I haven't had the opportunity to do much birding again lately but holidays are on the way so I will get out and about in the coming weeks.... and I can't wait! I have a heap of places around the Sunshine Coast area that I have been wanting to go and visit and a number of species that I am keen to locate.
A few months back I went out to Kenilworth and got a few great shots and located a species at Charlie Moreland that I had not encountered before. On the way out I noticed a Purple Swamphen, which I normally wouldn't stop for on the side of the road, but this one had some company. Two babies were with the adult. It was very difficult to get a photo of them all together with any detail as the two babies kept a distance from each other. Within a few minutes they had moved under the fence of a private property so no more shots could be taken.
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| Purple Swamphen feeding her chick some grass |
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| This Laughing Kookaburra was watching closely from the other side of the road |
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| Close up of one of the Purple Swamphen chicks |
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| The Purple Swamphen with the other chick |
I had to get a little bit of petrol at the BP servo at Kenilworth before I made my way to Charlie Moreland and in the bottlebrush tree towards the back of the block numerous Brown Honeyeaters were spotted along with nearly as many Scarlet Honeyeaters and several Noisy Friarbirds. I focused my attention on the Scarlet Honeyeaters as I haven't achieved a decent photograph of them on any occasion that I have sighted them. My determination paid off!
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| Scarlet Honeyeater |
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| One of the many Scarlet Honeyeaters |
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| A Scarlet Honeyeater performing its advertising call |
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| Side on view of a Scarlet Honeyeater |
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| A Scarlet Honeyeater in a Weeping Red Bottlebrush |
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| A Scarlet Honeyeater taking off to another flower |
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| Another specimen of the Scarlet Honeyeaters |
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| An adult Noisy Friarbird |
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| Another Noisy Friarbird |
A few Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos were spotted in the Hoop Pine forest on the dirt road into Charlie Moreland. I stopped for a quick photo but it was quite dark and hard to get close to them.
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| A Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo |
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| Close up of a Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo |
Not many birds were seen in Charlie Moreland compared to many other trips that I have taken there. It was the morning after the area received some storms so I thought the birds might be active but it was quite late by the time I started photographing. It was a different time of year as well which may have influenced the bird species that were present. I was very surprised not to see any Logrunners for the whole walk. Very few doves or pigeons were seen or heard either. A few Noisy Pittas were heard. One bird that was in larger numbers were the curious and noisy Large-billed Scrubwrens. Many of these were sighted in a very small area. Due to their rapid movement and the dark lighting in the forest it was difficult to capture a good photo.... even though they were so close!
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| One of the many Large-billed Scrubwrens |
Not long before finishing the walk a new species was sighted. It is always exciting locating a species that you haven't encountered before. It was quite a distance from the track in a darker part of the forest. I was able to obtain a few half decent photos but hopefully I can find them again when I am able to get closer, or where there is more light. They were Pale-yellow Robins.
They look similar to the Eastern Yellow Robins, which were sighted in the general area as well. The most obvious differences are the white patches between the bill and eye on both sides and the lack of yellow on the rump, just above the tail. They are also slightly smaller in size. When they are flying around with the Eastern Yellow Robins it is difficult to tell from a distance. I wasn't even sure until I took a photo so I could see a bit more clearly.
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| A Pale-yellow Robin |
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| The same Pale-yellow Robin |
This female Golden Whistler was spotted just nearby and she was collecting spider webs from the branches. This would have been collected for use in her nest.
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| Female Golden Whistler collecting spider webs |
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| The female Golden Whistler with her collection of spider webs |
I have been keeping my eye on this nest of Eastern Pale-headed Rosellas for the last few months. I had a suspicion that a bird was sitting on some eggs. I finally had a look as I have heard the chicks calling out for several weeks so I knew they were a decent size. I wanted to get a photo before they left the nest. It was great to see them so healthy!! The parents hardly spend any time at the nest now. They fly in and fed them a few times a day and other than that the parents are not seen at all.
Rosellas are seen regularly around the property but have never nested in this tree. The property over the road has recently cleared hundreds of large 30 - 40 metre eucalypt trees from the property to leave it a barren 45 acre property. I'm assuming that there old nesting hollow has been destroyed from the removal of these trees and this is why they have nested in this tree.
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| The baby Eastern Pale-headed Rosellas in the nest hollow |
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| A close up of the Eastern Pale-headed Rosella chicks |
A few months ago a melody returned that was common for several months, before they moved on. I couldn't remember the call by sound, until I sighted the birds again. A very obvious call but as I haven't seen many of these birds calling I didn't make the link by hearing them. They were Brush Cuckoos. Usually they are more inconspicuous and not sitting in the open, which is unlike some other cuckoo species.
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| Brush Cuckoo |
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| A Brush Cuckoo sitting in the open |
More updates and pics coming soon.
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