A trip to Green Island on 27/11 revealed at least ten Black-naped Terns and
a Sooty Tern sitting in two old Ospreys nests on the approach towers to the
jetty. They appeared to be nesting - there was one chick standing in one of
the nests. Plenty of Grey and White phase Reef Egrets, Pied Imperial Pigeons
and Rose-crowned Fruit-doves - nesting.
In contrast there was no Reef Egrets to be seen on Fitzroy Island on the
5/12 but excellent views of Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfishers were had - as
well as excellent snorkelling off Nudey Beach.
28/11 several people reported 4 Black Swans on the Cairns Esplanade - we
looked on the 29th and saw one bobbing around in the surf. They have been
see here before but its several years since the last sighting.
6/12 Redden Island turned up 23 Little Lorikeets which are not common on the
coast north of Cardwell - usually seen on the western edges of the Atherton
Tableland around the Ravenshoe-Kaban region. They were feeding on melaleuca
sp.
The Cairns Crocodile farm once again turned it on in the afternoon, of
interest were Little Bittern (at last Lindsay and myself had seen it after
many fruitless sorties in the past - a Lifer! 4 had been seen there the
week before), 2 - Black Bittern, at least 10 White-browed Crakes, Azure
Kingfisher, Shining Flycatcher and Crimson Finches.
On the 2/12 we were privileged to have a Red-necked Crake pass by our
bedroom window and spend time foraging on the patio before rushing back to
the safety of the grassy seasonal creek at the bottom of the garden. Despite
hearing them call for the last 11 years this is only the third sighting and
we didn't even have to get out of bed! Enough skiting.
Several visitors reported an Asian Dowitcher on the esplanade over the past
two weeks but us locals have been unable to find it. Eric Sticklen on the
tableland came down and found it and he's extremely reliable - guess we will
have to keep looking.
I also have a pair of Bush Stone-curlew who successfully hatched two chicks
at the end of August sitting on two eggs at the same nest site (6/12).
Another pair who successfully hatched one young about the same time have
also just hatched another young. The adults tolerated the juvenile bird
until the young hatched last week, then they started attacking it and have
driven it away.
Keith & Lindsay Fisher
PO Box 2209, Cairns QLD 4870
E-mail:
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