Zebra Honeysucker

Monday Oct 10

Despite creeping out - like the previous seven early starts - Mojo barked this morning,  waking Sara and Mike, despite Sara's earplugs. Not until the car was driving away........at 6.10.

Not a very propitious morning for a mountain drive. Low grey overcast. We took the Samford road to Mount Glorious, the approach  is very twisty and vertiginous and much shorter than the approach from The Gap side. First stop was Manorina Lookout, the Sooty Owl stake-out. Lots of puzzling bird noise, I am totally de-skilled here, we only saw Red-browed Finch, White-browed Scrubwren, two Spangled Drongos and, a trip tick, Brown Treecreeper. We've not seen the latter on the eastern side of the mountains before.

Maiala car parking area, at the entry to the rainforest walks, was also very quiet. The male Satin Bowerbird whistled past the car and wasn't seen again. I tried a quick photo of a Rufous Fantail in the deep gloom, luckily I had my flashgun mounted. 

Rufous Fantail

More Scrubwrens, two male Eastern Whipbirds having a calling contest and then, the descent into the dank darkness of the forest. A Wompoo Fruit-Dove calling from the heights and glimpses of a lovely male Golden Whistler was the reward for our efforts. Rain started to fall gently, pattering on the top leaves and stair-casing down, dissipating by the time it reached us. We got back to the car just in time to miss a slightly heavier shower. That was the last rain we saw all day though.

After a few Ks drive to another birding (no birds to-day) spot, it was time for breakfast at the Maiala rainforest cafe.It overlooks the forest, has an outside decking area and the owners feed the birds.

It's changed hands in the last four months. The new owner, an Italian , saw our bins and said he would check the feeder (!) and that they had 'all sorts of birds, big ones, small ones and some had lovely colours'. We had to wait quite a time for our cooked breakfast to arrive, we were sitting indoors to keep warm. Outside the window was a Grevillea in bloom, an attraction for a pair of colourful New Holland Honeyeaters.

New Holland Honeyeater

Whilst Pam was away, the delightful Eastern Spinebill flitted in and out again, much too fast for a photo. On her return she spotted a cuckoo sp. which then perched in view for me. A Shining Bronze Cuckoo with iridescent green wings. Good one.

Our breakfast arrived, as did two Crimson Rosellas, and the cook. He went off to get some scraps for the birds, returning with bacon rind which he strewed on the outside ledge, much to the delight of the Pied Currawongs.

Pied Currawong head

He then told us that they get many birds, one of them rare he believed, he thought it was called a 'Zebra Honeysucker'. We could search the planet for the rest of our lives and never find this bird !

Replete, we explored Browns Road and then several look-outs. McAffey's added Yellow-faced Honeyeater and, at Jolly's, a Pied Currawong in its appropriate habitat.



Pied Currawong at Jolly's Lookout



We were back at Moggill by 2,  in bright sunshine. The skip should have gone, but hasn't. Mike was doing the last of the boys' unpacking and hoovering their bedrooms before doing the school run. We had a lovely welcome from Mojo.

We watched wildlife films on Animal Planet with Josh before Sara came home and we all had a staggered meal. Josh is playing a futsal match to-morrow, we're going to see him play. And I'm cooking dinner. Shopping in the morning I guess.

I took another Kooka to-day......I can't resist them.