The Swift Parrots on the on the Toowoomba escarpment (in the Lockyer Valley
catchment) seem well established now, and plenty of people have been seeing
them - just about the entire Toowoomba Bird Observers as well as quite a few
visitors from Brisbane and elsewhere. Most birds I've seen so far at any one
time (yesterday) is around 12, but the maximum number I've heard reported is
around 40. Quite a few people have also seen a Grey Goshawk in the same
vicinity.
A good day all round yesterday, with three Red-tailed Black Cockatoos
trumpeting as they passed over our heads at Abberton, not long after a
Little Eagle, and one of the two white Black Swans I mentioned the other
day, which are seen around the valley from time to time, turning up on
Lockyer Creek just downstream of us, a new bird (though not species) for the
'home list'. Several White-bellied Cuckoo-shrikes here this-morning, a
scarce bird for us and basically a winter visitor here.
In fact, an interesting few days for the Abberton list, with Swift Parrots
at the north of their range; Magpie Goose and White-throated Honeyeaters
pretty close towards their southern boundaries; Speckled Warblers and
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater at their eastern edge. We haven't had anything
especially coastal here over the last few days (people - yes, but birds -
no), although we have been seeing Brahminy Kite and White-bellied Sea-eagle
quite close by. And a couple of wanderers have turned up too, White-backed
Swallow here, while the Square-tailed Kite is still cruising around Gatton.
So now the cold spell is over, winter birding in southern Queensland is not
too bad!
Bill Jolly
"Abberton",
Lockyer Valley, Queensland.
Visit our website at http://www.abberton.org <http://www.abberton.org/>
Email: <>
Ph: (+61) 7 4697 6111 Fax: (+61) 7 4697 6056
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