Jon Turner
Well-known member
After the WTN in the UK last year, it's a species on my agenda Chow, so it'll be eyes on the skies when I get there.
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My Cairns city block list. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter chowchilla
- Start date
chowchilla
Well-known member
They come and go. If the weather stays unsettled watch incoming storm fronts as they often ride them.
chowchilla
Well-known member
More very wet weather and 18 hour days/nights at work have not been very conducive to birding... The grassy areas around the Lakes have so much standing water that much of it is actually inaccessible grassy swamp!
Nonetheless, as I took a taxi to work a couple of days back I could, through the driving rain clearly see an Australian White Pelican on the Freshwater Lake. Just about the only water bird there right now!
76 species.
I'm hoping things will pick up with the list after the place dries out a bit.
Nonetheless, as I took a taxi to work a couple of days back I could, through the driving rain clearly see an Australian White Pelican on the Freshwater Lake. Just about the only water bird there right now!
76 species.
I'm hoping things will pick up with the list after the place dries out a bit.
chowchilla
Well-known member
Just chatting to BF member DomF on FB and we commented on how few Red-necked Crakes there seem to be around at the moment. Reminded me instantly that I'd heard one last night during the heavy rain!
77 species.:t:
77 species.:t:
Vectis Birder
Itchy feet
Reading this brings back memories, was it really five years ago...?
chowchilla
Well-known member
G'day Fay long time no see! Yeah it's been a long time; we birded what is now my city block of residence when you came to Cairns. Got an apartment cheap on the edge of the forest and now live on the doorstep of this great spot.:t:
Vectis Birder
Itchy feet
That was my favourite part of that mixed-bag Aussie trip. I'll be back in Australia in just over three weeks time, but only in and around the Sydney area plus a trip out to the Warrumbungles. It's a short trip this time, just three weeks.
chowchilla
Well-known member
Cool, I've always wanted to go to the 'Bungles. Will probably we making my first trip to Tassie this year for the endemics and maybe somewhere abroad.
Hope you post a trip list of what you see!:t:
Hope you post a trip list of what you see!:t:
chowchilla
Well-known member
Vectis Birder
Itchy feet
I will. :t:
chowchilla
Well-known member
18 hour days at work are leaving me feeling pretty run down and a bit 'fluey'... OK it's probably man-flu but I think I may just pull through.
Despite this had a Glossy Ibis standing by one of the many large pools of water near the Saltwater Lake whilst cycling to work.
78 species.
Despite this had a Glossy Ibis standing by one of the many large pools of water near the Saltwater Lake whilst cycling to work.
78 species.
chowchilla
Well-known member
A visit to the dentist today gave me the opportunity to stop off at the Lakes on the way back whilst the rain held off. I decided to check Saltwater Creek as the tide was out and immediately had two Whimbrels a Radjah Shelduck, Striated Heron and best of all a Black-fronted Dotterel. I don't know why these don't turn up here more often as the habitat is ideal.
Another bird finally gave up the ghost today as well as two Straw-necked Ibises were feeding with the Aussie White Ibises. No sign of the Glossy however.
The BW Kooks are still very vocal at the mo' and the Aussie White Pelican is still on Freshwater Lake.
79) Black-fronted Dotterel
80) Straw-necked Ibis.
Another bird finally gave up the ghost today as well as two Straw-necked Ibises were feeding with the Aussie White Ibises. No sign of the Glossy however.
The BW Kooks are still very vocal at the mo' and the Aussie White Pelican is still on Freshwater Lake.
79) Black-fronted Dotterel
80) Straw-necked Ibis.
chowchilla
Well-known member
Went around the Lakes with the local bird group early this AM before work and rather productive it was too!
First up was a rather furtive Black Bittern hunkering down in a large spreading palm doing its best not to be noticed. This was quickly followed by a fly-over Sacred Kinfisher and a male Australian Koel sitting quiety in a lake side tree.
Birding briefly took a back seat at this point as we came across two snakes, a Water Python and an Amethystine Python having a big tussle by the side of the footpath. The Water Python clearly had the upper hand and was intending to make the Amethystine into breakfast. Quite a spectacle...
As well as various other avian highlights, a fourth new bird of the year list eventually showed itself in the mangroves by Saltwater Creek as an aptly named Little Kingfisher finally gave up the ghost. Great to see this diminutive local speciality back at the Lakes.
The benefit of having extra eyes is four more birds for the year list:
81) Black Bittern.
82) Sacred Kingfisher.
83) Australian Koel.
84) Little Kingfisher.
First up was a rather furtive Black Bittern hunkering down in a large spreading palm doing its best not to be noticed. This was quickly followed by a fly-over Sacred Kinfisher and a male Australian Koel sitting quiety in a lake side tree.
Birding briefly took a back seat at this point as we came across two snakes, a Water Python and an Amethystine Python having a big tussle by the side of the footpath. The Water Python clearly had the upper hand and was intending to make the Amethystine into breakfast. Quite a spectacle...
As well as various other avian highlights, a fourth new bird of the year list eventually showed itself in the mangroves by Saltwater Creek as an aptly named Little Kingfisher finally gave up the ghost. Great to see this diminutive local speciality back at the Lakes.
The benefit of having extra eyes is four more birds for the year list:
81) Black Bittern.
82) Sacred Kingfisher.
83) Australian Koel.
84) Little Kingfisher.
chowchilla
Well-known member
Got a lift home this morning from night shift in the pouring rain. On the way up my street, a Grey Goshawk flew across in front of us. I was sort of on the block; hadn't accounted for being in a car for sightings as I'm usually walking or out on my bike, but I'll count it seeing as it was in my street.
85) Grey Goshawk.
85) Grey Goshawk.
chowchilla
Well-known member
Went birding on the Tablelands yesterday with BF member Jon Turner and had an excellent day, for which I shall refer all and sundry to here and post #213 onwards.
Whilst waiting to be picked up, I could hear a Dollarbird calling out the back. There seems to be a few around at the mo'.
86 species.
Whilst waiting to be picked up, I could hear a Dollarbird calling out the back. There seems to be a few around at the mo'.
86 species.
chowchilla
Well-known member
I haven't been able to get out onto the block lately but there's a Black-faced Monarch calling outside my study as I type this which saves me a trip! There seems to be a small passage of them moving through at the mo'.
87 species.
87 species.
chowchilla
Well-known member
Almost completely forgot to post this; been pretty spun out after 18 hour shifts:
Had a Leaden Flycatcher calling as I cycled home early yesterday from a late/night shift.
88 species.
Had a Leaden Flycatcher calling as I cycled home early yesterday from a late/night shift.
88 species.
chowchilla
Well-known member
Wow what a morning!
Up bright and breezy this AM and I cycled around to the Lakes via the back route. As I got to the edge of the swamp forest I stopped dead as two things happened at once. Firstly I heard what I was pretty sure were Crimson Finches but a split second later I heard another familiar call of a bird I've never recorded on my block before, the unmistakable repetitive three note call of a Macleay's Honeyeater! Common enough on the Tablelands, I've only ever recorded one before in Cairns, at Lake Placid several years ago.
I couldn't see it however, but what I could see were the Crimson Finches which had now emerged from cover before flying across the path into a low tree in someone's front garden. There were two males in the flock. Very nice! To be discreet and avoid looking straight at someone's front window, I moved on. Quite a start and in almost precisely the same place I once saw them all the way from my study.
It was heavily overcast and threatening rain but I continued on anyway. There was very little on the Lakes themselves and up at Saltwater Creek it was readily apparent that there was an exceptionally high tide with the creek spilling out onto the track along its Southern Edge. I cycled at speed around the margins to avoid getting bogged and emerged on a grassy rise that enabled me to view the other branch of the creek. No chance of Great-billed Heron under these conditions!
The track was sufficiently high to avoid inundation as I cycled down alongside the other arm of the creek towards Greenslopes. I stopped to check the large Paperbarks on the right as these can turn up good stuff from time to time. I quickly got on to what I thought initially was a male Leaden Flycatcher but something wasn't right. Far too dark and shiny... a male Satin Flycatcher! I've suspected I've heard Satins at the Lakes before and I'm sure this species gets overlooked in Cairns as I even have it on my work list, but finally I can say I have it on my City Block List too.
As I got back home, the heavens opened. A very satisfying and productive morning indeed!
89) Macleay's Honeyeater.
90) Crimson Finch.
91) Satin Flycatcher.
Up bright and breezy this AM and I cycled around to the Lakes via the back route. As I got to the edge of the swamp forest I stopped dead as two things happened at once. Firstly I heard what I was pretty sure were Crimson Finches but a split second later I heard another familiar call of a bird I've never recorded on my block before, the unmistakable repetitive three note call of a Macleay's Honeyeater! Common enough on the Tablelands, I've only ever recorded one before in Cairns, at Lake Placid several years ago.
I couldn't see it however, but what I could see were the Crimson Finches which had now emerged from cover before flying across the path into a low tree in someone's front garden. There were two males in the flock. Very nice! To be discreet and avoid looking straight at someone's front window, I moved on. Quite a start and in almost precisely the same place I once saw them all the way from my study.
It was heavily overcast and threatening rain but I continued on anyway. There was very little on the Lakes themselves and up at Saltwater Creek it was readily apparent that there was an exceptionally high tide with the creek spilling out onto the track along its Southern Edge. I cycled at speed around the margins to avoid getting bogged and emerged on a grassy rise that enabled me to view the other branch of the creek. No chance of Great-billed Heron under these conditions!
The track was sufficiently high to avoid inundation as I cycled down alongside the other arm of the creek towards Greenslopes. I stopped to check the large Paperbarks on the right as these can turn up good stuff from time to time. I quickly got on to what I thought initially was a male Leaden Flycatcher but something wasn't right. Far too dark and shiny... a male Satin Flycatcher! I've suspected I've heard Satins at the Lakes before and I'm sure this species gets overlooked in Cairns as I even have it on my work list, but finally I can say I have it on my City Block List too.
As I got back home, the heavens opened. A very satisfying and productive morning indeed!
89) Macleay's Honeyeater.
90) Crimson Finch.
91) Satin Flycatcher.
chowchilla
Well-known member
After several abortive attempts, I have finally added night bird for this year which has been eluding me for a fair while as I finally heard Rufous Owl somewhere in the paperbarks just to the north of the Freshwater Lake whilst deliberately spotlighting for them. There had been recent reports of their activity, but for some reason I kept failing to connect. It was however only a matter of time...
So ends a terrific day on the patch!
92) Rufous Owl.
So ends a terrific day on the patch!
92) Rufous Owl.
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