Friday, December 21, 2012

SUNSHINE COAST RAMBLES



The break in our travels during mid year found us back on the Sunshine Coast for a while, where I visited a few of my local haunts. There were some big seas and on shore winds prevailing, so I headed up the coast to try a spot of sea-bird watching. Apart from a few Australasian Gannets and a tern or two  there wasn't much about. 



Point Arkwright







Point Perry rockscape


The sewage treatment plant at Maroochydore had a few waterbirds present, some loafing on the grass banks and others busy feeding in the nutrient rich waters.   


Chestnut Teal & Pacific Black Ducks


Black-winged Stilt


Out at the Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary some of the local passerines were making the most of the winter sun.


Maroochy River & Mt.Coolum



Welcome Swallow


Willie Wagtail


Scarlet Honeyeaters


A visit to Parklands Forest Reserve yielded some close up views of some inquisitive members of the Malurus family and a shrike-thrush posing as a treecreeper.


Variegated Fairy-wren - male


Variegated Fairy-wren - female 







Little Shrike-Thrush


Along the north shore of the Maroochy River at Mudjimba, a far off shape on the sand banks turned into a Beach Stone-Curlew through the field scope. I had read a report of a sighting by Greg Roberts in a post he published on his excellent blogsite http://sunshinecoastbirds.blogspot.com.au/, which gave me the incentive to look for this enigmatic wader.


Maroochy River - north shore



Beach Stone-Curlew

A much better image below by Ian Montgomery at: http://www.birdway.com.au/






Cheers and Happy Birding




2 comments:

  1. Beautiful Landscape Images, displaying the coast's natural beauty. I love the scarlet honeyeater picture, they are such beautiful little birds.

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  2. Thanks Judi. The Sunshine Coast still has some lovely natural areas, especially the northern section and some great birding locations.

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