Weekends That Were - January 2015

31.1.15

Minnippi

As I didn’t have a lot of time to spare and things appeared to be pretty quiet all over the general area I decided to re-visit Minnippi. On site at 6.00 and Pacific Koel calling near the car park. Walking in I noticed the signs of recent flooding – presumably from the rain of the week before last. What a contrast from my last visit – pools of water still lay in the grass around the edge of the lake, itself full again after months of drying temperatures. High tide marks well above the normal lake level showed where the water had risen to; I was surprised as I didn’t think there had been anywhere near enough rain to raise the water this high.

Despite the extra water the lake was incredibly quiet – I only counted 4 Pacific Black Ducks in total and they were not on the water. One Hardhead was, near the island, and a handful of Little Black Cormorants made up the only water birds. I wondered if the quality of water had suffered as a result of the run off? The woods were quiet, but as I trudged through the wet mucky grass a small number of White-throated Needletails swished overhead heading, apparently, north. Later, however, I noted the same number returning towards the southwest and circling over the hills several kms away.

A pair of birds crossing the skyline attracted my eye and they turned out to be Oriental Dollarbirds and, below them another two individuals. All four birds were flying directly north too – it seems early in the season for them to start migration, but it was a very definite flight plan! Shortly afterwards two more single birds also followed suit, while a seventh sat up in a dead tree calling loudly as if encouraging them. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many Dollarbirds in one location in Australia.

http://youtu.be/dRWFC0vuujk

That was about it for the mornings’ excitement. The airfield track was very quiet – and very wet - and I cut it short at the first exit. I sat for a while at Stu’s Raptor Outlook but nothing showed, no more Dollarbirds, no raptors, the heat was increasing and things were shutting down for the day - even at 7.45…..5 White-faced Herons fished hopefully in a flooded area of grass quite unconcerned by the passing hordes of fat busting joggers sweating past on the bike track. I played for crakes & rails in the mangrove boardwalk with no success and then headed off myself for my appointment at 8.30 and to vote to get rid of the environmentally destructive LNP……..

White-faced Heron

25.1.15

Oxley

Headed out alone to Oxley arriving on site just before 6; a clear, warm morning, the rain of yesterday having passed overnight. The grass in the paddocks had responded well to the recent rain and had grown thick and high – much to the enjoyment of the resident cattle. The storm damage of November is still evident with gaps in the tree line where a number had been taken out and broken branches still litter parts of the bush – the track is still officially closed, but it is obvious from the tracks that no one is paying much attention to the signs and the gate was still open.

First good bird was a fly by Striated Heron on the river from the pontoon – only the second I have recorded here.  As I stood scanning the river the second good bird flew straight overhead -  an Australian Hobby, which I saw again later perched up on one of the dead trees in the paddock.

There were good bird numbers in the first half of the track, but the second half was strangely quiet. Just the usual stuff overall anyway and I reached the end of the trees without too much more excitement. Just at the turnoff to the lakes a pair of Pale-headed Rosellas perched up on the fence eating the heads off a patch of Scotch Thistles – if only there were some Goldfinches around they would love these!

As I approached the water an older man with a camera passed me on his return journey and advised me that ‘there’s a couple of Black Swans up there’ – I almost couldn’t contain my excitement and all I could muster was a muttered ‘Great!’ while I struggled to contain the urge to do him harm……

There were indeed a couple of the promised Black Swans (be still my beating heart) and bugger all else – a few Pacific Black Ducks, 3 Dusky Moorhens, 2 Australian Darters, a handful of Little Black Cormorants perched on the sagging overhead wires, 2 Australian Pelicans, 1 Coot and a couple of Great Egrets was just about it. However, on one of the small islands in the main lake a slowly moving shape resolved itself into another Striated Heron which was a pleasant surprise – and almost made up for the Black Swan episode….

Heading back along the track not much extra showed apart form a small flock of Blue-faced Honeyeaters and a single male Mistletoebird until a Pheasant Coucal decided to sit up and wait patiently for my camera to complete its task. Quite a lovely bird seen in good light!

Pheasant Coucal

24.1.15

Trotter - in the rain again.....

Picked up Mr D at 6.00 and we drove through a light drizzle to site at 6.00. Very heavy rain over the past couple of days had caused minor flooding and small rivers to emerge again. So it wasn’t a surprise to see a higher water level in the upper lake as we crossed Priest’s Gully.

The drizzle had eased by the time we left the car, but we carried waterproofs anyway. Down through the dripping trees, as usual pretty quiet apart from a Wood Duck up a tree calling hoarsely and, further down the track, an Eastern Yellow Robin and, surprisingly new for me for site, a Rufous Fantail. We turned left and walked along the fence line between the private properties and the reserve seeing very little. A calling Common Bronzewing had us going for a few minutes as its repeated call led us to think of Buttonquail, but after a tense few minutes of searching it flushed and left us feeling a little foolish.

Down near the lake’s edge we came across a Trotter bird-wave with a single White-throated Treecreeper, a second Eastern Yellow Robin and a Speckled Warbler.  

At the upper lake and the water levels obvious now – not much exposed mud but steep banks still clear of water and plenty of opportunity for waders, snipe, duck – of which there were none at all. A couple of Whistling Kites, White-bellied Sea Eagles (one juvenile, I adult) and a pair of Variegated Fairy-wrens were all that were seen before we reached the main lake.

The usual flock of Australian Pelicans, numbers reduced to 20 this weekend, a Great Cormorant and a large group (approx. 80) of Little Black Cormorants moved off the shoreline as we approached. Further down the lake a pair of Great Egrets and a single Intermediate took to the air and around the corner a flock of 48 Hardhead, a couple of Grey Teal and a handful of Pacific Black Ducks huddled against the shoreline. And that was about it, apart from a distant Caspian Tern, so we headed back into the trees and up the return track. It started to rain again so we pulled on our wet gear over our wet, sweaty shirts and trudged on, a Peaceful Dove called and a small flock of Little Lorikeets (11) flew overhead and we got back to the car otherwise incident free.

Belesis again for the usual breakfast.

17.1.15

The Survey & Minnippi

I reached the Rochedale property at 6.00 as agreed with Merhyl, chatted to her for a few minutes then walked through the property to the far corner and back again over the survey period of an hour. Numbers of birds appeared to be down on previous visits – especially small passerines. I did see a couple of Common Bronzewings which were a new bird for the site - and got a couple of shots of one – and also added White-throated Needletail as a flock of approx. 50 birds wheeled slowly across the sky heading south east. 

A couple of Pretty-face or Whiptail Wallabies bounced away through the trees, one sitting up with curiosity. There were a nice pair of Australian Grebes on the dam, along with a juvenile Dusky Moorhen, and a Pale-headed Rosella was a late addition right on 7am as I headed in to have coffee and toast with Merhyl before going on to Minnippi.

8.15 and very hot – approaching 30+ degrees, still, calm, not a breath of wind, not a cloud in the sky, but the humidity not too bad this early. In the M1 track there was no activity at all. I noticed a fine rain falling under one species of tree, not sure if it was sap or water, but it was an almost invisible shower of droplets falling in the still air – weird.  I followed the usual route as far as Stu’s Raptor Lookout but didn’t go down the Airfield track.

Nothing too exciting to report – duck numbers very low, no Grebes, few Cormorants, no Darters, even Moorhen and Swamphen numbers were low. Five Latham’s Snipe preening and sunning themselves along the edge of the dried up middle pond won the award for ‘best bird of the day’ but were too far away to film. A Tawny Grassbird sat up well and provided scope for the camera, calling loudly and being, for a change, quite confiding. 

A couple of Noisy Miners lay prone on the ground sunning or anting, not sure which, I thought they were injured at first, as you do….even the Torresian Crows were feeling the warmth, sitting with drooping wings and open beaks.

I played for Rails and Crakes in the boardwalk – the tide was very high and I thought they might have been pushed up the river bank, but no responses. Gave it away around 9.30 with little to come away with and headed home to seek refuge from the heat.

10.1.15

Fishing the Nerang River

Kerrod picked me up at 2.30 and, after collecting the borrowed tinnie from Tingalpa, we got to The Spit at Southport and tried the cast net for live bait – unsuccessfully. After grabbing a Mackers dinner, and fighting the traffic, we finally launched the boat and headed up river past the high rises. We trolled lures past a couple of bridges and other underwater structures with no success and, as the light faded, we again tried for live bait in a shallow back channel, Kerrod  successfully netting 3 good sized Mullet.

We anchored up above the Monaco St bridge and set out a rod each with a live Mullet while we bottom fished with mullet fillet on a second rod. Kerrod landed a nice Mangrove Jack (on mullet fillet) while I managed only a small Fingermark Bream which went back to live another day, along with a small Bream Kerrod also boated.

http://youtu.be/McS4aXPx-LI

( If this link doesn't work - and it seems to be a problem - search Mangrove Jack and Nerang River on U tube)

Around 23.00 we up-anchored and moved to a ‘deep’ hole further up river. Within minutes of dropping our lines back in I got smashed up by a presumed shark and again a few minutes later by a possible Jack. Meanwhile Kerrod hooked and played a small (1 meter) shark which we got to the side of the boat but were unable to actually lift it in as it struggled and snapped, eventually breaking the line and swimming off. I, finally, hooked and landed a good size Bream which kept company with the Jack in the ice box.

We finally gave it away around 00.30 and headed back down river to the ramp, getting home just before 2.00.

http://youtu.be/ZiaK8FXteZc
                                                                                                                                                                                    Moggill State Forest

Stu was outside my place a couple of minutes before Rob turned up at 5.30. We piled in to Rob’s car and arrived at Moggill State Forest at 6.00. Heavily wooded track through a small steep sided valley, shallow river bed alongside, with minimal water mainly from the recent rain. Mixed vegetation types – mainly eucalypt with patches of viney type undergrowth and some thicker stuff – yeah, I know, very descriptive……

 The site has had its moments in the past with both Southern Boobook and Powerful Owls seen in daylight, White-eared Monarch and other local specialities. Today was a day for hearing – not my preferred sort of birding due to my poor hearing, however, I struggled along, manfully putting up with the continuous species identification by call by the other two.

I could, of course, hear the Pacific Koel, and the dozens of Eastern Whipbirds, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and the distant Wonga Pigeon and I was the first to call a Peaceful Dove, but when it came to Brown Thornbills and distant Common Cicadabirds I couldn’t pick them up at all and it took me a while to link the White-throated Treecreeper calls with the species – but then that always happens to me with WTT….I know that call, what is it? I know it, it’s……ahhhh,what IS that bird….. Lewin’s? No, don’t tell me, don’t tell me, ….I KNOW it, I KNOW it…….ahhhhh, tell me, tell me, Oh,  yeah, White-throated Treecreeper! Finally.

That link doesn’t work so well in my head. (Some would say it’s one of many links that don’t work in my head….…but they’re just being cruel)

Anyway we saw a couple of Cicadabirds high in a eucalypt, along with a couple of Rose-crowned Fruit Doves. Rob spotted a White-headed Pigeon perched up quietly and shortly afterwards a pair of Shining Bronze Cuckoos displaying to each other. It’s a good spot for Large-billed Gerygone, Eastern Yellow Robins and Little and Grey Shrikethrushes. It was a bit of a pigeon/dove morning with the aforementioned plus calling Brown Cuckoo-dove and Bar-shouldered Dove bringing the total to 6 species.

We couldn’t agree on a place for breakfast in the general area so repaired once again to Belesis for the usual – although, much to my surprise, Rob choose avocado on toast in deference to his waistline……

2.1.15

Minnippi

Muggy, quiet, still, warm at 6.15. 3 Channel-bill Cuckoos chasing and calling raucously over the carpark. I tramp across the bridge noting a very high tide still incoming, no sounds around the bridge this morning – no mud for anything to appear upon….move on to the lake itself. A couple of sleepy Purple Swamphens standing in the weed bed, a few nodding Dusky Moorhens picking over the lily pads….lake level is up since last visit, but still low.

Into the M1 forest and nothing moving. Cicadas in heat – their calls drowning out most everything so far as I am concerned. (I have difficulty hearing anything if there is a background noise, such as traffic, TV or…cicadas. Well…..according to some 'friends' I have difficulty hearing anything……..) I DO hear a Grey Shrikethrush and a Brush Cuckoo some distance away – must be loud if I can hear it - a Bush Turkey crosses the track as I walk back out – not that common here, surprisingly, so good to see.

Along the bush and back across to the lake again, without incident.

8 Pacific Black Duck – Eight! There were in excess of 100 a few weeks ago! No other duck in evidence, 1 single Eurasian Coot, a few more Moor and Swamp Hens, no Grebes, no waders of any description apart from 1 Latham’s Snipe flushed by an idiotic Moorhen hell bent on beating up his mate – I think the heat is getting to them. No clear answer as to where everything goes, unless they head west when the rain comes? No Welcome Swallows or Martins, not even any Willy Wagtails?

Up the hill and down to the Airfield track – now model airplanes add their din to the background noise – Oh great, now what hope do I have of hearing anything?

Down at river level and a splashing noise attracts my attention, push through to the river bank and ripples are all that remain – probably a Water Dragon - but I am rewarded by a Little Shrike Thrush showing well a few meters away.

On along the track and bugger all – the cicadas now increasing their screaming as the heat climbs, until suddenly I walk out of their territory and leave it all behind – really weird – they all just stopped at a point in the track unremarkable for anything else but the peace beyond it.

Back up the hill, sweat now very evident; sit for 10 or 15 at Stu’s Raptor Watch Spot – nothing much moving but a pleasant breeze. Down to the boardwalk and play for Spotless and Lewin’s without result, a couple of Noisy Friarbirds over the bike track and I pick up a single Comb-crested Jacana on the lake before heading home for breakfast and shelter from the heat.

Day 1 Birding 2015 completed.