Weekends That Were - June 2017

23.6 - 2.7.17

Moreton Island

A week on Moreton island spent fishing and lazing around. Didn’t do much serious birding, but did notice a few things here and there, highlights being the huge number of Bush Stone Curlews, Whistling Kites, White-bellied Sea Eagles and Brahminy Kites. A single Peregrine Falcon at Cape Moreton, several sightings of a couple of Beach Stone Curlews and a Black-necked Stork seen well twice.

Brahminy Kite

Black-necked Stork

The fishing was disastrous, but the Humpback Whales were a regular feature on the ocean beach.

Several butterflies to add to my site list and one new lifer – Small Dusky Blue Candalides erinus.

Small Dusky Blue Candalides erinus.

Apart from falling down some steps on the back of Cape Moreton and severely twisting my left (good leg) ankle, it was a very quiet, non-eventful week spent reading, sleeping and trying to catch apparently non-existent fish.

20.6.17

Norman Creek, Holland Park West

Been a while since I birded the end of the road so ventured down this morning to check it out. Pretty much as usual and pretty much the same as my last visit. A flock of about 12 Rainbow and 8 Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, Grey and Pied Butcherbirds, a single Brown Honeyeater, Grey Fantail, Superb Fairy-wren and Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, a couple of Silvereyes and Spangled Drongos (not eating each other) and the other usual residents. Nothing riveting.

19.6.17

Pt Lookout, North Stradbroke Island

25-30 knot south-easterlies predicted and I was on the water taxi at 7.00. On site at 8 after a very calm crossing the wind was howling – looking good.

But…………disappointment. Two and a half hours later I had tallied a sad total of 19 Australian Gannets, 3 Hutton’s/Fluttering Shearwaters – far too far away to ascertain species – and a single probable (Fairy) Prion. A total of 9 Humpback Whales and a small pod of Bottle-nosed Dolphins completed the sightings.

The only interesting occurrence was a Whistling Kite about 500 meters off shore flapping heavily against the howling wind. It seemed to be almost fishing but I think it was just struggling along dipping and soaring, last seen still heading south well offshore.

On the way back to the boat ramp, from the bus, I had a brief view of a pair of Bush Stone Curlews standing in the camp ground opposite the bowls club and back at the boat ramp a low sleeping Koala had attracted attention from the punters. Other than that it was pretty much a waste of time. I suspect the water is too warm still, its not even that cold for this time of year – it was about 21 degrees even with the southerly wind.

18.6.17

Lockyer Valley Quail Hunt

Sunday morning 4.45 and Mr D arrived in his new chariot. We headed west to the Lockyer Valley on a Quail hunt. Mr D had done some research on Stubble Quail sightings and was keen to get this bogey off his back and ‘on the list’.

We checked out various spots around Seven Mile Lagoon which was fairly full and well loaded up with duck. We didn’t spend a lot of time looking at the water birds, focusing more on walking the roads and trying for quail. Not that we saw or heard many – but one Brown Quail got quite excited and ran/walked/flew in to see what the noise was.

Eventually we drove to Atkinson’s Dam and scoped the water there. The usual wintery species – more good numbers of duck including a few Australian Shoveler and a huge flock of Great Cormorants all hunting the lake together.

We parked up in Banff Rd (opp Atkinson’s Dam) and had a walk across a country track. By now the sun was warming up and a number of Reticulated Slug Deroceras reticulatum (I think) had appeared accompanied by a single Leech sp – unusual out on the bare earth?

Leech sp 

Reticulated Slug Deroceras reticulatum

Across Boyce’s Rd again and a couple of more road checks before agreeing to give it away and adjourn to Mackers on the highway for a belated breakfast.

Before we headed home we went into the Gatton Univ and had a look at Lake Galletly. A couple of hundred Plumed Whistle Ducks, Magpie Geese and Pink-eared Ducks with a small number of Australian Grebes we sorted through looking for Hoary-headed, but none fit the bill. A Yellow Thornbill in the low bush beside the lake was, to me, a surprise. I’d more expect them in high eucalypt, but maybe that’s just me.

We headed home at midday after an easy-paced, non-urgent nothing-out-of-the-ordinary kind of morning. Maybe next time Mr D.

16.6.17

Sandy Camp rd and Lindum

Been a while and I thought it’d make a nice Friday morning wander. It did, average birding with nothing exceptional. I didn’t find the Striated Heron or Restless Fly that everyone has been seeing as per E-bird, however, did have 2 Peaceful Doves, only my third record and a Spangled Drongo demolishing a Silvereye.

https://youtu.be/xvJNFlmjBe0

32 Wandering Whistle Ducks was a good number amid the usual suspects around the ponds. A number of Scarlet Jezebels Delias argenthona and a few Black Jezebels Delias negrina were obvious around the few blossoms showing.

On to Lindum and no brown waders. 125 White-headed Stilts, 3 Red-kneed Dotterels and 3 Red-necked Avocets - such an elegant bird and again only my third record for site. 

Red-necked Avocet

Also added Fairy Martin and Black Jezebel Delias negrina to my site list. Striped Marsh Frogs Limnodynastes peronii were calling at both locations – obviously stimulated after the recent rains.

10.6.17

Trotter

Headed to Trotter alone on Saturday morning as neither Mr P nor Mr D were available.

The first thing I noticed was the activity – birds everywhere, falling out of the trees!

Nahh – only joking, it was as dead as ever. 

I walked the ‘long way round’ along the back of the two neighbouring private properties and down to the overgrown, almost dried out channel that leads to the main lake from the west end. There really was bugger all there despite the apparent varied habitat – still can’t get used to the almost complete desert-like emptiness.

I mean, 4 Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, 1 Rufous Whistler, a few Lorikeets, a couple of Striated Pardalotes somewhere in the canopy, a distantly heard Bar-shouldered Dove and Striped Honeyeater don’t exactly make for a good day’s birding. I did come across 5 Peaceful Doves at one point – that was the highlight in the bush.

The water was almost as quiet. 2 Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants, 2 Darters, 2 White-faced Herons, 17 Hardhead and a group of 9 Pelicans. Three Gull-billed Terns flew around, one landed near a distant group of 5 birds, half-obscured by long grass, which I assume were also GBTs.

The one surprise was a mixed group of Red-kneed and Black-fronted Dotterels feeding along a muddy strip of shoreline. Only my second record for Red-kneed here and it did appear that the water level had dropped back a bit recently in this particular spot and whether that had encouraged these waders I don’t know. Hopefully it indicates a change for the better for the winter months.

Raptors? A single distant Whistling Kite and an immature White-bellied Sea Eagle.

Butterflies: An Evening Brown Melanitis leda was a new site tick. Common Crow and Lesser Wanderer as individuals.

I did take photos of a Common Yellow Crane Fly Letotarsus (Macromastix) tortilis which I had recorded here previously – I did include a photo then (9.4.17) but never confirmed ID.

Common Yellow Crane Fly Letotarsus (Macromastix) tortilis 

9.6.17

Minnippi

Mr P and I had a good morning at Minnippi – nothing spectacular mind you, but a fair list all the same.

Small increase in some ‘winter visitors’ – 4 Hardhead, 4 Common Coot, 4 Australian Grebes, a few more Yellow-faced Honeyeaters than Tuesday, two calling Fan-tailed Cuckoos, a mixed flock of Noisy and Little Friarbirds on the Airfield Track and 12 Chestnut-breasted Mannikins in the grass. 3 Magpie Geese on the lake were a new addition to Mr P’s Patch List and we had a few Monarchs and a couple of Common Crows to round out the butterfly stats.

On the bridge a pair of small spiders attracted my camera and I believe they were Humped Golden Orb Weavers Nephila plumipes, although they were much smaller than previous specimens I have seen.

Humped Golden Orb Weaver Nephila plumipes (underside) 

Humped Golden Orb Weaver Nephila plumipes (upperside)

Finished up after two and a half hours with a soaring Brown Goshawk and the Tawny Frogmouths in a different tree looking much more relaxed than on my last visit.

7.6.17

Norman Creek, Holland Park West

A noisy, but low quality 40 minutes at the end of the road prior to yet another visit to the doctor to get a re-supply. Plenty of Scaly-breasted and Rainbow Lorikeets fighting with the resident Noisy Miner pack, a pair of visiting Grey Fantails and one flushed White-faced Heron were the main constituents.

6.6.17

Minnippi

After a Monday spent mostly couch-side for no better reasons than I can and I didn’t feel like doing anything I decided that a walk was in order – even if it was ‘just Minnippi’. Birding at the moment around Brisbane is pretty slow and I didn’t see the need to travel too far afield to see the same birds I could see locally. I also hoped to maybe surprise Mr P with some addition to his ‘Patch List’.

It wasn’t to be, unfortunately, but it was a nice walk for two and a bit hours and not too bad a list, although overall numbers were low. The usual harbingers of winter were on the M1 track – whistlers, pardalotes and fantails. No sign of the Fan-tailed Cuckoo of recent times – or any Rose Robins, my main target this time of year.

The Alley was dead but a pair of Pale-headed Rosellas crossed in front of me as I re-approached the lake. A flock of 17 Topknot Pigeons on their way to the bay islands were my first for the year and a single Meadow Argus and Monarch the only butterflies of the day.

Much the same as usual on the water – 3 Australian Grebes and 3 Common Coots with 2 Hardheads hiding among the Pacific Black Ducks.

The Airfield track was quieter than last time and the raptor lookout left nothing to the imagination. The pair of Tawny Frogmouths were in the usual tree but looking stressed and uptight at the close proximity of some council workers with chain saws cutting God-knows-what in their vicinity – no threat to the birds, but noisy and disturbing all the same when you’re sleeping off a belly full of insects.

3.6.17

Oxley

Picked up Mr D and arrived on site at 6.45 – a chilly, bright morning, warming slowly during our visit.

 A good morning’s birding with nothing exceptional but a final list of 57 species.

Highlights included at least 20 Double-barred and 3 Red-browed Finches. A Rose Robin and a Shining Bronze Cuckoo. Several White-throated and 2 Mangrove Gerygones. A single Red-kneed Dotterel and a rather distant Brown Falcon.

At one point Mr D believed he heard a Songlark, but although we climbed the fence and scoured the relevant field no bird eventuated. A bit surprising as the song seemed to be a positive hit and Songlarks of both persuasions are usually fairly obvious.

Butterflies: 3 Monarchs flapped through the cool air.

We finished up and retreated to Café Europa in Graceville for the usual European style breakfast.

1.6.17

Anstead

On site at 7.30, a cold morning by Queensland standards but nice and sunny all the same.

The first part of the track was quite birdy – a pair of Pale-headed Rosellas, Grey Fantails, a flock of Red-browed Finches with several immature looking birds, Rufous and Golden Whistlers, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters and Double-barred Finches. After that the numbers dropped off. I managed to find two Rose Robins, neither coloured up, doing the wing thing, a pair of Spotted Pardalotes responded well and another flock of Red-browed Finches flew up from the grass. A Frasers Banded Snail Sphaerospira fraseri was hidden under my favourite log.

Red-browed Finch

Not much else to record specifically apart from a surprising female Pheasant Coucal that perched up near the lookout over the river. I always thought they migrated north, but here one was on the first day of winter and, I think, the first I have actually seen this year!

Female Pheasant Coucal

A few Monarchs and one Evening Brown covered the butterfly end of things and, again surprisingly for Anstead, a trio of Red-necked Wallabies Macropus rufogriseus crossed the bitumen track to disappear into the bush. These were my first record in Anstead.

It was pleasing to compare my walk today with the other two visits I have made to Anstead since leaving hospital. I coped really well with the two sharp hills and didn’t feel too bad after two and a half hours walk.

On to Moggill Swamp and the water had drawn a large number of Grey Teal (37), Wood Duck (22), a Hardhead, 2 Australian Grebes, 4 Black-fronted Dotterel, 2 Common Coots and 16 White-headed Stilts among the usual Purple Swamphens and Dusky Moorhens.