Birding Brisbane
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May 2019 Birding Brisbane Birds and Birdwatching in the River City Volume 1, Issue 5 Brisbane Pelagic dates for 2019, free place for young birder Dates for the remaining 2019 Sunshine Coast pelagic trips are now con- firmed. The trip starts Inside this issue: from Mooloolaba and vis- its the continental shelf in Brisbane waters. The July trip is full, but there In-depth bird news 1 is a waiting list—you Eastern Curlew migra‐ 4 might still make it onto tion the trip if someone pulls eBird skills: Adding 5 out. The dates are Jul 14, photographs Oct 27 and Nov 24. Dates for 2020 will be con- Mystery Photo 5 firmed soon. Contributing to the 5 Atlas Antarctic Prion at the continental shelf off Cape Moreton on We are pleased to be in- 27 May 2018 (RAF). Undersurveyed Atlas 6 troducing one FREE Square: Rochedale place on each trip for a From the Atlas: Great 6 young or student birder. old or in full time educa- birdwatching”. We will Crested Grebe This does not increase tion. Applicants should choose one winning ap- List of Observers 10 the cost for other partici- outline how they meet plication for each trip. pants – it is being paid the criteria and answer Email Richard Fuller – for independently. The “why attending the pe- [email protected]) to recipient of the free place lagic will further their book a place or to ask will be under 25 years skills and interest in any questions. Highlights: · Turquoise Parrot appears · Buff-breasted Sandpiper Bird news, April 2019 departs · Eastern Curlews leave for breeding grounds April was something of sage migrants appear- · eBird photos lull after the excitement ing through the month. of the first three months · Contributing to the Atlas of By far the biggest rarity the Birds of Brisbane of the year, and the de- was the monumental parture of migrants gave record of a Turquoise · Go birding in Rochedale! many many coastal bird- Parrot photographed by Turquoise Parrot at Cannon Hill · Great Crested Grebe species ers a rest! Yet there were Anita Nahuysen on 10th Bushland on 10th april. Photo- account some interesting inland- April in an area of pri- graph by Anita Nahuysen. derived species and pas- Bird news, continued vate land that she accessed for present on 5th and 6th. It’s worth bird Grove on 22nd (LR) and Gold work at Cannon Hill in the east- keeping an eye out for Radjah Creek Reservoir on 26th (LI). Alt- ern suburbs! This is only the fifth Shelduck, as the Greenbank bird hough numbers do probably de- eBird record of cline during the cooler months, this species for perhaps there is also a reduction Brisbane. Anita in nocturnal birding effort at this takes up the sto- time of year, since only one Aus- ry, “I found a Tur- tralian Owlet-nightjar was record- quoise Parrot in ed, again a single at Gold Creek bushland behind Reservoir, on 6th (CB). the newly con- A calling Lewin’s Rail was a good structed Minnippi find at the second dip at Oxley Estate, at Cannon Creek Common on 2nd (JV), and Hill. I watched there were no other Brisbane rec- the bird feeding ords of this species in April. on the ground, before flying up to Shorebird records were predicta- a nearby branch This White-winged Triller was at Kianawah Rd Wetland on bly rather thin on the ground this 7th April. The streaking on the underparts and scalloping where I managed month, although highlights were 4 on the upperparts indicate that this is a juvenile, and breed- to get some dis- Grey Plovers and 2 Ruddy Turn- ing was documented at Sandy Camp Rd Wetlands this stones on St Helena Island on tant photographs. year. Photograph by Terence Alexander. Many birds occur 10th (RC), 8 Black-tailed Godwits in the Minnippi Parklands and at Tinchi Tamba on 6th (RS). surrounds, but the Turquoise Par- (in Logan LGA - outside Brisbane) Highlights of a Queensland Wader rot was a definite standout! Upon reappeared after an absence on Study Group wader ID day at the returning to the site the following 14th April (SL, JS). Manly Wader Roost on 13th were day, the parrot was sadly nowhere Six Australasian Shovelers were several Greater Sand-Plovers, 4 to be seen... Unfortunately, the bird at Kedron Brook Wetlands Re- Double-banded Plovers, a whop- wasn't within a public access area, serve on 3rd (CA), and still there ping 60 Ruddy Turnstones, and 4 it was within the Minnippi estate on 28th (GT). Kedron is hands Broad-billed Sandpipers. A Lesser grounds, but behind a gated area down the most reliable site in Crested Tern was in Shorncliffe on (need council or other key). Most of Brisbane to catch up with this 16th (GW, PW). the site is a construction site at the scarce straggler to Brisbane. A Black-necked Stork briefly moment” With no further sign of Great Crested Grebes put in a graced Kianawah Road Wetland the bird, a chase doesn’t seem war- good showing this month, suggest- on 10th (DR) and one or two birds ranted now, but we are grateful to ing some sort of coastward move- have been wandering widely in Anita for sharing her photographs, ment, with a string of records at SEQ recently, not seemingly set- and the record has now been docu- the traditional site of Lake Man- tled at the moment. mented on eBird. chester, including nine on 22nd Deborah Metters had a Yellow- The other star bird of the month (BW), but also an unusual record billed Spoonbill at Sandy Camp was the Buff-breasted Sandpiper of one at Enoggera Reservoir on Road Wetlands on 21st, which, at the Port of Brisbane Shorebird 13th (PW). perhaps surprisingly, was the only Roost, which hung on until 4th The couple of Oriental Cuckoos Brisbane record this month. This (CA) before presumably departing. from late March hung on at Tinchi is a species to look out for in the Safe travels Buffy, maybe see you Tamba Wetlands Reserve until cooler months, so keep your eyes next summer! 13th (DL), delighting a grateful open. The long-staying Cotton Pygmy- stream of visitors and posing for There was a scattering of Square- Goose at Brisbane Entertainment photographs. tailed Kite records this month, Centre Lagoons was only seen White-throated Nightjar records including a bird hanging around once this month, on 1st Apr (BM), thinned out this month, with only the Fitzgibbon / Tinchi Tamba ar- and the Dowse Lagoon bird was two birds observed, singles at Bell- ea, and a good record of 2 birds at Page 2 Birding Brisbane Bird news, continued Sherwood Arboretum on 18th (HP). It was also a good month for Little Eagle, with coastal records at Tinchi Tamba between 13th and 27th, and one at Kedron Brook Wetlands Reserve on 28th, all by Ged Tranter. Message to everyone that isn’t Ged Tranter – look up! To be fair on Chris Bur- well, he photographed a pale phase Little Eagle at Priors Pocket Road on 25th. There were scat- tered records of both Swamp and Spotted Harriers through the month. Grey Goshawks appeared at Fitgibbon Bushland and Tinchi Adult Little Eagle at Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve on 13 Apr (GT). Tamba but were scarce this month otherwise. 12th (SP) – this species is probably Owl records were thin this month, only a straggler to Gold Creek. although a Barn Owl was a good A Barred Cuckooshrike was an Finally, Plum-headed Finches find at Anstead SES Depot on excellent find by Louis Backstrom 22nd (RG) at Tinchi Tamba on 15th, and there was a broad sprinkling of A couple of Crimson Rosellas was White-bellied Cuckooshrikes this a good record for the relatively low month across the city, with a con- elevation Bellbird Grove on 22nd centration of records in the east (LR), while 10 birds at Lawton probably reflecting better coverage Road on 11th (BM) was a high there compared to the west. Clear- count – it’s good to see this local- ly, April is a good month to get ised species continuing to occur in this species in your local woodland good numbers in the D'Aguilar patch! White-winged Trillers were National Park. hanging on with singles at Oxley A New Holland Honeyeater was at Creek Common on 2nd (SC) and Cabbage Tree Creek at Lake Man- Kianawah Road Wetland on 7th chester Road on 26th (JD, KB). (TA). A Shining Flycatcher was at This stunning Rose Robin was at Shel- Tinchi Tamba on ley Road Park, near Lake Manchester, 11th (GT), where on 21 Apr (Photo: GT). the species is prob- ably regular but were much in evidence this month, largely inaccessi- with records from Sandy Camp ble in the man- Road Wetlands on 25th (BP), Ox- groves. A good rec- ley Creek Common throughout the ord of five Apostle- month (many observers), Priors birds at McLeod Pocket Road on 14th (CB), and Country Golf Club Cabbage Tree Creek at Lake Man- on 26th (TM) was chester Road on 27th (PW). away from the well Round-up by Richard Fuller, San- -known sites at dra Gallienne & Louis Backstrom. Great Crested Grebe is a scarce bird in Brisbane, and rec- Anstead. A Jacky ords peak in spring and autumn. This birds was at Lake Winter at Gold Manchester on 26th Apr (photo: SM). Creek Reservoir was a good find on Volume 1, Issue 5 Page 3 Feature: Eastern Curlew tracking As birders that have visited More- ton Bay’s beaches and coastlines recently will well know, most of the more than 30,000 migratory shorebirds that spend the Austral- ian summer in Moreton Bay have now left for their northern hemi- sphere breeding grounds.