In a quite gob-smacking way, July
2013 turned out to be the most productive July on record. The monthly tally of 119 species easily
outstripped the previous best, 82 species in 2010 and almost quadrupled the
lowest ever score of 31 species in July 2007.
Surprising because it didn’t seem to be a particularly active period
with only seven [7] South Burnett destinations recorded: Nanango Fauna
Sanctuary [6, 14 and 28 July], the Sewage Plant [6 July], Bunya Mts [7 July],
Berlin Road [21, 27 and 28 July], both the Hoop Pine plantation and open
woodland areas within the Tarong Power Station complex [14 July], Mt Wooroolin
[26 July] and Neumgna Road [28 July].
Clearly, species diversity was
the key. Not that any of the seven
produced particularly outstanding individual tallies:
Fauna Sanctuary
|
30
|
Sewage Plant
|
21
|
Bunya Mts
|
25
|
Berlin Road
|
18
|
Tarong [Hoop]
|
16
|
Tarong [open wood]
|
14
|
Mt Wooroolin
|
23
|
Neumgna Road
|
7
|
Nevertheless there were a few
gems during July that set off a pleasing pattern. The White-headed Pigeons Columba leocomela [7 July] posed in their usual spot, just north of
the composite bridge over the gully in Blackbutt. They were adequately
complemented by the Green Catbird Ailuroedus
crassirostris, Crimson Rosella Platycercus
elegans, Topknot Pigeons Lopholaimus
antarctieus and Red-rumped Parrots Psephotus
haematonutus on the way to and at the Bunya Mts [7 July].
A week later [14 July] we had
good views of a male Muck Duck Biziura
lobata and seven Great Crested Grebe Podiceps
cristatus on the Cooling Water Dam at the Tarong Power Station
complex. They were overshadowed by close
views of a Little Eagle Hieraaetus
morphnoides at the Meandu Creek Dam [Tarong Power Station]. The species presented itself again a week
later.
20 July brought crippling views
of a Spotted Harrier Cicus assimilis while later,
en route to the Jimbour “Opera in the Park”, we were inundated by a large flock
of Cockatiels Leptolophus hollandicus.
The Brown Quail Coturnix australis along
Berlin Road [21 July] was eclipsed only by the later sighting [a little further
along Berlin Road] of a Brown Falcon Falco
berigora [identified by both sight and call].
The month concluded with the first
Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus of the season
[28 July], albeit seemingly a little early given the cold conditions. The Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta[30
July] was our first since early April 2013.
Section of Cooling Water Dam