Hi all
Spent Saturday mooning around Lake Samsonvale (40 kms NW of Brisbane)
checking out the cemetry looking for Tom's budgies (no sign) or any other
stray rarities that might decide to alight at this favourite spot! No
sign of the Black Honeyeaters, Plum Hd finches or aforementioned budgies.
Hung out with Gavin G for a while chatting about favourite birding spots
and watching the trees. Finally a slightly heavier shower of rain than
previous decided us and we parted company.
I moved onto the picnic area and without a lot of forethought (typical of
yours truly) headed off through the 7 ft (2 meters plus) high grass to
try for King Quail. While getting soaked through (result of lack of
foresight!) I did flush 10 - 12 small 'brown' quail who took off with
squeaks of indignation and disappeared too quickly for positive ID.
They'll have to wait for drier weather (isn't it a pleasure to say that?)
and a slower, more delicate approach.
Went on to Lake Kurwongbar (more North of Brisbane, near Petrie) and saw
4 Fucous Honeyeaters at that location - not much else there among the
damp eucalypts.
Had originally thought about Toorbull or Bribie for waders, but feeling a
little damp and with time getting on decided to try Deception Bay, after
all Gavin had had Broad billed Sand there a few weeks ago.....managed to
find my way there via the dumps (no Black Kites or, in fact, any other
raptors, braved the sodden skies) to find the tide too high and a group
of 16 Bar-tailed Godwits the only waders in sight. They were on the verge
of flying to Bribie - I could tell by the look in their eye - so I headed
home to hot coffee and a warm shower.
Sunday saw me up and out by 6. I had decided to try a 'new' track I had
'found' on the BCC Mt Glorious map - the Lepidozamia trail beside Tenison
Mt at the far end of the Brisbane Forest park area. I have walked all the
other official tracks several times, but had overlooked this one. I
finally located the entrance and set off up the car-wide, forest trail
which wanders over the ridges for (I would guess) approx 3 kms through,
firstly, rainforest then into more open wet eucalypt interspersed with
more patches of rainforesty sort of bush. The advantage here was the
width of the track allowing good open views of the tree crowns so I
wasn't forced to perch the binoculars on my nose to see White-naped and
Yellow-faced HEs, Brown Cuckoo Doves, Crimson Rosellas, Satin Bowerbirds,
Brown Thornbills and Gerygones, Spinebills, a couple of Black Faced
Monarchs and Bell Miners. The latter surprised me by appearing one at a
time, either I hit the edge of a colony or they were feeding as a group.
They didn't seem to be having their usual destructive, dominering effect
on the bush or other species. Whipbirds at one spot in stereo - at least
4 males calling 2 on each side very close - WOW - almost made me flinch!
I took 2 hours to reach the 'end' as marked on the map. It is possible to
go further, but I decided against it and headed back. It only took me
about 45 minutes to reach the road again, stopping only to get (as the
man said) crippling views of a flock of Topknot Pigeons as they moved
through the trees ahead of me, their whistling wing strokes belying the
slow (for pigeons) wingbeats, and a Rose-crowned Fruit-dove playing hide
and seek around a tree trunk before flashing off.
Just near the road there is another single person sized track that heads
off into the rainforest and after a quick coffee (need my fix) I headed
off down the damp track.
The rainforest was living up to it's name -wet and green. I sometimes
wonder how scientists rate it as one of the most prolific species areas
of all. I usually see about a third of the birds in number and species in
rainforest compared to more open bush and this track was no exception.
Yellow Robins, Golden Whistlers and a single juvenile Spinebill were all
I really saw in the hour I walked in. Mind you it was later in the day
than normal (about 10.00)so maybe I'm not being fair!
The track is pretty rough in places - tree roots, rocks, clinging vines,
ferns - hoever it was nice to walk on a less-developed track, reminded me
of parts of Lamington. Stopped for a smoke after an hour before heading
back and listened to Wompoo Fruit Doves calling gruffly to each other in
the still, silent forest. (I love that rough, old man cough type of call
they have - it's really cool) On the way back a fat Wonga Pigeon walked
sideways along the track ahead trying to keep both eyes on me at the same
time and just as I got back to the car it rained again. Oh bliss!
Best bird? Probably Rose-crowned Fruit-dove - good to see, though not
difficult.
Best view? Definitely the Topknots - what an unreal head style - looks
like some characters you see on Rage (Channel 2, video clips,
rock/punk/grunge/rap bands) Why on earth would one develop a hairstyle
like that? What possible use could it have? I mean - would it attract
YOU??? Then again I guess you have to be another Topknot.............
Other species - King Parrot - 1, Green Catbird - 8, Yellow-throated and
White-browed Scrub-wrens (2 & 4), Lewin's HE - 17, Cicadabird - heard 2,
Grey (8) and Rufous (1) Fantails, several Silveryes, Pied Currawongs and
8 cute Red-browed Finches.
Nothing new, nothing exceptional, but a good weekend's birding after (and
during) the rain.
--
Colin Reid
So many birds, so little time......
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