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Mount Isa Birding

To: "Messages Birding-aus" <>
Subject: Mount Isa Birding
From: "Bob Forsyth" <>
Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 19:18:48 +1000
g'day all,
 
Visitors are tracking through the Isa in numbers .. but catching our cold nights and marvellous days.
Over the weekend 3 parties travelling independently stayed at the Moondarra Caravan Park where they also got nice views of a Jabiru.
None of them however, will support my theory that Torresian Crows have moved into the area ! I am still trying to get a view of the corvids' feather bases (hopefully white)
 
A pair of Cotton Pygmy-goose apparently have taken up residence at Lake Moondarra.
They are now in a restricted access location. I first saw C P-g 28/09/2001in the middle of the lake. They are a long way west of their normal territory. Yesterday, the male had designs on his mate who kept rejecting his advances by frequently flying off a short distance. They are swimming with a number of pairs of Green Pygmy-goose. Also in this restricted location are Little Grassbirds and Baillon Crakes
 
A single Freckled Duck was recorded 7/7/2002 at the Sewage Ponds by June Harris from Lismore, NSW.
The single Avocet was joined by a 2nd bird last week. Spotted Crakes are now seen regularly at the ponds. The Black-tailed Native-hen eruption has waned and they now can only be found at the ponds.
 
The Dusky Grasswrens (race Ballarae) are still being regularly recorded at the Mica Creek site
 
Several parties have sighted the Carpentarian Grasswren near the cairn (and visitor's book) at McNamara's Road 60km NW of Mount Isa. But one party searched for 2-1/2 days without success !  I recently received a 2nd hand report of a sighting of a CGw on the western side of Lake Moondarra. I have previously postulated that they could be in this area as the habitat is identical to that of  McNamara Rd site.
 
At midday 100's of Painted Finches still arrive to drink at Warrigal Waterhole with several dozen Grey-headed Honeyeaters and a few Grey-fronted Honeyeaters. I have not seen any Pictorella Mannikins this year !
 
The Spinifex Pigeons can be regularly found on the west side of the lake, as are a few Black-tailed Treecreepers.
 
The Bloodwood trees are now blooming which is making the Varied Lorikeets even more hyper-active. A few Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters  are around.
 
See gazetteer page of http://birdsqueensland.org.au/ for directions to some birding places around Mount Isa. I have more in the pipeline.
 
Regards, Bob Forsyth, Mount Isa, NW Qld.
 
 
 
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