May
2-Willy wagtail was up at pavilion today and dashing up for walnuts. Brahmins kite over Coomera river today near army base land. Amazing riflebird views of male in staff village at top car park and later in giant figtree practicing display moves. Lyrebird crossing red road on way to flying fox. Matt and Chloe saw rufous scrub bird along crest of the macpherson range around mt worendo. It played a peekaboo game and they got several sound recordings. Figbirds were also seen up there.on return from the saga they hit a tawny frogmouth just in the bottom carpark but It seemed Unscathed
4-looking for ember the red tailed black cockatoo off down the villa track area we had riflebird, lyrebird and white head pigeons drinking out of water pools on slaughterhouse gully, ember was scared off by gg the goshawk and he was marking ember matures away despite a literal hail of unfriendly fire fromrocks, sticks and abuse to try and make it leave the cockatoo in peace. It was quite noteworthy that gg was unfazed with the debris storm over 39minutes and “cleaning its nails” at times.
5-yellow tail black cockatoos over Moran’s valley. Boobook owl down red road just on dark
16-musk lorikeets at bottom of the mountain road about the first kilometre from the last cattle grid. Others know the figtree toilet stop corner better where strange calls uphill several hundred metres revealed scoped up views of muskies feeding in flowering ironbarks. A good bonus not a typical bird east of the divide in this area, 100miles out of range or so
17-pale yellow robin on rocks at Moran’s creek bridge near the falls was an easy one for a change. Riflebird called opposite the guesthouse today. Regent bowers roaming in celery woods not so much hanging around up top
19-may , Matt spotted a tawny frogmouth female in the day time perched low low down on an exposed stick just below the the lap pool on red rd.
🦉20 may , a good drive down at night with an owlet nightjar sitting on the road at snake ridge, not flying up or shifting, that was pretty good but 5 minutes on at churches bend a dark backed owl took flight down the road and luckily pulled up in a tree nearby enough to see it was a sooty owl! Attempts at photographing were attempted but the bird moved on, not far down at pine mountain a tawny frogmouth was on a fence. A Major score to get a trifecta from the car in the first 6 kilometres
23 may , musk lorikeets again in the bottom section of the mountain road surrounding the roadworks. Calling over at least 200m stretch. Yellow tail black cockatoo over Moran’s valley again. Mick O’reilly said the brown falcon was flying around Luke’s farm again.
24- may double grey goshawks around animal sheds cafe church area etc.
25- mick O’reilly had a lyrebird cross the main road at the duck creek road junction. Swallows had chicks at the cafe in the nest about a week old. Two weeks ago chicks were nesting near room 20.
26- boobook owl again crossing the road at the parks barracks and perched in the tea tree next to the road allowing a glimpse. Matt reported a guest pictured a olive backed oriole in the celastris vines in the turning circle which is a bit different. Yellow tail black cockatoos most days flying over valley. Masked lapwings at night flying around flying fox and helipad.
27- birdshow mark reports a rainbow bee eater pulled up during the birds of prey show at the helipad area.
31- Willy wagtail still here for a month now. Yellow robin up at the tooloona room top walkway area was hunting around the lights 3 hours into dark after sunset which I hadn’t observed before.
June
2-crested shrike tit near staff car park on morning bird walk and good views of female and later male rifle birds feeding on celastrus vines above booyong walk entrance and in flame tree fruits above phone booth at front door, magnificent stuff
3-two wedge tailed eagles seen at moonlight crag, younger one heading south east another turned over castle crag and headed away. Varied triller at flying fox.half built logrunner nests along glowworm track were interesting as they were very new.
6-peregrine falcon at tallowood tree at Luke’s farm but not in the usual perch. Rifle birds calling over road from reception.
7-riflebirds behind the cafe in fruiting lillipillis with both types of bowerbird and parrots just before sunset. Fantail cuckoo at Moran’s falls. Emerald dove wandering unfazed across red road on Segway tour pulling up Abeam to it before it alighted.
8-riflebird again at front door in morning bird walk. Shining bronze cuckoo and varied triller responsive at flying fox area. Masked lapwings at helipad during daytime for once. Double grey goss feature around the skies today was a bonus
9-around Charlie’s water hole after sunset a few glossy black cockatoos were heard calling east of the road.
12-Matt reported two lyrebirds around the camp ground and main road side, as well as some guests sightings in this area recently as well.
13-triple treat for scenic tour finding peregrine falcon, wedgetail eagle and grey goss between Luke’s farm and balancing rock.
14-boobook owls calling both sides of Moran’s valley
15-10pm we had a boobook owl burst out of under the front awning of the front of reception where it may have been hawking some of the bigger moths seen around the lit areas lately. Two yellow tail black cockatoos and grey goss around again and most days the past few months
16-red browed finches have a roost set up a couple months now next to the church in the Hakea bushes
20- tawny frogmouth on red road guide post. Matt had 3 pacific bazas at Luke’s farm which is extraordinary. Of course the miners will see them off. guest shot video of lyrebirds bathing in Moran’s creek coming back from the falls!
21-female riflebird foraging just beyond the turning circle near the first gas tank a bonus walking by to get a bus. Guests reported two lyrebird on box forest circuit
22-female riflebird again at second gas tank near top visitor car park in fairly open red ash tree
23- female riflebird on morning bird walk at flame tree front door style and in several slow moving great views and later at parrot feeding area. Kyle had report of feeding the emerald dove in staff village.
24-boobook owl calling at 530am in the Moran’s valley. Yet another female riflebird at the front door flame tree well seen by all on 645 bird walk. Grey goss was around, both of them too. Brush turkey was at Luke’s bluff which is a bit odd. Supersized lerps and a pardalote paradise along balancing rock ridge in the eucalyptus burn regrowth. Still busy in the open country. Peregrines and tawnies at Luke’s farm. Wompoo fruit pigeon went over at flying fox site, yay, not many sightings from these recently. Matt heard a noisy pitta down near Charlie’s waterhole around late arve.nearly no sight or sound of pittas this year.
25- Matt had a sooty owl at the top of the wishing tree track with decent videos taken.
26-carol had a lyrebird driving in near Moran’s falls track car park. A guest mentioned a lyrebird on the new Segway track but imitating people talking and a car door slamming. The track may go very close to a display pad area where we often here if calling from above.
29-sooty owl and boobook owl calling in various places on gloworm tour and later. Tawny frogmouth at moon light crag area and hidden gully. Yellow tail black cockatoos and grey goss hawk about the Moran’s valley. Wedge tail eagles along sarabah range using display dives.
30-red browed finches back around open areas after several weeks of little or no sightings in typical places, this is intriguing. Pardalotes still nesting around Moran’s turnoff. Boobook owl around main car park.
July
1-tawny frogmouth hunting in rainy roadworks half way down main road. Varied trillers at flying fox and cafe.
4-independent groups of musk lorikeets at bottom bends of mountain road, several in a few minutes passed by. Horsefield bronze cuckoo near vineyard and rose robins at top of road hill before cvv turn in valley and first fig trees on main road. Lyrebird along main rd 4km back from O’reillys about 800am.