Nightcap NP: Fruitful

[Charles Hunter <>]

Hi all,

 

Highlights: Wompoo and Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves, Regent Bowerbirds, Scarlet Honeyeater.

 

For those that haven't been there, Nightcap NP offers some great birding, if you know where to look.

 

I spent a long weekend up a Byron Bay for a friends wedding. I managed some great birding in between beaching and the wedding celebrations.

 

Byron Bay is on the coast 800kms from Sydney, 200km from Brisbane.

 

Friday 17th: Lagoon near Ballina Airport (15 min session whilst waiting for wife Ainslie to arrive)

Sacred Kingfisher, Spangled Drongo, Hardhead (new bird for me), Numerous nesting Darters with juv. Australasian Grebe.

 

Up at 5.00am on Saturday 18th and Monday 20th arriving at Nightcap NP at around 6.15am (amazing to be in rainforest at this time) on the Gibbergunyah Range Road entrance (on the road to Rocky Creek Dam). Time was also spent on Rummery Road (past the closed gate off Minyon Drive) and around Rocky Creek Dam in late-morning.

 

Many fruiting trees in the forest. The beginning of Gibbergunyah Range Road is excellent remnant sub-tropical rainforest. Most birds high in canopy so tough birding for the neck.

 

Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th: Nightcap NP

Tawny Frogmouth (Repentance Creek road about 5kms from National Park seen in same place on Saturday and Sunday)

Regent Bowerbird (male and female on Gibbergunyah Range Road and male on Rummery Road)

Satin Bowerbird (male and female on Rummery Road)

Literally dozens of Logrunners (Gibbergunyah Range Road)

Wompoo Fruit-Dove (3 seen along Gibbergunyah Range Road, many heard calling)

Unidentified Fruit-Dove (presumed Superb) due to poor light and white / dull belly). Have previously seen these birds in Nightcap.

Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove (1 seen on Gibbergunyah Range Road)

Topknot Pigeon (several seen on Gibbergunyah Range Road and Rummery Road)

Brown Cuckoo-Dove (dozens all over forest)

Emerald Dove (1 seen on Gibbergunyah Range Road)

Wonga Pigeon (several on Gibbergunyah Range Road)

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet (Gibbergunyah Range Road and all around Byron Bay)

King Parrot (Gibbergunyah Range Road)

Scarlet Honeyeater (Rummery Road)

White-necked Heron (Rocky Creek Dam Road)

White-faced Heron on Gibbergunyah Range Road (before forest starts)

Brush Turkey (Minyon Drive)

Common Koel large juv. female with Currawongs (Rocky Creek Dam Road)

Yellow-throated Scrubwren (Gibbergunyah Range Road)

Lewin?s Honeyeater (Gibbergunyah Range Road)

Eastern Yellow Robin (Gibbergunyah Range Road and Rummery Road)

Pale-Yellow Robin (Gibbergunyah Range Road)

Grey Shrike-thrush (juv. at Rocky Creek Dam ? new bird for me)

Golden Whistler (Gibbergunyah Range Road)

Rufous Fantail (Gibbergunyah Range Road)

Grey Fantail (Gibbergunyah Range Road)

Figbirds (Gibbergunyah Range Road)

Brown Songlark on Gibbergunyah Range Road (before forest starts)

Mistletoebird (Minyon Falls)

Red-browed Finch (Rummery Road)

Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Repentance Creek Road)

 

I was almost certain I saw a Rufous Scrub Bird at 9.00am on 18th, not confident enough to tick however due to poor light and 4 second obstructed viewing. As I tried to get closer I was grabbed by those palms that have those razor sharp spikes that grab on to you (name?), almost tore my finger off (and left several splinters in it). May have helped if I had also knew call of the bird!

 

Mammals

Swamp Wallaby on Repentance Creek Road

Several Pademelons (red-necked??)

 

Reptiles

3 Land Mullets on (Rummery Road)

 

Amphibians

Unfortunately 1 dead Fleay?s barred Frog on the Road near Minyon Falls. Had not been run over but looked like a bird had flipped over and eaten guts).

 

Sunday 19th: (Belongil Beach lagoon)

Pied Oystercatchers

Brahminy Kite

Common Greenshank (new bird for me)

 

Other birds seen around Byron Bay: Blue-faced Honeyeater, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Cattle Egret, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Pied Butcherbird, Welcome Swallow

 

Regards,

Charles Hunter

Kings Cross, Sydney

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