Charlie Moreland in the Conondales

The first 'blog' outing was to Charlie Moreland Camping and Day use area in the Conondales. This is an area where there is a nice mix of tall Eucalypt forest and adjacent rainforest plus some riverine scrub next to the creek.

We had a good crowd  - some 28 people - get out of bed early as we met at 7am sharp-ish at the day use area. Three lorikeet species - Rainbow, Scaly-breasted and the expected Littles were buzzing around trying to drown out the incessant sounds of the Bell Miners and their cousins the aptly named Noisys. Strolling down the road, doing our best to ignore the occasional mammal [Red- necked Pademelon], we got some good views of some good birds; Russet-tailed Thrush, Rose Robin, Crested Shrike-Tit. A Regent Bowerbird male entertained a few while a couple of  female Regent Bowerbirds started a brief, 'What are you?' discussion. Many birders suffered birder's neck as they struggled to ID honeyeaters and pardalotes high in the canopy; Striated Pardalotes, Yellow-faced, White-naped and Scarlet Honeyeaters joined the far more common Lewin's Honeyeaters. A few birders were satisfied to get good views of the very vocal but difficult-to-see Bell Miners. Along the creek small flocks of Large-billed Scrub-wrens were keeping company with the brighter and more beautiful Silvereyes. A nice flock of Brown cuckoo-Doves were perched in good views and one birder scored her Bee-eater Lifer as a pair or so hawked high from casuarinas that lined the creek sides. Wompoo Fruit Doves and, perhaps most exciting, a brilliant male Paradise Riflebird caused a little excitement while I struggled to complete the bird call.

All in all 60species of bird were recorded in reasonably brief time.

The total list of birds seen and heard are as follows;  

 Australian Brush Turkey, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Wonga Pigeon,  Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Topknot Pigeon, Little Pied Cormorant, White-faced Heron, Dusky Moorhen, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo,

 Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Little Lorikeet, Australian King Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, White-throated Treecreeper, Green Catbird, Regent Bowerbird,

 Satin Bowerbird, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, White-browed Scrubwren, Large-billed Scrubwren,

 White-throated Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Pardalote, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Bell Miner, Noisy Miner, Scarlet Honeyeater, New Holland Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, Eastern Whipbird, Crested Shrike-tit, Varied Triller, Golden Whistler, Little Shrike-thrush, Grey Shrike-thrush, Australasian Figbird, Grey Butcherbird,  Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Spangled Drongo, Rufous Fantail, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail

 Torresian Crow, White-eared Monarch, Paradise Riflebird, Rose Robin, Pale Yellow Robin, Eastern Yellow Robin, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow, Russet-tailed Thrush, Mistletoebird.

Russet-tailed Thrush  [Jenny Gursanscky]

Also two mammals - Both Red-legged and Red-necked Pademelon. Lace Monitors were also present.

Directions to the site: Coming from Kenilworth, follow the Maleny-Kenilworth Rd, turn right (well sign posted) just before the Little Yabba Creek bridge. Road soon becomes gravel. Park at 1st Day Use area. If coming via Maleny, pass through Conondale and turn left after crossing the Little Yabba Creek bridge.

Location of Charlie Moreland