Camping at Amamoor

We camped for 3 nights at Cedar Grove, Amamoor State Forest. Amamoor has become something of a favourite, this being our fourth camp there. A Platypus showing closely at Amama picnic area on the way in was a good start.

We had clear, cool weather with plenty of birds about. Paradise Riflebird was calling sporadically and a pair fed regularly close to our camp. Regent Bowerbird and Satin Bowerbird in small numbers occasionally came into the camping ground to feed. Russet-tailed Thrush was calling commonly but didn't show.

Red-tailed Black Cockatoos were seen twice, both times flying high overhead: a pair and a flock of 20+. Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo was common about the camping ground.

Other nice birds about the place that were easy to see included Fairy Gerygone, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Crested Shrike-tit, New Holland Honeyeater (here at the northern end of its range), Azure Kingfisher and White-eared Monarch. Ebird list for Cedar Grove.

Rose Robin was common throughout the area.

Heading west along Amamoor Creek Road, Jacky Winter was surprisingly common, with 15-20 seen or heard over 12km. Just west of Windy Ridge Nursery, at a spot where in April last year I had a flock of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos feeding, I found a pair of Black-chinned Honeyeaters - a rare species in south-east Queensland - in tall eucalypts by the road. Plenty of birds were here including Varied Sittella and White-naped Honeyeater. Ebird list for Windy Ridge.

A couple of kilometres further west, on a dry open forest ridge, a party of 4 Painted Buttonquail scurried off the road. Back at Cedar Grove, on the other side of the creek from the camping ground, a collection of fresh platelets in the vine scrub indicated the presence of Black-breasted Buttonquail. Dingoes were calling from above the camping ground, and one was seen briefly during a hike.