1.12.25
Minnippi
The first day of summer and it was a bit more pleasant – less humid and not quite as bloody hot. A pretty quiet day overall bird-wise, but the butterflies and other flying insects were more active and, like all good birders, when the birds go quiet, focus on all the other flying stuff.
Bird-wise I did have a pair of Brown Quail fly off from the cut through – always a nice bird at Minnippi – and a calling Spotless Crake along the cement track, other than that it was much as expected.
Butterfly-wise mostly the usual plus a single Purple Crow Euploea tulliolus which was my first for the season.
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| Purple Crow Euploea tulliolus |
Other Insects included a couple of moths – Lydia Lichen Moth Asura Lydia and Two-spots Tiger Moth Asota plagiata. I’d had the former on this site before, but the latter was a site tick.
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| Two-spots Tiger Moth Asota plagiata |
As I walked back up along the Airfield fence I noticed 6 Eastern Cattle Egrets that had appeared from nowhere – the grass was being cut and somehow they had arrived to, I assume, search for disturbed or damaged insects. Normally they are never on the ground at Minnippi but this is the second time I have seen them appear from nowhere when the grass is being cut.
(I know, it just shows how little I have to think about!)
One of my main reasons for going to Minnippi again – apart from its being Monday…. Was to collect the two trail cameras I had left on the Airfield track 7 days ago. I was keen to see what had been captured. I had mounted one near the beginning of the track or ‘lake’ end and the second approximately two thirds along the track, after the ‘open’ area.
There were some issues with the newer of the two cameras – I need to try again, having adjusted the settings – but both cameras recorded a Red Fox Vulpes vulpes (once each) passing along the track. The one furthest down the track also recorded a Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor along with three separate dog walkers. It seemed, too, that something landed on that camera at night – I suspect a Tawny Frogmouth used it as a perch but it was impossible to see anything identifiable.
3.12.25
Eagleby - Palm Lakes Wetlands
My eight year old grandson had been for a sleepover the previous night and I had to drop him off at school in the Eden’s Landing area so I decided to go to a site I hadn’t been to for 10 years that was also in that area.
We used to call it just ‘Eagleby’, in the intervening years it had acquired the name of Palm Lakes Wetlands – after, I believe, the retirement home of the same name that had been built beside it. It’s possible it had always had that name, but I had never been aware of it.
It’s basically a stretch of road (part of Eableby rd), approx a kilometer long, that dead-ended on the river bank. Originally it was possible to drive to the end but a barrier had been installed to stop access – although walking access was still readily available. I believed the barrier was installed to stop stolen cars been dumped on the river bank and burnt out – in the past we had seen the results of this behavior several times. It suited me perfectly because now no cars intruded in the walk.
On the left of the road, as one walked towards the river, there was a large area of open water – or at least it had been open water. Currently it was almost completely covered with the cursed Salvinia. This was a real shame as we had had a decent selection of ducks at this location when the water was clear – including Australasian Shoveler and Pink-eared Duck. Now, of course, there were no duck on the lake, just a couple of sad looking Dusky Moorhens foraging on the very few remaining open patches. On the right of the road there were open paddocks with scattered trees and wet, swampy areas and eventually a field of sugar cane. Good habitat for a variety of species and I had accumulated a site list of 131 species over 21 visits prior to 2015.
It wasn’t gonna be anything like that on this visit. My morning’s list was 31 species – very quiet in general and it definitely wasn’t helped by the late start of 8.45 and the fact that it was glaringly hot.
I did see a few Chestnut-breasted Mannikins which was nice, given I hadn’t seen any for several months, a couple of free-flying Brown Quail (i.e. not flushed) and an assortment of common, expected birds. I added 2 Butterflies and one Dragonfly to my site list, but all in all it was very poor.
I figured that when opportunity presented itself I would visit again, hopefully in the earlier part of the morning.
4.12.25
Oxley
A dull, overcast morning to start with but by 7.00 it had brightened up and become, as usual, hot and humid.
The track was very quiet – bird-wise and humanoid-wise. Nothing special – did have a single Brown Falcon ‘over the gate’ and a Double-barred Finch carrying building material into a trackside bush. Other than that 50 species was OK, but numbers very low.
Butterflies were particularly absent – I only saw 1 Caper White Belenois java and a few Common Grass-blues Zizinia labradus.
I did take photos, casually, of a dragonfly, which turned out to be a new species for me - Fiery Skimmer Orthetrum villosovittatum. Pretty crap photos, but it is what it is - and it meant the morning wasn't a complete waste.
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| Fiery Skimmer Orthetrum villosovittatum |
A typical summer morning, calm, hot, blue sky, a few clouds and, of course, humid. Things were pretty quiet overall but I ended up with 44 bird species which was about average for this time of year.
Some relatively minor highlights:
Oriental Dollarbird seen entering nesting hole on M1 track for the first time.
Pale-vented Bush Hen heard calling from long grass between the Avenue and the internal car park.
Three very young Magpie Goose goslings, along with 6 adults on the main pond.
A pair of White-throated Honeyeaters at start of Airfield Track, (not common here at this time of year)
A Nankeen Night Heron flushed off same track from one of the flooded sections of the track.
Butterflies were a little more active with Wide-brand Grass-darts Suniana sunias in number along the Airfield Track (which I identified by bins rather than take photos of them all) and a single specimen of a new species for me for this site – Orange Swift Paranara amalia (I think!)
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| Orange Swift Parnara amalia |
There were a large number of Lydia Lichen Moths Asura lydia along the Airfield Track too, looking like small, fast flying Darts or Skippers.
10.12.25
Springbrook
Mr B picked me up at 8 and we, finally, arrived on site at 10 after suffering the complete and utter chaos of Queensland driving on the M1.
He was searching for butterfly stuff, I was just along for the ride and to see what I could see - I hadn't been to Springbrook for years. We started with a coffee in the English Country Garden cafe right at the end of the road and then just wandered around the edges of the rainforest - him looking for a particular plant, me just looking.
During the morning we tried a few locations around the side roads, never venturing too far down the tracks. Mr B had some success in his search, but was a little disappointed with the results. I found a few beetles, a moth, a skink and a fly to photograph and we saw several Land Mullets Bellatorias major - the large, very common confiding Skink.
Butterflies were very thin in the air- I noted a single Monarch Danaus plexippus, a probable Tailed Emperor Charaxes sempronius, a single Macleay's Swallowtail Graphium macleayanus, a Large Purple Line-blue Nacaduba berenice, a couple of Brown Ringlets Hypocysta metirius and one Caper White Belenois java and that was, literally, that - very poor.
However, I had a little more activity on other fronts....
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| Blue Oides Leaf Beetle Oides laetabilis |
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| Kangaroo Vine Leaf Beetle Oides fryi |
Honestly not sure how 'reliable' the common names are, but very confident in the species identification.
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Triclista guttata - a Long-tongued March Fly species |
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| Forest Day Moth Cruria Synopla |
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| Gully Shadeskink Saproscincus spectabilis |
My main aim of the morning was to install two trail cameras on Boombana’s Thylogale Circuit – cause I can, no other reason.
I arrived on site at 6.15 to a grey, relatively speaking cool, slightly gloomy morning. It did brighten up later, but the sun only broke through for short periods.
I walked the track setting up the cameras and hearing a lot of stuff, but seeing very little. The only ‘new’ bird for the site I heard was a calling/singing Rose-crowned Fruit Dove. I did also hear a Noisy Pitta, but birds like Logrunner, Russet-tailed Thrush and most of the small passerines were almost non-existent.
Back at the carpark area I watched a trio of Cabbage Whites Pieris rapae, which chased each other around as they do, until I could identify them positively, found a Kangaroo Vine Leaf Beetle Oides fryi, identified immediately by the fact I had had one the previous day so the memory was still intact, and a single Orange-streaked Ringlet Hypocysta irius which was new for site for me – but not exactly riveting stuff.
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| Orange-streaked Ringlet Hypocysta irius |
I drove up to Mt Glorious and had a coffee at the café before stopping again at the picnic area beside the Rainforest Walk.
As I left the car I saw another car parked further up in the middle of the road about 50 meters away with its hazard lights on. Being of a nosy nature – and thinking I might be of assistance - I walked up to find a middle-aged woman poking ineffectually and with great reluctance with a long stick at a 2 meter Carpet Python Morelia spilota curled up on the bitumen trying to warm up on the hot surface. As I approached it raised its head at her, pissed off at being disturbed, and I think she nearly wet her pants. I took the stick and simply pushed the snake off the road into the bush and watched it to ensure it didn’t return and get smashed. The woman was very effusive with her thanks - and the 5 car drivers behind her were probably relieved that someone had done something. Beautiful animal.
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| Carpet or Diamond Python Morelia spilota |
Excitement over and my community duty completed, I spent some time at the lantana on the opposite side of the road looking for butterflies but only a single Blue Triangle Graphium sarpedon hammered through. I debated walking the trail, as it all seemed so quiet, but elected to do so anyway – being on site and all.
It was pretty much a waste of time, once again hearing stuff (inc Rose-crowned Fruit Dove), but seeing bugger all, the highlight being a Grey Goshawk that flew through low across the trail ahead of me, carrying prey in its claws, presumably food for young, which was a good sign.
Back at the road I again watched for butterflies, through a cigarette, but there were very, very few. I did have one Macleay’s Swallowtail Graphium macleayanus that didn’t stop and a very tatty Evening Brown Melanitis leda which, surprisingly, was a new species for me for Mt Glorious. A Topknot Pigeon sat up on a few branches in the open until I took photos of it. It was a nice end to an otherwise unexciting day. (Sorry, Allan!)
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| Topknot Pigeon |
12.12.25
On site at 5.45, a dull, warm, cloudy day. The track was very quiet bird-wise, like everything was holding its breath. It was busy humanoid-wise initially but the walkie-talkies and future knee-replacement cases were all gone by 6.30.
All in all it was very slow and the morning list of 44 species was well below my average for the season, even the flooded field was less active than usual. Having said that I did see ‘the’ Brown Falcon again and a small flock of 10 Chestnut-breasted Mannikins which gave me hope.
Hanging above the pond there was an Orb-weaver that I hadn’t identified before so I took a few photos. It turned out to be an ‘Elongated’ or ‘Long-tailed’ St Andrews Cross Spider Argiope protensa.
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| Long-tailed St Andrews Cross Spider Argiope protensa |
13.12.25
I picked up Mr D at 5.30 and Mr P at 5.45 and The Three Intrepid Explorers arrived on site at 6. It was calm, warm and sultry – much like a woman I once knew….
We walked the usual tracks seeing much of the usual stuff followed by a horde of 35 amateur (!) birders and their groupies on a walk with someone.
Bird-wise I ended up with a 49 species list though I think Mr D may have had a few more given he heard stuff I didn’t.
Butterfly-wise it was an improvement on recent times with 9 confirmed species and a possible 10th still under discussion – one of them stringy Grass-dart thingys.
A couple of easy Dragonflies (both Flutterer species), two species of Orb Weaver and an Acacia Leaf Beetle Dicranosterna picea basically completed the ‘other’ insect side of things.
We retired to Stones Corner for a lengthy breakfast.
14.12.25
Yatala
Arriving at Yatala for my usual Sunday afternoon visit, my eldest grandson called me out into the garden to see the 'thing' he'd found. I took some photos with my phone but the quality was not the best, however, I tentatively identified the insect as a Smoky-feather Digger Wasp Sphex fumipennis. It did appear to have some sort of parasite or deposit on its wings showing as a brownish lump.This obviously affected its ability to fly and hence was easy to catch. We released back to its potential fate.
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| Smoky-feather Digger Wasp Sphex fumipennis |
15.12.25
Palm Lakes Wetland, Eagleby
More grandfather duties, picking my ‘middle’ grandson up, so I decided I’d visit Palm Lakes Wetland in Eagleby again. On site at 7.30 and it was already smokin’ hot – with just a small breeze it was 25C and, by the time I left an hour later, 27C.
There wasn’t a hell of a lot of bird activity – plenty of Dragonflys but in my ignorance I was only confident of identifying two species – Graphic Flutterer Rhyothemis graphiptera and Chalky Percher Diplacodes trivialis.
A few butterflies but only a few Monarchs Danaus plexippus and a single Varied Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina gave me opportunity to ID them.
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| Varied Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina |
My Good Snake Year continued with a 1.5-2 meter Keelback crossing the road 30 meters or so ahead of me, but by the time I had arrived it had entered the water-filled ditch and I only saw it briefly before it dived and disappeared.
Bird-wise of interest maybe – an adult White-bellied Sea Eagle fly over and a pair of Brown Goshawks circled near the river end. A trio of smart Chestnut-breasted Mannikins were pecking at something on the road and, after they left, I found it to be a regurgitated pellet. I collected it for analysis – it did appear to have small bones in it and it will be interesting to find out what is inside.
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| Chestnut-breasted Mannikin |
18.12.25
Mt Nebo & Mt Glorious
My main aim was to collect the two trail cameras I had set up on the Thylogale Circuit at Boombana on Mt Nebo. On site at 6.15, a pleasantly cool, sunny morning – cool because it was well above sea level.
I walked the track collecting, without issue, both cameras and looking for other stuff as I went. It was very quiet so far as seeing anything was concerned – I did hear a lot of stuff, some of which I was unsure of, but confident enough in most. There were the usual half a dozen or so Red-legged Pademelons Thylogale stigmatica along the track – most heard only, but a small group neat the end of the track sat around happily for a short period and one heavily pregnant female froze nearby.
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| Red-legged Pademelon Thylogale stigmatica |
The highlight of the walk, however, was finding a Russet-tailed Thrush nest with adult sitting.
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| Russet-tailed Thrush |
That was pretty cool.
Back at the carpark I took a photo or two of a small insect – I have submitted it to iNaturalist for potential ID.
Headed on up to Mt Glorious and a coffee at the Mt Glorious café as usual on the back deck – nothing showed there apart from the resident Lewin’s Honeyeater on the table looking for a handout.
I drove up to the picnic ground and checked the Lantana on the opposite side of the road with resulting, little excitement – very few butterflys – then walked the Rainforest Circuit.
It was even quieter than Boombana, but, surprise, surprise, I found a second Russet-tailed Thrush’s nest! I must admit, it wasn’t any superior skill set that enabled me to find these nests, simply that the bird flew up into each tree and while I was squinting at it, trying to see what and where it was, realised they were actually sitting on nests.
I checked the Lantana again, but again with no success, so I headed home.
19.12.25
Oxley
On site at 5.45, hot, still, quiet. The track was very quiet, just a few humanoids and even fewer birds. I was starting to think I would have been better having a lie-in when I reached the first culvert and heard the unmistakable clacking of a Pale-vented Bush Hen between the track and the creek. I quietly played a little encouragement and got back a quiet croaking and growling typical of the species. I didn’t see it, but had no hesitation in adding it, finally, to my Oxley list. Its been a long time a-coming. I had been expecting it sooner or later – for about 20 years…. So definitely later, rather than sooner, but welcome none the less.
I continued on with a little more vigour, but things didn’t get much better bird-wise, although I did end up with 46 species for the morning including a pair of Brown Falcons, one perched up on a pylon and one actually on the ground on the track beyond the gate.
Things seem to be happening in twos the last few days because as I approached the first pond on the left, a second Pale-vented Bush Hen called from the big bush beside the water!
Once again I didn’t see it, but the clacking and subsequent clicking noises coming from the undergrowth were, again, unmistakable. These birds, I would argue, are probably more or less resident at Oxley, but they are so discrete and, as they only call voluntarily during the hotter months of summer, they are probably just not seen regularly. With the recent rain the subsequent growth is enormous, especially the grasses and undergrowth – perfect for Bush Hens.
Moving right along…. I had a few butterflys on the return walk including a single Purple Crow Euploea tulliolus and two Large Purple Line-blues Nacaduba berenice – the latter a rather surprising new site species for me too.
I also took photos of a female Fiery Skimmer Orthetrum villosovittatum having seen and photographed the male the previous week…….
Fiery Skimmer Orthetrum villosovittatum (female)
………added Hedge Grasshopper Varanga irregularis to my site list and found what I believe is a Brown Bunyip Tamasa tristigma (new species for me) perched up among the dozens of calling cicadas. They are the very divil to see and I only saw the one individual despite the apparent same species calling for some distance along the track.
Brown Bunyip Tamasa tristigma
I also caught a small (approx 150mm) Stick Insect but it got away from me before I could get it on film. I have no real hope of identifying that sucker.
It had seemed to be a waste of time but the morning’s effort was definitely worthwhile resulting in my adding to my lists a new bird species for site (always difficult in regularly visited sites), a new Butterfly and Grasshopper for the site and a lifer Cicada species!
