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.

Wednesday 9 September 2015

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.

4 comments:

  1. What a great series of birds you captured! I love the Musk Lorikeet.

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  2. As always Greg, another interesting post. I remember in 1999 seeing lots of Turquoise Parrots where we were renting a farm house whilst building our motorhome in Massie. Gorgeous birds. I'm yet to see my first Spotted Pardalote. I was hoping to see them at Cedar Grove but failed. Jude

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  3. Great collection of photos - lovely spot.

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