Berd Nerd visits Queensland 04

On a par with the Maroochy Wetland Sanctuary was the Fearnley Bird-hide at Lake Macdonald between Cooroy and Noosa. This lake is old farmland flooded to provide more water supply for urban expansion. The bird-hide is at the end of a short walk along the wooded edge of the lake just along from a boat launching area at the end of Grange Road where there is a picnic table, seats and shelter. It is a very nice spot. It is about 40 minutes drive from Buderim so an even earlier start ensured we were there by 6.

The first visit by Ethan and me yielded 47 species plus breakfast and a chat to a boatee. Ethan is still a learner birder so quite a few of the species were life ticks for him. Hardhead, Wandering Whistling-duck, Red-kneed and Black-fronted Dotterels, Lathams Snipe, Sacred and Forest Kingfishers, White-breasted Woodswallow and a species of fairy-wren. We had about 20 ticks within 20 metres of the car. Always a good start!

Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Nesting - can you see it?

Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata
Nesting - can you see it?

Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata

Wandering Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna eytoni

Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae

Caspian Tern Sterna caspia

Darter Anhinga melanogaster

Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis

Figbird Sphecotheres viridis

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More later.