specialist keepers. Anyway, the cormorant tried several angles to grasps the fish, clearly trying to avoid the spines; it started with the tail and then flipped it to clamp down on its head which put an end to all the splashing. After a five-minute struggle between the two, it took the fish to the grassy reedbeds out of sight. Quite a spectacle to watch.

Bullrout vs Cormorant

A particularly striking Eastern Water Dragon

I suddenly saw a rail nearby; I was tempted to declare it as a Lewin’s Rail but it bolted very quickly into thick grass and just a second more would have probably given me enough time for a confident identification. There was a reasonable chance it was a Buff-banded so I will leave it for now. Another grass skulker was more successfully seen and I had great views of a single Spotless Crake with its pink legs and its deep red eyes were scanning carefully. I waited for a little while but it remained elusive after an initial good look. I took a few rubbish photos with lots of grass covering its little body so I moved on past the resident Azure Kingfishers to the riverine rainforest. A highlight there was a single female Regent Bowerbird blending in with all the Little Wattlebirds; simply fantastic to see one so close to Brisbane. Along the thick weeds that line the river I was excited to finally find Orange Threadtails with several perched in the emerging sun. Endemic to Australia, this species of damselfly has a striking black and gold colouration and has been quite hard to find so I have found. Two more odonata targets to go; Sapphire Rockmaster Diphlebia coerulescens and Gold-fronted Riverdamsel Pseudagrion aureofrons. Throughout the walk there were also lots of Keelbacks swimming by out in the open. More than once did I hear a scream or a gasp from passersby as they swam right along the trail no doubt on their way to find their next Cane Toad for lunch.

Keelback

Orange Threadtail

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 81: Mount Glorious Community Hall, Moreton Bay – 2nd October 2023:

Target Species: New Holland Honeyeater

I returned to the Mount Glorious Community Hall to try yet again to find the New Holland Honeyeaters (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae); a species that is common down south even in backyards and gardens but has a very sparse distribution in south-east Queensland with an isolated population in small mountainous pockets towards its northernly limits here. The species is a medium-sized honeyeater with mainly black plumage with a white iris, white facial tufts and yellow accents. It looks similar to the more common black-eyed White-cheeked Honeyeater which are still comparatively uncommon compared to other honeyeater species. The walk behind the community hall was a short stroll to reach a bunch of flowering bottlebrush trees that sit along the fence of the nearby café. A short wait revealed a black and white bird that flashed past in a few quick seconds. My first New Holland Honeyeater was wary but eventually returned to feed and perched along the fence for some truly glorious up-close sights of this eye-catching species. One of my favourites. There were eventually a trio of them flying swiftly in and out of the flowering bushes. Other highlights here included a single Regent Bowerbird among the Satin Bowerbirds and I was in earshot of a Paradise Riflebird as well calling. Healthy numbers of Crimson Rosellas flew past regularly as well; after years of not seeing this species in the wild it has been a very good month for them.

New Holland Honeyeater

The lantana bushes at the community hall and the nearby Maiala were filled with Macleay’s Swallowtail as well which spotted briefly every so often for a feed, allowing me to finally get a good look at them. They are a large green swallowtail with pale green legs and fly frantically. I only ever seen them in upland regions here in wet forest so it’s always a treat to see so many across the site. There was the occasional Blue Triangle and Black Jezebel among all of them as well after some searching. At Maiala, both species of pademelon – Red-necked and Red-legged Pademelon were out in the picnic area together along with good numbers of Green Catbirds and Satin Bowerbirds feeding in the fig tree. A Grey Goshawk was another incredible species today as well as it did a quick patrol of the picnic grounds. A first for the thread, this distinctive species comes in two morphs – pure white and grey. I’ve only seen this species twice before; a wild bird at Australia Zoo and one in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Confined to dense wet forests much of the time, this species regularly turns up in odd locations and has a propensity for wandering extensively. Some nice sightings today overall.

Macleay’s Swallowtail

Red-necked Pademelon

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The Urban Survivors – Banks Street + Raven Street Bushland Reserve – 21st September 2023 + 8th October 2023:

A few local finds here and there in between busy weeks. Last weekend I returned to Raven Street Bushland Reserve and while I didn’t see much overall, the quality was high with a few nice sightings throughout. I was actually attempting to search for some interesting butterflies – Yellow Admiral and Spotted Jezebel namely – some uncommon southern species that are attracted to hilly pockets of reserves. The admirals admittedly do have the occasional population burst in numbers and I have seen them in the city centre once. Not a single butterfly was seen of course as the story goes; even the forest grass trees were in flower with large flower stalks covered in a bed of white flowers attracting honey-bees but no honeyeaters. A Shining Bronze-Cuckoo in full sight was good to see in the area and a Sacred Kingfisher in open forest was another. The colony of flying foxes – both Black and Grey-headed Flying Foxes were settling down in the early morning sun in their noisy roost. I enjoyed watching more Grey-headed Flying-Foxes than I was used to; a healthy population for this now vulnerable species here.

Grey-headed Flying Fox

This place is the most reliable site for Swamp Wallaby in Brisbane as well (in my opinion!) and in the past six months I’ve never visited and not seen at least one. The grass tree forest provides shelter and coverage for the wallabies along with a few gullies that allow for a quick escape for shelter. There are a few hotspots along the walk to look out for them especially in the drier section that links to the Milne Hill Reserve. Unfortunately, these city populations of wallabies are in constant peril due to cars of course. I was recently having a good look through records at all the wallaby sightings for Brisbane on iNaturalist and turns out wild wallabies can be found quite close to the city centre; Banks Street Reserve (location #8) is an inner-city ‘green island’ reserve that has records for Swampies surprisingly.

Swamp Wallaby

I should mention that I did return to Banks Street a few weeks ago but forgot to cover it among all the other posts but this place is an asset. Easily accessed via any bus that travels through Newmarket (lots of services), the reserve has several access points. Along Quandong Street, I caught sight of some orangey butterflies – Bright Cornelians before entering the reserve path the bridge. No less than four Brown Goshawks were spotted as I walked in the open oval space and they were being chased by every bird on this side of Brisbane – Laughing Kookaburras, Blue-faced Honeyeaters, Pied Currawongs and Australian Magpies teamed up to mob the goshawks. The Blue-faced Honeyeaters are always the persistent pursuers especially and I also find are usually are the first birds awake at dawn in the suburbs as they do the morning patrols.

Brown Goshawk chased by Blue-faced Honeyeaters

Some quality bushland species in the quieter corners of the reserve – a Pheasant Coucal was flushed and was holding its ground against more of the aforementioned territorial species especially kookaburras. The bushier areas had a single Rufous Fantail darting about, getting quite close for a good view. The fantail was following a pair of Golden Whistlers, lots of White-browed Scrubwrens but the best find was a single Black-faced Monarch that is a more unusual addition for the site. Lots more of those common species that you always still enjoy seeing like Galahs, Pale-headed Rosellas and Olive-backed Orioles. A great accessible pair of bushland reserves worth the trip in the spring.

Rufous Fantail

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Bay to Bot - Tabbil-ban dhagun Boardwalk + MtCootha Botanic Gardens, Brisbane – 4th + 11th November 2023:

Target Species: Curlew Sandpiper, Bordered Rustic

It’s been a couple of very hectic weeks with little opportunity for birding but finally things are starting to ease as we enter the holiday period, allowing me to get back into the field and continue my quest. Last Saturday I returned to Nudgee Beach boardwalk finally timing my visit at low tide, allowing me to enjoy sweeping beach views past the mangroves with a whole suite of waders feeding in the early morning light. There was a solid diversity around with the bulk being of course Bar-tailed Godwits feeding frantically along with some smaller waders that initially I thought were knots but luckily turned out to be Curlew Sandpipers – a nice little lifer that I had in the back of my mind for a while. It has a long, black bill with a down-curved end and black legs and feet and generally looks a lot paler I thought. There were a handful of Whimbrels about along with a single Pacific Golden Plover with lots of Pied Stilts and a pair of Australian Pied Oystercatchers. In the mangroves were lots of the usual but specialised suspects including about six Torresian Kingfishers, several Mangrove Gerygones and even a Rufous Fantail. The crab of the day was the Maroon Mangrove Crab. Always a pleasant loop.

Torresian Kingfisher

Today I ventured to the Mt Cootha Botanic Gardens and ended up spending most of the day there. The initial plan was to do a quick lap of the botanic gardens and then travel up to MtCootha Forest to access some of Brisbane’s closest bushland to the city centre with a very complex network of trails. However, the wildlife was so abundant and visible I ended up staying at the botanic gardens and explored each section carefully instead. My target species for here was the Bordered Rustic, Cupha prosope which is an uncommon species of rainforest butterfly that reaches its southerly distribution in south-east Queensland, being more common up north as most tropical butterfly species are. The search took a few hours but I eventually spied a pair of these orangey-brown wonders along with a single Evening Brown as well in the Australian Rainforest section near the entrance sign. No decent shots as I had my short lens for quick reference iNaturalist shots but was fortunate to see they tend to be a low-flying species. The butterfly life list quickly approaches 70 species with the flush of spring adding a nice boost. Dragonflies and damselflies were abundant as well – Blackhead Skimmer, Blue Skimmer, Australian Emerald, Orange Threadtail, Blue Riverdamsel, Common Flatwing, Common Bluetail, Graphic Flutterer and Yellow-striped Flutterer were the main species sighted throughout the gardens, often away from the waterbodies following heavy rain last night. I also saw a Black Rat in the European Gardens while I was searching for another introduced species that occasionally pops up here – blackbirds.

Graphic Flutterer

Birds were decent generally. I spotted a Superb Fairywren in the main lagoon area with the thick reeds. It might not seem significant for some but it was the first eBird record of the species at this site in over a decade (last sighting in 2011). Whilst expansive, the botanic gardens doesn’t have a lot of small bird habitat so I was quite amazed to see a bright blue male hopping about. I counted five imposing Channel-billed Cuckoos with their ear-piercing cries as they soared past and as the minute Welcome Swallows chased them across the sky. The koels have also arrived and were calling but I have yet to see one this year surprisingly. The waterlilies were in full bloom with a pair of Australasian Grebes with the breeding Dusky Moorhens. A single White-faced Heron remained along the fringes. Orioles and rosellas were calling throughout the gardens as well but I only saw the Australasian Figbirds and Blue-faced Honeyeaters among the native flowering plants.

Australasian Grebe

I was pleased to see there were still a healthy population of Eastern Dwarf Frogs near the state herbarium while Eastern Water Skinks were common in the rocky crevices along the walk towards the lagoon. The four waterlily ponds near the carpark were worth looking at carefully; I spotted a single Australian Hornet actively hunting. Fitting the niche of a bumblebee, the native Amegilla bees were out in force with both Blue-banded and Teddy Bear Bees seen at several flower pit stops with smaller butterflies like Plumbago Blues and Lemon Migrants. The occasional Chequered Swallowtail also passed by as well.

Eastern Water Skink

A local update to conclude. A special mention is needed for a few backyard finds recently as well. Today I found a single gasteruptiid wasp resting on an exposed branch. I often see something long and thin, hovering as it moves forwards and backwards rapidly. Today I finally put a name to these creatures. They are apparently parasitic with the larvae and eggs of wasps and bees being their main host. As mentioned, there are lots of native solitary bees around now so not surprisingly they are nearby. This wasp has the extraordinarily long ovipositor with a white tip. Quite a remarkable creature. Other interesting inverts have been a female Clearwing Swallowtail, a flourishing colony of Bright Cornelians – a butterfly with orange accents and an introduced yet attractive species - Spotted Amber Ladybird Beetle. A yet-to-be-identified longicorn beetle was another striking find recently. White-throated Needletails and White-breasted Woodswallows are filling the skies as well currently. The resident Common Ringtail Possum has constructed a large drey in a nearby macadamia tree – which is like a large nest where they rest avoiding the hollows that the Brushtail Possums prefer - and emerges nightly. A pair of Pale-headed Rosellas continue to now appear daily which can lift spirits even on the cloudiest day. They have found a quiet spot in a local park and seem to be nesting. Fingers crossed.

Common Ringtail Possum

Pale-headed Rosella

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 82: Mount Mee, Moreton Bay – 18th November 2023:

Target Species: Red-necked Wallaby

This weekend, I had the opportunity to housesit at a friend’s property. This wasn’t just any concrete jungle residence but a Land for Wildlife bushland site in the rugged Mount Mee, about forty minutes from Brisbane. The Land for Wildlife initiative allows landholders to manage wildlife habitat and there are thousands of properties across south-east Queensland that promote corridors for wildlife to coexist safely. A significant proportion of Australia’s natural spaces are privately-owned so it seemed fitting to include this property among the locations as a good reminder that a lot of what I see is only scratching the surface on small pockets of public land. The property itself had a range of small gullies and open grassy spaces along with thicker bushland. My main target was the Red-necked Wallaby, Notamacropus rufogriseus, a species of wallaby that favours the margins of eucalypt forests. It had been many years since I had seen this species in the wild so I was pleased to see a male-female pair of Red-necked Wallabies out in the early sun. The mainland subspecies differs from the Tasmanian Bennett’s Wallaby with a much richer colouration and doesn’t have the longer, darkish fur of the international zoo staples.

Red-necked Wallaby

The birdlife around the property was quickly noted. There were bare branches that sat on the top of the eucalypts and from the top of a hilly vantage point I watched as White-throated, Scarlet, Lewin’s and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters all arrived. The most abundant small birds however was not a honeyeater but Brown Thornbills that fed throughout the property and moved very erratically with a pair of Leaden Flycatchers. I noticed among the thornbills there were similar-looking birds that moved in a similar manner but had a more yellowy-greenish tinge with an orange-brown cap - my first Striated Thornbills which quickly travelled back into the canopy after a few short glances. Larger-bodied birds mainly involved fleeting glimpses; a trio of Satin Bowerbirds, a single male Australian King-Parrot and a flock of Pale-headed Rosellas were noisy delights as I observed continual flocks of gregarious Little Wattlebirds and Noisy Friarbirds feed above. Surrounded by farmland, an Australian Hobby which was surprisingly my first for 2023 swiftly few past, heading towards prey-filled grassland. Always surprised how small they actually are. Into the afternoon, different species started arriving with Red-backed Fairywrens moving through the dense scrub with the thornbills while a magnificent Forest Kingfisher shone brightly as it hunted for skinks from a powerline in the bright light. A White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike was another highlight as well as its odd call caught my eye but pinpointing it nearby. A final lively moment was watching a Spangled Drongo hunt down a thornbill with a quick snatch as it flew past, grasping the little bird in a blink of the eye with its powerful beak.

Forest Kingfisher

I also went to Maleny around late morning and visited Obi Obi Creek and Mary Cairncross once again through the backroads of Woodford spotting healthy numbers of Galahs and Dollarbirds along the farmland. In the centre of Maleny, the overcast weather made for productive sightings of Platypus with no strong reflections, allowing for continual sightings of bubbles and ripples in the water as several platypus emerged briefly. While I was searching for rockmasters – a type of large dragonfly, there was a single Azure Kingfisher and a flock of noisy Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos that passed overhead through the town. The adjacent grassland was productive as well and I saw a lifer lizard that was escaping the clutches of White-faced Herons – a single reddish Highland Forest Skink was wandering the grassy path without its tail.

Platypus

At Mary Cairncross, the main highlight was seeing a black Short-eared Brushtail Possum scampering into a large hollow along one of the quieter pathways and moving quickly out of sight – only the second time I have seen one of these upland possums in the wild. The Red-legged Pademelons were warier than usual, most likely due to wild dog sightings recently in the rainforest but there was a single tiny joey among the population. Being spring, the Wompoo Fruit-Doves have a single chick currently in a very flimsy nest and there was a crowd with excited whispers watching them as it fed. Volunteers are keeping a very close eye on it. A large congregation of Noisy Friarbirds in the rainforest seemed to send many canopy birds towards the forest floor and among them was a single Green Catbird that was hopping around on the ground! Other small birds included Australian Rufous Fantails, a single Grey Fantail, many Pale-Yellow Robins and both Yellow-throated and Large-billed Scrubwrens. Overall, a successful four-mammal-species day with several notable sightings.

Wompoo nest

Red-legged Pademelon joey

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The Holy Grail – Sandy Camp Road Wetlands Reserve, Brisbane – 3rd December 2023:

Target Species: Australian Painted-Snipe

If someone told me that a painted-snipe would be a realistic target for Brisbane this year I would have laughed them out of the room and tell them to go find their night parrot instead. But incredibly, a couple days ago a birder found a single male bird in the crake pond at Sandy Camp Road Wetlands. This followed a few records of one at the wetlands near the Brisbane Airport as well and one in the Sunshine Coast. I waited patiently to see if it reappeared on Saturday at Sandy Camp; 30+ eBird notifications later indicated it was seen well by many so I decided to give it a go this morning before it reached the mid-30s in temperature as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I had a very disappointing weekend prior to this one where I tried twice to find the very lost Black-tailed Native-hen at Oxley Creek Common with no success. So while I appreciate failure as a big and important part of finding wildlife, I was seeking a win.

The Australian Painted-Snipe, Rostratula australis is listed by the IUCN as Endangered with numbers predicted to be anywhere around 350 individuals to a couple thousand but it’s hard to estimate for a cryptic and secretive species. They are threatened due to a decreasing number of wetlands in the Murray Darling Basin due to irrigation management, extended droughts with little recovery of once-established water systems and weed coverage as well. None are held in captivity currently. The search was very short at Sandy Camp as there was already half of Brisbane’s birding community out to track it down and were all congregating along the path. The bird was slightly dwarfed by the Comb-crested Jacanas but I quickly managed to get a good look at my first Australian Painted-Snipe. While female birds are brighter and larger, this male was quite a distinctive stocky bird with a cream marking around the eye and a white stripe over the shoulders, disguising it well from the potential Latham’s Snipes that also frequent Sandy Camp. The painted-snipe quietly fed out in the open and approached our group momentarily before turning, where muted gasps were heard. The excitement shared by all was really palpable. It’s hard to put into words the joy but also tinged with a little sadness for this threatened bird.

Australian Painted-Snipe

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Location 83: Redwood Park, Toowoomba - 11th December 2023:

Target Species: Regent Bowerbird

Today I ventured back to a few familiar sites around Toowoomba plus a new location as well – Redwood Park. On the journey out west I must say that I spotted my first ever sighting of a wild echidna. It was unfortunately on the side of road and it looked very fresh with its spiny body largely intact near a small built-up town in the Lockyer Valley. I couldn’t stop to check if it was alive maybe but it wasn’t moving nor was it curled into a ball. So I won't count it. Lots of roadkill today actually – rabbits, red foxes and bandicoots mainly with Black Kites circling above. I initially started my day at Lake Gatellty (location #40) in Gatton to see the uncommon ducks for the year list. At the two water bodies there was a very high concertation of Magpie Geese especially and they were feeding among noisy flocks of Plumed Whistling-Ducks. A scene reminiscent of a miniature Kakadu. The concentration of Pink-eared Ducks has exploded here and I easily saw about fifty ducks and there were four Blue-billed Ducks seen from a good distance. A passing Whistling Kite (not me I swear) sent the waterfowl into a flurry of chaos but most of them eventually return once it completed its patrol.

Pink-eared Duck

Out towards Toowoomba, the Redwood Park is a very large yet incredibly unique site as it sits on the Great Dividing Range which is the cordillera system that separates coastal eastern Australia from the drier inland. The site is located right outside Toowoomba on the drive down the steep mountain from the city and possess a hilly topography with a rich blend of habitat – uniquely low-growing viney dry rainforest which is very rare so far inland. I completed the rainforest circuit near an escarpment which sits just past the picnic area where I observed a pair of Mistletoebirds, a male Rufous Whistler and a single Pale-headed Rosella bolt past. There were healthy numbers of finches – both Red-browed and Double-barred Finches as I chased the cries of a Brush Cuckoo that remained well-hidden and I caught sight of a stripey solid bird flew which was probably a Barred Cuckoo-shrike after reflecting and reviewing recent records. A few frustratingly close opportunities but I had to move on towards some interesting activity in some of the trees near the water.

Double-barred Finch

Spirits were lifted as I was thrilled to see my closest view yet of a male Regent Bowerbird in full adult plumage with a quick saturated flash of gold and black. It quickly descended into a dense tree but it later perched high in a few drier eucalypts and was accompanied by a female. It was fascinating to find these bowerbirds here and watch them as they navigated around this more open habitat, challenging their reputation as icons of wetter subtropical rainforest. The bowerbirds were accompanied by two interesting species – an Eastern Shrike-tit was crunching away in a nearby tree and remained close by as it caught a few beetles. Redwood remains a very good spot for this generally uncommon species. A male Common Cicadabird which is a unique shade of blue-grey joined the female Regent Bowerbird in a tall open eucalypt as well as the male bowerbird later hid. Quality species are clearly supported in this patch.

Eastern Shrike-tit

As it was a hot day, I decided to find a good vantage point near the small stream and wait. I was rewarded with mainly wet forest birds – Large-billed Scrubwrens, White-browed Scrubwrens, a White-throated Treecreeper, an Eastern Yellow Robin, multiple flocks of Lewin’s Honeyeaters, a single Sacred Kingfisher and fairywrens all travelled near the water as finch sightings continued regularly. Despite the Great Dividing Range being a clear geographical barrier between Variegated and Purple-backed Fairywrens, I am told Variegated Fairywrens are the species at Redwood and they certainly look the part. There were lots of butterflies – Caper Whites and what I suspect were Pale Triangles but I couldn’t get a very clear unobstructed view of them. As I was watching all of the rich life around me, I spotted a hummingbird! Well, not exactly – an imitator rather. It was my first Gardenia Bee Hawk Moth – probably my number one local invert to see. The bee hawk moths are striped in green, yellow and black and have clear wings that are a few centimetres long. They have a scaly brush around the tip of their abdomens that is expanded in flight, believed to assist them to stabilise their hovering behaviour as they feed from flower to flower. These features can create the illusion that they are birds (or bees), not the day-flying moths they actually are. Redwood Park is clearly a place with some quality critters.

Gardenia Bee Hawk Moth

Spoiler: Species Seen

Invertebrates
Caper White, Belenois java
Blue Triangle, Graphium sarpedon
Gardenia Bee Hawk Moth Cephonodes kingii

Birds
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus
Regent Bowerbird Sericulus chrysocephalus
White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea
Variegated Fairywren Malurus lamberti
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
Large-billed Scrubwren Sericornis magnirostra
Common Cicadabird Edolisoma tenuirostre
Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
Eastern Shrike-tit Falcunculus frontatus
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Australian Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons
Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis
Silvereye Zosterops lateralis
Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum
Red-browed Firetail Neochmia temporalis
Double-barred Finch Stizoptera bichenovii

 

[WhistlingKite24]

The Butterfly Man of Kuranda Exhibition – Queensland Museum, Brisbane – 12th December 2023:

Frederick Parkhurst Dodd (1861-1937) was initially a Victorian-born banker that was transferred to Townsville. He later became a full-time entomologist living on the fringes of remote northern Queensland, documenting several new species and publishing research on the largely unknown creatures of Queensland and also New Guinea. Over the course of his career Dodd supplied thousands of specimens that filled museums across the world and fed the insatiable private collectors of the Victorian era. Later nicknamed ‘The Butterfly Man of Kuranda’ Dodd came to national prominence when he toured his larger collection of insects to the southern states. A large part of his priceless collection is currently kept quietly at the Queensland Museum and in an extremely rare event the museum will be displaying 27 of the 42 meticulously-arranged showcases kept at the museum in three rotations. Rotation 1 (Jewelled Grandeur) was open till October which I unfortunately missed, Rotation 2 (Ghosts of Kuranda) is currently open and will last till January 2024 and the final Rotation 3 (A Brilliant Family) will end in April 2024. The Dodd Collection is a significant part of the State Collection with some specimens being more than 100 years old. The cases he put together for these travelling displays were artistically arranged for a charming and eye-catching visual effect, unusually without any particular scientific rationale but to draw the public into the wonders of the hidden world. Below are images of the cases on display of mainly moths – both from New Guinea and Australia – but also seeing so many Ulysses Butterflies and seeing some of the unfamiliar New Guinea jezebel butterflies in particular were highlight. Lots of familiar local species as well like the technicolour Joseph’s Coat Moth, Agarista agricola.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Antechinus Rescue – Maiala, D’Aguilar National Park – 15th December 2023:

Maiala is beautiful at this time of year and it's my favourite time of the year to visit. The fig tree in the picnic area is in full fruit, drawing the rainforest birds into the main area and the mountainous area serves as much-needed relief from the sweltering Brisbane heat. The flocks of fruit-eating pigeons, even towards midday, were flying through in regular rotations – there were dozens of Topknot Pigeons and five or so Wompoo Fruit-Doves. It’s a rare treat to see Wompoos out in the sunshine as their emerald-green catches your eyes as they head towards the tree. The Wompoos rarely stayed long but fortunately I was able to station myself under the picnic table and watched them throughout the entire morning as they quietly flew in and out. Most headed to the western reserve across the road while the Topknots maintained a constant presence.

Wompoo Fruit-Dove

The fruiting figs further brought out the bowerbirds – a pair of Green Catbirds fed among the pigeons and Satin Bowerbirds were particularly and very common throughout the picnic area especially some of the older glossy males that rule the roost, having primary access to the figs. The undergrowth was filled with the usual Yellow-throated Scrubwrens and Eastern Yellow Robins but the overcast weather seemed to send most small birds into hiding; the vibrant green Macleay’s Swallowtails continue in large numbers and I even saw another bee hawk moth. I later headed towards a picnic table to watch some of the skippers that were fluttering in the long grass.

Satin Bowerbird

Thud. Something fell from the roof of the picnic ground. It sounded like a cicada - screeching away and I was actively searching for it around the general vicinity and suddenly I saw this squirming little rodent-like creature that had a very thin coat of hair with its eyes still shut. Initially I thought it was a melomys – a rainforest rodent – but once I saw the snout and tail it was a single Subtropical Antechinus joey. It had fallen several metres from a crack in the roof of the shelter onto the bench. As it was calling loudly and antechinus can be active during the day especially at this site, I waited a good hour to see if an adult would appear. No sign of any adults and considering all the hungry birds hopping from picnic table to table, I watched carefully to ensure that this little one had a good chance at life. As I was preparing to depart with the antechinus joey now in a dark safe space and having already phoned a vet, I realised there was a second antechinus joey crawling around the concrete floor. It was raining antechinus! Having collected its sibling with two of them now, the joeys stopped calling to one another and rested peacefully on the trip down. The antechinus were handed over to a vet who were already in contact with a local wildlife carer that would raise these young ones. They wouldn't have to stay in care long as they grow and breed quickly.

Subtropical Antechinus joey

 

[Chlidonias]

The antechinus were handed over to a vet who were already in contact with a local wildlife carer that would raise these young ones. They wouldn't have to stay in care long as they grow and breed quickly.

Is there any chance you can get photos of the antechinus when they are grown, either before or at release? The only photos of this species in the galleries are the babies, so it would be good to have some of adult animals.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Is there any chance you can get photos of the antechinus when they are grown, either before or at release? The only photos of this species in the galleries are the babies, so it would be good to have some of adult animals.

It's worth a shot. Would it be worth uploading one of these poor shots I've got of an adult as a placeholder?

 

[Chlidonias]

It's worth a shot. Would it be worth uploading one of these poor shots I've got of an adult as a placeholder?

I think those aren't quite good enough for uploading, so we'll wait until you can get some clearer shots.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

I just received an update from the wildlife carer - both antechinus joeys survived the night, cleared their health checks and are feeding well. She will keep me updated.

 

[Zorro]

I just received an update from the wildlife carer - both antechinus joeys survived the night, cleared their health checks and are feeding well. She will keep me updated.

Will they release it or held captive?