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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MKinHK" data-source="post: 3418134" data-attributes="member: 21760">After this terrific morning we next headed inland, passing by a series of lakes in the dry rolling hills to the south of Brisbane. The first one held more duck including eight or ten Australian Shovelers and best of all two Pink-eared Ducks which were initially huddled against the side of the dam below us but then swam out across the lake into full view. Finely patterned with chocolate and caramel stripes and with a distinctive dark mask through the eye behind a spatulate grey bill they were one of the odder, but nonetheless beautiful ducks I’ve seen, and in a field with tough competition they were probably my top birds of the day. Other birds on the lake included a couple of White-faced Herons and my first Pied Heron far over on the other arm of the lake and a small group of Grey Kangaroos.The next lake was a smaller lily-covered pond on which we found several wonderful Plumed Whistling Ducks with beautifully elongated coffee-coloured wing coverts. There were also more Comb-crested Jacanas, and in the trees behind a mixed flock of Long-billed and Little Corellas. Just a few yards up the road a picnic spot set amongst large trees hosted good-sized gathering of Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets amongst which we picked out a couple of the much smaller Little Lorikeet as they zipped back and forth. A Black-winged Kite on a distant snag preceded stop in more open country where we found another of the stars of the day, a male Restless Flycatcher that absolutely excelled at slow flap flight just above the tree-tops and tussocks where it perched, along with a mixed flock of small birds that were mostly comprised of Yellow-rumped Gerygone and the striking Double Barred Finch. Just over the hill the last lake we visited was hosting a juvenile Black-necked Stork, making a fitting finale in the hills before driving down to the Gold Coast.We made just one stop at Coombabah Lake in a final attempt to find Red-necked Avocet.  That one will have to wait for another day, but the walk back from the viewpoint allowed me to grab a couple of swift shots of a young Grey Kangaroo. On the way into Surfer’s Paradise Barry pointed out an offshore island that held Beach Stone Curlew and gave me directions for where to find Bush Thick–knee the next day before dropping me in perfect time for the event that kicked off the conference.  All told we saw a terrific total of 116 species in a thoroughly enjoyable day, and I would whole-heartedly recommend Barry to anyone looking for a guide around Brisbane.CheersMike</blockquote>

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