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Friday, 11 October, 2013

 

I was up again before five this morning, and I was out of my Moonie motel by about 7:20.  I took it easy for a while, because I was afraid that kangaroos might still be around, but after 20 minutes, I hadn’t seen any dead ones by the road, and I noticed that it was now farming country, so I sped up to the speed limit.  Before I left the motel room, I made a couple of cups of instant coffee and added the little bottle of milk they had provided and most of a packet of sugar.  I put it in the iced coffee bottle I had gotten yesterday, and put in on ice in my cooler.  The idea was to have it for later, if and when I got sleepy.

 

It was again a boring drive, and my first real stop was Lake Broadwater, near Dalby.  I spent a couple of hours there, but the only interesting bird I saw was a Dollarbird, and I got a picture.

 

It wasn’t a trip bird, but it was a good bird, and I was glad to get a picture.

 

I stopped in Dalby and got a couple of hot meat pies for my lunch, and then stopped in a park in a small town east of Dalby and ate them, with a Diet Coke.  I continued on, following the directions of the GPS app on my phone.  The route took me through small towns and mostly farming country.  Eventually, I ate the two jam tarts I had left, while sipping on my home-made iced coffee.

 

At Kilcoy, I stopped to use the public conveniences, and took a look at the pond there.  There was an INTERMEDIATE EGRET right out in front of me, so I had a trip bird.  Here is a picture.

 

Here is a close-up of its face.

 

Eventually, I made it to Ken’s house in Mapleton, although it was an adventure, as my GPS app wanted to route me up a dirt road at one point, and I wasn’t having any of that.  I ended up having to go way around, through the town of Maleny, but maybe that was the best route, anyway, I don’t really know.  I had plenty of time, and the countryside was beautiful, so I enjoyed the drive.  My route took me along a ridge that had a great view to the east, to the ocean.

 

I got to Ken’s house about 3:45, but neither Ken nor his wife, Megan, was home.  Megan’s father was there, though.  He and Megan’s mother are visiting.  They seem to be sleeping in a little trailer that is parked in the yard.  I sat on the porch and watched for birds while I waited.  Megan showed up a little later, and we visited on the porch, after she showed me where I could put my stuff.  I changed into my shorts and sandals, as it was very warm, at least in the 90’s, and much more humid than Bowra had been.  It was pleasant sitting on the porch, though, and it gradually cooled down as the sun set.  Everyone had a beer or two, and Megan put some birdseed in the feeder, so we had some bird action, too.

 

The first one to come in was a lovely WOMPOO FRUIT-DOVE.  I hadn’t expected to see one in Ken’s yard, so I was very pleased.  I have only seen that species twice before.  Unfortunately, it flew before I could get a picture.

 

Next was a PALE-HEADED ROSELLA, and I did get a picture of that one.

 

I had forgotten how blue they are.

 

Then a Grey Butcherbird flew in and landed on the railing, right next to me.

 

It is 6:40 now, and Ken just got home.  Dinner is in 20 minutes, so I will go.  The plan is to bird this weekend, and I’ll try to write reports when I have time.  Ken has wi-fi, so I’ll be able to do email.

 

So, 3 new trip birds today, and that brings me to 202 for the trip, of which 11 are lifers.