Birdline North Queensland Weekly Update

Birdline North Queensland

Published sightings for the week ending 9 Sep 2012.

Fri 7 Sep	Barking Owl Rowes Bay, Townsville We heard a Barking Owl from our cabin at Rowes Bay Caravan Park and managed to locate it just across the road just before dawn. Steve and Bill Murray
	noisy miner palm cove 2 noisy miners first ever sighting on coast in 14 years of living in cairns adam arnold
Thu 6 Sep	Black Butcherbird Pallarenda Environmental Park Townsville Bird seen about 5 metres off the left side of the road (going in) about 70 metres inside the main gate of the park. Ian Boyd
Wed 5 Sep	Little Kingfisher Hasties Swamp National Park Little Kingfisher (1) One bird visible and photographed from hide. (Moderator note. This bird has been seen in front of the hide for about a month and is quite unusual here but this species has been recorded previously). Steve Murray
	White-throated Nightjar Paluma NP (Big Crystal Creek Campground) Heard and sighted White-throated Nightjar at dusk in the rocky ridge area across the road from the Big Crystal Creek campground. Again at dawn the following morning. Also heard Noisy Pitta and Large-tailed Nightjar but not sighted. Albert & Eleanor Wright
Mon 3 Sep	Red-necked Crake (heard); Noisy Pitta Murray Upper NP (Murray Falls Campround) Sighted and heard Noisy Pitta along the lookout walk. Heard the call of Red-necked Crake on that walk and then the calls from several along the heavily grassed creek line from the roadway. Albert & Eleanor Wright
	Barn Owl The Strand Townsville George and Teresa Baker told me of a Barn Owl they sighted on The Strand. Following their instructions I found the Owl high in a palm tree on the edge of the beach adjacent to the open area where the night markets are held. The Owl appeared unperturbed by the harrassing Blue-faced Honeyeaters. Ian Boyd
Sun 2 Sep	Large-tailed Nightjar Palamino Place, Kelso, along the upper Bohle River, Townsville For the past week birds have been calling strongly every night, at least 2 separate birds calling. In previous years this species has nested here at this time (in 2006 eggs were present in a nest on 27th August). Peter Valentine
Sat 1 Sep	Red-necked Crake Daintree NP (Marrja Botanical Walk) Heard and sighted single Red-necked Crake at dusk from the boardwalk. we were there again at dawn on 2/9/2012 when pair of Red-necked Crake's presented themselves. Albert & Eleanor Wright
Thu 30 Aug	Black-tailed Godwit, Great & Red Knot, Curlew Sandpipers Cairns Esplanade Another visit to the Esplanade 1000-1100 hrs turned up a good variety waders enroute south including 30 Great Knots, 6 Red Knots, 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 12+ Curlew Sandpipers, Sharpies, Terek, Grey-tailed Tattlers, Ruddy Turnstone and many Bar-tailed Godwits. Mangrove Robins were found in the mangroves and Pied Imperial Pigeons were feeding on the seeds of palm trees growing on the Esplanade. Alan Morris, Steve Edwards, Robin & Allan benson, Dick Jenkins
	Little Bronze, Shining Bronze & Brush Cuckoo, Fairy Gerygone, Pacific Baza Centenary Lakes & Bot. gardens, Cairns Another 2 hour visit 7.30--9.30 am found single Little, Shining and Brush Cuckoos. A pair of Fairy Gerygones and a Rufous Fantail were seen on the rainforest boardwalk, a Pacific Baza flew over, a Buff-banded Rail was obsevered in a drain and there were a number of Pied Imperial Pigeons down on the ground, both drinking and feeding Alan Morris, Steve Edwards, Dick Jenkins, Allan & Robin Benson
Wed 29 Aug	Pale White-eye, Beach Stone-curlew, Pied Imperial Pigeon Little Tuesday Island, Torres Straight Little Tuesday Island was visited 1100-1230 hrs on a fine sunny day and the Pale White-eyes were quickly found feeding on ripe figs and flowers, max 20 birds. 10+ Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves were heard and seen, a Mangrove Golden Whistler and 30+ Pied Imperial Pigeons were seen, as well as Brown and Dusky Honeyeaters. On the beach there were 2 Beach Stone-curlews, 2 Pied Oystercatchers, Grey-tailed Tattlers, Whimbrel and Great Knot and a White-bellied Sea-Eagle flew over. Rohan Clarke (photo), Alan Morris, Allan & Robin Benson, Steve Edwards, Dick Jenkins.
	Collared Imperial pigeon, Red-capped Flowerpecker, Brown Goshawk Saibai Island, Torres Straight We stayed 27-29/8 on Saibai Island where we saw 6 Collared Imperial Pigeons including one group of 4, 4 sightings of the local race of the Brown Goshawk, 4+ Red-capped Flowerpeckers seen in rainforest either end of the village, good numbers of Pied Imperial Pigeons of the race with the grey head, max 120 per day, some flying in from New Guinea. Over 200 Black-winged Stilts, 125+ Wandering Whistling Duck & 240 Black Duck, also flying from New Guinea. Other birds seen included Rufous Fantail, Swamp Harrier, 30+ Lesser Sandplover, 60 Glossy Ibis, Sharpies, 1 Marsh & 3 Common Sandpiper, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Nankeen Kestrel, Common Greenshank. Rohan Clarke (photo), Alan Morris, Steve Edwards, Allan & Robin Benson, Dick Jenkins
Mon 27 Aug	Collared Imperial Pigeon, Red-capped Flowerpecker, Singing Starling Boigu Island, Torres Straight We six people stayed on Boigu Island 24-27/8 and saw 85 species including 14 Collared Imperial Pigeons, 30+ Singing Starlings in the village, 4+ Red-capped Flowerpeckers in the rainforest and gardens both ends of the village, 2 Black Noddies (not previously reported), an adult male Lesser Frigatebird, 2+ Large-tailed Nightjars, Mangrove Golden Whistler, Swamp Harrier, 2 Little Cuckoo-shrikes, max 13 Pied Imperial Pigeons per day, 4 Common Sandpiper, 2 Marsh Sandpiper, 4+ Red-backed Button-quail, 4 Electus Parrots, and some other species rarely recorded included Channel-billed Cuckoo, Yellow Oriole, Hobby and Nankeen Kestrel. and a reddish form of the Pied Heron, see photo. Rohan Clarke (photo), Alan Morris, Steve Edwards, Allan & robin benson, Dick Jenkins
Thu 23 Aug	Collared, Little, Forest & Sacred Kingfisher, Great-billed Heron Centenary Lakes, Cairns Between 7.30-90.30 am at Centenary Lakes and Bot. gardens, saw 54 species including a Great-billed Heron, an Australian Hobby, a Pacific Baza, Collared, Little, Forest and Sacred Kingfishers, Pied Imperial Pigeons, Radjah Sheklduck, Jacanas, pr of Cicadabirds and Striated Heron. Alan morris, Rohan Clarke, Allan & Robin Benson, Dick Jenkyns & Steve Edwards
	Eastern Koel Granite Gorge Mareeba FNQ Some are around, one of the few things calling late afternoon. Duncan Fowler & Carmen Ludcke
	Australian Pratinicole Bibhoora, Mareeba FNQ Ploughed Cane fields two working the paddock was a treat, some long range pics Duncan Fowler & Carmen Ludcke
Wed 22 Aug	Southern Cassowary 11.2 km south of Mossman on Rex Highway (Julatten) An adult Cassowary was seen attempting to cross the highway on a bend in the road as the road descends from the plateau to the plains in an area of rainforest. We parked the car around the corner and walked back, just in time to see the Cassowary, cross the road, almost being skittled by a truck! (Moderator: this bird has been seen at this location on other occasions, surprised it has not been run over) Other birds present at this spot included 4 Victoria's Riflebird, Emerald Dove & Grey Whistler Alan Morris & Steven Edwards
	Pied Imperial Pigeon, Little Tern, Great & Red Knot, Reef Egret Cairns Esplanade No Pied imperial Pigoens were seen in the Cairns area on 20/8 but by 22/8 we saw 80+ in and around the Esplanade, as well as Metallic Starlings and Fig Parrots. On the mudflats we saw 12+ Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, 30 Great Knot, 10+ Red Knot, 6 Grey-tailed Tattler, both light and dark morph Reef Egrets,plus Whimbrels, Eastern Curlews and Bar-tailed Godwits. Alan morris, Steve Edwards, Rohan Clarke, Allan & Robin Benson, Dick Jenkyns
Tue 21 Aug	Black-throated Finch, Red-winged Parrot and Great Bowerbird Mount Molloy The most unusual birds for us at Mount Molloy were the Great Bowerbirds (very common here - moderator) and some Red-winged Parrots (also very common here - moderator) seen throughout the village, typical dry country birds amongst the Tablelands rainforest birds. A flock of 16 Black-throated Finches were seen close to Mitchell Dam. (not so common here - moderator) Alan Morris & Steven Edwards
	Blue-faced Parrot Finch, Barn Owl, Barking Owl Julatten Area A group of 4 Blue-faced Parrot Finches were well seen near Abattoir Swamp, Julatten on the afternoon of 21/8; at the nearby Abbatoir Swamp, a Dusky Honeyeater was seen on a nest while Brown Honeyeaters were seen feeding dependent young. Best Birds for us at Kingfisher Park were the pair of Barn Owls with 2 large flying young and a Papuan Frogmouth, a flock of 26 Topknot Pigeons flew over, a Barking Owl was both heard by many and seen by one person, and Yellow-breasted Boatbill were located. Alan Morris & Steven Edwards
	Black-breasted Buzzard, Brown Treecreeper & Emu Mareeba Wetlands, Mareeba A single Black-breasted Buzzard was seen flying just west of the car park for the Wetlands; 2 Brown Treecreepers seen near the entrance to the Reserve and a group of 8 Emus was present between the Entrance and the Visitors Centre, The usual numbers of Green Pygmy-Geese and Jacanas were seen from the viewing platform. Steven Edwards and Alan Morris
	Plumed Whistling Duck, Magpie Geese and Sarus Crane Hasties Swamp, Atherton Large numbers of waterbirds were seen at this swamp including 2000 Plumed Whistling Duck, 600+ Magpie-Geese, 100+ Swamphen, 34 Brolga and 6 Sarus Crane and 6 Black Kites, 2 White-bellied Sea-eagles and several Whistling Kites, plus many Black Duck Grey Teal and Hardheads. Alan Morris & Steven Edwards
	White-browed Crake Cantanna Wetlands, Cairns A pair of White-browed Crakes were the highlights of a 2 hour visit to the Wetlands. Other species present inlcuded 10+ Green Pygmy-Geese, nesting Brown-backed Honeyeaters, 5 Leaden Flycatchers, an immature Rufous Whistler, Black Kite, Whistling Kite and a Gould's Bronze-Cuckloo. 43 species seen in the 2 hours. Alan Morris, Steve Edwards and Martin Cachard.
	Metallic Starling Mossman Hundreds in the trees around the Mossman Sugar Mill. Julie Sarna

Birdline North Queensland is sponsored by BirdLife Northern Queensland and BirdLife Townsville and co-ordinated and hosted by Eremaea Birds.

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