Frog Chorus & Wet Kookaburra

Good weather for frogs with continuous heavy rain and showers. Thought I might share some of these amphibians with you as they were calling very well last night. Too wet for bird photography although there are some very wet looking Kookaburras about.

Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)

Double-barred Finch

Have been unable to post much of late due to computer problems, luckily for me our daughter left her old laptop here for me to use. She told me the other day that her new laptop was not working and has to be sent away to get fixed as it is still under warranty.

Have not been able to get many photos of late due to the weather and other commitments.

Click on photos to enlarge

Double-barred Finch (Taeniopygia bichenovii)

This Double-barred Finch is one that comes to our feeder every morning.

Bladder Cicada (Cystosoma saundersii)

This Bladder Cicada we found in our backyard.

One of the commitments was a camp at Rainbow Waters Caravan Park with the Noosa Bird Observers over four days, it was too wet for any photos did manage to get the camp set up before the rain set in for the rest of our stay. It was fine when we started to pack up to go home on the last day. Just as we put the last items in the Ute it started to rain again. 110 bird species were recorded for the camp, not bad considering the weather.

This photo shows the bush behind where our tent was set up. At night there was a Large-tailed Nightjar calling most of the time. Some of the group who were staying in the onsite cabins did not here the Nightjar as they were not close to the bush.

Kingfisher at Work

Here is the video of the Sacred Kingfisher at work have not seen them back at the hole so maybe they have moved on.

Sacred Kingfisher

Have been lucky enough to have this pair of Sacred Kingfisher decide to make the tree in our next door neighbors yard a possible home to raise a family. Here's hoping! I have been watching them on and off for most of the day making the nest hole bigger, and they are very hard workers.

I was hoping to post a video of them, but have been unable to get it to load in blogger. If anyone can help me out that would be good. I have done all the things that blogger has said and it still will not load.

Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus)

Home in progress.

Birds in the Neighborhood

It does not seem all that long ago that all the Dollarbirds left, and they are now back again to join with the local birds.

Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis)

Pale-headed Rosella (Platycercus adscitus)

Here's hoping that the Pale-headed Rosella would try nesting in our yard as they have been hanging around and checking out one of the nest boxes for some time now.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus)

The Scaly-breasted Lorikeet on the other hand just want food and have been feeding in our trees along with the Rainbow Lorikeet.

This Staghorn on our next door neighbors house is a good place for the Spotted Turtle-Dove to raise their young. Unlike when they tried to nest in one of our trees and the Crows raided it so here is hoping they have better luck this time.
When I was talking to my neighbors they told me that they can still water the plant and are able to walk past without the adult flying away.

Spotted Turtle-Dove chicks. (Streptopelia chinensis)

Grey Shrike-thrush & Leaden Flycatcher

The last couple of times we have been to Cooloola Cove this Grey Shrike-thrush has been there to welcome us. We have them down the back of our place but not sure how much longer they will be there as the area is being developed into a retirement village, and they have started knocking down all the trees to make way for the building to start.

Grey Shrike-thrush (Colluricincla harmonica)

Leaden Flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula)

This Leaden Flycatcher kept us on the lookout trying to find it among all the trees and then came and sat on the outside branch for all to see.

Spring has come to the sand flats.

We had the chance to go out to the sandflats on the low tide, as we are normally there on the high tide for our wader counts. Looks a lot different and much bigger with no water on the flats. Mick led us to this patch of plants in full flower. It is amazing to think they would most likely be underwater when the next tide came in.

Azure Kingfisher & Tree Martin

Was lucky enough to come across this Azure Kingfisher yesterday. They always seem to be very hard to get a good photo of as they are normally flying very fast along a tree lined creek. This one was out in the open just sitting above a dam overflow which was flowing rather well considering all the rain we have been having of late. The only thing that it would not do is turn around to show off the colour of its front. Just when I put the camera down to have a look at the bird it flew off along the watercourse.

Click on photos to enlarge

Azure Kingfisher (Alcedo azurea)

Tree Martin (Hirundo nigricans)

After our wader count in September we took some visitors out to Carlo caravan park so they could check out the park for their camp in November. While we were looking around to see what birds were about we were watching some Welcome Swallows and Tree Martins flying over the sand flats. One Tree Martin kept flying to a metal pipe on one of the jetty gates. After closer inspection we found its mate inside on a nest. At least this nest site is well protected from the weather and from being chopped down. Not sure how many people would be aware of this activity being so close to a busy boat ramp.

Australian Pelican

Has been a good year for waterbirds through Inland Australia with all the rain.
Pelicans are having a great breeding season and this is one that made it to our part of coastal Queensland.

Click on photos to enlarge

Immature Australian Pelican

Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)

Underwater World Visit

Just something a little bit different this time.

Click on photos to enlarge

Just glad we don't see any this size when we are in the kayak.

There are some of these around in our area.

Definitely none of these.

We know some of these frequent our neck of the woods.

Only found in very cold water, luckily ours in not that cold.

Good enough to eat if only Underwater World will let you though.

Some of the very beautiful fish at Underwater World Mooloolaba Qld.

Birds & Bats

Had to laugh at this group of Cattle Egrets during our recent Flying Fox count going for a ride on the arm of this sewage treatment plant as it was spinning around. Not sure what the one with the wings up would have done if the timing was out even just a little bit.

Click on photos to enlarge

Cattle Egret (Ardea ibis)

Grey-headed Flying Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus)

Just a very small part of the estimated 100.000 in the colony at this time with a large proportion being pregnant. I hope the Little Red Flying Fox do not show up soon as there is not much room left at this site.

Raptors & Rabbits.

We found this Harrier just sitting among the branches, not easy to find as it was late in the afternoon and the light was not very good.

Click on photos to enlarge

Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans)

This Square-tailed Kite was being attacked by a Torresian Crow as it was flying over our house.

Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura)

Could do with more Raptors in town now that the Rabbit's have moved in. First we saw just the White one, and after a while Brown ones, then next we have a family. We have counted up to 10 at one time or another.

And no, it is not a Rabbit proof fence. They come and go as they please.

Tin Can Bay - Cooloola Cove.

Just a selection of birds we came across during a recent wader count at Tin Can Bay and Cooloola Cove, not all that many in number as we are waiting for the waders to return from their Northern breeding grounds. Not too much longer to wait.

Click on photos to enlarge

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)

Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva)

Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae)

As we were walking back from the count site we came across a fever of stingrays feeding close inshore. We do not normally see this many, there must have been a lot of food for them in this particular area.

Stingrays

Little Egret & White-breasted Woodswallow

After finishing our latest Wader Count we headed out to Inskip Point to check out what bird life was there.

Click on photos to enlarge

As usual most of the birds were resting on the little sand island out from the point.

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

We found this Little Egret feeding in the shallows by the shoreline, while this White-breasted Woodswallow flew in and posed nicely for us on a dead branch.

White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus)