28.4.16
Sandy Camp & Lindum
A cloudy,
rain-threatening morning greeted me at Sandy Camp Rd.
It was generally
pretty quiet, usual species on the water including 4 Wandering Whistle-ducks and a family party of 6 Comb-crested Jacanas.
I walked along the
center track and round the field to the Black Bittern Pond – a pair of Spotless Crakes communicated quietly in
the deep grass lining the channel at the entrance of the track.
The back pond was
also pretty quiet apart from a feeding group including 4 Mangrove Gerygones and a couple of Scarlet Honeyeaters. A few passerines showed along the track beside
the big, deep pond – Golden Whistlers,
Grey Fantails, Double-barred Finches with building material and a couple of
Chestnut-breasted Mannikins.
Back at the Yellow
Wagtail Pond a pair of White-throated
Honeyeaters, a pair of Mistletoebirds
and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters
hung out along the tree line.
It was one of
those mornings where nothing much happened. Usually something happens that is
interesting, but this morning it was all same, same.
On to Fuller and
a walk out to the almost dried up waterhole. Quite active with a good number of
White-headed Stilts (~100), Grey Teal (56), 2 Chestnut Teal, 3 Marsh
Sandpipers and 17 Black-fronted
Dotterels. There was also as many Glossy
Ibis as White – one of each - and
9 Royal Spoonbills including several
begging juveniles – the adults looked as if they regretted having a family – so
human, kids who’d have ‘em?
On to Lindum and
the ‘wetland’ almost dry and putrid looking. Not much here apart from the usual
Stilts and Masked Lapwings. Oh ….and 1 Australian
Pipit down Burnby Rd.
That was it -
headed home at 9.45.
25.4.16
Burbank
Mr D suggested
trying a new site in Burbank – part of the Koala Bushland reserve – so he
picked me up at 6 and we were off.
Generally the
habitat is dry eucalypt with the usual low ratio of wildlife relevant to this dry
environment. Our goal, however, was a stretch of rainforest in a ‘wet’ gully,
mainly riparian forest along a series of billabongs which is basically
trackless but can be accessed with a struggle.
On the road we
noticed a number of Wallabys and
identified them as probable Black-striped.
 |
| Black-striped Wallaby |
 |
| Black-striped Wallaby |
Just before we
entered the rainforest gully a European
Fox ran across our path – our second in 10 days.
In and around the rainforest
it was pretty quiet – Bar-shouldered
Doves, one Brown Cuckoo Dove and
Eastern Whipbirds called unseen, Grey Fantails, Golden and Rufous Whistlers and White-throated Honeyeater in small
numbers.
We called in a Noisy Pitta though which was nice – it was
very dark so the photos are pretty crap.
 |
| Noisy Pitta |
As the only other
bird to show was Brown Thornbills we
left and headed back to the car, seeing a soaring Brown Goshawk on the way.
23.4.16 (later that day)
Moggill
Mr P, Mr D and I
headed out to Moggill on a quest. Mr P and I had tried before and I had tried
with DHH – never with success. However, tonight we had a different strategy –
be on site at dusk.
Our quarry? The renowned Masked Owl in Moggill.
We arrived on site
at just the right time and made our way to The Tree. Acquired information
pointed to The Tree as the breeding tree – we thought, if not breeding, it
might at least be the roost tree.
Our theory? The famous Tasmanian Masked Owls was only easily visible at dusk as they left the roost so maybe it would work up here too?
At first there was
nothing to see but bare trunk, but, a few minutes after we arrived, a large owl
flew over our heads and disappeared over the horizon. We all thought ‘that’s it, it’s all over’ but a movement
in the tree itself caught our eye and we spent the next 15 minutes watching and
photographing a Masked Owl perched
up.
 |
| Masked Owl |
Eventually it too took
flight and vanished but, just after it did, as we were preparing to head back
to the car, another shape swooped towards us, missed our heads by a few feet
and landed in a small tree about 10 meters away – a Squirrel Glider!
 |
| Squirrel Glider |
We hung around on
the road for a bit trying for other possible night species, but nothing
responded so we took off and headed back to Mackers for a celebratory burger
and coffee.
23.4.16
Oxley
I picked up Mr D
at 6.00 and we left the car at 6.15. The track was pretty birdy with the usual
stuff. The fairy-wrens were starting to
show their colours again as they emerged from their annual moult, but, apart
from that, there was little to raise the blood pressure. Until, that is, we
approached the second culvert and a small finch type shape hopped up onto a low
branch. As I got the bins on it it flew, thanks to a non-birding walker, but I
thought it was a Plum-headed Finch.
We couldn’t find it again and continued on our way to the ponds and back.
As we returned
along the track a flurry of small birds attracted our attention and we both got
onto it at the same time – a definite Plum-head with a couple of Double-barred Finches. It sat up well
for us before again disappearing into the trees.
 |
| Plum-headed Finch |
A short chat with
the Prof accompanied by a female American student followed by breakfast at Café
Europa as usual, completed our morning’s birding.
22.4.16
My eye
So I went to my eye surgeon again today. The sight in my right eye hasn't improved since the last injection and laser work completed in March. I can see things like cars, but can't see details, like registration numbers. I hasten to add my left eye is as good as ever!
He advised another needle and away we went again........
I cycled home afterwards with a patch and spent the rest of the day feeling sorry for myself and nursing my slightly aching optic.
Hopefully this time........
19.4.16 - 21.4.16
Girraween Getaway
19.4.16 I left home after 9 – to avoid the traffic and arrived at Duraki
waterhole at 11.30. I always have a bit of trouble finding the turnoff for the
waterhole, but this time managed it without an overshoot. (Its about 100 meters
past the road sign that asks who the first premier of Queensland was?)
I put the stove
together and made a cup of coffee and sat down to watch the birds come in to
drink. It wasn’t the best time of day – midday – but it wasn’t too hot and
there was plenty of activity. Yellow-tufted
Honeyeaters dominated, followed by Fuscous
and a smaller number of White-naped.
A handful of Yellow-faced and a
couple of Brown-headed Honeyeaters completed
the main scene. A pair of Restless Flycatchers
came in to drink as well, and that was about it.
 |
| Yellow-tufted Honeyeater |
 |
| Fuscous Honeyeater |
 |
| White-naped Honeyeater |
 |
| Brown-headed Honeyeater |
I left at 13.30
and headed back to Warwick and then to Giraween arriving at the Bald Rock
campsite at 15.15. I set up the tent in the same campsite DHH and I had used in
October. There were a small number of other campers scattered around the site,
but no one near me. The ground hasn’t got any softer and I only put in the bare
minimum number of tent pegs hoping there wouldn’t be a wind.
After a coffee and
a rest I headed off towards the day use area, staying on the camp site side of
the creek – sussing out the area for spotlighting.
The first bird I
saw near the car park was a White-eared
Honeyeater (sorry DHH!) followed by a beautiful Spotted Pardalote. I did see a few other birds despite the time of
day – Striated and Brown Thornbills, Red-browed Finches,
Eastern Yellow Robin, White-throated Treecreeper, Little wattlebird etc.
 |
| Striated Thornbill |
Back at camp I
downloaded my photos and sorted and filed them, then went spotlighting after
dark. It was very quiet. A full moon, absolutely calm night – it was so quiet I
thought I was deaf, you know that way it is sometimes? I tried for Owlet
Nightjar and Masked Owl with no response. I did find two Tawny Frogmouths and a couple of
Brush-tailed Possums and, to my surprise, 3 Rabbits near the information center, but otherwise it was a non
event.
Having dinner I
was visited by a very confiding Brush-tailed
Possum who smelt the ripe bananas in my car but moved on with gentle
persuasion. Crashed at 21.30.
20.4.16 I got up just after 6 but the sun was a long time coming into the
valley so I delayed my walk. I took the Junction track but was a bit
disappointed with the lack of birds. It was really very quiet – I have
generally found Girraween to be so, so it wasn’t a huge surprise.
I returned to
camp, had a coffee and a rest and went again – this time to the day use area
where I had Yellow Thornbills and a
flock (10) of Varied Sitellas.
Crossing the road I wandered the field and had Eastern Rosella and Red
Wattlebird.
 |
| Eastern Rosella |
 |
| Red Wattlebird |
I did get photos of a few butterflies, two dragonflies and one skink. The Dragons and lizard still need to be identified, but the butterflies turned out to be 2 new species: Common Brown Heteronympha metope and Imperial Hairstreak Jaimenus evagoras.
 |
| Common Brown Heteronympha metope |
Most of the Common Browns were damaged or faded - obviously the end of their season, but the Hairstreak was fresh and beautiful.
 |
| Imperial Hairstreak Jaimenus evagoras |
I thought I’d
check out the other camping area – Castle Rock - and met two ‘older’ birders, Bob
and Olive from Claremont in W Qld. They pointed out some flowering banksias and
we saw a couple of White-cheeked
Honeyeaters.
Again I returned
to camp for coffee and a rest and a visit from a male Satin Bowerbird and a small flock of White-winged Choughs.
 |
| Satin Bowerbird |
At 14.00 I went to try for Chestnut-rumped
Heathwren on the Junction Track again – without success. I walked back and out
along the Pyramid Trail and ended up climbing Pyramid Rock…….I hadn’t intended
to, but the lack of birds encouraged me to do something else and after I had
climbed 400 plus steps felt I shouldn’t waste that effort. It was a ‘strenuous’
climb and a little daunting in places, but I managed it OK in about 40 minutes
from the turn off.
 |
| The Pyramid |
 |
| On the way up - note the white marks lead the way |
 |
| The view |
 |
| On the way down.... |
 |
| The last stretch - rubber soles on your boots are a necessity.... |
As I limped back
to camp I saw my second White-eared
Honeyeater of the trip but little else of note.
I decided enough
was enough – I was pretty knackered – and returned to camp for the final time.
I decided a shower was in order and washed most of me in the two minutes of hot
water allowed per guest. Spotlighting seemed to be a waste of time so I ate, retired
early and watched a program of The
Walking Dead on my laptop.
21.4.16 Up at 6.00 and after breakfast I headed for Old Wallangarra Rd just outside the park boundary, but for the ease
of recording I include in my Girraween list.
I drove to the
‘far end’ – just before the railway crossing and junction with the main road,
parked up and walked the road.
The first bird I
saw was a Crested Shriketit – a pair
feeding in a big eucalypt. I enjoyed them so much I forgot to take pictures
and, unfortunately, left it too late to get anything worth publishing. A little while later a male Scarlet Robin put in a brief experience
along with the usual White-plumed
Honeyeaters, Australian King Parrots, Crimson & Eastern Rosellas, a Jacky
Winter, a Fan-tailed Cuckoo and
a Dusky Woodswallow. A pair of cuckoo-shrikes turned up and gave me food for thought initially, one of them looked weird, but the other was a clear adult White-bellied, the other had to be a juvenile but I hadn't seen this plumage before. Another birder
turned up – an older bearded guy from Singapore - and we chatted birding, as
you do.
 |
| Jacky Winter |
 |
| White-plumed Honeyeater |
 |
| White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike juvenile |
I gave it two
hours and, as things had quieted down, I headed back to camp and, after a
second breakfast, broke camp and left at 11.00.
 |
| Camp site - Girraween April 16 |
I decided to take the ‘back’
road to Stanthorpe and was prepared for possible 4WDriving. However, it turned
out to be simply an unsealed road with no difficulty and I reached Stanthorpe
after a much more enjoyable drive than the main road.
Warwick and
Mackers coffee and an easy drive back to Brisbane saw me home at 14.00.
18.4.16
Oxley
On site at 6.45 –
a cool, sunny morning – very pleasant for a stroll.
Quite birdy along
the way with the usual stuff. Near the big mistletoe draped eucalypt there was
a bit of movement resulting in me finding a juvenile Black-faced Monarch and having a very brief view of a Rose Robin – both good birds for Oxley
– among some of the normal occupants.
On then to the
lakes – a Black-shouldered Kite
doing the hovering thing some distance away - it was the first I’ve seen here
since October last year.
 |
| Black-shouldered Kite |
A Nankeen Kestrel perched up on the power
lines was the second and final raptor of the morning and a single Striped Marsh Frog called from the
first pond on the left.
 |
| Nankeen Kestrel |
A calling Little Friarbird attracted my attention
in the trees just before the main pond but the first bird I saw when I looked
was the Restless Flycatcher again.
It departed very quickly and discreetly back down the track and I didn’t expect
to see it again, however, I found it shortly afterwards feeding off the fence
line quite actively – more what one would expect from an RF than perched in a
tree.
 |
| Restless Flycatcher |
On back down the
track and a pair of Mangrove Gerygones
provided some fodder for my camera – at last.
 |
| Mangrove Gerygone |
It was a better
than average morning species wise, but butterflies were few and far between –
one Evening Brown, 4 Monarchs and one Lesser Wanderer.
16.4.16
Trotter
Mr D nominated
Trotter as his site of choice for this Saturday morning and so off we went,
arriving on site just after dawn at 6.15.
As usual the bush
was quiet – almost dead - until we reached the junction of several track s and had a minor bird-wave, Australian style with White-throated, Yellow-faced and Scarlet Honeyeaters, Australian Golden and Rufous Whistlers, Striated Pardalote and Grey Fantails, a Spangled
Drongo in the background and, surprisingly new for site, Lewin’s Honeyeater calling. All normal
birds for this time of year – but an upgraded event for Trotter!
On down the track
to the lake’s edge to find a Koala perched
up and the water’s edge still someway away from the forest - a new growth of eucalypt,
grass and weeds sprung up on the exposed lake bed.
The remaining
water was very quiet – a couple of Black
Duck and a handful of Hardheads,
a distant White-necked Heron, Australian
Darters drying off and 2 Comb-crested
Jacanas.
A movement caught my
eye and resolved itself into a juvenile White-bellied
Sea Eagle perched up; immediately afterwards an adult appeared swooping low
to the opposite bank – we scoped the site and found a Red Fox sitting exposed, casually preening and ignoring the eagles!
Moving further
down the bank and eventually rounding the corner we picked up a few more common
species – Australian Wood Duck,
Black-fronted Dotterel – and another new species for site – Australian Pipit.
Soon after a white
moth in the grass attracted my attention and the photos revealed more than just
a plain white insect – identified later as a Heliotrope Moth, Utetheisa
pulchelloides, a species with almost worldwide dispersion – very pretty.
 |
| Heliotrope Moth Utetheisa pulchelloides |
We ran into
another minor bird wave pushing through the bush back to the track – much the
same as the earlier one with the addition of Grey
Shrikethrushes and an Eastern Yellow
Robin.
The final tally
for the morning was only 42 species, by my count, including the two new for site,
(bringing my site total to 139), but still appears to indicate an improvement
on overall species and hopefully a fruitful winter ahead.
We retreated to
Belesis for pancakes and coffee and Mr D had a look at my field notebooks from
the 70s. He suggested I scan them and put them on my blog, so…. thinking that
was a good idea, I plan to do just that in the coming weeks.
13.4.16
Sydney Visitors
Rob H and Ed of Sydney had
sent me a list of birds they would like to see in SEQ. Most of the wish list
was beyond the possibilities of their availability requiring trips to the
Conondales or Inskip Pt or other sites requiring more time than they had
available, so we settled for an afternoon of local Brisbane sites where I felt
we had an average chance of success with a couple of species.
They picked me up
at 13.30 and we headed for Minnippi. It was quite warm and very windy and I
didn’t hold out a huge hope for success given the conditions and time of day,
but figured we’d give it a go for Pale-vented
Bush Hen.
Much to my
surprise it didn’t take long for them to start calling, but they were very
reluctant to show themselves. We gave it about 15 minutes then decided to leave
them to it and walked on into the park.
I showed the boys the sleepy Tawny
Frogmouths still perched up in the same tree then we surveyed the lake. There
wasn’t much going on in the heat of the afternoon, so we headed for the M1
track.
In about 70 meters
and both Ed and I saw a dove on the track ahead, my mind registered ‘Peaceful’
but I dismissed it as Bar-shouldered as it walked out of sight. Something made
me check with Ed and he said ‘No, it was Peaceful’ and it obviously was when it
flew up into a tree nearby! Funny how your instinct says one thing, but your
logic dismisses it. So, Peaceful Dove,
a new bird for Minnippi and my site list!
 |
| Peaceful Dove |
There wasn’t much
else out of order as we circumnavigated the lake apart from a ‘flock’ of 45 Masked Lapwings which was an
extraordinarily large number.
Back to the bridge
and another attempt at the Bush Hens – this time they responded well and views
were had of a probable immature sticking its head out of the thick riverside
vegetation with the odd manic dash across an open patch.
It was getting on
so we headed off to our next destination with destiny – the Port of Brisbane
visitor center pond area. It was blowing a gale when we got there and it seemed
we would have no chance at Mangrove
Honeyeater. Ed had expressed concern that the bird didn’t exist at all,
however, we managed to find two and debunk his theory.
The next stage of
my plan involved meeting Mr P at Indooroopilly so at 16.15 we headed west. The
traffic was horrific, something must have happened somewhere because it was
almost 18.00 when we finally fell into Mackers with Mr P in residence and
scarfed down burgers and coffee.
Then, in Mr P’s
car, we headed further west to Pullenvale and a hoped for encounter with Masked
Owl. Unfortunately we didn’t connect, despite trying a couple of locations and
so at 21.00 we were back at Mackers, waving goodbye to the Boys from Sydney and
heading home ourselves.
POSTSCRIPT: on my 4.4.16 visit to Minnippi I had photographed a dragonfly, but had been unable to identify. Thanks to Reiner at the Qld museum I now know what it is - Slender Skimmer Orthetrum sabina - another lifer.
Moggill SF
Acting on a
suggestion from Mr D I headed into the Monday morning traffic for the 30 minute
drive west. I had left later than normal as my main target this morning was
butterflies and I hoped the sun would reach the bottom of the valley before it
all became too uncomfortable. Moggill has always been a butterfly hot spot –
the vine scrub and scrappy bush must hold a significant range of food plants to
attract a similar range of species.
Unfortunately I
was somewhat unsuccessful in that the morning remained cloudy and relatively
dull resulting in very few of the things I was after….however I did get a new
butterfly and my first Albatross – Yellow
Albatross Appias paulina a
definite female and a probable male.
 |
| Female Yellow Albatross Appias paulina |
 |
| Probable male Yellow Albatross Appias paulina |
Bird-wise I find
this environment frustrating and painful! Frustrating in that one generally
hears more than one sees and what one does see is generally distant and at the
top of the 50-60 ft canopy – hence a sore neck. With my diminished hearing I
probably miss quite a lot and as my sight is not what it once was…..
Anyway, I did have
a few of the expected usuals – Golden and
Rufous Whistlers, Large-billed
Scrubwren, Brown Thornbill, Fantails of both species etc. Bird of the
morning was a nice view of a male Cicadabird
and I finished off with a calling, but invisible Noisy Pitta near the gate. I tried for White-eared Monarch but got
no response. I ‘Heard Only’ Rose-crowned
Fruit Dove, Wonga Pigeon and Brown
Cuckoo Dove and noted a couple of large flocks of Silvereye, presumably post-breeding feeding flocks building for
winter.
I headed home at
9.30
10.4.16
Minnippi
I met Mr P in the
car park, as arranged, at 7am. A bright clear, promising-to-be-hot in this
unseasonal above-average April we are dragging our soggy asses through.
We crossed the
bridge without incident and went to check on the Tawny Frogmouths first – they were still there pretending they
weren’t.
Spot the Frogmouths!
On the lake –
usual fare, nothing to get the pulse racing, but the water level appears to be
still dropping – fingers crossed it produces something before Autumn is
completely gone.
On to the M1 trail
and a ‘bird wave’ similar to my last visit appeared once the Magpies and Pied Currawongs had moved off – Golden & Rufous Whistlers and Lewin’s Honeyeaters predominated with a Rufous Fantail, Leaden Flycatcher and a Varied Triller involved. A White-browed
Scrub wren put in an agitated appearance in response to general playback
and Striated Pardalotes called in
the canopy.
Back out and up
the ride, then across again to the lake – nothing much at all. The lake again
starting to suffer a salvinia outbreak and the usual Swamphens, Moorhens, Black Duck etc.
The Airfield Track
was a bit birdier than it has been, but nothing overly dramatic. We did have a
nice Orchard Swallowtail among the
usual Common Crows, Evening Browns
and Dainty Grass Blues which must be
on their third or fourth hatching this year?
A single Bush Turkey on the ground, a few Rainbow Bee Eaters at the other
extreme, on the outer branches, and a single soaring Brown Goshawk completed the trail.
We stopped off at
Stu’s Raptor Lookout, but unfortunately, even with the patron present, nothing
showed so we headed off.
Anstead
We (Mr D & I)
arrived on site at 6.30 feeling a little traumatised following an incident on
the road which involved another driver playing stupid and my over reaction and
we left the car wondering if it would still be in one piece when we returned….
A nice start were
8 Apostlebirds in the car park –
always a nice species to see. Walking up the track in the clear pleasant, warm
morning we didn’t have very much initially.
Flushing a single Brown Quail
off the track’s edge and an unseen, heard only, Long-billed Corella were the only real excitement.
Along the ridge,
then turn right and along that track we hit a bit of a bird wave. Mr D believed
he heard a Restless Flycatcher, but we were unable to see it or hear it again,
but we did have White-throated
Gerygones, Rufous and Golden
Whistlers, Grey Fantails, Striated Pardalotes, Spangled Drongo, Leaden
Flycatcher, Olive-backed Orioles, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes, White-throated
Honeyeaters and, possibly best of all, a lightly barred female Common Cicadabird, all in the one spot.
Just before the
end of the track another family (?) group of Apostlebirds descended on the track.
Back along the
track and out to the lookout – an Intermediate
Egret on the river bank below was a ‘new’ bird for the reserve for us.
Technically not in’ the reserve, however, added to our list…
A pair of Pale-headed Rosellas and a pair of King Parrots hammered past, then it was
out in the open grass under the powerlines and we started chasing butterflies.
Identified later:
two previously seen species, but one new for the site - No Brand Grass-yellow Eurema
brigitta and Speckled Line-blue Catopyrops florinda. On some nearby
bushes two new species for me – Indigo Flash Rapala varuna and a Small Green-banded Blue Psychonotis caelius. Unfortunately the latter pissed off before I
could get the camera onto it.
 |
| Indigo Flash Rapala varuna |
A Garden Skink Lampropholis delicata
self-nominated for the reptile of the day.
 |
| Garden Skink Lampropholis delicata |
Checked the fig
tree – green fruit, no birds – then down the bitumen running into another small
‘bird-wave’ comprising species already seen. A Striped Honeyeater heard only and a fly over by a flock of about 10
Little Lorikeets finished off the
visit.
Thankfully the car
was still in one piece and it was off to Café Tara for breakfast in Kenmore.
Heading home Mr D
mentioned butterflies he had seen on Logan Rd around cycad plants outside a car
dealership and we called in before dropping him home. There were a number of
small blue butterflies flying around the bedraggled plants – another new
species for me – the appropriately named Cycad Blue
Theclinesthes onycha.
 |
| Cycad Blue Theclinesthes onycha. |
Enoggerra Resevoir
I thought about
Anstead but decided on Enogerra. Arriving on site at 6.15, I first noted the
absence of the usual Bush Stone Curlews guarding the edge of the car park. They
have re-done the carpark – beautifying it and increasing its size - and, I
suspect, pushed the Curlews deeper into the bush. The main gate was open,
incidentally, to allow the kayakers, swimmers. mountain bikers, walkers,
joggers, paddle boarders and other assorted visitors easier access……..I won’t
have another rant, suffice to say the water birds are in lower numbers close to
the entrance – only a few Australian
Grebes and a single Hardhead, no
Black Ducks at all. – I assume they have all been pushed further up the lake by
the afore mentioned swimmers, kayakers etc etc. I will be bringing the high
number of joggers/runners on the WALKING track to the attention of the Minister
for National Parks in due course.
So…..the track was
quiet most of the way, although a Rose Robin
about half an hour in was a nice surprise. There was, generally, more action
the further round I went, probably because most other abusers users of
the track appeared to turn back without completing the entire circuit.
There were a
significant number of female Australian
Golden Whistlers, 3 Varied Trillers
and 3 Shining Bronze Cuckoos.
 |
| Shining Bronze Cuckoo |
I only heard/saw 3
White-throated Treecreepers, but had
small numbers of most of the commoner bush species.
 |
| White-browed Scrubwren |
The Bell Miner colony was still active but
only a few birds calling.
There were very few
butterflies or dragonflies in evidence, but I did get a new butterfly – Brown Ringlet.
 |
| Brown Ringlet Hypocysta metirius |
By the time I
returned to the car – 9.15 – it was hot and things had quietened down as usual.
Minnippi
A cloudy morning
to start off with, clearing to bright sunlight and accompanying humidity, but a
relatively cool south easterly breeze relieved somewhat.
The lake was
birdier than it has been for a while, but still fairly quiet. The M1 track, at
first appeared similar but picked up further in with 2 or 3 female Australian Golden Whistlers (noted by
Mr P on E bird yesterday) and a few other common species moving through as a
scattered feeding flock.
More Golden Whistlers along the edges of the
wood as I walked up the open ride. Spangled
Drongos abounded too ( I counted at least 7) and suspect the complete lack
of fairy-wrens a direct result of their presence. If I was being hunted by a
number of black predators five times my size I’d be keeping my head down too…..
A Toressian Crow was perched on the rail
beside the pond tearing into what appeared to be a young Rat. Up and over the
hill, the Airfield Track was quiet too. Did get a new site tick Butterfly and a
new Lifer Butterfly! The former – Lesser
Wanderer and the latter – Glasswing
(Acraea andromacha)
 |
| Glasswing - Acraeas andromacha |
I sat for a while
at Stu’s Raptor Lookout without result, then headed back down the path. The 2 Tawny Frogmouths were sitting in the
same tree as in January, close to the bridge, and I renewed the bit of paper on
the trunk for Mr P to find on his next visit.
All in all a nice
morning, but not too exciting.
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