December

I haven't had any time in the last month or so for birdwatching, so rather than weekly lists I will just put birds here as I see them, not as comprehensive, but a list for my own records at least :)

Rufous Fantail
Willy Wagtail
Catbird
Spangled Drongo
Laughing Kookaburra
Eastern Whipbird
Bar shouldered Dove
Lewin's Honeyeater
Eastern Yellow Robin
Rainbow Lorikeets
Striated Pardalote
Noisy Friarbird
Silvereye
Brown Honeyeater

Ninderry 3rd week of November

Eastern Yellow Robin
Australian Mudlark
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Spangled Drongo
Red-browed Firetails
Emerald Dove
Bar-shouldered Dove
Brown Pidgeon
Brown Honeyeater
White-cheeked Honeyeater
Lewin's Honeyeater
Kurrawong
Laughing Kookaburra
Dusky Honeyeater
Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike

Ninderry - 1st week of November

White-faced Heron
Red-browed Firetails
Eastern Yellow Robin
Willy Wagtail
Brown Honeyeater
Sulphur Crested Cockatoo
Laughing Kookaburra
Eastern Whipbird
Lewin's Honeyeater
Dusky Honeyeater
Bar-shouldered Dove
Brown Pidgeon
White-cheeked Honeyeater
Sacred Kingfisher
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Figbird
Striated Pardalote
Kurrawong
Brush Turkey
Peacock
Barred Cuckoo-shrike
Spangled Drongo
Emerald Dove
Australian Mudlark
Cicadabird
Red-backed Fairy-wren
Pied Butcherbird
Little Wattlebird
Leaden Flycatcher(or Satin perhaps...how do I tell?)

Pardalote Pleasure

A few weeks ago I had organised for an excavator to come and clear the sludge from our dam whilst it is dry. While he was here we decided to get him to pull down the old collapsing retaining wall alongside the house. I ws so relieved he was able tdo this as demolishing it ourselves would have been quite dangerous. I was out there the week before last, looking at the wall and thinking about how the job would turn out, when noticed a pardalote fly in to feed its young right where the wall had to come down. I felt awful!

Their nest was in the bank just around the left corner in this photo, about 20cm below the earth surface. We have another pardolote nest in a cut behind the house, about a metre from where we eat, chat, bbq, and mere centimetres from the hammock. I worried for days about what to do, there was no way the excavator would be able to avoid crushing the nest completely, som the day before the job (last tuesday) I decided to at least attempt to move them. I read up as much as I could on their nesting habits and I doubted very much that they had the slightest chance.

I started by using a flat shovel to gently scrape away the grass and then the layers of dirt above where they were nesting. I didn't know how deep their nest would be from the surface or into the bank so I excavated an area about 70 cm back from the bank and gradually worked down about 8 cm before I saw the top of a grassy dome appear. I was really worried the noise and vibrations would kill them with shock so I decided at this point to give them a break. I went and dug a ledge out of the steep bank behind the house, about 15 metres from their nest. Rather further than I thought was ideal but the only safe place I could offer them. The phone rang then and it was my mother, I started telling her about the pardalotes and was looking at my excavations from the verandah when I noticed the parents panicking and unable to get into the nest to feed the young. The nest must have caved in. I thought they were surely crushed to death but decided to try and dig them out and move them as quickly as possible. I grabbed a plastic mesh tray, about 30 cm round, and using a hand trowel dug around the nest as quickly and gently as I could. i put some of the excavated soil into the tray and when i had dug deep enough got my fingers around the next and lifted it into the tray, I opened the top slightly with my fingers to check for live young.

There were four of them, all well grown and well feathered.,about two-thirds the size of an adult, but they were covered in dirt, had been partially suffocated. I quickly carried the tray to the dugout and placed it in before packing around th nest with as much dirt as I could pack safely, without fear of it collapsing in on them. I then ran to the house and grabbed a strong cardboard box which a tore a panel from for a roof. I weighed this down either end with heavy rocks, then tore another panel off the box for a front wall, stabbing ahole in the front for an entrance. I weighed this down with smaller rocks before covering the entire structure in dried clods of grass that Mum and I had recently taken out to make room for my vegie garden. I packed as many rocks and clods of earth as possible around the structure to make it as strong and draught free as possible.

Meanwhile the parental pardalotes were extremely distressed to find their nest had disappeared. They were repeatedly flying back to the spot with food-laden beaks. It was heartbreaking, I waved my arms around a bit and told them where to go but there wasn't much more I could do. I felt like a murderess.

When I saw the parents flying into the new nest, I just couldn't believe it! I watched amazed as they re-established their feeding routine with incredible regularity. Each time a parent flew into the nest the yound made a racket, I could easily hear the parents coming and going without having to look. I got worried this would attract snakes so at dusk I packed more grass and stones around to try and muffle and insulate them as best I could. Later I added a branch to help shade them from the sun.

Today it is six days since I moved them, and this morning, to my absolute delight, I saw two fledglings practicing their flight and trying to eat clothes pegs off the line (eating insects hiding in them possibly). I wondered if this meant the other two chicks hadn't survived but listening closely I could hear calls, the bigger more active chicks were still hanging around the nest and getting fed when the parents came back but then I noticed the parents going behind the nest. Two chicks were nestled in a temporary looking grass bed above the nest and the parents have spent all day bringing them food.

The first two fledglings seems to have been gone a while now. I have watched the second two being fed up and then leaving, one by one but interestingly, I can still hear a chick in the nest and the parents are now feeding it! I wonder were there five in the nest all along and it was under the dirt and all the others? Unless one found the big wide world far too scary and went back in for a while....I suppose there must have been five!

Update:

This morning the last chick called loudly for what seemed hours and I was worried that its parents had forgotten it, but eventually a parent came a few times and fed it, then a flock of pardalotes, some immature, arrived and they next thing the last chick was gone. I can only assume the whole family had come back to lure the straggler out into the real world. We had a heavy storm last night so it was great to think that it seems like the whole family survived it and are out there today feasting on all the post-rain insects.

Ninderry - 4th Week of October

Red-browed Firetails
Brown Honeyeater
Bar-shouldered Dove
Eastern Yellow Robin
Striated Pardalote
Lewin's Honeyeater
Noisy Friarbird
White-headed Pidgeon
Willy Wagtail
Eastern Yellow Robin
Eastern Whipbird
Brush Turkey
Grey Shrike-Thrush
Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike
Sacred Kingfisher
Brown Pidgeon
White-cheeked Honeyeater
Peacock
Little Shrike-Thrush
Dusky Honeyeater
Sulphur-crested White Cockatoo
Emerald Dove
Red-backed Fairy-wren
Fan-tailed Cuckoo
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Laughing Kookaburra
Spangled Drongo
Yellow Thornbill

Ninderry - 3rd week of October

Emerald Dove
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Eastern Whipbird
Striated Pardalote
White-cheeked Honeyeater
Eastern Yellow Robin
Dusky Honeyeater
Spangled Drongo
Brown Honeyeater
Lewin's Honeyeater
Bar Shouldered Dove
Pheasant Coucal
Laughing Kookaburra
Red-backed Fairy-wren
Brown Pidgeon
Forest Kingfisher
Brush Turkey
Peacock
Willy Wagtail
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Pheasant Coucal
Scarlet Honeyeater
White-browed Scrubwren
Kurrawong
Raindow Lorikeets
Noisy Friarbird
Little Bronze Cuckoo?(Very small cuckoo with a striped breast)

Ninderry - 2nd week of October

Forest Kingfisher
Dusky Honeyeater
Brown Honeyeater
Noisy Friarbird
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Red-browed Firetail
Striated pardalote
Lewin's Honeyeater
Eastern Whipbird
Eastern Yellow Robin
Brush Turkey
Peacock
Pacific Baza (pair)
Kurrawong
Willy Wagtail
Scarlet Honeyeater
Laughing Kookaburra
Bar-shouldered Dove
Spangled Drongo
Cicadabird
Pheasant Coucal
Little Wattlebird

Ninderry 1st week of October

Brown Pidgeon
Red-Backed Fairy-wren
Striated Pardalote
Lewin's Honeyeater
Bar-shouldered Dove
Kurrawong
Eastern Yellow Robin
Brown Honeyeater
Laughing Kookaburra
Eastern Whipbird
Pheasant Coucal
Spangled Drongo
Peacock
Brush Turkey
Dollar Bird
Figbird
Noisy Friarbird
Brown Treecreeper
Rainbow Lorikeet
Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike
Little Wattlebird

Ninderry - Last week of September

Figbird
Eastern Yellow Robin
Scarlet Honeyeater
Dusky Honeyeater
Black-faced Monarch
Varied Triller
Raindow Lorikeet
Noisy Friarbird
Bar-shouldered Dove
Striated Pardalote
Brush Turkey
Peacock
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

Ninderry - 4th week of September

Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo
Laughing Kookaburra
Eastern Whipbird
Eastern Yellow Robin
Little Shrike-thrush
Striated Pardalote
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Brown Cuckoo-dove
Rainbow Lorikeet
Red-browed Firetails
Brown Honeyeater
Noisy Friarbird
Scarlet Honeyeater
Black Faced Monarch
Lewin's Honeyeater
Red-backed Fairy Wren
Peacock
Brush Turkey
Pacific Baza
Dusky Honeyeater
Pheasant Coucal

Ninderry - 3rd week of September

Eastern Yellow Robin
Eastern Whip-bird
Bar-shouldered Dove
Little Woodswallow?
White-browed Scrubwren
Striated Pardalote
Lewin's Honeyeater
Mistletoebird
Scarlet Honeyeater?
Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoo
Laughing Kookaburra
Red-backed Fairy-wren
Dusky Honeyeater
Brown Honeyeater
Noisy Friarbird
Brush Turkey
Brown Cuckoo-Dove
Emerald Dove
Catbird
Red-browed Firetail
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

Ninderry - 2nd Week of September

Black Faced Monarch
Dusky Honeyeater
Lewin's Honeyeater
Eastern Whip-bird
Brush Turkey
Peacock
Mistletoe Bird
Laughing Kookaburra
Striated Pardalote
Eastern Yellow Robin
Varied Triller?
Spangled Drongo
Brown Honeyeater
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Red-browed Firetail
Bar-shouldered Dove
Brown Cuckoo-dove
Silvereye
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Emerald Dove
Pheasant Coucal
Little Wattlebird
Black-shouldered Kite

Ninderry - 1st week of September

Striated Pardalote (2 families nesting in bank 5 metres from back door)
Bar-shouldered Dove
Eastern Whip Bird
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Eastern Yellow Robin
Brush Turkey
Peacock (1 lonely male, stunningly beautiful and rather noisy!)
Red browed firetails
Laughing Kookaburra
Lewin's Honeyeater

North bank of Maroochy River Mouth - 13/03/2009

White-browed Scrub Wren
Silvereye
Brown Honeyeater
Little Wattlebird
White Cheeked Honeyeater
Noisy Friarbird

Mount Coolum - North Slope 8/03/2009

Spotted Pardalote
Noisy Friarbird
Torresian Crow
Rainbow Lorikeet
Pied Currawong
Lewin's Honeyeater
Striated Pardalote
Laughing Kookaburra
Australian Brush-turkey

Weyba Lake & Creek & Eenie Creek - Canoing 07/03/2009

Noisy Miner
Little Wattle Bird
Azure Kingfisher
Brahamy Kite
Whistling Kite
White Faced Heron
Jabaru
Sea Eagle
Torresian Crow
Pied Bitcherbird
Currawong
Rainbow Lorikeet
Rainbow Bee-Eater
Noisy Friarbird
White Cockatoo

Mount Coolum - North Slope 7/03/2009

Laughing Kookaburra
Rainbow Lorikeet
Noisy Minor
Noisy Friarbird
Blue-faced Honeyeater
Pied Currawong
Spotted Pardalote
Striated Pardalote
Torresian Crow
Lewin's Honeyeater
Little Shrike-thrush
Cicadabird
Australian Brush-turkey

Point Arkwright Foreshore - Dusk walk 06/03/2008

Osprey
Red-Backed Fairy-Wren
Brown Honeyeater
White Cheeked Honeyeater
Lewin's Honeyeater
Eastern Whip-bird

Seen but unidentified:
Thornbill - They move too fast
Robin like bird - Think it was the Spectacled or black-faced Monarch. The light was fading so we didn't get a good enough view.

Mount Coolum Beach Foreshore 6/03/2009

Australian Mudlark
Torresian Crow
Pied Currawong
Lewin's Honeyeater
White-cheeked Honeyeater
Bar-shouldered Dove
Blue-faced honeyeater

Mount Coolum - North Slope 6/03/2009

Rainbow Lorikeet
Noisy Friarbird
Pied Currawong
Striated Pardalote
Spotted Pardalote
Lewin's Honeyeater
Golden Whistler (f)
Little Wattlebird
Blue Faced Honeyeater
Fig Bird
Noisy Miner
Australian Mudlark
Torresian Crow
Little Shrike-thrush
Leaden flycatcher
Eastern Yellow Robin

Mount Coolum - North Slope 05/03/2009

Rainbow Lorikeets
Torresian Crow
Pied Butcherbird
Grey Butcherbird
Spotted Pardalote
Noisy Friarbird
Lewin's Honeyeater
Little Wattlebird
Rainbow Bee-eater
Little Shrike-thrush
Laughing Kookaburra
Pied Currawong
Scrub Turkey

Also saw this chap hanging about

Point Arkwright - Quick walk at dusk - 05/03/2009

Pied Currawong
Red Backed Fairy Wren
Little Shrike-thrush
Lewin's Honeyeater
*White-Cheeked Honeyeater
*Brown Honeyeater

*Not sighted just heard

Mount Coolum - North Slope 04/03/2009

Laughing Kookaburra
Torresian Crow
? Honeyeater (Yellow underside - Yellow Tufted? - Never seen before)
Rainbow Lorikeets
Noisy Friarbird
Little Wattlebird
Australian Brush-turkey
Lewin's Honeyeater
Leaden Fycatcher

Mount Coolum - North Slope 03/03/2009

Rainbow Lorikeets(Many)
Spangled Drongo
Noisy Friarbird(Pair)
Little Wattlebird
Lewin's Honeyeater (Pair)
Scrub Turkey (Australian Brush-turkey)
Leaden Flycatcher
Mistletoebird (numerous)
Grey Shrike-thrush
Spotted Pardalote
Brahamy Kite(Seen circling but earlier I caught a glimpse of something the same size and colour leaving our garden fence!)

Mount Coolum - North Slope 02/03/2009

Sighted/Identified:
Lewin's Honeyeater
Noisy Friarbird
Leaden Flycatcher
Grey Shrike-Thrush (Three)
Brahamy Kite
Spotted Turtle Doves (pair)
Scrub Turkey

Sighted/Unidentified:
Scarlet Honeyeater
Female Rufous Whistler

Unsighted/Heard but unidentified Because I am not good at bird calls
Brown Honeyeater
Blue Faced Honeyeater
Torresian Crow
Butcherbird
Magpie
PeeWee

Bunya Mountains 28/02/2009 - Mum's 80th

Satin Bowerbird Seen harvesting insects from the radiators of parked cars in picnic area.
Pied Currawong
Crimson Rosella
King Parrot
Wonga Pidgeon Not sighted by me but heard calling incessently
Torresian Crow
Superb Fairy Wren
Lewin's Honeyeater
White Browed Scrubwren
Eastern Whipbird Adult & Juvenile together in rainforest undergrowth
Yellow Thornbill OR Buff Rumped Thornbill Not sure which appeared to be the yellow but are they seen at the Bunya's?
Eastern Yellow Robin
Red Browed Firetail
Weebill
Brown Pidgeon