Weekends That Were - March 2017

31.3.17

Norman Creek, Holland Park west

The tail end of Cyclone Debbie whipped SE Qld last night – torrential rain and, as always after rain, high winds. The south westerly was still blowing hard but the sun was shining when I ventured down the road in my wellies at 7.30.

Not much activity in the sodden field, but the creek had not burst its banks and had dropped back close to its normal level.

Saw few birds and even fewer butterflies and dragonflies - they will need another day and a drop in the wind I think. I did photograph a moth which I believe is a Brown Looper Mocis trifasciata. These ‘little brown jobbies’ are always hard to ID so I am willing to be corrected. I have filmed this species at Anstead and Minnippi before and they all show slight variations in wing design – so maybe they are all different?

Brown Looper Mocis rifasciata

28.3.17

Oxley

I hit the ground limping (ha ha) at 7.15 and stick-less – a little later than planned, but I had slept in.

Overall quite birdy but nothing to write home about really. Most notable was probably a number of Rainbow Bee Eaters apparently feeding on bees attracted to a few flowering trees along the track. These trees, though, had not attracted many birds.

A Whistling Kite over the ponds was the only raptor and there were only 2 Pacific Black Ducks on the small patch of water left by the encroaching water lillies and what looked like a dead Black Duck floating in the same area.

3 Yellow-rumped Thornbills flitted across the track as I returned, which was nice, and a pair of Striated Pardalotes perched up without encouragement providing some camera fodder – difficult to resist.

Striated Pardalote

The butterflies were quite good with a number of Common Eggfly, lots of Lesser Wanderers, smaller numbers of Monarchs, of course, a single (and only my second site record) Blue Tiger and, strangely enough, a new site species – Common Crow.

It was pretty sweaty by the time I got back to the car at 9.30 and I was pretty f…..d.

25.3.17

Moggill

Mr D and I arrived on site at 7.15. I expected the small creek to be running and clear signs of the heavy rain we had experienced during the previous week – but in fact, the creek was very low, with just minimal additional water in it and no discernible ‘flow’ and the path and surrounding bush dry and ‘dead’ looking.

The birding was equally slow and ‘dead’ – surprisingly so. Maybe there was little rain in this immediate area and the occupants had moved temporarily to more fertile ground elsewhere?

Whatever, apart from multiple Eastern Whipbirds which were having a field day and a distant Wonga Pigeon there was little of interest for the first half of the track. We did, however, end up with some nice birds on the list – a heard and poorly seen Rose-crowned Fruit Dove, an immature Black-faced Monarch, several Rufous Fantails and a couple of Little Shrike Thrushes – it was a poor day’s birding. To add to the frustration, the butterflies that did become active in the patches of sunlight that finally penetrated the overhead murk would not sit down for either viewing or photographs and two creaking, limping birders finally struggled back to the car with little to show for the morning.

We had a long breakfast at Café Tara in Chapel Hill to assuage our morning ……….. and ease our aching bones.

23.3.17

Sandy Camp and Lindum

Mr P picked me up at 6. There had been some discussion regarding a small Stint at lake Clarendon in the Lockyer Valley and we had planned to ‘twitch it’. However, latest advice was that it was only a Red-necked Stint so we decided to continue with our original plan.

It was a cloudy, damp morning with rain threatening, but not eventuating. Recent heavy rain had flooded the ponds almost to their maximum levels.

Several Egrets provided some identification challenges initially, but 3 were non-breeding or immature Little Egrets displaying a yellow base to the bill – something I had never noticed before. I guess it’s the old Egret syndrome that continues to haunt me…..

Loads of Rainbow Lorikeets, Noisy and Little Friarbirds feeding on the blossoming trees overhead. Wandering Whistle Ducks on the water – but bugger all other ducks, only about 6 Pacific Black Ducks overall. We walked the whole area, the usual Darters, Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants nesting together in water isolated trees, but nothing unusual or significant.

As we returned to the main lake a flock of approx 20 Magpie Geese flew in and perched, honking anxiously, in the trees.

A fungi on a branch over the water appears to me to be Gymnopilus ferruginosus, a new species for us.

Gymnopilus ferruginosus

We headed on to the lake opp the school – Fowler park – but there was very little there. The only bird of interest was a lone Royal Spoonbill ‘kneeling’ in the middle of the school oval. A strange sight and unexplainable – it was still there when we left.

On to Lindum and it was quite flooded too. I counted a total of about 350 White-headed Stilts and there was a lone Marsh Sandpiper, 2 Black-fronted Dotterels, a mixed flock of Grey and Chestnut Teal and a scattered flock of 20 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. We sifted through them carefully, but they remained as Sharp-tailed. Mr P spotted a new species for the site for both of us – a lone Pacific Golden Plover, the highlight of the day.

21.3.17

Norman Creek - Holland Park West

Finally, decent rain – and very heavy overnight it was too, with showers still threatening in a cloudy grey sky.

I hummed and hawed about going, but eventually dragged my sorry ass downstairs, into my wellies and down the road to my ‘patch’. I wasn’t expecting much – being around 9.00 when I left – but wanted the exercise anyway.

I totalled 16 species of birds including 5 Pale-headed Rosellas and a single Spangled Drongo, which was about average for Autumn. I also had 4 Water Dragons – most likely flushed out with the higher than normal water level in the creek. The field was quite flooded and I was glad of the full length wellies, but few butterflies were in evidence. I did have one Graphic Flutterer and a Blue Skimmer – both new species for site so the dragonflies were making the best of the wet conditions and a mating pair of Common Bluetails were making even more of it……

I found a small grasshopper that stayed still long enough for me to get a very, very poor photo of with my phone. I think it was a Creek Grasshopper, Bermius odontocercus.

18.3.17

Toohey Forest

As Mr D had been working yesterday he had been unable to accompany us to Minnippi so instead he and I went to Toohey this morning.

I am never very keen on Toohey Forest – yes, it occasionally turns up something, but it always seems like a lot of effort in a, mostly, dry eucalypt environment with little to offer. However, as Mr D does, we live in hope…

Ok, so this particular morning wasn’t too bad – although it took a lot more out of me than I expected, possibly because it was my second day for a two hour walk.

We had a Tawny Frogmouth from the tarmac path – not unusual, but not a normal sighting at this spot. As usual a lot of the activity was in the canopy and heard rather than seen – which is frustrating to me with my shit audio capability! There were quite a few Yellow-faced Honeyeaters and we picked out a Scarlet or two and a pair of White-throated. Further on we ran into a bird wave of sorts and among the more usual individuals a Fan-tailed Cuckoo popped up, we also had two Rufous and one Grey Fantail along the way.

At the same location I took a few photos of a butterfly I thought I’d seen before but which turned out to be a new one – Orange Ringlet Hypocysta adiante – which was a nice surprise. Two new butterflies in two days isn’t so bad!

Orange Ringlet Hypocysta adiante 

17.3.17

Minnippi

Mr P and I had planned to use the morning taking photos of dragonflies around the lake – but it was one of those brassy, bright windy days when nothing would settle, the glare was shit and the shadows very dark so, unfortunately the dragons didn’t eventuate.

The morning, overall, was quiet. The main event was a huge flock of Little Black Cormorants intent on decimating the fish population. There were at least 70 birds fishing in a moving flock, a moving wave of serrated bills and eager eyes that gave any fish unlucky enough to be seen little chance of escape.

We didn’t walk the Airfield Track – neither of us felt it was worthwhile, although I wouldn’t have gone anyway, resting instead beside the boardwalk and again at the raptor lookout. I was pretty knackered afterwards and collapsed into Mr P’s couch for a 90 minute coffee sustained rest afterwards.

We did get a new butterfly both ‘for site’ and ‘for us’ – Yellow or Australian Admiral. Unfortunately, too, neither it nor the single White-banded or Common Plane we saw didn’t hang around for photos. A single Tawny Frogmouth sat in the usual tree at the bridge end of the pond, looking always, like a grumpy cartoon figure.

11.3.17 & 13.3.17

Minnippi and Oxley

Finally getting out and about again after more than three months. It's tiring, but not painful! 

Saturday 11.3.17 Picked up Mr D and Mr P and we arrived at Minnippi at 6.45 or thereabouts. It was slow going but the guys were patient and refrained from pushing me over or tripping me up which was nice. (Not that they would do that, I'm just taking the piss).

We checked the lake and the M1 track, but didn't do the Airfield track, instead spending some time sitting at the Raptor Lookout as I needed a bit of a sit down.

Not a very exciting day although we did have an Osprey over the lake which was only my fourth record and a similar number for Mr P too, I believe.

There were almost no Fairy-wrens or Honeyeaters around - very quiet generally, but a nice morning out.

Mr D and I went for breakfast at Belesis afterward, unfortunately, Mr P had other commitments.

Monday 13th. I decided I needed a walk so went to Oxley at 7.45. A cloudy, rainy looking cooler morning to start with, but after half an hour or so the threatening rain arrived in the form of thin drops. I managed to make it all the way to the ponds, when the rain intensified of course and I hobbled back getting slowly more wet (?).

It was very quiet here too - especially along the track, although I did find a trio of Australian King Parrots feeding quietly in a tree beside the river - a first for this species for me here, bringing my site total to 163. Later a White-necked Heron flew in onto the right hand pond - my first here since 2013. So it wasn't a total waste, although again no Fairy-wrens at all and only 1 Pacific Black Duck!

I did add a new Dragonfly to my site list - Common Bluetail Ischnura heterosticta, (possibly) a new butterfly - to be confirmed (see photo - I suspect its a Pale Pea-blue Catochrysops panormus) and two or three Turtles poked their snouts out of the main pond.....poss Macquarie Turtle?
(PS - later confirmed that, yes, it was a Macquarie Turtle.)

It was a long, wet hobble back to the car.

Macquarie Turtle

3.3.17

Update 7

Home again - finally.

Yes, released back into the wild yesterday - 11 weeks and one day since the accident and 10 weeks to the day in St Vincent's Private Hospital.
Walking with a stick and the burn on my right leg bandaged, but the leg is holding up well, all of my left side is healed, but for one sticky, stubborn spot on my arse, my ribs are all good and my pelvis feels mostly OK, though still an effort to roll over in bed.
I tire fairly quickly, just my strength and endurance needs re-building. I have regained a 100 degree bend in my right leg, but can't kneel yet. I hope I don't fall over cause I might struggle to get up - be like a beetle on my back, waving my arms and legs in the air!
I have an appointment next Tuesday (7.3) for more x-rays and an assessment on my 'breakages' and an appointment also with the 'plastics section' to review the leg burn. It's pretty good - now only about the size of a large 50 cent piece - but it has granulated, which means it sits slightly proud of the surrounding skin and would scar if not reduced - the plastics people are hoping the treatment they started yesterday will reduce the scarring.
I'm managing the 31 stairs to my unit quite capably - walking slowly, but normally, up - but down is both feet on the same step each time, a bit slower. But 'soldier on' I will, cause I need to get fit and strong again and ready to rock n roll.
I'm happy to be as far along as I am and....... just to be alive.