Terry,
I too heard this report which emanated from 4QS Toowoomba. I rang Don and
Bernice Seton [an ex National parks friend and well known ornithologist] who
live at Bell. The report mentioned the Bell area north of Dalby SEQ. It
seems that the person who was reported as having seen the bird and was
interviewed on air, is not regarded by local bird people as a reliable
observer. However that is not to say he may have seen something. The
sightings of Paradise Parrots on the Darling Downs and in the South Burnett
areas are a perennial 'hot chestnut' that comes up from time to time. Most
of these sightings can be sheeted home to people misidentifying Blue Bonnets
which occasionally move east and north. We have lived and observed birds for
over thirty years in this area and I would say this comes up every 5 years
or so. I remember about 25 years ago a gentleman out at Roma got coverage in
the Toowoomba Chronicle. At the time I was active as president of the
Toowoomba Field Nats, the paper got on to me to check it out. Along with
Ivan Reynolds [the then secretary of QOS]and his family, we drove out to
Roma and Mt Abundance to the property where they had been 'seen', the owner
took us to a dam to wait for the Paradise Parrots to come into drink. All he
managed to show us for the weekend were Blue Bonnets!!
John & Ruth Walter
Pittsworth SE Qld
27 43 31S 151 38 03E
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