Birdline Central & Southern Queensland Weekly Update

Birdline Central & Southern Queensland Published sightings for the week ending 14 Dec 2014. Sun 14 Dec Bush-hen Minnippi Parklands Pair showed fairly well along Bulimba Creek at 0615 Stuart Pickering, Colin Reid, Rob Dougherty Sat 13 Dec Yellow Rumped Thornbill North Lakes Environmental Park Flock of 4 in trees opposite number 7 Morfontaine Street Ross and Nat Sinclair Asian Dowitcher Osprey House Environmental Centre Asian Dowitcher upstream of Osprey House on bend of Pine River this morning – same spot as in 2013. Best accessed by viewing from mangroves on bend of Dohles Rocks Road. Increased numbers of godwits on visits in recent weeks this morning – would be interested to know if the Toorbul dowitcher still there or if this is the same bird coming down the coast with godwits. Very distant record shot included. Andy Jensen Fri 12 Dec Spotless Crake Sandy Camp Rd Wetlands Seen at the opposite end of the first Lagoon to the observation platform, Water levels rising and some birds returning. Ken Doy Wed 10 Dec Yellow Chat and Zitting Cisticola Cheetham Salt Works, Port Alma Rd (restricted access) A male and a female active in the area west of the saltworks this morning. The female was holding nest material (see attached image), and the nest seems to be in an out-of-sight gully just north of the road. Very exciting to see this pair! Also, a Zitting Cisticola was conspicuous in display, and at least two other birds were present. The displaying bird was bullying a Golden-headed Cisticola, which we found interesting. Henry Coleman and Stanley Tang Brown Songlark Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve Male on saltbush marsh (Micahel Island area). Chris Attewell Tue 9 Dec Eastern Grass Owl Bruce Highway, approx. 70km north of Rockhampton Saw one bird fly across the highway at about 7pm, landing in the long grass on the Eastern side. Unfortunately there was no time to take a photo. Henry Coleman and Stanley Tang latham’s snipe Rickertt Road Pond, Ransome was only there for a minute and saw this guy wandering around. jeremy wynne Mon 8 Dec Pale-vented Bush-hen Brisbane River, Fernvale (Wivenhoe Pocket Rd crossing) A bird calling on the river bank about 200 m upstream of the crossing of Brisbane River by Wivenhoe Pocket Road; thunderstorm approaching. Roger Jaensch Australian Pratincole Griffin 1′ Cell This evening just after dusk an Australian Pratincole flew over my house calling. Bird was not seen but gave distinctive call several times as it headed south. Perhaps bought in by recent storms from the west. Will check suitable local spots in the morning to see if it landed nearby. Andy Jensen Wood and Pectoral Sandpipers Dowse Lagoon, Sandgate Both birds still present this morning – great cope views. Also 10+ Latham’s Snipe and 11 Glossy Ibis. Water levels on the rise. iPhone photo of a snipe! Rob Morris Sat 6 Dec Black-necked Stork Buckley’s Hole A single adult male at the southern end of the lagoon. [Also seen was a single Latham’s Snipe flying across the lagoon.] Richard Nowotny & Diana Bryant