Monday 28 December 2015

Happy New Year

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year, may you all see lots of birds in 2016.
This is some more of the birds seen during the Birds Queensland Camp at Rainbow Waters Holiday Park.

Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)

Whistling Kite (Immature)(Haliastur sphenurus)

White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus) 








For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday

Wednesday 23 December 2015

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a Safe and Happy Christmas 
 From Australia
Galah (Cacatua roseicapilla)
For more Birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday


Monday 14 December 2015

Spring - A time for young birds.

Due to family commitments and health concerns, I have been unable to keep up with blogs, though all now under control.
So it was good to be able to get away for a weekend of birding with members of Birds Queensland to Rainbow Waters Holiday Park, with visits to Inskip Point, Bullock Point, Mullen'sTin Can Bay Foreshore and the Noosa Plains for the Ground Parrot. 
I was the only person lucky enough to see one of these just twenty meters from where the others were sitting having Happy Hour while waiting for the Dusk Chorus of these elusive birds, during which five more were heard. We also had King Quail calling close by. While waiting, a flock of 40 plus Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo kept us entertained.
It must have been a good breeding season due to the amount of young birds and nesting birds we found during our travels over the weekend.
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)(Juvenile)
Noisy Friarbird (Philemon corniculatus)(Juvenile)

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)(Immature)

Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans)(Immature)

Varied Triller (Lalage leucomela) (Male & Juvenile)

Varied Triller (Juvenile)

Varied Triller (Male)



More birds to come as we managed to record 99 species for the weekend.
For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday

Monday 28 September 2015

Waders Are Back

The Waders have returned; Pacific Golden Plover, Lesser-Sand Plover, Eastern Curlew, Whimbrel, Common Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Red Knot, Great Knot, Red-necked Stint, and Curlew Sandpiper were all recorded on this count. 
Our resident Australian Pied Oystercatcher, Red-capped Plover, White-faced Heron, Little Egret, Eastern Osprey, Brahminy Kite, and Gull-billed Tern were also present.
Click on photos to enlarge.
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)

Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)

Gull-billed Tern (Sterna nilotica)
Mangrove Honeyeater (Lichenostomus fasciogularis)

Some of the mixed flock

Just before we left home for the wader count, we heard on the radio that a sink hole had developed at one of the Inskip Point camping grounds. A 4wd, camper trailer, tent and caravan all ended up in the water. Over three hundred people were evacuated from the area.It happened about midnight on the 27/9/15.Everyone was safe and accounted for.
This photo was taken on the 27/9/15

This was taken on the 28/9/15 from the same position
after more sand went overnight.

 The Caravan 28/9/15
 The Caravan 27/9/15
Hard to say if this is the 4wd or the camper trailer. 27/9/15
 For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.

Monday 31 August 2015

Pied Currawong

After a shower of rain the other morning, there were a lot of flying ants around the yard, and the birds were busy picking at them. Because I did not have a decent photo of a Pied Currawong, it was too good of an opportunity to not grab the camera while the birds were busy. The Pied Currawong was anting! At first I was wondering what it was doing, though after watching for a while I could see it was getting the ants and putting them on its feathers, and under its' wings.    
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anting_%28bird_activity%29

 Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina)






For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.

Monday 24 August 2015

Rainbow Lorikeet with Young.

Yesterday we had a family of Rainbow Lorikeets including two young come to our feeder. This is the first time we have seen juvenile Rainbow Lorikeets, they are the ones with the darker beak.
 
 
 Typical young are always squawking at mum and dad.


Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus


For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.

Monday 10 August 2015

Local Birds at Lake Alford.

After having the dreaded Flu for a couple of weeks, we felt we needed to get out in the fresh air. A short outing to the local duck ponds, (Lake Alford), was very refreshing.
Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae)


Australian Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus australis)

Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa)



Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia)
Little Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax melanoleucos)
Restless Flycatcher (Myiagra inquieta)
For more on this area check out our good friend Mick over at Sandy Straits and Beyond
For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.

Monday 20 July 2015

Bush - Butcherbird - Beach

BUSH 
Within an hours drive from where we live in South East Queensland, we are spoiled for choice go Bush or Beach.  

While we don't own a 4WD, it does not mean we can't access some of the beautiful places around our area. A lot of the forest drives are 2WD. There may be a lot of dirt, and in some places it maybe a bit rough, though if you drive to conditions you can see what is around the place; like some lookouts that allow Abseiling and Climbing. One such place is the Brooyar State Forest at Glastonbury. 

 One of the old Grasstrees


I don't think I will be jumping off the cliff anytime soon. 
The view from the top looks good to me.



This photo is actually looking down to the ground through the gap in the rocks.

 A couple of the anchor points.

BUTCHERBIRDS
While mowing the lawn the other day, a family of Pied Butcherbirds came to see what they could eat. 
 Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis) (Adult)
 Pied Butcherbird (Immature)


BEACH
Tin Can Bay is where we go to do our monthly Wader Counts
 Shelter shed at Norman Point.
 Seablite
Glasswort
Seablite and Glasswort can be found on the wader flats at Mullen's.
For more scenery from around the world visit Our World Tuesday.
For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.