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, 10 April 2019

Oriental Cuckoo + Sunshine Coast bits & pieces

Oriental Cuckoo

Oriental Cuckoo was the only bird in the Sunshine Coast region that I hadn't managed to photograph, so this last summer I was keen to bag it. I found an Oriental Cuckoo in open forest on the Kureelpa Falls track in January but it avoided the camera. The bird hung around the same spot for the next two weeks, coming and going. While others managed to photograph the cuckoo, I couldn't find it on subsequent visits.


Oriental Cuckoo
At the end of February, Maleny birder Hans Erken had an Oriental Cuckoo on his property. It was feeding in a shady glade among orchard trees. Hans reported that the bird returned repeatedly to the same spot, even after flying some distance away. So I was pleased it was still there the next day. Unusually for migrants, this species can often be found over a period of time in a favoured haunt.


Oriental Cuckoo

Oriental Cuckoo
Elsewhere about the region, I camped overnight in March in Bellthorpe National Park, not far from Peachester. I was pleased to find a pair of Red-browed Treecreepers in wet sclerophyll forest – just the third time I've seen the species in the Sunshine Coast hinterland in the decade I've been living here. (They were formerly much more common.) Also seen were a pair of Marbled Frogmouths, while 3 or 4 Southern Boobooks were calling close to the vehicle. These birds were somewhat distant, high the trees. A Masked Owl was heard calling close by in the early-morning.


Marbled Frogmouth

Southern Boobook
Glossy Black Cockatoos have been drinking regularly around Sunrise Beach, especially in the vicinity of Rainbow Park. Australasian Shoveler has turned up at Wappa Dam and near Bli Bli. 


Australasian Shoveler

Glossy Black Cockatoo
Swamp Harrier is showing early in the season near Bli Bli, and a Black Kite was seen there catching a large cane toad.


Black Kite with cane toad

Swamp Harrier
Richmond Birdwing is looking good at Cooloolabin.


Richmond Birdwing
Eastern Ringtail has been seen a few times during the day as well as night in the home garden at Ninderry, where a white phase Grey Goshawk was photographed roosting at night.


Eastern Ringtail

Grey Goshawk white phase
With a start to the cool weather, flocks of Topknot Pigeons are feeding in the open, this bird near Cooroy this morning.

Topknot Pigeon




1 comment:

  1. Great read as usual, thank you Greg. Oriental Cuckoo also seen at the bottom of Bayside Rd at Cooloola Cove; Cam has got a picture. Richmond Birdwing also seen at Mapleton NP, not as good as a Marbled Frogmouth, but we will persist!

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