Birding at Inskip Point

Last weekend a few friends and I decided to go for a drive to Inskip Point to do some birding. We left early in hope to see the Ground Parrot. We arrived just after sunrise in the area off Cooloola Way which is recommended by T&T for sighting the bird. We had the call of the bird also which we played in hope that they would answer. Luck was not on our side. We didn't manage to hear or see one for the few hours we spent in the general area.

The ground was quite wet. I'm not sure if this effects the birds at all.

Habitat for the Ground Parrot

Heathland near Cooloola Way

Other side of the track where Ground Parrots are seen

 

Just as we were about to leave a quail came running down the track. Unluckily for me I had the camera put away. By the time I got it out I just managed to get this quick shot (terribly out of focus due to the grass between the quail and myself) of the Brown Quail.

 

Brown Quail

All the creeks and waterways in the whole area are this beautiful rich colour from all the tannins in the water. Just need to add a little milk!

All the waterways are this rich colour

As we were driving back out the track we spotted a couple of Striated Pardalotes digging a nest tunnel in the moist bank.

Striated Pardalote

Just before we got back onto Cooloola Way my friend spotted this Australian Hobby. I was very pleased to photograph this bird as it is the first time I have seen them.

Australian Hobby

A closer shot of the Australian Hobby

The next place to go was the camping area around Inskip Point. This area is one of the most reliable places for spotting the Black-breasted Button Quail in Australia. We took the walking track to the left at the end of the car park which leads to the ferry. This area was alive with birds. There were numerous White-browed Scrubwrens, Variegated Fairy-wrens, Little Shrike-thrushes, Restless Flycatchers, Spangled Drongos, Bar-shouldered Doves, Varied Trillers plus many lorikeets and other common scrub birds.

White-browed Scrubwren

Bar-shouldered Dove

The signs of the Black-breasted Button Quail being in the area were very obvious. We found hundreds of platelets that they create while digging for food. We found no fresh platelets though. They had all been rained on so it had been at least 4 days since any new ones had been created. Many of them looked quite old. I spoke to a ranger as he drove passed and said that dogs in the area have been causing issues and they are unsure of the impact they have had on the population there.

One of the many platelets made by the Black-breasted Button Quail

Male Varied Triller

Female Varied Triller

This Thornbill was spotted collecting something from out of an ant's nest in the tree. They aren't ants though. I'm not quite sure which Thornbill this is, as I think it is a juvenile coming into colour. I know that it is either a Yellow Thornbill or a Brown Thornbill due to the colour of its eye and some of the markings it is showing already. The Brown Thornbills vary so much in colour from region to region and to be honest I have never seen them myself, hence why I'm not certain of which Thornbill it is. I'm quite sure that it is a Brown Thornbill.

Yellow or Brown Thornbill?

A Yellow or Brown Thornbill collecting something from the nest

Restless Flycatcher

Another Restless Flycatcher

The bushland around the area is quite different from many areas around the Sunshine Coast. The different shapes and sizes and formations of the trees is really something. It is a beautiful area to come visit.

Some of the scrub around Cooloola Way

Once we had finished looking for birds at Inskip Point we drove out along the beach to make our way back to Rainbow Beach. The Silver Gull in the picture below was the only water or sea bird that I saw for the day. It was very busy in the area and any sea birds that still might be here wouldn't be seen with that amount of traffic. Hopefully I can try again in the near future a little bit earlier before too many people arrive.

View driving along the beach from Inskip Point to Rainbow Beach

 

It was a great day out even though we didn't see the 2 birds that Inskip Point is best known for. We got to see many birds and we managed to get a few good pics too.

 

More updates and pics coming soon.

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Australian Birds KEUNEA PHOTOGRAPHY