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

Location 98: Harding’s Paddock, Ipswich – 11th May 2024:

Target Species: Jacky Winter

The cooler weather brings in increased activity and movement by small bush birds, with large populations travelling from the southern states for the winter or alternatively, from the mountainous region down to sea level. Harding’s Paddock is a general campsite area in Ipswich that is a great site to herald the large increase of birds in the local bushlands. The site is reached via a gravel road with a central campground with a good range of facilities and very well-signed trails. I actually had plans to do several trails but only stayed on the bush tucker trail today as I was so impressed by the diversity of birds, I thought I would say in the one spot and see what would pop up. The bush tucker trail is a very short loop that combines thick native plantings with a small patch of fenced grassland area among the sparse eucalypts. The trees were heaving with small birds today but the first animal I saw was a single Red-necked Wallaby feeding on a grassy trail. It was initially on the main road coming in but I caught up with it later. There are also some small ponds in the grassy area next to the bush tucker trail with Australasian Grebe, Australian Wood-Duck and Pacific Black Duck.

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Red-necked Wallaby

The first main tree had a large group of White-throated Honeyeaters that were feeding and calling loudly from the tops of the tree. It had been months since I’d seen this species so I was pretty happy already early on. The local Melithreptus honeyeaters are the White-throats (white eyebrow), White-napes (red-eyebrow) and Black-chins (blue eyebrow). All three species were recorded at this site in the last 24 hours so I was very keen to find the latter as it would have been a lifer but unfortunately couldn’t pinpoint any confident sightings. There was a large flowering bush with Silvereyes, allowing for very clear view of these hyperactive birds. This is the time of year when silvereyes arrive from Tasmania on the mainland on a long and rather mysterious migration. The Tassie birds intermingle with the local resident silvereyes but there are a few visual cues to distinguish them. It is generally a darker bird and has dark reddish-brown coloured flanks. Its throat is whitish or greyish in colour while the non-migrants have a yellow throat and much lighter orange-brown flanks. I believe I saw both types of silvereyes in close view.

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Silvereye

The evocatively-named Jacky Winter was my main target today. They are a small grey-brown Australasian robin that is well-known to sit perched on farm stumps and barbed wire. They are largely absent from coastal Queensland but are found more towards these sites past Brisbane. I wasn’t successful in finding Jacky Winter nor canopy-hugging Rose Robin which are also common at this time of year but there were plenty of Eastern Yellow Robins pretending to be Jacky Winters on the fence line. There were also lots of Superb Fairywrens bouncing along, getting their early morning meal and there were some interesting behaviours between the robins and fairywrens. Whistlers galore as well with lots of Rufous and Golden Whistlers in virtually every tree.

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Eastern Yellow Robin

The small birds continued with a glorious up-close view of a White-throated Gerygone. My best ever view for this tiny species. This species has a cascading melodious song and bright olive, yellow and white plumage that makes it easy to recognise if spotted. It feeds on insects in the outer canopy of trees. Another small species – the eight-gram Spotted Pardalote – is at its most common during these cooler months. Throughout this range it is quite common, but because of the small size and habit of feeding high in the outer foliage, observation is difficult. However, at the nest, observation becomes easy, as the nesting site is usually in a bank; in the earth clinging to the roots of some uprooted tree, or even in the ground itself.

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White-throated Gerygone

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Spotted Pardalote

A pair of stripy little Speckled Warblers, Pale-headed Rosellas, Crested Pigeons, Red-backed Fairywrens and flocks of Double-barred Finches were present throughout the grassland when I did a second lap, searching for Jacky Winters. There were also now some Scarlet Honeyeaters joining the pardalotes which included Striated Pardalotes as well now. A large darkish bird suddenly sent the feeding party into a flurry of alarm calls as it emerged with powerful strides among the grass. The Pheasant Coucal hopped up into few for a few exciting seconds and then bolted deep into the bush once again. Elusive as ever. This place is an excellent stop for small bushbirds and I will return soon to track down Jacky Winter and Buff-rumped Thornbill especially as future targets. It is conveniently about 20 minutes from the city of Ipswich and has some nearby sites like Spring Mountain and White Rock that are also said to be productive locations.

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Pheasant Coucal
 
Location 99: Noosa National Park [Headland], Sunshine Coast – 2nd June 2024:

Target Species: Australasian Gannet, Fairy Gerygone

The Noosa National Park is a well-visited and valuable site of rare coastal habitat in the northern region of the Sunshine Coast. There are four sections of the national park but today I visited the headland with its dramatic sweeping views across the Pacific Ocean along rugged cliffs, dense banksia forests, rarely-seen heathland and a few pockets of wet forest with grass trees further away from the coast. Furthermore, the Noosa National Park itself has been extended to cover several thousand hectares and there is now a continuous ‘greenbelt’ running from Noosa Heads south to Coolum. The water that envelops Noosa is crystal clear making it ideal for cetacean watching and the odd sea turtle with a dedicated dolphin lookout. The beauty of this national park is that it is walking distance from the affluent centre of lively Noosa which attracts huge numbers of tourists, both domestic and international. All of the trails in this headland are marked very clearly. I started on the Coastal Track and hugged the coastline up until the Hell’s Gate lookout and created a loop with the Tanglewood Track. About ten kilometres today with several more tracks as well including a rainforest loop. The habitat here is very varied and rich. The coastal track was very busy with walkers but eventually there are some quiet spots that allow for careful observation. The birds were present in good numbers today. There were Scarlet Honeyeaters and Mistletoebirds hopping in and out of view with their continual calls that travel across the site. The yellow wash of banksia blooms attracted the Noisy Friarbirds, Little Wattlebirds, Lewin’s Honeyeaters, Brown Honeyeaters and I was even surprised to see a Yellow-faced Honeyeater in very open habitat, feeding on a rocky cliff with waves crashing below. White-cheeked Honeyeaters remained elusive which I never seem to find easily! Rainbow Lorikeets and a Spangled Drongo were also around the flowering trees. There were lots of smaller birds with Eastern Yellow Robin, Grey Fantail and Large-billed Scrubwren in the lowland rainforest making appearances along with the calls of additional scrubwren species, fairywrens and bee-eaters. The highlight however was seeing three olive-coloured Fairy Gerygones. The Fairy Gerygone is one of several species that continues to travel south and now with some very mild winters, remain increasingly present in the Sunshine Coast region especially. I had seen this species only once in Bundaberg a few years ago but was really happy to enjoy up-close view of at least three of them among an Australian Rufous Fantail.

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Fairy Gerygone – tropical species expanding range southwards

The rocky headlands attracted raptors with a single White-bellied Sea-Eagle catching what looked like a bright red squirrelfish. I spent some time searching for gannets or dolphins without any luck besides a single Pied Cormorant. A single Brown Goshawk further soared overhead as well while I enjoyed seeing Laughing Kookaburras calling loudly from eucalyptus trees with koala scratch marks and the dramatic ocean backdrop. Very Australian. Finally, the butterflies in the first couple of days of winter have remained strong. Today I was entranced with Scarlet Jezebel whizzing about across the sealine. Their pops of red were eye-catching. In the bushier areas there were Blue Tiger, Jezebel Nymph, a momentary view of a Bordered Rustic, Glasswing and Meadow Argus. Plenty of variety in the cooler weather. Overall, a very busy location but with impactful scenery and interesting wildlife, Noosa was more productive than expected.

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Scarlet Jezebels soaring above
 
Location 100: Scarborough Pelagic – 8th June 2024:

My first ever pelagic trip seemed a fitting way to mark 100 locations for the thread. Pelagic trips focus, as their name implies, on sea going birds. Some of these birds you've heard of before like albatrosses, terns, and boobies but most are not part of our regular consciousness. Birds like shearwaters, jaegers, petrels, and storm-petrels. These secretive nomads live in the ocean for months or even years at a time, almost always constantly moving, rarely encountering fresh water. How they survive at all is mind blowing. These trips are truly amazing; you get to spend about 12 hours at sea. But going on a pelagic also offers something else; the rare opportunity to actually see a bird that not many others will see. The use of technology and apps have made birding accessible like never before, but this also means everyone knows where the rarities are when they turn up. Everyone who wants to will figure out a way to see the new star bird as soon as possible. Pelagics, though, offers two things. Firstly, the hope of seeing birds that are otherwise totally unfeasible from land. Secondly, pelagics, frankly, are not accessible to everyone; in a very real sense, the number of passengers is capped, so there is a limited number of people who attend, and they do cost money. This one was $220 for a full-day of birding. While optimistic is eager, the Scarborough Pelagic has had a patchy record. The amazing diversity of birds seen just south of Brisbane haven't made their way quite this far north nor do some of tropical species travel through the region often. It's sort of an awkward spot geographically for seabirds but there is a range to see. Departing at 6:00am for my first pelagic trip, the air was crisp and the sun was still not up. I and 14 other bright-eyed and bushy-tailed birders embarked from Scarborough Marina which itself is excellent birding as I discovered earlier in the year with Sooty Oystercatcher and my lifer Ruddy Turnstones in the thick of wader season. This pelagic travels from the marina along the coast of Moreton Island and towards where the continental shelf sits. The journey takes three hours there and three back with several hours in between to shut down engine and throw in the burley to allure seabirds from far and wide. On today’s menu – shark livers. In the early sun glow glinting along the horizon, the first birds started appearing close to the boat. Hundreds of Greater Crested Terns were moving into fishing mode while Pied Cormorants awoke from their roosting on several buoys peppered along the journey. Every fishing boat and buoy was carefully checked along the route for resting seabirds.

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Pied Cormorants

My first lifer was seen along the picturesque shores of Moreton Island with its rugged wilderness and untouched sandy shores. There was a small figure among the terns with a dark top and white underside that quickly disappeared among the waves. Other birders quickly confirmed it a single Hutton’s Shearwater which breeds in New Zealand. Apparently, the similar Fluttering Shearwaters are rare regionally. The sandy shore of Moreton Bay was punctuated by regular Australasian Gannets with both adults and juveniles. With a wingspan of up to two metres, it boasts a sleek white body contrasting with black wingtips and a golden crown. These birds are highly social, nesting in large colonies along coastal cliffs and islands but rarely on mainland Australia. They are at their most common in south-east Queensland during winter so they were particularly abundant today. Many more gannets were seen in the afternoon of the way back admittedly rather than heading there. They feed predominantly on fish, diving from heights of up to 30 meters to catch their prey with precision. Incredibly we were left in awe as we watched several gannets hover slightly, tuck their wings and propel straight into the water. Diving gannets! Amazing!

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Australasian Gannet

The call went as we approached the shelf! “Storm-petrel behind the boat”! I jumped to my feet from the bench I was clutching onto in the rolling waves as the boat heaved back and forth. Fortunately, I don’t seem to get sea-sick. A tiny swallow-looking Wilson’s Storm-Petrel danced gracefully across the water. Swirling in and out of view with quick runs across the waves. It travelled with such fluidity. My goodness, storm-petrels are tiny! I don’t think I have been so enchanted by a new species as I have by storm-petrels in recent times. Once the engine was stopped and burley thrown into the see we were seeing flocks of up to ten storm-petrels at any one time. Sea swallows. They were very difficult to photograph but were starting to circle the boat enabling very close sightings of these little wonders. More experienced birders were on the look out for rarer storm-petrels among the feeding flocks.

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Wilson’s Storm-Petrel

As the burley was chucked out in regular intervals, this attracted a much larger species. Anyone who has watched Life of Birds with David Attenborough would may remember a scene when he starts calling wildly and out of nowhere a noisy petrel plonks out of the sky on the ground almost on cue. He was on Lord Howe Island filming a nesting colony of these birds. I was reflecting on this memory as I was engulfed with the sight of about twenty soaring Providence Petrels encircling the boat. They were impressively heavyset birds and what surprised even the most experienced birders was to see how long these petrels remained near the boat as they usually pass through quickly. They were clearly very hungry. The search was unsuccessful for additional petrel species like Tahiti and Kermadec especially but I was simply trilled to see so many Providence Petrels. The petrels eventually landed in the sea at times allowing for really clear views. The search for more storm-petrel continued until someone shouted “black-belly, three o’clock”. A Black-bellied Storm-Petrel materialised among the petrels and Wilson’s Storm-Petrels. Ironically, the black belly is often difficult or non-existent to see on this species but rather the extensive white belly is a key way to distinguish it. A few suspect White-bellied Storm-Petrels were also checked but confirmed by many eyes to be black-bellies due to mainly wing size. A distant view of Common Noddy was seen by many but not me. Too quick.

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Providence Petrel

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Black-bellied Storm-Petrel

Following intensive scans of every storm-petrel, a quick view of Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins was a comparatively easy sighting as they swam under the waves. A few flying fish were also enjoyable to see as they soared momentarily over the water. Another highlight but very difficult to identify. Others saw a shark fin emerge and a leaping ray that I only heard the splash as it returned to the water. Then, a large bird was suddenly spotted among the larger petrels and it soared above them along the horizon and over the boat. Our first Brown Booby of the trip provided an exciting and charming species to add. I saw my lifer Brown Booby in Hawaii last year but this was a relished tick for the Australian list. This species clearly has a wide distribution and they were seen at least another three times later mingling with their close cousins, the gannets. This species is generally associated with the Great Barrier Reef so it was fantastic to see this tropical species around.

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Brown Booby

My luck continued with Sula into the afternoon. An immature gannet was declared as being right in front of the boat an hour later as we started heading back towards the coast. Most didn’t bother to give it a passing glance but I still took a photo luckily. Hang on, nope it was later admitted. “Red-footed Booby!” Now that was a real thrill to see. Distinctive in their plumage, Red-footed Boobies exhibit varying colour morphs, ranging from predominantly white to brown, with characteristic pinkish-red feet that give them their name. They have streamlined bodies and long, pointed wings, enabling them to soar over the ocean for extended periods. Half the boat unfortunately missed it. The was one poor birder that was in the toilet wondering what had happened since she left as there was a mix of elation and intense searching. It passed through in literally five seconds and disappeared not to be seen again. This rare visitor was the best find of the day.

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Red-footed Booby

As the sun began to descend once again, we enjoyed closer views of large flocks of Hutton’s Shearwaters, Brown Boobies and the ever-present gannets along Moreton Island as the sun began to set and a pink hue descended over the horizon. Upon reaching Scarborough a pair of Australasian Darters were being chased off by Australian Magpies to finish off our day. All in all, despite being a quiet day generally, the five lifers were amazing. The trip highlighted all of my favourite aspects of wildlife watching involving being outside, discovery and learning and being struck by how tremendous these birds and our natural world are.

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Greater Crested Tern
 
My First Vagrant – Brighton/Sandgate Foreshore – 15th + 16th June 2024:

Target Species: Hudsonian Godwit

On the 25th May, a single Hudsonian Godwit was sighted by an experienced birder at a high tide roost off the end of Gregory Road, Mango Hill, in the northern suburbs of Brisbane which is within the boundaries of Moreton Bay Regional Council. The godwit was seen by a handful of people at the roost around midday before flying off to feed in nearby Hays Inlet. It then travelled towards the region of Brisbane and has remained a commonly seen resident along the more urban Brighton foreshore (location #51) accompanying over-wintering Bar-tailed Godwits. It has remained very popular and been given the nickname ‘Hugo’ by many. The Hudsonian Godwit is a resident of the American flyway. It overwinters on the coast of Argentina and around the southern tip of Chile. It breeds in northern Canada and in Alaska. Since Bar-tailed Godwits that over-winter in Queensland also breed in Alaska it is not surprising that occasionally a Hudsonian joins the flocks of Bar-tails on southern migration and ends up on the wrong flyway. They look very similar to Bar-tails, with some notable differences, including black underwings. This particular vagrant is in partial breeding plumage with a partially rusty-red chest and belly. This is a first sight record of the species for Queensland as there was a single Hudsonian Godwit collected in 1910 in northern Queensland. There were some records of a lone godwit last year in New South Wales notably.

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Pied Oystercatcher

I started my mission on Saturday at Brighton, pushing my luck as each day goes by. I really should have started the search for Hugo a week or two earlier but I had the pelagic trip and have spent most of my free time planning future trips. The high tide covered the mud but I have read this pushes the godwits into view. The walk was long yet pleasant with the cool winter breeze bringing in a single White-bellied Sea-Eagle that soared overhead across the large houses that sit along the walk. The Blue-faced Honeyeaters and Noisy Miners weren’t please with the presence of the sea-eagle entering the park. Once the sea-eagle reached the open mudflats once again the honeyeaters stopped their pursuit immediately. Interesting to watch this multiple times. A single Striated Heron was perched right near one of the several bridges among the fisherman, seeing if it could catch a free and easy meal. It was only a young one but it was very comfortable around humans which was unusual opportunity to get an up-close look at what is traditionally a flighty heron of the mangroves. I further really enjoyed seeing lots of Australian Terns; a species that has been split from the Asian Gull-billed Tern which also occurs in far fewer numbers in Australia. It reminded me that I still have a little while to put a big dent in my tern list. Hopefully that will soon change… No godwit of any kind unfortunately were seen but I took care to check if they were any additional species feeding among the Pied Oystercatchers and Pied Stilts.

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Striated Heron

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Australian Tern

I returned today. The mudflats were open and bare, being low tide with water that was gradually coming in. Ideal conditions for waders but also ideal conditions for all the dogs on the mudflats. I counted 47 dogs all running around the shoreline in an area where they needed to be leashed. No one seems to enforce it unfortunately. That has always been the case for Brighton and probably a major factor why it lacks the diversity of species that other nearby, more well-protected, places possess. I explored the far corners of the mudflats out towards Shorncliffe but was mainly surrounded by holiday goers and the range of birds were limited but a major highlight was an Australasian Gannet among a feeding colony of Silver Gulls out in the open ocean. There was a very large birds that soared past giving me the impression of a frigatebird incredibly. One would think that a frigatebird would be instantly recognisable but it was quite far out. It was very hard to tell and whatever it was it passed quickly before I could grab my binoculars for a closer inspection. Probably something like an osprey. There were less birds out here as the day progressed so I was feeling a bit down after dedicating my entire weekend to finding this blasted godwit as it reached Sunday afternoon. The dogs were running up and down the beach, nipping at the oystercatchers. I decided to sit and wait. As the tide went up however, there were less dogs thankfully. I turned back to the pool area where I had started and suddenly spied sixty godwits feeding. They had just arrived. And just like that, I headed towards the beach that sits along the mudflat and found a promising bird. It was slightly smaller, was browner generally and had a black tail which I noted while it was being harassed by the larger and paler Bar-tailed Godwits. The godwits were spooked by a small dog and travelled closer in my direction. I spied a white rump that caught my eye. Bingo. A quick photo. Yes! Hugo the Hudsonian Godwit was still among them. I also thought I spied a dowitcher among them as well but that was a false alarm, it was a godwit. The godwits spent the next half an hour feeding close by and I could appreciate this special bird. It was hard work in a less-than-ideal environment but it was worth it!

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Godwits in flight – spot Hugo right in the centre!

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Hudsonian Godwit in the centre
 
A DETOUR TO FAR-NORTH QUEENSLAND - The Journey – 22nd + 23rd June 2024:

Well dear reader if you have made it this far with this thread, congratulations. You deserve a well-earnt detour to explore pastures anew and provide a taster what is beyond my metaphorical backyard that I have explored so thoroughly. You can’t get rid of me that easily as there are still 25 locations to go but I thought since we have reached 100 sites, what a better way to mark this but start dipping my toe a little further out into my home state and whet my appetite for future travel. I have lived in Queensland all my life. Yet, my home state of Queensland is vast and varied, and rather embarrassingly, I have yet to truly explore the wonders of my metaphorical backyard, only having really stepped onto the doorstep to look around the horizon. It goes without saying, far-north Queensland is a biodiverse hotspot filled with many endemic and eye-catching species that have long captivated me and been on the bucket list. My first trip to far-north Queensland had been delayed several times by weather mainly; the odd out-of-season can tropical cyclone put a real spanner in the works when trying to visit. Finally, it looked like it was all coming together out for a mid-year visit for 2024; an ideal time with the cooler weather generally providing drier conditions (we will see how this week pans out though with rain forecast for later in the week) in the tropics, and there is still generally a solid range of biodiversity across most groups to see. I didn’t have any particular goals in mind but wanted to cram in as much as I could into a couple of days of wildlife-watching.

My mode of transportation was slightly unconventional. I caught the train up from Brisbane to Cairns; a long and exhausting journey yes but I enjoy train travel. I was in no rush and it took all up 25 hours to get to Cairns with it being an overnight journey from Roma Street Station in the centre of Brisbane to the main centre of Cairns Train Station. The train, called the Spirit of Queensland, was a fascinating way to see Queensland (I have never been past Bundaberg) and see the dramatic shift from the coastal well-built southern region into the real tropics. I awoke to the sights of endless sugarcane fields passing through sleepy towns. I stayed with notebook, binoculars and pen in hand awaiting to see how my familiar wildlife transformed in front of my very own eyes. There are no good photos to support what I saw but it was thoroughly enjoyable. It started at the Brisbane station with Australian Ibis, Noisy Miners and Feral Pigeons and as it opened up into small plots of farmland, I spotted my first Brown Falcon of the year at Balds Hill along with Welcome Swallows and Little Pied Cormorant while mobs of Eastern Grey Kangaroos emerged in front of a shopping centre in Morayfield. I will have to investigate that site soon I thought. As the evening quickly materialised, I watched Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos feed in the pine plantations as the sun set.

By midnight, the train was past Rockhampton and I was already noticing a dramatic change in landscape past the Tropic of Capricorn. The sun rose to the sight of a Dingo scanning a fence line around Proserpine. Just south of Ayr near Townsville was when the species started getting really interesting. A trio of Australian Bustards were seen very close to the train and I somehow managed to capture some crappy photos on my phone to at least document these incredible birds. I wasn’t excepting or even thinking about bustards but I saw another pair out towards Townsville. There were flanked by a beautiful Black-necked Stork and a pair of White-necked Herons. There were countless storks throughout the trip up to Cairns yet only around Townsville where they joined by enormous flocks of Brolgas soaring past the train. Magnificent sight. The northern species continued with very clear views of two eye-popping birds; my first wild Blue-winged Kookaburras with their electric blue accents that glimmered as the train zoomed past in the sunshine. These remained common around Townsville but disappeared as it got wetter and as did the incredible Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo among flocks of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. I couldn’t get a secure view of the Great Bowerbirds of Townsville so I will have to try again for that species. Flocks of at least twenty Crimson-winged Parrots was another welcomed lifer and their red and green plumage popped against the sorghum fields. Large flocks of waterbirds remained abundant as I entered sugarcane country along with the occasional sighting of a bright blue Ulysses Swallowtail especially around Tully. Finally, all the wallabies were all new for me as well – the sandy-coloured Agile Wallabies were a clear sign of up north. To end the long journey, while I walked to my accommodation from the train station, I spotted my first Cairns lifer; a large mixed flock of Metallic Starlings roosting in front of the shopping centre among the sounds of Brown Honeyeaters. The next day would be a long yet rewarding trip to the Tablelands.


New Species:
Dingo, Canis dingo
Agile Wallaby, Notamacropus agilis

Australian Bustard, Ardeotis australis
Blue-winged Kookaburra, Dacelo leachii
Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus banksii
Crimson-winged Parrot, Aprosmictus erythropterus
Metallic Starling, Aplonis metallica

Ulysses Butterfly, Papilio ulysses
 
WhistlingKite24 said:
A trio of Australian Bustards were seen very close to the train and I somehow managed to capture some crappy photos on my phone to at least document these incredible birds. I wasn’t excepting or even thinking about bustards but I saw another pair out towards Townsville.
Click to expand...
Nice. Maybe I should take that train - I haven't seen an Australian Bustard yet!
 
Chlidonias said:
Nice. Maybe I should take that train - I haven't seen an Australian Bustard yet!
Click to expand...

Apparently they’re fairly common in the drier parts of North Queensland a few hours away from the coast (Chillagoe, Undara, Mt Carbine etc), I never got a chance to check those areas out.
 
A DETOUR TO FAR-NORTH QUEENSLAND - The Tablelands – 24th June 2024:

Yesterday’s journey started at 7:30 with a local guide coming and picking me up from my accommodation from the city centre. I don’t often do tour groups/guides but I thought why not when in a region with so many businesses and operations dedicated to wildlife watching. The mission was to see as much as I could in the Atherton Tablelands and I visited all up about six different sites that showcased what a magnificent region this part of the world is. Often, we would be the only people at these sites and it largely seemed to very much still be geared towards locals, contrasting the reputation of the Daintree Rainforest. The journey started at the Seven Sisters Trail out in Yungaburra; a quaint little town that reminded me of the Sunshine Coast hinterland with small areas of historic buildings and pockets of natural spaces and parks throughout the spacious dwellings. The trees were in full bloom attracting a wealth of new and exciting honeyeaters; there were large flocks of Helmeted Friarbirds squabbling in the canopy as they fed. There were also lots of Dusky Honeyeaters everywhere which are traditionally an uncommon bird in south-east Queensland so it was wonderful to see their abundance. The honeyeaters continued in large numbers and I picked up a single endemic Bridled Honeyeater among them with great excitement. Grey Fantails were constantly zipping about as well while a long view of a Spectacled Monarch was excellent as well. This patch is small and we quickly ended up at the riverbank where I heard but didn’t see fig parrots. Almost immediately a single Platypus emerged and actually swam towards us for a moment which was a thrilling experience for us crouching on the bank. It re-emerged several times and seemed to be feeding as it stayed on the surface for several minutes which is incredible for anyone familiar with platypus spotting and how quickly they traditionally they dip underwater. These platypus are smaller that their southern counterparts and I did notice this up close. The closest look I have had of a wild platypus to date. This area had been closed for about six months following flooding so my guide was not expecting such good views of platypus.

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Platypus

Right above the platypus was something equally as exciting; a single Victoria’s Riflebird which I spotted at eye level with its long-curved bill. Considering how difficult I found it to find my local riflebird species, I was surprised to see one here. It was near a creek, out in the open and feeding relatively low to the ground. However, I did read later they can be found in a greater range of habitat, even in mangroves. These riflebirds represent one of four species of bird of paradise found in Australia and I am now half way. The Victoria’s Riflebird is endemic to this region and was reclassed as Vulnerable in November 2021 due to shifting temperatures and longer periods of dry, hotter weather. I enjoyed prolonged views of this riflebird as it ripped bark up to find insects. Macleay’s Honeyeater was another beautiful lifer. A really intriguing-looking bird that reminded me of a golden figbird with some qualities of a Regent Honeyeater. In fact, they were very distinctive and common at several sites I visited throughout the Tablelands. Then there were also the more familiar species like Spangled Drongo, Rainbow Bee-eater and Eastern Yellow Robin as well. Continual flocks of friarbirds and Dusky Honeyeaters were abundant as we finished the loop here. We had our eyes peeled for tree-kangaroos (which we didn’t find after six different sites) but there were some furry critters along the way including a new one. A single Coppery Brushtail Possum was squeezing itself into a log as we exited this first place. Restricted to the Atherton Tablelands, they are really striking possums with a red-copper coat and a longer black tail.


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Victoria’s Riflebird

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Coppery Brushtail Possum

We then ventured onto a private property that allows guides to visit a good mix of remanent rainforest, riverbank wildlife and any animals that hang around the sugarcane fields. We started with a pair of Bush-Stone Curlews sulking below in the rainforest thicket. The riverbank was home to these large overhanging trees filled with Brown Cuckoo-Doves and Rainbow Bee-eaters. There were more Macleay’s Honeyeaters feeding in the bushes as well and a flock of Red-browed Finches emerged from the bushes with three black-billed juveniles. Into the small rainforest patch were lots of Pale-Yellow Robins which seem to have whiter faces here than the south-east Queensland ones along with a great view of a Spectacled Monarch as well. There were some Common Brushtail Possums this time sleeping out in the open and we checked a few known microbat roosts without success.

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Spectacled Monarch

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Pale-Yellow Robin

I suddenly spotted a pale face staring at me. It was a Lesser Sooty Owl incredibly in the day time. Now, I initially thought it was a Barn Owl due to its very pale appearance but I later confirmed it was indeed a Sooty Owl that was very distinctively pale with pink feet. An unusual find but very happy to find any owl. I have very interesting luck with owls having seen only two species now; Lesser Sooty and Powerful yet never a much commoner Barn nor a Boobook!

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Lesser Sooty Owl - very pale.

A quick stop at the magnificent Curtain Fig gave me two species – a Macleay’s Honeyeater and an Eastern Whipbird. The tree was amazing. Normally these figs germinate on top of another tree and try to grow roots into the ground. Once this important step is accomplished, the fig will grow vigorously, finally kill the host tree and then grow on independently. In this case, the host tree tilted towards a neighbouring tree, and the fig also grew around that one. Its drape of aerial roots drops 15 metres to the ground. A tiny little national park just for this tree. We then headed to Malanda Conservation Park with lots of great tree kangaroo signage but no tree-roos. Furry critters were still represented on the one-kilometre loop with Red-legged Pademelons flanked by a new species – Orange-footed Megapode. There was also another fantastic little species with several sightings of Grey-headed Robins. Other highlights included a male Victoria’s Riflebird hopping across the ground for a split second and a large group of Saw-shelled Turtles by a river.

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Grey-headed Robin

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Only tree-kangaroo seen yesterday

The final major stop was Mount Hypipamee National Park which has to be the most scenic national park I have ever been to. I picked up two lifers here after a long walk; Mountain Thornbill by the waterfall along with ‘panda bird’ as I nicknamed it – the Pied Monarch. The walk to the jaw-dropping 82-metre crater revealed several Giant Golden Orbweavers. A species that is now found in Brisbane but is much commoner here. The lookout to the crater revealed a pair of Peregrine Falcons that did laps of the rocky backdrop. They nest here annually. A brief spot to Lake Barrine on the way back to Cairns revealed Great Crested Grebe against a rainforest backdrop in a volcanic crater lake. Overall, lots of wonderful finds and I picked up about nine bird lifers which I was pretty pleased about. The patchwork of tiny national parks among farmland means the Tablelands could easily be explored over several days and it will be worth a revisit soon.

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Giant Golden Orbweaver

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Pied Monarch

New Species:
Coppery Brushtail Possum, Trichosurus johnstonii

Victoria’s Riflebird, Ptiloris victoriae
Macleay’s Honeyeater, Xanthotis macleayanus
Bridled Honeyeater, Lichenostomus frenatus
Helmeted Friarbird, Philemon buceroides
Lesser Sooty Owl, Tyto multipunctata
Grey-headed Robin, Heteromyias cinereifrons
Orange-footed Megapode, Megapodius reinwardt
Pied Monarch, Arses kaupi
Mountain Thornbill, Acanthiza katherina

Orange Bush-Brown, Mycalesis terminus
Giant Golden Orbweaver, Nephila pilipes
 
A DETOUR TO FAR-NORTH QUEENSLAND - The Tablelands at Night – 25th June 2024:

The whole experience of spotlighting is something new to me and an aspect of wildlife watching I haven’t really investigated (but I gradually will if I want Greater and Yellow-bellied Gliders etc!). Fortunately, there is a good opportunity available in this region via a tour company called Wait-a-While Tours. Paul, who is the owner of the operation, picks you up from the accommodation and takes you out to the Tablelands for platypus mainly but there are further opportunities to see nocturnal wildlife as well with a range of endemic critters that can be seen. At 1:30pm, I entered the van and was greeted by about a dozen international tourists. Oh great. But fortunately, they turned out to be great company as most were involved in the wildlife field abroad and were avid wildlife watchers. In fact, I think I was the only one that didn’t have a background in science. We made the trip up the mountain once again with the similar route as the day prior and in fact our first spot was the magnificent Lake Barrine once again. We went on a search for Musky Rat-Kangaroo which are these primitive little macropods and are active during the day. We did a brisk loop of the lake as Paul explained some of the interesting (and dangerous) plants like the Stinging Tree which we also have in south-east Queensland. But I was really interested in seeing the Cassowary Plum. It was a touch sad to see this tree have rotting fruit and seeds laden on the floor as there is simply such a low density of cassowaries on the tablelands, this tree cannot continue its legacy. Paul raised some interesting points that the small little pockets of national parks are simply too small currently to sustain cassowaries like the Daintree does and the fields are distinct barriers to their population growth. The beautiful Bumpy Satinash as well with its rounded buds around the base of the trunk bloomed a bouquet of white flowers. Stunning. Again, a species largely sustained by cassowaries. Enough about plants. There was a British birder on the tour who was also from Brisbane so we teamed up to scour the forest carefully. We spied a few bits and pieces in the drizzle; a single Grey-headed Robin and Eastern Whipbird on the forest floor besides a large population of Australian Brush-Turkeys. We all heard a rat-kangaroo excitingly moving around but only Paul at the front of the group saw it. Apparently, their numbers have drastically reduced here at the Lake Barrine. As we finished here in the light rain, the clearing provided a few extra birds like a single Spectacled Monarch, Lewin’s Honeyeater and the highlight was a female Victoria’s Riflebird that everyone in the group was able to see clearly.

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Victoria’s Riflebird

Up next was the same platypus site as the day before. We quickly walked down to the platypus viewing area (which isn’t signed) and immediately two Platypus were here. Both were females and were equally as active. One of the platypus actually moved onto the bank for a moment and exited the water near the reeds. This was my 9th and 10th sightings of a wild platypus and I never tire seeing them move through the water effortlessly and watch their bubbles as they are sifting through the mud out of view. At one stage, the platypus was so close to the bank I had to step back to focus on it with my camera. There were several locals as well who expressed they had never seen them so close. Both females gave each other space but generally tolerated each other. If there were two males, that would be another story. Paul discussed that he had seen that there is only a single male along this part and he observed mating a few months ago, before the cyclone. There was a Saw-shelled Turtle around as well that moved the platypus onwards, and as we continued searching for tree-roos, a Coppery Brushtail Possum was a welcome but slightly anticlimactic sight. There was another pleasing sight in a field opposite with two Agile Wallabies which was great to get a closer look at this species.

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Platypus

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Agile Wallaby

There were two highlight birds here as we completed the loop without a tree-roo. A single Pacific Emerald Dove remained perched on a log for a good while. Usually emerald-doves take off for any reason but this one stayed around and the group enjoyed seeing this beauty clearly. I suddenly heard a catbird and remembered that they are a different species up here. The Green Catbird is the one around south-east Queensland but up here it’s the Spotted Catbird. This species has a distinctive black spot under the eye. Just as I was thinking how good would it be if it emerged, out it popped, calling in view. This was my 299th bird in the wild. I awaited eagerly to find out what the big 300 would be…stay tuned. We all went down to the grand Yungaburra Pub afterwards for dinner and enjoyed hearty food and conversations. I found out all about why I should bird in Arizona and how to find belugas in Churchill.

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Spotted Catbird calling

Once the sun had disappeared, Paul took us down to a farmland road and parked along the side. This area was mainly field on one side and a nature strip on the other with some large rainforest trees. We immediately saw two Coppery Brushtail Possums, actively feeding as they tore up leaves. It was fascinating to watch possums at night and see how mobile they are. There was an additional possum here that showed even better perched on a branch. The rich red colour of these Copperys was eye catching and I am really fond of these possums. I am surprised they aren’t talked about a bit more. Among the Coppery Brushtail Possums, were Common Brushtail Possums which I am more familiar with. It was again still interesting to watch these possums move so nimbly in a large 20-metre rainforest tree instead of a rubbish bin or a street light in urban Brisbane. There were a few juvenile possums flanking the adults as well. We were still hunting for ringtails.

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Coppery Brushtail Possum

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Common Brushtail Possum

Past a quick glance of a cat and the sounds of many megapodes, a large python caught everyone’s eye. Initially we thought Jungle Carpet but it was even better, a large Australian Scrub Python was travelling along the roadside. As Australia’s largest snake, their bodies are muscular and robust, adapted for their constricting hunting method. Despite their size, they are agile climbers, enabling them to navigate through trees and even rocky terrains. The scrub python quickly started climbing up a tree no doubt after a feeding possum. I was thrilled to see a new species of python and wasn’t even considering the possibility of coming across one. Paul was equally surprised to see an active one on a drizzly winter night here.

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Australian Scrub Python

Finally, we reached a section of the road that was bursting with movement and the sound of leaf munching and a single Green Ringtail Possum was feeding at eye level among a fig tree. A true tree-dweller, this shy creature spends most of its life in the trees and it only descends to the forest floor on the very rare occasion that it can’t climb or leap from one tree to the next. To live this arboreal lifestyle, this species has figured out how to sleep very comfortably propped in the fork of a tree. It uses its tail as cushioning and rolls itself into a ball, tucking its face, front legs and the end of its tail tightly against its stomach. Its two back legs are used to grip onto the tree, and it will hold itself like this, ready to spring into activity at nightfall. I had hoped to see these possum balls the day prior but this was even better. Amazing little lifer. A second ringtail emerged and it was clinging on my its tail, hanging down right on the path enabling us all to appreciate its unique back colouration.

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Green Ringtail Possum

A quick loop of the nearby Curtain Fig Tree National Park was mammal-free, unfortunately meaning tree-roos for this trip were a resounding no. However, there were some interesting huntsman spiders that I will need to sift through for identifications and the absolute highlight here was a very clear sighting of a Northern Leaf-tailed Gecko. A master of camouflage but it was actually propped up on a tree trunk and was seen prominently. Overall, I really enjoyed this experience and I thought it was a great opportunity to introduce some of the nocturnal wonders that exist around the Tablelands.

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Northern Leaf-tailed Gecko

New Species:
Green Ringtail Possum, Pseudochirops archeri

Spotted Catbird, Ailuroedus maculosus

Australian Scrub Python, Simalia kinghorni
Northern Leaf-tailed Gecko, Saltuarius cornutus
 
A DETOUR TO FAR-NORTH QUEENSLAND – The Coast and The Reef – 26th + 27th June 2024:

Two days ago was a miserable day in Cairns. It was overcast and it rained continually throughout the morning. A little rain wasn’t going to stop me exploring one of the top birding destinations. The esplanade is located right in the centre of the city and it is a sprawling walk along mudflats, dense parkland and a patch of mangroves at the end of the walk. This site is jam-packed with life with a high volume of birds. That’s what I particularly noticed about this walk was the sheer number of birds I saw with a general lack of traditional aggressors like Noisy Miners. Little birds thrive here at the esplanade. The Sacred Kingfishers for example were feeding throughout the morning and they were hunting for crabs right along the edge. I watched as they used the casuarina trees as well for shelter as well. There were still a few waders about; mainly Bar-tailed Godwits but also a handful of Whimbrels and Far Eastern Curlews as well along with flocks of Australian Terns, Australian Pelicans, Silver Gulls and a lone Caspian Tern. There were also Little Egrets and White-faced Herons on mudflats; no reef-herons nor storks while I strolled along the pathway. The male Australasian Figbirds are a different subspecies to the Brisbane ones and are very distinctive here with the males having a bright lemon-yellow chest that pops against the olivey-green back. The figbirds swarmed around a fruiting tree in the drizzle and fed noisily while Metallic Starlings also joined the feeding party throughout the morning. I continued onwards and encountered a lone figure among the Common Mynas near the beach; it was excitingly a single Double-eyed Fig Parrot. Wild bird #300! I knew they occur in these urban areas of Cairns but it really is quite a shock to the system to see this little rainforest parrot among the city hum. It was truly a memorable sight later on to find a tree with bluey-green flashes of fig parrots, yellow-chested figbirds and iridescent metallic starlings. A snapshot of the tropics. When seen feeding in foliage, they are a lovely green with yellow wash on the wings and, most distinctively, red patches above and below the eyes, resulting in the common name of 'double eyed'. They have a very high pitched and vaguely metallic 'zeet ..zeet' call when flying overhead and I often followed that call several times. Gotta love a fig parrot.

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A very wet Double-eyed Fig Parrot

Past another new species being swarms of Australian Swiftlets which were everywhere pleasingly, the search continued for Varied Honeyeater which was harder than expected. Their calls were filling most trees; reminiscent of my local melodious Mangrove Honeyeater but these Varied Honeyeaters seem to be more flexible in habitat type and adapted better to city coastal life. Generally, they feature a combination of olive-green, yellow, and white feathers, with distinct markings on the face and wings that include patches of black and chestnut. I suddenly spotted some honeyeater-like movement from some of the palms and from that point onwards this delightful species was common through the esplanade. I really enjoyed my stroll through the centre of town and picked up about 34 species; not bad for an hour or two.

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Varied Honeyeater

Continuing my theme of the coast, the following day I boarded an Ocean Spirit Cruise out to Michaelmas Cay – a national park within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. This cay is an essential seabird breeding area on the reef and the birds nest here all year round; up to 20 000 breeding pairs have been recorded. The site is only accessible for a certain part of the day and visitors are only allowed behind a roped square to ensure the birds are not disturbed as they incubate and rear their young. The cruise I went on probably wasn’t the most wildlife-focussed vessel but sometimes you just have to make do. While American tourists caught the smaller beach boat out to the cay to snorkel with gear and swimsuits, there I was with my camera, hat and well-thumbed list of targets to search for alongside them. I stayed on the cay for most of the morning and this had to be one of the best wildlife experiences I have ever done. I first started with the Brown Boobies as they initially were the largest birds and also the ones that were closest to the rope. Several pairs were mating, some were courting, some were incubating and there were even one or two large chicks that had a headstart. The season in all its forms. I relished the opportunity to see them on land as well and watched their awkward gait as the waddled across the sand. They were fearless of humans.

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Brown Boobies

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Brown Booby chick

Along with the boobies, were the Common Noddies. These were a new species for me but were very easy to see everywhere on the cay and flying around the reef as well. I did search for Black Noddies without success; apparently Green Island is good for them but couldn’t manage to squeeze a visit. By far the most abundant sea bird there were the monochromatic Sooty Terns which were activity incubating and took up most of the space on the beach. Very striking. Great Crested Terns were feeding young closer to the shore as well and it was fascinating to see chicks at different stages of development.

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Sooty Terns

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Common Noddy

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Great Crested Terns

The added wow factor of this entire experience were about 20 frigatebirds that soared along the cay with some eventually landing. There were definitely some male Lesser Frigatebirds with white ‘armpits’ but it took me a little longer to lock onto Great Frigatebirds as well but eventually with some help identifying them all, I did. Excellent, two species of frigatebird on my first go. Some birders go to the cay and don’t even see one so I was fortunate. The blustery conditions favoured the frigatebirds and they were constantly pirating, stealing fish from terns mainly in mid-air as they manoeuvred their long wings into awkward angles to capture a quick meal off other birds. Eventually some perched on a few branches and they were absolutely enormous up close. A single Great Frigatebird flew above my head and created a shadow with its impressive wingspan.

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Lesser Frigatebird

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Great Frigatebird

After lunch, the cruise provides the opportunity for a semi-submersible coral reef viewing tour that allows visitors to see the reef up close from behind glass. I thought why not and it was an incredible experience to sit underwater (without getting wet) with my camera and actually see the Great Barrier Reef albeit being a very small piece of this gem. What surprised me the most was the scale and height of some of these coral structures and how cavernous some of it really is. To see how fish can move around and hide around coral – both soft and hard – was eye-opening. The colours were incredible as well; more vivid than I was expecting. Two Green Turtles were popular to see undoubtedly but there were two huge highlights for me; my first Gigas Giant Clam and a large endangered Humphead Maori Wrasse that had slotted itself neatly into the coral. As popular public aquaria fish, this enormous wrasse is the largest species in their family and adults can be recognised by their huge size, prominent hump on the forehead and thick rubbery lips See below for a relatively complete list of all the new fish species I saw. The diversity was mind blowing which was all seen within twenty minutes; lots of large parrotfishes especially which were great to see as public aquariums don’t tend to have too many of them probably due to their potentially destructive tendencies. I also found Nemo as well (no need for that movie now) with a pair of Cinnamon Clownfish alongside some classic species like Moorish Idol, Foxface, Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse and two species of butterflyfish. An unforgettable experience seeing the reef ecosystem first-hand and watching this delicate habitat continue to persist with many underlying pressures.

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Humphead Maori Wrasse

New Species:
Double-eyed Fig-Parrot Cyclopsitta diophthalma
Australian Swiftlet Aerodramus terraereginae
Varied Honeyeater Gavicalis versicolor
Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus
Common Noddy Anous stolidus
Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel
Great Frigatebird Fregata minor

Humphead Maori Wrasse Cheilinus undulatus
Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse Labroides dimidiatus
Sixbar Wrasse Thalassoma hardwicke
Giant Trevally Caranx ignobilis
Spangled Emperor Lethrinus nebulosus
Yellowtail Emperor Lethrinus atkinsoni
Red Bass Lutjanus bohar
Round Batfish Platax orbicularis
Common Coral Trout Plectropomus leopardus
Scissor-tailed Fusilier Caesio caerulaurea
Yellowtail Fusilier Caesio cuning
Pacific Orange-spine Unicornfish Naso lituratus
Lined Surgeonfish Acanthurus lineatus
Yellowmask Surgeonfish Acanthurus xanthopterus
Steephead Parrotfish Chlorurus microrhinos
Pacific Bullethead Parrotfish Chlorurus spilurus
Sixband Parrotfish Scarus frenatus
Sixbar Angelfish Pomacanthus sexstriatus
Moorish Idol Zanclus cornutus
Goldlined Rabbitfish Siganus lineatus
Spotted Rabbitfish Siganus punctatus
Foxface Siganus vulpinus
Blackback Butterflyfish Chaetodon melannotus
Saddle Butterflyfish Chaetodon ephippium
Scissortail Sergeant Abudefduf sexfasciatus
Lemon Damsel Pomacentrus moluccensis
Staghorn Damsel Amblyglyphidodon curacao
Spiny Chromis Acanthochromis polyacanthus
Blackaxil Puller Chromis atripectoralis

North Queensland Day Moth Alcides metaurus
Gigas Giant Clam Tridacna gigas
 
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A DETOUR TO FAR-NORTH QUEENSLAND – The West – 28th June 2024:

Yesterday for my final wildlife-related day I ventured out west to Chillagoe with the Billy Tea Safaris company. They advertise that they go out to this area with two main trips to the Chillagoe Caves and also the habituated Granite Gorge Rock-Wallabies. The Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park, nestled in the rugged landscape of the western tablelands is located approximately 215 kilometers northwest of Cairns, encompasses not only limestone caves but also significant cultural and historical sites that tell the story of both natural and human evolution in the region. The discovery of rich mineral deposits, particularly copper, led to a mining boom that lasted well into the 20th century. This mining activity not only altered the landscape but also contributed to the growth of nearby settlements like Chillagoe, which flourished briefly as a result of the mining industry but is now a tiny place. The geological formations within Chillagoe-Mungara Caves National Park are primarily limestone, formed over millions of years through the deposition of marine organisms and subsequent geological processes. Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of calcium carbonate, often accumulating in layers. Over time, pressure and chemical processes transform these sediments into solid rock, with distinct features like caves forming due to erosion by water over millennia. Only a handful of these caves can be visited by members of the public and a national park ranger took us around the Royal Arch Cave which was a very easy walk. The ranger pointed out a few snails that only live in this section of the cave but the major invert here were the Chillagoe Cave Huntsmans that only found among these cave systems. Nowhere else. Torch beams catching their reflective eye-shine often reveal a wall of glittering green jewels. These spiders are enormous, with a 13cm leg span. They thrive on the crickets, moths and cockroaches abundant in the caves. The ranger also pointed out four tiny Troughton’s Sheathtail Bats which have a characteristic ‘spidery’ style of clinging to the wall, rather than hanging freely as well.

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Chillagoe Cave Huntsman

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Troughton’s Sheathtail Bats

In the town of Chillagoe, Blue Argus butterflies covered the hotel grounds while the Galahs were congregating in large numbers with occasional passing flocks of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos, a single Crimson-winged Parrot, Apostlebirds and even a Wedge-tailed Eagle. A few of the local walks had little around as it was approaching the mid-30s in temperature but I did find my first Green Tree Ants finally. Green tree ants or ‘weaver ants’ live in colonies in trees. They build nests from living leaves. Armies of ants form chains of up to 12 cm long to bridge the gap between the leaves. They anchor themselves in position using tiny hooks on their feet. There was also a new little lizard as well; a Lined Rainbow-Skink hanging around the shady areas near a walk around the caves.

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Northern Galah

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Green Tree Ants

Finally we went to the stars of the shows at Granite Gorge; a large mob of habituated Mareeba Rock-Wallabies which I must say was a strange experience. The area where the rock-wallabies are had the feel of a well-built zoo enclosure with large granite boulders and neat sandy creek beds. The rock-wallabies were ridiculously tame and I counted at least 20+ wallabies but undoubtedly there were more hidden in the many crevices around the place. I was surprised to see how variable they all were in colouration especially. Overall, a good slice of the west.

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Mareeba Rock-Wallabies

New Species:
Spectacled Flying-Fox Pteropus conspicillatus [seen in the morning]
Troughton's Sheathtail Bat Taphozous troughtoni
Mareeba Rock Wallaby Petrogale mareeba

Lined Rainbow-Skink Carlia jarnoldae

Chillagoe Cave Huntsman Yiinthi chillagoe
Green Tree Ant Oecophylla smaragdina
Blue Argus Junonia orithya
 
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WhistlingKite24 said:
As I was admiring a sunbathing Pale-Yellow Robin with wings stretched out across the leaf litter in the dappled light, a brown screeching flash suddenly materialised in the canopy as I turned into the final corner of the reserve. I took a quick reference shot – a long curved bill was definitely seen! A very good sign! I looked at the vine above me and met eyes with a female Paradise Riflebird. Finally, my first ever bird-of-paradise. A group of birds that have long captured my imagination for many years. A pair of birders suddenly approached and exclaimed that they had been been following the call and asked if I had seen it. I told them to look up but as they did, it took off with a call somewhere between a hiss and a growl into the canopy. Riflebirds are difficult to photograph in such dim conditions high in a canopy but I felt it was still worth to post a photo of it here to have a sense of finality to the riflebird mini project. Onto finding the pitta now!
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About a year and a half later, I finally got a very good view of a Paradise Riflebird yesterday, inspired by my four Victoria's Riflebird sightings last week in the tablelands. It of course rained and rained yesterday at Lamington National Park but between showers, I made my walk towards the Botanic Gardens within the O'Reilly's section and quickly found a small flock of species - Eastern Yellow Robins, Brown Gerygones and Golden Whistlers (only the bright males). There were several pairs of Australian Logrunners with a female and single brown chick being the highlight. Among all the movement, a swift brown figure swooped down into the undergrowth with that long cartoon-like bill. A single Paradise Riflebird remained hidden and later emerged at eye level to begin feeding loudly as it pried the bark open to hunt for insects. Magic.

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Paradise Riflebird
 
Zebra Safari – Oakey, Toowoomba - 20th July 2024:

Target Species: Zebra Finch

Today I ventured back out to Oakey, two hours west of Brisbane just past the chilly city of Toowoomba. Today’s weather was much improved in Oakey compared to my last visit with clear skies and whilst still windy, it was definitely calmer conditions than last time. I really only had one target today and that was the humble Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia castanotis, which is largely absent from the eastern coast of Australia but it is found widely across the rest of mainland Australia, favouring drier and arid habitats close to watercourses. I have a strong desire to see as many wild estrildids as possible and currently have the three Brisbane ones; Double-barred, Red-browed and Chestnut-breasted Mannikin along with Beautiful Firetail in Tasmania and a smattering of introduced species from Hawaii. I didn’t have a proper opportunity for Crimson Finch in Cairns so I wanted to really focus my attention on Zebra Finches being a species I could access within my region. Other possible waxbills out west include Plum-headed Finch and (even further out) Diamond Firetail. Scaly-breasted Munias are also in very scant numbers around Brisbane grasslands. So a few little targets as well. I started at Devon Park Boundary Road which makes for excellent roadside birding. Part of the fun of birding out west is the many surprises and the first out was a neat one. A single Yellow-throated Miner popped up on a barb wired fence. It is very similar to the abundant and notorious Noisy Miner but has a grey rather than black crown, a white rump, and a yellow forehead and throat. They do overlap with Noisy Miner in some parts of their range and indeed there both species found through the roadside. Lots of European Starlings, Common Mynas and Superb Fairywrens in most weedier corners.

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Yellow-throated Miner

I continued with good views of Nankeen Kestrels on fence posts. I also was keeping an eye out for a Red-backed Kingfisher that had been seen along this road while I was in Cairns. A pair of Pale-headed Rosellas were nice to see as they travelled quickly out of view across the farmland as were lots of Galahs which are the most common species seen around here. The main highlight however of Devon Park Boundary Road was seeing a flock of ten Cockatiels up close. The flock of ten travelled along the fence line swiftly and hopped onto the ground every so often to feed on seeds. All my previous wild cockatiels had been brief fly over or quick glances from a distance. I could really soak in the views of these birds and still can’t believe they can be found within a day trip from coastal Brisbane.

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Cockatiels

More cockatiels, galahs and rosellas were all seen in distant trees near the end of the road where I heard a piercing chink-chink call I hadn’t heard since I was in Chillagoe a few posts above. Three Crimson-winged Parrots materialised among the other parrots. My favourite Australian parrots with the males having an electric combination of a blue rump and large red wing patches. If they fly overhead, they however conceal their colourful accents and appear completely light green. Very flighty birds so they were only observed from a distance but they were my first here in the area. A Black-shouldered Kite moved quickly across the horizon additionally. I further checked in a tiny bushland pocket along a nearby road for a small population of Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters with no success but I did enjoy a single Spotted Pardalote which is not a species I really expected to see so well among agricultural land in a narrow strip of trees. There was also a Rufous Whistler and a soaring Australian Pelican as well among Straw-necked Ibis. Parrots were definitely the most visible group of birds thus far.

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Crimson-winged Parrot

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Spotted Pardalote

No zebras yet so option number two was Cory Street Park; a hotspot within the township of Oakey especially for small birds with a small creek travelling along the dry parkland. I was greeted by a large flock of Galahs and Red-rumped Parrots feeding on the ground. Small bushbirds can be hard to find in large stretches of farmland leaving them exposed to predators with little appropriate habitat but here there is enough coverage for several species. Cory Street remains the only place I have seen Weebills and today there were four individual sightings of one of Australia’s smallest birds. I followed the bold Yellow-rumped Thornbills around as they fed on the ground and darted among the trees quickly. They never stopped and I spied a single White-throated Gerygone among them as well. A Double-barred Finch was a very promising sign and sure enough its close cousin appeared with a small flock of four Zebra Finches noisily announcing their presence with their nasal calls perched high up in a tree. They stayed no longer than a minute when I spied a single orange-cheeked male before dispersing into grassland outside of the perimeter of the park. Very happy. What a great place with more Cockatiels on my way out.

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Zebra Finches

I finished my Oakey visit with a lap around Arthur Shooter Memorial Park for more parrots. Reliable as ever, there is a very large 'parrot hotel' represented by a single towering gnarly eucalypt with lots of hollows for three species of lorikeet being Rainbow, Scaly-breasted and Musk Lorikeets chattering away and squabbling over nest sites. The smaller Musk Lorikeets didn’t win many battles and were often seen only through quick glimpses as they zipped past. I did see lots of Musk Lorikeets last weekend as I unsuccessfully searched for Swift Parrots in the western suburbs of Brisbane but got nowhere near the good views I got once a single pair settled near yet more Galahs. 10 species of psittacines today including a single male Australian King Parrot later on. Very pleased to pick up two western lifers today and I hope to return in the spring for a few additional targets.

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Musk Lorikeets

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Rainbow Lorikeet
 
WhistlingKite24 said:
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.
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I returned to Mt-Cootha Botanic Gardens in Brisbane today. As always, it's such a productive place for those seeking a snapshot of local wildlife with a range of gardens and habitats for lots of interesting critters. The Bordered Rustic was once reasonably common in western Brisbane, but like many of our rainforest species, its population has declined significantly due to the loss of its habitat. Situated in the western suburbs, the botanic gardens is a stronghold for this attractive butterfly species with its warm tones of orange and brown. Luckily, Bordered Rustics can be found throughout the year in its adult stage so winter is a good time for them. The Japanese Gardens were particularly productive this time round instead of the Australian Rainforest Gardens like last time and in fact they were common in the surrounds of the gardens as well. This species rests in sunny spots a couple of metres above the ground, providing excellent prolonged views. Elsewhere in the gardens, a few fairywrens are seemingly trying to establish themselves in the gardens around the main lagoon while a Pacific Baza was a nice surprise as it closely travelled through the gardens.

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Bordered Rustic

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Pacific Baza
 
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