What to target Jul-Aug

In 2006, we set up the inaugral Challenge to see if we could collectively record 250 species during the year in the club's survey area. How did we go? Extremely well considering the drought... Plenty of unusual and rare birds .... some great records from non-members too. It was a fascinating year. And a worthwhile exercise which we encourage other groups to follow. See for yourself...

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Mick Atzeni
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What to target Jul-Aug

Post by Mick Atzeni »

Apologies for this late-July posting but better late than never.

A flick through my old diaries for this time of year has many references to Hood's Lagoon during the 1980's. Anyone who has been there will tell you we once had one of the best waterbird habitats in the Lockyer when Hood's was at its prime.

They were halycon days. You could nearly always bank on seeing something special if you walked around the lagoon. Sadly, it became very degraded, the reed beds died and never grew back, and it has been dry for many years. In any case, access is no longer readily available since the land was bought by the Dyno Nobel explosives company as a buffer zone. During this time of year we were recording species like Black-necked Stork (Jun-Aug 1989), Silver Gull, Hoary-headed Grebe, Great-crested Grebe (first club record 2/7/81), Comb-crested Jacana, Black swan, Glossy Ibis, Little Grassbird, Wandering Whistling-Duck (1st club record 2/7/1982) and Marsh Crake just to name a few of the missing species from our Challenge list. :cry: :cry:

Some other notes of interest:

Regent Honeyeaters were seen in Dalby along Myall Creek in July 2002 so keep your eye out that way, and locally, especially along watercourses, and where there's flowering Mugga Ironbark.

Turquoise Parrots - 17/7/94 unconfirmed report of birds feeding in a paddock with a lot of cottonseed bush (I don't know if this is the correct name for it) on the property on cnr Cawdor Rd and Old Goombungee Rd. I followed this up with no luck but the ID sounded OK. Interestingly, a year earlier, on 8/8/93, I saw two birds feeding in a similar small bush at Helidon Dip. (N.B. this August sighting is contrary to a previous posting where I said all local sightings had been in April. That was according to club records. Just goes to show the value of keeping your own diaries).

Diamond Doves - records 7/6, 21/8, 4/9 all in 1994 at the Helidon Dip. Worth having a look for this drought refugee there again.

Osprey was seen at Karrasch's lagoon (near Gatton, so outside our area) 11/8/2000. Would be interesting to see when the local records have been. Pat, Bill, any idea from your records?

Brahminy Kite seen 9/8/2000 about 5km east of Helidon just east of our area.

Buff-banded Rail - Aug 2002 we had one wandering around the gardens on the DPI&F complex for several days until it met its demise. The butcherbirds probably got him in the end. This species used to be easy to spot around the edge of the Helidon Spa although I haven't had any luck there for yonks. Maybe early morning or late afternoon is best???

Spotted Crake 17/8/86 - pair seen on edge of reed bed on the Spa-Iredale Rd. This was the first local record and the only time I've seen them in the area.

Topknot Pigeon 28/8/94 30+ birds in the camphor laurels near Hume/Jellicoe St intersection and about 20 near Hume St/Moloney St on 2/9/94

Little Woodswallow 26/8/90 - a "huddle" of about 10 birds was seen in a dead eucalypt on a windy day. I noted in my diary that with the naked eye they could have easily passed as a small termite mound, except that individual birds were peeling off regularly. It was a club outing which I remember well because this was a new bird for the club and that more than compensated for the weather! Location was Silver Ridge along Silver Pinch Rd, about 0.5km from Blanchview Rd junction. As far as I know, this is still the only club record, although I recall seeing one since near Murphy's Ck on the powerlines, but before we extended the club boundaries. I daresay Little Woodswallows are easily overlooked and I'm curious to hear of any other sites for this species in SE Qld.

Swift Parrots (6) seen on 26/8/2000 in Glen Lomond Park along track off Dorge St.

In Aug 1995, Letter-winged Kites had bred at Bowenville in trees along the railway line as there were immature birds on a nest in early Sept. Just make sure your local Black-shouldered Kites aren't stray Letter-wings!

That's all from my diaries. I encourage you to follow suit and post any relevant diary records that may assist the Challenge? It's not getting any easier. We need all the tips we can get!

Apart from that, it's good to reflect on the past.

Good birding!
Michael Atzeni
7 Woden St, Murphys Creek 4352
Mob: 0499 395 485
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Mick Atzeni
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Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 9:08 pm

Post by Mick Atzeni »

I draw your attention to the information I posted last year, as most of it is also relevant to the 2007 Challenge. Some is also relevant for our Non-local survey within 250km radius of Toowoomba.

Once again I encourage folk to post historical sightings of interest. Make them count for something.
Michael Atzeni
7 Woden St, Murphys Creek 4352
Mob: 0499 395 485
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