Tag Archives: australia

Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata)

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The Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata) is a bird resident in Australia.  The dove predominantly exists in areas near water but which are lightly arid or semi-arid in nature, being Central, West and Northern Australia. They are one of Australia’s smallest pigeons along with the peaceful dove. They have been spotted occasionally in Southern Australia in parks and gardens when the centre of Australia is very dry.

IMG_8536aTheir large range extends over most of Australia.  I took the photo above at Bowra Station near the shearer’s quarters.

DDoverangeLEARN MORE ABOUT DIAMOND DOVES

Wikipedia

Birdlife

Birds in Backyards

Xeno-canto

VIDEO

These birds are so popular in captivity I struggled to find one in the wild.  This is a nice close up.

Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus)

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The Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) also known as common pet parakeet or shell parakeet and informally nicknamed the budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot. Budgerigars are the only species in the Australian genus Melopsittacus, and are found wild throughout the drier parts of Australia where the species has survived harsh inland conditions for the last five million years.

I’ve been dreaming of seeing one of those huge flocks with 10,000 birds in it (Budgie-nado anyone?) but at least I got to see them up close at their nesting site at Bowra Station.

IMG_8785a IMG_8530a IMG_8482a IMG_8489aAlthough they have a huge range throughout inland Australia you need to be very lucky to stumble across them in the vast Outback along the main roads.  Some people have been that lucky as you can see in the video below.  In Queensland, Bowra Station is very reliable for budgies, also check eBird for recent sightings as these parrots are very nomadic.

Budgierange

LEARN MORE ABOUT BUDGERIGARS

Wikipedia

World Parrot Trust

Birdlife

Birds in Backyards

Alice Springs Desert Park

VIDEOS

There’s no shortage of Budgie videos online but here’s a couple really good ones.  This one is a whole documentary about the species.

Budgie swarm.

In this video it seems the young wild Budgies have mistaken a windscreen for water and are confused.  I wish that workman had a clue and offered them some water, they look really thirsty.

 

Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)

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The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the second-largest living bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius.  The emu is an important cultural icon of Australia, appearing on the coat of arms and various coins. The bird features prominently in Indigenous Australian mythology.

IMG_8559Emus are pretty easy to find whether you are driving through the Outback or visiting national reserves throughout most of Australia.  I’ve seen them all over Western Australia, Queensland, down the Mosquito Creek Road and on Bowra Station to name a few.

EmurangeLEARN MORE ABOUT EMUS

Wikipedia

Birdlife

Birds in Backyards

VIDEO

 

Red-winged Parrot (Aprosmictus erythropterus)

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The Red-Winged parrot (Aprosmictus erythropterus), is a parrot native to Australia and Papua New Guinea. It is found in grasslands, savannah, farmland, and woodland.

IMG_8396a IMG_0359 IMG_0366They have quite a large range throughout Queensland, Australia and even a small bit of Papua New Guinea.  I found it quite easy to see them at Lake Coolmunda, especially near the caravan park and near the shearer’s quarters at Bowra Station (blue dots).

RWPrangeLEARN MORE ABOUT RED-WINGED PARROTS

Wikipedia

World Parrot Trust

Birdlife

Birds in Backyards

 

VIDEO

Wonderful close up of this bird, seems to be a juvenile going by the feathering.

Birding Around Karara, South-east Queensland

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If you are driving to Lake Coolmunda, a worthwhile stop for birding can be in the small town of Karara and the back roads nearby. On the map below you can see the town of Karara on the left and the Back Creek Road is the blue line in the middle where we saw a lot of parrot species.  Further to the right is the Durikai National Forest which also has excellent birding.

Karara Durikai

Although the Striated Pardalote and Tawny Frogmouth pictured below were on a private property (I was with a Birds Queensland group) the species are local to the general area.

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Can you see the Tawny Frogmouth?  He blends in very well!  If you ever see one resting like this, please don’t disturb him as making him fly in the daytime could cause predators to spot this bird.

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This gorgeous little Striated Pardalote was a real supermodel, turning every which way so I would get his best side, even giving me an open wings shot!

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Sulphur-crested Cockatoo hiding in a tree.

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Karara Sports Ground – camping available although mine was organized by Birds Queensland.  I recommend going to Lake Coolmunda Caravan Park and making an excursion to this area.

IMG_0865Back Creek Road, about 4km down the road from Karara proved to be a treasure trove for parrots!  We saw Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Little Corellas, Galahs, Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, Pale-headed Rosellas, Eastern Roselllas and Red-rumped Parrots all within 1 hour early in the morning.  Coming back to Karara to rejoin the BQ group, there was also a Red-winged Parrot flying overhead near the roadhouse.

IMG_1005 IMG_0869Sorry, the editor isn’t working so please tilt your head left to see the Cockatoo Tree!

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Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus)

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The Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus), also known as the quarrion and the weiro, is a member of the cockatoo family endemic to Australia.  Cockatiels have a special place in my heart as they were the first bird I had as a pet and it was my love for them that led me to learn more about them and ultimately led to me being a conservationist.  It will always be a magical experience for me to see them in the wild!

These photos were taken along Mosquito Creek Road which is near Lake Coolmunda, about 4 hours drive from Brisbane.

IMG_0475 IMG_0467 IMG_0628 IMG_0634 IMG_0647They have a large range covering most of Australia but seeing them is harder than you may think as they prefer remote grassy bushlands and they blend in well if they are on the ground foraging.  Mosquito Creek Road and Bowra Station (blue dots) are 2 easy places to find them.  I recommend searching on eBird since they are so widespread and there is bound to be a place within a reasonable drive from most cities in Australia.

Cockatiel rangeLEARN MORE ABOUT COCKATIELS

Wikipedia

World Parrot Trust

Birdlife

Birds in Backyards

Birdlife Australia

IBC

VIDEOS

Any search through Youtube will find 1000’s of pet cockatiel videos so I had to search for the wild cockatiel clips.  I found some good ones showing wild cockatiels going about their daily life in the bush.

I wish I could see this many all at once!

Mini doco with good basic info but be advised that some photos are pet mutation cockatiels, not the wild ones though they also have wild cockatiel pics.

 

 

Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris)

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The Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) or Australian black-shouldered kite is a small raptor found in open habitat throughout Australia.  Although I am not a raptor person, this one really caught my eye at Lake Coolmunda because he really was hovering just like a kite.  He then swooped down quickly and flew to a fence pole where I could see he had caught a rat.  I was so impressed, I was ready to offer him a job keeping my house free from rodents!

IMG_0368 IMG_0369 IMG_0373 IMG_0374Their range is basically all of Australia.  They seem to be territorial as I saw this one (at least I think it was the same one) on all 3 days we were at Lake Coolmunda in the same area.

Kite rangeLEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BIRD

Wikipedia

Birdlife

Birds in Backyards

Australian Wildlife Conservancy

 

VIDEOS

See how they hover while hunting for prey.

Nice close-up

 

Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus)

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The Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus) is a species of parrot found in Australia. It is common along the eastern seaboard, from northern Queensland to South Australia and Tasmania. Its habitat is rainforest, coastal bush and woodland areas. Several taxa traditionally listed as subspecies of the rainbow lorikeet are now treated as separate species (see Taxonomy) or this more detailed explanation of taxonomy.

IMG_9819a IMG_9822aRainbow Lorikeets are readily found in towns along the eastern Australian seaboard.  You don’t have to go birding to see them in Brisbane, they are everywhere!  They visit my back yard and front yard most days of the year and roost noisily in the trees outside the Chermside Shopping Centre in the 1000’s.  A smaller population has been introduced to parks near Perth, WA.

RLorirangeLEARN MORE ABOUT RAINBOW LORIKEETS

Wikipedia

World Parrot Trust

Birdlife

Birdlife Australia

Birds in Backyards

HBW

VIDEOS

Here you see Rainbow Lorikeets in the bush and also some which frequent a wildlife park – Currumbin Sanctuary.  All the birds are wild, they just like a free feed like anyone else!

Here you can see their playful nature!

 

 

Australian Magpie (Cracticus tibicen)

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The Australian magpie (Cracticus tibicen) is a medium-sized black and white passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea.  It’s virtually impossible to visit Australia and NOT see a magpie or “Maggie” as we call them.  They are literally everywhere, especially in the major cities.  They await you at picnic sites hoping to steal your food.  They will swoop on you in breeding season if they think you are a threat to their chicks.  They can be annoying if you are trying to photograph other birds and the maggies are scaring them off.  But they do have a beautiful melodious warbling sound, it’s one of the first sounds I hear when I wake up in the morning though it is not loud enough to actually WAKE me up!

IMG_0015 IMG_0102Don’t worry about trying to find Australian Magpies.  In most places in Australia, they will find you!

MagpiesLEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BIRD

Wikipedia

Birdlife

Birds in Backyards

ABC – Good info on why they swoop!

Magpie Alert – good map showing swooping hotspots!  I can see reports in a few streets near me – mostly attacking cyclists.  My husband says he was swooped once while on a walk.

State of Queensland (Department of Environment and Heritage Protection)

VIDEOS

Trust me, this is only a small bit of their song, it really is beautiful!

Amazing footage of a swoop on a cyclist from the cyclist himself!

He later appeared on the local news.

 

And here is a swoop from a spectator point of view, the guy’s Mom really freaks out!

This maggie clearly doesn’t like the postman, maybe he got too many bills that day?

Maybe it’s better to make friends with them!

I don’t approve of allowing cats outdoors where they can kill wild birds.  Magpies are extremely clever and seem well in control of this situation but other small song birds wouldn’t have been so lucky.

And I’ll leave you with this adorable clip of a juvenile maggie singing to some rainbow lorikeets!

Brisbane – Gateway To Outback Queensland

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After almost 3 years of owning this blog, I am finally going to blog about my hometown – Brisbane!  Australia is high on the wish list of eco-tourists, especially those who wish to see lots of parrot species and many other birds too.  And don’t forget Australia’s amazing mammals such as kangaroos, koalas and wallabies (not the rugby playing ones)!

Australia is a huge country and Queensland is a huge state so you won’t be able to see it all in one go if you have the usual 2-4 weeks annual leave.  Far north Queensland will need a separate series all on its own.  In this series, we will be looking at South-east Queensland and some of its best eco-tourism hotspots.  Brisbane is a great place to start your birding/eco-travel adventure and if you have miles and points you can save a bundle!

GETTING TO BRISBANE

Brisbane is the main international airport serving South-east Queensland although the Gold Coast airport also has some flights from New Zealand.  There are several options for using your miles to get from your home country to Australia.  It has been harder to get business class awards recently, especially to/from the USA so you may have to suck it up in economy.  Just keep your eye on the prize that awaits at the end of that long flight!

Brisbane specifically is served by:

STAR ALLIANCE

Air New Zealand – Auckland, Christchurch

Eva Airlines – Taipei

Singapore Airlines – Singapore

Thai Airways – Bangkok

ONE WORLD

Qantas (home carrier) – Auckland, Hong Kong, LAX, Singapore, Tokyo

Jetstar (Qantas affiliate and only available using QF points) – Denpasar, Honolulu

Cathay Pacific – Hong Kong

SKYTEAM

China Airlines – Taipei

China Southern – Guangzhou

Korean Airlines – Seoul

NON-ALLIANCE AIRLINES

Virgin Australia (partners with Delta) – Apia, Auckland, Christchurch, Denpasar, Honiara, LAX, Nadi, Port Vila, Queenstown, Wellington

Emirates (Partners with Qantas, Alaska, Korean) – Dubai, Singapore

Etihad (Partners with AA & Virgin Australia) – Abu Dhabi

Hawaiian – Honolulu

DOMESTIC ROUTES

The only two airlines you are likely to be able to redeem miles on are Qantas and Virgin Australia.  I have a post with more information on domestic connections.

QANTAS

QF BNE routes

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA

VA domesitc BNE

WHERE TO STAY ON POINTS

If you plan to spend a day or so in Brisbane and will be relying on public transport, your best bet is in the CBD where buses and trains are plentiful.  Out in the suburbs you can wait 30 minutes or more to catch a train or bus (speaking from experience).  If you will be renting a car (which you will be if you are heading to the Outback), then avoid the CBD as parking is expensive.  Brisbane really isn’t the best place to get the best value out of hotel points unless you are swimming in them.

Hilton Brisbane – 60,000

Brisbane Marriott – 35,000

Four Points by Sheraton – 10,000

I think you would be better off using Brisbane as an EARN miles opportunity and use Pointshound or Rocketmiles to book your room.  In any case, readers of this blog probably won’t be hanging around the city for long with all the birds awaiting you in the bush!