Birdline North Queensland Weekly Update

Birdline North Queensland Published sightings for the week ending 25 Jan 2015. Sun 25 Jan Pied Heron Orient Station, Ingham 16 Pied Heron standing on low dirt ridge in flooded paddock this morning. Biggest group of this species I’ve ever seen near Ingham. Nearby, three Zitting Cisticola, pair Red-winged Parrot. Tony Ashton Sat 24 Jan Fork-tailed Swift Mount Louisa–suburb, Queensland, AU On our return home 9:15am, we pulled into our driveway to be surrounded by hawking/feeding Fork-tailed Swifts. Some very low at tree-top height and extending to altitudes where we could just make them out through binoculars. Estimated numbers at that time 1500 (+) and now at 10:45am the numbers have dwiindled to about 50 to 60. Len and Chris Ezzy Thu 22 Jan Red-necked Crake Queen’s Gardens, Townsville Pair with four very recently hatched chicks feeding at puddles on the bitumen paths. Adults relatively tame and easily observed. Niel Bruce Sun 18 Jan Hutton’s Shearwater Weipa Pelagic Single bird observed 25nm NW of Weipa. Ben Bright Sat 17 Jan Red-rumped Swallow, Barn Swallow Tinnaburra Peninsula Numerous Red-rumped Swallow coming and going and a solitary Barn Swallow. Ruff seen nearby as well Geoff Walker Rufous Owl Cairns Esplanade Rufous Owl in Banyan tree outside Port Authority building. Geoff Walker