A successful Easter

For those doing a Big Year, or similar, report your progress here.

Moderator: Mick Atzeni

Post Reply
gileas
Posts: 81
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:31 pm
Location: Brisbane, QLD
Contact:

A successful Easter

Post by gileas »

Hi all,

I had a great Easter break for my list, finally breaking the 300 mark for the year. My new species were:

Squatter Pigeon (1/4/2010, Mosquito Creek Rd)
Common Blackbird (2/4/2010, Stanthorpe)
Southern Whiteface (2/4/2010, Old Wallangara Rd)
Scarlet Robin (2/4/2010, Old Wallangara Rd)
Pallid Cuckoo (2/4/2010, Old Wallangara Rd)
Fan-tailed Cuckoo (2/4/2010, Old Wallangara Rd)
Superb Lyrebird (2/4/2010 Underground Creek Track, Girraween)
Emu (5/4/2010, Mosquito Creek Rd)
Forest Kingfisher (5/4/2010, Murphy's Creek Rd, Postman's Ridge)

So some good pick ups. The Forest Kingfisher was a welcome surprise, just past the second creek crossing from the highway on the telephone wires. Mick Atzeni tells me it is a very unusual record for the area.

Regards,
Chris Sanderson
User avatar
Mick Atzeni
Posts: 1843
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 9:08 pm

Forest Kingfisher

Post by Mick Atzeni »

Chris's Forest Kingfisher is certainly a great record for the Toowoomba area. Forest Kingfisher is one of the least reported species on our official list. To put it in context, personally I've only had two sightings in more than 25 years of birding in the area:

Forest Kingfisher (1) 22/10/1980 2 Memory St, Harristown
Forest Kingfisher (1) 16/09/1994 Toowoomba Waterbird Habitat

Chris saw his bird on the powerlines adjacent to the the property "Emu Ridge" (the ex-emu farm) at Postman's Ridge around 2:15pm. It flew towards the creek, so could be hanging around that area.

Being from Brisbane, Chris didn't realise the significance of his sighting for here. I queried him and he confirmed he noted the white windows in the wing.

The thing is this. Had it not been a new bird for Chris' SEQ Big Year, and had Chris not reported his progress on this forum, we would not have even heard about it. And had I not reported my recent Red Goshawk sighting, Chris would have had no cause to be visiting Upper Lockyer in the first place.

It highlights the importance and benefits of sharing sightings on this particular forum, which has a strong regional focus. The more contributing, the better for all.

Thanks, Chris.

Cheers
Michael Atzeni
7 Woden St, Murphys Creek 4352
Mob: 0499 395 485
Bill Jolly
Posts: 352
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 9:57 am
Location: Lockyer Valley

Forest Kingfisher records

Post by Bill Jolly »

.....and just confirming Michael's comments about the rarity of Forest Kingfishers in the valley, I've only had two sightings here at Abberton, one in February 1996, and the most recent in November 1998!

Bill Jolly
Glenn McRae
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:02 am
Location: Stanthorpe, Qld

Post by Glenn McRae »

Hi Chris,

Would you mind sharing with me the location at Old Wallangara Rd, where you picked up Southern Whiteface & others.

The nearest location I have had for Southern Whiteface is out at the western side of Sundown National Park.

As a local I would like to add that patch to my Birding Stomping Grounds.

If you don't want to list it here, you can email me at mcraeglenn@gmail.com

cheers
Glenn McRae
Stanthorpe, Qld
It's a good day when you learn something new
gileas
Posts: 81
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:31 pm
Location: Brisbane, QLD
Contact:

Old Wallangara Rd

Post by gileas »

Hi Glenn,

At some point I'll be making a page on ..wildiaries.com for the site, but for now, Old Wallangara Rd is just to the south of Girraween. It's a gazetted road, signposted off the New Engand Highway, just north of Wallangara, and south of the Pyramid Rd turnoff into Girraween. It is fairly well signed as far as QLD roads go. The spot I've now seen Whitefaces at twice is a couple of kms down the track, where there is a right turn up another road (can't remember the name sorry), and a vineyard. That corner, in the open field opposite the vineyard, has been very productive. As well as Whitefaces, I've had Hooded Robins and Diamond Firetails there, plus my only Scarlet Robin and Pallid Cuckoo for the year. If you walk along the road there are also other good birds like White-browed Babbler, Crested Shrike-tit and a host of good honeyeaters in the area too.

Regards,
Chris
Rod Hobson
Posts: 509
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 8:03 am

Old Wallangarra Road.

Post by Rod Hobson »

Folks,

The Old Wallangarra Road has always been a good location for this isolated population of White-browed Babbler; the nearest to Stanthorpe that I've seen this bird, and my most easterly record for the species. Around the old quarry was a good place for them. The other reliable location for this babbler is around the ranger station at Sundown N.P.

There is also a little, very overgrown creek along the Old Wallangarra Road where I've seen Chestnut-rumped Heathwren on occasions; also a good spot for Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters. The southern end of this road, near the railway crossing, used to be good for European Goldfinch but I've not seen them there for quite a few years now. Does anyone know of any feral goldfinch populations in Queensland now? Curiously, this old goldfinch location isn't a bad area for the dark morph of the White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike. It is also a good area for Plum-headed Finch, as well.

The bottom run into the Wallangarra treatment works is the best for Turquoise Parrot, Crested Shrike-tit and Brown Treecreeper; occasionally Diamond Firetail. A dive from the Girraween National Park towards Storm King Dam is almost a surety for Diamond Firetail. Chris' vineyard site (the name of which also escapes me) has always been good for the whiteface, however the very best site that I know 'locally' for this bird is around Coolmunda Dam near Inglewood.

A drive down the Mount Norman Road towards Wallangarra is a good one for Spotted Quail-thrush. The open heathlands, especially along the creek lines around South Bald Rock are good locations for Southern Emu-wren, however are not accessible by vehicle. The walk down to The Junction in Girraween is good for heathwren; also around the Swimming Hole below the QPWS picnic grounds.

Regards,
Rod Hobson
gileas
Posts: 81
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:31 pm
Location: Brisbane, QLD
Contact:

Goldfinches and Old Wallangara Rd

Post by gileas »

Hi Rod,

Thanks very much for your insight. Having only discovered the road this year, I feel I've missed out on many years of good birding in the area, and your assessment just confirms this.

I'm particularly interested in your mention of Goldfinch, as my grandmother, who used to live on Eukey Rd, once pointed to nearby Accommodation Creek as we passed by on the highway and said there used to be Goldfinch there. I don't have it on my list of possible birds for the year, so if anyone does know a spot they still occur in the region, please do let me (and the forum) know.

I'm also still in need of the Heathwren, though with my "no playback allowed" rule I guess I will need to wait til they are calling in spring to have a crack at them.

A final question - does anyone have any reliable Flame Robin sites in the region? I'm expecting a negative to this, as several locals have denied there is a "reliable" spot for them, but any advice/gen would be gratefully appreciated.

Regards,
Chris
Glenn McRae
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:02 am
Location: Stanthorpe, Qld

Post by Glenn McRae »

Gentlemen,

Thank you for you insights, I do normally bird around Girraween but as I come down from Stanthorpe via Pyramids rd, I normally do not get out as far as Old Wallangarra Rd but I will make it a point to from now on.

Chris, If you ever want a birding partner down this way just give me a shout.

cheers
Glenn McRae
Stanthorpe
mcraeglenn@gmail.com
It's a good day when you learn something new
Post Reply

Return to “Solo efforts”