Hi Everyone,
Yorkeys Knob is a northern suburb of Cairns, QLD and has an interesting
small lagoon adjacent to the Half Moon golf club on Wattle Street
(16° 48' 36 S 145° 42' 51E). The lagoon is actually part of the golf club
and is designated as a practice area, they fire golf balls into the lagoon!
although I have not seen this happening for a while. I visited there this
evening just before dark (1730-1810) to watch the roosting birds come in to
an island in the middle of the lagoon. Those that came in were, Straw-necked
(25+) and Aust.-White Ibis (13) along with Little Pied Cormorant (8),
Intermediate Egret (16), Great Egret (6) and eight Cattle Egrets. Cattle
Egrets appear to be increasing in numbers in this region, especially on the
Atherton Tableland. Two pairs of Darter are also breeding here, both with
two large creamy white chicks in the nests. On the water were 24 Green
Pygmy-Geese (easily viewed at close range), Grey Teal (2), Pacific Black
Duck (50+) and Australasian Grebe (3). A lone Sulphur-crested Cockatoo was
trying to roost with the ibis. I did not have time to visit an adjacent
mangrove area, which can sometimes be interesting - I've seen 43 Bush
Stone-curlews roosting here during the day in the past and the occasional
pair of Beach Stone-curlew.
Earlier I did my regular survey of Redden Island (16° 51' 44S 145° 45' 17E)
and turned up a female Red-winged Parrot, which is very unusual in Cairns, I
have seen a male here several years ago.
Keith & Lindsay Fisher
PO Box 2209,
Cairns QLD 4870
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