Upper Lockyer - my new patch

Do you keep a monthly record for your favourite patch? If so, why not share the info real-time and literally put your patch on the map? Using the template under this heading you have the vehicle for displaying your monthly records for those places you bird regularly e.g. your backyard, neighbourhood, local park. Just how good is your patch? What can we learn from your monthly records?

Let's find out ...

Moderator: Mick Atzeni

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Mick Atzeni
Posts: 1843
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 9:08 pm

Upper Lockyer - my new patch

Post by Mick Atzeni »

Hi folks

For those that don' t yet know, I now live in my own piece of rented paradise on a property called "Tiddalac" at Upper Lockyer. A couple of us had already done a handful of bird surveys here starting last October, but when the caretaker's residence became available for rent, I decided to move down here mid-January.

The species list for this place - my new patch - already stands at 115 species. On weekends, I've made it a habit of walking the boundary to the front gate and back. It's about a 1.4km round trip.

Here's what I picked up this morning over a couple of hours.

Australian Wood Duck
White-faced Heron
Brown Goshawk
Dusky Moorhen
Masked Lapwing
Common Bronzewing
Crested Pigeon
Peaceful Dove
Bar-shouldered Dove
Galah
Rainbow Lorikeet
Little Lorikeet
Australian King-Parrot
Pale-headed Rosella
Azure Kingfisher
Laughing Kookaburra
Rainbow Bee-eater
White-throated Treecreeper
Superb Fairy-wren
Red-backed Fairy-wren
Striated Pardalote
Speckled Warbler - one at entrance
Weebill
White-throated Gerygone
Buff-rumped Thornbill
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Striped Honeyeater
Noisy Friarbird - hundreds; have arrived en masse in last couple of days
Little Friarbird - one along creek
Blue-faced Honeyeater - small group; scarce at present
Noisy Miner
Lewin's Honeyeater
Brown-headed Honeyeater - at entrance
White-throated Honeyeater
Brown Honeyeater
Scarlet Honeyeater
Jacky Winter
Eastern Whipbird
Rufous Whistler - several near entrance
Magpie-lark
Willie Wagtail
Spangled Drongo - heard one; due to leave
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Cicadabird - heard one; all but gone
Figbird
Grey Butcherbird
Pied Butcherbird
Australian Magpie
Pied Currawong
Torresian Crow
Double-barred Finch
Plum-headed Finch - two pairs in green panic near entrance; 2nd record.
Mistletoebird
Welcome Swallow - later in the day
Golden-headed Cisticola
Silvereye
Last edited by Mick Atzeni on Fri May 01, 2009 12:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Mick Atzeni
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One Black Kite ...

Post by Mick Atzeni »

A Black Kite over home today brings my Tiddalac list up to 121 species.

Some other additions over Autumn include Restless Flycatcher, Southern Boobook, Oriental Cuckoo, Peregrine Falcon and Grey Goshawk.

Love this place!!!

Cheers
Mick
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Mick Atzeni
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Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 9:08 pm

Five new species this month

Post by Mick Atzeni »

Folks

July's proving a sensational month at home with five new species for the "Tiddalac" list.

Both Whistling Kite and Striated Thornbill were overdue as I had seen both species within a km or so.

Red-capped Robin was always a chance in the acacia scrub here in Winter but that didn't detract from the thrill of finally finding one - especially when it's a male. Have since seen it with its mate and interested to see how long they hang around.

The wattle is just starting to flower here, and last Thursday I picked up my first White-naped Honeyeaters in a mixed group of honeyeaters feeding in the crown of one of them. This species is a tough one "down range" - I don't think Bill Jolly has ever recorded one at Abberton - so pleased to have this one nailed. I'm not expecting to see too many!

Then on Sunday, a magnificent adult Spotted Harrier was quartering over the neighbour's paddock, managing to spook some Brown Quail in the process, before landing obligingly on a fence post.

Wonder what's next?

Cheers
Michael Atzeni
7 Woden St, Murphys Creek 4352
Mob: 0499 395 485
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Mick Atzeni
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August delivers first Hardheads

Post by Mick Atzeni »

Crimson Rosella (three seen 18 July) was the sixth new "Tiddalac" species added last month. Noticed a couple again yesterday so perhaps they are a winter visitor to Upper Lockyer.

A rare spotlighting session last night turned up an unexpected addition in Hardhead. There were three camped on the small dam on the property. List now stands at 130 species.

The pair of Red-capped Robins are still here - one of 53 species recorded this weekend.

Cheers
Michael Atzeni
7 Woden St, Murphys Creek 4352
Mob: 0499 395 485
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Mick Atzeni
Posts: 1843
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 9:08 pm

A brilliant August weekend and a Brockovich-ish Tuesday

Post by Mick Atzeni »

Date 16 August 2009
Weather: glorious!
Observers: Myself, Kay and Kev Williams

Australian Wood Duck
Pacific Black Duck
Little Pied Cormorant
Pacific Baza - one photographed around cottage
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Nankeen Kestrel
Dusky Moorhen
Masked Lapwing
Common Bronzewing
Crested Pigeon
Peaceful Dove
Bar-shouldered Dove
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo
Rainbow Lorikeet
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
Little Lorikeet
Musk Lorikeet - heard; rare here
Australian King-Parrot
Red-rumped Parrot - new for Tiddalac; one male; also a very pale female (mutation) photographed
Pale-headed Rosella
Fan-tailed Cuckoo
Azure Kingfisher
Laughing Kookaburra
Rainbow Bee-eater
White-throated Treecreeper
Superb Fairy-wren
Variegated Fairy-wren
Red-backed Fairy-wren
Spotted Pardalote
Striated Pardalote
White-browed Scrubwren
Speckled Warbler
Weebill
White-throated Gerygone
Buff-rumped Thornbill
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Striped Honeyeater
Noisy Friarbird
Little Friarbird
Blue-faced Honeyeater
Noisy Miner
Lewin's Honeyeater
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
White-throated Honeyeater
Brown Honeyeater
Eastern Spinebill
Scarlet Honeyeater
Jacky Winter
Rose Robin
Eastern Yellow Robin
Eastern Whipbird
Golden Whistler
Rufous Whistler
Grey Shrike-thrush
Magpie-lark
Grey Fantail
Willie Wagtail
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Olive-backed Oriole - first fpr season
Grey Butcherbird
Pied Butcherbird
Australian Magpie
Pied Currawong
Torresian Crow
Richard's Pipit - pair
Red-browed Finch
Mistletoebird
Welcome Swallow
Golden-headed Cisticola
Silvereye

Mammals, etc:

Red Deer - ones young stag and 3-4 does; photographed
Platypus - tow; one photographed
Clear-winged Swallowtail - first for season

Additional birds from Saturday 16/8/09

White-faced Heron
Brown Goshawk
Brown-headed Honeyeater
Figbird

With the Little Eagle seen 6/8 and the Red-rumped Parrot on Sunday, my Tiddalac list now stands at 132 spp.

The big tick this morning - Erin Brockovich! Photographs to prove it. Right here on "Tiddalac" to perform the official opening of Shine Lawyers' magnificent training centre, but that's another story ...

Cheers :D
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Mick Atzeni
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Tiddalac in October

Post by Mick Atzeni »

I've been missing in action lately when it comes to surveying Tiddalac. To restore some respectability to my monthly list, I was vigilant over the weekend. Most of the 72 species below were picked up on Saturday morning (23/10) but the biggest highlight was a great look at one of the resident platypuses grooming in the creek atop a barely submerged rock. Watched him turning from side to side on his back having a good old scratch, head well clear of the water. First time I have seen it doing so. No, I didn't have the camera.

Weekend bird list:

Brown Quail
Australian Wood Duck
Pacific Black Duck
Little Black Cormorant
Pacific Baza (1)
Brown Goshawk (1)
Peregrine Falcon (1)
Masked Lapwing
Brown Cuckoo-Dove (1)
Common Bronzewing
Crested Pigeon
Peaceful Dove
Bar-shouldered Dove
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Rainbow Lorikeet
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
Little Lorikeet - one small flock; scarce at present
Australian King-Parrot
Pale-headed Rosella
Fan-tailed Cuckoo - several calling
Little Bronze-Cuckoo
Common Koel
Channel-billed Cuckoo
Pheasant Coucal
Tawny Frogmouth
Southern Boobook
Azure Kingfisher
Laughing Kookaburra
Sacred Kingfisher
Rainbow Bee-eater
Dollarbird
White-throated Treecreeper
Red-backed Fairy-wren
Spotted Pardalote
Striated Pardalote
White-browed Scrubwren
Speckled Warbler
Weebill
White-throated Gerygone
Buff-rumped Thornbill
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Striped Honeyeater
Noisy Friarbird
Little Friarbird
Noisy Miner
Yellow-faced Honeyeater (1)
White-throated Honeyeater
Brown Honeyeater
Scarlet Honeyeater
Jacky Winter
Eastern Yellow Robin
Eastern Whipbird
Rufous Whistler
Grey Shrike-thrush
Leaden Flycatcher
Magpie-lark
Willie Wagtail
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Cicadabird
Olive-backed Oriole
Figbird
Grey Butcherbird
Pied Butcherbird
Australian Magpie
Pied Currawong
Torresian Crow
Double-barred Finch
Red-browed Finch
Mistletoebird
Welcome Swallow
Golden-headed Cisticola
Silvereye
Michael Atzeni
7 Woden St, Murphys Creek 4352
Mob: 0499 395 485
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Mick Atzeni
Posts: 1843
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 9:08 pm

Murphy's Creek flood at "Tiddalac", Upper Lockyer,

Post by Mick Atzeni »

For the benefit of those who haven't seen this already, and especially those who have been to "Tiddalac", here's what happened to this little piece of paradise along Murphy's Creek.

.://..youtube.com/watch?v=nOgydxdFmOQ

It's hard to judge how high and at what rate the creek rose: below the cottage, I'd guess 10-12m over 15-20 minutes. It got to within about 2m of flooding the cottage.

In the wake of all the devastation, ironically, that night I saw my first Stony Creek Frog, and the next day, my first Topknot Pigeons, for "Tiddalac".
Michael Atzeni
7 Woden St, Murphys Creek 4352
Mob: 0499 395 485
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Mick Atzeni
Posts: 1843
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 9:08 pm

Another new bird for Tiddalac since flood

Post by Mick Atzeni »

With the dramatic change to the creek comes a shift in the species which are able to utilise it and exploit it. Today at breakfast, bird#155 for Tiddalac cruised by at eye level along the creek - a majestic adult White-bellied Sea-Eagle.

Cheers
Mick
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Mick Atzeni
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Dusky Woodswallows: #156 for Tiddalac

Post by Mick Atzeni »

Took Russell Jenkins down to see Tiddalac yesterday morning as he hadn't seen it since the flood. We didn't get there until around 10:30 but the place was alive with the wattles in flower along the road into the property. Interestingly, we observed a migration of Dusky Woodswallows over the property. Whilst I have seen this species about 0.7 km further along Thomas Rd, this is my first sighting for the property. The list now stands at 156.

Below is the list for yesterday - 54 spp in 4hrs.

Pacific Black Duck
Little Pied Cormorant
White-faced Heron
Straw-necked Ibis
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Australian Hobby
Dusky Moorhen
Masked Lapwing
Crested Pigeon
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
Little Lorikeet
Pale-headed Rosella
Fan-tailed Cuckoo
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo
Pheasant Coucal
Azure Kingfisher
Laughing Kookaburra
White-throated Treecreeper
Superb Fairy-wren
Red-backed Fairy-wren
Spotted Pardalote
Striated Pardalote
Speckled Warbler
Weebill
White-throated Gerygone
Buff-rumped Thornbill (nest-building)
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Striped Honeyeater
Noisy Friarbird
Little Friarbird
Noisy Miner
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
Brown-headed Honeyeater
White-throated Honeyeater
Scarlet Honeyeater
Jacky Winter
Eastern Whipbird
Golden Whistler
Rufous Whistler
Grey Shrike-thrush
Magpie-lark
Grey Fantail
Willie Wagtail
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Olive-backed Oriole
Dusky Woodswallow
Grey Butcherbird
Pied Butcherbird
Australian Magpie
Pied Currawong
Torresian Crow
Mistletoebird
Welcome Swallow
Silvereye

On the way home we saw pair of Brown Falcons near Lockyer Siding indulging in some unusual behaviour. Waiting to see Russell's photos of this. Keep an eye on his blog:

.://russelljenkinsstoop.blogspot.com/

Cheers
Mick
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