Birdline North Queensland Weekly Update

Birdline North Queensland Published sightings for the week ending 9 Nov 2014. Sun 9 Nov Pectoral Sandpiper Lake Moondarra–western shore Pete Morris has phoned to advise he had two juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper on the western shore of Lake Moondarra, Mt Isa, this morning. Also present were c.100 Oriental Plover, six Grey Plover, three Greater Sandplover and several Black-tailed Godwit as well as a few hundred Sharp-tailed Sandplover. Pete Morris per Andy Jensen Broad-billed Sandpiper Townsville Town Common Conservation Park – Melaleuca Viewing Area One Broad-billed Sandpiper seen actively feeding in front of the Melaleuca Viewing Area this morning at about 7:30am. Birdlife Townsville was notified and some members were able to make it there for a look. The bird was still there at 9:30am when most observers departed. Very rare at the Town Common. (Photo: – Len Ezzy) Niel Bruce (et al) Eastern Yellow Wagtail Townsville Town Common Conservation Park-Melaleuca Viewing Area 2 x Eastern Yellow Wagtails (Motacilla flava) found at the Melaleuca Viewing area at about 7:15am today. We notified Birdlife Townsville and quite a few members came down for a look. Initially the birds were very active on the far side of the rapidly-evaporating lagoon. They then moved well to the north still in view, and then returned to in front of the viewing area but stayed on the western side, then disappearing for a while and eventually returning to the closer side of the viewing area. Have included a very distant, heavily cropped image as an ID. (Possibbly the Subspecies Simillima) Len and Chris Ezzy (et al) Sat 8 Nov Pied Heron Cairns Botanical Gardens and Centenary Lakes 1 Pied Heron seen at about 08:30 on the edges of the freshwater lake at Centenary Lakes. Anthony Katon Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) Townsville Town Common Conservation Park Melaleuca Viewpoint. Single bird amoungst other waders. Ed Pierce Wed 5 Nov Spotted Whistling-Duck Lakefield NP–Horseshoe Lagoon Pete Morris (Birdquest group) called yesterday to advise he had 9 Spotted Whistling Ducks at Horseshoe Lagoon in the southern section of Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park. Pete Morris (per Andy Jensen) Sun 2 Nov Banded Lapwing Captain Cook Hwy and Walkers Road. Across the road from Cairns Kart Hire. First reported on the 19/10/14 still there on the 6/11/14. Two birds. Norton Gill Sat 1 Nov Radjah Shelduck Cairns Centenary Lakes, Botanic Gardens. Observed about 20 Radjah Shelduck about the lakes, one pair had 10 half grown ducklings. Stephen Gallivan Fri 31 Oct Great Crested Grebe Crater Lakes National Park–Lake Barrine Observed some 40+ Great Crested Grebes together on the lake. The raft was at a distance of 200mts in the middle of the lake. Poor photo taken. I have never seen such a gathering of these birds before. (Moderator Note:- Rafts of at least 200 birds have been seen at this location from time to time). Stephen Gallivan