Goomburra: Masked Owl, Albert's Lyrebird, Musk Lorikeet

Musk Lorikeet

We opted for a three-day campout in the Goomburra section of the Main Range National Park. It had been 20 or so years since camping here and it was nice to get to know the place again.

The birding highlight was a Masked Owl which called several times from along the creek in the Poplar Flat camping ground where we were camped; unfortunately the bird failed to show. Also vocal was Albert's Lyrebird: 3 birds were heard along the road to the lookouts, and another 3 during the 6.5km Cascades Circuit walk.

Cascade Circuit rainforest

The road was an old logging track last time I was here. Now, easy access to the Mt Castle and Sylvester lookouts is available. We were fortunate to strike a clear day so the scenery across the Fassifern Valley was quite something. We were able to see even the Brisbane CBD, about 100 kilometres distant.

View from Sylvester Lookout across Fassifern Valley

Topknot Pigeons were feeding along the road at Mt Castle. Other rainforest birds included Yellow-throated Scrub-wren in abundance, while Australian Logrunner and Paradise Riflebird were about in small numbers. A pair of Crested Shrike-tit were in wet sclerophyll forest.

Topknot Pigeon

One of the attractions of Goomburra is the variety of habitat which includes open forest, wet sclerophyll forest and rainforest. Several birds can be seen here which do not occur west of the Great Dividing Range or generally north of this area.

Red Wattlebird

Those species include Red Wattlebird and Musk Lorikeet, both fairly common in the eucalypts along the entrance road.

Buff-rumped Thornbill

Striated Thornbill

Thornbills put on a good show. Brown Thornbill was plentiful but quite a few Buff-rumped and Striated Thornbills were also seen.

Boebuck

Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Red-necked Wallaby were common. A single Boebuck was spotlighted at night.

Spotted Pardalote female

Spotted and Striated Pardalotes were both breeding in trackside holes. A full list of bird species can be found here.

Turquoise Parrot

After Goomburra we moved south to the Old Wallangara Road at Wyberba for a brief stop. A pair of Turquoise Parrots were seen but did not show particularly well;  I had luck with this species when I had more time during a visit to this excellent site last March.