Sundown National Park

Musk Lorikeet

East meets west at Queensland's Sundown National Park, where we opted for a 3-night stay in the Broadwater camping ground. Plenty of rain in recent weeks meant that this spot, like the rest of inland Australia currently, was fresh and green with loads of avian activity.

Sundown National Park

It had been many years since we had been here and much had changed. The lovely camp overlooking the banks of the Severn River was gone, replaced by a row of pokey, difficult-to-access (if you're towing a camper trailer) camping bays so loved by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.

White-plumed Honeyeater

First stop en route was the outskirts of Warwick, where Musk Lorikeets were feeding in flowering Calistemons. At Sundown I checked out the road in, the open areas before the camping ground, and park trails. The river was overflowing and the ground so sodden that some vehicles were seriously bogged. White-plumed Honeyeaters were plentiful. 

Brown Treecreeper

The nice mix of coastal and inland species was evident. Torresian Crowns and Australian Ravens were here together, as were Satin and Spotted Bowerbirds; Red-winged and Australian King Parrots; and White-throated and Brown Treecreepers, the latter attending several nests. The few rosellas seen seemed to be intermediate between Pale-headed and Eastern.

Red-capped Robin

Red-capped Robin and Inland Thornbill are here at the eastern extremity of their breeding range; as far as I'm aware, they are not resident even the short distance further east at Girraween National Park, where Inland is replaced by the coastal Brown Thornbill.

Hooded Robin 

Hooded Robins were in woodland fringing the road in. 

Inland Thornbill

Absent were the Turquoise Parrots which had been common at Sundown over the winter.
Crested Shrike-tit was quite surprisingly common. 

Crested Shrike-tit

White-winged Chough and Apostlebird (both nesting) were numerous.See here for full bird list.

White-winged Chough

White-browed Babblers were side-by-side with Grey-crowned Babblers.

White-browed Babbler

Several parties of delightful Speckled Warbler were seen.

Speckled Warbler

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater is another species that occurs here at the eastern extremity of its range.

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater