DECEMBER MID WEEK OUTING

Rose crowned Fruit dove [Paul Jensen]

The Sunshine Coast Birdlife mid-week program finished on a high note with an early morning walk around the Kowald Rd section of Ewan Maddock Dam this Wednesday. 

Twenty-two folk turned-up from Woodford to Noosa and in-between to enjoy the birds and each other's company along the western side of the dam, probably the largest mid-week event we've had. And we weren't disappointed with the group listing a very good total of 71 species in just over 3 hours. 

White throated Needletails [Paul Jensen]

White throated Needletail [Paul Jensen]

White throated Needletails [Paddy Colley]

White throated Needletails [Paddy Colley]

The highlight of the morning occurred only 10 minutes into the walk with the impressive sight of around 200 White-throated Needletail flocking over the water, a lifer for a number of participants, and the largest aggregation of that species for most. We spent some time observing the flock, especially when some began swooping low to drink on the wing, whilst more were observed skimming over the surface and  dipping their lower belly and rump into the water. We wondered whether this could be a cooling strategy, although the temperature had not yet climbed too high.( I've since communicated with Australia's leading swift expert, Mike Tarburton, who suggested that it was most likely bathing behaviour).

 As expected, the water levels were low with lots of exposed mud, and lots of weed in the more enclosed water bodies, so there weren't many waterfowl at all.And the baked edges didn't produce the hoped-for crakes or rails. We did manage distant scoped views of a pair of Cotton Pygmy -Goose, and five Great Crested Grebe were also seen, but again distant views.There were around 20 Whiskered Tern patrolling the far shore , most with advanced breeding plumage, and one sharp-eyed observer reported a single White-winged Black Tern A pair of Whistling Kites were the only raptors seen.

Fan tailed Cuckoo [Paul Jensen]

 Good perched views were obtained of both Fan-tailed and Brush Cuckoos, and also a female Cicadabird.The usual honeyeaters were seen, though not in large numbers. White-throated Gerygone were heard on a number of occasions and an active nest was discovered above our morning tea site.

Brush Cuckoo [Paddy Colley]

female Cicadabird [Paddy Colley]

Pheasant Coucal [Paul Jensen]

The small remnant lowland rainforest patch towards the end of the walk provided more excitement with a number of Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves seen and heard, along with a single Crested Shrike-tit and the usual Eastern Yellow Robins.

  

Eastern Yellow Robin [Paul Jensen]

Russ Lamb