-- Sorry - guys, will have to finish next week, gotta go.....
On Fri, 21 Mar 2003 16:34:14 +1000, "Colin R" <> said:
> Hi All
> Another day off work mid-week means another opportunity to go birding!
> (Thank Godness for a 9 day fortnight!)
> Left home at 6.30 intending to catch the high tide at Manly at about
> 11.00, but stopping off on the way, at a spot in Murarrie (eastern
> suburbs of Brisbane.)
> The spot in question may be known to some local birders as the Edgell
> Ponds, being between Edgell's processing plant and the main railway line
> to Wynnum and adjacent to Bulimba creek. It is a difficult place to
> access and, possibly, not available to everyone. A couple of months ago
> the main pond had been completely dry, however I found it refilled and,
> in fact, the whole area very wet underfoot.
> A WHITE-FACED HERON flew ahead of me as a MANGROVE GERYGONE sang from
> its' habitat name. PLE-HEADED ROSELLAS flew over (they seem to disappear
> over the summer months to re-appear in the last few weeks?) while BROWN
> HONEYEATERS and MISTELTOE BIRDS chased and fed in the scrubby trees along
> the creek. SUPERB FAIRY WRENS called from the long grass and a
> WHITE-BELLIED SEA EAGLE flew lazily out of sight.
> I finally approached the pond - one has to work around the edge of the
> 'swamp' to get to the slightly raised track that leads to the water's
> edge - SWAMP and MOOR HENS scuttled for safety in their panicy way,
> flapping and squawking. Ducks numbers were obviously lower than in
> summer, due, no doubt, to the recent rains - I've noticed this at several
> locations, but BlACK DUCKS(25), HARDHEADS(2), GREY TEAL(6) nd CHESTNUT
> TEAL(6) along with 6 LITTLE GREBES paddled arily in circles, then, what's
> that, check again, ? a FRECKLED DUCK hiding behind the blacks!! looking a
> little apprehensive, but following the locals and trusting they knew what
> to do! This close to the coast! Unreal! I watched for a while then left
> without flushing anyone. On the way out TAWNY GRASSBIRDS and CISTICOLAS
> scolded and warned and I flushed a LATHAM'S SNIPE from beside the track.
> Alomost back to the car and 4 STRIATED PARDALOTES sparkled on the muddy
> riverbank.
> Good start, i'm thinking, now for a Dowitcher or two at Manly!!
> I was a little apprehensive as to access the wader roost one has to swing
> around a couple of security fences running down the rock wall to teh
> water and with a 8ft 4inch tide predicted I figured I was gonna get a wet
> a... coming out after the tide had peaked! I needn't have worried as the
> bay was as flat as a tack (wht the hell does that mean?) and access and
> exit remained dry.
> Groups of waders were still arriving as I walked quietly in, head down,
> face averted, no sudden movements, sit down slowly below the rockline.
> There was some shuffling and murmuring among the birds but they quickly
> decided to pretend I wasn't there as I pretended not to really look at
> them and we all got along famously! I began scanning the 3000+ BAR-TAILED
> GODWITS Well, I'm pretty sure they were mostly bar-tailed. As the new
> flocks flew in I checked but didn't see any whit rumps/black tails and on
> the ground - couldn't tell the difference if any existed! (I think it's
> really cool the way the new birds are welcomed by the earlier arrivals,
> it's so sociable, then again, maybe they're complaining at having to move
> to allow the new ones a roosting spot - who knows!) On the island also
> were (all nos approx) 130 PIED OYSTERCATCHERS, 40 - 50 GREAT KNOT, 10 -
> 20 RED KNOT, 20 CASPIAN, 10 CRESTED, 5 GULLBILLED TERNS, 10 CURLEW SANDS,
> 30 GREY-TAILED TATTLERS, 2 TEREK SANDS and 2 PELICANS. A few WHIMBRELS,
> 25 CURLEW and 7 or 8 GREENSHANKS completed the count. The only small
> waders - a flcok of 8 RED-NECKED STINTS
> --
> Colin Reid
>
> So many birds, so little time......
>
>
>
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--
Colin Reid
So many birds, so little time......
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