AUSTRALIA - HOLIDAY/RECCE TOUR - DAY 35 - OCT 31ST - BRISBANE/CURRUMBIN

WYNNUM MANGROVES - PALM BEACH - LAKE VIEW ECO VILLAGE CURRUMBIN


I love the boardwalk through the mangroves at Wynnum beach and so I made my third visit there first thing this morning. I was a little later than usual but the birding was just as good. My beach scan didn't produce any new species but the boardwalk was quite productive. A new Cuckoo species was an exciting find, I only got a short view of it as it was chased off by Figbirds, but my view was good enough to ID it as a HORSFIELD'S BRONZE-CUCKOO another lifer!

Next I saw a female Black-faced Monarch, followed by Leaden Flycatcher, Mangrove Gerygone, Collared Kingfisher, Rainbow Lorikeet, Olive-backed Oriole and the usual Laughing Kookaburra.



Tawny Grassbird

Out on the 'heath' I was treated to great views of Golden-headed Cisticola, Superb Fairy Wren, Red-backed Fairy Wren and Tawny Grassbird. A couple of Brahminy Kites flew over as did a White-bellied Sea-Eagle.

Golden Headed Cisticola (female above, male below)

 

The next stage of our journey was beginning today, we had to pack and clean up our current 'home' and set off southward to Currumbin to stay a couple of nights with Guy and Annett. Guy is the brother of Sarah who put us up for our first 3 nights way back in September in Sydney.

We drove down to the Gold Coast spent sometime on the beach where we ate sand and sandwiches before we drove ro Currumbin. Guy and Annette live in an Eco Village in a magnificent house build about 50 meters from a lake. What a fantastic place a huge open plan Eco-house in an unbelievable  setting. I'm gonna like it here!

Galah in the garden about 5 meters from where we sat on the deck - Dawn's picture

Guy is a birder although he doesn't admit to it, he knows all the local birds and had binoculars at the ready when I arrived. We took a walk to the lake, a flock of 20 Topknot Pigeons dropped into a fig tree as we walked down. All the usual common waterfowl were present plus Comb-crested Jacana, Latham's Snipe and Royal Spoonbill.

In the garden we found Galah, Little Corella, Brown Honeyeater, Lewin's Honeyeater, Little (Brush) Wattlebird, Noisy Friarbirds, Figbirds and Olive-backed Orioles. Unfortunately I had left my scope back in Brisbane and so I couldn't take any pictures.

We had a lovely dinner with Guy and Annette and discussed our plans for tomorrow, which included a 5am start for birding..........Dawn and Annette opted out of that one!

267-. HORSFILED'S BRONZE-CUCKOO