Dear all,
I am sending a brief report of a birding trip to SEQ over the holidays.
I am indebted to a large number of people that answered my request for
information on Birding-AUS in preparation of this trip. What a great
resource Birding-AUS is! Thanks also go to Colin at Lamington for
on-the-ground stake-out information. Foremost, however, I would like to
express my deep gratitude to Tom Tarrant for being so incredibly helpful
with up-to-date information on the spot, answering my phone calls even on
Boxing Day and New Year?s Eve.
Site accounts:
Slaughter Falls ? SF
Briefly visited on the first evening for some excellent night-birding,
yielding good flight views of White-throated Nightjar and excellent perched
views of a Powerful Owl.
Lamington ? L
Three and a half days were mainly (though not exclusively) invested in the
upper parts of the Border Track just a bit past Mt Bithongabel, where Rufous
Scrubbird was seen on one occasion (10 sec view of individual singing 15 m
into the bushes, with views of its body, head and peculiar bill shape and
contrasting white throat-sides, though not much else) and heard on three
more occasions. At times, I could get birds to approach me to up to 3 m
while staying absolutely invisible. A true ghost bird!
Apart from scrubbirds, wet forest birding was notably slow, with only one
good sighting of Albert?s Lyrebird (flushed across the path and then
tape-induced to perch on tree 20 m off-path, where reasonable though far
views were obtained), and one more individual flushed across Duck Creek Road
from the car. Despite being vocal, Paradise Riflebirds stayed equally
cryptic, and reasonable views of a singing male were only had on one
occasion. Marbled Frogmouths obligingly came in to tape at their new
stake-out not far in from the entrance of Python Rock Trail. The latter also
produced Pale-yellow Robin. The dry eucalypt forest along Duck Creek Road
was largely quiet, though I did succeed in finding Red-browed Treecreeper
here and had cracking views of an immature Spotted Quail-Thrush approachable
to as little as 3 m. Much time was spent here trying to figure out the
identity of breeding Myiagra flycatchers, whose song and dull male plumage
eventually gave them away as Leaden (not the rarer Satin) Flycatcher.
Beaudesert Racecourse ? B
A quick stop here on the way to Girraween was more poductive than
anticipated. The reed in the lake did yield a pair of the promised
Plum-headed Finch, for which this lake has become a reliable stake-out not
too far inland. Latham?s Snipe along the muddy shore and a pair of
overflying Cockatiels were pleasant additional surprises.
Girraween NP ? G
Junction Trail eventually provided a good sighting of Chestnut-rumped
Hylacolas hopping on the ground. Two pairs of Turquoise Parrot provided
brief but nice views. A male Spotted Quail-Thrush refused to be looked at
for long, however. White-throated Gerygones were common and could be seen at
their nest. I was surprised to see Eastern Rosellas here instead of
Pale-headed, with no apparent hybrids in the flocks. The highlight was an
unambiguous look at a flushed Squatter Pigeon, a sighting that surprised all
local birders I told of it, though the species does feature on the park
birdlist.
roadside birding from Tenterfield to Mingoola (NSW) ? rT
On the way to Sundown NP, a stop by the roadside along this stretch produced
the first Speckled Warblers (one hopping on road tarmac!), Eastern
Shrike-Tits, Rufous Songlarks and Red-winged Parrots.
Sundown NP incl. roadside birding between Mingoola and Glenlyon ? S
Around the visitor area on the west side of Sundown NP, a beautiful female
Painted Buttonquail showed well, but not much else. The better birding was
had just outside the park boundaries, where Double-barred Finch, Diamond
Firetail, Striped Honeyeater, Little Friarbird, Gray-crowned Babbler, Inland
Thornbill, Speckled Warbler and many more birds kept me busy all afternoon.
Flocks of pure phenotypic Eastern and Pale-headed Rosellas roam this area,
and I detected only one bird with plumage introgression.
roadside birding between Glenlyon and Pikedale ? rP
The last stretch of remarkable roadside birding (before getting back to
Stanthorpe?s cultivated landscape) was at a mansion driveway entrance with
the sign ?Reatta? just a few KM further on from the Glenlyon junction, where
a flock of about 70 Plum-headed Finches had me stop, just to be complemented
by a pair of White-bellied Cuckooshrike and dazzling views of a male and
female Turquoise Parrot.
Cooloola NP ? C
I required two full mornings (ca. 7 hr) of bashing around Inskip Point to
come across good views of a female Black-breasted Buttonquail. The point was
crammed with campers, which may have made things unusually difficult for me,
though other people who posted sightings of the buttonquail around the same
dates seemed to have struggled much less. Mangrove Honeyeaters were
plentiful, and Beach Thick-knee lingered around its usual hang-out at the
very tip of the point. The identification of an immature Fairy Gerygone on
Inskip Point was later confirmed by the presence of two wildly vocal
families at Rainbow Shores a few kilometers south. The rainforest walk to
Poona Lake at Bymien Picnic Area had all the lowland wet-forest birds that
had eluded me elsewhere: Rose-crowned and Wompoo Fruit-Doves, Little
Shrike-Thrush and finally ? after much searching ? appropriate views of
White-eared Monarch, a bird I did not expect to find in the top canopy
storey of the forest. Its sound gave it away, though it fought for 30 min
before surrendering to my binoculars. What a bird!
The well-known Thomas & Thomas heath area was visited on two
afternoons/evenings with a Grass Owl search in mind. In the process, I
flushed 4 ground parrots, and witnessed their awe-inspiring dusk concert, a
true spectacle of nature! The Grass Owl, however, responded to tape the
first night but wouldn?t come in, and denied any reaction on the second
night. Similarly, it stayed hidden on a third occasion when I searched for
it at Brisbane?s well-known airport site a couple of days later. A thorough
dip!
Deception Bay mangroves ? D
My visit to Brisbane?s mangroves was very short indeed, but even so the
common Mangrove Gerygone was easily seen and heard. Additionally, Collared
Kingfisher and Gull-billed Tern made a showing.
Lake Samsonvale (incl. cemetary) ? LS
Initially visited for the off-chance of a Red-backed Buttonquail, this
species now seems to be absent from this site due to recent drought
conditions. One has to walk kilometers before getting to remnant water at
this reservoir. Nonetheless, the dry lake-bed is covered by chin-high
grasses that produced Brown Quail and a potential sighting of a female King
Quail, apart from Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Pheasant Coucal and others. I
invested quite a bit of time into the woodland around the cemetary for some
of the more widespread Brisbane specialties that had eluded me thus far, to
the point of being checked by police at noon and being tracked down by
concerned local residents while night-birding. Unfortunately, my targets
remained elusive, and ? on an even more bitter note ? one of them (Little
Bronze-Cuckoo) was photographed at this very cemetary and its picture posted
on the same day I was there. Olive-backed Oriole, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo,
Brush Cuckoo and Double-barred Finch provided some consolation, as did three
Forest Kingfishers in the general vicinity.
Trip list:
1. Australian Brush Turkey ? Alectura l. lathami: L, SF, C
2. Brown Quail ? Coturnix ypsiliphora australis: 2 C, many LS
3. Painted Buttonquail ? Turnix varia varia: 0,1 S
4. Black-breasted Buttonquail ? Turnix melanogaster: 0,1 C
5. AUS Pelican ? Pelecanus conspicillatus
6. Darter ? Anhinga melanogaster: 1 LS
7. Pied Cormorant ? Phalacrocorax varius: C
8. Little Pied Cormorant ? P. melanoleucos: S
9. Little Black Cormorant ? P. sulcirostris: LS
10. Great Crested Grebe ? Podiceps cristatus: LS
11. Australasian Grebe ? Tachybaptus novaehollandiae: C
12. Pacific Black Duck ? Anas superciliosa: S, LS
13. Hardhead ? Aythya australis: S, LS
14. Maned Duck ? Chenonetta jubata
15. Buff-banded Rail ? Gallirallus philippensis: 1 Brisbane Botanical
Gardens
16. Dusky Moorhen ? Gallinula tenebrosa
17. Eurasian Coot ? Fulica atra
18. White-necked Heron ? Ardea pacifica: S, LS
19. White-faced Heron ? Ardea novaehollandiae
20. Cattle Egret ? Bubulcus ibis: LS
21. Little Egret ? Egretta garzetta: LS
22. Nankeen Night Heron ? Nycticorax caledonicus: SF, G
23. Glossy Ibis: S
24. AUS White Ibis
25. Straw-necked Ibis
26. Eastern Curlew: C, D
27. Whimbrel: C, D
28. Latham?s Snipe ? Gallinago hardwickii: ca. 5 B
29. Bar-tailed Godwit: C
30. Beach Thick-knee ? Esacus neglectus: 1-2 C
31. Pied Oystercatcher: C
32. Masked Lapwing
33. Black-winged Stilt ? Himantopus himantopus leucocephalus
34. Silver Gull
35. Gull-billed Tern ? Sterna nilotica macrotarsa: D
36. Crested Tern: C
37. Black-shouldered Kite
38. Whistling Kite
39. Brahminy Kite ? Haliastur indus girrenera: 1 D
40. White-bellied Sea-eagle: C
41. Wedge-tailed Eagle: C
42. Little Eagle: rT
43. Gray Goshawk: 1-2 L
44. Swamp Harrier: LS
45. Peregrine Falcon ? Falco peregrinus macropus: S
46. Nankeen Kestrel
47. Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove ? Ptilinopus regina regina: several C
48. Wompoo Fruit-Dove ? Ptilinopus magnificus magnificus: several C
49. Topknot Pigeon ? Lopholaimus antarcticus: C, L
50. White-headed Pigeon ? Columba leucomela: 1 L
51. Brown Cuckoo-Dove ? Macropygia amboinensis: L, LS
52. Peaceful Dove: S, C
53. Bar-shouldered Dove: C, LS
54. Common Bronzewing: G, S
55. Crested Pigeon
56. Squatter Pigeon ? Geophaps scripta scripta: 1 G
57. Wonga Pigeon: L
58. Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo: G, LS
59. Galah
60. Little Corella: Warwick, Stanthorpe
61. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo: SF, LS, C
62. Rainbow Lorikeet: L, G, S, rP, LS
63. Scaly-breasted Lorikeet: SF
64. Little Lorikeet: rT
65. AUS King Parrot: L, G, LS
66. Red-winged Parrot: rT, S, rP
67. Cockatiel: 2 B
68. Ground Parrot: 4 seen, 20 heard C
69. Crimson Rosella: L, G
70. Eastern Rosella ? Platycercus eximius elecica: G, S
71. Pale-headed Rosella ? Platycercus [eximius] pallidiceps: SF, S
72. Red-rumped Parrot: S
73. Turquoise Parrot: 3-4 G; 1,1 rP
74. Pallid Cuckoo: 1,1 S
75. Brush Cuckoo: S, LS
76. Fan-tailed Cuckoo: S (also L heard only)
77. Shining Bronze-Cuckoo: L ssp plagosus; LS ssp?
78. (Common Koel: heard only at many sites)
79. Channel-billed Cuckoo ? Scythrops novaehollandiae: 1 C
80. Pheasant Coucal ? Centropus phasianinus: 1 LS
81. Powerful Owl: 1 SF
82. (Grass Owl ? Tyto capensis longimembris: heard only at C)
83. Marbled Frogmouth ? Podargus ocellatus plumiferus: 2 L
84. White-throated Nightjar ? Eurostopodus mystacalis: several SF
85. White-throated Needletail: 1 SF, many LS
86. Laughing Kookaburra
87. Forest Kingfisher ? Todiramphus macleayii macleayii: 3 LS
88. Sacred Kingfisher: LS
89. Collared Kingfisher ? Todiramphus chloris colcloughi: 1 D
90. Rainbow Bee-eater: C
91. Dollarbird
92. Noisy Pitta ? Pitta versicolor versicolor: 3 L
93. Albert?s Lyrebird ? Menura alberti: 2-3 L
94. Rufous Scrubbird ? Atrichornis rufescens: L 1 seen, 3 more heard
95. Varied Sitella ? Daphoenositta chrysoptera: [chrysoptera] G, S;
[leucocephala] L
96. White-throated Treecreeper ? Cormobates leucophaeus metastasis: L, G, C
97. Red-browed Treecreeper: L
98. Brown Treecreeper: S, rP
99. Superb Fairywren: L, G, S
100. Variegated Fairywren ? Malurus lamberti: [lamberti] L, LS; [assimilis]
G
101. Red-backed Fairywren ? Malurus melanocephalus melanocephalus: C, LS
102. Spotted Pardalote: L, S, G
103. Striated Pardalote ? Pardalotus striatus: apparent [ornatus X
melanocephalus] in S; [melanocephalus] C
104. Large-billed Scrubwren: L, C, LS
105. White-browed Scrubwren ? Sericornis frontalis: pure laevigaster in C
down to hybrids with tweedi in L and G
106. Yellow-throated Scrubwren ? Sericornis citreogularis intermedius: L
107. Chestnut-rumped Hylacola: ca. 5 G
108. Speckled Warbler: S, rT
109. Weebill: L, S, G
110. White-throated Gerygone ? Gerygone olivacea: G, S
111. Fairy Gerygone ? Gerygone palpebrosa flavida: C
112. Brown Gerygone: L, C
113. Mangrove Gerygone ? Gerygone levigaster cantator: several D
114. Brown Thornbill: L, G, C, LS
115. Inland Thornbill: S
116. Yellow Thornbill: S
117. Striated Thornbill ? Acanthiza lineata alberti: L, G, S
118. Buff-rumped Thornbill ? Acanthiza reguloides nesa: G
119. Yellow-rumped Thornbill: S
120. Red Wattlebird: G
121. Brush Wattlebird: C
122. Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater: S
123. Striped Honeyeater: S
124. Noisy Friarbird: L, S, G, C
125. Little Friarbird: S
126. Blue-faced Honeyeater: C, S
127. (Bell Miner: heard only at Mt Glorious)
128. Noisy Miner
129. Lewin?s Honeyeater: L, C, LS
130. Yellow-faced Honeyeater
131. Mangrove Honeyeater ? Lichenostomus fasciogularis: C
132. White-eared Honeyeater: G
133. Yellow-tufted Honeyeater ? Lichenostomus melanops meltoni: G
134. Fuscous Honeyeater: rT, S, rP
135. White-plumed Honeyeater: S
136. White-throated Honeyeater ? Melithreptus albogularis inopinatus: C, LS
137. White-naped Honeyeater: G, L
138. White-cheeked Honeyeater: C
139. New Holland Honeyeater: G
140. Brown Honeyeater ? Lichmera indistincta ocularis: S, C
141. Eastern Spinebill: G, L
142. Logrunner: L
143. Eastern Whipbird: L, G, C, LS
144. Spotted Quail-Thrush: L, G
145. Gray-crowned Babbler: S
146. Rose Robin: 0,1 L
147. Hooded Robin: 1,1 S
148. Eastern Yellow Robin ? Eopsaltria australis chrysorrhoa: S, G, L, C, LS
149. Jacky Winter: S
150. Pale-yellow Robin ? Tregellasia capito capito: L, C
151. Crested Shrike-Tit ? Falcunculus frontatus frontatus: rT
152. Little Shrike-Thrush ? Colluricincla megarhyncha rufogaster: C
153. Gray Shrike-Thrush
154. Golden Whistler ? Pachycephala pectoralis pectoralis: L, C
155. Olive Whistler ? Pachycephala olivacea macphersoniana: 2 L
156. Rufous Whistler
157. Gray Fantail: L, S, rT, G, C, LS
158. Rufous Fantail ? Rhipidura rufifrons intermedia: L, C
159. Willie Wagtail
160. Leaden Flycatcher ? Myiagra rubecula yorki: L, G, C, LS
161. Restless Flycatcher ? Myiagra inquieta inquieta: rT, S
162. Black-faced Monarch ? Monarcha melanopsis: L
163. Spectacled Monarch ? Monarcha trivirgatus gouldii: L, C
164. White-eared Monarch ? Monarcha leucotis: C
165. Magpie-Lark
166. Spangled Drongo ? Dicrurus bracteatus bracteatus: SF, C, LS
167. Olive-backed Oriole: LS
168. Figbird ? Sphecotheres viridis vielloti: C, LS
169. Paradise Riflebird ? Ptilorus paradiseus: 1,0 seen, more heard in L
170. Green Catbird: C, L
171. Satin Bowerbird ? Ptilonorhynchus violaceus: L, G
172. Regent Bowerbird ? Sericulus chrysocephalus: L
173. Black-faced Cuckooshrike
174. White-bellied Cuckooshrike ? Coracina papuensis robusta: 2 rP
175. Cicadabird ? Coracina tenuirostris tenuirostris: G, S, LS
176. White-winged Triller: S
177. Varied Triller ? Lalage leucomela leucomela: C, LS
178. White-breasted Woodswallow: LS, C
179. White-browed Woodswallow: rP, S
180. Dusky Woodswallow: G, rT, S, rP
181. Gray Butcherbird: SF
182. Pied Butcherbird
183. AUS Magpie ? Gymnorhina tibicen tibicen
184. Pied Currawong
185. AUS Raven: S, G
186. Torresian Crow ? Corvus orru ceciliae: Brisbane, C
187. White-winged Chough: G, S
188. Apostlebird: S
189. Welcome Swallow
190. Tree Martin: rP, C, LS
191. Fairy Martin: rT, rP
192. AUS Pipit: C, LS, Somerset Dam
193. Singing Bushlark: S, Somerset Dam
194. Rufous Songlark: rP, rT, S
195. Brown Songlark: Somerset Dam
196. (AUS Reed Warbler: B heard only)
197. Golden-headed Cisticola: LS, Somerset Dam
198. Tawny Grassbird ? Megalurus timoriensis alisteri: B, C, LS, Somerset
Dam
199. House Sparrow
200. Double-barred Finch: S, LS
201. Plum-headed Finch ? Neochmia modesta: 2 B, ca. 70 rP
202. Red-browed Finch
203. Diamond Firetail: 1-2 S
204. Chestnut-breasted Mannikin ? Lonchura castaneothorax: many LS
205. Mistletoebird: S, C, LS
206. Silvereye ? Zosterops lateralis cornwalli
207. Bassian Thrush: L
208. Russet-tailed Thrush: L
209. Common Starling: rT
210. Common Mynah: B
Good birding
Frank
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