I picked up Mr D and we met Mr P in the car park at 6.30. It was probably a little early, dawn had just broken but we carried on regardless.
The lake was a bit quiet, just some Wandering Whistle Ducks in the back left corner (approx 20 in total during the morning) and Hardheads, Pacific Black Ducks and a controversial Great/Intermediate Egret. We always seem to have problems agreeing on the specific species – Mr P and I plumped for Great and Mr D agreed eventually. The Black Swans – first breeding record on the pond – were followed around by their 5 well developed cygnets.
The M1 track was fairly quiet – a few Scarlet Honeyeaters, 1 Grey Fantail, 1 Rufous Whistler and a singing Fan-tailed Cuckoo – unusual for this time of year, but the Boys said it had been a quiet winter, so far, for returning visitors.
The bird of the morning was probably the single male Chestnut Teal back on the lake – been a while since I recorded one on site. 4 Magpie Geesewith a well developed immature suggested breeding in the area, but not, it seemed, at Minnippi.
We sat at the raptor lookout for a while with no outcomes, but a pair of Tawny Frogmouths in their usual spot finished off the morning – and my re-acquaintance with local birds – nicely.
Mr P couldn’t stay so Mr D and I had our usual breakfast at ex-Belesis, now known as 9 Bar & Kitchen.
Mr D picked me up and we were on site around 6.45. A grey, cloudy, drizzly start to the morning but it brightened up, as promised.
The area was pretty birdy – as per normal – and we didn’t see anything of great note. A couple of over-wintering Forest Kingfishers perched up well and a single Australian Reed Warbler were good to see. A Striated Heron on the back pond showed well, but other than those it was pretty much a typical winter’s day at Sandy Camp with a total of at least 57 species.
A long breakfast again at 9 Bar and kitchen in Coorparoo.
16.7.20
Oxley
On site at 7.15. A cool, bright, clear Queensland morning, slight breeze from the northwest.
It was pretty much a normal winter’s morning birding at Oxley, nothing super special. A Fan-tailed Cuckoo on the walk back, a Black-shouldered Kite around the lake and a drifting Black Kite were probably the birds of the morning.
I met up with the guy I’ve met before – Mike, I think – and we chatted about Lady Elliot Island, sharks and so forth for about 20 minutes.
17.7.20
Kayaking again - Oxley Creek
For the first time in ages I set out on a kayak trip. I’d being wanting to get back on the water since kayaking in Vancouver last year and finally reached that point.
The creek was on full tide and, of course, flat calm – I can’t imagine Oxley Creek ever being anything else but flat.
It had taken me some time to get organised all over again and it was 8.30 before I left the pontoon. Being the first time in almost a year, and about 3 years since I had had my boat in the water, I wasn’t intending any great adventure. I paddled up the creek for approx 3 kms over a 40 minute period. It’s hard to be sure of distance, I used Google maps to estimate the length of the trip, but its only approx. At that 3 km point the creek splits and Oxley Creek itself heads off to the left, while the main creek heads right. I haven’t been any further than this to date, but plan to venture further in the future once I have become stronger. It took me 35 minutes to get back to the pontoon, where I disembarked without falling in and carried the kayak back to the Red Shed to wash it down before putting it back on the car and heading home.
Bird-wise – at least 4 Striated Herons, multiple Brown Honeyeaters, several Bar-shouldered Doves, Little Pied Cormorant, Darter and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Rainbow Lorikeets and other common species - nothing overly exciting.
18.7.20
North Stradbroke Island
It looked good with 20 knot southerlies. But it was very, very quiet. To the point where one would say – was it worth it? The Humpbacks were good, breaching and fin slapping, putting on a show for the dozens of punters who seemed to have invaded the island, but the birds were, quite frankly, shit.
Approx 40 Australian Gannets and about 10 Fluttering/Hutton’s Shearwaters was the total passage – apart that is, of course, the Greater Crested Terns which are always there. Most of the Gannets were immatures – probably at least 90% - and the shearwaters were incredibly hard to see, hence the lack of species specific identification.
Two Eastern Ospreys, which had been calling behind us all morning, tumbled around together above the headland and a Striated Heron back at Dunwich were probably the most interesting things seen. Two Bush Stone Curlews were seen from the bus; one standing at the door of a shop at Pt Lookout – social distancing obviously, har har har – and one sitting in attendance at a grave in the cemetery.
We went for breakfast at 10 to find the large café place closed down completely so had no choice but to breakfast at a smaller place on the corner. We had to queue for 20 minutes before getting a table and they had no skim milk – oh we have soy, coconut, almond and lactose-free, but we don’t do skim (who the F drinks lactose-free milk? What’s the point?) Anyway– breakfast was nice and we discussed the possibility of a trip north while waiting to get the midday bus.
23.7.20
Kayaking - Oxley Creek
I decided to go again to Oxley Creek despite the dull, grey day that it was. The tide was scheduled to be full at 12.30 and I checked the water level at 11 before launching into an upriver sluggish current.
The trip went without incident. I explored the side branch of Oxley Creek - but it only went about 500 meters before being blocked by logs and debris.
Further upriver I came across a second kayak launch pontoon and turned around about 200 meters past that at the 60 minute point. I was conscious of the fact that paddling back against the incoming tide would be more strenuous than with it. It was - a bit harder, but not overly difficult, however, by the time I got back to the Oxley Common pontoon I'd had enough, physically.
Mostly the same birds along the way - Striated Herons being probably the most interesting, but nothing of great excitement. Good exercise though.....
29.7.20
Minnippi
Went more for the walk than the birding specifically. It was a pretty average winter’s morning at Minnippi, nothing unusual or in great numbers. The Black Swan cygnets were still numbering 5 and there were a few White-throated Honeyeaters on the M1 track and up the avenue. A Royal Spoonbill roosting on the middle island was an addition from my last visit and the Tawny Frogmouths basked in the sun in their usual tree.
Other than that there wasn’t much to write home about.
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