Outings

General information

Rainbow Bee-eaters © A. Parmiter

Birds Queensland has two main outings each month, one on a weekend, and the other in mid-week. The Photogroup usually has an outing each month on the weekend, mostly in the morning, though the tide influences the timing if waders are the target. Details for these outings over the next few months are recorded on this page below.

In addition, there are Easy Start walks for new members, on the fourth Sunday of each month (except December). Interested persons should contact Dawn Muir by telephone 3870 8076 or by for details of locations and timing.

The Queensland Waders Study Group usually has a monthly outing (for Wader counts and other wader related activities), timed to suit the tide on a Sunday early in each month. Details are given on their web page.

Outings organized by the Noosa parks Association are included here for those who would like to participate. Please contact the organizers if you intend to participate in these activities.

BQ members and friends in Cairns have planned a number of birdwatching outings for the rest of the year. Dawn Magarry explains that they call themselves "Mabel's Mates" after their mascot, who is a knitted doll, complete with bird book, binoculars, walking stick and lunch pack, donated by a club member for a raffle. Birds Queensland members and friends are welcome to attend. Please contact Dawn (Ph 4053 1183 Cairns) if you intend to do so.

Noisy Friarbird © M. Gilpin

The details of some of the following outings listed may need to be confirmed, and additional outings may be added as the year progresses, so keep checking here at least each month. If the details of the meeting place, etc. given are insufficient, please call the nominated Leader for more precise directions. It is also important to notify the Leader to confirm your attendance. We encourage car-pooling wherever possible.

Saturday 20 February - Daisy Hill Forest.

Leader: Dawn Muir ph. 3870 8076

Daisy Hill Forest Reserve has eucalypt and some wetter habitats. There are toilets, water and picnic facilities. Bring morning tea, hat, sunscreen and insect repellent.

The gates are opened at 7am. Meet in Parking area 4 (P4) at 7.15am.

Directions: (UBD Map 243 and Map 223 C19) Travel south on the Freeway (M1) to Exit 23 at Springwood. Travel along Chatswood Road - past John Paul College, turn left at the traffic lights into Daisy Hill Road and continue to the park. Once inside the park follow the one-way road past the bus parking area to P4 or P5.

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Sunday 21 February - Photogroup Outing - Oxley Creek Common

Leader Bob Sutherst (3379 7147 or mobile on the day 0488 68 4550) or email Sutherst@iprimus.com.au

Start is 7am from the Red Shed to avoid the heat as much as possible and to capture the soft morning light. So sign on between 6.30 and 7am. We walked at Oxley this time last year and achieved 76 species, with some excellent photos. Check Hugh Possingham's University of Queensland website for information about OCC and bird lists: http://uq.edu.au/spatialecology/birds-oxleycreekcommon. There are toilets and a shelter shed. It may be worth bringing a chair as the shed is often used by other groups at the weekend. The walk can be hot, so hats, sunscreen and water are important on the 4-5 km walk. Mosquito repellent may also be useful. Pelican Lake has been cleared of Salvinia, presumably by the salvinia weevil, and Jabiru swamp will have been flushed out by the recent rain. Recent new birds include a common tern and a scarlet (?) robin. We meet back at the shed for morning tea.

Directions: Sherwood Rd, Sherwood. UBD 179 B20

Tuesday 23 February - Canterbury Park, Bald Hills

Leaders: Jean & Peter Crow. Ph 3398 5118

This suburban park at Bald Hills has easy walking. It has suburban, bush and water birds.

Directions: Meet 7am, Rushworth St, Bald Hills. UBD map 99 G18. Bring chair, morning tea.

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Sunday 7 March - Mabel's Mates - Cairns

Contact: Dawn Magarry on 07 4053 1183

A morning walk at Wongabel State Forest near Atherton. Starting from Gallo Park at 8.45am. All welcome. Contact Dawn if you are planning to attend.

Saturday 13 March - Moggill State Forest - Mill Road

Leader: Margaret Clark ph 3878 1896

We last visited this area in May 2005. The walk will commence at 7:30 am at the entrance to the forest on Mill Road. We will follow the creek through wet and dry eucalypt forest, along a track in open forest, and along Mill Road.

Directions: From Kenmore travel out along Moggill Road, turn right into Grandview Road, and left into Mill Road. Continue about 1km to the Forest entrance. UBD 175 P11. Bring morning tea and a chair.

Sunday 21 March - Noosa Parks Association - Pomona

Contact Valda McLean 5476 2123 for details.

This is an exciting new site to start the 2010 outings and Doug and Judy Castledine are our hosts. From Pioneer Road turn into Highfield Ridge Road then into Squatter Court. The property is number 14. (Map 4 F16 Sunshine Coast UBD).

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Tuesday 23 March - Tinchi-Tamba Wetlands, Bald Hills

Leader: Martin Ryan Ph 3267 1594 or Mob 0437 432 791

This outing commences at 7am and will be about 3 hours as there are two main walks, both on wheelchair accessible level graded tracks. There are several habitats - mangrove, saltmarsh and freshwater wetlands, open tall grass areas, and coastal forest with a good variety of bush and water birds. If you are extra early, you may want to stop
briefly by the side of Wyampa Rd on the eastern side of the bridge over the Gateway Motorway to see if there are any birds on the flats to the left, or some may wish to venture along a track there after morning tea. Bring morning tea, chair, insect repellent, spotting scopes. Park has toilets, water, covered tables.

Directions: Located at UBD Map 100 A16. Take Bracken Ridge Rd Exit off Gateway Motorway(Map 110 C1 going north; F1 going south). Follow Bracken Ridge Rd west for approx 1.5km then turn right at lights and Tinchi Tamba sign to continue along same road. At the end turn right into Kluver Street and continue along taking right fork into Wyampa Rd, then travel approx 1.9km. Turn left at sign and meet in picnic area near first car park (there is extra parking further on near boat ramp). If coming from Gympie Rd take Strathpine Rd/Hoyland St Exit (Map 99 J4) then turn left off Hoyland St into Kluver St and continue to Wyampa Rd

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Outings Elsewhere

As part of a greater effort to connect with the various bird groups around Queensland, we are alerting you to other places and times where you will be welcome to join the local birders:

Tweed Bird Observers

Covering the Tweed Valley and nearby, with outings on the second Sunday of the month. Contact: Matthew Angus at 07 5579 1757 or Laurel Allsop at 07 5590 9254 for details.

Gold Coast Group

A local expedition every Thursday starting at 7.30am. Contact: Colin Collins on 07 for details on the next outing (where to start and places to be visited)

Toowoomba Bird Observers

A very active group with regular outings - Contact: Kay Williams at 4659 5475 or mob. 0429 465 954.

Noosa Parks Association - Bird Observers Group

Every second month an interpretive walk takes place before their Friday Forum with a guest speaker. Meet in the Environment Centre car park, Wallace Park, Eumundi Road, Noosaville, beside the library, at 8.30am. Contact Valda McLean 5476 2123 for details.

Bird Watchers of Hervey Bay

Another local group with regular weekly walks. Contact John Knight at 4125 2372 for details of the next outing.

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