birding-aus

Fwd: [BIRDING-AUS] Mid week birding in Brisbane

To:
Subject: Fwd: [BIRDING-AUS] Mid week birding in Brisbane
From: "Colin R" <>
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 16:57:09 +1000

-- 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...... 
> 
> 
> 




> http://www.fastmail.fm - Send your email first class
> 
> Birding-Aus is on the Web at
> www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
> To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
> "unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
> to 
> 
> 
-- 
  Colin Reid
  
So many birds, so little time...... 


-- 
http://www.fastmail.fm - Accessible with your email software
                          or over the web

Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message
"unsubscribe birding-aus" (no quotes, no Subject line)
to 


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • Fwd: [BIRDING-AUS] Mid week birding in Brisbane, Colin R <=
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the birding-aus mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU