This outing was the second in 2023 combining the members of BirdLife and of Toowoomba Bird Observers, to survey birds on private properties in the Lockyer Uplands.
Data were entered to Birdata and copied to the landholder and to Lockyer Uplands Catchments Inc. (LUCI).
Our hosts today, Peter and Elspeth, kindly facilitated access to their large property in the headwaters of Palm Tree Creek. Kennedys Road borders much of the property and, tantalisingly, we were located in Egypt—via Stockyard.
Eucalypt woodland covers most of the property, much of it regrowth over many decades, and is dominated by silver-leaved ironbark and ‘narrow-leaved’ ironbark, with areas of forest red gums. Like much of our region, understorey is occupied by lantana, grass and some understorey shrubs and trees including sheaoks.
A good turn-up of 14 people participated in the surveys and we were blessed with sunny and mostly calm weather. One team completed a 500-metre radius survey in the main gully while the second team worked down two tracks in the upper slopes to complete a separate survey. Others recorded birds around the homestead.
Combining all records, a total of 36 species was accumulated from this morning activity. As is typical for this cool season, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Silvereye and Spotted Pardalote were the most abundant species, with plenty of fairy-wrens and other honeyeaters. Small numbers of Buff-rumped Thornbill, Rose Robin and Eastern Spinebill were documented. During a sumptuous morning tea laid on for us by Elspeth and Peter, a covey of Brown Quail was observed from the kitchen window.
With much gratitude to our hosts and to all who came along for the day, we agreed that it was another most enjoyable joint activity of BirdLife and TBO, while contributing both to the national Birdata database and to BLUCAP—the Birds of the Lockyer Uplands Conservation Action Plan.
| Australian King-Parrot | Alisterus scapularis |
| Australian Magpie | Gymnorhina tibicen |
| Brown Honeyeater | Lichmera indistincta |
| Brown Quail | Synoicus ypsilophora |
| Brown Thornbill | Acanthiza pusilla |
| Brown-headed Honeyeater | Melithreptus brevirostris |
| Buff-rumped Thornbill | Acanthiza reguloides |
| Double-barred Finch | Taeniopygia bichenovii |
| Eastern Spinebill | Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris |
| Eastern Whipbird | Psophodes olivaceus |
| Eastern Yellow Robin | Eopsaltria australis |
| Golden Whistler | Pachycephala pectoralis |
| Grey Butcherbird | Cracticus torquatus |
| Grey Fantail | Rhipidura fuliginosa |
| Grey Shrike-thrush | Colluricincla harmonica |
| Laughing Kookaburra | Dacelo novaeguineae |
| Lewin’s Honeyeater | Meliphaga lewinii |
| Noisy Friarbird | Philemon corniculatus |
| Noisy Miner | Manorina melanocephala |
| Pale-headed Rosella | Platycercus adscitus |
| Pied Currawong | Strepera graculina |
| Red-backed Fairy-wren | Malurus melanocephalus |
| Red-browed Finch | Neochmia temporalis |
| Rose Robin | Petroica rosea |
| Rufous Whistler | Pachycephala rufiventris |
| Silvereye | Zosterops lateralis |
| Spotted Pardalote | Pardalotus punctatus |
| Striated Pardalote | Pardalotus striatus |
| Torresian Crow | Corvus orru |
| Varied Sittella | Daphoenositta chrysoptera |
| Variegated Fairy-wren | Malurus lamberti |
| Weebill | Smicrornis brevirostris |
| White-browed Scrubwren | Sericornis frontalis |
| White-naped Honeyeater | Melithreptus lunatus |
| White-throated Honeyeater | Melithreptus albogularis |
| Yellow-faced Honeyeater | Caligavis chrysops |