Charlie Moreland Campground, Little Yabba Creek and Around Home

Over the last month I have been too busy to get out and take many photos. The few times I have been out was quickly at night time to attempt to obtain a photo of the Southern Boobooks. I have heard a few most nights for the last month or more, but they only call for about 5 to 10 minutes before moving on. I have managed to get a couple of photos of them on one occasion but my flash was nearly flat and my torch also went flat so the quality is terrible. The fact that it was 40 metres from me didn't help either. I have also obtained a few decent photos of a few mammals that I have also included.

This Tawny Frogmouth has been seen several times over the last few months. This is a different one from the pair that normally reside here.

Tawny Frogmouth

The same Tawny Frogmouth

Common Brushtail Possum are very common on the property. There are half a dozen or so that live in the trees close to the house. Dozens can be seen throughout the whole property. Ringtail Possums are nearly seen as often.

Common Brushtail Possum

This was the best photo I could obtain of the Southern Boobook with the bird being about 40 metres from me and having little light given by the flash as it was nearly flat. By the time I got back with new batteries it had gone. They are common throughout the property during the summer months. During the winter they are not heard at all. This is a species that I am determined to capture a good photo of in the coming weeks.

Southern Boobook

This Dollarbird was an unlikely find as I walked past with the torch. I was quite unsure of the bird by eye, but with the zoom lens I was able to capture this image to identify the bird easily. I was surprised as to where it was roosting for the night. I assumed that they would perch high up, probably in a dead tree as they are always seen high up in dead trees during the day. It was only about two metres off the ground in a wild tobacco bush.

Dollarbird roosting at night

While I was out looking for some of my geese near the dam I heard an unusual sound and rustling in the sedges. Next thing two mammals, that I thought were possums run along the ground chasing each other. They ran up a tree and then one jumped out and glided to another tree. The other one followed it. Once it glided I knew it was a Sugar Glider or Squirrel Glider. This game of chase along the ground and in the trees lasted for five minutes. After that I got the camera to take a photo of one that was sitting in the fork of a tree about 15 metres up. It was a Squirrel Glider. It can be distinguished from the Sugar Glider by the rounder ears and its face is rounder. The Squirrel Glider generally has a lighter coloured face and a shorter snout too. Also the Sugar Gliders usually have a white tip on the tail. The Squirrel Glider never has a white tip on the tail.

Squirrel Glider

Just as I was about to go back inside I noticed something very small scurrying around the fork of the tree just below where the Squirrel Glider was. I thought it was a small antechinus. Once I zoomed in with my camera I thought it was a baby Squirrel Glider. It was only about twelve centimetres including the tail!! After doing some research I have realised that it isn't a baby Squirrel Glider as it would have the black marking on its face already by this size. The black marking in the middle of the face develops as the fur first grows. That means it was a coincidence that it was near the Squirrel Glider as this is not a baby at all, it is in fact a Feathertail Glider.

Feathertail Glider

Today I went with two friends out to Charlie Moreland Campground and Little Yabba Creek. We left my house at about 4:30 am. As we were passing through the Belli Park area we spotted several Channel-billed Cuckoos flying into a dead tree at the crest of a hill, which was the highest point in the area. We had driven past and as I walked back to get photos they all flew off. I reversed back and we waited in the car. Within a few minutes they returned. I see and hear these birds regularly from late spring to early autumn but they are often very conspicuous and are difficult to photograph as they perch high in trees. Luckily for us we were close to in line with the top of this tree.

Channel-billed Cuckoo calling

While we were photographing the Channel-billed Cuckoos a pair of Brown Quails were spotted walking along the edge of the grass. Due to the low light and the speed at which the quails were moving I wasn't able to get my settings right to obtain a good photo quick enough. They were so close and in the open too but all the other photos were very blurry. A missed opportunity! This was the only photo I obtained that wasn't very blurred.

Brown Quail

Channel-billed Cuckoo
 

The same Channel-billed Cuckoo sunning itself

Another Channel-billed Cuckoo flying in

Channel-billed Cuckoo coming in to land

Channel-billed Cuckoos often crouch while calling

Channel-billed Cuckoo

At the Little Yabba Creek walk behind the Charlie Moreland Campground many birds were seen and heard. The most common of the birds today were the White-eared Monarchs. These birds easily numbered over a hundred today. Several dozen were sighted throughout the walk and they were heard constantly around the walk and at Fig Tree Walk not far from here. Other birds sighted and heard in large numbers included Spectacled  Monarchs, Brown Cuckoo-Doves, Large-billed Scrubwrens, Paradise Riflebirds, White-browed Scrubwrens and Bellbirds.

Only two Noisy Pittas were heard calling today which is a low number for this area. A few dozen Wompoo Fruit-Doves were heard but none were spotted. A few Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves and Green Catbirds were also heard calling. Other birds sighted included some Variegated Fairy-wrens, King Parrots, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Bar-shouldered Doves,  Grey and Rufous Fantails plus a few other common bush birds.

One of the many Spectacled  Monarchs

Spectacled  Monarch

Another Spectacled  Monarch

White-eared Monarch

One of the many White-eared Monarchs

White-browed Scrubwren

Brown Cuckoo-Dove

Many Paradise Riflebirds were heard throughout the whole area and they were sighted several times darting past. This one was the only specimen we captured a photograph of though. It was 20 metres up in a tree. Unfortunately it was covered in branches. I am happy with the quality considering how dark it was in the forest and how high it was in the tree.

Paradise Riflebird feeding

Paradise Riflebird

Male Paradise Riflebird

This Rufous Fantail had a good working relationship with a Logrunner. The male Logrunner was scratching around in the leaf litter, the only one seen or heard in the whole area I might add and this fantail would catch the insects that were flying off. They followed each other around the forest floor for more than five minutes while we watched them. Definitely an odd couple but they seemed to enjoy each others company and the Rufous Fantail was getting a lot of food with little work.

Rufous Fantail

The Rufous Fantail with a small insect that the Logrunner flushed out

The Logrunner's bodyguard

The male Logrunner that had befriended the Rufous Fantail

This Grey Butcherbird was mimicking the other birds from the forest. He was in the Charlie Moreland campground.

Grey Butcherbird

This bird nest was seen close to the bridge on the walkway on the Fig Tree Walk. I am not certain of what type of bird made this nest. It was made mainly from Old Man's Beard a type of lichen.

A well constructed bird's nest

A terrible photo but the Large-billed Scrubwrens were in large numbers. They were very active this time and I had difficulty obtaining a good photo of them in a short time. We were running out of time as we had to get home for an appointment. So rushing didn't help either.

Large-billed Scrubwren

Juvenile Spectacled Monarch

We had a great morning out, even though it was a very cool start to summer. I was pleased with the quality of most of the photos I obtained today. I have got a new species now for the blog too. It was great to finally get out and do some bird watching again. I have definitely missed it over the last month.

More updates and pics coming soon.

 

 

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Australian Birds Photography: KEUNEA PHOTOGRAPHY 

Birding at Cooroora Creek Park at Pomona

Last weekend as I was making my way to the dam I could hear the ducks calling out using the warning call but they didn't seem to be trying to hide. This is usually how they sound when a goshawk is around but they were reacting very differently. As I got a little closer I could see a massive eagle hovering above the dam looking at the ducks. It was attempting to get them but they were much too quick for this juvenile White-bellied Sea-Eagle. It wasn't approachable at all. When I got about 80metres from it, it flew off and landed in a tree. I managed to get a few quick pics before it flew off again. As it flew off another White-bellied Sea-Eagle flew from out of a dead tree in the paddock and they flew off together.





Juvenile White-bellied Sea-Eagle

On Saturday I met a friend at the park at Pomona. I was hoping to see the Eastern Shrike-tit that she spotted here during the week. I knew that even if I didn't see it I would find many other birds as birds are always very active in here. I arrived at about 8 o'clock and it was a fresh morning but warming up nicely with not a cloud in the sky. As soon as we arrived we saw and heard Restless Flycatchers, Spectacled Monarchs, Noisy Friarbirds, Eastern Yellow Robins and several others. We made our way to a couple of baby Eastern Yellow Robins that my friend spotted earlier in the week. We managed to find them but were unable to get a photo due to them being in such dense foliage. It was nice to watch the parents feeding them nonetheless.

Noisy Friarbird

As usual the Brown Gerygones and Brown Thornbills were in large numbers. Unfortunately for me, the Brown Thornbills chased the Brown Gerygones away before we were able to get any decent shots of them.

Brown Thornbill

There were heaps of Golden Whistlers around the park too. A couple showed very well lower in the trees so we were able to obtain a few decent shots. These are one of my favourite birds due to their colour and their lovely song.

Golden Whistler

Another Golden Whistler

Golden Whistler taking off

The same Golden Whistler again

This Golden Whistler found a caterpillar for breakfast

Another species which is always in large numbers and easy to spot in the park are the White-browed Scrubwrens. This one was quite annoyed with me for some reason and landed very close to me, which allowed me to get a few great photos.

White-browed Scrubwren

This White-browed Scrubwren was making its alarm call

The White-browed Scrubwren after he settled down again

Other birds that were seen in large numbers were Laughing Kookaburras and Grey Fantails. Several Rufous Fantails were also spotted but I was running short on time so I had to leave before I was able to obtain a photo. I didn't get to see the Eastern Shrike-tit but I was happy with the quality of many of the shots that I obtained from today.

Early Sunday morning I did a very quick walk around the yard before I left to go out for the day and I was happy with the birds that I saw and heard within the 20 minutes in such a small area. Apart from the birds photographed I also spotted several Laughing Kookaburras, Magpie-larks, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes, Pied Currawongs, White-throated  Honeyeaters, Grey Fantails, Willie Wagtails, Brown Honeyeaters plus many others. I focussed on a couple of birds though to obtain photos of.

As always the flycatchers were as high as possible in the tallest trees around the yard. I could see them and hear them easily but was unable to get better photos than these due to their location.

Male Leaden Flycatcher

Female Leaden Flycatcher

Spectacled Monarch

Another one of my favourite birds that are always seen around my property are the Variegated Fairy-wrens. I never get tired of seeing and hearing them around the place.

Variegated Fairy-wrens

 

 

 

More updates and pics coming soon.

 

If you're interested in my blog check out my site below by clicking on the link.

Australian Birds Photography: KEUNEA PHOTOGRAPHY 

Jimna Area and Sterling's Crossing Again

Last weekend I went out near Jimna to pick up a few things. I decided to come home over the Conondale Range which comes out at Charlie Moreland campground. This is a beautiful and relaxing drive. The scenery is spectacular. The only down side is that there are few places where you can actually park the car to be able to take a photo or to get out and walk. The road is quite narrow, very hilly, quite wet in places but it is in very good condition. The few places where you can easily park the car are in the drier sections of the park.

Just before we went into the Conondale National Park we spotted a Brown Goshawk in the tree. Photos were difficult to get due to the position of the sun but I managed to get a couple. Only a few kilometres down the road we spotted a Grey Goshawk roosting in a tree just beside the road but before I took a photo it was gone. I saw many other birds along the drive which included Variegated Fairy-wrens, Large-billed Scrubwrens, White-browed Scrubwrens, Crimson Rosellas, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Grey Shrike-thrushes, Laughing Kookaburras, Restless Flycatchers, Pale-headed Rosellas and Olive-backed Orioles which I have never seen on the coast before and another bird that I saw was a Satin Bowerbird which I haven't seen on the Sunshine Coast before either. I know they are found here but I have never located one until last weekend.

I didn't get out to get many photos on the later part of the journey near Charlie Moreland as I was starting to develop a headache and we had to get home to meet someone.

Brown Goshawk

The Brown Goshawk in the distance

This little White-browed Scrubwren was in the grounds of the education centre on this road flicking all the leaves with his head. He was very approachable and even more entertaining to watch.

White-browed Scrubwren

Today I went back to Sterling's Crossing for a look. I arrived quite a bit later than last week. The weather was much colder than last week but it was a perfectly clear and sunny day. I had gone all the way down to where I had parked the car the previous week and I had hardly seen a bird. Laughing Kookaburras were in huge numbers. As soon as I pulled up a Wonga Pigeon flew off from the bank of the creek into the bush. The Wompoo Fruit-Doves were very active in the tops of the tall trees. Many birds were fighting and knocking each other off their branches. Within a few minutes I heard the Noisy Pitta calling out. I went into the bush near the creek bed and sat in the buttress roots of a big fig tree. It showed quite well for about an hour. It flew overhead a couple of times but mainly jumped along the ground close to me. Up to three were heard at one time calling out in the close vicinity. They obviously knew I was there and were quite cautious and wouldn't get too close.

Noisy Pitta

The only other decent shot I obtained of the Noisy Pitta

Due to the trees being so thick it was difficult to get a good photo where I could focus on the Noisy Pittas whole body. While I was attempting to get the photos of the Noisy Pitta I heard several Green Catbirds and I saw and heard a Satin Bowerbird. I was unable to get a photo of either of these birds though.

On the way home I saw a Spotted Harrier which I flushed from the grass on the side of the road. Within a few seconds of it flying off this Black-shouldered Kite landed on a light pole. They look very similar to the Letter-winged Kite but they have a marking behind the eye, whereas the Letter-winged Kite has a neat black ring. Also the Letter-winged Kite usually sleeps and roosts during the day and hunts at night!!

Black-shouldered Kite

The same Black-shouldered Kite

The Black-shouldered Kite again

 

I was very surprised by the small number of birds here this time compared to last week. I will be back again, to get a better shot of the Noisy Pitta and I would like a shot of the Satin Bowerbird on the coast too. I think I would see more if it was earlier in the morning on a clear day.

 

More updates and pics coming soon.

 

If you're interested in my blog check out my site below by clicking on the link.

Australian Birds Photography: KEUNEA PHOTOGRAPHY