14th September Report

Despite a wet week 82 species were seen around the lodge grounds for the previous week. A pair of Magpie Goose flew over honking and probably heading for McDougall Road swamp. The two resident Papuan Frogmouth disappeared for a couple of days during the heaviest of the rain and probably found some shelter further into the rainforest. A pair of Pacific Baza have been plucking frogs off the tops of trees and were also seen mating, lets hope they nest around the lodge. Channel-billed Cuckoos returned from the north with 4 flying over heading south on the 10^th September and one calling on the following two mornings heading towards the coast. A Sooty Owl called from high in a rainforest tree and was seen for the second time this year; they have been very difficult to see. The male Fernwren that turned up at the beginning of May is still here and showing in the evening at the crake pool for a wash and was also heard calling and seen foraging in the rainforest near the entrance to the lodge.

Lewin's Honeyeaters appear to have left the area during the week as we have not seen them for several days. They had been regular visitors to the feeders. A pair of White-throated Honeyeater was feeding young in a nest over at Geraghty Park next to the lodge. The number of Blue-faced Parrot-Finch seen locally this week has dropped to a few, are they on the move? Metallic Starling are busy setting up two colonies nearby and busy building nests.

We had a couple of nights spotlighting and how different they were. The first night we only saw a Masked Owl and a Spectacled Flying-Fox. The second night was much better with Masked Owl, Papuan Frogmouth, Feathertail Glider, Spectacled Flying-Fox, Striped and Green Ringtail Possum, Long-nosed and Northern Brown Bandicoot, House Mouse, Cane Field and Bush Rat, an Agile Wallaby in the orchard area and lots of Cogger's Barred Frogs calling and mating around the crake pool.

Cogger's-barred Frog

Just shows how unpredictable spotlighting can be.