Hi Everyone,
I have just returned from a week tripping around
SEQ and following some of the Crows Nest Bird Trails established by Grahame
Rogers. It was great to learn of some of the sites not previously
known. Congratulations to Grahame for a job well done.
While on route, I decided to visit the Bunya Mtns
which is always a worthwhile stop. No sign of the Sooty Owl which
apparently still visits the fig tree occasionally, but I did see an all white
Fairy-wren with a group of Superb Wrens outside Rice's Log Cabins. The
Ranger said it was first reported about two weeks ago.
I then headed down the mountain to Cooyar (north of
Crows Nest - north of Toowoomba) and visited the Palms NP. This is a
delightful little spot which was alive with birds when I arrived
mid-afternoon. The highlight was a pair of Crested
Shrike-tit.
Another lovely spot is the Swinging Bridge Park in
Cooyar where you can camp and where there are a pair of roosting Barn Owls and
platypus in the creek. The local Progress Assoc. is trying to
establish a walking trail with viewing platforms along the creek.
On Saturday I attended the day outing with Birds
Qld. to various sites around Gatton. The highlight of the day for me was
to see the all white Black Swan which John Hadley and our team had seen as a
cygnet on a Twitchathon in Nov 1997. It has the same bill markings
as the Black Swan. It was nice to know it had survived to
adulthood.
The weather is perfect for birding at this time of
the year - even if there are not as many birds about.
Regards
Jan
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