Frigatebird on Atherton Tableland

Sightings of local rarities (those asterisked on the club's official Species List and any species not listed. That includes Paradise Parrots!!!) Post your non-local rare or unusual sightings here too.

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

Frigatebird on Atherton Tableland

Post by Mick Atzeni »

On 4/3/08 around 9am, I was a passenger in a car travelling between Atherton and Malanda, not far from Gallo Dairyland where we were headed, when a large, unfamiliar bird flying ahead caught my eye.

As it flew over the road I was able to clearly see it was a frigatebird - a female as it had a white breast - and almost certainly a Great Frigatebird going on its size - my size impression was that of a Wedge-tailed Eagle. Also there was no evidence of white under the wings, which I immediately remembered to look out for.

Unfortunately we were unable to stop, but what a surprise. The weather, although very wet, was not cyclonic, so was this bird just disorientated with all the rain?

Has anyone else seen frigatebirds inland?

A Bush-hen near Kairi, two Common Sandpipers at Lake Tinaroo where we stopped to watch the water pouring over the spillway, and plenty of Buff-banded Rails along the road verges (I'm happy to see one a year around Toowoomba!), plus the frigatebird, made the day a memorable one, despite the rain.
Michael Atzeni
7 Woden St, Murphys Creek 4352
Mob: 0499 395 485
Rod Hobson
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Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:03 am

Frigatebird Records from Inland Locations

Post by Rod Hobson »

Mick,

In the first edition of "Going Bush" by the Chinchilla Field Nats regarding the Great Frigatebird it is stated, "very occasional sightings of birds in flight, apparently blown off course during coastal gales". This referred to sightings of birds in the Chinchilla district of SEQ.

Regards,
Rod Hobson
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