31.3.21
White's Hill Reserve
I headed up around 14.30 with the intention of chasing some butterflies. Despite the current lockdown, I figured that driving alone and walking alone in the reserve would constitute ‘exercise’.
It was bright and sunny, but a bit windy. As I left the car a largish all-yellow butterfly went past – Lemon Migrant, I believe, although it disappeared and never landed.
Along the edge of the pond I had a few Large Grass-yellows, one Long-tailed Pea-blue (which did land) and a smaller sized white that never landed either – possibly Southern Pearl? Very frustrating.
Through the woods and up the hill was very quiet – typically dry eucalpyt with little activity – apart from one Evening Brown.
The field at the top was also very quiet in all areas of interest – a few Welcome Swallows overhead and a single Koala in a tree along the edge. Butterfly-wise – Scarlet Jezebel, Common Crow and Monarch (one of each).
I wandered around through the grass for 30 minutes or so, but apart from a number of unidentifiable moths there was little to see.
Back down to the pond and a Meadow Argus and Orchard Swallowtail were in evidence, once again, only one of each.
Bird-wise – 12 species with the only SL – Willy Wagtail…….and 9 species of butterfly was not a bad way to open my butterfly account at this site, I guess.
31.3.21
Holland Park West
Being under Brisbane’s second 3-day-at-this-stage lockdown I was at a loose end and wanted to do something – so walked down the road, mask in place, to the rough field/creek/riparian patch at the end of the road.
It turned out quite interesting in a small-patch kind of way. (The blue line is Norman Creek)
I ended up with 18 species of birds (which is a good list for this site), 3 butterflies (inc one lifer), a damselfly and a new moth.
Nothing overly exciting bird-wise but a very vocal and active Grey Shrikethrush was only my third record.
Butterfly-wise – 2 Evening Browns, 2 Common Grass-blues and the lifer – Spotted Pea-blue Euchrysops cnejus, a very common, pretty, little species I should have ticked a long time ago, but due to my on again, off again, interest have overlooked.
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| Spotted Pea-blue Euchrysops cnejus |
The Damselfly consisted of 2 examples of Common Flatwing Austroargiolestes icteromelas which I had had there before.
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| Common Flatwing Austroargiolestes icteromelas |
I initially thought the moth was a very small Skipper/Dart thing as it fluttered through the grass, but it turned out to be a Bean Leafroller Omiodes diemenalis – but you must admit it does look like a small Hesperidae?
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| Bean Leafroller Omiodes diemenalis |
Assessing my list for this site it amazed me just how much you can do with a very basic, small, rough, destroyed environment.
I have totalled
75 bird species,
1 Mammal (Water Rat),
5 Reptiles, including a snake,
12 species of Butterflies,
5 Dragonfly species and
5 ‘other’ insects
during 85 visits over 11 years - and really I’ve just scratched the surface.
29.3.21
Kangaroo Pt
Following a tip-off from Mr P I went to a small shopping centre complex on Main Rd, Kangaroo Point. Parking up I immediately saw my target – a host of small blue butterflies chasing and feeding along a low hedgerow – Plumbago Blue Leptotes plinius. Not uncommon, but one I hadn’t ‘ticked’ up to this point.
I spent 30 minutes or so, taking 100+ photos as they flitted around, rarely landing for long, chasing and what looked like probable egg laying (?) and mating. Total number? Approx 30, I guess, but hard to be accurate.
It took a while, but I did get some open wing shots which is always difficult with small blues. Due to their continual movement and a slight breeze – and my jittery-ness from 2 cups of strong coffee – most of the photos were slightly blurry or completely useless, but I did photoshop a couple of the best ones….
Thanks Mr P.
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| Plumbago Blue Leptotes pilinius |
Sandy Camp & Lindum
Mr D picked me up at 6 and we picked up Mr P on our way to site.
Pretty average kind of morning at Sandy Camp. Quite birdy but nothing out of the ordinary.
We stopped off briefly at Lindum, but there were no ‘brown’ waders and, again, just the usual stuff.
Butterflies too were un-exciting and few – probably due to the early hour.
Breakfast at Nine Bar & Kitchen was slow to arrive and when we sort of complained, the owner didn’t charge us for the 5 coffees we consumed. All good.
26.3.21
Mt Glorious
I left home at 5.30 and reached Mt Glorious village by 6.15. I parked up and set off for the rainforest walk. A couple of female Satin Bowerbirdswere on the grass slope and a Wompoo Fruit-dove called quietly somewhere above.
The rainforest was very quiet with just a couple of Yellow-throated Scrub-wrens and Eastern Yellow Robins. It was early and only 17C, but I still thought it a bit unusually quiet.
I crossed Browns rd and headed down the Greene’s Falls track. It was pretty dead too, but the creek was running well and the falls quite full. Half way in a massive tree had fallen, recently, I think, and disrupted part of the track.
I did have a Russet-tailed Thrush sit long enough to get a photo in the dim light – not the best, but I think it shows enough to ensure it was not Bassian – and the altitude would suggest the former too.
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| Russet-tailed Thrush |
Calling Brown Cuckoo-doves were the dominant pigeon-types with a distant Rose-crowned Fruit-dove in the background and a Common Emerald Dove was a nice site tick addition (SL) walking up one of the boardwalks towards me.
Walking back up the track I found this guy wandering across the track – only 15mm long, but a pretty cute Black Gum Tree Weevil, I believe.
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| Black Gum Tree Weevil Scotasmus parvicornis |
Back at Browns rd I followed it back up to the main drag and returned to the carpark.
I made a cup of coffee at a picnic table and as I drank that, and ate a pain-au-chocolate, a Grey Goshawk flew out of one of the biggest trees and cruised off over the canopy. An unusual bird at this location? And another SL. But then again Welcome Swallow, Rainbow Lorikeet, White-browed Scrub-wren and Red-browed Finch were also all SLs – Site Lifers – which just goes to show how little I have birded this location.
At about 8.30 I packed the coffee stuff away and went looking for butterflies – my main aim of the day. it was now 21C and they had started to show as I sat.
I ended up with a good haul – nearly all SLs.
Monarch (1)
Blue Triangle (4)
Small Green-banded Blue (5, they’re everywhere this year)
Glasswing (1)
Yellow-spotted Jezebel (20)
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| Yellow-spotted Jezebel Delias nysa |
Yellow Albatross (5)
Brown Ringlet (10)
Orchard Swallowtail (1)
Southern Pearl White (2)
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| Southern Pearl White Elodina angulipennis (Not the best photo) |
Cabbage White (2)
Bronze Flat (3)
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| Bronze Flat Netrocoryne repanda |
Pale Triangle (1 – only seen before at Mackay & Cairns)
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| Pale Triangle Graphium eurypylus |
Macleay’s Swallowtail (1)
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| Macleay's Swallowtail Graphium macleayanus |
And, on the way back to the car in the lantana along the grass slope, a species I’ve long wanted to see
Regent Skipper (1) - although worn, a very welcome tick.
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| Regent Skipper Euschemon rafflesia |
I had had several Pademelon-type things dash off the track, but had had a hard job actually identifying them. But eventually one on Browns Rd and one on the opposite side of the main road stayed long enough to verify Red-necked Pademelon – assume the others were the same, though my previous records show Red-legged Pademelon were seen on site.
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| Red-necked Pademelon Thylogale thetis |
I’d have stayed longer but there was a guy coming to update the intercom system on the unit so headed home at 10.00
25.3.21
Moggill SF
Wanting to concentrate on butterflies I left it a bit later than normal to get on-site – at 7.30. The creek beside the track was actually running, noisily like an Irish stream, and where it crossed the track needed careful negotiation to avoid wet feet.
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| Moggill SF - usually only walk the track through the vine/rainforest, after that it changes into dry eucalypt |
Overall the birds were ‘poor’ – mostly heard and few at that. I did have a Brown Goshawk cruise quietly over the canopy and did actually score a SL – Yellow-throated Scrub-wren, but the birds I didn’t see where more numerous. No Large-billed Scrub-wrens, Lorikeets or Rosellas, Shrike-thrushes, Monarchs or Cuckoos. Total - 22 species.
However, it was the butterflies I came for and once it warmed up there were heaps. I listed 13 species with at least (conservatively) 60 Yellow Albatross, 100 Small Green-banded Blues (they were swarming along the track), Common Crow (20), Orchard Swallowtails (4), Large Purple Line-blue (40), Glasswing & Evening Brown (1 each), Brown Ringlet (10), Black Jezebel (1) and one Scarlet Jezebel (SL), Purple Crow (2) and a single Wide-brand Grass-dart at the same spot as last week. No Jezebel Nymph – which had been my main hope after last week’s catastrophe - but did get a lifer in the shape of White-banded Line-blue Nacaduba kurava (20) – a nice little butterfly perching up well on the track itself and surrounding vegetation.
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| White-banded Line-blue Nacaduba kurava |
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| Large Purple Line-blue Nacaduba berenice |
I had my hands full trying to find birds and check out the swarming butterflies but I don’t think I missed anything major – especially the Jezebel Nymph…. I must have checked and discarded every Yellow Albatross in the valley……..
24.3.21
Oxley
After two days of almost solid rain and the resulting flooding and damaged roads I wanted to get out but decided not to venture too far – so, once again, Oxley it was.
A damp, but quickly-drying-out kinda morning, a little cloud and a stiffening breeze (as wind always follows rain) and the temperature spiralling upwards to create a humid, sticky, sweat outcome by the time I got back to the car at 8.
The track was quiet on the way out, only one photographer type near the ponds. The track itself had a few shallow pools on it, but at the causeway between the first two ponds it was badly flooded and so progress beyond that point was, basically, not worth the effort. I reckon with my gortex-lined Zamberlains I would have got through so long as it wasn’t too deep but I chose not to risk it and turned back at that point.
Bird-wise it was also pretty quiet – notably, maybe, a female Rufous Whistler (possibly the same bird I saw a week ago?) was again present.
The bird-of-the-morning, if you could really call it that, was a Black Kite quartering the ground along the tree line beyond the ponds. Been a while since I’ve seen one here, although they were very regular late last year.
Butterfly-wise I didn’t expect much, but did get an SL – Dainty Swallowtail and another first for the season on-this-site – Chequered Swallowtail – just one of each, but that’s all you need. Common Crow (6), Blue Tiger (1), Black Jezebel (2) and a lightly marked Large Grass-yellow also showed up. (I took a photo for ID purposes and thought I’d throw it in here, just 'cause I can.)
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| Large Grass-yellow Eurema hecabe |
I was looking at my Australian Butterfly list – ‘cause I don’t have a lot else to do and thought some stats might be amusing…
In Australia (according to my edition of Braby, which is not the latest) there are 398 species of butterfly available.
In Queensland – there are 316 species or 79% of the total - which is incredible.
In SEQ (below the range, north to Gympie, approx) – 183 individual species or 46% of the total species in Australia are available here.
I have recorded only 77 species total on my list, all but 11 of them in SEQ – so 66 out of a potential 183….
Something to work towards?
Told you it’d be amusing!
21.3.21
Minnippi
Wanting to get out and do something and, after checking the rain, I headed out and was on site slightly later than normal at 8. A cloudy, rain-threatening morning, very damp underfoot it warmed up while I was out becoming very humid and sweaty.
The lake was very quiet as was the M1 track. I did see a couple of fluttering brightly coloured moths so took a few photos and later identified them as Lydia Lichen Moths Asura lydia – a lifer and, obviously, an SL!
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| Lydia Lichen Moth Asura lydia |
Along the avenue was deathly still, but 4 Yellow-faced Honeyeaters put in a brief appearance at the ‘stand-alone’ tree in the middle of the cutting. I also photographed a very small, well-marked moth, but am relying now on the Museum to identify it….
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| Banded Concealer Moth Zonopetala clerota |
UPDATE: The moth above now identified with help from the Qld Museum as one of the Concealer Moth family - I have identified it as Banded Concealer Moth Zonopetala clerota. Any mistakes are mine
Along the return track to the ponds, a small Darter/Skipper type thing attracted my camera and again later identified as a Dingy Swift Pelopidas agna, another SL and lifer….
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| Dingy Swift Pelopidas agna |
Back at the pond the Black Swan’s nest was completely deserted and no sign of the adults anywhere – however, later when I returned to the Lookout after walking the Airfield Track, the two birds appeared on the lake. However, I suspect the nest has been completely deserted - or possibly robbed? – as they showed no interest and there were no cygnets in evidence.
I Latham’s Snipe standing patiently on the distant bank.
The Airfield track produced virtually no birds at all, but several Orchard Swallowtails, a Blue Tiger, Common Crow (3), Glasswing (3), Varied Eggfly (1), Black Jezebel (1) and another SL – but not a lifer, No-brand Grass-yellow (1). A bit surprising as I thought I’d had it here before.
Elsewhere added Monarch (1), Cabbage White (1) and several Evening Browns along the Airfield Track.
Back to the lookout, and two circling Brown Goshawks in the distance were probably bird of the day. As I walked back down the grassy slope one chose to fly directly overhead, fairly low, providing good views - most likely a juvenile bird as pretty plain coloured underneath.
Then back along the cement track to the car and the welcome blast of air-conditioning – the two Tawny Frogmouths were back in a tree beside the scrawny tree they were in a couple of weeks ago.
19.3.21
Mt Nebo - Manorina
With the weather so much cooler and pleasant I looked forward to the walk up through the rainforest and woods to the lookout point. I left at 5.30, in the dark with dawn at 5.50 – and arrived on site, a couple of ks past Mt Nebo village, at 6.15.
Started out well with Bell Miners calling all around, Wonga Pigeon and Brown Cuckoo-dove in the background, but……. the track was very, very quiet for the most part. Don’t know if it was because of the lower temperature or the lack of sun on that side of the hill (facing west) or what, but it was very slow going.
I reached the top after an hour or so having only seen a few White-browed Scrub Wrens, Eastern Yellow Robins, a couple of Rufous Fantails and one or two Australian Golden Whistlers, one of which I taped. If it wasn’t for the persistent Wonga Pigeon in the background…..
At the top, a couple of Crimson Rosellas, then, after a sit down to enjoy the view, back down along the fire trail, completing the circuit.
Added Brown Thornbill, White-throated Treecreeper, Grey Fantail and one immature Black-faced Monarch to the morning’s list, but otherwise, still very quiet.
Back at the car park surrounded by calling Bell Miners I made a cup of coffee and sat for a while. As I did I heard a calling Brush Cuckoo twice – an SL, but not of any great significance. A bird in the canopy attracted my attention and it turned out to be a female Regent’s Bowerbird, eventually coming quite close, almost ground level, briefly. Not an SL as I have seen it here before, but bird of the morning none the less.
Only 1 butterfly – a single Small Grass-yellow near the top – probably due to the damp and cooler conditions.
18.3.21
Oxley
Following a full day of rain yesterday and with showers ‘pending’ I opted for another walk at a nearby site rather than going further abroad, so was on-site at 6.30. I had the track almost to myself as the spitting rain and muddy track obviously deterred the fair-weather joggers and dog walkers, thank Christ.
It was still pretty quiet but I did see a lot more Red-browed and Double-barred Finches and Brown Quail than on recent ‘busier’ walks.
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| The track - with a couple of Brown Quail feeding in the open. |
At the ponds the first Black-fronted Dotterel for a long time flew around, but otherwise the lily-choked water meant few water birds and just the usual selection of Swamphens, Moorhens and Egrets.
I did take a photo of a lone Dragonfly that I think is Scarlet Percher (an SL).
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| The lily-choked pond |
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| Scarlet Percher Diplacodes haematodes |
Butterfly-wise I also scored two SLs – Wide-brand Grass-dart & Small Green-banded Blue, but we’re seeing the latter everywhere at the moment so it wasn’t that exciting. Evening Brown (1), Monarch (3), Common Crow (1) and Black Jezebel (1) were the only other species to brave the damp conditions.
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| Wide-brand Grass-dart Suniana sunias |
So, no SMs or even SLs in the bird world – and nothing taped……
17.3.21
Minnippi
The previous 48 hours had seen rain pushing in from the northwest. Not the usual sub-tropical downpours seen in summer, but more persistent, steady rain – like Irish rain, you know? ‘Rain between the showers’
I had planned to go camping in the Bunya Mtns but obviously had had to cancel that. I still wanted to get out for a walk of some sort so, checking the weather, I headed out at 6 to Minnippi as heavier rain was moving in from the Bunya Mtns (!) area, but I figured I’d have time before it arrived.
On site at 6.30 and, checking the pond, I found an SL. A pair of Plumed Whistle Ducks tucked away in the left hand corner.
Yep, I’m coining a couple of new terms.
SL = Site Lifer, indicates the first time I have seen a bird on a specific site.
I also propose ‘SM’ which would equal ‘Site Mega’!
What qualifies as an SM? I would consider the Wompoo Fruit Dove Mr P and I had a few months ago at Minnippi as an SM. The Red-backed Button Quail I flushed last week would be an SM. Basically a species that is relatively unusual and new for the site overall would be an SM. It’s a bit qualitative – what I think is unusual, may not appear the same way to you, but I think, generally, agreement would be reached easily enough.
It’s just the result of being retired and having time on ones hands……..
Anyway moving on before the rain hits…..
The clouds hung heavy and with rain occasionally spitting it was pretty quiet away from the water. I did have a couple of White-browed Scrub Wrens on the M1 track, but they were the only ‘small’ birds I saw anywhere – no Honeyeaters (apart from the ubiquitous Lewin’s and Noisy Miners), no Fairy wrens, not even any Lorikeets, anywhere. Butterflies were almost non-existent too, of course – a couple of Evening Browns and 1 (only) Common Grass Blue.
Along the connecting track back to the pond from The Avenue I had a Pheasant Coucal sit up very close in a small tree calling the ‘sneeze’ call. I suspect there were young birds in the super-thick grass close to the track as this (adult) bird was pretty agitated, hoping around the tree calling quite aggressively. I taped it of course – for your amazement and wonder….
Nothing much else around. Neither of the two Black Swans (God help me…) were on the nest. Both were hanging around the boardwalk. Whether they were taking a break or the complete nesting thing had failed I didn’t know. I couldn’t see into the nest and there was no sign of any cygnets. By this time the eggs should have been hard-boiled, so I started thinking the effort may not have succeeded. Time will tell.
The Macquarie Turtles were still anxiously queuing in a socially distanced manner for handouts – although in smaller numbers, most having given up the protest and returned to their jobs.
The Tawny Frogmouths of last visit had obviously sought better shelter than the crappy tree they were perched in then and were not to be seen.
The PWDs had disappeared when I re-checked before heading over the bridge.
I made it back to the car as it started to rain in earnest and headed home.
14.3.21
Moggill SF
Feeling buoyed up with yesterday’s success and wanting to see more butterflies (for my sins) I headed out latish to Moggill. On-site at 7.30 and, unusually - but no doubt as a result of the late start - it was very quiet initially. In fact, it stayed pretty quiet bird-wise throughout the 2 and a half hours I walked the track, although I did see some good stuff.
Butterfly–wise it was less active than I had hoped. The main concentration of insects were about 6 meters up a tree where flowering mistletoe had attracted a selection. Unfortunately, I could only see some of the mistletoe and so vision was a bit restricted and the butterflies were more or less silhouetted against the sky making photography almost impossible. There were a heap of Common Crows and Yellow Albatross – the latter very common through the morning – but I managed to pick out about 5 Purple Crows, a species I had only seen at Eungella NP before this (Thanks to Mr P’s feedback).
I did see Orchard Swallowtails (10), but couldn’t turn any of them into Fuscous, Small Green-banded Blues were common low down, a couple of Blue Triangles, a Glasswing, 3 Evening Browns, 1 Black Jezebel and several Brown Ringlets. I photographed Wide-brand Grass-dart and Speckled Line-blue for ID purposes – both of which I’d also had before.
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| Wide-brand Grass-dart Suniana sunias |
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| Speckled Line-blue Catopyrops florinda |
On the return walk I embarrassed myself.
A white jezebel-type butterfly alighted low down nearby and I binned it. As I looked at it I thought ‘mmmm a bit of a tatty Black Jezebel, not a s dark as normal on the underwing, but reckon that’s what it is’ Didn’t bother taking a photo ‘cause I have multiple photos already, but did note a single red spot on the underwing……
It played on my mind all the way home and when I checked I realised it was a Jezebel Nymph Mynes geoffroyi. Really frustrating and quite embarrassing, but that’s the story, Rory. Having just been talking to Mr P recently about them and neither of us having seen one, it might almost seem like a plan, but it wasn’t! Honest!
Bird-wise. I had a single, silent Brush Cuckoo, a similar Fan-tailed and 2 Shining Bronze Cuckoos – the latter having been pretty thin on the ground this year. A load of Rufous Fantails (well, about 5), a Leaden Flycatcher, 4 White-naped Honeyeaters, Large-billed Scrubwrens, an immature Black-faced Monarch, 2 Brown Thornbills which I taped but didn’t put on xeno-canto ‘cause I called them in. (Thank God says you) and most of the usual stuff heard calling – Wonga Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-dove, Peaceful and Bar-shouldered Dove ect.
Another 4 hours in front of the computer sorting all this shit out…….
13.3.21
Toohey Forest
Mr D was unable to bird Saturday morning, but invited me on a Herp & Butterfly walk in Toohey forest early afternoon.
Honestly? Not my favourite place, but he had been talking about the skinks and butterflies he had been seeing over the last few months so I was interested in having a look.
We walked in from the Tarragindi end and covered a couple of Kms on and off track.
End result? Excellent!
Herps:
(Eastern) Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata (1)
Lace Monitor Varanus varius (2)
Elegant Snake-eyed Skink (6-8)
Martin’s Skink Eulamprus martini (4)
Major Skink Bellatorias frerei (2)
Butterflys: (numbers very approximate)
Black Jezebel Delias nigrina (2)
Common Crow Euploea core (6)
Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus (8)
Small Green-banded Blue Psychonotis caelius (20)
Orange-streaked Ringlet Hypocysta irius (20+)
Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona (1)
Glasswing Acraea andromacha (2)
Blue Tiger Tirumala hamata (1)
Yellow-spotted Blue Candalides xanthospilos (15+)
Southern Silver Ochre Trapezites praxedes (3)
Yellow Albatross Appias paulina (1)
Common Blue (5+)
Rayed Blue Candalides heathi (1)
And I successfully taped a Striated Pardalote.
All in all a very successful walk, thanks Mr D! (And thanks, Mr B, for the assistance in identifying the butterflies).
12.3.21
Oxley
A dull, muted, damp morning flowing overnight rain – but nice and cool at 22C. The track was pretty quiet on the way out but when the sun finally broke through at 7, it warmed up and stuff seemed to follow suit.
The pond track produced all three ‘Oxley’ finches, albeit in small numbers i.e. Chestnut breasted Mannikin (1), Red-browed (2) and Double-barred Finch (4), Superb Fairy-wrens (7 in one bush drying off/warming up), Golden-headed Cisticolas, Tawny Grassbirds and a White-browed Scrub-wren which I managed to tape.
White-browed Scrubwren: XC628250
I also taped a few other common species
Grey Butcherbird: XC628251
Pied Butcherbird: XC628253.
Spangled Drongo: XC628255.
(Basically getting the commoner species out of the way, they won't be repeated!)
Also the first two butterflies of the morning – Varied Eggfly (1) and the (almost) always reliable Monarch.
The ponds themselves were very quiet – the main pond on the right almost completely covered in water lily. Two Pacific Black Ducks flew around looking for somewhere to land, half a dozen Purple Swamphens poked around the edge, a couple of Intermediate and one Great Egret, an Australian Darter and a Little Pied Cormorant were total birds ‘on the water’.
Overhead the biggest flock of White-throated Needletails I have seen this year – hard to count, but I estimated 40-50 birds - flying at medium height providing good enough views to establish no Pacific Swifts among them.
Walking back – the Buff-banded Rail quietly crossed the track again, on the butterfly front - a Lesser Wanderer, two Evening Browns, a Yellow Migrant and a Wattle Blue Theclinesthes miskini which I thought might be something else, but thanks to Mr B was correctly identified.
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Wattle Blue Theclinesthes miskini |
2 Elegant Snake-eyed Skinks sunned themselves on logs which Mr D now has me checking, by bins from distance….…. The first Rufous Whistler in a long time showed itself – a female – and I almost had to kick a couple of Brown Quail out of the way along the track.
10.3.21
Thylogal Track from Jolly's Lookout, Mt Nebo
I left home in the dark at 5.30, made excellent time and was on site at 6.05. No one else around – and, in fact, saw no one anywhere along the track.
Bell Miner colony at start of track completely dominating the first 50 meters or so. After that it was a very slow, 4 hour walk out and back, listening, taping, looking. Geeeezzz rainforest birding can be hard. Rewarding, but hard.
Loads of stuff calling, most of which I was unsure of until I saw it. Some persistently dominant calls – Wonga Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-dove, Lewin’s Honeyeater and Eastern Whipbird to name the main protagonists. Taping stuff was difficult – i.e. trying to get a clear recording through all the ‘noise’.
But I did manage to get some stuff to enthral and amaze you all:
Black-faced Monarch: XC627842
Brown Cuckoo Dove: XC627844
Green Catbird: XC627845 and XC627849
Lewin's Honeyeater: XC627840
Pied Currawong: XC627851
Wonga Pigeon: XC627839
(Go on, knock yourself out!)
I also saw a total of 11 butterfly species and missed several more being unable to ID them conclusively from distance. The main butterfly ‘excitement’ (for me) was a single adult Leafwing Doleschallia bisaltide and then a caterpillar on the track. I didn’t manage to get a photo of the adult, but the caterpillar was easier prey.
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| Leafwing Doleschalia bisaltide |
The others were all much as expected: including Brown Ringlet and what I think is No-brand Grass-yellow?
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| Brown Ringlet Hypocysta metirius |
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| No-brand Grass-yellow? |
I also got a new moth - Triangular Geometrid Moth Epidesmia chilonaria. Although God knows its very, very similar to another Epidesmia - Neat Epidesmia Epidesmia tryxaria - so.....
I also photographed what I assumed was a Cranefly, but thanks to Steve Wilson of the Qld Museum is now identified as a Common or Blue-eyed Lacewing Nymphes myrmeleonides. (Not the best of photos either...)
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| Common or Blue-eyed Lacewing Nymphes myrmeleonides. |
I had one mammal – a Red-legged Pademelon on the track – although I had fleeting glimpses of several more and heard regular foot stamping in the forest.
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| Red-legged Pademelon Thylogale stigmatica |
Best birds? I guess the Rose-crowned Fruit Dove that sat up well for the camera – plus a couple I heard. I also heard Wompoo Fruit Dove, Green Catbirds caterwauling, several Black-faced Monarchs, White-throated Treecreeper, Little Shrike Thrush, Eastern Spinebill, Brown Gerygone– yeah, I know, nothing exciting, but nice to be back in touch with these birds again.
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| Rose-crowned Fruit Dove |
It was a long morning, but quite cool and pleasant in the higher altitude rainforest. I then spent 5 hours looking at photos and manipulating bird calls, so it was a big day overall – I should be getting overtime.
7.3.21
Minnippi
Mr P and I were on site at 5.45, just after dawn, an overcast, cool-for-the-season morning.
The lake was much as usual. The M1 track produced a male Leaden Flycatcher, most likely on passage as they don’t seem to be reliable or consistent at site. Otherwise fairly quiet.
We walked all the way up The Avenue and back round the thick grass area under the pylons. Interestingly, a single Grey-headed Flying Fox Pteropus poliocephalus was hanging off the high voltage wires. Must have had too much to eat the previous night and decided to rest up.
Back at the lake, again, more of the usual, with 2 Latham’s Snipe picked out by Mr (Eagle-eyes) P on the bank of the island. The Bleeding Black Swan was still sitting. A well advanced juvenile Channel-billed Cuckoo hung out on a tree on the island, possibly the same bird I saw at the other end of the lake a week or so ago? A few Macquarie Turtles remained from the previous demonstrations looking hopefully for bread handouts.
A cigarette-length sit at the lookout produced nothing, but the walk back to the car turned up Rufous Fantail, two Variegated Wrens and a handful of Silvereyes all hanging out together in a bird-wave of sorts.
Two Tawny Frogmouths were back in a spindly tree in roughly the usual location.
A good morning with 50 species in total.
Butterflies: Evening Brown (10), Small Green-banded Blue (1), Black Jezebel (10), Monarch (1), Common Crow (1) and Common Grass Blue (3).
We retired for breakfast to NBK (Ninebar Kitchen) where Mr P treated me to orange poppyseed pancakes in honour of my pending increase in age.
5.3.21
Sandy Camp & Mangrove Boardwalk
With another cool morning predicted - and Ubering not worthwhile – I arrived on site at 7. Possibly a bit late? But with most activity focused on the ponds I figured time wasn’t so important. Maybe I was wrong, ‘cause it was very quiet overall. There were the usual photographer types wandering around. I sometimes wonder if they have any idea what they’re taking photos of? They don’t appear to be birders, with no bins in evidence. Maybe they’re just too good to need bins?
Anyway, it was very quiet, bird-wise, but very noisy in the industrial area located immediately around the perimeter with trucks and cars and loudspeakers and forklifts beeping and engine-revving and shouting….. It was, really, a waste of time and I spent only an hour walking the circuit seeing nothing exciting.
To avoid the traffic, I headed down to the Mangrove Boardwalk at North Wynnum – more for something to do than with any expectations.
I saw almost as many species there as at Sandy Camp and managed to get a brief taping of a Collared Kingfisher, which was a bonus. I didn’t actually see the bird and I didn’t see much else.
I have now loaded the call (my first upload!) onto Xeno-canto - the link is provided here
I did add Lewin’s Honeyeater to my Wynnum North list with one seen in the mangroves, which I considered a little unusual, but other than that not much. But it was quite pleasant – and quiet – in the shade of the mangroves.
Butterflies:
Sandy Camp, Blue Tiger, Common Crow, Evening Brown & Black Jezebel.
Boardwalk: Blue Tiger (15) & Scarlet Jezebel.
4.3.21
Minnippi
I had a late start as it was raining when I first woke, so I didn’t get on site till 7. A nice, cool, damp morning (21C).
Overall it was pretty quiet. The M1 track produced a couple of White-throated Honeyeaters, Striated Pardalotes, 4 Grey Shrike Thrushes and a noisy flock of Noisy Miners, the latter two I managed to tape and achieve reasonable recordings after playing with the results on Audacity – limiting the background noise from the M1.
Later update: link to Grey Shrike Thrush call - XC626785
Noisy Miner calls: - XC626786
On the way back to the lake I flushed a Swamp Wallaby, but the lake itself was normal bird-wise. The Black Swan was still sitting with only 1 other adult bird visible on the lake – it appears the 3 juveniles from last year’s brood have finally pissed off.
I walked the Airfield track, but didn’t see even ONE BIRD. Back to the car added nothing new or exciting.
Butterflies – the usual plus a couple of Small Grass Yellows Eurema smilax.
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| Small Grass Yellow Eurema smilax |
2.3.21
Oxley
A pleasant, clear, bright, ‘cool’ (22C) morning for the second day of Autumn. (Dawn at 5.40, on site at 6) I took a very slow walk out the track. It wasn’t very birdy, but I saw most of the common species along the way. A Red-browed Finch a 100 meters in was an early view of a bird usually encountered further out. Due to the track being relatively quiet (just a few early runners) Brown Quail crossed or fed on the track at a few locations.
An Oriental Dollarbird seen briefly overhead was a nice addition, but other than that nothing of note. The ponds were very quiet – no Cormorants, Darters or Pelican, only 2 Egrets (Great & Intermediate) and a few Pacific Black Ducks, Purple Swamphens and Dusky Moorhens.
On the return journey a Buff-banded Rail put in a quiet appearance on the track while I was attempting to tape a Grey Butcherbird.
Butterflies were slow to start in the ‘cooler’ than usual morning, but eventually a few Monarchs, one Common Crow and a very bedraggled Lesser Wanderer were seen and I retreated home to sit out the expected 32C day.
