Sunday 5 April 2009

5th April Report


The driest week so far this year with no rain, cool nights down to 15ÂșC and warm days, even the grass is starting to turn brown! Pretty average week with bird species – 62 seen and 7 heard. Mammals and Reptiles were 14 seen including both Striped and Green Ringtail Possum and Feathertail Glider; also a Dingo was seen along Bushy Creek.

The highlight for the week was two White-throated Treecreepers appearing in the orchard area and around the office area for the first time in at least 15 years. They are up on the range behind us including Mt. Lewis where we regularly see them above about 700m, we are at 450m but they have been recorded down to 300m. As I write this they are still around calling, hope they stay awhile. No sign of Black-faced Monarch this week so they may have migrated back north. Our neighbour Ron saw several Dollarbird in Geraghty Park next door which is quite late in the season, maybe they were southern birds heading north. Rufous Fantails are around in small numbers, the main migratory birds don't seem to have arrived yet.

Rufous Fantail

The immature male Victoria’s Riflebird is still around and seen on several occasions. Two Masked Owl are still hanging around last years nest site so we will be keeping an eye on it to see if there is any action. There has been two Azure Kingfisher flying up and down Bushy Creek throughout the week and one regularly foraging in the Crake pool, quite a spectacular Kingfisher.

Azure Kingfisher

Further afield a Satin Flycatcher was reported at Rifle Creek near Mount Molloy, unusual for this time of year in the area. A Common Starling was reported in Cairns, the odd one turns up from time to time, good job it was only one. I saw one several years ago up on the western side of Cape York Peninsula at Pompuraaw during a bird survey, not sure if they make their own way up here but I suspected they are assisted by truck or ship. A trip to Cassowary House in Kuranda during the week to see Sue and Phil was rewarded by the appearance of a very hansom male Southern Cassowary – a regular over many years.

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