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| Darter |
A select group [or should I say self-selected group] left
Nambour for the cool of the South Burnet on Friday night the 31 July to see the
start of the brand new month. We stayed at the interestingly named Oasis Motel
in the town of Kingaroy. Which was a fine, if old, fashioned motel.
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| Glossy Ibis |
Our plan for Saturday was to visit a number of sites and sights
around the greater Kingaroy area. Helping us first decide on the sites and then
helping us visit them were local Nanango birders, Julian and Fay Bielewicz. And
our great thanks go to them.
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| Spiny -cheeked Honeyeater |
First stop was Gordonbrook Dam. This place is a must visit
on any ‘Kingaroyish itinerary’. Good numbers of a great range of species.
Pelicans to four cormorants, darters, Grey Teal, Black and
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| Little Black Cormorants |
Wood Ducks, Hardhead before spying a single Shoveller and
finally a pair of Pink-eared Ducks. The list also had Yellow-billed Spoonbill,
three Egrets, White-faced and White-necked Herons, three Ibis, Jacana. Sulphur
Crested Cockatoos, Little Corellas and Galahs attempted to drown out the calls
of a pair of Cockatiels and Red-rumped Parrots. All of this plus a few
passerines as well.
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| ? |
On the way back to the main road I was lucky enough to spot
some Zebra finches on the wire. Stopping to take in this bird allowed additional
sightings;
Double-barred Finch, Yellow Thornbill, White-throated plus Striped
Honeyeaters and Spiny-cheeked as well. A great area and my favourite for the
weekend. Apostlebirds also were in attendance.
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| Zebra Finch |
Next stop was Wooroolin Wetlands. The wetlands held common
species plus hundreds of Coot and a few Dusky Moorhen [a species surprisingly
missing from Gordonbrook.] Yellow-rumped Thornbills were also present as was a
nice flock of migratory Silvereyes, both Variegated and
Superb blue Wrens,
White-throated Honeyeaters and White throated Gerygones and White throated
Treecreepers. Restless Flycatchers and Willie-Wagtails were also recorded.
Last reservoir was Lake
Barambah – the site of the vagrant Franklin’s Gull. Needless to say the
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| Striped Honeyeater |
only
gull seen was a Silver. Good numbers of Cormorants and Caspian and Gull-billed
Terns were added to our list – which eventually just failed to top 100.
The final stop before our evening pub meal was at a
billabong enroute back to Kingaroy. Again common species; Black Swan and other
waterfowl, Kookaburra, Lorikeets, Pigeons etc.
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| Look up in the sky.... pointing out a Yellow Thornbill |
After a fast breakfast we began heading home, first stopping
near Yarraman. Here were signs, clearly quite recent, of Black-breasted
Button-quail. Stopping immediately with the tree cover were the spread of
platelets. The Button-quail choose a spot of leaf litter and spinning a full
360 degrees scratch earnestly, leaving a bare earth circle the size of a small
plate. Needless to say the quail were non existent however we now know they’re
in there……………..
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| BBBQ - platelet |
Next stop was Emu Creek area. And quite a birdy spot it was
too. A good range of common species were seen here with a few nice highlights;
the sight of an inquisitive Little Lorikeet peering from a small tree hollow, and
a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo doing the same.
All in all an enjoyable weekend with good folks and good
birds.
