Weekends That Were - December 2020

28.12.20

Minnippi

Feeling a little more motivated? Not working cause I reckoned it’d be really quiet? Whatever, I decided to go to Minnippi. On site at 6 and bumped into Mr P who had, basically, decided the same thing. It was nice to have his company around the lake.

Predictably there was little of real interest. Probable bird of the visit was a calling Brush Cuckoo near the bridge or was it the single White-throated Needletail overhead? The latter have been in short supply in SEQ this year – possibly because of the lack of electrical storms? We’ve had wind and rain but little electrical activity which I suspect pulls the insects up into the Needletail’s hunting ground. That remains to be seen.

One behaviour which was notable was the presence of 4 Eastern Yellow Robins on the ground in the grass in The Avenue. Joined by a Brown Honeyeater and, briefly, a Grey Shrike Thrush, while a couple of Lewin’s Honeyeaters seemed to be watching from the sidelines, the Robins appeared to be washing in the dew and/or feeding on some small insects. Not only the behaviour was unusual, but we didn’t think there were 4 of the species in the area at all – a pair definitely, but 4? Possibly a family party?

We didn’t have enough motivation between us to do the Airfield Track, just walked back to the cars from the Raptor Lookout. Getting warmer, steamy and becoming uncomfortable.

26.12.20

Oxley

I needed a walk having had little exercise of late and was on site on a clear, sunny, pleasant morning at 5.45.

Not much to write about- overall it was pretty quiet despite the early hour (dawn was at 4.45) and the low number, initially, of walkers ect.

Most species recorded in single (literally) digits- for example 1 Pacific Black Duck, 1 Little Friarbird, 1 Sulphur-crested Cockatoo etc Mostly noted for missing species – no Cormorants, Egrets or Darter at all, only one Australian Pelican, one Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, one Double-barred Finch…..

The highlight, if you could call it that, was (one!) Fan-tailed Cuckoo, which I thought was a little unusual at this time of year, but, as I am fond of saying, ‘what do I know?’

19.12.20 

Sandy Camp Rd

I picked Mr D up at 6 and we were on site at 6.15.

Pretty average morning, only things of note:

A number of Leaden Flycatchers (approx 5) and a nest with well-developed chicks pointed out to us by another birder/photographer.

A Little Friarbird’s nest – hung over the water with a bird sitting.

Other than that it was pretty quiet and we went to Nine Bar Kitchen for breakfast as usual.

 Cairns and Beyond......

7 - 13.12.20

I’d been chasing Little Curlew for a few years now.  I’d missed seeing it several times – around the Cooktown area 10 (?) years ago, Archerfield many years before that, Amberley airfield a few years ago and, more recently, two attempts in the Lockyer Valley had failed. 

It’s been the ‘hole in my Australian list’ in the wader area that has frustrated me for a long time. Not that I’ve seen everything else, but it had stood out since time immemorial….

 

A rare visitor to SEQ, I was aware that a few birds visited a turf farm in the Cairns area on a relatively regular basis in the summer months so I started thinking of a potential one-day-dash similar to the effort - the successful effort, I might add - I made last year for Rufous Owl.

Checking E-Bird I saw recent reports of up to 4 birds at France Rd Turf Farm in the Edmonton area, 30 minutes south of Cairns. The birds had been seen most days in November – the gaps I attributed to a lack of observers rather than missing birds as the location was a little out of the way and there were undoubtedly a minimum number of birders chasing/reporting sightings.

My thoughts started to firm up.

My commitment level rose.

I had plenty of points to fly my favourite domestic airline, Virgin, there and back without any significant cost. The hire car would, undoubtedly, cost me more than the airfare. No real need to stay overnight, I felt confident that a single day would do the job and, hey, if it didn’t? - I’d do it again later in the summer, maybe?

 

I mentioned my thoughts in conversation over coffee with Ms B and that’s when it all started to come together  - brilliantly….

 

Within 48 hours: 

Dates were agreed. 

Flights? Booked. 

Accommodation? Sorted. 

Car Hire? Fixed. 

 

We were on our way.

 

Day 1 Tuesday 7.12.20

I got the Uber from home at 7.45 ……………and disembarked from my tourist class seat in Cairns at midday. 

The Uber cost me $51 including the $3 tip and the return flights had cost me $1 less + 36,000 points.

I had a smoke then picked up the transfer bus to the Bargain! Car Hire company just outside the airport perimeter. (I had dawdled over the car hire by 24 hours and the price had increased dramatically. I think because it went from 6 days notice to 5 and the car I had wanted was gone, the price for the Hyundai Kona SUV-thing was $25 more and the quality of the vehicle less.) However, I had a car I was OK with and set off south, with MapsMe, as usual, doing the guiding thing. 

It wasn’t difficult. Take the main road south, basically, but it took ages. What with road works, traffic lights and pathetically low speed limits – and pathetically slow drivers – the trip took about 10 minutes longer than it should. But finally I turned off left as directed and quickly found a turf farm right where it was supposed to be.

I scanned the open ground. It wasn’t huge and easily visible from the surrounding roads but Little Curlews are relatively small brown birds and easily overlooked I reckoned, against recently turned earth or between tufts of grass or whatever. Anyway, I scanned, moved, scanned and moved – but no sign of anything that looked like a Curlew. I could see Dove sp on the ground at 300 meters and even Pipits, so I figured I wasn’t missing anything by not having a scope.

Yes, I hadn’t brought my scope. The photos on E-bird had been so clear and the bird/s obviously so close, I had figured it wasn’t worth the effort to drag the tripod and scope with me.

So. No target birds.

Hmmm what to do?

I could return later in the afternoon? 

Or first thing in the morning?

Bummer if I had to.

I was, in fact, starting to feel unwell. Rare for me, but I felt tired, very tired, slightly nauseous and just plain unwell. I really didn’t want to have to come back if I could avoid it, but….

I checked the name of the turf farm I was overseeing – it wasn’t ‘France Rd’. 

Hmmmm, could there be another turf farm hidden away among the sugarcane?

I drove further down the road towards what I could see was the end.

Another area of turf growth appeared on my left. No signs, but could this be it?

I de-cared and scanned the field. Smaller than the last place, I didn’t need to move from the one spot.

And then.

There.

Over against the fence and sugarcane plantation on the right, a small brown wader. Could it be the elusive target?

YES! Finally. It wasn’t the best of views, but I did locate 3 definite Little Curlews at the 300 meter distance. Chased occasionally by a paranoid Masked Lapwing I hoped they’d come closer but they didn’t. I did see them in flight however and watched them run around and feed for about 45 minutes before deciding enough was enough and my air-conditioned hotel room seemed more attractive. Still feeling a bit like death I headed back and checked into the Sunshine Tower Hotel. I was on the 7^th floor – the top of possibly the tallest building in Cairns – certainly the tallest building along Sheridan st, so easy to find.

I didn’t do anything for the rest of the evening.

If you squint very hard, open the bedroom window, say the alphabet backwards and use your imagination - you could, maybe, convince yourself it was a Little Curlew....

 

Day 2 Wednesday 8.12.20 – Day 5 Saturday 12.12.20

 

I felt a bit better when I woke up – after a broken night’s sleep – and headed down to Muddy’s on the esplanade for breakfast and coffee.

(Hundreds of Torresian Imperial Pigeons, Varied Honeyeater, millions of Peaceful Doves and other common birds. Hadn’t brought my bins so couldn’t scan the waders, but at least 1 Whimbrel and several Godwit sp….)

 

Back to the hotel, packed up and checked out and headed to the airport for the 9.00 pick up.

That completed we headed north along the coast and the lovely drive to Port Douglas. 

 

We spent the next 4 days doing very little, just relaxing, swimming in a jungle type pool at the apartments, watching TV, going out for massages, dinner and coffee. On Friday we drove up to the Daintree River, then across on the ferry and right up to Cape Tribulation. We had the road almost entirely to ourselves, it was all very quiet, and I had hoped to see a Southern Cassowary, but we were denied that experience.

 

(Australian Swiftlet, Black Butcherbird, Raja Shelduck, White-bellied Sea Eagle)

 

(Serenaded every evening by the dozen or so Bush Stone Curlews lounging around in the park across the road, Orange-footed Scrubfowl wandering around the street, Green Orioles calling continuously, but difficult to see)

 

On Saturday we packed up and headed south for our last night at Thala Beach Eco resort. What can I say? Very nice, very luxurious, very private, very…..romantic. Beautiful.

 

(More Scrubfowl, Olive-backed Sunbirds, Yellow-spotted Honeyeater (& nest), Metallic Starlings and Hornbill Friarbirds everywhere, Eastern Reef Egret, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrikes, Dusky Honeyeaters, calling Red-legged Crake, but no sighting, Agile Wallaby, Green Turtle and 2 ‘new’ butterflies – Ambrax Swallowtail Papilio ambrax & Bordered Rusticn Cupha prosope.)

 

Day 6 Sunday 13.12.20

 

A late checkout and we headed south again, back to Cairns, at midday. I dropped Ms B off at the airport as her flight was earlier than mine, but after I dropped the car off and returned to check in myself, we had heaps of time for coffee before she had to board and depart for home via Jetstar.

 

I had a couple of hours to kill before my Virgin BUSINESS CLASS (!!) flight left at 17.00.

When I booked the tickets I had used points and pay (my choice) and when I got to pick my seats, the only seats offered to me on the return flight were in rows 1 and 2. I didn’t think too much about it at the time – just assumed the flight was close to full, however, when my itinerary arrived I noticed it said ‘Business class’ on the return flight! Wow!! I’d never flown business class before so felt suitably impressed!

It was pretty cool – drinks and food offered, priority boarding and bags off on the carousel immediately. It’s tempting to repeat, but……..I could never justify the extra expense. But Thank You Virgin!!

 

Hairy landing in very heavy rain and cloud as SEQ had been getting hammered over the last 48 hours under 100’s of millimeters of rain. Uber home @ $64.

 

(Note: this was NOT, of course, a birding trip – apart from the Little Curlew effort - I just noted birds etc in passing)

Weekends That Were - November 2020

29.11.20

Oxley

Mr D picked me up and we were on site by 6.

Not too bad a morning, but, again, nothing to write home about apart from a new moth species. Flying around looking like a thick bodied Jezebel, the Mistletoe Day Moth Comocrus behri didn’t really come close, but finished up perched on the underside of a Cedar tree branch. Hence the photo is not great.

Mistletoe Day Moth Comocrus behri

 

Other than that there wasn’t much excitement. We had breakfast at Plentiful in Graceville again and sat until we were, politely, asked if we could vacate the table…

22.11.20

Minnippi

I picked up Mr P at 5.35 and we were on site by 5.45. A warm, calm, bright start that developed into a humid, hot morning by 8.00.

The water level in the lake was high again due to recent rain and the vegetation lush where before wader-friendly mudflats had been.

The M1 track was very quiet and although the lake was relatively busy small passerines were low in number. A good morning list of 51 species (inc a Varied Triller only Mr P heard) but, apart from a scattered flock of between 10 and 15 White-throated Needletails, all stuff we had seen commonly in the past. The original pair of Black Swans were nesting again, while their 4 mature offspring hung around some distance away.

Butterflies : Evening Brown, Blue Triangle, Caper White, Common Grass Blue, Common Crow and Monarch and a Water Dragon, Macquarie Turtle and Water Rat added to the excitement........

21.11.20

Anstead

I picked Mr D up at 5.45 and we were on site by 6.15. It was quite birdy with almost immediate close sightings of a pair of Cicadabirds low down in the trees on the first section of track.

Fan-tailed Cuckoos called and near the end of the walk – a pair of Brush Cuckoos, while Channel-billed Cuckoos flew around overhead and two calling Pheasant Coucals made it a good ‘cuckoo-morning’.

Red-browed and Double-barred Finches, a Varied Triller, all three species of local Fairy Wrens, a pair of Apostlebirds at the farm dam and a good selection of more common species made it a worthwhile morning. I added a new site species - much to my surprise it was the first White-breasted Wood Swallows I had seen there and a flock of 22 Topknot Pigeons on a fly-over were only my second record for the site.

Butterflies included Meadow Argus, Dainty and Clearwing Swallowtails, Blue Tiger and at least 1 Caper White.

We stopped at Plum in Chapel Hill for the usual extended breakfast.

19.11.20

Oxley

On site at 6, alone, on a bright, calm, warm, but not hot 21 degree spring morning.

The track was quite birdy and fairly quiet – a few joggers and walkers, but quieter than I’ve seen it lately. Nothing spectacular to report – a good list of 50 species including a Black Kite, a Black-shouldered Kite and a distant Brown Falcon. The Fairy Wren numbers appeared to have increased and both Double-barred and Red-browed Finches showed in the first couple of hundred meters. Most noticeable – the complete absence of any Cormorant species (apart from two Darters) despite the decent water levels. Otherwise the birds were as expected.

Butterflies totalled just a single Blue Tiger and a few Monarchs and that was about it. A fairly average, pleasant spring outing.

14.11.20

Rainbow Beach Swallow Hunt

There had been a Barn Swallow reported from Rainbow Beach, 240 kms north, a couple of weeks back. 

For the unaware, Barn Swallows are common in just about every continent on earth – except Australia. One or two turn up more or less as annual visitors, usually way north or in the northwest, rarely within driving distance of SE Qld. I have listed one in North Queensland many years ago with Mr W and wasn’t particularly keen to see this most recent one, however, Mr P wanted it for his Australian list and I suggested I go with him for the company.

I guess cause I’m just a nice guy……. Or something……………

Anyway, we left his place at 6 and stopped in Gympie two hours later for a coffee and a burger (for me) then on to RB, arriving at 9.

We quickly located the street the swallow had been seen on, outside the backpacker’s place and set up, keen and ready to rock n roll. There were approximately 30 Welcome Swallows – the Australian equivalent – hanging around and we eagerly, at least for the first two hours, scrutinised each one as they perched up on the overhead wires between feeding flights.

At about 11, we decided to give it a break and headed down to Inskip Pt for a walk in the bush at the tip. We didn’t see much and apart from a trio of juvenile Bush Turkeys giving us palpitations (thought they were Button Quail, of course) saw little of real interest. Oh, a raptor flew over the low canopy and we were pretty sure it was a Little Eagle, but the very brief view didn’t really confirm ID.

Back to Swallow watching. Another hour and we broke for a late breakfast, 100 meters away, where Mr P kept half an eye on the wires across the park. Then back to more sweating in the shade on a very hot day, until, finally, at 14.00 we gave it away and headed home, Barn-Swallow-Challenged.

 

F….d Off Note: The bird showed up the next day……

7.11.20

Trotter

Mr D picked me up at 6 and we were on site at 6.15.

Trotter…..

……never fails to disappoint….

I’ve probably said that before, but it’s true of almost every visit. It’s such, apparently, good habitat, but it remains almost sterile in the main. The reservoir, too, always shows promise………but, once again, was relatively empty. 

The highlight of the morning was a Grey Butcherbird scolding in a tree – and the object of its ire, a Carpet Python Morelia spilota. A medium 2 meters or so, not a big snake, but obviously disturbing the Butcherbird for a few minutes before it lost interest and flew off.

Apart from that there was little to write home about and we headed off for breakfast at 9 Bar & Kitchen as usual.

Weekends That Were - October 2020

31.10.20

Oxley

I picked Mr D up at 6 and we were on site 15 minutes later. The recent rain had greened things up a bit and the birds were more active, although I felt the numbers were still lower in general than I would have expected.

We saw mostly the usual stuff along the track, highlights were:

A small Keelback Tropidonophis mairii at the second culvert, discreetly positioned low down beside the water.

A very nice view of a Brown Falcon leaving the powerlines and flying directly over our heads to perch up again on a pylon.

A Black Kite (still nice to see in the Brisbane area, although resident here now) at the ponds.

A Buff-banded Rail crossing the track half way back to the car in their usual confident/not confident manner.

A large movement of Caper Whites – est 500? – continually crossing the fields.

Other butterflies – Monarchs, Common Eggfly, Common Crow and a single Yellow Migrant – a site tick for me.

We headed for our usual breakfast at Café Europa in Sherwood – to find it closed and the building up for lease! We wondered was it a coronavirus casualty or simply another business unable to make it? Sad, as we did enjoy the Austrian (not German!) hospitality and disciplined breakfast. Down the main road we found another café – Plentiful – and parked our sorry asses there. Breakfast and coffee were very acceptable and I think it will become our breakfast-spot-for-Oxley in future.

25.10.20

Minnippi

Picked up Mr P and we were on site at 6. 

Not a bad morning overall, possibly stimulated by the long awaited downpour of the previous day, the place was a little more active.

A single brief flurry of calls in the reed bed beside the lake somewhere from a Pale-vented Bush Hen stopped us in our tracks momentarily – but it didn’t repeat. The M1 track was still pretty quiet and the lake was its usual self. A Latham’s Snipe on the distant part of the island the only bird worth noting. Over the lake approx 20 White-throated Needletails were my first for the season and an Oriental Dollarbird flew back and forth, potentially displaying en route. The Tawny Frogmouth nest in the carpark contained a big fluffy chick squeezed in alongside the adult.

Nothing showed at the Raptor Lookout, apart from a trio of Channel-billed Cuckoos going off overhead, and we moved on to the Airfield Track. It was pretty quiet, apart from an, invisible, calling, Eastern Yellow Robin, then, two thirds of the way along, a Peaceful Dove showed well perched up and then on the ground surrounded by 7 Double-barred Finches. This was Mr P’s first PD on site and only my second record - another ‘blocker’ removed!

A covey of 4 Brown Quail along the bicycle track on the way back to the car finished off a relatively worthwhile morning, before heading to BelesisNine Bar + Kitchen for breakfast.

18.10.20

Moggill State Forest

Mr D picked me up at 6 and we were on site at 6.30. Pretty average morning – nothing special or extraordinary. Spectacled Monarch was bird of the morning for me – not seen one for a while – other than that it was a slow, dry morning finished off with breakfast at Plum in Kenmore village.

11.10.20

Sandy Camp & Fuller

I left my car at Mr P’s and he drove – arrived on site at 6.15.

It wasn’t a bad morning, highlights - 

3 Spotless Crakes

5 Leaden Flycatchers

3 White-winged Trillers

1 Nankeen Night Heron

 

We stopped off at Fuller, highlights – 

16 Red-necked Avocets (new site tick for me, although I have seen them regularly at Lindum, 500 meters further down the road)

50 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers

1 Red-necked Stint

4 Marsh Sandpipers

1 Brown Goshawk

15 Great Egrets, 10 Intermediate Egrets, 10 Royal Spoonbills and 4 Little Egrets all tucked away together in the side channel – an unusual sight.

Fuller’s water level was very low, providing potential in the immediate future for waders before it dries up completely.

We looked at Lindum – but it was even drier and only a few White-headed Stilts were in evidence so we didn’t bother going in.

10.10.20

Oxley

Went for a walk more than anything else – nothing to write home about.

 1.10.20

Minnippi

On site at 6.15, a cool, clear, bright morning. It wasn’t too bad bird-wise, although in general numbers were low.

Highlights:

One Oriental Dollarbird on the wires.

A Spotless Crake showing quite well, if distantly, on the main lake (near the red ball close to the Swan’s old nest)

A Brush Cuckoo calling on the Airfield Track.

A female Australian Golden Whistler, also on the Airfield Track – normally not a Big Record bird, of course, but this year Whistlers have been thin in the trees and with the male Mr P and I saw in the same locality last week….

A distant Pacific Koel and a closer, but invisible, Channel-billed Cuckoo calling.

I forgot to check the Tawny Frogmouth’s nest in the car park – my mind being elsewhere – but a total of 51 bird species for the morning. An (Eastern) Water Dragon on the boardwalk beside the lake and a few Evening Browns on the tracks completed the list.

Weekends That Were - September 2020

29.9.20

Oxley

The whole area was still very dry – we need some serious rain to generate some activity – and the track respondingly quiet.

However, by dint of hard work, amazing skills, astounding sight and hearing, I managed to drag the list screaming and kicking up to 56 species for the morning.

Highlights were few, but a male Leaden Flycatcher, all 3 species of Fairy Wrens, a single Latham’s Snipe in the open, at least 20 Purple Swamphens (probably the highest number I have ever recorded at this site), 2 returned Sacred Kingfishers and a male King Parrot near the end were probably worth noting. 

2 Pheasant Coucals were seen well on the way out and, on return, the male was sitting out in the open calling while the female snuck around in the grass beside the track.

Pheasant Coucal video:

                                                           

https://youtu.be/YJ_mfrdoeOc

25.9.20

Minnippi @ night

Mr D picked me up and we collected Mr P and headed to Minnippi for a spotlighting expedition.

Cutting a long story short – it was almost a complete waste of time. 

The only night bird we saw was a Tawny Frogmouth sitting on the already known nest in the car park, apart from that a few roosting Noisy Miners and Grey Butcherbird. No mammals at all.

At the lake a lifer in the form of calling Eastern Sedge Frogs Litoria fallax with several calling males, out of sight, but loud enough to be taped.

That was it – disappointing, but enlightening, sort of…

23.9.20

Minnippi

A very slow morning altogether. I don’t know if it was the fact I wasn’t on site until 6.45 or whether it was the weather – heavy, dull, cloudy – but the birds were thin on the ground.

The lake was almost empty of birds. A few nodding Eurasian Coots, a quartet of Pacific Black Ducks and a couple of Little Pied Cormorants along with 2 Comb-crested Jacanas and that was it.

The M1 track was dead as. The only notable things – 2 Oriental Dollarbirds back from their winter holidays, a calling Sacred Kingfisher, a few Rainbow Lorikeets and 5 Evening Browns – and, again, that was IT.

I did have a Swamp Wallaby on the cross track back to the pond and a distant calling Channel-billed Cuckoo was my first on site of the season, but it could have been as far away as Carindale. I found the Tawny Frogmouth’s nest in the carpark with an adult sitting – thanks Mr P.

The Raptor Lookout was already occupied so I veered off and headed back to the car – didn’t do the Airfield Track or even check the airfield.

20.9.20

Oxley

Mr P picked me up at 6.15 and we were on site 10 minutes later. Average day, quite birdy – 50 species – but numbers generally low. It had rained or there was a heavy mist/dew which made it pleasant enough first thing, but once it started to warm up became a bit humid.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

Breakfast afterwards at 9 Bar ( ex-Belesis) with Mr P joined by Mr D to bring us all up to date on our recent respective trips.

12.9.20

Minnippi

Alone again, at Minnippi at 6.15. A nice, clear, calm morning, cool without being cold, a typical Queensland spring morning.

At first it seemed pretty quiet, but turned into quite a birdy morning with 60 species recorded. 

At the lake, from the pylons, the water was pretty empty, but right at the far end along the edge of the swamp grass a small movement and a pair of bright red legs attached to a small black body identified a pair of Spotless Crakes briefly. It was a shit view and they were gone as quickly as they appeared. 

The M! track was very quiet, again, despite last weekend’s flurry of activity. 

The Avenue was dead, but as I crossed the grassland towards the lake a covey of 5 Brown Quail put in an appearance in the middle of the track.

On the lake the usual stuff with a Latham’s Snipe right at the point of the island closest to the ‘mainland’. No sign of the Magpie Geese of last week, but the Black Swans still had 4 live cygnets – almost fully mature now.

A short stay at the lookout produced nothing and I decided to do the Airfield Track for want of anything better.

Overall it was quiet too, but I added a few species to my morning list when a Tawny Grassbird sang/called and attracted the attention of a pair of Red-browed Finches, a Rufous Fantail, a Rufous Whistler, a pair of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, a pair of White-browed Scrub-wrens and a pair of Silvereyes. It was strange – having a TGB do the playback for me. I’m not sure if it was actually singing or alarming – it wasn’t its usual call that even I am familiar with - but it certainly attracted all the birds in the area to whatever it was going on about.

That was about it. A good list, but nothing overly exciting.

8.9.20

Oxley

On site at 6.15 – a slight chill in the air, but not cold, a low mist hanging over the near fields burned off within 15 minutes.

The track was very dry and the birds consequently, low in number. There were a load of Lewin’s Honeyeaters – I estimate about 25 in total – strung along the first half of the track, chasing and being very obvious. Obviously something in the air for them. Other than them the usual dominant bird, unfortunately, Noisy Miners were constantly in view.

Overall it was a quiet morning with little of great interest. 9 Double-barred Finches on the pond track and a pair of Pale-headed Rosellas showed well on the return walk, but that was about it.

 6.9.20

Minnippi

Mr P drove from his place and we were on site at 6.15. It turned out to be quite a birdy morning.

The lake was much as always, but the M1 track had more birds on it than we had seen for some time, including a Varied Triller and fly over Little Lorikeets.

The Avenue was quiet and the return to the lake largely uneventful.

After a sit at the Lookout, during which a pigeon flew past which only I saw and was tending to call a Common Bronzewing, however, it would be a site first and my view was very brief and not 100%, so I let it go – we did the Airfield Track.

Overall it wasn’t busy but we did have a second Varied Triller – unusual to get two on the same day at Minnippi – and a male Australian Golden Whistler. Golden Whistlers have been thin on the ground at Minnippi this winter and a male is much less common here, than the usual females.

The rest of the walk was quiet, but we ended up with a 60 species list for the morning and a Water Dragon on the creek and an Evening Brown in the M1 track completed the reptile and butterfly contingent.

Weekends That Were - August 2020

Winton – Mt Isa – Lawn Hill – Karumba

 

14.8.20 – 31.8.20

 

Day 1 Friday 14.8.20

 

I picked up Mr P at 6 as arranged and we set off immediately, having packed the car the previous night. 

I drove, initially, and the traffic was light and easily handled. We took the old road up to Toowoomba and got a little lost, thanks, mainly, to the poor road signage Toowoomba is known for.

Our first stop was at Mackers in Dalby to grab takeaway coffees and empty our bladders. It took a while to get into the car park as Mackers seemed to be the drive through café of choice for all Dalby citizens at 8am…..

Our second stop was in Roma, 6 hours driving, 473 kms @ 12.00 where we only stopped to re-fuel ($1.13/liter for diesel, $47 in), then Mr P took over and we headed on to finally arrive at Blackall at 17.15, 5 hours 15 minutes later.

(Total: 958 kms travelled, 11 hours 15 minutes)

We checked into Blackall Caravan Park for one night ($28 for an unpowered site) and set up camp.

All in all the drive was pretty boring. The scenery across the Darling Downs and into this part of Queensland was flat, flat, flat. The roads were pretty bouncy in places, with some rougher sections, all bitumen of course, but in need of a good overhaul. Traffic was generally sparse, but a few trucks slowed us down at times.

 

Bird-wise we didn’t see much of anything worthwhile until 20 minutes north of Roma when we had our first Australian Bustards, followed soon afterwards by a pair of Emus. We didn’t see any more Emus but did see a total of 6 Bustards through the day. 

Black Kites were the dominant raptor followed by Nankeen Kestrels, Black-shouldered Kites, a handful of Wedge-tailed Eagles and 2 Whistling Kites. Other worth-noting-roadside-@-120kms/hr-species included Australian Ravens, Cockatiels, 3 Red-winged Parrots, Yellow-throated Miners, 3 Brolgas and a couple of groups of Apostlebirds. Generally it was pretty dead. Speaking of dead – road-kill was almost completely absent until after Roma when a number of deceased Eastern Grey and a few Red Kangaroos were evident – most looked long-dead, only a couple appeared to be recent kills.

 

After setting up camp we walked the three minutes into town and down the road to the second pub (the first one was closed) and had a cider and a meal which were much as expected in outback Queensland. Surprisingly, as we sat outside, it started to spit rain and we finished hastily and walked back to camp. It wasn’t heavy, but it was unexpected and we hoped it didn’t last too long or into tomorrow.

 

Trip List: 35  

 

Trip Distance: 958 kms

 

Day 2 – Saturday 15.8.20

 

The rain did stop around 21.00, but the roosters started at 23.00 and crowed most of the night. Neither of us got a lot of sleep and were both stirring by 5. We had a brief breakfast then packed up the sodden tents and went to the fuel station to fill up. I put in $50 worth @ 1.32/liter figuring we would find cheaper petrol closer to Mt Isa, it just about filled the tank anyway, then we headed west, Mr P driving. 

We were stopped by the police in Ilfracombe for a breathalyzer – and advice on coffee shops – and reached Longreach around 11. It was busy and had a bit of a hum to it. We found Casey’s and ordered our coffee. 

I liked the place, it was like a regular coffee shop transplanted from Brisbane.

We headed on arriving at Winton about 11.30. We filled up again with 47 liters @ $1.25.9/l, $59 in, bought some bottled water (2 x 1.5l bottles for $6.50) and headed down the Winton-Jundah road, me driving. 

We took the turnoff to Opalton, but soon realised we were on the wrong road and re-traced our steps for 15 minutes to continue on down the ‘main’ road until reaching the turnoff to Lark Quarry Conservation park/Dinosaur Walking Trail. The road from Winton wasn’t too bad – hard gravel with sections of bitumen, wide and easily handled in 2WD, just occasional cars heading the opposite way, each of us giving wide berth.

The road into Lark Quarry was the same – hard packed gravel surface – and we drove as far as the entrance to the Conservation Park – only about 2 or 3 ks.

We knew we had to camp and our priority was to get the tents dry, so we pulled off the road and drove into the bush about 150 meters, set up camp and reviewed our position over coffee.

It was hot, windy and poor birding weather. Not that there was much to see. We wandered away from our campsite at one point and found a single Inland Thornbill – and that was it.

At 3 we drove down to the Dinosaur place and found toilets outside which was a welcome sight. Then back up the road and along to about 100 meters from the junction of the main road and started our Grasswren search on the left or northern side of the road.

We searched there for about an hour seeing nothing, so moved the car further from the main road and tried again. Once again no Grass or Emu Wrens but we did have a pair of Grey-headed Honeyeaters which was a lifer for me.

Grey-headed Honeyeater

We tried again around the airfield but no luck there either.

Working to keep each other’s spirits up we drove back again toward the main road junction and saw some birders at our first starting place. Mr P said ‘That’s Nikolas!” I, of course, responded with “F..k Off!!” but it was! Nikolas and Raja, friends from Brisbane, a totally unexpected meeting.

They had had both the Grass and Emu Wrens at this location in the morning – before we’d arrived, of course – and we searched again, with them (and two other unknown birders from NSW) for another 90 minutes, until dark, without success.

They accompanied us back to our campsite and set up their camp and after dinner we sat and chatted until 21.00 when we all crashed. It was an amazingly, clear night – the stars clearly visible, galaxies and planets, excellent view.

 

Trip List: 42        Lifers: 1  

 

Day Drive: 502 kms    Trip Distance: 1,463 kms.

Day 3 – Sunday 16.8.20

 

We were up at 5, prepared for a 6am sunrise, but it was only just breaking when we left the campsite at 6.45.

We walked in at the same place as yesterday afternoon and it was 7.45 before we started hearing calls. Well, I wasn’t hearing them but the others were….

Eventually a male Rusty (or Opalton) Grasswren sat up and sang and over 5 minutes or so we had several views as it jumped up and down perching on the low branches of some dead shrubs.

They weren’t particularly good views in my estimation and the best views were had by the ‘unknown’ couple at the left end of our line – for me the bare branches blocked most of the bird.

The NSW couple took off and the four of us continued to listen and look.

Again a bird jumped up and Nickolas saw it, then it dropped, appeared again a few minutes later and Mr P got some views – again I failed to get onto it quickly enough. We had one more brief flight view before giving it away at 10.00. I must admit to being a little disappointed, given the photos I have seen of others’ experiences, however, it had been identifiable, if brief.

Walking back towards the cars we came across a pair of Rufous-capped Emuwrens and we did have pretty good views of those, which I was happy with.

Apart from those few birds we saw very little else.

We said goodbye to Nickolas and Raja who were heading for Bladensburg, then Diamantina NP and headed back to camp for a late breakfast.

At 11.30 we drove the couple of ks to the Dinosaur Trackways exhibit and took the midday tour @ $30 each. We spent the next hour listening to a very passionate, enthusiastic ‘Bec’ describe the 95 million year old dinosaur stampede – how it occurred, what dinosaurs were involved and how it had been preserved - it was very entertaining and well presented.

A 700m walk around the ‘Spinifex Walk’ followed with little outcome and after a cold $4.50 can of coke, headed back to the campsite for a shady rest. 

Again at 15.00 we headed out for a couple of hours spinifex-bashing and had no luck with any wrens, in fact, there was basically nothing apart from 3 more Grey-headed Honeyeaters and a perched up Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater until we stumbled across a small flock of Spinifex Pigeons. We stalked them through the scrub as they ran along 50-60 meters in front of us, rarely taking to the air, getting short views of them on open patches. Nice bird.

We checked the airfield area as well with no result then headed back to camp for dinner.

At 19.00 we went out spotlighting with only 1 Euro and 2 Spotted Nightjars seen from the road – both were flight views, the second one of several seconds in the high beam.

Back to camp by 20.30 and we crashed.

 

Trip List: 51        Lifers: 4

 

Day 4 – Monday 17.8.20

 

Up at 6, had a coffee, broke camp and headed back to the Grasswren site for another go.

There were 2 Grey Falcons on the communications tower – at the nest site. Whether it was a Falcon nest site or a Raven nest we were unsure. We had seen the Ravens bringing building material in yesterday, but 4 Falcons had been reported there previously – 2 juvs and 2 adults. It’s possible (?) the nest site had been used by the Falcons and now the Ravens were reclaiming it. One of the Falcons looked like a possible immature, but we were unsure of aging.

We walked out to approximately where we had seen the Rusty Grasswrens the previous day and after about 30 minutes Mr P heard calls. I was using my Tascam recorder with earphone to try to improve my audio but still couldn’t hear the high-pitched squeaks.

I’d never have seen anything without Mr P’s assistance.

A few minutes later we had a bird perched up a couple of times – still distant, but a bit clearer than yesterday. Also saw them scuttling around on the ground. After 15 minutes or so they moved on and we lost contact.

Rusty Grasswren x Mr P

By 9.30 we were heading north towards Winton. After a few ks we stopped for a flock of about 30 Spinifex Pigeons, 2 Diamond Doves and various Woodswallows roadside.

Me - trying to take pictures of Spinifex Pigeons x Mr P

A few ks further up the road and we came across a 2 meter Black-headed Python stretched across most of the bitumen. We stopped for photos and to hoosh it off the road. Nice snake!

 

Black-headed Python Aspidites melanocephalus

Black-headed Python video:

https://youtu.be/ej5l4BRFEkg

We reached Winton around 11.30 and filled our water carrier at the caravan rest area beside the junction, very handy, then found the bakery on the main street for a very good coffee. Local free wi-fi gave us our first contact in several days with family and friends. 

We filled up with fuel (31 liters @ $1.25.9, $39 in; total travel= 1,654) then headed back down the Jundah road and into Bladensburg National Park.

Along the road we saw a couple of Emus, Euros, and Black-faced Woodswallows. We turned off to Engine Hole, an almost dry waterhole surrounded by mud – heaps of Zebra Finches and White-plumed Honeyeaters.

Euro Macropus robustus

A couple of ‘locals’ turned up and we asked for directions to Skull Hole, a waterhole recommended in the ‘Where to find Birds in Australia’ – and headed back along the track to turn off to the homestead. We got there and found none of the promised signage. We DID find a mud map that showed Skull Hole to be back on our original road, 300 meters past Engine Hole, so we had wasted the best part of an hour and 20 ks driving. I was NOT happy, but as we left the Homestead a Spinifex Pigeon perched up beside the track providing the money shot of all money shots so I guess we scored well in the end. 

 

Spinifex Pigeon

When we did eventually get to Skull Hole we found it dry, completely. Normally 20 meters deep apparently, but not a drop. I did find a Ring-tailed Dragon which was nice, but nothing else there.

 

Ring-tailed Dragon Ctenophorus caudicinctus

We continued on a few ks to the campsite – Bough Shed – ad set up camp on the last available site at the far end, which was nice. Overlooking a riverbed with a few shallow pools of water suggested potential for drinking birds – again plenty of Zebra Finches and White-plumed Honeyeaters.

After a short lunch and watching the pools without anything exciting we headed off further into the park. We crossed the dry riverbed and just on the other side found 4 Mallee Ringnecks – a subspecies of Australian Ringnecks – a potential future separate species.

As I was trying to photograph them Mr P had a large raptor very briefly in view before disappearing behind the tree line – a Black-breasted Buzzard.

Across the road a flowering tree exploded with about 100 Woodswallows – split fairly evenly between Masked and White-browed that appeared to be feeding on the blossom.

We drove further towards Logan’s Falls, but turned back after 5 or 6 ks as nothing was showing anywhere.

We drove past the campsite and visited Engine Hole again (there wasn’t really anywhere else to go). This time we had Red-winged Parrots, Cockatiels, a Sacred Kingfisher and the same Zebra Finches and White-plumed Honeyeaters. A few butterflies attracted Mr P’s attention – Caper White, Lemon Migrant, Lesser Wanderer and an unidentified blue.

Campsite @ Bladensburg - after we took the tents down....

With dusk descending we headed back to camp and had dinner – gluten free pasta with a tomato based sauce per Mr P.

When it got dark we headed out spotlighting with high hopes. 

We were disappointed.

We heard a distant Spotted Nightjar and had one brief glimpse of a single bird flying off the road and that was about it. No reptiles and only a few Euros in the paddocks. We did flush a flock of Spinifex Pigeons off the road close to camp which we, at first, thought might be quail, but they were ‘just’ SPs, strangely enough out feeding in the dark.

Again back at camp we sat for a short while then crashed. 15 minutes later Mr P called an Australian Owlet Nightjar calling but we didn’t try to track it down.

 

Trip List: 68        Lifers: 4       Reptiles: 1

 

Day Drive: ~130 kms  Trip Distance: 1,684 kms 

 

Day 5 – Tuesday 18.8.20

 

We were up again at 6, had a coffee then at 7 drove down the track to areas of Spinifex. We walked in looking for Spinifexbird with no success. The area was very, very dry and we saw almost nothing in the spots we tried. Mr P had a family group of White-winged Fairy-wrens and a Rufous Whistler and I didn’t even see those.

We gave it away after about an hour and headed back to Bough Shed for breakfast then broke camp and were on the road by 9.

We got to Winton and headed for coffee and internet connections, before locating and visiting the Winton Sewage Works. Just outside town, half a dozen well filled ponds attracted a range of birds seen nowhere else in the area!

Dusky Moorhens, Purple Swamphens, Eurasian Coots, Pacific Black Ducks, (15) Grey Teal, (2) Hardheads, (35) Australian Grebes, (10)Australian Reed Warblers, (3) Black-fronted Dotterels and at least 3 Little Grassbirds.

We hit the road and headed for Cloncurry, Mr P driving. Boring, boring, boring, flat, over-grazed, featureless landscape, almost dry dirt, few trees, all ripped up, grass chewed to its roots. It’s a wonder anything at all survives out there, the environment is destroyed.

We stopped about 30 ks short of Cloncurry and had a sandwich for lunch and I took over the driving. We stopped again in Cloncurry to fill up ($1.34.9 reduced at Puma to $1.30.9 with my RACQ card/liter, $62 in) and headed on for Mt Isa.

The scenery between the towns was much better, craggy rock ‘jump-ups’, I think they’re called, winding roads, trees, some spinifex (Oh Joy) and so on.

We arrived at the Sunset Top Caravan Park in Mt Isa at 15.00 and checked in for 4 nights @ $88 per night – a basic twin-bedded cabin with shower and toilet, air-conditioned, but no wi-fi! Unbelievable in 2020. The latest political slogan - Queensland you’re good to go! – not everyone’s got the message it seems.

We had cool showers to freshen up then sat for a while enjoying the coolness. At 16.30 we headed out to Pamela St Water Tanks. A location well known to birders, where we had 4 target species. Kalkadoon Grasswren was the main target, followed by Painted Finch, Spinifexbird and, less likely here, Pictorella Mannikin.

We reached the bottom of the hill and realised we had to park the car in a public street before walking up the closed road. We returned to the caravan park and dumped the ‘scopes in the cabin before setting off again. No point in tempting fate – or the local population….

Back at Pamela st we hiked up the bitumen road and off up a rough track that crossed the spinifex, rock-strewn hillside.

We were about 20 minutes from the car when Mr P heard the first Kalkadoon Grasswren. Almost immediately one perched up – which I missed, but I quickly spotted another, a female, and we got good views of it, albeit the 50 meter distance. It was very rewarding and more exciting than the Rusty Grasswren experience of two days ago (and even yesterday) I think because WE found them together and I actually saw one without it being pointed out to me.

Massive pressure off! Very happy with the views.

We climbed the slope and came out above them and saw them again briefly. We sat and waited for 30 minutes or so, but they didn’t re-appear.

On the way back along the slope we flushed a Purple-necked Rock Wallaby Petrogale purpureicollis and managed to get very poor photos in the fading light and intervening grass.

 

Purple-necked Rock Wallaby Petrogale purpureicollis

A semi-celebration seemed in order so we headed for Frank’s Pizza shop. A memory for Mr P as he had visited the place 10 years ago and remembered the experience well.

We went inside – the only customers – and enquired – did they have Gluten Free Pizzas? 

‘Eh??” was the response. ‘Eh?’

Mr P repeated the request and some confusion ensued followed by basically ‘WTF?” before a negative headshake and then a complete loss of interest.

We left and went to Dominos. 

Pizza and ciders finished off a pretty successful day.

 

Trip List: 85      Lifers: 5    Mammals: 1   Reptiles: 1

 

Day Drive: 460 kms    Trip Distance: 2,276 kms

 

 

Day 6 – Wednesday 19.8.20

 

As per norm – up at 6 and on the road, this time, well before 7. We arrived on site at Gunpowder Rd just after 7 and started walking the spinifex.

Cutting a long two and a half hour story short we failed to find our target bird, Carpentarian Grasswren. We didn’t see a lot to add to our trip list either, but it was a nice morning and our spirits weren’t too daunted. 

Finding our way back to the car was a little challenging, but we did get back in one piece and set off back to Mt Isa and the thankful coolness and excellent wi-fi at Mackers. Good old Mackers, saves the day again!

After an hour or so updating blogs, checking emails and phoning friends and family we drove the short distance to Woolworths and picked up some supplies. Then it was back to the cabin for a coffee and sandwich before grabbing the scopes and driving, again, a short distance to Lake Moondara.

We had some gen from Mr Morris regarding recent finch flocks so were relatively confident? Maybe? Maybe not!

Anyway, we walked in and pretty soon had Long-tailed Finches in small numbers. Pretty soon after that and Mr P pointed out a Painted Finch in a nearby bush. Excellent, thanks again Mr P!

 

Painted Finch

We settled down in the shade to watch the water’s edge and eventually the Long-tailed Finches came down to drink – but only one Painted accompanied them.

Long-tailed Finch video:

https://youtu.be/cLAfaYteni0

Mr P said he would check the other side of the little peninsula and shortly called me over to say there were 3 Painted Finches feeding in the shade. We watched them - and a number of Long-tailed, for a while, then both spotted a Mannikin at the water’s edge. It was, unfortunately, a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (common around Brisbane), BUT, 5 minutes later a pair of Pictorella Mannikins appeared a little further along! 

Yes, Oh yes!! A tough target bird achieved and destroyed!!

Mr P decided to go back to the car to get his camera and set off while I continued to watch for finches. 10 minutes later and he was calling me quietly, but excitedly. I dragged my sorry ass off the ground in the shade and scurried over. Back along the track he pointed out an adult (probably male) Pictorella Mannikin sitting up allowing close approach, providing perfect photo ops.

Brilliant!

 

Pictorella Mannikin

Pictorella Mannikin video:

https://youtu.be/6jHZ1MgOk7A

Having achieved the targets and it now being 15.30 we headed back to the cabin for, a short break, before heading back up to Pamela st again for another go at the Kalkadooners.

We walked the same track – specifically targeting Spinifexbird for me, without success – then Mr P again heard the Grasswrens and we spotted the couple on the slope above us. We climbed around the edge and sat and played a bit but they weren’t having any and we returned to the path below again. 

We continued to play Spinifexbird without response as we walked along looking for the Grasswrens. We eventually spotted them chasing each other, flying from spinifex clump to rock to spinifex clump, almost like a mating kind of chase, right down the gully below us.

We followed and ended up at the bottom of the ‘valley’, so to speak, watching at least 3 birds chase and fly up the slope in front of us, eventually disappearing over the top. Brilliant!!

 

Kalkadoon Grasswren

I decided to play Spinifexbird one last time and had an almost instant response from a sleepy little specimen who could hardly keep his eyes open and sat patiently 10 feet away while Mr P and I used our photo cards to the utmost taking dozens of delete-able photos.

 

Spinifexbird

Spinifexbird video:

https://youtu.be/nYXFEaxPBvU

Happy with our (for me) 3 Lifer day we headed home, picking up some more cider on the way.

 

Trip List: 114      Lifers: 8    Mammals: 1   Reptiles: 1

 

Day 7 – Thursday 20.8.20

 

In Mackers at 7 for coffee and a final check on locations, then it was heading west to Gunpowder Rd and another try at the Carpentarians.

On site at 7.30 and we walked in.

Carpentarian Grasswren Habitat....

 

It took us 3 hours but we finally managed to locate a pair of Carpentarian Grasswrens in very suitable habitat for absolute brilliant views.

 

Carpentarian Grasswren

 We also had Black-tailed Treecreepers (Qld tick for me) and our first definite Grey-fronted Honeyeaters.

Grey-fronted Honeyeater

Very happy with that outcome we air-walked back to the car and so to Mt Isa where we celebrated in Mackers, again, with milkshakes – and coffee and burger for me. Not much of a celebration for finding such a great bird with great views, but the best we could manage in the middle of the day in Mt Isa.

Back at the cabin again, we relaxed for a while, then headed out to Lake Moondara for a leisurely afternoon’s birding around the lake’s edge. Nothing extraordinary, but we added a few birds to the trip list and got some photos of Grey-fronted Honeyeaters and Purple-backed Fairywrens.

We didn’t do anything else for the late afternoon, evening, just had a short walk around the caravan park and saw a pair of Varied Lorikeets in a nest hole in a dead tree.

 

Trip List: 122      Lifers: 9    Mammals: 1   Reptiles: 1

 

Day 8 – Friday 21.8.20

 

We took it slow getting up in the morning because we were only going to Pamela st for a morning attempt at the Kalkadoons - as we had already got all possible targets the pressure was off.

At Pamela st we dipped on the Grasswrens – not a squeak - but added a couple of birds to our site list. Grey-fronted and Grey-headed Honeyeaters, Spotted Bowerbirds, Varied Lorikeets, Grey Shrikethrush and so on.

We went to Mackers again for the wi-fi and coffee, then back to the caravan park for a break.

After a while we drove to Mica Creek, about 8 ks out of town, saw a pair of Cloncurry Ringnecks, 1 Paperbark Flycatcher and a Blue-winged Kookaburra and got nice photos of Purple-backed Fairywrens.

Cloncurry Ringneck x Mr P

Purple-backed Fairy Wren

We checked the airport for Little Curlew on the way back to town (ha, ha, ha, ha) and filled up with fuel on the last of our ‘kitty’ money – 44 liters @ $1.22.9 (reduced by 4 cents thanks to Mr P’s Woolworths card) $55 in. 

Then another break at the cabin – it was pretty hot and we were both drained and relaxed, before going back into town, Mr P to book a table for two at the Isa Hotel for dinner and me to pick up some extra supplies at Woolworths for the next week’s travel.

Then it was out to the sewage works.

Not as bad as it sounds, but the birds were pretty average and access very limited ……..

 

Up to Pamela st again a little while later for another PM attempt for the Grasswrens with a repeat performance of the morning, i.e. none heard or seen. The place was very quiet up until we left at 5 for our dinner booking. 

 

The only available time had been 17.30 – “We’re fully booked out” they said, but they could fit us in at 5.30,” they said.

We got there and, of course, they couldn’t find the booking.

Considering the place was empty it didn’t really seem to be a problem, but they ‘squeezed us in’ so long as were gone by 7.

We said we would be and then had to figure out how to get a menu, a meal and a drink, cause everyone walked away and left us completely uninformed and unattended.

Fuck me. Yeah, Queensland, ready to go - my arse.

Anyway, we managed to order – barramundi for Mr P and eye fillet for me – and took out another mortgage to pay for it.

It would be nice to see Queensland Outback get it together in a more customer friendly, professional, up to date, vibrant manner. But they haven’t and probably never will.

Apart from the birds I see very little attractive about travelling in the outback. Sorry, but that’s the way it is for me. 

Its expensive, the roads are generally shit and eating out is both.

 

Trip List: 123      Lifers: 9 (+ 1 subsp)     Mammals: 1   Reptiles: 1

 

Day 9 – Saturday 22.8.20

 

We had a slow get up, there being no rush to go anywhere. I repacked the car, stowing Mr P’s camping gear out of the way and my stuff more accessible. We went to Mackers for wi-fi and so I could update my blog. Some issue either with the wi-fi or the blog and I couldn’t update anything so we headed for the airport. 

We said good bye and good luck and I headed back through Mt Isa hitting the Cloncurry road just after 9.

Arrived there at 10 without incident. That stretch of road, incidentally, is very nice – rolling hills and craggy outcrops, trees, bush and changing scenery. The road is actually in very good condition too, despite the regular occurrence of 4 trailer road trains.

I topped off the tank with 14 liters @ 1.30/liter, $18 in and headed off on the Normanton road to arrive at the Burke and Wills Roadhouse just after midday.

The B&W Roadhouse is just that – a single building with petrol pumps outside and public toilets to the left. They offer coffee and take-aways and were busy serving overweight travellers who obviously couldn’t do without a Styrofoam container full of greasy, deep fried shit. The place was humming – after driving ~180 ks from Cloncurry and only seeing half a dozen other vehicles on the road it was a bit of a shock to the system. (I did have a single Little Eagle over the road somewhere along this stretch)

I topped off again with fuel – just to be sure, to be sure – 13 liters @ $1.74/liter, $22 in.

I didn’t hang around afterwards, just started her up and pissed off on the road to Gregory Downs. 

All bitumen so far, I stopped at the coffee shop Mr D had recommended and got one of ‘the best coffees in the gulf’ – or so the sign says. It wasn’t too bad (might well be the best coffee in the gulf….) and I chatted to the owner for half an hour before heading off again towards Lawn Hill or Boodjamulla National Park. (I did see a small flock of Apostlebirds poking around the tables in front of the coffee shop and a single juvenile Crimson Finch visited the verandah)

The first 20 ks or so were bitumen, then it degenerated into a gravel road with bitumen patches. Not bad for the next 40 ks or so, but the last 20 or 30 needed to be done at 40-50 ks/hr – at least in my estimation.

I got to reception at 16.00 and checked in, got my briefing from the very friendly reception staff and found a campsite by the riverbank in The Grove.

I set up camp, sent some messages as, surprisingly, I had full signal (even with Optus) at the campsite, then sat for a while picking up a Great Bowerbird, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Yellow-tinted and White-gaped Honeyeaters - and a Grey Shrikethrush who showed interest in some rolled oats scattered on the ground.

White-gaped Honeyeater

It was late in the afternoon and still hot, but the sun was still high and I set off for a walk along the riverbank. By 17.45 I had ticked my one target bird at this location – Purple-crowned Fairywren, a pair I pulled out of some scrappy pandanus and bamboo. I didn’t try for photos as the light was poor – I’d reserve that pleasure for the morrow - but it was nice to get the bird in the bag right away and relax. They are a really cute Fairywren, even the female with her bandit eye-patch and he is stunning with his purple cap, in the right light…… I also had a pair of Barking Owls calling, but they went quiet when I played for them. It was still bright daylight.

I returned to camp, stripped off and had a 5 minute swim in the river in front my campsite. It was refreshing but I almost lost my contact in the fresh water (Contacts work fine in salt water, but don’t like fresh, need to keep my eyes shut)

I cooked dinner and was interrupted twice by calling Barking Owls right in front of me. I couldn’t see them, but they were very close, at least 3, probably 4 birds. Interestingly they stopped calling as soon as it went dark – only called just before and on sunset. I wonder if this is significant when it comes to spotlighting?

 

Trip List: 131      Lifers: 10 (+ 1 subsp)        Mammals: 1   Reptiles: 1

 

Day Drive: 540 kms     Trip Distance: 3,365 kms

 

Day 10 – Sunday 23.8.20

 

I slept well and was up at 6.15. It was still pre-dawn and I sat it out over a cup of coffee before heading off birding around the campsite.

Up on the plain above the river I found a flowering tree and had Banded Honeyeater and Varied Lorikeets.

Agile Wallaby Macropus agilis

Banded Honeyeater

Varied Lorikeet

Further on I started to run into what would be hundreds (?) of Rufous-throated Honeyeaters. It certainly seemed like hundreds, every second, third, fourth and fifth bird I saw was a RBH and they dominated the activity for the rest of the morning.

Rufous-throated Honeyeater

 

I saw quite a few Brown Honeyeaters, several Red-winged Parrots at close quarters, Double-barred and Crimson Finches, Grey-crowned Babblers, one Buff-sided Robin, a few Long-tailed Finches, a couple of Grey Fantails, a single Paperbark Flycatcher and down by the river finally pulled a trio of Purple-crowned Fairy Wrens who sat up well for my camera. Happy Days!

Buff-sided Robin

Crimson Finch

Great Bowerbird and my towel

Red-winged Parrots

Yellow-tinted Honeyeater

Purple-crowned Fairy Wren

 

Purple-crowned Fairy Wren video:

https://youtu.be/Ko77ZWqRdQA

I got back to camp just before 10 and had breakfast, then headed out on the 10 km drive to Lawn Hill NP itself. The road was rough as shit, top speed 50 k/hr, not 4WD rough, just corrugated and stony. 

Although it was only 11.30 when I got there it was very hot and oppressive in the gorge area. I walked out along the track to Indarri Falls for a bit, but quit when it became apparent it would be a waste of time. The only bird of interest was single Buff-sided Robin.

Back to camp again and settled in for a lazy afternoon in the shade. I set up the canopy from the car on my own to see if I could manage it. I could, that was good, and it provided more welcome shade through the afternoon. (The only excitement – 3 Channel-billed Cuckoos circled above the camp screaming like banshees)

Around 16.00 I packed it away – that’s the only hassle, you have to put it away when you want to drive somewhere – and drove back to the National Park again.

I walked the 2 km track to the Indarri Falls Outlook, arriving at 17.00. I sat till 18.00, scanning the gorge sides and surrounds in hopes of Purple-necked Rock Wallaby – no luck – and played occasionally for Sandstone Shrikethrush to get my Queensland tick (I have seen it before, with Mr W in the NT). I did add Red-tailed Black Cockatoo to my trip list as 6 birds flew overhead at one point. Very iconic Australian sight – 4 Black Cockatoos flying over a red sandstone gorge.

I started to walk slowly back in towards the tree line waiting for dark to descend to spotlight. I had only just walked away from the lookout when I heard a single peep (I actually heard something!), turned and a Sandstone Shrikethrush popped into view for a very brief showing before disappearing again.

And that was it. I spotlighted all the way back to the car through the woods (I was hoping for Rock Ringtail Possum) and the 10 km drive back to camp and the only thing I saw was a big motherf….g piebald Pig trot across in front of me.

 

Trip List: 140      Lifers: 10 (+ 1 subsp)     Mammals: 1   Reptiles: 1

 

Day 11 – Monday 24.8.20

 

I got up a bit slower and had breakfast before leaving camp at 7.30. It might have been my slightly later start or, I suspect, something else, but there were much fewer birds around. The Rufous-throated Honeyeaters seemed in the main to have moved on. There were still loads around, but it just didn’t seem to be as frantic as the previous day. Almost like a locust plague – they’d moved on to better feeding maybe.

I didn’t see any Banded Honeyeaters and very few Varied Lorikeets – the flowering trees appeared stripped. I followed much the same path as the previous morning, upriver through the campsite, up the slope to the upper camp and along past the reception area, out towards the “Lookout, Nature Trail’ before turning left and descending into the bush well down river from the campsite.  

I wandered around that area for an hour or so then slowly made my way back to the campsite. I added a few birds to my site list but nothing much to write home about. Took some photos of a Paperbark Flycatcher and a Blue-winged Kookaburra and that was about it. 

 

Paperbark Flycatcher

Blue-winged Kookaburra

The most unusual birds I guess were a Little Pied Cormorant perched up on a log and a White-faced Heron that dropped into a small reed bed. I didn’t see any Purple-crowned Fairy Wrens, but then again, I didn’t play for them, figuring I’d got my photos yesterday and didn’t need to stress anyone out unnecessarily.

Back at camp I, basically, did nothing all day.

I taped a few things, kept an eye on the birds that visited, tried to photograph a butterfly that came around every hour or so, but the bastard thing wouldn’t stop, and read a lot. It was nice to be lazy and do nothing with no pressure for a few hours. I had a shower (first in three days) and generally took it easy.

At 17.00 I headed off for a walk to the Lookout – a small hill about a km walk from the reception area. I thought I might see some macropods in the evening.

On the way I checked the diesel pumps and prices – ‘only’ $1.65 per liter!  Really? It was $1.74 at Burke and Wills Roadhouse the other day, how can it be cheaper here?

I went into the bar to check when fuel could be pumped in the morning – planning on an early start. The guy from Belfast behind the bar advised 8am? 

I didn’t want to have to hang around that long and asked could I still get fuel tonight? 

‘Yes’, he said, ‘give me 15 minutes and I’ll sort ya out.’

‘OK, says I, and ….just checking, But is the price on the bowser really what it is?’

‘Do you want to haggle on the price now’, says he with a grin ‘there’s no hagglin’ on the price!”

‘No, No.’ says I. ‘I just wanted to check it’s the right price ‘cause it’s cheaper than B & W, 250kms back up the road!’

“EVERYWHERE is cheaper than B & W – yes, that’s the genuine price”

‘OK’, says I, ‘I’ll bring the car up and see you when you’re ready!’

23 liters @ $1.65/liter, $37 in.

I walked up the Nature Trail to the top of the Lookout and sat there for 40 minutes or so as the sun went down, but saw no macropods. I did, however, see my first flock of Budgerigars for the trip – about 50 flew over, squeaking and swerving, as they do.

Back at the car another flock of approx 300 birds flew high overhead against the setting sun.

Back at camp I ate, updated my notes and crashed.

(Mistletoebird was the other trip addition)

 

Trip List: 142      Lifers: 10 (+ 1 subsp)      Mammals: 1   Reptiles: 1

 

Day 12 - Tuesday 25.8.20

 

I was up at 6.20, had breakfast, broke camp and left Adele Grove at 7.20. Quite apprehensive about the drive out on the gravel road, but it didn’t seem as bad as coming in and I got to Gregory Downs – and another cup of coffee from The Man – by 8.30. Left almost immediately, then stopped 100 meters up the road to retrieve the head of an Agile Wallaby recently deceased. Double-bagged and bundled into the esky, I headed on, got to Burke & Wills at 10.20, stopped only to wash my hands and headed north for Normanton.

I saw my first of the trip Sarus Cranes on the way – about 20 in a paddock.

Got there at 12.30 and filled up with fuel at a BP self service place. 39 liters @ $1.37/l, $53 in. Not too bad, all things considered.

Normanton was nothing. A single street with a café, a bakery, a few houses, two other suspect looking fuel suppliers and that was it.

I headed on.

A km out of town a muddy hole on the right signposted Muttonhole Reserve Waterhole. I stopped and drove in the 100 meters off the road. Magpie Geese, Brolgas (10), Sarus Cranes (4), Rajah Shelduck (4), Grey Teal, a couple of Pacific Black Duck, a few White-headed Stilts and a White-faced Heron. Nothing really to write home about, but it was all the birding I did before Karumba.

I reached my destination around 14.00 (512 ks and 6.5 hours driving (including breaks). The Karumba Pt Sunset Top Caravan Park. I checked in and enquired about the Ferryman boat trips? Out of action for the rest of the week, due to maintenance apparently – just my bleedin’ luck, now I’ll have to find the birds myself. (The phone no 07 474 59155)

I was directed to Site 164. I drove in and found a site so small I could barely get the car and tent onto it.

 

First 'campsite' @ Karumba

The guys beside me were also crammed onto their two sites – they were from the Gold Coast, and, in fact, knew Grinner and even Paul W. Small freaking world – to match the small freaking campsite….

Anyway, it was too hot to go serious birding so I sat in the camp kitchen nearby and charged my stuff. 

Later, before I headed out, I asked if they could move me to a bigger site and, after semi-threatening to leave and demand a refund via the manager, they found me another site. It wasn’t much better, but it had easier access and I did have room to move around a little.

Eventually, after moving my gear, I headed out to the mangroves directly behind the caravan park and walked into patches that looked maybe OK. My targets here were Mangrove Fantail (would be a lifer), Mangrove Golden Whistler and White-breasted Whistler (both would be Qld ticks and nice to see again) and Canary or Yellow White-eye and Red-headed Honeyeater maybe – both also Qld ticks, but not really expected.

 I got nowhere and saw nothing but Brown Honeyeaters and hundreds of giant grasshoppers that looked like birds. The mangroves were very dry and seemed to be a long way from water.

I gave up as the sun descended and went looking for better mangroves, without success - around Karumba Pt anyway. 

For dinner I stopped at a shop, Seabreeze, just outside the caravan park and got ‘Barra & chips’ for $13, which was OK.

I returned to camp, had a shower and sat in the camp kitchen typing this – to be disturbed by a Barking Owl calling right outside, over my tent in fact. I went out and saw it briefly before it flew off.

 

Trip List: 145      Lifers: 10 (+ 1 subsp)     Mammals: 1   Reptiles: 1

 

Day drive: 512 kms   Trip distance: 3,917 kms

 

Day 13 - Wednesday 26.8.20

 

I was up at 6.30 and by 7 driving the 10 ks or so to Karumba itself in search of accessible, decent quality, mangroves. 

I didn’t find any that 1. were decent and 2 were accessible. I had thought this place would be ringed by thick mangrove swamps and access would be a dawdle – but not so.

A bit reluctantly I returned to the caravan site at Karumba Pt and walked down the side of the river/estuary from the boat ramp with little hope in my heart.

At the end I kinda hit the edge of the mangroves – although they were very dry looking and not very tall – and started playing.

In the next 20 minutes or so I had multiple Mangrove Gerygones, a male Red-headed Honeyeater put in a brief appearance, several Yellow orCanary White-eyes and my target Mangrove Fantail reacted well to the white-eye calls, while ignoring everything else. A Whistler came in, which I, initially, dismissed as a female Rufous Whistler, but on reflection and research, decided was a female White-breasted Whistler, another Queensland tick.

Mangrove Fantail

Red-headed Honeyeater (Female)

Yellow White Eye

I tried several spots along the back of the mangroves – very thick, low and difficult to penetrate – and had the Gerygones, another Fantail and a female Red-headed Honeyeater that showed more interest in me than the speaker.

I make no apologies for using playback – there is no way I could have seen any of these birds without it and I limited it as much as I could.

All serious lifer targets acquired and destroyed! A super-successful trip!!

 

I wandered out to the beach front and sat for a short while – first Eastern Osprey and Brahminy Kite of the trip, a few Silver Gulls, a solitaryEastern Curlew and a couple of Black-necked Storks.

I returned to camp and had a coffee and a rest - it was getting pretty warm. 

Then, around 13.30, headed over to the golf course on the main Karumba road and checked some shallow ponds and sprinkler run-off for finches. White-necked Heron, Brolgas, Sarus Cranes, White-headed Stilts and a single Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, but no finches. I tried out along the Normanton road for a bit, finding a couple of shallow ponds but no real finch-type activity. Plenty of Brolgas and a smaller number of Sarus Cranes.

I chatted briefly to one of the End of World participants, aka grey nomads, in the kitchen and she told me that wifi was available in the reception area so I went there and made contact with the outside world - and did some research on the area via E-bird. It appears a spot beside the airstrip may be the place. I drove there and investigated, finding a potential access, but decided to go later in the afternoon when it had cooled down somewhat. I had decided to depart the next day, a day early, so this afternoon would be my only opportunity.

So I went back to the airfield and drove around, eventually driving more than 3 kms along a sand track between the airstrip and the beach – and found no mangroves at all. 

I gave up. Wherever the ‘airfield mangroves are remains a mystery to me.

I picked up an average tasting, over-sized burger and chips from Ashe’s place and watched the sun go down in the gulf Then I retired to the caravan park again and read while my laptop charged before crashing around 21.00.

 

Trip List: 158      Lifers: 12 (+ 1 subsp)     Mammals: 1   Reptiles: 1

 

Day 14 - Thursday 27.8.20

 

I was up at 6.20, broke camp and left the caravan park at 10 to 7. Of interest were the (at least) 4 Large-tailed Nightjars calling from the dry mangrove area behind the campsite – I hadn’t heard them calling there previously.

30 minutes out of town and a Dingo trotted across the road in front.

I drove all day – 970 kms - to Longreach. I had planned to camp at Winton, but just kept going, pushing through and arriving at Longreach just before 18.00 – 11 hours later.

I only stopped 4 times. 

Once to get fuel, and a very good coffee, at the Puma station in Cloncurry – after 447 ks, 42 liters @ $1.34/l, $70 in and once at Winton to get tobacco. 

The other two stops involved retrieving a Red Kangaroo head just before Cloncurry and to pick up a dead Black-headed Python just after. Hopefully I can get both of them – and the now frozen Agile Wallaby skull – back in one piece.

I re-fueled in Longreach – 47 liters @ $1.27/l, $63 in – before going to the Longreach Tourist Park. I got there about a minute after 18.00 to find they had closed a minute before…..

Maps Me helped me find another, much smaller caravan/camping place and I set up tent on a ‘powered’ site for $32 ($28 unpowered) so I could plug in the esky and keep my ‘samples’ cold overnight.

Along the way I saw the usual roadside birds plus 2 Australian Pratincoles flying off the road edge near Karumba and further along my first definite Antilopine Wallaby standing beside the road. A couple of Australian Bustards, a handful of Emu and dozens of Brolga/Sarus Cranes, also near the start of my drive.

The countryside was nice as far as Cloncurry, but after that just the disastrous, over grazed, treeless, scrappy grass, dusty, boring shit that I mentioned earlier in the blog. It’s a disgrace.

Trip List: 160      Lifers: 12 (+ 1 subsp)      Mammals: 2   Reptiles: 1

 

Day Drive: 970 kms    Trip Distance: 4,887 kms

 

Day 15 - Friday 28.8.20

 

Another driving day, though a little more leisurely. I got up at 6.30, left the caravan park at 7.30 and headed for the main street in Longreach and another excellent coffee from Casey’s.

Then it was on the road to Barcaldine and then south again to Blackall. 

At Blackall I activated MapsMe cause there were no signs for Idalia National Park and drove down an OK bitumen road for about 40 ks before turning off onto a lesser bitumen road for another 30 ks or so before turning again, this time onto a good quality dirt road. This continued for some time, the grids only being a hassle, until I reached the NP entrance, when, of course, the road degenerated and 40-50ks was top speed possible. The signposting was very poor within the parka and for a long time I wasn’t even sure I was going the right way. Eventually I reached the campsite, Monk’s Hole, and set up camp some distance from the only other visitors.

It was very hot and I sat in the shade until 15.00, hearing very little during that time. I did take the opportunity to skin the Black-headed python I picked up outside Cloncurry and salted it down. I buried the remains – easiest place to get rid of it.

At 15.00 I moved my chair over to a nearby pond and sat for 3 hours watching the comings and goings adding a couple of new species to my trip list – Brown-headed Honeyeater and best of all a pair of Hall’s Babblers. There were also White-plumed and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, a Noisy Friarbird, Mallee Ringnecks, Peaceful and Bar-shouldered Doves and a pair of Common Bronzewings. A female and mature joey Eastern Grey Kangaroo came in to drink just before I gave it away at 18.15. It had got quite cold even though the wind dropped.

Hall's Babbler

As I wrote my notes a Southern Boobook called nearby but I decided to go to bed and not bother spotlighting.

 

Trip List: 163      Lifers: 12 (+ 1 subsp)     Mammals: 2   Reptiles: 1

 

Day Drive: 318 kms    Trip Distance: 5,205 kms

 

Day 16 - Saturday 29.8.20

 

I was up at 5.30, had a coffee and left camp before dawn broke at 6.15. I had been advised that the best time to see my target – Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby, arguably one of the rarest Rock Wallabys in the world, given they only exist in Idalia NP – was at dawn at Bullock Gorge.

The Gorge was a 30 minute 40, and less, kilometer an hour drive along a, sometimes, very rough 4WD-only track from the campsite.

I hadn’t put the car in 4WD up to this point, however, even though probably not entirely necessary, some of the washouts required a slow climb up a rough, rocky slope, so to be safe and, what the hell, I put it in 4WD.  It was one of the roughest tracks, in places, I have ever driven, although in no way was it real 4WDriving, just rough and slow as shit at times.

I reached the gorge and set out along the top of a ridge overlooking the low ground. This is where the Wallabys were supposed to be. Almost needless to say, they weren’t there when I was there. I didn’t even see any fresh droppings and the place felt like it was completely devoid of life. The only bird I saw was a single male Rufous Whistler.

I gave it 40 minutes, wandering around looking down the slopes in hope. It wasn’t easy to get a spot where one could see a large area or even much of the rock faces – very heavily treed and outcrops everywhere. You would be most likely to come upon them unexpectedly, rather than observe them from a distance, I think.

In the end I walked the 1.5 ks back to the car and returned to camp. Along the way I saw a group of 4 White-winged Choughs and later, 2 groups of Pied Currawongs totaling about 15 birds – both trip ticks, but that was it for the birds altogether.

I snaffled a bowl of porridge, made a cup of coffee to go and broke camp. I left the site at 9.10 and headed back to Blackall. 

It was 2 hours before I got back there, filled up with fuel (45 liters @ $1.32/l, $60 in) and hit the bitumen straight away for Roma.

I drove all day, basically, sort of thinking of staying in Roma, but I got there at 16.00, filled up with fuel again (46 liters @ $1.13.9/l, $52 in) and decided to head for Miles, another 140ks.

It was 18.05 when I reached Miles, darkness had come earlier than I had expected and it had been a bit worrying for the last 30 minutes or so, but I got there without incident (just concerned re Kangaroos on the road).

The main campsite was, of course, shut. WTF is it with these places?

I asked at a Travelodge with the thoughts of maybe a room for the night? $100 seemed more than it was worth and even though I was tired, I followed the kind woman’s directions to The Showgrounds where I got a patch of dirt, a hot shower and a cold shave for $15.

Bargain at twice the price…….

 

     Trip List: 165      Lifers: 12 (+ 1 subsp)    Mammals: 2   Reptiles: 1

 

   Day Drive: 751 kms    Trip Distance: 5,956  kms

  

Day 17 - Sunday 30.8.20

 

Another semi-leisurely rising, and on the road at 7.30 after just a cup of coffee.

Arrived Chinchilla 30 minutes later and indulged myself with a Macker’s breakfast. Around 8.45 headed east, past Toowoomba and down the range to Withcott where I called into an antique store and picked up a bedside light I had targeted 2 weeks before.

Then it was just the drive home with the first real traffic in two weeks and the usual slack driving that is a Queensland habit. Home just after midday.

Job done!

 

Trip List: 165      Lifers: 12 (+ 1 subsp)    Mammals: 2   Reptiles: 1

 

Day Drive: 332 kms    Trip Distance: 6,298 kms

 

Fuel: $756

11.8.20

Minnippi

 

On site at 7, a bright, sunny, calm morning.

A Buff-banded Rail scurried away on the low tide mud below the bridge. The lake was its usual – Pacific Black Ducks, Hardheads, Australian Grebes, Eurasian Coots, a couple of Dusky Moorhens and Wandering Whistle Ducks.

The M1 track was remarkably quiet with no Honeyeaters, Whistlers or Fantails at all. 

The Avenue similar – maybe winter is already over?

Back at the lakeside a swimming Water Rat Hydromys chrysogaster was a new site tick. Amazing really, in 255 recorded visits this was my first Water Rat.

 

Four Magpie Geese honked away indignantly and the Black Swans still had four cygnets.

Nothing showed from the lookout – I didn’t bother with Airfield Track – and there was little else on the way back to the car apart from a mob of Noisy Miners going off something dreadful. They attracted a couple of Magpie Larks and Blue-faced Honeyeaters but they lost interest fairly quickly. For the life of me I couldn’t see what they were excited about. The tree had a twisted vine around part of the trunk and whether they thought it was a snake, I don’t know. But after about 10 minutes they all just shut up and flew away. No idea.

8.8.20

Enoggera

 

I hadn’t been to Enoggera reservoir since June 2016 and set off with enthusiasm. However, on the way I remembered why I hadn’t been back – the track is so busy with walkers, joggers, talkers and the water itself with swimmers and kayakers it had been frustrating and just plain annoying. 

It wasn’t any better now.

Birding was almost a waste of time. I tried to get ahead of about 20 old age walkie-talkies, but they caught up and I stood off-track to let them go. They were followed every few minutes by pairs or singles of joggers and walkers and I just gave up. One of the best birds here is Painted Buttonquail but there was no chance of seeing such a discreet bird anymore. To top it off it appeared that back-burning had been conducted along long sections of the track and the resultant 50 meter strip was bare and dead.

I completed the walk but saw very little. I heard one Eastern Yellow Robin and a small surviving colony of Bellbirds, the best bird was a couple of groups of Brown Thornbill – and only because I hadn’t seen the species for ages.

I won’t be going back.

4.8.20

Oxley

 

It was a cloudy, still, dull morning and the track was pretty quiet. The dominant bird for most of the way was Noisy Miner with just a few Scarlet andBrown Honeyeaters and 2 calling Fan-tailed Cuckoos in the same tree.

The ponds were also quiet – the pond on the right still suffering from an almost complete cover of water hyacinth which appeared to be dying, but was still choking the water surface.

A small number of Double-barred Finches, a pair of Red-backed Fairy Wrens and ditto Superb Fairy Wrens and a single Red-browed Finch all appeared to be feeding together. A Brown Falcon sat up on one of the power poles was the only raptor of the morning – possibly due to the still, flat conditions, providing no lift for soaring predators.

Back at the car I remembered Mr D’s advice and turned right at the first set of lights to reach an overlook point for the usually inaccessible pond which is normally only barely visible from the car park. There were a few White-headed Stilts and Wood Duck and a single White-necked Heron. How long this overlook point will be available is debateable with an apparent building planned, but currently it is accessible and provides a good view.

 

2.8.20

Minnippi

 

Picked Mr P up at 6.30, on site before 6.45. A pretty cool morning with a thin mist hanging over the lake. Much the usual stuff on and around the main pond.

We left the usual viewing spot at the pylons and started to walk towards the M1 track and forest. We’d just checked the creek from the concrete ‘boat’ ramp when Mr P said ‘What the fuck is THAT?’ 

A question that always attracts immediate attention.

I looked up to see a medium sized bird flying overhead away from us towards the forest. My immediate thought – completely illogically - was ‘Riflebird’- I don’t know why….

The bird landed near the top of one of the bigger eucalypts and I managed to keep an eye on its location. We moved forward quickly and tried to get something on it as it was silhouetted against the sky and with the sun to our forward left, details were hard to pick up. However, keeping it in view I called it as fruit dove, seeing its green back and wings and what appeared to be a grey head. It was initially partially obscured by other branches, but then it moved left into a more exposed position and we quickly identified it as a Wompoo Fruit Dove! Far out!! A big, completely unexpected, site tick for us - and the rest of the world.

It didn’t hang around long, moving again then flying off towards the M1 and, presumably, the Scrub Rd area.

The rest of the morning turned out well with a list of 68 species in total - and we didn’t even see any fairy-wrens of any species. 

Best of the Rest – a covey of 5 Brown Quail (Apart from a single flushed last year, I haven’t seen any here since April 2018), several Little Lorikeets, 2 Rufous Fantails, 2 Red-browed Finches and heard a Varied Triller. We walked the Airfield Track, but, apart from one of the Rufous Fantails, had nothing of note.

The Frogmouths weren’t in residence, but we were very happy with the morning’s effort.

We retired to the Rare Pear for breakfast and a prolonged chat about the upcoming Mt Isa adventure.

1.8.20

Anstead (& Toohey)

 

Picked up Mr D at 6.15 and arrived on site at 6.45. Much as usual for a winter’s morning birding at Anstead – although fewer than normal Grey Fantails (3), Whistlers (2 x Rufous & 1 x Australian Golden) and Silvereyes (~10). An overhead flock of Topknot Pigeons heading west was only my third site record, but is a common sight at this time of year in the Brisbane area.

Had breakfast at Plum in Kenmore afterwards.