When Roger Jaensch found a Regent Honeyeater two days ago at Stanmore, near Woodford in south-east Queensland, the local birding world was aflutter. This is an extremely rare species in south-east Queensland, especially east of the Great Divide. So when the bird was seen again yesterday, it looked like it was going to hang around.
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| Marie Tarrant on the job |
And so it transpired that this morning, a small army of twitchers descended on the site, searching thoroughly but unsuccessfully for the elusive honeyeater until giving up around lunch-time. Later in the afternoon, however, the bird was seen by other observers.
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| Rufous Songlark |
Fortunately some other nice birds were about. Rufous Songlark and White-winged Triller, both fairly scarce summer migrants in south-east Queensland, were present in some numbers along Cove Road and were singing well.
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| White-winged Triller |
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| Eastern Koel |
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| Eastern Koel |
A female Common Koel was unusually co-operative for this species.
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| Glossy Ibis |
Birds on a roadside dam at the honeyeater site included Glossy Ibis, Marsh Tern, Yellow-billled Spoonbill and Latham's Snipe.
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| Black-necked Stork |
A male Black-necked Stork was on another dam along Little Cove Road.
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| Black-tailed Native-hen |
Five Black-tailed Native-hens were seen at the wetland adjacent to the meatworks at nearby Kilcoy.
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| Marbled Frogmouth |
A spot of owling in the Sunshine Coast hinterland last night was productive with excellent views of a pair of Marbled Frogmouths and fleeting views of a third Marbled Frogmouth. Two Tawny Frogmouths were also seen.
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| Australian Owlet-Nightjar |
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| Australian Owlet-Nightjar |
A pair of White-throated Nightjars performed nicely at dusk near Wappa Dam. Close to home at Ninderry, this Australian Owlet-Nightjar showed well after others of its species remained frustratingly elusive earlier in the evening.
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| Channel-billed Cuckoo |
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| Channel-billed Cuckoo |
In the home garden at Ninderry, meanwhile, Channel-billed Cuckoo this season has been exceptionally vocal and unusually visible.
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| Grey Goshawk on nest |
A day out birding earlier in the week began well at Little Yabba Creek with Dusky Honeyeater, White-eared Monarch, Crested Shrike-tit, large numbers of Wompoo Fruit-Dove and Barred Cuckoo-shrike. We moved on to Moy Pocket, seeing Painted Buttonquail and Fairy Gerygone. A Black-necked Stork was present at Lake Macdonald, where the Freckled Duck was perched in its usual spot. A Lewin's Rail showed very nicely near Eumundi and a Spotted Harrier at North Arm. This female Grey Goshawk was sitting on a nest near Cooroy, where a day earlier I saw a pair of King Quail.
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| Masked Owl |
This magnificent Masked Owl was flushed during the day by birders who prefer to remain anonymous along Elimbah Creek near Donnybrook on September 2 this year.
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| Masked Booby |
An adult Masked Booby was found by Bec Tardent on Sunrise Beach, Sunshine Coast, on September 30 this year. Bec reports that the bird was not bothered by a steady procession of beachgoers.
