Cudgen Creek, Kingscliff
Friday, 7th May, 2010.
Well, I made it back to Cudgen Creek and once again it did not fail to disappoint. It is a top little spot, with a variety of habitat – from mudflats to coastal banksia and rainforest. When I got there, there were a few Masked Lapwings in the park and some Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets in the banksia trees. A few Pied Currawongs were being harassed by some Willy Wagtails and being chased away. Along the bank of the creek there were some White-faced Heron, Great Egret, Little Pied Cormorants, as well as these Little Black Cormorants.
Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)
I spotted an Eastern Reef Egret grey morph who was fishing along the rocks. He caught a couple of little ones and was posing magnificently for me.
Eastern Reef Egret (Egretta sacra) – grey morph
Along the rainforest section, there were hundreds of Scarlet Honeyeaters as well as a few Brown Honeyeaters and some Silvereye. There were having a bath and drink in the knot of a tree until this big bully Australasian Figbird Olive-backed Oriole came along and chased them away so he could have it all to himself.
Olive-backed Oriole
I also managed to photograph a Varied Triller, but the photos did not come out very good at all. When I got back to the car, I was about to put away the camera, when this Blue-faced Honeyeater flew onto the tree just near me and proceeded to show off what looked like a cockroach that he had hunted. What a proud bird!
Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis)
Well, that is it for Queensland. I am now heading south back into Norther New South Wales. It is starting to get colder now, so I have no idea why I am going south. Next stop is probably Bogangar and Cabarita. Vamos!
Cudgen Creek bird list
Masked Lapwing
Australian White Ibis
Willy Wagtail
Welcome Swallow
Rainbow Lorikeet
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
Pied Currawong
Australian Raven
White-faced Heron
Magpie-lark
Noisy Friarbird
Little Pied Cormorant
Little Black Cormorant
Sacred Kingfisher
Scarlet Honeyeater
Blue-faced Honeyeater
Lewin’s Honeyeater
Brown Honeyeater
Silvereye
Brush Turkey
Australasian Figbird
Golden Whistler
Little Wattlebird
Eastern Whipbird
Australian Pelican
Eastern Reef Egret
Great Egret
Crested Pigeon
Varied Triller