2.9.25
Minnippi
On site at 6.15 and, despite the forecast of rain, it was a sunny, bright, warming morning – very pleasant.
I walked the usual tracks and saw a total of 53 species. Nothing remarkable, apart, possibly, from a Forest Kingfisher – not a common species here, despite some ‘records’ on EBird which are more likely to have been Sacred. This one I actually scoped, having brought my scope along to test out my new carbon-fiber tripod.
My ‘usual’ tripod, a Manfrotto, weighs 2.7kgs and I have long debated purchasing a carbon fiber tripod for travelling. Biting the bullet a few days ago I looked into types/prices/styles and to my surprise found a Surui Traveller 5C tripod (on Amazon) for $168. It was 0.85Kg and folded down remarkably to a very small package. I decided to take the chance, abused the credit card and it arrived within 48 hours.
So, I took it with me to try it in the field.
Fully extended with my 60mm Swarovski spotting scope (1.9Kgs) it was a little ‘delicate’. I need the tripod to be 110mm high to fit my 5ft 8in height. With this tripod I need to have the central column extended by about 10mm – any extension of the central column, I find, increases vibration and shake. It was manageable but obviously, no way as steady as my 2.7kg Manfrotto. I found that by keeping my hands off it, it settled down, but one does need to move and focus the scope so it will take a little work to achieve the best result.
Sitting down and with the tripod much less extended – as one would do on a seawatch – it was rock steady. The ‘ball head’ will take some getting use to, but its certainly doable and I was quite satisfied with my purchase. I knew I would have to sacrifice some aspects if I was going to use such a light framed tripod, but to make it more compatible with overseas travelling I was happy to do so.
On a very positive note - I carried the scope and tripod over my shoulder, using the scope's strap. for 3 hours and was not inconvenienced by it nor did I find it tiring - that was a real bonus!
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| Carbon-fiber tripod & scope (sunglasses for size comparison!) |
4.9.25
Oxley
A light mist shrouded the fields at 6.15. The track was quite birdy for the first half and not many non-combatants around. The morning warmed up quickly to a very pleasant, sunny, bright, still condition.
Nothing unusual or surprising, except possibly the absence of Little Black Cormorants and Australian Darter from the ponds – they were, in fact, almost deserted – most of the ‘water’ birds seem to favour the ‘flooded field’ area. I climbed the gate and picked up a few more species there.
I took a couple of photos as birds presented themselves, still getting used to the new camera.
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| Golden-headed Cisticola |
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| Sacred Kingfisher |
A total list of 55 bird species and Monarchs had increased in number – I counted approx 5. I did have two raptors – a briefly seen in flight Brown Falcon and a perched up Black-shouldered Kite.
5.9.25
Lamington NP (& Toohey Forest Park)
Joan (BP South Africa) and Tess (10y/o) were at my place as arranged at 6.00. We arrived at O’Reilly’s at 7.30, picking up along the way a trio of Whiptail Wallabys beside the road.
I had chosen to walk the Python Rock Track – a couple of hundred meters before O’Reilly’s itself – as I believed it would be quiet and the most likely place to pick up the Lyrebird.
It was quiet all right – both people and bird-wise.
Apart from Australian Logrunners, which seemed to be everywhere, we didn’t see much. We did hear a Noisy Pitta and tried for some time to call it in, but it refused to show. We also had a Russet-tailed Thrush in front of us along the track, as they do, but apart from a few Brown Gerygones, Large-billed Scrubwrens and an Eastern Yellow Robin or two it was mostly unseen birds identified only by call (where I could).
We drove on up to the carpark and [proceeded to feed the voracious Australian King Parrots and saw Crimson Rosellas and a single Red-browed Finch.
On then onto the boardwalk and out to the Tree Top Walk. Tess fed a Yellow-throated Scrubwren and Eastern Yellow Robin by hand along the boardwalk and we saw more Logrunners there and 2 Rufous Fantails. She and I climbed the ladder to the top (30 meters above ground level) and then walked back via the Mountain Garden and the main track. Along the Mountain Garden fence Tess found a Satin Bowerbird male standing beside its bower! It looked like a new bower and was very easy to see from the track.
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| Satin Bowerbird & Bower |
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| Satin Bowerbird (male) |
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| Joan & Tess & Bowerbird |
We had another Russet-tailed Thrush along the main track on the way back, along with Brown Gerygones and various Scrubwrens and I showed them a second Satin Bowerbird bower close to the picnic grounds.
We had coffee and home brought sandwiches, then headed home.
Before we got to my place I diverted to Isabella St in Tarragindi and we walked in to see the Australian Boobook back at his favourite roost. We also had a couple of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters and a flock of Noisy Friarbirds along the way.
8.9.25
Minnippi
I dragged my sorry ass out of bed and got on site at the pond at 5.50. Dawn was breaking – and so was my heart when that bloody Azure Kingfisher didn’t show.
I moved on at about 6.15 and birded the usual tracks. The M1 was relatively quiet with just an Eastern Yellow Robin banging away unseen, an Olive-backed Oriole and a couple of other ‘usual’ species. The lake itself was busy enough, but nothing unexpected.
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| Black-shouldered Kite |
Down the Airfield Track and it too was quiet, although I did manage to find a Varied Triller and my first Leaden Flycatcher, on this site, of the season.
Back along the lake again and a pair of White-breasted Woodswallows hung around the pylons – been a while since I had these here too.
The cement pathway between the creek and the lake had been closed off for ‘renovation’ – of what was unknown as the path seemed perfectly OK, but someone had decided otherwise so this part of the normal walk will be impossible for an unknown period of time.
On the ‘other’ fronts I had a Swamp Wallaby on the Airfield Track (I think my first there?) a Monarch, a Black Jezebel and a Brown Ringlet on the butterfly list and a Macquarie Turtle stuck its head up in the lake – I haven’t seen any during the last few, winter, months, presumably ‘hibernating’ or at least staying out of sight.
A 52 species morning with no Fairy Wrens, Brush Turkeys or Fantails.
10.9.25
Metroplex
I last visited this site in 2012 but it had come to my attention recently when I was auditing my bird lists and I thought I’d give it another visit.
On site at 6 - a warm, slightly cloudy but reasonably bright morning. The general structure of the two-pond-separated-by-a-road structure hadn’t changed, the lower pond more overgrown than I remembered, but huge potential for Bitterns, Bush Hens, Rails etc.
The upper pond was overwhelmed by an Australian White Ibis colony on an island, which included a small colony of Grey-headed Flying Fox, and, to one side, an Eastern Cattle Egret roost/colony although no breeding was taking place.
I walked the west side of both ponds and the east side of the lower. Not a lot of passerines around, apart from Noisy Miners but would be worth further visits.
I currently had a 100 species list for the site – making it 102 today with Grey Butcherbird and (heard only) Striped Honeyeater. I included a walk down to the riverbank and along the bike path to the base of the Gateway Bridge. One drawback – it was very noisy given the proximity of the bridge and motorway access to same and, I imagined, would always be noisy as those roads are always very busy.
All in all it was a worthwhile explore - bird of the morning was probably the 7 Buff-banded Rails I had wandering around in the open.
Reviewing my photo database recently I realised I didn't have any photos of a male Hardhead so despite the water looking filthy thanks to the Ibis colony overhead....
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| Hardhead (male) |
I also found no photos of Spotted Dove - most likely because it was so common and an introduced species, however....
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| Spotted Dove |
And finally a
Tawny Grassbird sat up very well and I couldn't really resist it...
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| Tawny Grassbird |
12.9.25
Oxley
On site at 6 to a cool, bright, calm morning following very wild winds the previous day.
I was the first car in the car park but was soon overtaken along the track by a few joggers, other than that it was quiet, human-wise.
The track was overall bird-quiet too, but a couple of groups of birds along the way provided interest.
The main ponds, too, were very deserted, but I climbed the gate and the ‘flooded’ field was busy – I added Black-fronted Dotterel (3), Pied Stilt (15) and Grey Teal (20) to the morning’s list.
A pair of Brown Falcons were a nice sight in the same area and a single Australian Reed Warbler showed well over the smallest pond.
All in all a 57 species morning in addition to a swimming Water Rat Hydromys chrysogaster of some size and a few Monarchs Danaus plexippus being the only butterflies observed.
14.9.25
Sandy Camp wetlands & Mangrove Boardwalk
Joan (BP South Africa) and Tess turned up at my place just before 6 and we picked up Mr P on the way to Sandy Camp arriving just after 6.15. A bright, calm, spring morning, initially we were the only visitors, but by the time we left it had become very busy.
A good morning’s birding with a final bird list of 56 species, 2 Water Dragons and a couple of Black Jezebels. We had extended views of Spotless Crake and Buff-banded Rail, a perched and close flying adult White-bellied Sea Eagle and a nice adult Black-faced Monarch among a seemingly never ending number of Willy Wagtails and Leaden Flycatchers – one of the latter, a male sitting on a nest.
An Australian Reed Warbler showed particularly well beside the metal platform and invited camera attention - in my recent 'audit' I had discovered that I didn't have any decent photos of this species so determined to improve a little on that.
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| Australian Reed Warbler |
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| Black-faced Monarch - always so photogenic |
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| Leaden Flycatcher (male) |
At about 8.45 we moved on to the Mangrove Boardwalk and had a perched adult Nankeen Night Heron, at least 8 Torresian Kingfishers, several Mangrove Gerygones and 5 Chestnut Teal and on the exposed mud/sand of low tide, several Striated Herons, more Torresian Kingfishers and a Whimbrel.
We continued to walk the circuit and then out across the grassland to the old metal hide and back via the back of the mangroves hoping for, but failing to find, Grey-crowned Babbler.
Total sp list – 32 birds and a couple each of Monarchs and Orange-clawed Fiddler Crabs Uca coarctata.
We dropped Mr P home then Joan, Tess and I had breakfast at Stones Corner.
This was to be my last outing with Joan, as she returns to South Africa next weekend. However, I am hoping to continue to take Tess out - with her Mum - when circumstances permit.
15.9.25
Minnippi
On site at 6, a calm, cool, bright, sunny morning – perfect weather, in fact.
A Buff-banded Rail as I drove in, near the car park, was a nice start and shortly afterwards I heard my first Channel-billed Cuckoo of the season.
The M1 track was quiet with just the usual culprits, but I did have a Swamp Wallaby moving through the bush between the track and the creek and a Galah apparently entering a nesting hole above the track suggested breeding.
The lake was busy and I noted the semi-resident Magpie Geese had been reduced from 6 to 3.
A couple of Rainbow Bee Eaters perched up on the Airfield fence offered photo opportunities it was hard to turn down.
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| Rainbow Bee Eater |
I headed down the Airfield track and, at the point where the track comes closest to the creek, I spotted a beautiful Red-bellied Black lying in a patch of sun just to the side. It lay quietly while I admired it - and then gave it a wide berth. When I looked back a couple of minutes later it had vanished. Difficult to estimate its length, but judging by the thickness of the body, and experience, I would guess between 1.5 and 2 meters.
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| Red-bellied Black Pseudechis porphyriacus |
Not much else along the Airfield Track – butterflys improved with 2 Brown Ringlets, a Common Crow, an Evening Brown and a couple of Monarchs, along with the 51 bird species morning list it wasn’t too bad - and that was without Brown Honeyeater or Fairy Wrens! The cement return path was still closed – will be for some time I imagine, given the normal speed of the BCC’s work groups.
On my return home the Tawny Frogmouth I had noticed on my way out, was still roosting comfortably in the sun on a neighbour's balcony rail.
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| Tawny Frogmouth |
17.9.25
Boombana, Mt Nebo and Lawton Rd, Mt Glorious
I decided to do some rainforest stuff to try to learn bird calls that I always found difficult to identify. I figured – only by being there and finding the caller would I build any sort of knowledge. Obviously I was familiar with a lot of the calls but recent trips had shown me to be deficient – my main problem being I just didn’t hear a lot of the ‘smaller’ calls, whether it be due to age or loud music is now irrelevant, I just didn’t hear them well.
I was on site at Boombana, Mt Nebo at 6.30 – a cool, initially calm, dull, overcast morning unfortunately. The conditions did not encourage bird activity – or I was just too early, although dawn had been at 5.45 it was very quiet.
The usual birds were calling – Wonga Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo Dove, Lewin’s Honeyeaters and Eastern Whipbirds. I managed to pull in a White-throated Treecreeper that performed well giving me a chance to get photos I was, finally, relatively happy with, but other than that not much in the car park.
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| White-throated Treecreeper |
Starting in on the Thylogale Circuit I had Brown and Striated Thornbills with encouragement, but again that was it. All in all the walk was not very exciting – 2 Yellow-throated Scrubwrens, calling Wompoo Fruit Doves, unseen but heard Green Catbirds, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Pied Currawong, Grey Shrikethrush and 3 Noisy Pittas – all of which refused to show themselves with just a few other species physically observed. One Red-necked Pademelon showed quite well, while 2 others hopped off quietly into the forest. It was a bit disappointing, however, I enjoyed the walk and the effort was worth the peace. No one else was on the track or in the car park.
I moved on to Mt Glorious and enjoyed a good coffee on the back deck of the Cafe while Little Wattlebird hopped through the Banksia above.
After the coffee I drove further on to Lawton Rd, approximately 3 kms beyond the village, and walked down the very steep fire trail – OK going down, not so great coming back!
My target here was Red-browed Treecreeper, but it didn’t eventuate. It was, in fact, the first time I had walked this track so that was a novelty, although I only ventured in about 300 meters before turning and struggling back up the hill. Much the same stuff at this site as Boombana, but added a couple of common birds to the morning’s haul. I called in a Green Catbird and, as my experience has been, they stopped calling and quietly moved in to investigate, never revealing themselves completely.
By this time the sun had broken through and the air was warming up, although a westerly breeze kept it down in exposed locations. I headed home.
19.9.25
Oxley
It was a very dull, overcast, still, warm morning when I arrived on site at 6.
The track was relatively quiet both bird and humanoid wise, but I did have my fourth ever Black-faced Monarch (ad) for Oxley.
The lakes were particularly quiet with no Cormorants or Darters at all. I climbed the gate and found the flooded field quite ‘busy’ adding species like Grey Teal (12), Pied Stilt (15) and a single Black-fronted Dotterel to my morning’s list. I also saw 2 Common Starlings fly down to the invisible-to-me water’s edge – my first record since 2021, although I have seen recent reports from Mike B.
The walk back didn’t improve my morning’s list much, apart from two Channel-billed Cuckoos overhead playing at being Pterodactyls.
I did have a meter-long Green Tree Snake Denrelaphis punctulata cross the dusty track in front of me.
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| Green Tree Snake Denrelaphis punctulata |
A pleasant walk on a 51 species morning.
21.9.25
Minnippi
I decided to do Minnippi even though I don’t usually bird alone on Sunday morning, however, the coming week was going to be busy (school holidays) and I wouldn’t get out much until later in the week.
A bright, sunny, warm morning turned into quite a good morning’s birding in fact. Started off with two Pale-vented Bush Hens showing below the bridge on the riverbank, it being low tide, and one flew across the creek and called for a few minutes.
The M1 track was pretty quiet, but a silent Oriental Dollarbird sat at the top of the usual tree – my first for the season.
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| Oriental Dollarbird |
The Avenue and Cut Back were also relatively quiet, apart from the Australian Hobby perched high above on an electricity wire.
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| Australian Hobby |
Back at the lake the Black Swan family were doing wing exercises and the Magpie Geese appeared to be reduced to 2. Surprisingly an adult White-bellied Sea Eagle was perched up in the cormorant tree on the opposite side of the lake – first time I’ve seen one perched up at this site.
After a smoke at the Raptor Lookout I headed down the Airfield Track. Near the beginning there were still a couple of small tangled trees down across the track, but the mowers had been in, presumably from the far end, and cut the track to fire trail width. I didn’t see a whole lot down the track but a nice adult Spectacled Monarch was a welcome sight.
Another smoke at the Lookout then, defying all barriers, I walked back to the car via the cement track and reviewed the ‘work’ the Council had been doing – basically laying a new section of path over a section that had been perfectly OK…. Go figure.
I did pick up both Variegated (2) and Red-backed (1) Fairy Wrens and added Spangled Drongo and Golden-headed Cisticola to my morning’s 58 specie list.
I also had Brown Ringlets Hypocysta metirius (3), Monarchs Danaus plexippus (3), a Common Crow Euploea core, a Wide-brand Grass-dart Suniana sunias, an Evening Brown Melanitis leda and two Common Grass-blues Zizinia labradus. At the lake I had a Water Dragon Intellagama lesueurii and a Macquarie Turtle Emydura macquarii sunbathing on the bank so things were starting to liven up now the heat was back.
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| Wide-brand Grass-dart Suniana sunias |
25.9.25
Oxley
On site at 5.45 to a clear, calm, sunny morning with a thin mist lying low over the fields that quickly burned off as the sun warmed up.
An average kinda morning with the usual humanoids pounding their way along the track towards a future knee replacement. The track was relatively quiet with the usual suspects and nothing outrageous. The ponds were quiet again but I found my 4th site record Nankeen Night Heron perched quietly in the background. When I climbed the gate and walked in to view the ‘flooded field’ section there were numbers of duck and waders to add to the morning’s list.
A pair of Brown Falcons showed again and perched up in a tree with an obvious nest structure which I assumed indicated a strong potential for breeding – my first ever Brown Falcon nest.
I heard my first-for-the-season Pacific Koel and a Pheasant Coucal, but, other than that, not much of note in the 54 species morning.
After a late breakfast I drove to White's Hill. I wanted to check the Powerful Owl roost in anticipation of a Birding Pal's arrival. Mr P had seen the bird/s there late last week so I wanted to 1. find the roost again and 2. see if the bird/s were present. I had been to the roost alone a couple of years ago and I thought I knew where it was without additional help....
I didn't.
Once again I couldn't find the roost or the way in from the main walking track, I find the area very confusing. Very frustrating - I obviously needed to get another direction instruction from Mr P.
I did however have a relatively close encounter with a couple of Swamp Wallabys Wallabia bicolor which I don't think I have seen here before? I knew they were here but were very discreet due to the heavy humanoid presence most of the time, but this one sat up well and pretended neither of us were there.
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| Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor |
26.9.25
White's Hill
Just after 9.00 I headed up again to White's Hill with more directions from Mr P. I was keen to establish exactly where the roost was and, hopefully, see the bird/s themselves.
I found the roost OK, but couldn't see any Owls in the vicinity - wasn't overly surprised as I seem to lack luck - or skill - when it comes to looking for 'other people's birds' even in an Owl roost. However, I knew its presence was sporadic so was happy enough in establishing the roost site.
I did have a couple of encounters along the way:
A briefly seen Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor hoping off through the trees,
A Koala Phascolarctos cinereus doing what Koalas do best – sleeping,
The rear third of a snake sliding under some leaves and branches with a probable identification of Yellow-faced Whipsnake Demansia psammophis, based mainly on the thicker-than-Tree-Snake body, the olive-green colour and the fact I had seen the species before in Toohey - a bit of guesswork admittedly as I never saw the head or 'front end' - and
A just-warming-up Eastern Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata which flattened its body when prodded by my boot but otherwise lay still and pretended not to be there, no doubt hoping I would just go away.
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| Eastern Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata |
While walking back along the track a Pacific Baza or Crested Hawk landed in the trees overhead pursued by some misguided Noisy Miners, but that was it for a short, somewhat unsuccessful visit.
29.9.25
Sandy Camp & Slaughter Falls
Our day started out at 5.30 when I picked Brian (BP Ireland) from the caravan park he had stayed in in his campervan overnight.
We headed straight out to Sandy Camp, arriving on site by 6.00. The sun came out as we drove, then disappeared behind a thick mist which unexplainably blanketed the area for the next hour or so putting a bit of a dampener on the bird activity.
We had a couple of targets as Brian had done really well over the previous 5 weeks and had most of the commoner stuff. I managed to get Striped Honeyeater really well, but didn’t hear or see any sign of Spotless Crake and although we had a Lewin’s Rail respond, it wouldn’t show itself.
All in all it was a relatively quiet visit.
We headed back to Mt Gravatt and had the Square-tailed Kite on the nest and we hung around a while but the other adult never showed.
After breakfast, at the café on the Outlook, we tried again with the same result at the Kite’s nest then headed over to White’s Hill. We walked in and checked the roost but the Powerful Owl didn’t show – or at least, we couldn’t find it. We did eventually find a single Koala which was a lifer for Brian.
I dropped him back to the campervan and his wife Sue and had a cup of coffee and shot the shit for an hour or so, then headed home.
At 16.15, as arranged, I collected him again and drove to Slaughter Falls, Mt Cootha. We sat and chatted and waited until about 18.10 when the White-throated Nightjar put in a performance encouraged by a little help, but we had no response to Powerful Owl or Owlet Nightjar and only heard a distant Australian Boobook.
I had planned to head up Mt Glorious as well, but a fire had erupted close to Mt Nebo village and the road was closed so I decided to give it a miss and, hopefully, try the next night.
30.9.25
Anstead & Moggill SF
Again I collected Brian at 5.30 and we arrived on site at Anstead just on 6 to a bright, sunny, warm morning.
We walked the track with a few targets in mind, but achieved no success with said targets. Ignoring that fact we did in fact have an OK morning, highlights being approx 40 Plumed Whistle Ducks on the farm dam and half a dozen Apostlebirds hanging around the fence line in that area too. We also had good views of two Red-necked Wallabys and ended up with a 45 species morning, but overall it was quite quiet.
After breakfast at West Vets we headed for Moggill SF and walked most of the track down and back.
We did achieve one target here getting crippling views of a pair of very responsive White-eared Monarchs, 3 Channel-billed Cuckoos flew overhead at one point and we heard a Pheasant Coucal. Butterflies – a lot of Brown Ringlets and 4 or 5 Clearwing Swallowtails and there were several Whites that I didn’t take the time to ID.
We headed home and I dropped him off at 11.30.
