D'Aguilar National Park on the North-West of Brisbane

D'Aguilar National Park protects 36,000 ha of the D’Aguilar Range’s vast bushland. It has sub-tropical rainforest and eucalypt woodlands set in a rugged backdrop of rivers and gorges. There is easy access from the city, especially to the Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre on the shores of the Enoggera Resevoir, a back up water supply for the city.

This Bush Stone-curlew was part of a family of three feeding in the car park at Bellbird Grove in D’Aguilar National Park.

Not far from the parklands of Bellbird Grove were a selection of bush birds, including this Lewin’s Honeyeater.

This Brown Thornbill was seen near to the Bellbird Grove carpark.

About a kilometer along the Araucaria Walk at Enoggera Resevoir, a large group of Bell Miners were calling.

In the same area there was a pair of Olive-backed Orioles and also Lewin’s Honeyeaters..

And this Noisy Friarbird was feeding nearby in a patch of Lantana.

There were several Eastern Yellow Robins feeding on the walking track at various stages along the Auracaria Trail.

Minnippi Parklands in Brisbane

A worthwhile place to visit in central Brisbane is the Minnippi Parklands and the areas surrounding. They are located on Bulimba Creek which flows into the Brisbane River near its mouth in Moreton Bay. The Parklands contain one of the few remnant lagoons of this area, with woodlands, mangroves as well as open fields used for sport and paths for running and cycling.

The Minnippi Parklands are home to many species of water birds and woodland birds. This Sacred Kingfisher was active on Bulimba Creek near the the head of the lagoon.

Among the waterbirds was this Cattle Egret, evidently regular visitors to the Minnippi Parklands.

Bulimba Creek is tidal shown here with the tide coming in.

An Australian Hobby was patrolling the creek line, hawking then using this high tree as a vantage point.

A family of Australian Hobbys were using the high-tension power pylons as their super-high lookout. I spotted three birds at one time, working from the pylons. This bird was feeding on a captured bird judging by the shower of feathers beneath it. They may be using the crude nest to the left, Hobbys usually use the old nest of other raptors.

A wide range of bush-birds were around, this Spangled Drongo was chasing insects in the woodland bush.

A female Rufous Whistler photographed close to Bulimba Creek.

This Common Tree Snake, about one metre long, was crossing one of the concrete paths in the Parkland.

Brisbane bird-watching

With borders reopening it was time for a Christmas trip to Brisbane to see family and friends. There was’t any bird-watching planned but it proved impossible to ignore the locals in Brisbane’s suburban west - at Brisbane’s Mount Coot-tha Botanical Gardens and Fig Tree Pocket. Fortunately the binoculars and camera had been packed and the birds were co-operating!

A lot of chatter down a side fence revealed these beautiful Rosellas, the Blue-cheeked race of the Pale-headed Rosella species.

There were lots of Lorikeets feeding on this ornamental palm in the back garden. The Rainbow Lorikeets (one seen in this photo) seem to be in equal numbers to the Scaly-breasted Lorikeets (next photo) and take turns feeding in the palms.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet feeding in an ornamental palm. It was sending a continual shower of the fruit onto the path below.

The Blue-faced Honeyeater was the only Honeyeater seen other than the ever present Noisy Miners.

A trip to Fig Tree Pocket on the Brisbane riverbank was rewarded with views of this male Red-backed Fairy-wren. The photo of the male a pleasing addition after only finding females on a previous excursion.

Brisbane city birds

It was a short trip to Brisbane last week, no time for a trip to the bush. I stayed in the leafy hills of Auchenflower, not far from the Botanic Gardens and Mount Coot-Tha. The ground was very dry and the leaves sparse. 

There were the usual Noisy Miners, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Pied Currawongs, Ravens and Magpies around. Three Grey Butcherbirds and two Pied Butcherbirds kept busy in what seemed an unusually small area. Also a bird new to me; among the Rainbow Lorikeets feeding in a nearby tree were a number of Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, easily distinguished from a distance by their luminous green sheen.

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet