My Cairns city block list. (2 Viewers)

[chowchilla]

Some distinctly frisky weather yesterday with Cyclone Ita passing through. No exciting seabirds alas. Damn near got killed (nearly got hit by a car) when I headed out and my umbrella momentarily wrapped itself around my head in the high winds as I walked along the edge of the road. Driver only just saw me in time!

Retreated to the car port and saw hundreds of hirundines braving the torrential rain and high winds along with a Dusky Woodswallow that the cyclone, which had headed inland before tracking back over the tablelands towards us, had presumably blown in from the interior. Still need Tree Martin but in the awful conditions I certainly couldn't call any definites.

93) Dusky Woodswallow.

 

[chowchilla]

My punishing shift schedule is leaving me spun out and unable to think straight long enough to post, but two more to add...:

First up was an Australian Hobby circling over Greenslopes as I cycled to work (can't even remember which day!) and a Yellow-spotted Honeyeater (finally!!) calling right outside my window this morning as I got in after a night shift.

Seems that when I make specific visits to the Lakes I often struggle to add new stuff, but I keep seeing good birds coming to and from work on my bike!

95 species.

 

[chowchilla]

Had a small flock of Eastern Cattle Egret heading south from the south east corner of Greenslopes yesterday morning shortly after dawn. A very common bird in the cane fields and paddocks around Cairns but surprisingly scarce over the city.

96 species.

 

[chowchilla]

Sitting here staring into space I suddenly realised that I could hear, clear as day a Striated Pardalote calling outside. It's now stopped (they can go on for hours!) so I'll resume my reverie.

97 species.

 

[chowchilla]

More mad long shifts and I feel at times like I'm peering at the world through the wrong end of a scope. I wouldn't even be bothering with 18 hour shifts if I hadn't stuffed up financially big time last year...

However, an Australian Goshawk finally put in an appearance on my block today (flying over my street); I saw one last week on the way to the shops ( the same one perhaps?) but couldn't count it as I was just off the block itself. I've been keeping an eye out however...

There's a lot of activity from Grey Goshawks on my block at the moment; won't say why for now...

Rather more incongruent, considering I saw no seabirds over my place during Cyclone Ita, was a Little Tern over the Saltwater Lake! I reasonably expect to get a few terns this year over my block, but this species wasn't even on my radar...B

99 species.

 

[Dom F]

Very nice re Grey Goshawk - only had one fly by this year. Had Dusky Moorhen and Aus Kestrel over the Lakes yesterday

 

[chowchilla]

Very nice re Grey Goshawk - only had one fly by this year. Had Dusky Moorhen and Aus Kestrel over the Lakes yesterday

Damn I need both of those! I must be missing heaps...

 

[Dom F]

Not as bad as my latest dip - my neighbour had Red necked Crake in his garden a mere 10m away from.where I was sitting....still not seen one in Yorkeys / Cattana

 

[chowchilla]

THanks to your tip I added Dusky Moorhen early this morning, on the Freshwater Lake; no sign of any Kestrels though...

But the birds did keep coming: at the bridge I finally added Tree Martin as several hirundines were buzzing around there. Time was not that long ago I would've had the three main hirundines at the bridge every time I went there. Long overdue...

Best of all however was a dark blue flash flying up Saltwater Creek towards said bridge about a minute before I saw the Martin. It had to be an Azure Kingfisher, an occasional visitor here. I've seen several at the Lakes, but they seem to be spaced widely apart. Alas it didn't stop so I couldn't watch it at any length.

Also had good views of Little Kingfisher in the mangroves further towards the footbridge.

102 species.

 

[chowchilla]

Been sick as a parrot with the long shifts finally catching up with me but nonetheless I still had a Silver Gull over the Lakes resort, on Sunday I think... Honestly, you wait all year for a seabird and two come along at once.

103 species.

 

[chowchilla]

A bit of an update: had a White-faced Heron whilst on my bike cycling along Greenslopes. It was to the south of the brdge over Saltwater Creek so off my block, so I had to cross the road and view it from the 'right' side of the road for it to count!

Better still, had a Superb Fruit Dove actually visible from my study. Really nice to get this; it was very high up in a tall tree and about 100 metres off. I wouldn't have noticed it had I not spotted an Australian Hobby sitting on the very top of a topless palm tree, i.e. no fronds, directly in front as it were. Very nice!

The rainy season is back in full force. Ridiculously wet for this time of year. Not nice...

105 species.

 

[chowchilla]

Woah, Pheasant Coucal calling from my study as I speak! And the sun's just come out! That's a totally new one for me in my part of town.B

106 species.

 

[chowchilla]

Had a Noisy Pitta calling from the boardwalk at first light this AM; the first this winter. None in the gully behind the apartment as yet. Also had a pair (a pair mind!) of Torresian Crows going over a few days back and a Black Kite from my study the same day.

109 species.

 

[Jon Turner]

Had a Noisy Pitta calling from the boardwalk at first light this AM; the first this winter. None in the gully behind the apartment as yet. Also had a pair (a pair mind!) of Torresian Crows going over a few days back and a Black Kite from my study the same day.

109 species.

Glad to see you're still adding to the list Chow! I'm now over 600 with the latest addition Ross's Gull.

 

[chowchilla]

Glad to see you're still adding to the list Chow! I'm now over 600 with the latest addition Ross's Gull.

Thanks Jon. You're still doing nicely with your list I see!:t:

Life has a habit of getting in the way of recreational pursuits (and boy did it over the last couple of weeks); things getting back to normal now I'm glad to say.

All the more reason why I'm happy to report that the list is still going strong: a Grey Teal amongst the Pacific Black Ducks on the Freshwater Lakes stuck around for a few days last week. I added a Whistling Kite two days ago on an evening walk before nightshift, but best of all was only my second ever anywhere Black-breasted Buzzard Eagle over Greenslopes. Bloody amazing it even stayed aloft in the poor weather, the same day I had the Teal.:t:B

Due to doing night shifts I was up pre-dawn and heard the unmistakable 'chop chop' of a Large-tailed Nightjar from the direction of Mt Whitfield. It chop-chopped for all of five seconds before falling silent again. I've seen them a few times hereabouts but never actually heard one in Cairns before.

113 species.

Still no Papuan Frogmouth on my block...

 

[chowchilla]

In typical prophetic style, no sooner do I mention a bird then it pops up... calling outside two nights running end of last week, a Papuan Frogmouth 'oomed' away in the trees outside my apartment.

114 species.

 

[chowchilla]

A Scarlet Honeyeater singing in the tall paperbarks on the Cemetery side of Greenslopes got my attention yesterday cycling back from the Bank/Chemists. For the life of me I just couldn't see it however. No doubting the ID though.

Today had a Large-billed Gerygone singing from my study; a first for the 'garden' as it were and one I've never seen heard here away from the mangroves on my block. Also had Australian Goshawk, Grey Goshawk and Pacific Baza within an hour of each other yesterday: the first as I cycled to the Bank; the second as I stopped at the Lakes on the way back; and the last above the Botanical Gardens as I neared home.

115 species.

 

[chowchilla]

It's been pretty quiet of late. Our winter has finally arrived (as I can attest doing night shifts brrrr) and the weather has been mostly lovely and sunny. Not much bird activity however. I thought I'd post though as I've had a Red-necked Crake firtling around at the back most of this afternoon and was even able to watch it as it periodically popped out of the gully and mooched about in the vegetation. I was able to watch it from my balcony. I was first drawn to it by its call as it's been pretty vocal at times as well.

Always nice birds to see!:t:

 

[Nutcracker]

... (as I can attest doing night shifts brrrr) ....

Been having some bad frosts and deep snow?? 3

 

[chowchilla]

Been having some bad frosts and deep snow?? 3

It got down to 12C on a night shift this week. 12C! I had about nine layers on.