Phew, Lotsa Shopping

Tuesday. Sep 27
An early start, but not that early, we left at 7ish and drove to Gold creek Road. Much better than our first visit. The first birds were two tiny Forest Kingfishers making feeding forays from roadside wires and then diving back into the forest to eat the result.

Forest Kingfisher

Lots of noise but frustratingly few identifiable views. Brown Cuckoo Dove, Brown Shrike-Thrush, Red-browed Finches, the delightful Eastern Yellow Robin, no response to my tape call of White-eared Monarch, a migratory flycatcher rare in this area. It was seen a couple of weeks ago near the third creek crossing from the Reservoir gates.
Just us at the parking area. I wandered about until a cry of 'I've got a Tawny Frogmouth on the nest' brought me hastening back. It was on a branch of the biggest Hoop Pine to the right of the parking area and viewable as a lump in the sun.

Tawny Frogmouth on nest

Scope views made the bird more distinct. It usually sits very upright against the trunk of a tree looking like a piece of the bark. A gently spoken older man stopped and asked if we had something and was astonished and pleased to look through the scope. he turned out to be the owner of the house visible  on the hill through the trees - the bird was in his garden!
We drove slowly back, adding a couple of Bar-shouldered doves to the day list, some Cattle Egrets attending cattle - as they should - and three young Welcome Swallows on roadside wires, waiting for breakfast. No sign of the shorn Llamas to-day.

Cattle Egret

Juvenile Welcome Swallows

Adult Welcome Swallow

We detoured down Carabeen Road to photo Galahs, I love them. Unfortunately, like most sensible Aussie birds, they mostly keep to the shade.

Galah

A Purple Swamphen near the croquet lawn did the same thing.

Purple Swamphen

A  lovely welcome from Mojo, he leapt off Sara's bed when he saw us get out of the car and rushed downstairs to see us.
A latish breakfast sitting out on the patio, already too hot to sit in the direct sun but very comfortable in the shade.
Mike and Josh and Harry departed for birthday shopping in Indooroopilly in one car, Pam and I in ours hot on their heels. We walked miles in the Mall. We don't know where anything is, there aren't any maps to look at- and there are four huge floors. Oddly, I quite enjoyed it.
Home for lunch, Sara was newly in from...shopping!  I ate my crackers and cheese in the car on the way to Bunnings in Blunder Rd, Oxley. It's an Aus B and Q. Sara wanted some more plants to add colour to the garden. We bought quite a selection plus an orchid to take to Tina next Monday. I had an Email from her this morning saying we could stay until Friday. We'll probably leave there on Thursday and maybe stay a night somewhere new on the way back.
The usual evening routine of computing, food and reading the UK papers on my IPad. Sara Mike and Josh took Mojo for his walk and we used the opportunity to pack presents for to-morrow. Harry didn't come home from his cinema trip until after their return - Josh first as he went on his bike. Nearly time to play the cerebral Strip Jack Naked  with Josh!