Mooloolah Valley and Coles Creek

This week I went on a trip to the Mooloolah Valley and surrounds. The first place to visit on the outing was the Cooroy Botanical Gardens. Years ago this place seemed to be thriving with many different bird species. I hadn't been in a long time (possibly a year or more) and on the last two trips, one this week and one a month or so ago I was quite disappointed by the birds sighted. I'm not sure why there has been a decline in the species of birds and their numbers over the last few years.

The species seen were the usual suspects Australian Magpies, Pied Butcherbirds, Willie Wagtails, Noisy Miners and Rainbow Lorikeets, which could all be seen in most suburban backyards. There were a few Magpie Geese, heaps of Purple Swamphens, Pacific Black Ducks and Dusky Moorhens along with a few Australasian Grebes. I was glad to see a Buff-banded Rail and a few White-headed Pigeons to add some excitement to the trip.

Noisy Miner (lucky to find one of these)



Buff-banded Rail

White-headed Pigeon

After leaving the Cooroy Botanical Gardens we headed back to Wappa Dam. I was hoping to see the Painted Snipes again. I was wanting to get a picture of the female. I only saw the one as soon as I arrived but it flew off before I even had my camera ready. The same birds were here as the last trip the other week. Unfortunately most were further out on the dam which made taking photos a pointless exercise. The picture of the Hardheads below shows what I mean. It's always nice to see new life and it's good to see the Australian Wood Ducks have had a good breeding season with lots of young sighted over the last month or so in a variety of places. I was happy to see that the Great Crested Grebe was not alone on the dam today. Three individuals were sighted but they couldn't have been much further from each other if they tried. Obviously they like being on their own. I was surprised by how long they can stay underwater for, looking for food. Some of the dives were close to 80 seconds!

Pair of Hardheads

Pair of Australian Wood Ducks

Another pair of Australian Wood Ducks with their ducklings

Great Crested Grebe

Australasian Grebe

Australasian Figbird (Finally finding peace from the onslaught from the Noisy Miners)

After leaving Wappa Dam we headed through the back roads towards Malany. Not far past Wappa Dam is Cooloolabin Dam. We were going to stop to take some photos but driving past we stopped the car in a few places and checked the dam with binoculars and not a bird could be seen on the water! Very strange. I have never been birding here before so I am not sure if this is common or not.

Soon we started heading up into the rainforest driving towards Mapleton. A beautiful drive but a 4WD is probably the best vehicle for this road. Quite a few birds were heard calling throughout the drive but it's very hard to stop and park the car as most of the road where you want to stop is narrow and windy. There was one small designated walk that we took. Several birds were heard but not many were seen. A few Rose-crowned Fruit-doves, Wompoo Fruit-doves and Brown Cuckoo-doves were heard calling. The call of a Superb Fruit-dove was heard briefly also. A few Grey Shrike-thrushes were also seen. I was surprised by the limited number of species that were seen and heard actually. It's always good to see or hear these doves but I would have expected Logrunners, Eastern Whipbirds and some form of scrubwren or monarchs in that environment.  I was beginning to think that the 15 - 20 mm of rain the night before may have influenced the birds in all the locations visited today.

Wompoo Fruit-dove (the only one that was seen and only briefly)

We continued to drive to our next destination. We stopped a few times but surprisingly little was seen or heard. Lucky the scenery was great as the birding wasn't too flash. I will have to try this area again as I'm sure that other days it would be really active with birds.

The next stop was Lake Baroon. We went to the designated area at the north side of the lake and the south side. Another underwhelming destination. A few Pacific Black Ducks were seen along with some Purple Swamphens and Eurasian Coots. There was about 15 Hardheads also at the day use area on the north side of the lake.

Driving out from the day use area I was thinking, I drove all that way and didn't even get one photo. Just then I heard some wrens in the lantana. At first glance I thought they were Superb Fairy-wrens, (which I am still to find on the Sunshine Coast even though I have photographed them elsewhere) so I jumped out, grabbed the camera ready to shoot. I realised straight away that they were Variegated Fairy-wrens, most of which were immature males. I'm always happy to photograph Fairy-wrens though, no matter what species. They are one of my favourite birds as they have lots of character, good colours and most species are generally inquisitive.

One of the more coloured immature Male Variegated Fairy-wrens

The last spot to stop before heading home was the wetland area of Ewen Maddock Dam. This is actually the first time I have taken photos here. Lots of birds were seen on the water. Just as we pulled up a flock of about 20 - 30 snipes (I'm pretty sure, but I didn't get a good look) took to the air. There were numerous Australian Pelicans, Pacific Black Ducks, Purple Swamphens, Eurasian Coots and Hardheads. A few Intermediate Egrets, Black Swans, Little Pied Cormorants and Darters were also sighted. Most of which were out way to far in the water to get a decent shot. In the reeds a crake or rail ran from one clump to another. It was just a flash but I saw the shape and some of the colour. It was definitely a Buff-banded Rail, Australian Spotted Crake or Baillon's Crake. I'm certain that it was one of the later two due to the dark colour on the chest. Unfortunately I didn't see it again and I'm yet to obtain a photo of either of these species. The trees along the walk going to the dam had lots of species of birds too that were very active for the time of day we arrived, which was around midday.

Noisy Friarbird calling after feeding on a large stick insect nearly its own size

Darter in flight

White-throated Honeyeaters were numerous along the walk

After Ewen Maddock Dam we headed back home. It was a hot day and we hadn't seen as many birds as we were hoping for. I knew that I could rely on a few spots at home to get a few photos of specific birds. By the time I went out it was a bit late but that was alright as I'm working on my photos in low light. I went to the small rainforest section (about 30 m either side of one of the creeks) to try and get a better photo of a Spectacled Monarch. They only seem to be found along this strip of bush as the rest of the property is open or thick bushland. I walked in and couldn't hear them. After making their call a few times they came in quickly. About 5 birds were seen briefly. This was the best shot I could get in the quick diminishing light. I like that this photo shows their puffy eyebrows but still not the shot I'm after!

Spectacled Monarch (You'll like this one Matt)

Several Little Shrike-thrushes were also seen just out of the rainforest section. Quite a plain looking bird but I love their call. This was the other species I was actually hoping to see along with Red-backed Fairy-wrens. They are always very active and don't stay still for long and with the low light (about 6:15 p.m. and in the shade) it would be a good challenge to gain a decent photo. I was happy with this outcome. The Red-backed Fairy-wrens will have to wait for another day as it was getting too late to do the rest of the work on the farm before dark.

Little Shrike-thrush

Grey Goshawk nest (have a close look in the nest)

This was a photo I got the following day. I have lost several chickens and ducks over the last few months from the property and I think that they were being taken by the pair of Grey Goshawks that reside here. That is part of nature I suppose. I have been losing lots of eggs too from the goannas. The last few weeks the amount of eggs have improved greatly. I found the nest of the Grey Goshawk by accident as I looked up to where I heard the birds calling. I went back to the house to grab the camera as I thought I might be able to get a shot of chicks in the nest if they were big enough to see over the edge of the nest from the ground. Much to my surprise look what is in the nest!! A goanna and it must be around 1.5 meters long. No wonder the amount of eggs has gone up lately. I'm glad they have found something else to eat other than my poultry.

More updates and pics each fortnight.

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Australian Birds KEUNEA PHOTOGRAPHY