Having returned early from Woodgate NP I thought I?d put Sunday to
good use so went to Wynnum North wader roost for the high tide.
(Wynnum is on the South side of the Brisbane river, on the bayside
and this roost is located behind a mangrove belt and is a
favourite roost for waders at high tide)
Got there at 7.30 with a rising tide settled in to watch the
waders. 69 Black-tailed Godwits slept and fed in the middle of the
mud as usual, while 100+ Grey-tailed Tattlers bickered and snoozed
on the mangrove stumps they usually occupy. Eastern Curlew (~10),
Whimbrel (~30), Black-winged Stilts (~10), Grey Teal (~100) and 16
Chestnut Teal also present. In the background 2 Little Egrets, 2
Great Egrets, 10 White-faced Herons, 5 Royal Spoonbills, 8 Marsh
Sandpipers watched as handfuls of Sharp-tailed and a few (6)
Curlew Sandpipers flew in. Bar-tailed Godwits starting arriving in
an irregular stream - totally numbering about 300. A Whistling
Kite put the duck up ? only the duck, strangely enough ? and a
quick view of a Brahimny Kite over the mangroves was followed
later by a Brown Goshawk that upset the roosting Herons before
diving into the mangroves and vanishing as quickly as it had
arrived.Walking back to the car park a hovering Black-shouldered
Kite brought raptors to 4 species for the day.
I headed out to Fisherman?s Island as I usually do, then, on a
whim turned left on the Whyte Island road (just before the
roundabout and the BP garage on the left). I note the directions
clearly here as it?s possible, just possible mind you, that
Brisbane birders may miss the two lakes on the left as they head
out to the well known sights and sites on F Is.. I would suggest
that the Whyte Island ponds, as I now personally refer to them,
are well worth a visit and a check out. There are no fences
obscuring the vision and using the car as a hide one can scope or
binocular the birds with minimum disturbance. One of the ponds was
virtually empty ? on the other there were heaps of Sharpies and
Curlew Sands were everywhere. Black-winged Stilts and over 70
Red-necked Avocets, 20+ Pelicans, Cormorants of various types,
Grey and Chestnut Teal and, very pleasingly, 2 Pink-eared Ducks
napping on a mud bank. 6 Hardheads dived ? so the water is
reasonably deep in spots and a couple of Red-capped Dotterels
pattered around. This, I believe, will be an excellent spot to
check smaller waders during the summer months. I may be preaching
to the already converted ? been there, seen that, if so please
excuse my enthusiasm, but I?d hate anyone to miss this easy
accessible, highly potential spot! Please let me know if anything
special turns up!
I went on out to F Is and checked out the lake in front of the
visitor?s hide ? usual species here ? dozens (?) of Royal
Spoonbills roosting, Coot, Moorhen, various Cormorants,
Hardhead, Black Duck, Pelicans, Egrets, Ibises and 1 Sharpie. A
phone call from my partner reminded me then of a prior promise
to visit Fort Lytton National park ? so went off to do my civic
and relationship duty and got no further up the Island!
Incidentally ? at the Whyte Island ponds there were 2 or 3 large
nests built on the mud bank. By large I mean big enough to seat
a Pelican. There were a few Black Swans on the water, but no
bird sitting on the nests. (Somehow I didn?t think they were
Swans nests. I have no experience of Black Swan?s nesting, but
am familiar with Mute Swans? nests from Ireland) There appeared
to be eggs in at least two of the constructions ? but I didn?t
go any closer than the bank. I would appreciate another opinion
if anyone has past or future observations to offer.
--
Colin Reid
So many birds, so little time......
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