5th October 2014 Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge

This weeks blog features some of the other wildlife we have in the Lodge grounds in addition to the birds. It highlights the amazing diversity to be found in even a small area such as our 5ha's if you are prepared to look closer.

Weather Report

After almost having a dry month a few showers arrived on the 29^th giving us 9 mm of rain . Before this event we had more sun, temperatures slightly warmer than previous weeks, down to 15.5ºC and up to 28.0ºC, excellent birding weather. Humidity was 70%+.

Last Two Weeks Bird Sightings:-

These can be found on the Eremaea eBird site. 21st - 27th September and 28thSeptember - 4th October The first week had 108 species recorded and the second week 101.

Morning and Evening Guided Walks:-

Morning walks produced between 46 (photography morning) and 63 species, some of the highlights were:- Nankeen Night-Heron was seen foraging along Bushy Creek carrying a prey item. Grey Goshawk soaring above, Azure Kingfisher perched, Great Bowerbird at his bower, 

 

Great Bowerbird - at his bower

 

also Barred Cuckoo-shrike feasting on small figs, Bassian Thrush (uncommon) along Bushy Creek and a Platypus performing in Bushy Creek for great views on several occasions.

 

(The full morning walk species lists can be found on the Eremaea eBird site. Click on Explore Data then Hotspots and type in Kingfisher Park – you will then see the Lodge in the drop down menu. Click this on and a map will appear with two markers, click these and you can have access to all our records. It sounds long winded, but it is really easy. Alternatively you can click this link which will take you directly to Hotspots http://ebird.org/ebird/hotspots).

Evening walk highlights were Barn Owl, Fawn-footed Melomys eating banana from a bunch growing near the units, Red-legged Pademelon, Giant White-tailed Tree Rat, Striped Possum, Platypus, five different frog species, Northern Leaf-tail Gecko – one on the ground and another on the side of a tree and Boyd's Forest Dragon. Also this interesting Centipede which is 150mm (6”) long was seen on the edge of the rainforest. Centipedes are mainly nocturnal and are predatory feeding on a range of prey items such as worms, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, bats and birds. 

 

Centipede sp.

 
Other Birding Highlights:

Two Cotton Pygmy-goose have been intermittently showing along McDougall Road in one of the lagoons (within our 1.5km reporting area). An Osprey was a surprise flying over Mt. Kooyong Road one afternoon - not many records from adjacent to the Lodge. Pacific Baza have been around infrequently and were seen displaying over the Lodge one day when they locked feet and spiraled down to tree top level before breaking off. A Wedge-tailed Eagle was seen over the Lodge on at least two occasions, also around have been both Grey and Brown Goshawk, often pursued by Blue-faced Honeyeater. Red-necked Crake have been making more appearances at the Crake Pool with one or two birds arriving just before it gets dark around 6.15pm but not every night. This juvenile Emerald Dove has been coming to the reception area feeder for at least the last two months and has been chasing away the adult doves.

Emerald Dove - juvenile

Wompoo Fruit-dove are starting to come into fruiting Blue Quandong trees which are just getting ripe, up to three have been seen so far. Superb Fruit-dove was heard calling on the 29^th September in the Lodge grounds but not seen, first one heard for 4-5 months. At least one male and one female Australian Koel have been around the Lodge and our neighbours garden. Lesser Sooty Owl was around for a few nights, first heard calling on 25^th September, but not seen. A large Peregrine Falcon (as opposed to the smaller superficially similar looking Australian Hobby, which is fairly regular in our area) was seen twice when it flew over our neighbours garden early one morning before being seen over the Lodge grounds later the same morning. Not many records of Peregrine Falcon in our area. Our single Noisy Pitta is still around on it's own with no sign of our usual two adult pairs which normally return in September - November to breed. Plenty of honeyeaters around 12 seen and one heard. 

This shot is of a Graceful Honeyeater showing an unusually curved bill (they are normally slightly down-curved), slight diffuse yellow stripe on the belly and the blue/grey eye, some of the features to help separate it from Yellow-spotted Honeyeater which has straighter lower mandible and a brown eye. Very distinctive calls between graceful and yellow-spotted honeyeaters which visitors would be well advised to learn before they visit.

 

Graceful Honeyeater

An Eastern Whipbird was heard calling on the 26^th September from a patch of rainforest between the Lodge and the Rex Highway. This species rarely comes into our immediate area and in nine years we have only had one or two birds in the Lodge grounds. Black-faced Monarch were heard calling for the first time this season on the 29^th September.

Further Afield:-

A Spotless Crake was seen at Abattoir Swamp by Doug Herrington from Birdwatching Tropical Tours. Up to seven Australian Pratincole have been reported along West Maryfarm Road north of Mt. Molloy along with displaying Australian Bustard. Birds found nesting in and around Julatten include Graceful Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Fairy Gerygone, Pale-Yellow Robin, Metallic Starling and Mistletoebird. 

 

Graceful Honeyeater Nest

Mistletoebird Nest - female still building

Up to three Blue-faced Parrot-Finch have been found near Abattoir Swamp but they should start moving off and up into the mountains very soon. Mt. Lewis continues to show most of the 12 "Wet Tropic" endemics including Golden Bowerbird, but roadworks and some rain has made the road only suitable for four wheel drive vehicles at the moment. As this is being written (4th Oct.) there is still a grader working on the road with a water truck. Rufous Owl is still being reported from Cairns Esplanade.

Reptiles and Mammals:-

Yellow-footed Antichinus have been seen in various parts of the Lodge grounds during the day darting around on the ground. Agile Wallaby have joined the Red-legged Pademelon at night to browse in the orchard with at least three seen. Striped Possum is not visiting our South American Sapote tree any more as the flowers have nearly finished, but one was seen in a nearby tree which has just started to blossom, another was seen in a tree above the campground cookshed. The Platypus have been showing well both in the evening and early morning with up to two swimming up and down Bushy Creek at the viewing area. Up to six Northern Brown Bandicoot have been visiting the reception area feeder, good to see increased numbers over the last few weeks. Frogs got excited when we had a few millimeters of rain with up to six species seen – Jungguy Frog, White-lipped Green Tree Frog, Roth's (Laughing) Frog, Desert (Red) Tree Frog, Dainty Green Tree Frog and a large Cane Toad. Northern Leaf-tail Gecko have re-appeared as mention in the night walk report as have Major Skink who have been anticipating warmer weather. The Australian Scrub Python mentioned last blog left it's tree trunk home at the end of the second week and has not been relocated.

Thanks to Carol and Andrew Iles our roving bird guides for helping with the bird lists and area sightings. If you need any guiding in our local area contact us and we can put you in touch with them, contact through our secure bookings and enquiries web page.

Insects:-

A clicking sound was heard in the office one morning which was traced to a Click Beetle. It was relocated outside and continued clicking as it bounced into the air. This clicking and bouncing into the air is mainly used to avoid predation, but as this one was doing trying to right itself after in fell onto its back. The violent "click" that bounced the beetle into the air is caused by a spine which is snapped into a corresponding notch on the beetle. A further more explicit explanation of how this works can be found on the Wikipedia site. 

 

Click Beetle sp. - on its back

Click Beetle sp. - right side up

A Mango tree which is covered in flowers at the moment is attracting hoards of bees to the pollen. Not sure of the species of bee but have been told previously that we have Italian Honey Bees here. This species of bee was introduced into Brisbane in 1880.

Bee sp. (?)

Butterflies are not easy to photograph as they fold their wings when landing unlike moths which generally hold them open. We have a good variety of butterfly and moth in the Lodge grounds but many of them are confined to the canopy of the rainforest which also makes it difficult to photograph them let alone see them. However this Common Aeroplane (White-banded Plane) Phaedyma shepherdi was very co-operative. A full list of species recorded at the Lodge can be found on our website.

Common Aeroplane (White-banded Plane)

Arachnid:-

The Giant Silverback spider or Brush-footed trapdoor spider(Genus Idiommata, family Barychelidae) has featured in the blog before, at the beginning of 2014. It is only the second one we have found here, this one was smaller than the previous one, but still very impressive. They are not aggressive but can inflict a nasty bite so best to steer clear of them!

Giant Silverback spider

 

Giant Silverback spider

Plant:-

The Northern Pencil Orchid – Dockrillia calamiformis was formerly known as Dendrobium calamiforme and Dendrobium teretifolium var. fasciculatum is an epiphytic or lithophytic (A plant that grows on rock and derives its nourishment chiefly from the atmosphere), orchid which occurs in rainforest and humid open forest in Cape York and North eastern Queensland. In our area it is mainly seen hanging off the trunks or branches of trees, this one was on a Mango fruit tree. The flowers, which appear in August through to November, are fragrant and pollinated by small bees.

 

 

Northern Pencil Orchid

19th May 2013 Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge

Weather Report:-

Mixed weather over the past two weeks with a few wet rainy days, some drizzly cool days and some lovely sunny weather with temperatures ranging from 18ºC to 28ºC. Rainfall for the two weeks was 56mm.

Past Two Weeks Bird Sightings:-

Bird sightings for the first week were 95 seen and 6 heard, second week sightings were 98 seen and 7 heard. The last two weeks bird lists can be found on the Eremaea Birds Website:- May 5th – May 11th and May 12th - May 18th

Birding Highlights:-

Our last Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher left on the 8^th May setting a record for latest departure by one day. Always sad to see them go as they are such an iconic and beautiful bird to have around the Lodge. Two species, Varied Triller and Black-faced Monarch, have bred very late this year with a pair of trillers feeding a youngster near the nursing home and an adult monarch feeding a begging juvenile. Both these species are about 6-8 weeks beyond normal breeding season. Waterbird numbers have been increasing at the nearby Barramundi Farm with mainly Pacific Black Duck and Hardhead with up to five Royal Spoonbill, eight Australian White Ibis, several Intermediate Egret and one Eastern Great Egret. Little Black Cormorant turn up but are quickly chased off! Cattle Egret numbers are still increasing with an estimated 2000 along McDougall Road one evening as they came into roost. A bit different to the lone Eastern Great Egret that has been hanging around with them. This bird has been around the area since last year and has a damaged leg which dangles down when flying but seems to be ok when it is walking.

Eastern Great Egret with Cattle Egret

 

Eastern Great Egret

At least one Wompoo Fruit-Dove has been coming into bunches of palm fruits outside the accommodation units usually early morning or late afternoon and a single Topknot Pigeon was in our neighbours garden for one day. Papuan Frogmouth have not been seen in the Lodge grounds for several weeks but they have been found near the local nursing home but they are not our ones, they are a pair with a first year juvenile. Raptors have been around with a Collared Sparrowhawk being seen along McDougall Road several times and Pacific Baza have been around the Lodge. An Australian Hobby was around the back of the nursing home along with a Black-shouldered Kite who were eyeing each other off from adjacent perches. Red-necked Crake have been heard around the Lodge grounds and seen in our neighbours bird bath! A juvenile Pale-vented Bush-hen was seen at the beginning of the first week in our neighbours garden but not since, so they have probably left the area. A Black-fronted Dotterel was at the Barramundi Farm for a few days. A female Double-eyed Fig-Parrot at the front entrance to the Lodge on a guided morning walk was a great sighting as it clung to the side of a dead tree branch in the sun. Barking Owl were heard during the early part of the second week but not for the last four days but Sooty Owl was heard during the Barking Owl absence. Blue-winged Kookaburra continue to show well in Geraghty Park as do several pairs of Forest Kingfisher. Rainbow Bee-eater have been around the Lodge in big numbers with several hundred passing over on northward migration, they have been in the area for the last two weeks. 

 

Rainbow Bee-eater

A Noisy Pitta has been heard but not seen unlike Spotted Catbird who are very vocal and have been seen. Lovely Fairy-wren have been seen several times in our neighbours garden, usually late afternoon as they move to roost in bamboo along Bushy Creek. Eleven honeyeater species were seen and one, Black-chinned Honeyeater heard. The odd Barred Cuckoo-shrike has been seen but no Cicadabird over the last two weeks. At least one Yellow Oriole has been around the Lodge grounds calling but only one, of the usually more common, Olive-backed Oriole was heard. A Black Butcherbird caught and ate a Cogger's Frog along our main driveway about the same time that we heard a White-lipped Tree Frog crying out as it had been caught by something, probably a Green Tree Snake – hard life being a frog. A few Rufous Fantail are still here and are being joined by Grey Fantail (sub-species alisteri) who have migrated from southern parts. Pied Monarch are coming down to bathe late afternoon in Bushy Creek and one was foraging at the back of the accommodation units one morning with a female Victoria's Riflebird. 

Victoria's Riflebird -  female

At least 12 Golden-headed Cisticola were calling and foraging in a grassy paddock behind the nursing home with two Tawny Grassbird whilst on a guided morning walk. The cisticolas were in breeding plumage and the two grassbirds were sitting up on the grass stems showing well for over five minutes which is quite unusual as they are usually skulking around in the dense lower stems. A Bassian Thrush was seen along McDougall Road which might mean that a few are coming down the mountains to lower altitudes. A few usually make it to the Lodge grounds each year. Australasian Pipit have been seen in the fields behind the nursing home and at the local Barramundi Farm.

Australasian Pipit

Further Afield:-

Two White-browed Woodswallow were perched on power lines at West Mary Road, Maryfarms (between Mount Molloy and Mt. Carbine), not often reported this far east. At least two Black-throated Finch were seen nesting along the Hurricane Station Road north of McLeod River. Red-backed Kingfisher was seen at Mt. Carbine by our bird guide Carol Iles . 

Red-backed Kingfisher

An Azure Kingfisher was at Brady Road Swamp just north of Mareeba, not a normal place for this species out in the dry open woodland but they do turn up in odd places, we had one in the rainforest at 950m on Mt. Lewis! Speaking of Mt. Lewis it proved good for one couple who saw a male Golden Bowerbird fly across the road, always a difficult bird to see. Two Pacific Baza have been around Euluma Creek Road, Julatten circling and calling over the past two week, maybe going to nest in the area? A Square-tailed kite was circling over the Peninsular Highway on the northern outskirts of Mount Molloy on Saturday 18^th before gliding on upswept wings over the treetops adjacent to the highway. Here it encountered a flock of Sulphur-crested Cockatoo who noisily escorted it out of their territory.

Reptiles and Mammals:-

17 species of reptiles and mammals were seen, which was again down on previous weeks due to a lesser effort in looking, especially at night due to unfavourable weather. A few frogs were tempted out of hiding by the drizzly weather with Jungguy Frog, White-lipped Green Tree Frog and Cane Toad seen, Cogger's Frog was heard. 

Jungguy Frog

A Green Tree Snake took up residence in our neighbours property when it made a home in a flowerpot. The pot was disturbed and the snake leapt out much to the surprise of our neighbour! The fishing bat, Large-footed Myotis also made its roost under the same neighbours house. A Striped Possum was coming to a flowering banana tree each night to get the nectar and a Northern Brown Bandicoot made occasional visits to the seed feeder by the reception area.

Birdwatchers Lodge in Far North Queensland 19th February 2012

Only 9mm of rain fell at the end of the week continuing this very strange dry “Wet Season” weather. So once again sunny warm days with the minimum temperature again much the same as last week, down to 22.0ºc and the maximum was a few degrees cooler, down to 31.6ºc.

Birds recorded were 96 seen and 8 heard. 15 mammal and reptile species were seen and two frogs heard. The weeks bird list is on the Eremaea Birds website and morning walk lists can also be found at this link on Eremaea Birds

Highlights:

Continued sightings of Red-necked Crakes, two adults and three half grown juveniles who have been seen in the rainforest behind the units and out front of the units heading across the road by the reception area. Five of the seven confirmed Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher nests have fledged with youngsters seen and heard in the rainforest. The other two nests with chicks in are not far off from fledging, judging by the noise coming from them and the parents perched nearby trilling.

Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher - juvenile

Three Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo flew over Mt. Kooyong Road which were the first for a few weeks. One Lewin's Honeyeater was seen at the entrance to the Lodge grounds and was the first since one was heard at the beginning of January.

Other sightings:

Wetlands along McDougall Road continue to hold low numbers of waterbirds with only Magpie Goose, two Wandering Whistling-Duck, about 12 Pacific Black Duck, Hardhead, two Little Black Cormorant and two Masked Lapwing. Emerald Doves started calling this week which maybe a sign that they are interested in breeding.

Emerald Dove - male

Two Pied Imperial Pigeon in Geraghty Park are still behaving like they are going to nest but no sign of nesting material yet. No sightings of Papuan Frogmouth in the orchard this week or any calling at night but we did hear an Australian Owlet-nightjar calling one evening. About 12 White-throated Needletail flew over the adjacent cane paddock on Friday 17^th and One Fork-tailed Swift was flying over the same paddock paddock late on Wednesday 15^th. Several Black Bittern sightings were along McDougall road in seasonal ponding beyond the Bushy Creek bridge, one took off and followed the creek towards the Lodge. Four raptor species this week, Black-shouldered Kite, White-bellied Sea-Eagle plus Whistling and Black Kite. One Buff-banded Rail scooted across Mt. Kooyong Road and into the Lodge grounds whist on a morning walk, did not stop to let us know if it was “Katie” or not! A White-browed Crake was in one of the lagoons along McDougall Road and was seen rather than has been the case, only heard. Pale-vented Bush-hen have again been vocal but shy on showing themselves, not enough rain to draw them out of the long grass. A Pheasant Coucal was seen along Mt. Kooyong Road and a male Eastern Koel was in our neighbours garden. 
 

Eastern Koel - male

A few Channel-billed Cuckoo have been calling as they have flown over but not it's not like previous years when flocks of birds passed through heading north on migration at this time of year. We have had up to 60 juvenile birds stop over for 2-3 weeks in February to feast on fruiting figs in the past, maybe they are just late this year. Little (Gould's) Bronze-Cuckoo and Brush Cuckoo are still around and calling. Several Forest Kingfisher pairs have a few juveniles/immatures they are feeding including this one in Geraghty Park. Some of our guests unfamiliar with Australian Kingfishers have mistaken them for Sacred Kingfisher because of the juveniles buffy parts, but of course sacred are green on the upper body parts and forest are blue. 
 

Forest Kingfisher - juvenile

A few Rainbow Bee-Eater were feeding in Geraghty Park and one adult Dollarbird was calling at the beginning of the week after we said that we thought they had left, fatal making those statements! Noisy Pitta made a few calls over the week but did not show, maybe because the grass in the orchard is long and needs mowing again after only a week, it is growing faster than Bamboo. A female Lovely Fairy-wren was seen in two different places, once in Geraghty Park and another time alongside the adjacent cane paddock at the end of Mt. Kooyong Road. Thirteen honeyeater species seen during the week with both Macleay's and Blue-faced Honeyeater coming to the sugar water feeder. Our neighbours have started to get Dusky Honeyeater come to their feeder which is something they never do at our feeder. Also a Bridled Honeyeater was down McDougall Road. Cicadabird are still with us and calling well as are Grey Whistler who have been quiet for a few months. Black Butcherbird has been seen regularly on most days, lurking around in the rainforest. The Leaden Flycatcher nest in Geraghty Park has three chicks in it and they are growing well with the parents bringing a constant stream of insects to them. The Magpie-lark chick, mentioned last week in a nest in Geraghty Park, successfully fledged. Both Pied Monarch and Yellow-breasted Boatbill have been calling and seen. Lemon-bellied Flycatcher have again been along Mt. Kooyong Road and in Geraghty Park with at least four pairs seen. 
 

Lemon-bellied Flycatcher

Horsfield's Bushlark is still along McDougall Road which is the only location they have been seen this year in our area. Egg shells are still appearing under the Metallic Starling nests in Geraghty Park but there is definitely less birds present than has been in previous weeks. Our pair of Olive-backed Sunbird who were nesting have been seen with two juvenile birds which is good news as they have a high predation rate.

Further Afield:-

Another trip to Cairns allowed us to spend a pleasant hour eating lunch and watching the shorebirds in action as the tide came in. Nothing spectacular here but good to have a refresher course on the waders. A pair of Australian Pied Oystercatcher were loafing on their own whilst the other birds were either feeding on the decreasing mud or running along with the tide. 
 

Australian Pied Oystercatcher

Smaller birds were Red-necked Stint, Lesser Sand Plover and Greater Sand Plover, medium size birds were Great Knot, Terek Sandpiper, Grey-tailed Tattler and Masked Lapwing whilst the larger birds were Whimbrel, Eastern Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit. There was also one Crested Tern and many Silver Gull. Along the area between the shoreline and the road were Varied Honeyeater, Magpie-lark, Willie Wagtail, House Sparrow and Common Myna. Notably absent were Pied Imperial Pigeon who were very obvious a few week previously, maybe they have headed north. Full list on Eremaea Birds site.

On the way back from Cairns we called into to see Sue at Cassowary House in Kuranda and afterwards returned to Julatten via the alternative route along the unsealed Black Mountain Road. It is a four wheel drive/high clearance vehicle road as there are some high whooboys (high piles of dirt across the road to direct water flows to the side) and is quite narrow once it enters the Mowbray National Park section. It is an interesting alternative route with good opportunities to stop for birding. We did not stop as it was getting late in the afternoon but we did see a mixed flock of Sulphur-crested and Black-tailed Cockatoo in one of the pine plantations before we got back into the rainforest. It took us an hour and twenty minutes to get back to the Lodge this way, which is probably around 20 minutes longer in time but a shorter distance in kilometres than the sealed route via Mareeba. Normally this road would be impassable at this time of year if we had been having a “normal” wet season.

Two juvenile Great Bowerbirds were accidentally disturbed on a property along Euluma Creek Road, Julatten, whilst they were roosting 2m off the ground on a vine overhanging a driveway. Also spotlighted here was a roosting Azure Kingfisher and a 2.5-3m Amethystine Python who was hanging around a small lagoon what for one of the many frogs calling to hop past.

Other Wildlife:-

This bee was walking around on the ground in the rainforest and looks like similar ones we have had before which were identified as Italian Honey Bee, not sure if this is the same.

Bee sp.

Also at the beginning of last year (2011) we had a cluster of pupae on a tree which were identified as a species of Oil Beetle, we have revisited this ID and had a beetle expert look at the images and have now found out they are not Oil Beetles but Acerogria oriuda from the big beetle family Tenebrionidae, sorry no common name. Here are two images to remind you of what they looked like.

Acerogria oriuda -  pupae

 

Acerogria oriuda -  Hatching beetles

5th April Report

The driest week so far this year with no rain, cool nights down to 15ºC 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.

28th September Report

A dry week with only 72 bird species plus 15 mammal and reptile species recorded.

Platypus has been regularly seen in the evening and morning as well as being spotlighted one night as it swam across and down Bushy Creek. A couple of spotlighting trips during the week produced a Green Ringtail Possum with a baby on its back,

Green Ringtail Possum and baby

a brief glimpse of a Feathertail Glider in a coconut palm and a Striped Possum feeding on the blossom high up in a tree, Long-nosed Bandicoots were more common than the Northern Brown which can usually be seen at the feeder. The largest Northern Brown turned up with 5 very large ticks on one side of it, hope it survives (the Bandicoot that is!). Not so good news for the Striped Possum was a report of a Rufous Owl in the neighbour’s yard, they love Striped Possums and last year a visit decimated the population. A Major Skink turned up in the office before being chased out and a Boyd's Forest Dragon made an appearance outside the office.

Birding highlights included the first Black-faced Monarch for the season on the 25^th Sept. another pair of Large-billed Gerygones building a nest, good views of Topknot Pigeons, a pair of Nankeen Kestrel still attending their nest after a few weeks,

Nankeen Kestrel

a Channel-billed Cuckoo stalking a Torresian Crow and an Azure Kingfisher on Bushy Creek. The Masked Owls seem to be dispersing (or have been killed on the Highway as several have been reported) with only a pair seen beside the Rex Highway late in the week. The (Lesser) Sooty Owl was heard on several occasions throughout the week but not seen.