Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve Bird Walk

Rufous Fantail - a very common spp at MCSR

Russet tailed Thrush

As part of an arrangement with Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve and Sunshine Coast Council, Birdlife Australia has organised a series of morning bird walks. The first one was held on the 27 December, 2017. We had two mothers and their children who were guided around the reserve by Robyn Combes and a group of 8 adults who were herded around by myself and Paul Fraser. It was, I believe, a very good beginning.

Southern Logrunner

The following species were recorded from our first walks [either by sight or sound]. The list is an amalgam of the two groups’ records.







Birds

Pale Yellow Robin

Brushturkey

Brown Cuckoo-Dove

Wonga Pigeon

Bar-shouldered Dove

Wompoo Fruit-Dove

Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove

Fan-tailed Cuckoo

Laughing Kookaburra

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Australian King-Parrot

Little Lorikeet

Rainbow Lorikeet

Little Shrike thrush

Green Catbird

Lewin's Honeyeater

Yellow-throated Scrubwren - nesting

Large-billed Scrubwren

Brown Gerygone - nesting

Australian Logrunner

Eastern Whipbird

Australian Magpie

Pied Currawong - nesting

Varied Triller

Common Cicadabird

Spectacled Monarch

Little Shrikethrush

Golden Whistler

Australasian Figbird

Spangled Drongo

Rufous Fantail

Grey Fantail

Black-faced Monarch

Red legged Pademelon

Spectacled Monarch

Torresian Crow

Paradise Riflebird

Pale-yellow Robin

Eastern Yellow Robin

Silvereye

Russet-tailed Thrush

Mammals

Red legged Pademelons

Grey headed Flying Fox

Grey headed Flying Foxes

Brown Gerygone nest

nesting Pied Currawongs

All pictures by Paul Fraser and Vince Lee.

Tin Can Bay Weekend Away

Tin Can Bay Weekend

[All pictures by Vince Lee]

Bruce Zimmer Wayne Kroll 

Ken Cross Russell McGregor

Jan England and Ros Munro and Lesley Eagles

Michele Grant and Allison

Steve and Carol  Popple to drive up.

John Seebeck and Glenis Ayling

Jean and Peter Tulloch to drive up.

Geoff and Robyn Combes

Ray Devine and Vince Lee

The plan for the weekend….Please bring scopes if possible as we will have some emphasis on migrant waders.

Friday 24 November

Please arrive by 5-15 pm to depart Nambour 5-30pm from the carpark behind the Council Chambers in Nambour

– Arrive Tin Can Bay Sleepy Lagoons Motel  – c. 7-30pm [fast food enroute]

Saturday 25 November

Birding 6-30am – 8 am birding 

Depart TCB – 9-30 am for Boonooroo  - birding here for waders and bush birds

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7pm – Golf Course for Dinner [Chinese?]

Sunday 26 November

7am [post breakfast] depart for Rainbow Beach

Birding at Inskipp Point

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Carlos Point

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Depart c. 1pm.  Birding enroute? I plan to be back in Nambour by 4pm.

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2018 Birdlife Australia – Sunshine Coast Programme

Saturday 6 January Club Outing – Mary Cairncross SR - Ken Cross

Wednesday 24 January Club Outing – Mary Cairncross SR - John Maling

Saturday 3 February Club Outing – Maleny Options – 1. Mary Cairncross SR - Ken Cross

                                                                                                 2. Maleny Golf Course Walk – John Malings 

Wednesday 14 February Club Outing – Kureelpa Falls Track - John Kooistra? Vincent Lee?

Saturday 24 February Club Outing - (New Reserve) Scarffe Road Reserve at Glenview - Ken Cross & John Birbeck

Saturday 3 March Club Outing – [new northern sections] of Mary Cairncross SR - Ken Cross and John Birbeck

Saturday 10 March Club Outing – (New Reserve) Annie Hehir Road Environmental Reserve, River Road Peachester – Ken Cross & John Birbeck

Wednesday 14 March Club Outing – Toorbul [high tide c 8am]- John Kooistra? Vincent Lee?

Wednesday 18 April Club Outing – Lake Mc Donald and Noosa Trail 7 [Hamilton Road] – Russ Lamb

Saturday 21 April Club Outing - (New Reserve) ) Tuan Environmental Reserve, Chinaman Creek Road, Cambroon - Ken Cross & John Birbeck

Saturday 12 May Club Outing – (New Reserve) Brannocks Ecological Reserve (new section) opposite go-cart track Steve Irwin Way - Ken Cross & John Birbeck

Wednesday 16 May Club Outing – Ferntree NP - John Kooistra? Vincent Lee?

***Saturday 26 May – Birder’s Congress*** - details TBA

Saturday 9 June - Spotlighting Outing – details TBA – Ken Cross et el

Wednesday 13 June Club Outing – Kenilworth Area - details TBA John Kooistra? Vincent Lee?

***Weekend Away – 22 – 24 June – Maryborough / Hervey Bay  – Ken Cross***

***Nambour Garden Expo – July 13, 14, 15 – Birdlife Displays*** - Robyn Combes et el

Wednesday 18 July Club Outing and Beginner’s Bird Walk – Wappa Dam and surrounds – Vince Lee and John Kooistra?

Saturday 21 July Club Outing  – (New Reserve) Kawana Forest Bushland Reserve/Ring Tank, Rainforest Drive, Meridan Plains – wetlands - Ken Cross & John Birbeck

Saturday 4 August Club Outing – (New Reserve) Malones Road Eudlo Flats Road Eudlo Creek, Kiels Mountain – Ken Cross & John Birbeck

Wednesday 15 August Club Outing – Mapleton Falls   - Burnie Collins?

***Weekend Away – 17 – 19 -  August – Brisbane North west – Ken Cross***

Saturday 8 September Club Outing – Toorbul and Bribie Island – Ken Cross

Wednesday September Club Outing – Park Lakes + extension to Finland Road – Paul Jensen

Saturday 13 October Club Outing –  Peachester Reserves + Stanmore area – Ken Cross

Wednesday 17 October Club Outing – Jabiru Park/Fearnley Birdhide + Cooroy STW – Russ Lamb

***National Bird Week  – 22 – 28 October – Aussie Backyard Bird Count***

Saturday 3 November Club Outing – (New Reserve) Triunia Environmental Reserve Curruthers Road Rainforest/ open eucalypt forest – Ken Cross & John Birbeck

Wednesday 14 November Club Outing – Tewantin Area Birding Cooroibah section of Cooloola NP and Cooloothin Creek, Ringtail SF (Noosa Bird Trails 1 & 9) – Russ  Lamb

Saturday 1 December Club Outing & breakup – TBA – suggestions?

Wednesday 12 December Club Outing – Buderim Forest Park – John Malings

Bird Art on display at Caloundra Regional Gallery

Tony Pridham - past winner 2016

The Holmes Art Prize 2017

In its third year, the Holmes Prize for Realistic Australian Bird Art showcases Australia’s best realistic bird art artists working in any two-dimensional medium and depicting a realistic Australian birdlife scene.

Up to forty finalists will be included in the exhibition at the Caloundra Regional Gallery, with a major prize of $15,000, four prizes of excellence and a People’s Choice, each at $1,000. The winning artwork will be acquired into the collection of Dr Gary Holmes.

Wednesday 8 November to Sunday 3 December

Yandina Wetlands surveys

Hello all active Sunshine Coast Birders,

Many of you are aware of the Yandina Creek Wetlands and the efforts of Greg Roberts, who discovered the site’s value for rare and uncommon bird species, and others to encourage the protection of this area.

Some of you would also be aware that all of these efforts paid off when Unity Waters purchased the property. With that purchase and their on-going management Yandina Creek Wetlands now should enjoy a promising future. You can read about the wetlands and Unity Water here; https://www.unitywater.com/about-us/projects-in-your-area/major-projects/yandina-creek-wetland

In exciting news for local birders Unity Water and Birdlife Australia SE Queensland have entered into an agreement that involves monitoring the wetlands periodically; specifically undertaking bird surveys. Sunshine Coast birders have an opportunity to contribute to these surveys and thus contribute to the knowledge base essential for successful management. At this stage it is not possible to visit the site unless connected with these formal surveys.

To participate in the surveys each birder must participate in a workshop such that survey methodology, species identification and recording, site safety etc, can be clearly understood. Each birder must be responsible to protect themselves from harm – specifically sun, biting insects and the terrain – so hats, sun-screen, long sleeves and closed shoes or boots are essential.

The dates for these workshops are, at this stage, the 11^th and 25^th November. The workshops would run from approximately midday until 5pm. This time frame would allow both a workshop covering the above topics within a Unity Waters building before a visit to the Wetlands to undertake a bird survey. More specific details regarding the surveys will be available prior. There are plans to run a number of surveys throughout the year. Dates, times and participants for each subsequent survey will also be advised later.

Please let me know of your interest as soon as possible,

Cheers now and good birding,

Ken
friarbird43@bigpond.com

Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve Bird Theme

Hello all and, in particular, birders of Blackall Range,

Recently I have been approached by the Sunshine Coast Council Environmental Dept with reference to their educational displays at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve. They plan to have different displays there every four months. The next theme display, to run from December ’17 until March ’18 is ‘Birds’.

This is where we [Birdlife SC] come in…. Hopefully we can contribute to this theme and encourage folks to learn not only about ‘Birds’ but birding, bird conservation and Birdlife Australia. Hopefully, too, we can encourage some more people to become members.

They have asked whether we can host some bird walks / talks and contribute to the displays in some ways. I certainly have some ideas…

In the first instance though I would like birders to consider volunteering some time to lead a bird walk or three over that four month period. The number of walks would be determined by the number of volunteers but I think the more the better. Ideally it would be great to have at least one weekly walk and perhaps alternate between a mid-week and a weekend.

My suggested programme would include;
1/ intro talk to describe birding [1 minute], key birds within Mary CC [c. 10 minutes] and Birdlife Australia [c. 2minutes]
2/ intro to using binoculars [perhaps using ‘birds’ within info hall] [c. 10 minutes]
3/ bird walk within reserve [c. 1 hour]
4/ bird call – encouraging participants to tick off species recorded on the walk [Mary CC – bird list] [c. 10 minutes]

SC Council have agreed to supply a box of binoculars which could be borrowed.

PLEASE let me know if you could assist, in some way, with this project asap.

Cheers for now
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

friarbird43@bigpond.com

2017 CALENDAR UPDATES

September 13 – Wednesday Outing – Park Lakes, Bli Bli   Leader – Vince Lee & Paul Jensen

October 14 – Saturday Outing – All day twitch – various locations          Leaders – Steve Popple + others

Mini Twich -  to raise monies for a conservation cause. The idea is to see and / or hear as many bird species as possible between the hours of 7am and 6pm on Saturday October 14 anywhere on the Sunshine Coast.

The twitch will begin at Petrie Park Nambour at 7.00am and finish at 6.00pm at Felix Parry Park Marcoola at the Lorraine Ave end, turn right off Petrie Ave. [Dining options include Four Fat Fish Seafood or other takeaway places opposite.]

Minimum team size 2 maximum 4. Make your own team or just turn up on the day and join one. Participation cost? $20 per person suggested.

Please RSVP to Steve Popple at bushescapes@bigpond.com

October 18 – Wednesday Outing – Scarfe Road                Leader – John Malings

One of the Council’s new reserves - Scarffe Road Glenview. This reserve is fenced off and not open to the public, it includes a large quarried lake including adjoining maintenance roadways and is surrounded by riparian rainforest. It also adjoins existing Mooloolah River Esplanade Reserves.

The entrance gates are located at the end of Scarffe Road before the bridge (private property), there is plenty of parking along Scarffe Road.

To get there:

Enter Mooloolah Connection Road off Steve Irwin Way, then enter Scarffe Road (WHICH IS NOT SIGNPOSTED) off Mooloolah Connection Road at Glenview. Scarffe Road is the first road on your right. If you have reached Stevens Road you have gone approximately 300 metres too far. Public toilets are located about 1.3 kilometres down Mooloolah Connection Road at Ewen Maddock Dam Reserve.

November 11 - Saturday Outing – Gheerulla Falls track, Mapleton Leader – Ken Cross

November 15 – Wednesday Outing – Toorbul                    Leader – John Kooistra & Vince Lee

November 24, 25 & 26 – Weekend Away - Tin Can Bay

December 2 - Saturday Outing – Bli Bli + Finland Road + BBQ breakfast          Leader – Ken Cross

Advanced notice of our October weekend outing.

We will be conducting a Mini Twich to raise monies for a conservation cause. The idea of course is to see and / or hear as many bird species as possible between the hours of 7am and 6pm on Saturday October 14.

The twitch will begin at Petrie Park Nambour at 7.00am and finish at 6.00pm at Felix Parry Park Marcoola at the Lorraine Ave end, turn right off Petrie Ave. [Dining options include Four Fat Fish Seafood or other takeaway places opposite.]

Minimum team size 2 maximum 4. Make your own team or just turn up on the day and join one. Participation cost? $20 per person suggested.

Please RSVP to Steve Popple at bushescapes@bigpond.com

SEPTEMBER OUTING AND CAMPOUT - CHARLIE MORELAND, CONONDALES

If you are interested in the 9 September Saturday outing; Please meet at Charlie Moreland Day Use area at 7-30am so as to ensure a reasonably early start to our walk. Charlie Moreland is an excellent area of low land rainforest and is great habitat for a variety of birds. Be sun smart and please bring morning tea and a chair.

HOWEVER please consider camping either Friday or Saturday nights or both. There is potential for some spotlighting nocturnal birds and mammals at the site. To book a camp site you will need to log on to https://qpws.usedirect.com/QPWS/Facilities/SearchView.aspx to book your site. You will need to be self sufficient in both food and water.

If / When you have booked your camp site please RSVP to me at friarbird43@bigpond.com so I can look out for you. I have already booked a campsite for myself.

For those camping; we plan to do, in addition to the Saturday morning walk, a Saturday afternoon walk and a spotlighting excursion in the evening. A Sunday morning walk will also be on the agenda for campers.

Esk Weekend-Away Photo Album

Courtesy John Thompson!!

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