Wednesday 28 September 2016

SATURDAY'S MINITWITCH

For our first weekend outing in October 1 we will persist and have a full day of birding – a twitch or, at least, a mini twist.
I’m calling for volunteers to host a team. Your responsibility will be to decide on a birding route and to lead a small group. [Basically the idea is that you strive to include time in as many habitats as possible throughout the day and to maximise your bird sightings.] Birds can be recorded by sight or sound.
We would also like as many people to come as possible to make the teams.
 It is encouraged that all participating members make a donation [suggested $10 - $20] to be given to Birdlife to be spent on two conservation target species; Eungella Honeyeater and Capricorn Yellow Chat.

We will meet in Nambour Petrie Park [Black dot on map below] at 7am and finish at 6pm at the Royal George Hotel in Nambour.
 Those that attended last year’s outing had a great day.
Please RSVP if you have not already done so.
Cheers
Ken

Ken Cross | Local Branch Convenor                       
Sunshine Coast Branch
BirdLife Southern Queensland
PO Box 375                                       
Annerley QLD 4103                 
southernqld@birdlife.org.au |birdlife.org.au                   
ABN 75 149 124 774                           
birds are in our nature
Tel: 0754457881

Saturday 10 September 2016

September mid week walk

The first mid-week walk will be held at Point Cartwright at 14th September, 8am for a walk around this headland.
The Exact meeting place can be seen on the map below- look for the icon – signifying a carpark opposite 4 / 5 Harbour Parade.
The headland boasts a small remnant forest with an interesting range of species; most notably Fairy Gerygone. This species is difficult to see however as it stays high in the canopy. The rocks surrounding the headland occasionally host such species as Sooty Oystercatcher, Eastern Reef Egret and the migrant Wandering Tattler. Look skyward for Osprey, Kites and the occasional White-breasted Sea-Eagle. Look seawards for Pied Cormorant and perhaps some late Gannets. Leader – John Kooistra.

 
meet at the icon

Friday 2 September 2016

September Bird Walk

Icon showing approximate beginning to Noosa Trail 7 and proximity to Noosa Botanical Gardens
A small select band of birders ignored the threat of rain and gathered for a walk at the nearby Noosa Trail 7 [see map above]. The threat was never realised and we all enjoyed a nice work through some pretty birdy bush. Special thanks to Russ LAmb for leading the walk.

The first bird seen was a stand out - Regent Bowerbird; first one male and then another and, with some examination, some three females also in attendance.

Other highlights included Yellow throated Scrubwren - one of the very few low land sites this species has been recorded at.
Pitta calling!
Good views of honeyeaters hawking for insects; Brown, Yellow-faced, Dusky, White throated, Lewins.

Noosa Trail 7, Queensland, AU
Sep 3, 2016 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 kilometer(s)
55 species

Australian Wood Duck  2
Cattle Egret  8
Brahminy Kite  1
Spotted Dove  2
Brown Cuckoo-Dove (Australian)  2
Pacific Emerald Dove  1
One of the two Regent Bowerbird males seen
Peaceful Dove  3
Bar-shouldered Dove  6
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo  2
Fan-tailed Cuckoo  4
Laughing Kookaburra  2
Forest Kingfisher  6

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo  6
Australian King-Parrot  2
Rainbow Lorikeet  4
Noisy Pitta  2
Regent Bowerbird  5
White-throated Treecreeper  4
Variegated Fairywren  2
Red-backed Fairywren  6
Lewin's Honeyeater  8
Yellow-faced Honeyeater  6
Little Wattlebird  2
Dusky Honeyeater  3
Scarlet Honeyeater  10
Brown Honeyeater  2
White-throated Honeyeater  6
Spotted Pardalote  4
Striated Pardalote  6
White-browed Scrubwren  4

Poor pic of a Rufous Fantail
Large-billed Scrubwren  12
Striated Thornbill  4
Brown Gerygone  10
Eastern Whipbird  4
Pied Butcherbird  2
Australian Magpie  2
Pied Currawong  2
Black-faced Cuckooshrike  1
Varied Triller  2
Little Shrikethrush  2
Grey Shrikethrush  4
Golden Whistler  12
Rufous Whistler  2
Willie Wagtail  2
Rufous Fantail  2
Grey Fantail  11
Spectacled Monarch  2
Magpie-lark  2
Torresian Crow  4
Eastern Yellow Robin  10
Welcome Swallow  1
Tawny Grassbird  3
Golden-headed Cisticola  4
Silvereye  6
Red-browed Finch  4


Upcoming Pelagic opportunities on the Sunshine Coast

Hi everyone

Following discussions with Paddy, the skipper for our Mooloolaba pelagics, we are going to try to schedule regular trips instead of the ad hoc arrangements we have had in the past.

As a general rule we will try for the first Saturday of every second month, with some variation to deal with public holidays and the like.

In return for this arrangement, Paddy has given a general undertaking that he will ensure we have an adequate supply of shark liver-berley. 

We will trial an initial six-month period to see how we go, so the next Sunshine Coast pelagics are scheduled for Saturday:

November 5, 2016
January 9, 2017
March 5, 2017
May 7, 2017

If weather necessitates cancellation, we try for the next day (Sunday).

So let me know if you are up for the November 5 trip and I'll put you down. Cost as usual $120pp (the same as what the Southport trips will cost next year.)

Greg Roberts