Weekend Birding – Samsonvale and Minnippi – 28 & 29.11.09
Saturday 281109. Rob was still in Bamaga on the tip of Cape York, far north Queensland, presumably knee deep in Red-bellied Pittas and Yellow-billed Kingfishers – lucky bastard! So only Stu and I were birding together this hot, sultry Saturday morning. Leaving at 5.30 we got to the cemetery at Samsonvale at 6.15.
Pine Dam is very full at present and GREAT CRESTED GREBES patrolled just off shore emphasizing the depth close in. A BUFF-BANDED RAIL put in a brief tail flicking presence before charging back in to the long grass as if the hounds of hell were onto it. Beautiful WHISKERED TERNS flew up and down diving and dipping for breakfast - these really are a stunning bird when seen at close quarters, snowy white plumage with sharp black cap and bright red bill, all offset by the shading of dark feathers on the underbelly – seen against a clear blue sky they are remarkable.
We hung around the shoreline for a while, then made our way in to the ‘crake pond’ where we tried our luck playing Lewin’s Rail and Spotless Crake with limited results. We did see two (probable) ROUGH-SCALED SNAKES swimming across the pond – they were distant enough to be of no concern, and frustratingly too far away for easy identification.
Samsonvale is always good for a few birds of prey and today was no exception - two raptors circling lazily overhead caused some discussion regarding ID initially until we realised they were two juvenile BRAHIMNY KITES. Two WHISTLING KITES took to the same air a short while later, while a WHITE-BELLIED SEA EAGLE flapped lazily over the trees - we also spotted a BROWN FALCON perched in the distance and, later, a BROWN GOSHAWK harassed by a WHITE-BREASTED WOOD SWALLOW swung overhead.
Checking out the previously known Lewin’s Rail ‘spot’ on the opposite side of the cemetery we found a HORSFIELD’S BRONZE CUCKOO which showed briefly, but had little interest in the tape.
Returning to the car park we continued our wander up the hill through the trees to the Hoop Pine plantation. The huge fig tree on the edge of the plantation is always worth a look and so it proved this morning giving us the two birds of the day – WHITE-WINGED TRILLER and BARRED CUCKOO-SHRIKE. Almost unbelievable that we would have this cuckoo-shrike sp two weekends in a row! The Triller didn’t hang around very long, but the Cuckoo-shrike responded well to tape and flew low above our heads a couple of times whilst feeding on figs in between.
We circumnavigated the plantation with little further result except for excellent views of a BRUSH CUCKOO which called from very close by, but proved difficult to actual see – as cuckoos do/are!
While hearing PHEASANT COUCAL oogling away in the bush and CHANNEL-BILLED CUCKOOS laughing hysterically somewhere within earshot it turned out to be quite a day for cuckoos.
Back to the car and breakfast in Samford village at Buzz café before calling in on K for some more woodwork to complete my project!
Sunday 291109. Rob came back from his ‘sponsored’ trip last night and now we want to hear what he saw. I pick him up at 6.00 but he refuses to tell me anything until Stu is there so we discuss the trip in general as I drive to Minnippi. We had decided on a simple excursion this morning knowing Rob would not want a ‘big one, having birded, we assumed, hectically every spare moment since Tuesday! Reaching Minnippi finding Stu is the next objective. We sit in the car until 10 minutes after the arranged meeting time then decide to walk in to the pond and see if he is there – he is – at the other end, so we make our way around until we meet, checking the birds on the way. The WHISKERED TERNS are still here and looking as pretty as they did at Samsonvale yesterday! AUSTRALIAN GREBES are nest building in numbers I have never seen before – well three or four nests is not normal here! Little else of interest and, quite frankly, I don’t think any of us is trying too hard.
We walk up the field and down the track beside the model air plane flight zone, all is quiet on the western front.
A pair of CHANNEL-BILLED CUCKOOS hung around all morning cackling loudly and flying pterodactyl-like across the blue sky. We got very close views of one hiding inside a thick bushy tree and some photos, but as usual it is looking up at them above you - very difficult to get a CBC at head height - but they are such a cool bird!
Back to the lake and we try our luck with tape of Lewin’s Rail and Spotless Crake in the covered boardwalk. Again limited results – a BUFF-BANDED RAIL wanders around, but shows no interest. There is response to the Rail tape but nothing eventuates after 15 minutes so we move on rather than stress out the birds for little reason.
Still nothing from Rob – he wants to wait till breakfast – that basically seals it! Without anyone saying anything we sort of head towards the car more or less without much attention to anything else but decide that before breakfast we will check out a report from the inner city suburb of Woolloongabba for a pair of male Satin Flycatchers that were reported on Friday afternoon. This is an exceptional report and there is a certain amount of doubt. - none of us know the observer and a pair of male SF’s in the one place in SEQ is extreme.
We drive in my car to the ‘Baptist Church on Vulture st, near the Mater Hospital’ park up and wander around playing the tape and looking in all the local trees and bushes – for no result. If the report is genuine it is obvious the birds would only have been moving through and we would have to be lucky for them still to be around – especially in such an unlikely locale.
We repair to Spoons in East Brisbane for breakfast and Rob’s traveller’s tales. Unexpectedly there were no Pittas or YB Kings - there were 4 new birds and some other good stuff, but, disappointingly for Rob, not the mega bounty he had hoped for. It appears there are still birds we ALL need in northern Qld!