Sunshine Coast Birds

Birding and other wildlife experiences from the Sunshine Coast and elsewhere in Australia - and from overseas - with scribblings about travel, environmental issues, kayaking, hiking and camping.

Saturday 23 March 2013

Shining Flycatchers Galore on Kauri Creek

Shining Flycatcher female
We camped for a couple of nights at the Log Dump camping ground on Kauri Creek, in Tuan State Forest, north-east of Gympie.  During several kayaking forays along various mangrove-lined waterways, I saw no fewer than 14 Shining Flycatchers.

Shining Flycatcher female
I saw four pairs of Shining Flycatcher in the mangroves and six individuals - five males and a single immature female.

Shining Flycatcher male
Shining Flycatcher male
Kauri Creek
Probably the most extensive stands of mangrove I have seen in south-east Queensland were present in this area. I've never encountered sandflies as bad as this place - we had intended to stay three nights but were driven off by countless clouds of the pests. They were even flying through the campervan netting!

Collared Kingfisher
A few Collared Kingfisher were about, including this juvenile.

Azure Kingfisher
This Azure Kingfisher had caught some kind of shrimp.
Some other birds about Kauri Creek:

Whistling Kite
Little Friarbird


Little Egret

Mangrove Honeyeater

Red-capped Plover

Whimbrel

Birds aside, I've started identifying butterflies by photograph instead of catching them in nets. Here is a pair of Orange Ringlets.

Orange-streaked Ringlet
 Back around the Sunshine Coast, a nice party of Varied Sittellas showed at Moy Pocket.

Varied Sittella
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo

As did this Shining Bronze-Cuckoo.

While a Nankeen Kestrel posed at Maroochy River with a freshly caught grasshopper.

Nankeen Kestrel

ff

5 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. Very interesting and helpful blog Greg, much appreciated.
    I'm heading up to the Sunshine Coast next week and you've given me some great ideas as well as inspiration.
    M. Cross - Gold Coast.

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  3. Thanks for that and good luck with your visit

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  4. You do have some interesting post of birds far removed from mine in S.Aust., it is nice to learn more about them just in case I make it that far north again. I am glad I found the link to you on Pete's blog.

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  5. Arija, thank you for your kind comments

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