I was invited to spend part of last weekend at a birthday celebration in Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast (look it up – halfway up the right-hand side of Australia). I was a bit apprehensive, having become accustomed to the quiet life on Bribie Island (south a bit). The heaving hordes of the Sunshine Coast aren’t really my cup of tea but I took my telescope in case I could spot anything interesting on the beach!
Well, my ‘scope wasn’t necessary for the first bit of excitement. Within a few minutes I was watching four Peregrines flying close to our balcony – I don’t recall ever seeing four in the air together before. It was spectacular. This was towards the northern end of the main drag at Mooloolaba’s surf beach.
The following day didn’t start particularly early but I could soon make out a Sooty Oystercatcher and Eastern Reef Egrets, both colour phases, on the distant headland (have we managed to extirpate Wandering Tattlers from the SEQ coastline?) But the Humpback Whales provided the fun. After two were seen passing by at fairly close range, another two took about 20 minutes to pass across in front of our balcony, travelling south. They were breaching, sometimes together, blowing, flipper waving and splashing, showing their flukes and diving. Wow! Is this off-topic? Some things you just have to share.
Cheers – Trevor. ===============================
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Trevor & Bob, I too went looking for Wandering Tattler at Caloundra Headland recently, on 25th Oct, without success. I have also seen them at Alexandra Headland (where I suspect Trevor was looking at Reef Egret), but that was a couple of years ago.
Russ Lamb,Maleny
Trevor Ford asked: “have we managed to extirpate Wandering Tattlers from the SEQ coastline?”.
My response: Perhaps, perhaps not. I was unable to find any Wandering Tattlers at Caloundra (SE Queensland) last Friday (28th Oct) but I didn’t check the Mooloolaba area that same day.
On a previous trip to Pt Cartwright (the most accessible Wandering Tattler spot near Mooloolaba) on 19th Oct no Wandering Tattlers were seen by me. I was not surprised by the lack of Wandering Tattlers on both occasions: Wandering Tattlers are notorious late arrivals in that area but I am expecting them to start arriving any day now.
On that visit to Pt Cartwright I noticed that the “dogs on leash” signs have been changed in the area where the Wandering Tattlers are usually seen. It now appears that dogs are allowed “off-leash” at all times in that specific area whereas previously they were allowed “off-leash” only between the hours of 4:00 PM and 8: AM. It was obvious that many dog owners struggled with understanding that requirement and naturally assumed there had been a “typo” in the instructions, so, perhaps, the change in regulation will not change conditions for the Wandering Tattlers. One can always hope.
But it would not be unreasonable to expect that Wandering Tattlers will soon be extirpated from that area in the near future.
Bob Inglis Sandstone Point Qld Australia ===============================
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