Birdline North Queensland Weekly Update

Birdline North Queensland

Published sightings for the week ending 28 Aug 2011.

Sun 28 Aug	Fairy Gerygone, Rufous Fantail, Spectacled Monarch, White-browed Robin Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park Fairy Gerygone (1) creek line at end of tidal section Rufous Fantail (1) creek line at end of tidal section Spectacled Monarch (1) creek line at end of tidal section White-browed Robin (1) road end turn around Ed Pierce
	Rufous Fantail; Southern Boobook; Pied Currawong Mount Louisa (Suburb of Townsville) Rufous Fantail (1) seen just after dusk yesterday afternoon and again around dawn this morning flitting around our home garden looking for food. Southern Boobook (1) heard calling again last night. Over the last few weeks, this has become now a regular night sound in our and our neighbours' back yards. Pied Currawongs (6-10) are still in our neighbourhood and regularly in our own yard. Seen daily since first reported here 6 weeks ago (Len and Chris Ezzy 16/7 #87616), these birds seem quite happy to co-exist with the local Australian Magpies and Corvids. Len and Chris Ezzy
Sat 27 Aug	Australian Owlet-nightjar, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Shining Flycatcher, Crimson Finch Townsville Town Common Conservation Park Australian Owlet-nightjar (1) shelly beach track, mangroves Brown Cuckoo-Dove (1) between freshwater and jacana hides Shining Flycatcher (1) female, shelly beach track, mangroves Crimson Finch (9) between freshwater and jacana hides Many years of seaching for AON on the common during the daytime finally pays off. Ed Pierce
Fri 26 Aug	Black-chinned Honeyeater Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge Golden-backed Honeyeater Race laetoir. 2 Adults feeding two immatures in Queensland Blue Gum Eucalyptus tereticornis. Uncommon in area and few breeding records. Keith Fisher
Mon 22 Aug	Pictorella Mannikin, Cotton Pygmy-Goose, Baillon's Crake, Spinifex Pigeon, Ground Cuckoo-shrike Georgetown district A very enjoyable 2 days was spent in the Georgetown area with many birding highlights. We had 4 adult & 1 immature Pictorella Mannikins at Georgetown Racecourse; Cotton Pygmy-Goose at 2 locations with an approx total of 35 birds (incl many immature birds); a single adult Baillon's Crake at one site, plus some of the better local specialities such as Ground Cuckoo-shrike, Spinifex Pigeons, Red-browed Pardalotes (pic attached of a pair taken by Martin Cachard), Squatter Pigeons, Masked & Black-browed Finches in good numbers with immatures, etc etc... Strangely though, not a single Zebra Finch was to be seen, along with the absence of other nomads Cockatiels & Budgerigars - we figured that these species would be enjoying the lush more centralian conditions elsewhere further inland. Great mammal records included a couple of Northern Nailtail Wallabies near Cumberland Dam & many Rufous Bettongs on the roadside between 40 Mile Scrub & Cumberland Dam. Martin Cachard, Alan Morris, Steven Edwards
Fri 19 Aug	Black-throated Finch, Black-necked Stork with young Mareeba Wetlands including Pandandus Lagoon On the walk from the visitor centre at Clancy's Lagoon, to Pandanus Lagoon, 4 groups of Black-throated Finch were seen, totaling 32 birds in all. At Pandanus Lagoon were both Brolga and Sarus Crane, a pair of Black-necked Stork with 3 large young, calling White-throated Gerygone & Rufous Whistler. There were far more birds and more species on Pandanus Lagoon with the cattle than there were on Clancy Lagoon, cattle free!, Alan Morris & Steven Edwards
Thu 18 Aug	Blue-faced Parrot Finch, Spotless Crake and Cotton Pygmy-Geese Julatten area We were delighted to find a group of 8 Blue-faced Parrot Finches (6A+2 Imm) feeding beneath rainforest trees beside a creek that flows through cane field at Julatten. At nearby McDougalls Road there were a group of 4 Cotton Pygmy Geese, on the second swamp along this road where we also found a Spotless Crake, seen on one day and heard the next day. Alan morris & Steven Edwards
Wed 17 Aug	White-browed Robin Big Mitchell Creek A pair of White-browed Robin were found in the rainforest trees along the road, east of the Peninsula Development Road between Mt Molloy and Mareeba. Alan Morris and Steven Edwards
	Cotton Pygmy Goose, Pallid Cuckoo and White-browed Robin Lake Mitchell, stock and camping reserve, Mt Molloy 12 Cotton Pygmy-goose were amongst the many Wandering Whistling Ducks and Green Pgymy-goose on the backed up waters of Lake Mitchell seen from causeway. Also present was a calling Pallid Cuckoo, 40+ Magpie Geese, Sea-Eagle , Black Kite and Osprey. At nearby Big Mitchell Creek, a pair of White-browed Robins were found in the rainforest trees along the road east of the Mt Molloy-Mareeba rd. Steven Edwards and Alan Morris
	Rufous Owl Davis River National Park, Kuranda The highlight of our morning tea stop in Davis River National Park, about 400m north of the picnic area, was to see this Rufous Owl which we accidentally disturbed after following up on a commotion caused by Friarbirds and Honeyeaters. The bird was found perched on a horizontal branch of a rainforest tree in the River, it then moved off elsewhere. Other birds present were Scarlet, Brown and Bridled Honeyeaters, Noisy Friarbirds and many Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets. many trees were in flower. Steven Edwards and Alan Morris
Tue 16 Aug	Eastern Reef Egret Michaelmas Cay Eastern Reef Egret (1) Light morph bird Jackson Airey

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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