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Geham NP

Leaden flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula) – adult and juvenile – Photo: Tony Bond

Maintaining something of a tradition for first excursion of the year, our local BirdLife group (8 participants) today visited Geham National Park.

We conducted another circumnavigation of the park via the roads and completed our fourth 500 metre radius area search.

Heading out – photo: Scot McPhie

The park vegetation is tall open forest dominated by common blackbutt Eucalyptus pilularis, with associated Sydney blue gum, tallowwood and bloodwood trees. Understorey is relatively dense because of Acacia, she-oak, lantana and other shrubs. As expected, the cicadas were active, but they were not overwhelmingly noisy.

Most of the 23 recorded bird species were on one side of the park, which has been the usual pattern. Little Lorikeet, Musk Lorikeet and Scarlet Honeyeater were among the species exploiting blackbutt flowers high in the canopies, straining our necks.

Musk lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna) – Photo: Tony Bond

A pair of Leaden Flycatchers appeared to be attending to a fledged juvenile.

Leaden flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula) – Photo: Tony Bond
Leaden flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula) – Photo: Tony Bond

The cumulative list from our group’s four visits (previously: January in 2021 and 2023; and June in 2022) stands at 54 bird species. Five were added today.

The full list from today is as follows:

Australian King-ParrotAlisterus scapularis
Australian MagpieGymnorhina tibicen
Bar-shouldered DoveGeopelia humeralis
Common BronzewingPhaps chalcoptera
Eastern WhipbirdPsophodes olivaceus
Eastern Yellow RobinEopsaltria australis
Golden WhistlerPachycephala pectoralis
Grey FantailRhipidura albiscapa
Grey Shrike-thrushColluricincla harmonica
Leaden FlycatcherMyiagra rubecula
Lewin’s HoneyeaterMeliphaga lewinii
Little LorikeetGlossopsitta pusilla
Musk LorikeetGlossopsitta concinna
Peaceful DoveGeopelia placida
Pied CurrawongStrepera graculina
Rainbow LorikeetTrichoglossus moluccanus
Rufous FantailRhipidura rufifrons
Sacred KingfisherTodiramphus sanctus
Scarlet HoneyeaterMyzomela sanguinolenta
SilvereyeZosterops lateralis
Superb Fairy-wrenMalurus cyaneus
Varied SittellaDaphoenositta chrysoptera
Yellow-faced HoneyeaterCaligavis chrysops

An interesting and unusual event in the day was the discovery of this tree which had been struck by lightning recently.

The pleasure of our birding was surpassed by the delicious morning tea provided by Jenny and Scot at their nearby bush property. Afterwards we were treated to Scot’s videos of breeding Apostlebirds (Goombungee) and food-stealing sea-eagles (at the Sunshine Coast).

Varied sittella (Daphoenositta chrysoptera) – Photo: Tony Bond
Grey fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa) – Photo: Tony Bond
Red-browed finch (Neochmia temporalis) – Photo: Tony Bond
Superb fairywren (Malurus cyaneus) – Photo: Tony Bond