Heading South
30.8.16 – 1.9.16
Day 1 – 30.8.16
I decided a couple of days in NSW would be worthwhile so left home at 7.15.
An hour and 45 minutes later
and I was at Belongil
– just outside Byron Bay, Belongil creek mouth seemed to have some potential
according to E-bird so thought I’d check it out.
It was a bit of a hike up the
beach from the car park at the end of the road and I was a bit concerned at
leaving my fishing rods tied to the roof rack. I had no way of making them more
secure so just hoped they’d be OK.
At the mouth of the creek
there was a flock of about 80 Great
Crested Terns, a few Silver Gulls
and a Great Egret. Scoping the terns
produced two Common-type. They had dull red legs, longish slender bills, but
didn’t appear to have any dark shoulder bars. I took a few pictures for later
perusal. Still under review as to species ID. It may well just be a Common Tern, but White-fronted didn't seem out of the ball park? Comments welcome.
I walked up the creek a bit then
cut through the bush back to the beach. White-cheeked
and Lewin’s Honeyeaters
predominated with a few Little
Wattlebirds – nothing much of any significance.
Back to the car and the rods,
thankfully, still in place and I headed further south along the coast road.
Through the chaos of Byron Bay – what is it about this place? – then on past
Broken Head and Lennox Head and, eventually, my destination for today – Flat Rock,
Ballina.
I walked down the beach to
the rocks and checked out the flock of
Great Crested Terns (~200)
Ruddy Turnstones (6)
Red-necked Stints (10)
Wandering Tattlers (2)
Eastern Reef Heron (1) and
Sooty (2)
and Pied (2) Oystercatchers.
Saw a Humpback Whale breach in the back ground. It was a dropping tide,
11.00 and I didn’t expect a lot.
I went into Ballina, found
‘Dave’s Bait and Tackle’ and bought pillies and mullet fillet, then to Mackers
for lunch – well it was easy and no birding/fishing trip is worth its salt
unless Mackers is involved.
Then to the camping site, Flat
Rock Tent Park, where I was charged only $25 for the night (special rate as its
mid-week, normally it’s $30+), set up camp on a lovely grassy site and sat down
to coffee.
I checked the rocks again at
16.00 as the tide was incoming and due to peak at 18.15 or thereabouts. There
was another birder out there and we worked through the birds together. More of
the same – in increasing numbers as birds arrived to roost. New species were added in the form of Sharp-tailed and Curlew Sandpipers – really strange to see these, and the stints, on
the rocks.
We stayed about 40 minutes,
but I was a bit concerned we would get cut off as the sea was coming in around
the rocks and a channel had formed between us and the beach. So I encouraged
the other guy to leave and we managed to get across without getting too wet –
much longer and we would have been up to our waists.
I returned to camp, dumped
the birding stuff, geared up and went back down to fish the water just south of
the rocks where it appeared a shallow hole had formed. I only fished for about
an hour and a half – probably 8 casts in all - and landed 4 good Yellow-finned Bream, 2 of which were of
‘horse’ status being 38 cms! One I threw back before quitting – 3 fish was
enough and it was hard fishing alone on the open beach with a minimal light –
my primary headlight was not as charged as I thought it was…..
I returned to camp again, had
a hot shower and some dinner before crashing.
Day 2-31.8.16
The last day of winter dawned bright and sunny. Had some breakfast then checked
out the rocks again. The tide was high so the birds were there, but the channel
at the back of the rocks was too deep to cross safely so I scoped the flocks
from the beach.
Much the same as yesterday,
with the addition of at least two Double-banded
Plover. A Brahminy Kite arrived
and put everything up, then perched on the rocks and fed on something. A short
time later a White-bellied Sea Eagle
flew by and the Brahminy saw it off.
Back to camp and a leisurely
pack up, left the site at 9.15. Got fuel and some ice for the esky, then headed
south again. Bundjalung
National Park was only 70 kms away and I arrived there around 11.
Set up camp in my designated
spot – site no 34, complete with clothes line, picnic table and fire pit. At
$23.80 a night to camp you don’t get much. A bit of ground for your tent and a
distant drop toilet – that’s it. I think I was supposed to pay an $8 per day
visit fee as well, but I couldn’t find anywhere to pay it. $31 per night? In a
National Park? It’s pretty obvious they really don’t want anyone to come and if
they claim the maintenance and ‘facilities’ cost money – then I could do
without the picnic table and an 8 line clothes line – really? A clothes line?
Anyway. I had a cup of coffee
and then went for a walk through the campsite to the Jerusalem Creek track.
This track leaves the north end of the campsite and heads off across open heath
and banksia, reminiscent of Cooloola, to the mouth of the creek, 3 kms away.
I walked the first 1.5 or so
then came back via the Emu Circuit.
Despite the time of day
–midday – it was quite birdy. I had a single Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater which was nice, heaps of Rainbow Bee Eaters, Little Wattlebirds
and Lewin’s and White-cheeked Honeyeaters, a couple of Varied Trillers and a big (approx 2 meter) Lace
Monitor Varanus varies ran up a tree beside the track.
 |
| Lace Monitor Varanus varius |
Back at camp and a rest for a
couple of hours, then I tried fishing the very good looking hole in front of
the coffee rocks that give the campsite its name.
I didn’t last too long – the
sea was angry and the shore break quite aggressive. I felt uncomfortable and
apart from one possibly-just-legal size Bream I got nothing else so I gave it
away just as dusk descended.
I waited till darkness had
settled then went for a walk around the campsite and up the access road a bit.
Several Long-nosed Bandicoots Preambles nasuta including one in my campsite who took a liking to multigrain bread, and a
couple of, what I believe were probably, Potooroos,
although I didn’t get a good look at them. No night birds seen or heard despite
trying for some of the obvious ones.
 |
| Long-nosed Bandicoot Perameles nasuta |
I had something to eat,
updated my notes and crashed.
Day 3-1.9.16
The first day of Spring and it was quite chilly at 6. Dragged my sorry ass out,
had some breakfast and set off for the Jerusalem Creek track again.
This time I walked most of
the way to the creek mouth, probably about 3kms in total from the campground,
but as nothing was changing and the morning had become quite hot, I decided to
turn back at that point, (about 1 km short of the creek mouth according to the
map). The creek itself was the classic dark stained tannin type creek with
little flow and dead looking, no birds, no fish.
The place was heaving with Little Wattlebirds and White-cheeked and Lewin’s Honeyeaters with a few other bits and pieces. The hoped for
Southern Emu-wren and Tawny-crowned Honeyeaters did not eventuate. I think
Woody Head 66 kms further south might be a better location for them. I had one
butterfly species - Brown Ringlet Hypocysta metirius - several individuals
sunbathing in sheltered sunlight.
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| Brown Ringlet Hypocysta metirius |
I got back to camp, had a
coffee, broke camp and left for home at 10.30. On the way out several small Lace Monitors scurried across the
track. I arrived home at 13.15 without further incident.
27.8.16
Sandy Camp & Lindum
Picked Mr D up at 6.45 as
arranged and he declared ‘Fuller’ as his preferred destination – so, after some
initial confusion about where exactly he meant, off we went.
The water level was very
high, all ponds full. Usual stuff – ducks,
egrets, honeyeaters, jacanas etc. Mr D experimented with his home-made
digiscoping device which worked well considering it was made from half a toilet
roll and a piece of masking tape……
Three only Wandering Whistle Ducks and a similar
number of ‘bird photographers’ – you know, the ones without the bins?
Round by the Bittern pond it
was quiet – apart from the construction crews still building the factory on top
of the wetland - even on a Saturday morning.
Along the deeper pond we had
a few bits and pieces, but again nothing exceptional - except two Red-browed Finches which we saw poorly
and dismissed as just another species. Until I got home and found I had not
recorded them at Sandy Camp before – which was a bit surprising.
Back around to the main pond
and again nothing to write home about.
We went the short distance to
Fuller and walked in to scope the water filled corner –
again nothing unusual, even the Glossy Ibis that were here for several visits
in early winter had now departed.
On to Lindum and a quick check revealed
nothing more than 40 Stilts and 2 Black-fronted Dotterels, but at least
there was a good level of water so hopefully in the next few weeks as Spring
migration develops something might show up….
We didn’t bother with Burnie
rd and just headed off to Belesis for our usual breakfast.
25.8.16
Minnippi
It was a cool, damp windy day
following the previous night’s rain when I arrived on site at 7.15. The
northwesterly wind gusting quite strongly boded ill for birding success.
I headed across to the bridge
wishing I’d thought to bring a jumper. A white bird perched low above the water
50 meters downriver gave me pause and, as I reached for my bins, I thought ‘that’s
a strange place for a cockatoo to perch’
Cockatoo my ass, it was a
white phase Grey Goshawk! I went, immediately,
for my camera, but between lifting it past my eye and looking through the
viewfinder it was gone. It must have hammered downstream low over the water ‘cause
I didn’t see it again and the Noisy
Miners didn’t carry on too long.
A good bird and only my 4th
sighting in 187 visits here - and a white phase to boot! Excellent!
On then to the lake and it was
almost completely deserted. Then into the M1 track and the wind playing havoc
with anything over 3 meters tall. Birding almost impossible and the woods very,
very quiet. I did manage to find one female Australian Golden Whistler and a Rufous Fantail but that was it.
Heading back out I noticed a
side track off the main and thought, what the hell, headed down it for a few
meters and found a freshly shed Carpet
Python skin, 1.8 meters in length! I’ve never seen a snake of this size
here and it’s great to know they do exist. The skin was very fresh, still limp
and flexible – I’d guess less than 24 hours old? Maybe even earlier today? I don’t
know how long they stay soft before drying out and breaking up.
 |
| Carpet Python shed skin |
Up the Alley and across to the
lake. Nothing much apart from a flock of low flying Silvereyes. The wind really was a pain.
The usual on the lake and the
Airfield track was also very bird-challenged…..
I did see some butterflies –
one each Common Crow, Evening Brown
and Glasswing and two Monarchs, but little else of interest
on my round trip and return to the car. No sign of the Tawny Frogmouths on
their usual perch either.
21.8.16
Oxley
There was a light mist
overlying the fields when I arrived on site at 6.45. The path out was birdy
enough, but mainly Brown Honeyeaters. There were a few ‘others’ – whistlers,
Silvereyes, the usual doves – but generally it was low in quantity and quality.
At the second culvert I tried
for Lewin’s Rail and was very successful – the highlight of the morning,
actually.
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| Lewin's Rail Video to come |
At the lakes there wasn’t
much activity either and the walk back to the car didn’t bring anything else
out of the woodwork.
All in all, an average late
winter’s morning’s birding with the sun bringing heat to the latter part of the
walk.
18.8.16
Lake Manchester
The first time I visited Lake
Manchester was in the early 80s. My then wife, Karen, and I had gone there on
one of our SDOs – Special Days Off – when we worked a 9 day fortnight. It had
been a Monday and we had driven the old Holden Special down the unsealed entry road
and across the publicly accessible outflow channel to a field on the other
side. There we had parked, I had gone birding and herself had lain in the sun.
On returning to the car and
attempting to leave we found the sluice gates had been opened and our way back
to the road was blocked by a rushing torrent pouring out of the dam. We were effectively
trapped for an unknown time on the wrong side of the outflow.
However, nothing daunted, we
found our way across the escaping water by walking across a large diameter pipe
further downstream. We knocked on the door of a house near the entrance,
explained our predicament and were advised with surprise (!) that a notice had been
lodged in the Courier Mail regarding opening of the flood gates and that it
would take a couple of days for the water level to drop. We, of course, not
being readers of said Courier Mail, had not been aware of this occurrence and
so the car stayed where it was until then and we got a lift home……..
Today, 18th August
2016 – nothing so adventurous. In fact the last visit I have noted – and apparently
the only one since those far off early days – was in 2002. So, 14 years later
here I was again, older and wifeless.
No longer can one drive
blissfully unaware across the outlet creek, it’s now gated off, but otherwise
it didn’t look much different from my memories.
I walked up to the dam wall
and out along the track to the ‘left’ of it. It’s a 17 km round trip which I
had no intention of attempting and settled for about 2 kms along the lake side
before turning back and exploring the bush below the dam wall which seemed to
be more birds.
All in all, it was a bit
disappointing.
One thinks that when one
drives for almost an hour ‘into the bush’ that one will find more birds in a ‘wilder’
location. In fact I would have seen more at Oxley or even Minnippi.
On the lake itself there was
a handful of Eurasian Coots, maybe
10 Australian Grebes, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Hardhead (!), 4 Pacific Black Ducks, a flock of Little Black Cormorants, 2 Australian
Darters and a Great Egret. Oh
and one Australian Pelican…The bush
was dominated by Noisy Miners with a
few Grey Butcherbirds singing and
scattered Noisy Friarbirds. I did
find 3 Orange-streaked Ringlets
sunbathing on a warm earth bank, but other than that it was very 'sterile'.
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| Orange-streaked Ringlet Hypocysta irius |
Back below the dam a few Yellow-faced and Scarlet Honeyeaters, Silvereyes,
Eastern Whipbirds, 2 Grey Fantails,
one calling White-throated Treecreeper
and, once again, a preponderance of Noisy
Miners. Hardly any small birds at all - the Noisy Miners were everywhere and I suspect responsible. A total of
37 bird species for the morning, 19 of which I hadn’t recorded there before.
Once again, I won’t rush back,
but I will put it on the list for a seasonal visit.
16.8.16
Pt Lookout, North Stradbroke Island
Seabreeze indicated
southeasterly winds 15-20 knots for Tuesday morning, following similar
conditions on Monday, so I decided it was worth a go.
Did the usual car/water
taxi/bus thing and arrived on the point, as usual, at 8.
It was one of those mornings
where nothing is moving on the island – i.e. wind movement I mean. I saw a pair
of Bush Stone Curlews standing in
the bush opposite the Anchorage resort – in one of their favourite places. Little Wattlebirds and Noisy Friarbirds argued in the trees as
I walked out towards the point and finally felt the wind.
The glare wasn’t too bad –
enough scattered cloud to take the worst of it out. The sea was choppy with
scattered white caps and I saw a Humpback
blow as I walked out along the boardwalk.
The first birds I saw through
the scope were a flock of Hutton’s
Shearwaters and I spent the first hour exclusively on the scope counting
the passage.
I couldn’t identify every
small shearwater that passed - I counted 462 south, 127 north in that first
hour on my trusty party clicker – but the ones I could see appeared to have a very
dark underwing and armpit and so I concluded they were Hutton’s as opposed to
Fluttering.
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| My 'Party Clicker' - for seawatch counts |
A few (132 in the first hour)
Wedge-tailed Shearwaters passed, all
heading south too. Surprisingly only 1 Australian
Gannet showed before 9am – although it is possible I missed some, below the
level of the scope, as all 8 I did see in the watch were fairly close in.
After 9 the passage of
Shearwaters continued and I did a 15 minute count midway through the hour – this
resulted in:
Hutton’s Shearwater > 50/15 minutes = 200/hr
<
2/15 minutes = 8/hr
Wedge-tailed Shearwater > 15/15 minutes = 60/hr.
This would appear to indicate
a dropping off of the passage, however, just before 10 a flock of Hutton’s
passed that was at least 200 birds strong, so the 15 minute count did not accurately
reflect reality.
The only other birds of note
were approx 30 Common Terns also
heading south.
I gave it away at 10.30,
despite the passage continuing and the wind still going strong, but I felt that
there was not much else to expect from an August day.
The Humpbacks were good. It’s
amazing really how often a whale will breach right where you’re looking through
the scope. I was also treated to an adult and, later, a juvenile,
tail-slapping, close enough to actual hear the slap on the surface, and saw in
total at least 21 animals heading north. I also saw a flying fish during the
first hour’s watch.
As usual a refreshing morning
without any great excitement.
15.8.16
My Eye
So I went to my eye surgeon
again today.
I thought that the sight in
my right eye had improved.
Apparently it hasn’t, I can
still read only the second line of the eye chart. With my left eye I can almost
read who made the chart, but my right eye hasn’t improved since the last visit.
So…here’s the story.
I was diagnosed three years
ago with an eye melanoma. I waited 6 weeks for treatment, then I spent 4 days
in isolation with a radioactive patch on the melanoma in my eye. When that was
removed the tumour was effectively dead.
During the next year my eye surgeon
lasered the edges of the dead cells (which will always be in my eye) and ‘cleaned
up’ the affected area. The laser was not a pleasant experience.
That was all very good. Yes,
my sight was affected, however, I still had, basically, 20/20 vision.
Until March last year (2015)
when my sight started to deteriorate. Thankfully the tumour was not coming
back, however, the results of the radioactivity were starting to show.
In my case the tumour’s edge
was within one millimeter of the center of my eye – where all vision occurs. To
date, no one in my surgeon’s experience has had a tumour this close to the center
of their eye and still had vision. If it had been any closer I probably would have
lost my eye, but thanks to his skill I still have it and I still have vision.
There is, however, a buildup
of fluid over the center of my eye and thus my sight is blurred and wavery. It’s
kind of like looking through a pane of glass with water streaming down it. I can
see shapes, colour and larger letters, but I can’t see details. For example –
when driving I can see the black 4WD in front of me – but I can’t
see what make it is or read its number plate. I hasten to add - my left eye is
fine and I am perfectly safe and cleared to drive!
So to address this fluid buildup
the answer is to inject my eye directly with medicine which should reduce the
fluid by, basically, drying it up.
I started injections last
year in July, I think. Since then I have had about 5 or 6 injections?
Today I had another.
I hate them.
It’s all very quick and Dr
Sunil Warrier puts plenty of anesthetic in my eye so it is almost numb.
However, the final thrust of the needle is….painful? Traumatic? Kind of – not screaming,
running-from-the-room painful, but it’s kinda like……..having a needle stuck in
your eye really!
When he injects the 0.5 ml medicine, the pressure in
my eye spikes and everything goes black.
That was pretty scary the first time
it happened. He had to draw off some liquid from my eyeball with a needle to
reduce it quickly.
Now I’m used to it and it does go black, but it recedes
fairly quickly afterwards.
I always cycle in to the Wickham st
office from home – approx. 10 kms – and home, with a patch on my eye. It gives
me a feeling of survival and control – important I think when you’re paying
someone to stick a needle in your eye. He says I'm the only patient to arrive and leave on a pushbike.
My sight has improved
somewhat over the past twelve months, but less so recently. Once again, the
good doctor has not had anyone with a tumour this close to the center of their
eye and still have vision so I guess, in his experience, we are experimenting.
So we’re going to try and
bring the injections closer together as the medicine he injects has a life span
of approximately 6 weeks. My next appointment is September 26th and,
hopefully we will inject another dose before this one has worn off and maybe
make some gains.
The main issue is if we don’t
reduce the fluid, the layer of cells at the back of my pupil, which control the
sight in that eye, could, potentially, be damaged by the fluid and if that
happens, I will lose the sight.
Why am I writing this? Cause
I figure some of you out there may be interested and it’s easier to put it like
this, if you are, than try and explain it verbally.
Why am I writing now? Three
years after the start? I don’t really know. I’ve never been reluctant to talk
about it and have been happy to explain it to anyone, it just seems that right
now I wanted to document where I’m at and share it. I think being told today
that my eye is a little bit unique – at least in my doctor’s experience - made
it more special.
Hopefully in the next couple
of months I can report vast improvements and can finally tell the make of that dam black 4WD ahead……
12.8.16
Luggage Pt
I’d seen this site on several
occasions listed on E-bird in the last few months so I thought I’d venture out and see
it for myself. On site at 7.15 and I wondered what the fuss was all about.
Google Maps note it as Queen Mary’s
Lookout, if Queen Mary of Tasmania, oops, sorry, Denmark, happened to come here
she would avert her pretty face, hold her pretty nose and run away….
With the distinct odour of
Brisbane’s finest deposits in the air, the scrappy grass, half dead looking
mangroves, scattered high tide detritus and exposed muddy sand not inspiring optimism I set off to walk up river along the low tide ‘sand’.
In the end I was mildly
surprised to find such niceties as Mangrove
Honeyeater and Mangrove Gerygone,
an Eastern Curlew, a Whimbrel and 2 coveys of Brown Quail. A (approx.) 25 strong
flock of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins,
several parties of Golden-headed
Cisticolas, 2 Black-shouldered Kites
and a pair of Eastern Ospreys turned
it into an acceptable mornings birding.
 |
| Eastern Curlew |
 |
| Golden-headed Cisticola |
It was a bit restricted due
to the no access area of Brisbane’s main sewage plant, but surprisingly birdy
between the fence and the river. Hundreds of Welcome Swallows, Tree and Fairy
Martins took advantage of the insects presumably attracted by the ‘farm’
and occasionally mixed flocks of Pacific
Black Ducks and Chestnut Teal
rose from beyond the fence, circled and dropped back out of sight.
It wasn’t that exciting this
morning and I won’t rush back, but it’ll be worth a look now and again.
11.8.16
Minnippi
Time to go to Minnippi again….things
were pretty quiet overall, although I ended up with a fair list for the day.
Pink-eared Ducks still on site, Tawny Frogmouths
back on their perch, a smaller number of Silvereyes
in the forests – two smallish flocks of about 30 birds each – a small number of
Honeyeaters and the usual water
birds.
Interestingly, I had what
appeared to be a ‘dry season’ Evening
Brown – not as clearly marked as the ‘wet season’ form, a Black Jezebel and 3 Glasswings. This is the second time
this week I have found Glasswings – it appears it may be a late winter hatch.
They all appeared to be in good nick and presumably recently emerged.
 |
| Dry season form of Evening Brown Melanitis leda |
I walked around the top of the
M1 forest this morning for a change, but saw nothing exceptional – the one Fan-tailed Cuckoo I did see appeared as
I re-entered the forest. I also spent 10 minutes or so in Stu’s Raptor Lookout
but remained raptor-challenged for the morning.
 |
| View from Stu's Raptor Lookout |
White's Hill Reserve
I had long noticed a gulley
on Pine Mountain Rd, 10 minutes from home, and wondered what it might, if
anything, contain. I headed there for 7.30.
On arrival I found it to be
White’s Hill Reserve and I was entering at Sankey’s Scrub. I had seen White’s
Hill Reserve mentioned several times on E Bird and had wondered exactly where
it was – now I knew.
The initial impression was of
a vine scrub filled gulley. This only lasted for about 100 meters and then it
became a dry eucalypt hillside. Not my favourite birding habitat, however, I
plowed on up the hill. As in all dry eucalypt there was little understory or, more
accurately, none. Anything that was there was high in the canopy – and there
wasn’t a lot of anything there either.
 |
| This spot actually had some understory.... |
So, I wandered along the tracks
towards the ‘summit’ or, at least, the highest point. It wasn’t exactly
Everest. The BCC boys were ‘at work’, a euphemism if ever there was one, and
their trucks were parked in the field at ‘the top’. I wandered down a track on
the far side till it was obviously going into another suburban street, then
made my way via Sankey’s Circuit back to my start point.
I saw the usual birds one
would expect to see in this habitat – Noisy
Miners and loads of Noisy
Friarbirds, Rainbow and Scaly-breasted
Lorikeets, Pale headed Rosellas and Laughing
Kookaburras, Striated Pardalotes, both Whistlers
and a Grey Fantail. A Fan-tailed Cuckoo and 3 Rainbow Bee Eaters and finally a Brown Goshawk soaring over the
woodlands.
Reviewing the list on E-Bird
that others have contributed to I noted several birds that don’t appear to fit
in this habitat – Australian Grebe for one, Little Black Cormorant for another?
Wonder where they saw those? Flying over?
In conclusion – not somewhere
I would rush back to, but will probably visit again on a monthly basis or so,
just out of interest’s sake. Maybe, MAYBE worth a spotlight visit sometime?
8.8.16
Anstead
I decided on Anstead as it was two months since I had visited and it seemed like a good day for it.
It wasn’t bad – the track in from the field was quite birdy. Not the best I’ve ever seen, but pretty good all the same.
Virtually the first birds I saw were two Fan-tailed Cuckoos, then there were Rufous and Australian Golden Whistlers, Striated Pardalotes, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes, Double-barred and Red-browed Finches, Grey Fantails, Lewin’s and (heaps of) Yellow-faced Honeyeaters and, best bird to start with, a brightly pink male Rose Robin.
Nothing exceptional, I admit, but I took the best part of an hour for the first part of the track anyway.
It got quieter along the ridge, although I did have a trio of noisy Pale-headed Rosellas and a very discreet Little Shrike Thrush.
 |
| Little Shrikethrush |
Out to the lookout point over the river – nothing much there, tide was low,
then back to the main track picking up a brief Rufous Fantail on the way and through to the power lines with nothing else of major interest.
There was no fruit in the fig tree so it was down the bitumen, finding a Glasswing Acraea andromacha on the way, the only other butterfly apart from the ubiquitous Monarch (2)
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| Glasswing Acraea andromacha |
A second Rose Robin, this one only faintly pink, and a pair of White-bellied Cuckoo-shrikes were the highlights, then it was back to the car without much further incident. Overall it was quite a good morning – 48 species in all.
7.8.16
Toohey
Mr D rang on Saturday night as arranged and we discussed the options for the next morning.
He had a ‘bung’ knee and didn’t want to walk too far.
He suggested Toohey.
I groaned – audibly – there’s never anything there!
He tempted me with thoughts of Powerful Owl….
I thought back to last weekend and the Owl family at Mt Cootha and then further back and the number of unsuccessful visits I’ve had looking for PO at Toohey.
Then I relented and agreed – what the hell, it was only one morning and, after all, he was half crippled…
I picked him up at 7 and we arrived on site 5 minutes later.
We moved slowly as he hobbled along.
I wondered if I should just put him out of his misery, but thought, nah, let him suffer….
The track was, in fact, birdier than usual with Scarlet, Yellow-faced and White-throated Honeyeaters in the canopy. Admittedly not many of them, but enough to keep us looking. We turned off the bitumen and Mr D inched his way down the loose gravelly slope.
I thought, if you fall you’re on your own, cause I can’t carry you out…..
Across the almost dry creek bed and there were some small birds flitting around in the trees to our left.
Mr D “Up there – a Scarlet and a Spinebill………..and a Powerful Owl with a dead Possum!”
And there it was – an adult Powerful Owl with a Brush-tailed Possum under its talons!
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| Powerful Owl |
We checked all the trees in the immediate area, but there was no sign of another bird or juveniles.
Moving on we climbed slowly up the track to the ridge and, eventually, down the bitumen back to the car. The only other birds of real interest were a pair of nicely pinked-up male Rose Robins.
Well – Powerful Owl and Rose Robins aren’t to be sneezed at 5 minutes from home on a winter Sunday morning so it had been a worthwhile expedition after all!
We retired to Belesis for breakfast.
PS In my records I found I hadn’t even listed Powerful Owl before it was that long since I’d seen one here!
5.8.16
Oxley
On site at 7 – cold, clear, bright morning. Sort of what I’d hoped for at Sundown, but anyway…..
The track was busy, but mainly with dozens of Brown Honeyeaters. The usual species were scattered along the track – the main ‘excitement’ was a Pheasant Coucal that flew across the creek, either an ‘overwinter-er’, or an early return.
The lakes were quiet, 3 Australian Pelican, one Australian Darter, one Little Black Cormorant, 5 Pacific Black Ducks, one Dusky Moorhen, one Black-fronted Dotterel and that was it!
Several flocks of Silvereyes along the track and what appeared to be a higher than usual number of Lewin’s Honeyeaters, but little else of interest.
I did see a new lizard – Major Skink Egernia frerei – sunning itself on the second culvert, only its upper half was visible, it’s quite a large Skink.
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| Major Skink Eugenia frerei |
I took a photo of an Eastern Cattle Egret in classic pose – just because it was there….
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| Eastern Cattle Egret |
2-3.8.16
Sundown National Park
Day 1 020816 Set off a little later than I had planned due to a sleepless night and it was 8.15 when I reached Warwick. I got a coffee at Mackers made in my super-duper travelling mug and filled up with fuel, which, much to my disappointment, was the same price as Brisbane – it’s usually cheaper in Warwick.
Reached Duraki waterhole at 9.00 and settled in to watch the Yellow-tufted, Yellow-faced, Brown-headed, White-naped, Striped & Fuscous Honeyeaters, along with Noisy Friarbirds, Noisy Miners and Dusky Woodswallows bathe, drink and squabble.
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| Duraki waterhole |
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| Dusky Woodswallow |
I had hoped for Black-chinned He but in my two hour watch they didn’t eventuate. I did have one Brown Treecreeper, a couple of Mistletoebirds a trio of fly over Little Lorikeets and a very confiding Eastern Yellow Robin.
This place always amazes me. In any other bird-aware developed country this spot would be protected, managed and a substantial hide in place. Nope, not here. Bare dirt, rubbish and degraded woodland is your lot. Ho Hum moving on……
To Mosquito Creek Rd and a pair of Blue Bonnets flying ahead as normal. I parked up half way along and walked the rest.
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| distant Blue Bonnet - pretty crap, but they don't come close. |
Striated and Spotted Pardalotes, another pair of Blue Bonnets – still keeping their distance as they do – and a handful of Yellow-throated Miners, one of which obliged.
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| Yellow-throated Miner |
Almost back at the car and a small flock of Inland Thornbills moved quickly through the roadside trees. Right back at the car (of course) another small flock of, this time, Yellow Thornbills and a single Yellow-rumped. Sometimes I wonder why we walk anywhere – everything seems to be beside the car when we get back…. No sign of Squatter Pigeons or White-winged Fairy wrens – might have been a bit late at 11.30.
Ok so on to Coolmunda Dam for a quick scan – nothing of any worth so it was back to the turn off to Stanthorpe and the cross country drive began. I had done this many years ago and had, more by good luck rather than good judgement, managed to make it to Sundown via back roads – avoiding Stanthorpe. Now of course I had ‘Karen Navman’ who tells me in no uncertain terms where to go – I was married to a Karen once who behaved the same way……
So I headed off following Herself’s directions, down Soldier’s Settlement rd and then turned right, as instructed by ‘Karen’ onto another unsealed road which had a sign advising ‘No Through Road’ but she ignored that so I did too.
12 kms later with the road condition generally deteriorating, and having (successfully) avoided suicidal Grey Kangaroos, panic-stricken sheep and lambs, dopey cattle and even skittish horses along with dozens of road-killed ‘roos and pigs, I arrived at a gate which said ‘Private Property, no entry’. On the other side of this gate was a rather chubby, hairy individual. He turned out to be very friendly and helpful and explained that there was, in fact, regardless of Karen’s advice, no further access as the next gate was locked and even he couldn’t open it. I must return to Soldier’s Connections rd and turn right to head for the Sundown Road.
I thanked him and did that, while Karen moaned and groaned and told me to ‘Do a U turn when safe’ until I nearly threw her out the window. After 10 kms she finally realised I wasn’t going to do any freaking U turn and started sulking until she re-organised herself and tried to take me back to Coolmunda Dam. When I ignored her and turned right she really spat the dummy and refused to show me the map while repeatedly saying “Do a U turn when its safe” I continued on, telling her what I was going to do to her if she didn’t shut the f…. up, but she continued to abuse me…….. oh memories, memories….….
Eventually I reached the bitumen again and she relented and told me, once again, where to go in a smug, self satisfied tone. I told her I knew the way now and ignored her………Women!
So, on site at 16.10, still plenty of daylight, tent and canopy up by 16.45, kettle on and a long awaited coffee anticipated…..
Then it rained.
Now, I had come prepared for the cold or even the heat but I had not come prepared for rain – for God’s sake, it NEVER rains out here!
Well my canopy is up and I should be OK, thinks I – soon to discover that my canopy was great for shade, but was not waterproof anymore. So I was kept busy moving my chair around, tipping the water out of the leaky canopy, adjusting guy ropes and generally not having a very relaxing time of it…until I gave up and sat in the car until it finished.
It wasn’t much really, more a heavy shower which stopped after a half an hour or so, hopefully it wouldn’t repeat itself.
A false hope as it turned out.
19.00 Distant flashes of light in the dark sky announced an approaching storm. In August? WTF?
I packed everything down and put anything valuable in the car and, at 20.40 crawled into my small one-man tent, zipped up and lay, fully clothed as a massive thunder storm moved overhead. The ground shook, the wind blew, the rain pelted, the canopy flapped, the tent bellied in and out.
I started to worry about the metal poles on the canopy and the single curved aluminum pole curved over my head. Should I make a break for the car? Could lightning possibly hit the only piece of standing metal in the valley? I consoled myself with the fact that the lightning had appeared to be sheet rather than forked and crossed everything I had imagining the worst.
In any event the storm passed over in about 20 minutes and the rain eased off after about 30. I fell asleep only to wake early morning to the sound of more rain. So much for the cold, clear, sunny weather I had expected.
Day 2 030816 I lay for some time as it drizzled and dripped eventually emerging at 7.30 into a, needless to say, very damp, soggy, grey morning. It wasn’t cold, just pretty miserable.
I found my long-life milk carton had been visited by a hairy invader during the night - probably the Northern Brown Bandicoot I had spotted the night before....
It was OK - he hadn't got much....
I had some breakfast then set off for the field as it appeared the actual falling rain had eased and it was mostly dripping from the trees in the occasional breeze, however, the sky remained grey and dismal looking. The Grey Kangaroos were out feeding looking a little damp.
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| Eastern Grey Kangaroo |
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| The Famous Field in Sundown - where it, normally, all happens.... |
In the field it was very quiet bird-wise. A female Red-capped Robin was the first bird of interest. Yellow-rumped Thornbills, Striated Pardalotes, a few White-plumed Honeyeaters and a couple of Jacky Winters were in evidence.
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| Female Red-capped Robin |
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| Yellow-Rumped Thornbill |
I finally came across a small flock of 7 Turquoise Parrots and, after a 50 meter crawl across open, damp, stony ground managed to get some satisfactory photos.
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| 2 males & 1 female Turquoise Parrots |
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| Male Turquoise Parrot |
There was no sign of the expected Hooded Robins, Spotted Bowerbird or Diamond Firetails.
I wandered around the area for a couple of hours coming across one Whip-tailed or Pretty-faced Wallaby among the Kangaroos.
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| Whip-tailed or Pretty-faced Wallaby |
I did find a couple of other small flocks of Turks totaling, I figured, about 15 birds. Reviewing my notes from previous visits – since 2003 - I noted between 25 and 80 birds each visit, although I think the latter is an over-estimate. However, it appeared to me that the number of birds on this visit was dramatically smaller than I remembered. Whether this is due to the very recent, wet, conditions, the warmer winter we are experiencing or is a realistic count for this year I don’t know. Ground conditions appear much the same as I remember and not much else has changed in the surrounding park.
Returning to my camp site it drizzled again and then a flock of White-winged Choughs invaded the site and strode confidently in and around the tent and canopy calling to each other.
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| Broadwater campsite - toilets and showers https://youtu.be/sC82fciqLr0 |
I had planned, and paid for, two days camping, but decided that I didn’t want to face another wet, stormy night and packed up. By midday I was on the road and it rained on and off as far as Warwick, confirming my decision. I arrived home 4 hours later to a cold sunny day in Brisbane.
