Birdline North Queensland Weekly Update

Birdline North Queensland

Published sightings for the week ending 29 May 2011.

Sat 28 May	Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae) West End, Townsville (garden) Update on the bird (presumed to be same one) reported on the 6th and 15th. Late afternoon visit today, feeding on palm seeds. Ed Pierce
	Little Kingfisher, Papuan Frogmouth, Large billed Gerygone, Shining Flycatcher. Daintree River These were the highlights of a great morning on the Daintree with Murray Hunt. Dave Bullock
Fri 27 May	Sarus Crane Marks Lane, Atherton 5 circling over paddocks near the Marks Lane strawberry farm, Atherton, this morning c. 1030h. First I've seen in the IBA this season, a couple of weeks later than usual. Elinor Scambler
Tue 24 May	Grey-fronted Honeyeater Burra Range - White Mountains NP Many Grey-fronted Honeyeaters were feeding on the Grevillea decora blossom along the track into the National Park. They were only marginally outnumbered by Brown Honeyeaters and Singing Honeyeaters. Photo ID attached. The sighting was around 7.30 am and the birds were active until my departure at 9.00 am. It is notable that the decora (red flowers) is in full blossom, some of the pteridifolia (orange blossoms) are now starting to open and the sessilis (white blossom) are also beginning to flower. This seems a little early this year and Burra range will be worth monitoring over the next few weeks. Peter Valentine
	Baillons Crake Pentland Dam A solitary Baillons Crake was feeding along the lakeside margin on the eastern edge adjacent to Cape Road at 10.30 am. ID Photo attached. Also present was a flock of about 24 Australian Wood-duck and a solitary Glossy Ibis along with Great Crested Grebe, many Cotton Pygmy Geese and along the southern grassy edge a pair of Plum-headed Finch. The Pink-eared Duck present on the 16th May as we drove west and reported present on the 22nd May by Annette Sutton could not be found. Peter Valentine
	Plum-headed Finch Corella Creek, approx. 7 km west of Richmond About ten adult and immature Plum-headed Finches at a water hole in company with Pictorella Mannikin and Zebra and Double-barred Finches. A Black Falcon and two Spotted Harriers were seen at the same site. Philip Maher
	Little Kingfisher Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge, Julatten, QLD Adult seen late afternoon by Lindsay. This is the first sighting here since December 2008. Going back to 2005 there was one record, 2006 1 record and 2007 5 records. These sightings were January - 1, April - 2, June - 1, July - 1, October - 1, and December - 2. This is the first sighting for May. Lindsay Fisher
	Southern Cassowary Shannonvale Southern Cassowary (1) Seen at 1.15pm by Anita Meyer on vacant lot in Thompson Low Drive Doug Herrington
Mon 23 May	Channel-billed Cuckoo Kewarra Beach, Northern Beaches Cairns Several immature Channel-bills are still getting around the Cairns suburbs. Yesterday at Kewarra Beach foreshore there were 3 young birds feeding in a heavily fruiting fig - pic is attached of one of these birds. This is very late in the season for this species. It seems most adults have left the region, with just first year birds remaining. Interestingly, the visiting Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos are still around the Cairns floodplain - regular sightings are made of anywhere between a pair to some 40-50 birds from North Cairns to Clifton Beach & also around the NW suburbs such as Kamerunga. Moderators Note: At least 4 more 1st year birds were present at Julatten on the Atherton Tableland on the same day. Martin Cachard
Fri 20 May	Blue-billed Duck Hasties Swamp, nr Atherton One male Blue-billed Duck was seen amongst many hundreds of Plumed Whistling-Ducks. It was late afternoon and the conditions were bad (gloomy, raining), so couldn't see whether there were any more Blue-bills. The Whistling-Ducks were spectacular in their numbers, flight and sound - reminiscent of Kakadu. Nick Livanos
Wed 11 May	White-throated Nightjar Palmetum Botanical Garden, Townsville White-throated Nightjar (1) It was dark and in the shade, but still easily and positively identified as a White-throated Nightjar, confirmed by inspection of the photo attached. Steven Girot

Birdline North Queensland is sponsored by Birds Australia North Queensland and Townsville Region Bird Observers Club and co-ordinated and hosted by Eremaea Birds.

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