Hi everyone,
Not much to report over the last few months but now the dry season may be
coming a few movements are happening.
Sacred Kingfishers peaked several weeks ago at the Cairns Airport with up to
27 birds seen around the perimeter, it has now gone back to5-7 birds.
Masked Lapwing's started breeding several weeks ago with at least one now
having chicks (3 out of 4 eggs laid). I've looked at six other nests and
they are all sitting on four eggs.
3 pairs of Bush Stone-curlews now have striped chicks ( all laid 2 eggs and
only one hatched). Another pair failed with both their eggs.
Red-capped and Black-fronted Dotterels have just bred and have fluffy
chicks.
Little and Intermediate Egrets are building up in numbers after an absence,
I've seen a flock of 23 Intermediates and 14 Littles.
Black-winged Stilts appeared a month ago.
The biggest surprise was six Wood Duck at the Cairns Airport on 22/4/99 a
first in Cairns for me, there are not many records on the coast around
Cairns that I know of. I've been told there was one record from the Cairns
Crocodile Farm, anyone else know of any others?
The colder (20°C!!) weather has enticed Spotted Catbird and Pied Currawong
down into the suburbs in the last week from the Atherton Tableland.
Most of the waders have left the Cairns Esplanade - a quick check a few days
ago revealed a few Terek Sandpipers, 5 Curlew sandpipers 3 in breeding
colours, Eastern Curlew, Whimbrel, Great Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit all less
than 10 birds, the most numerous being Grey-tailed Tattler with about 25
birds. Gull-billed and Caspian Terns are returning with 7 of each seen last
weekend, the Little Terns seem to have disappeared about a week ago.
This morning I watched two female Magpie-larks locking feet and rolling
around on the ground, besides me there was an audience of 26 Common Mynas
crowding around watching and one male Magpie-lark. Maybe they were fighting
over him! Another male Magpie-Lark flew in after about 8 minutes and the
brawl ended with all four birds flying off and the mynas resumed their
foraging on the grass. Whilst watching this an Osprey flew over carrying a
very large twig in the direction of his nest, which is at least 2km away.
Also this morning I spotted a Brown Goshawk and an Australian Hobby, a sure
sign the dry weather is coming when the raptors return.
All for know
Keith & Lindsay Fisher
PO Box 2209, Cairns QLD 4870
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