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Bird Photography in and around Brisbane

15 November 2008 One Comment

Introduction

Being the 3rd most populous city of Australia with a whole lot of family-oriented theme parks and great beaches, Brisbane (including the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast) is a popular tourist destination, and may not seem to fit as a destination for birding. Yet Brisbane and its surrounds do offer one of the best birding in Australia. Brisbane sits adjacent to the eastern coast and is at the base of the Great Dividing Range. As such, Brisbane has one of the largest diversity of natural habitats, from coastal mangroves to rainforests, which offers a large diversity of bird life. This article is presented in terms of habitats that can be found in and around Brisbane.

Urban/Suburban Parks

Urban and suburban parks may seem to be the least likely place to find exciting bird life, but many of the parks around Brisbane is home to a surprising number of interesting birds.

Sherwood Forest Park

An urban park adjacent to the Brisbane River with two small lakes separated by a causeway that is very rich with birdlife and a few surprising finds. The most common birds in this park would be the Sacred Ibises, Pacific Black Ducks, Wood Ducks, Hardheads, Magpie Geese, Purple Swamphen, Eurasian Coot, etc., but less common birds such as White-breasted Woodswallows, Dollarbirds, Welcome Swallows, Buff-banded Rails are often found here too. The tall Eucalyptus Trees lining the edge of the Brisbane River bank is home to the Channel-billed Cuckoo, and these normally high roosting birds do come down to the lower nearby fig trees to feed. Rarities such as the Little Bittern and the Black Bittern have been recorded in here before.

Channel-billed, Sherwood Forest Park

Northlakes Park

This is a well manicured Suburban park with a lake surrounded by reeds is home to a large number of common birds but also offer the chance to see less common species. Common are the usual waterfowls such as the Purple Swamphen, Eurasian Coot, Black Swan, and ducks. In addition, the Little Friarbird and Tawny Grassbird could be gotten quite easily. Less common species such as the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo and Pale-headed Rosella is a chance, and I did spot a single Latham (Japanese) Snipe amongst the reeds. There is a small possibility of a crake or rail here. Port of Brisbane (Fisherman Island) Visitor Centre The visitor’s centre overlooks a lake that is good for the common waterfowls, and for the Chestnut Teal. Mangrove Honeyeaters are consistently found at the Paperbark (Melaleuca) Trees around the lake.

Roma Street Parkland

Right in the middle of the city, this park can throw quite a few surprises. Buff-banded Rails and Bush Stone-curlews have been spotted there.

Coastal Mangroves

Wynnum Mangrove Boardwalk

This boardwalk goes into the heart of a coastal mangrove, and is good for the White-throated Treecreeper, and Collared Kingfisher. Mangrove Gerygone are also common here but they tend to stay high up on the canopy. Lighting is a challenge on the boardwalk. The eucalyptus trees surround the mangrove boardwalk is good for Yellow-faced Honeyeater and the Pale-headed Rosella. Other common species include the Leaden Flycatcher, Grey Shrike-thrush, and Rufous Whistler. The mangrove trees before the boardwalk is a chance for the Mangrove Honeyeater. There is a wader roost (Lytton Wader Roost) with a hide at the end of the path beyond the boardwalk.

White-throated Treecreeper, Wynnum Mangrove Boardwalk

Deception Bay

The mangrove trees here are shorter than at Wynnum and hence a better chance of an eye-level shot of the Mangrove Gerygone and Mangrove Honeyeater.

Lota Creek

Like Deception Bay, the mangrove trees here are shorter than at Wynnum and hence a better chance of an eye-level shot of the Mangrove Gerygone.

Coastal Flats

Brisbane is haven for wader lovers, and offers one of the best opportunities for getting really close to these otherwise very skittish birds

Toorbul Wader Roost

About 60km north of Brisbane, Toorbul is one of the best sites for photographing waders as you can get really close to them on the high tide. The common waders include the Eastern Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Great Knot, Red Knot, Terek Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint. Caspian Tern, Gull-billed Tern and Crested Tern are also common here. In winter, this is the best place to find the Double Banded Plover.

Great Knot, Toorbul Wader Roost

Grey Plover, Toorbul Wader Roost

Bribie Island

Bribie Island has quite a number of habitats for birds but Kakadu Beach is famous for being a good wader roost. Buckley’s Hole is good for the usual waterfowls too.

Manly Wader Roost

A good site for roosting waders at high tide but access into this site has been restricted for a number of years now and a locked gate and fence surrounds the entry point. Unorthodox entry could be achieved through a hole in the fence. The site is very exposed so getting close to the waders is very difficult.

Port of Brisbane (Fisherman Island) Wader Roost

Another fenced and locked location but the entry key could be obtained from the Port of Brisbane (Fisherman Island) Visitor Centre. Like Manly Wader Roost, the site is very exposed and hence a challenge in getting close to the waders.

Open Country

Minnippi Parklands

A large park with a big lake surrounded by grassland and scattered trees. Very good for the grassland birds like Tawny Grassbird, Red-backed Fairywren, Superb Fairywren, Golden-headed Cisticola, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, etc.

Red-backed fairywren, Minnippi Parklands

Eucalyptus Forests and Open Forests

Most of the forests around Brisbane are open Eucalyptus Forests. Though difficult for bird photography as the birds are usually way up high in the canopy, light is often adequate in such forests, and birds can sometimes be attracted lower down by squeaking or playback with a recorded bird-call.

Lake Samsonvale – Gold Scrub Lane

The open forest and bush land here is productive for bush birds (such as Striped Honeyeater and Scarlet Honeyeater) and raptors. This place is famed to birdwatchers for quails and button-quails but the chance of a photograph of these birds is slim unless lots of time has been invested here.

Brown Thornbill, Jolly’s Lookout

J.C. Slaughter Falls, Mt Coottha

This is one of the most reliable location for the Powerful Owl, but more likely to be seen during its nesting period (May – Aug). White-throated Nightjars are also reliably seen here at dusk. Brisbane Forest Park – Jollys Lookout, Wivenhoe Lookout & Boombana Park Eucalyptus forest birds such as the Brown Thornbill, Eastern Yellow Robin, Spangled Drongo could be found here.

Mt Nebo Village

This is probably the best place to find and photograph the Bell Miner. The very pleasantly melodious birds could be photographed right from the roadside, but be very careful of on-coming traffic as the road is narrow.

Bell Miner, Mt Nebo Village

Gold Creek Dam

The best birding is below the dam and on the south side of the lake (almost Noisy Miner free). White-eared Monarchs are often recorded here (try around the dam spillway). Bell Miners, Glossy Black-Cockatoo and Brush Cuckoo are possible, while White-throated Nightjars, Wonga Pigeons and Crested Shrike Tits have been seen here.

Gap Creek Reserve

Gap Creek Reserve is good for woodland birds and is 100% reliable for Bellbirds (but it is much harder to photograph them here then at Mt Nebo Village). Painted Button Quails and Spotted Quail-Thrush have been seen here. The trails are frequented by mountain bikers so take care here.

Rainforest

This is the most challenging but most rewarding habitat for bird photography around Brisbane. A number of key bird species are rainforest species and hence can only be found in the few pockets of rainforest around Brisbane.

Maiala, Mt Glorious

Maiala is one of the best patches of accessible highland rain forest close to Brisbane. The car park and picnic area provides good chance of Eastern Spinebill, Satin Bowerbird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Brown Cuckoo-dove, White-browed Scubwren, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, and even possibility of Wonga Pigeon and Topknot Pigeon. There is loop track just after the parking lot which is good for the typical rainforest species such as the Brown Gerygone, Logrunner, Eastern Whipbird, Ground-thrushs, Green Catbird, Noisy Pitta and Wompoo Pigeon (although most of these are much easier to hear than see). From the Maiala Picnic Area continuing onwards on Mt Glorious Road towards Lake Wivenhoe for about 10 km is a turnoff to an unsealed track on the right. This turn-off is also sign posted as “Maiala”, and after 100 metres is a locked gate across the track preventing vehicular access. This track is good for Pale Yellow Robin, Eastern Yellow Robin, Rufous Fantail, and Golden Whistler.

Eastern Yellow Robin, Maiala

Further Afar from Greater Brisbane

Lamington National Park and O’Reilly’s

O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in Lamington National Park is probably the best place to find and photograph the typical rainforest species. The birds here have gotten use to the presence of people and hence are more friendly and approachable. Still, photography in the rainforest is always challenging, and finding the birds still a matter of luck.

Red-browed Firetail, O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat

The car park at O’Reilly’s is excellent for species such as the Topknot Pigeon, Wonga Pigeon, White-headed Pigeon, Satin Bowerbird (the bowers of the Satin Bowerbird is quite often found in the bush fringing the car park), Lewin’s Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, White-browed Scrubwren, and Red-browed Firetail. There is a bird-feeding area between the main car park and the resort reception, and this is great for Crimson Rosella, and Australian King Parrots. Regent Bowerbird and possibly the Green Catbird can be seen on the tree just outside the dining area. The bushes around the gas tanks are good for Yellow-throated Scrubwrens, Brown Gerygone, Brown Thornbill and the occasional Eastern Whipbird. Common rainforest species such as Logrunner, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Rufous Fantail, Black-faced Monarch, and Eastern Yellow Robin are a good chance, while shyer or less common rainforest species such as Noisy Pitta, Bassian and Russet-tailed Thrushes, Paradise Riflebird, and even the Albert’s Lyrebird is a possibility. The best trail for finding the rainforest birds is the Python Rock Trail. Along the main road to O’Reilly’s are patches of Eucalyptus forest which is good for the Red-browed Treecreeper.

http://www.oreillys.com.au/

Tweed Valley, NSW

South to the Gold Coast and just into the New South Wales is the Tweed Valley and this offers a number of good birding locations of differing habitats. Hastings Point is a good place to look for the Wandering Tattler (amongst the tidal rocks), and terns such as the Little, Common and Crested Terns. The beach at Kingscliff are good for the terns and nesting ospreys. Vintage Lakes is a great place to find the usual waterfowls but also for bush birds, such as the Striped Honeyeater, Brown Thornbill, Leaden Flycatcher, Restless Flycatcher, Rufous Whistler, etc. Terranora Broadwater (Birds Bay) is a coastal trail passing through sub-tropical rainforest and gives opportunity for a few surprises such as Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove, Emerald Dove, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Tawny Frogmouth, Azure Kingfisher, Rose Robin, Eastern Yellow Robin, Rufous Whistler, White-eared Monarch, and Regent Bowerbird.

Wandering Tattler, Hastings Point

http://www.bigvolcano.com.au/custom/birdos/media/brochure/brochure.htm

Durikai State Forest, Stanthorpe & Sundown National Park

The birds found in the areas described here are unique to those west of the Great Dividing Range. Even though these locations are rather far from Brisbane (about 4 – 5 hours drive away) but it is still the closest best locations to find these uncommon birds. Durikai State Forest is about 45 km west of Warwick on Cunningham Highway. A small waterhole just off the (south side) highway and 6 km before Karara is an excellent place for Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters. In addition, Black-chinned, White-naped, White-throated, Brown-headed, and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, and possibly Turquoise Parrots could be found here.

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Durikai State Forest

Stanthorpe is located about 170 km south west of Brisbane (2.5 – 3 hours drive) is one of the coolest places in the state of Queensland. The Stanthorpe Golf Course is a good place to look for parrots (feeding on the greens… what out for incoming golf balls), including the Eastern Rosella, Red-rumped Parrots, etc. 245 kilometres south-west of Brisbane (about 4 – 5 hours drive from Brisbane, 1 hour from Stanthorpe) on the Queensland – New South Wales border is Sundown National Park. The Broadwater camping area at the southern end of the park can be reached by conventional vehicle from Stanthorpe along 76km of bitumen road and 4km of good gravel road. Birds commonly found at Broadwater campsite include Speckled Warbler and White-winged Chough. Other key species found in the park include White-eared Honeyeaters, Diamond Firetail, White-browed Babblers and Turquoise Parrots. The best place to find these species is around the Ranger’s accommodation.

http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park/index.cgi?parkid=26

Rainbow Beach, Inskip Point and Fraser Island

Rainbow Beach is located approximately 265Km north of Brisbane. 9km north of Rainbow Beach is Inskip Point, the gateway to Fraser Island. Inskip Point is on the birding map because it is one of the most reliable locations for the Black-breasted Button-quail. However the chance of being able to photograph this species is almost close to zero. One is more likely to encounter the Mangrove Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Little Shirke-thrush, Varied Triller, and Fairy Gerygone.

Eastern Spinebill, Rainbow Beach

The southern tip of Fraser Island lies just off Inskip Point and takes approximately 15 minutes by barge. Only 4WD can be brought onto Fraser Island, and a permit is needed. Listed as a World Heritage Area, Fraser Island is the biggest sand island in the world and yet provides a range of habitats (from sandy beaches to swamps and rainforests) and some 354 bird species have been recorded here.

http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/projects/park/index.cgi?parkid=1

http://www.fraserisland.net/fraserisland/wildlife/fraser-birds.cfm