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Went birding Sat 28 Feb with fellow birder Jan England to
check-out various parts of Ewen Maddock Dam. Started at the road causeway on the
Glass House Mountains Rd where the water levels have been very high for almost a
year now.Quick glances over the water when driving this oft-travelled route have
left the impression that there wasn't much on the water, and this was confirmed.
There was a solitary Coot, a pair of Pacific
Black, Australian and Great Crested Grebe,
and a delightful family of Wandering Whistling-Duck
comprising 2adults with 8 duckling scampering over the lily pads.The usual
solitary Jacana and both Little Pied and
Little Black Cormorant and that was about it for
waterbirds.
We moved on to the Kowald Rd entrance
by the Tunnel Ridge Ranch and walked down the track towards the water.Flushed
the find of the day, a pair of White-throated Nightjar fly away
from us down the track before one alighted on the track only 50 metres away,
allowing great views of this cryptic bird before it again flew, but this time
over and into another patch of sparse scrub.My best views yet, much better than
the 10 second post-dusk sighting at MtMee last year.Honeyeaters were the most
common birds and we managed 10 species in all, Noisy Friarbird,
Blue-faced, Noisy Miner,Lewin's,Yellow-faced, White-throated, Brown,
White-cheeked,Dusky and Scarlet.
Then onto the Mooloolah side,
walked the dam wall and back along the dirt track by the overflow.Nothing much
of note, Heard Sacred Kingfisher, saw both Variegated
and Red-backed Fairy wren,also Silvereye.
Had lunch by the "beach" and then a brief walk to the small causeway in
the NW corner of the dam. Picked up Whistling Kite and great
views of a White-bellied Sea-eagle, and also found the
flying-fox colony (?Grey-headed). Couldn't find any crakes or rails, thought we
may have heard one call (water levels left no muddy/grassy margins), no terns,
heard Shining Bronze Cuckoo, Rainbow Bee-eater
at Kowald Rd, also Spangled Drongo. Over 50 birds seen
for the 6 hours, with low numbers of both species and individuals,
Caloundra City Council have placed some good info boards
showing "new" tracks at the Kowald Rd entrance.
Overall, a good days birding.
Russ Lamb,
Maleny,SEQ
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