Day Roosting Marbled Frogmouths

Marbled Frogmouths on day roost

I found a pair of Marbled Frogmouths roosting during the day in Mapleton National Park, in the Blackall Range in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The birds were huddled closely together in the subcanopy, about 5 metres from the ground in a rainforest gully close to a stream.

Marbled Frogmouths on day roost 

This cryptic bird can be difficult to see even at night, but it is rarely encountered during the day. I have  previously seen one on its daytime roost just once. The birds yesterday were not attending a nest; presumably it is a little early for nesting.

Marbled Frogmouths on day roost

This pair of frogmouths is one of about 10 that I am aware of in the Blackall Range. I tried different camera settings with these birds. A flash was used in the image above, explaining the highlighted eyes. List of birds in the park can be found here.

Great Crested Grebes

Also in the area was a pair of Great Crested Grebes on Lake Cooloolabin, where I've not seen them previously.

Dollarbird

The first Dollarbird of the season showed yesterday close to home at Ninderry.

Yellow Albatross

Butterflies are out and about in the increasingly warm Spring weather. This Yellow Albatross was in Mapleton National Park.

Young Little Wattlebird

On the home front, the young Little Wattlebird reported earlier is doing well. It continues to be fed by its parents but is increasingly self-sufficient. Interestingly, the wattlebirds are building their second nest of the season, in a different hanging basket on our back verandah porch.

White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike

A White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, a rare visitor here, has been about the garden for several weeks.

Eastern Whipbird

This Eastern Whipbird had just been attacked by a territorial Forest Kingfisher and appeared a little shell-shocked.

Double-barred Finch

A Double-barred Finch from Parklakes.