Final Outing 2014 Report

On the 6th of December an optimistic group met at the Mapleton Lilyponds for the final outing of the 2014 year. Rain was expected. Clouds were already present but still they came....

The [optimistic] decision was made to bird the Mapleton Falls circuit. So we went.

Clouds were swelling in from the enveloped and invisible Mary Valley to the west. More than one looked nervously at the small phone screens, frowning at the approaching storms. Still we went.

Foggy Forest

Birding was quite good. At first. Many birds were identified by their calls from the fog. We got to the split in the track and divided. One group going one way, the other the other. Both groups, to varying degrees, looking like gorillas in the mist. But still they went.

Part of our group in glorious Black and White - pre rain smiles apparent.

The forest was beautiful. The birds reasonably generous. The views to the valley non existent. Still we went around the track. And the rain stayed away.

Little Shrike Thrush

Golden Whistler

Brown Cuckoo Dove

And it stayed away, as one could almost plan, until we were furtherest away from the start of the track as possible. And then it started, the first drip being felt on my generous expanse of forehead. So we walked. It rained. We marched fast and it poured. Some, myself included, didn't plan to bring an umbrella or raincoat although some did. Smart alecs!

The second phase of the morning [perhaps like the first phase] needed a Plan B. And it was one Bernie Collins who supplied it. Bernie had the key to the old school house and the bbq and the covered area behind it. So our group gathered there for a morning tea, sausage BBQ and bird call. Well, to be honest, an edited version of the group. Some still dripping and drenched folks decided, and I cannot deride this decision, to head home to a dry and warm house.

I had a fun morning.  

And we recorded a few good species in and around the Lilyponds as well.

Common Black Ducks plus the slightly less common Buff-banded Rail

Thanks to John Thompson for all of the above photos.

Some members didn't make the last outing yesterday as they were on a Pelagic from Mooloolaba organised by Greg Roberts. The report of that outing can be found here; HTTP://TINYURL.COM/NMG24JG