A WEEKEND BREAK

Had a chance to spend a couple of nights away to try out our newly acquired caravan. We stayed at a little van park along the Tin Can Bay road about 25km from Gympie, in S.E.Queensland.

Our site at Standown Park, Goomboorian.

One of the locals gave us a good looking over not long after we pulled up. 

Galah.

There was a small dam on the property with a pair of ducks loafing around and not too concerned about my presence.

Australian Wood Ducks

I have seen this species nesting high up in tree hollows and although having never witnessed it, marvel at the way the chicks survive their "parachuting" jump to the ground below.

Female

Male

They obviously weren't scared off by this other resident of the dam.

Crocodylus Plasticus

I went for a drive through the pine plantations of Toolara State Forest nearby and by following a mud map supplied by the van park manager, found my way to some lovely lakes hidden away in an area of beautiful natural bushland.

Scribbly Gum

On our way home we stopped for a cuppa at Lake Alford Park in Gympie where we watched some of the activity on and beside the water.

Pacific Black Duck and Dusky Moorhens.

Black Swan and cygnets.

The swans were unafraid of our presence, obviously habituated to the park visitors and virtually came right to our feet, maybe expecting a handout? The cygnets were quite clumsy on solid ground and preferred to flop down on their bellies to graze on the grass.

A MORNING AT EWAN MADDOCK

Back in June I joined my local birding-watching group for their monthly outing, this time to Ewen Maddock dam at Landsborough. It was a crisp start but warmed up by mid morning, a lovely day.

At bird call after the walk we had totted up over 60 species, in a couple of hours.

Having lived nearby for quite a few years this is one of my favourite places and with a bird list of over 160 species it's great place to visit and one that comes up with the occasional rarity, such as Oriental Cuckoo, Baillon's Crake, Musk Duck and Australasian Shoveler.  

Sunshine Coast Bird Observers Group

I only managed to get a few average shots of some of the more co-operative birds such as this pair loafing on one of the ponds near the causeway.

Pacific Black Ducks

The moorhen was one of a small group pottering around on the Salvinia weed that infests some parts of the lake.

Dusky Moorhen

 A pair of Forest Kingfishers were busy hunting around the edges of the water and one sat still long enough for a picture, albeit at the furthest reach of my cameras focal range.

Forest Kingfisher

This bigger hunter was also watching for prey over the water, acting like a real kingfisher!

Laughing Kookaburra

I was also able recently to visit Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary and did the shorter wheelchair access walk. There were at least three male Golden Whistlers trying to outdo each other with their vocal prowess.

Golden Whistler

 And Scarlet Honeyeaters abounded, chasing each other through the tangled undergrowth.

Scarlet Honeyeater

Meanwhile back at home I have been hearing the call of a Noisy Pitta frequently over the last few weeks.

This is the first time in my three years here in Kureelpa I have heard this bird and getting to see it has proved impossible so far. It only calls a couple of times on dawn or dusk and it only responded once to my use of playback. I am assuming it may be roosting overnight in our backyard and heading to more suitable habitat to feed during the day. Seeing as I'll probably never get a photo of this elusive dweller of the rainforest I have posted a picture from Ian Montgomery's fantastic site http://www.birdway.com.au

Noisy Pitta