More Mount Isa news

["Bob Forsyth" <>]

g'day all,

 

I had a pleasant hour birding this afternoon.

Ian Clayton (Birds & Bush Tours, Townsville) had mentioned he had seen a Pied Honeyeater at a newly created water run off opposite the Lake Moondarra Booster Pump Station. As my last record of this bird was 18/9/99 I drove out this afternoon to see if it was still around ... and it was ... sitting on top of a leafless tree.

 

The total list for 25 minutes starting at 2.55pm was

 

Babbler, Grey-crowned (heard)

Bowerbird, Spotted

Butcherbird, Pied

Dove, Diamond

Dove, Peaceful (heard)

Finch, Painted (2 pair)

Finch, Zebra

Friarbird, Little

Friarbird, Silver-crowned (southern limit of its range)

Honeyeater, Black-chinned (1)(Golden backed form)

Honeyeater, Brown

Honeyeater, Grey-fronted

Honeyeater, Grey-headed

Honeyeater, Pied (1)

Honeyeater, Rufous-throated

Honeyeater, Spiny-cheeked (1)

Kite, Black (flying overhead)

Kite, Whistling (may have come from a nest overhead)

Magpie-lark

Miner, Yellow-throated

Parrot, Red-winged (flying overhead)

Pigeon, Spinifex (5)

Triller, White-winged (1m + 1f))

Wagtail, Willy (of course !)

 

24 species

 

Afterwards, as I drove past a bay immediately S of the Clear Water Lagoon (for sedimentation settling) I saw 2 Black-necked Stork.

Standing at the barb wire fence surrounding the Lagoon I was able to see the Cotton Pygmy-goose (Male) that has been in residence for over a year. This bird is well west of its home territory on Queensland's east coast.

 

Because of the drought, the normal spots for Painted Finch have dried up. I must dig up their new locations.

 

Weather was a cloudy, pleasant 35 C

 

Regards, Bob Forsyth, Mount Isa, NW Qld.