23.2.22
Flat Rock, Ballina NSW
Mr P contacted me and told me a Grey Ternlet (aka Grey Noddy) had been seen at Flat Rock. It would be a lifer for me, the species been rare in the Australian mainland, but occasionally turning up on the east coast. So I decided to go.
I left home at 6.30 for the two hour/~180km drive through pouring rain, semi-flooded roads and tangled traffic arriving on site at 8.30. I had hoped to outrun the rain, but it was still drizzling when I geared up to head out. I thought I had packed a spray jacket, but, in fact, I’d put in a poncho. Not the best item to wear when birding in any sort of wind, but I persevered and headed out across the beach to the rocks.
There had been no apparent wind in the car park but a squally north-easter was blowing the rain horizontally across the sand and the poncho was flapping like a lunatic scarecrow. I shouldn’t have bothered because by the time I headed back, 40 minutes later, sans bird and with a heavy increase in the rain, I was soaked to my underpants.
There were plenty of Terns – Great Crested ~500?, Common ~80 and Little ~ 30, very approximate counts, but no sign in the misty optics and, now pouring down, wind driven rain of a GT. A Common Noddy had lifted off the beach or rocks and drifted past me as I approached. Not a common bird on-shore, but presumably. seeking shelter to roost. There were also Sooty Oystercatchers, Sanderling, Red-capped Plover and Ruddy Turnstonesamong the rocks –but I hadn’t paid them a lot of attention.
Back at the car I stripped off the now redundant, sodden poncho, stored the gear and sat in the car steaming slightly for an hour.
Bugger this, I’m going for a coffee, so I headed off to Mackers, 10 minutes away.
Coffee got, I checked the weather map and could see there was a break in the cloud coming up, so back into the ve-hic-le and back to the car park. By this time the rain had more or less stopped so I abandoned the poncho and headed in. Well, I was so wet it didn’t really matter anymore.
I spent another hour or thereabouts scanning every tern on the rocks and along the sand without finding my target. I don’t believe I missed it. I suspect it had taken advantage of the break in the weather itself and headed out to feed. It may return later in the day, but I wasn’t hanging around that long on that slim possibility. By now I was fairly dry – the breeze had weakened, but warmed, the sky was cloudy, but bright, and it seemed the rain had gone where all good rains go – somewhere bloody else.
I noticed a couple of Wandering Tattlers on the rocks and a decent flock of feeding Wedge-tailed Shearwaters just out beyond. I scanned the latter several times in between tern-checking, in the hopes of something good, but they remained only Wedgies.
I drove home in increasing sunlight with only my damp underpants and socks to remind me of the adventure.
At least I’ve kept my record of failure alive. I just don’t cut it when it comes to looking for other peoples’ birds!
23.2.22
Scorpion At Home
A few days ago Mr B contacted me. He'd found a scorpion at Cedar Creek and wondered if I'd like to see it? Would I f...? Of course!
So this Rainforest Scorpion has been my visitor for the last few days. I finally got around to taking some photos of it before I release it back into the wild tomorrow. It was 30mm in length. I had never seen a live scorpion before and certainly wasn't aware they get this big in Australia. Apparently their bite/sting is non-fatal, but painful, and the biggest ones hang out in the desert. Happy to release him, still feisty and ready to rock 'n' roll! Handled with due care and diligence.
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| Rainforest Scorpion Hormurus waigiensis |
19.2.22
Minnippi - Birding
Birding this morning, so on site with Mr P at 6. A pleasant morning that warmed up remarkably quickly becoming hot and sweaty by the time we finished at 7.30. We chose not to walk the Airfield Track, but had quite a good morning overall.
Highlights included a juvenile Brush Cuckoo along The Avenue, a calling Pale-vented Bush Hen and 3 Buff-banded Rails (which I didn’t see) at the carpark and a Varied Triller flyover. Not spectacular but a satisfactory mornings outing.
Butterflies were few and far between, as expected in the earlier hours. Just a few of the commoner species.
We retired to the Mackers on Creek Rd for coffee before going our seperate ways.
18.2.22
Minnippi - Butterflying
On site at 9.45, very hot (31c+), bright, small breeze, perfect conditions for flutterbys.
There weren’t the hundreds I was (always?) hoping for but I did register 21 species. Nothing outstanding, but continued my ‘well-what-else-is-there-to-do’ quest of filming butterflies with a video of White-banded Plane, which at least did ‘something’ more than just sit there – although it wasn’t a lot more in truth.
Estimated insect number – approx 100. Still no mass showing of the blues – they are around, but in small numbers and no Hairy Line-blues or the like in any sort of number. I’m thinking we’re gonna see a large hatch next month – or at least that is my prediction/hope.
Birds-wise I didn’t keep a list – it would have been very short anyway - but I did have a Pale-vented Bush Hen self-flush along the Airfield track to fly weakly and noisily into the creek, a Black Kite over the Airfield itself and a Striated Heron flew from the bridge in towards the main lake – somethings you don’t see every day.
Dingy Grass-skipper 1
Wide-brand Grass-dart 5+
Blue Triangle 4+
Orchard Swallowtail 3
Chequered Swallowtail 4
Lemon Migrant 2
Large Grass-yellow ~6
Cabbage White 1
Evening Brown 15+
Glasswing 1
Varied Eggfly 2
Leafwing 1 M1 Track
Meadow Argus 1
White-banded Plane at least 6 – all looking fresh and horny.
Common Crow 15+
Monarch 4
Blue Tiger 4
Large Purple Line-blue 2+
Speckled Line-blue 5+
Purple Cerulean 1+
Dainty Grass-blue 10+
And a new moth:
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| Pale Spotted Tiger Moth Amata aperta |
17.2.22
Moggill
After a few days of rather flat inactivity I dragged my sorry ass out to Moggill. It was hot, bright for the most part and, most importantly, relatively windless - the south-easter had finally blown itself out the previous night.
There weren’t a lot of butterflies, number-wise (~75) but I surprised myself by ending up with a list of 22 species, including 1 lifer.
Wide-brand Grass-dart 5
Blue Triangle 2
Pale Triangle 1
Orchard Swallowtail 5
Clearwing Swallowtail 3
Lemon Migrant 5
Large Grass-yellow 6
Caper Gull 10+
Yellow Albatross 10+
Evening Brown 3
Tailed Emperor 1 – great views of its soaring and gliding above – but again, no photos….
Glasswing 2
Jezebel Nymph 3+
Leafwing 2
White-banded Plane 1
Common Crow 3
Purple Crow 2
Monarch 2
Blue Tiger 2
Small Green-banded Blue 1
Large Purple Line-blue 2
Orange-tipped Pea-blue 2 – Lifer, thanks for the (orange) tip Mr P, har har har…..
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| Orange-tipped Pea-blue Everes lacturnus - very small, but very pretty |
Video of butterfly: https://youtu.be/QfMjZOXLQsc
One spider – seen before, but they seem to come in different colours…
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| Tent-web Weaver Cyrtophora molucensis |
I stopped off for a short walk around the rainforest walk at the Botanical Gardens again. A few more for my site list, but nothing earth shattering.
Wide-brand Grass-dart 4
Blue Triangle 3
Orchard Swallowtail 4
Lemon Migrant 3
Caper Gull 2
Yellow Albatross 3
Evening Brown 1
White-banded Plane 1
Common Crow 2
Purple Crow 1
Large Purple Line-blue 1
13.2.22
North Stradbroke Island
With a cyclone sitting off Norfolk Island, admittedly a long way off the Qld coast, I thought Pt Lookout might be worth a visit. The winds were 20-25 knots, gusting in excess of 30 knots, but it was the sea that was chaotic. Huge waves, white caps everywhere, large sets breaking over the rocks below when I arrived on site, as usual, at 8.
Immediately on setting up, a huge flock of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters was apparent maybe 500 – 750 meters off the coast. Mixed in I noted a few Short-tailed, but the vast majority were Wedgies.
This was to continue through the two and a half hour seawatch. It appeared to me that there were at least 1,000 Wedgies hanging around more or less off the point, congealing into feeding flocks as some bait fish schools appeared and then dispersing again when the food ‘ran out’. There was some southerly movement, but I suspected most of the birds were simply circling against and then back with the wind.
This of course, would encourage any passing ‘strangers’ to drop in and have a feed. However, I only saw 1 probable Buller’s Shearwater and 1 definite Streaked Shearwater in the two and a half hour seawatch. It was very difficult to follow individual birds and I lost both of these seconds after seeing them so both views were very poor. There was a steady (thin) stream of Fluttering Shearwaters moving through – and most of these seemed to keep heading south. As did the 1 Arctic Skua and the (approx) 4 Common Noddys that I also managed to pick up. The huge seas made following individual birds challenging and the on/off glare didn’t help things.
I had forgotten to pack a hat so was pretty keen to get out of the intermittent but hot sun and at 10.30 decided to pack it in and head home.
12.2.22
Bald Mountain
Mr B arrived and we left my place at 7.30. Following two false starts on wrong roads, one of which involved 3 river crossings both ways, we got on the right track and headed up from Tanneymorel through Mt Colliery. Arrived on site around 11. It was windy, cloudy, bright and sunny and cloudy again, we even got a few spots of rain on a couple of occasions. Never the less, we persisted, having come so far, and found some nice stuff.
Twelve species in all, I ticked off two lifers and one new for Queensland.
Chequered Grass-skipper ~8 Lifer. Lovely little Hesperidae.
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| Chequered Grass-skipper Anisynta tillyardi |
Wide-brand Grass-dart ~15. These things are everywhere…
Chequered Swallowtail ~5 along the lower roads
Large Grass-yellow 1
Cabbage White 4
Brown Ringlet ~4
Ringed Xenica ~8 Lifer
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| Ringed Xenica Geitoneura acantha (Lucky enough to find a mating pair with the female on top) |
Common Brown ~10
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| Common Brown Heteronympha merope |
Australian Painted Lady ~4 New for me for Qld
Yellow Admiral ~10
Monarch ~10
Common Grass-blue 2. Very few blues anywhere.
Also found a new Robber Fly
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| Yellow Feathery Antennae Robber Fly Ommatius coeraebus |
Headed back down the mountain around 13.30, stopping to check different spots along the way. Returned via Queen Mary Falls and Boonah, arriving home at 17.00.
11.2.22
Minnippi
On site at 10. A hot, bright, but windy morning. Walked the usual tracks, nothing exceptional or noteworthy. Butterflies were on the whole, a bit quiet, although I did record 18 species with an estimated total of 80 odd insects. A few bug/beetle type things, most of which I’d had before, but one Tortoise-type leaf beetle was new for site, doing what Tortoise-type leaf beetles do best…..
(With this example, it gives hope to us little guys....)
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| Eucalyptus Leaf Beetle Paropsisterna cloelia |
Butterflies:
Dingy Grass-skipper 1
Wide-brand Grass-dart ~6, couldn’t see anything to suggest they were anything else.
Dingy Swift 1
Blue Triangle 3
Chequered Swallowtail 6 Usually only see 1, so it was good to see more, all together top of the Avenue.
Lemon Migrant 2
Large Grass-yellow ~5, usual caveat – default yellow, none landed.
Cabbage White 2
Evening Brown 10
Glasswing 3
Varied Eggfly ~10 all but one males.
Common Crow ~15
Monarch 2
Large Purple Line-blue ~6
Speckled Line-blue ~3+
Purple Cerulean 1
Common Grass-blue ~3
Dainty Grass-blue ~4
7.2.22
Oxley
On site at 10.30 or thereabouts. A warm, bright, slightly cloudy morning, the southeaster still blowing. I didn’t expect a great deal but wanted to get out for a walk anyway.
The larger butterflies were quite happy with the wind and there were lots of them along the track, dominated by Chequered Swallowtails and Varied Eggflys for the main part.
Blues were few and far between, possibly because of the wind, but I managed to find a tattered Wattle Blue near the boat ramp accompanying a couple of Wide-brand Grass-darts on some weed growing over an old Bush Turkey’s nest.
Nothing new but 19 species wasn’t to bad considering the conditions.
Wide-brand Grass-dart 2
Blue Triangle 2
Pale Triangle 1
Orchard Swallowtail 1
Chequered Swallowtail at least 20
Lemon Migrant ~5
Large Grass-yellow ~6
Cabbage White ~5
Evening Brown 1
Glasswing 2 New for site for me.
Varied Eggfly ~15
Meadow Argus 1
Common Crow ~12+
Lesser Wanderer 2
Monarch ~6
Blue Tiger 4
Small Green-banded Blue 2
Wattle Blue 1
Common Grass-blue 2
Elegant Snake-eyed Skink 2
5.2.22
Toohey - Mt Gravatt Outlook & Forest
Mr P picked me up just before 9 and we were on-site within 10 minutes.
We walked or scrambled down a track opposite the café which he had had some luck on before. We picked up several species in the 200 meters or so including Small and No Brand Grass-yellows, Speckled Line-blue and Chequered Swallowtail – all new for my Toohey list.
Back at the top we walked the edge of the ‘flower bed’ checking the Lomandra but it was a bit windy and cloudy and we didn’t see any of Hesperidae I had seen a week ago. We did, however, find a couple of Wattle Blues, another site tick for me.
A day-flying Joseph’s Coat Moth also happened by and landed nicely (at last, they never seem to land easily for me)
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| Joseph's Coat Moth Agarista agricola |
With a bit of time in hand we headed back down to the Isabella st entrance and walked a circle of about 500 meters. We didn’t see much on this circuit, just added a couple of previously observed butterflies to our morning list.
Morning’s Butterfly list:
Wide-brand Grass-dart 1 (new for site for me)
Orchard Swallowtail 4
Chequered Swallowtail 2
Lemon Migrant 2
No Brand Grass-yellow 3
Small Grass-yellow 1
Large Grass-yellow 3
Cabbage White 5
Evening Brown 5
Orange Ringlet 3
Glasswing 4
Meadow Argus 1 (also new for site for me)
Common Crow 4
Varied Dusky-blue 1
Small Dusky-blue 10
Small Green-banded Blue 1
Large Purple Line-blue 1
Speckled Line-blue 1
Wattle Blue 2
Long-tailed Pea-blue 1
Common Grass-blue 15
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| Wattle Blue Theclinesthes miskin |
4.2.22
North Stradbroke Is
With wild winds predicted I figured it was worth the trip. Left home at 6.15, got the 6.55 water taxi and arrived on the Point at 8, as usual. The winds were extreme – in fact it was one of the windiest days I have seen at Pt Lookout. Steady south-southeasterly at between 25-30 knots, increasing, as the morning progressed and gusting, I would think, up to 45 knots at times. The seas wild and heavy, waves breaking over most of Whale Rock on the bigger sets.
There wasn’t a lot to say about the birds. Plenty of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters making their slightly ponderous way south while Short-tailed Shearwaters appeared to revel in the conditions and hammer their way towards Tasmania at their usual frantic pace.
I was two and a half hours in before I saw the one and only Arctic Skua of the morning – usually a common enough sight in Summer. The only other bird of interest was a very brief, distant, single Fluttering/Hutton’s type Shearwater.
I stuck it out till 11.30, then decided there wasn’t much to gain by staying any longer, although the conditions hadn’t changed and the ‘passage’ was much as it had been – maybe a little reduced.
I got the 11.50 bus at 12.00 and the subsequent water taxi back to Cleveland was a ride more deserving of a fairground.
Did see a couple of Chequered Swallowtails in more sheltered areas, a Lemon Migrant from the bus and a Common Grass-blue looked for shelter beside me on the headland. A pair of Bush Stone-curlews hunkered down in the cemetery, as they do in windy conditions, were the land bird highlight of the morning.
1.2.22
Mt Cootha & Moggill
Finally, a day without cloud! I’ve been moaning about cloud cover since October so was determined to get out and about.
Mind you in ‘32, feels like 34’ plus degrees, it was stinking hot.
I explored a track at the top of Mt Cootha recommended by Mr B. I saw a few species but not my targets – I was looking for the two smallest blues, Jewelled and Black-spotted – but they weren’t in evidence. I did record a Leafwing and a Small Dusky-blue. I’ll need to try again sometime – when it’s a bit cooler. Phew.
I headed on to Moggill. Walking the track I did get 20 species, but nothing new for life, nor any major surprises. I was a bit surprised at the lack of small butterflies – few blues and I didn’t see any Ringlets. It might have been the heat because otherwise the conditions were perfect.
Wide-brand Grass-dart 4 – but even they weren’t perching for long, just too excited in the heat.
Blue Triangle ~10+
Pale Triangle ~15+
Orchard Swallowtail ~5
Clearwing Swallowtail ~4
No-brand Grass-yellow 1 identified
Large Grass-yellow ~10+
Caper Gull at least 30
Yellow Albatross ~5
Cabbage White 2 – new for site for me, surprisingly.
Evening Brown 2
Tailed Emperor 2 probably, again fly overs.
Glasswing 1
Varied Eggfly 3
Common Crow ~12
Purple Crow 2
Monarch 2
Blue Tiger 1
Small Green-banded Blue ~10+ this and the following the only definite blues identified.
Common Grass-blue ~10
There were a number, a large number, of whites that flew up and away. Could have been other species among them, no idea.
Leaving after 90 minutes I decided to stop off at the rainforest walk beside the car park at Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens. I’d heard it was good. It’s a pretty small area with a concrete path in a circuit kind of design. There weren’t a lot of butterflies but it was ‘heaving’ with Caper Gulls – which explains probably why I had one at the rainforest patch at White’s Hill yesterday. With these here and Moggill they seem to be super-active at the moment.
I did get one lifer, a little unexpectedly, identified later by photo.
Wide-brand Grass-dart 1
Orange Swift 1
Blue Triangle 1
Orchard Swallowtail 2
Caper Gull 30
Cabbage White 2
Varied Eggfly 1
Common Crow 5
Purple Crow 1
Blue Tiger 1
I also saw a fly.
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| Yellow Flesh-fly Sarcophaga bidentata |
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