Just an update on a quick trip last weekend up to Eungella via Mackay.
Thanks to recent information provided by Graeme Stevens I was successful in sighting a group of Eungella Honeyeaters within about 10 minutes of arriving at the end of Chelman’s Rd at S21 02.375 E148 34.246 (The Chelman’s turnoff from Dalrymple Rd is at S21 03.795 E148 34.231). I was fortunate to see the honeyeaters on Saturday afternoon as the following morning the mountain range was completely covered in very thick fog making bird identification extremely difficult.
I managed to get a few nice photos of one Eungella HE feeding on the flower of the pandanus vine. I also managed to track down the local sub-species of the Brown Gerygone (amalia) which has a much darker olive-brown back than I am used to seeing on the southern form and also White-throated Treecreepers (intermedius). Golden Whistlers, Black-faced and Spectacled Monarchs were quite common as well.
I found a young Eastern Yellow Robin chick being tended on the ground by it’s parents. It was lacking it’s tail feathers and I suspect it had probably fallen out of the nest after some high winds during the night.
I also got some nice views of the platypus under the Broken River bridge. There were lots of tortoises in the river as well but I havent been able to identify them from the photos because they were covered in lots of slime, any clues gratefully received.
On the way back I stopped at the Mackay Botanical Gardens and heard an unusual call behind me, it turned out to be a Red-whiskered Bulbul! I wasnt aware they were in Mackay (confirmed in HANZAB as being in the area since at least of 1983).
If anybody wants any additional information please feel free to contact me.
Carl Billingham
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