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

BEACH BIRDS

When visiting my Mum recently we went for a cuppa at one of our local beaches.

We watched this heron stalking through some still water, unperturbed by the passing beach-goers.

White-faced Heron

Then an ibis came wandering by hoping for a scrap of  food.

They have become quite fearless around people and are considered a pest in 

some areas of the Sunshine Coast.

Australian White Ibis

Meanwhile a lone mickey-bird was checking out the action from the shadows of a she-oak nearby. 

Noisy Miner

Back at home we had a visitor to our shed out back, that made itself 

at home on the fishing rods that we wanted to use. We were able to 

move him along with a bit of gentle persuasion. 

Carpet Python

Across the road from home these egrets were feeding in the morning sun.

They drop in most days when the cattle are active and their numbers seem to be 

increasing in the local area.   

Cattle Egrets

I had to take a shot of this lovely flower in the garden even though I have

no idea what it is. Any suggestions would be welcome!

And earlier from the back verandah, I snapped a photo of the sun rising over the coast,

with Mt Coolum on the left.

Sunrise on the Sunshine Coast.