Day 1: 27th July 2025 - Brisbane
We arrived at Brisbane at around 10PM, me and my family were very tired from the long flight as we made out way out of immigration. The first creature that I noticed was a Common House Gecko hunting flies on one of the billboards warmed by the screen while waiting for the bus.
Common House Gecko
After we got off the bus going from the international terminal to the domestic terminal, we checked into The Pullman Hotel to spend a night since we were all very tired. By the time we got to bed, it was already past midnight.
Day 2: 28th July 2025 - Brisbane to Moreton Island
Me and my family woke up early to get ready and to get to the ferry terminal at 10AM going to Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island. At the ferry terminal, the first bird that I saw was a Crested Pigeon perched up on a wire. Though a bit far, I could see the distinct crest on top of the pigeon. We would see many more in the days to come.
Other than that, I also saw some other common Australian birds, such as a few soaring Australian Ibises, Noisy Miners, Brahminy Kites, Brown Honeyeaters, Olive backed Oriole and a few Tree Martins.
Australian Ibis
Brahminy Kite
Brown Honeyeater
Tree Martin
Once the ferry started moving, I went up towards the top deck to see what new birds I could find along the Brisbane River. Birds seen during the ride included Little Black Cormorants, Sliver Gulls, Great and Little Egret. I saw a pair of Straw necked Ibises, but once I uploaded my photos onto my laptop, I could not find the photos which I took.
Silver Gull
Great Egret
Little Egret
As we were leaving the Port of Brisbane and into the river mouth leading into the ocean, we passed the submarine USS Ohio, moored alongside the USS Frank Cable. The USS Ohio is the lead sub of the nuclear powered Ohio-class ships, and they can fire ballistic or guided missiles. After a bit of research, I found that this was the first time an Ohio-class ship visited Brisbane, and the sub only arrived at the 27th of July, the day before our visit.
USS Ohio moored next to USS Frank Cable
Back on the topic of birds, I also added roosting Australian Pelicans, Silver Gulls and Great Crested Terns. As we headed out to more open ocean, we added more birds including an Australian Gannet and more Great Crested Tern.
Australian Pelicans, Silver Gulls and Great Crested Terns roost
Australian Gannet
Great Crested Tern
After an hour and a quarter long ferry ride, we finally arrived at Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island, where we would be spending two days of our holiday here. Once we got off the ferry, the first bird that I saw was a few Pied Cormorants, Australian Pelicans and more Great Crested Terns roosting on beach.
Australian Pelican and Pied Cormorant roost
Pied Cormorant
Great Crested Tern
As we headed to the resort to check into our hotel room and have lunch, I noticed lots of Bush Thick-knees perching on the vegetation all around the resort. These birds are nocturnal, so that all the individuals we saw were either standing there or roosting.
Bush Thick-knee
Further along, I spotted a very large nest on one of the trees, I guessed it was some kind of raptor. As we were passing by, I saw a Whistling Kite soaring past at speed, and then landing onto the nest! We would soon learn from the staff at the island resort that the kites had one chick in the nest!
Whistling Kite - preparing to land on nest
After lunch and leaving our luggage in our room, we went to do some activities around the island. We joined a Sand Topogganing tour, where we headed over the nearby Moreton Island Desert. We were given sleds, and we had to hike to the top of the sand dune, then we could slide down. It was pretty fun, but it was tiring.
Moreton Island Desert
After that, we headed back to then resort, where we did another activity, where we did the ATV Quad Bike Tour. It was nearly dark after the tour, and so we decided to head over to the harbour to see some of the Bottlenose Dolphins which came the docks each night. The staff at the resort feeds the dolphins every night, and so they come every night to wait for the handout. I also did some silhouette photography of a Bush Thick-knee on the beach.
Dolphins gathering to wait for fish handout
After we finished watching the dolphins and after dinner, we headed back to our room and prepared for the next day.
I woke up early before my family did, to hopefully do some birding around the area. Just outside our room, I found a Torresian Crow roost, with at least 30 individuals roosting there. I got a few photos before they flew away at dawn. I walked along the beach, where I saw a few Masked Lapwings, with some of the beautiful sunrise colors in the background.
Torresian Crow
I checked the Whistling Kite nest once again, and found that one of the adults were resting on the nest, while another one was flying around, hunting. Welcome Swallows were very abundant, I managed to find a few perched on some pipes attached to buildings.
Whistling Kite - on nest
Welcome Swallow
I spotted another raptor soaring high above, and after a look I saw that it was a White bellied Sea Eagle. The Sea Eagle was soon joined by another raptor, an Osprey.
White Bellied Sea Eagle
Osprey
As I continued on the path, I saw some other forest birds, including a few Australian Figbirds feeding on some fruiting trees, while a Little Friarbird perched silently on one of the low trees.
Australian Figbird
Little Friarbird
After some forest birds, I once again headed back out to the beach to see if I could find some more shorebirds. There, I spotted a few Silver Gulls and Great Crested Terns perched on the beach.
Silver Gull
Great Crested Tern
As I made my way back to our room, I spotted a few more birds, including a Noisy Friarbird feeding on some fruits, a Brown Honeyeater, Spotted Dove, and more Australian Figbird. I also flushed a Bar Shouldered Dove, which was too fast for a photo. Just outside of our hotel room, I found a Paper Wasp’s nest, hanging from a wire.
Noisy Friarbird
Brown Honeyeater
Brown Honeyeater
Australian Figbird
Paper Wasp
After breakfast, we headed over to watch the Pelican Feeding, which would be happing at 11PM. While I waited, I saw that the Pelicans and Cormorants were already waiting in the water for the food.
Pied Cormorant
Australian Pelican
Once the feeding began, more birds, came in, and all of the birds snatched to get a fish. In addition to the Pelicans and Cormorants, I also saw Great Crested Terns and the Whistling Kites circling, hoping to get a fish. The feeder even threw the kite a fish, stating that they would give the fish to the chick.
Whistling Kite
Whistling Kite - with fish
Great Crested Tern
After the feeding, we decided to wait a bit on the docks, as my family had booked a whale watching cruise, heading out to the north tip of Moreton Island to hopefully spot Humpback Whales. Once we set off, the crew said that it would take up at least 40 minutes before any whales appeared, but we spotted a female and a calf swimming along the boat just a few minutes into the cruise!
As we reached where the whales were most often seen, we began seeing more and more movement on the water’s surface, including a few Bottlenose Dolphins and three more Humpback Whales.
Bottlenose Dolphin
Humpback Whales
After seeing a few more Humbacks surfacing and diving, the ecoguide on the cruise spotted one male Humpback Whale breaching in the distance, so our boat quickly headed over to get a closer look. Breaching is the action of a whale swimming up to the surface and high into the air, before falling down, creating a huge splash. Males do this to attract females, but this is very energy consuming, and these whales don’t feed during their entire migration down to Antarctic waters.
Humpback Whale -breaching
After the breaching, which lasted for over 30 minutes, I saw two more Humpbacks swimming, and they even played around by slapping their tails side by side as a competition plus waving us goodbye as we left! On our way back to Tangalooma Island Resort, I saw yet another Great Crested Tern, and also a Green Sea Turtle, which was too fast for a photo.
Humpback Whale - flipper flapping, diving and tail smacking
After we arrived back on the island, we headed back to our room to rest a while. We decided to head over to see the Kookaburra feeding, where a few Kookaburras would fly from the forests every day for the handout. On our way there, I saw a few more resting Bush Thick-knees. Once me and my family arrived at the feeding location, I saw three Laughing Kookaburras already waiting.
Soon after, one of the Tangalooma staff came along and started explaining more about Kookaburras, and to feed the birds. After the feeding, we headed out to the beach, where I spotted a Whistling Kite which had perched on the beach. I also tried to photograph some Bush Thick-knees under the beautiful hues, which worked a bit better today. I also spotted a Wobbegong shark swimming in the shallow waters of the beach.
After dinner, we headed back to our room and I prepared for an early start the next day.
Day 4: 30th July 2025 - Moreton Island to Gold Coast
I once again woke up early, to hopefully find some new birds before we left the island. As I walked along the beach, I saw a pair of Pelicans resting and preening on the beach, I tried to use a slow shutter to blur the waves but keeping the bird sharp.
Australian Pelican
When I looked up, I saw two raptors, which turned out to be a White Bellied Sea Eagle and Osprey. The Osprey even dived down and caught a fish!
White Bellied Sea Eagle
Osprey - with fish
I then noticed a small, dark raptor swooping in from behind and attempting to catch Welcome Swallows! Surely what other bird can this be other than the Peregrine Falcon! For the next half a hour, I watched in awe as it continued to hunt for swallows. I flew so close and fast to me I could hear the whoosh of air as it passed by. Finally, it hovered in front of me, before diving down and catching a swallow! Amazing!
Peregrine Falcon - hunting for swallows
Peregrine Falcon - swallow in talons
With that, I decided to make my way back to my hotel, just before I left the dock I saw an Australasian Gannet fly by. On my way back to our room, I saw some more Noisy Friarbirds and another Osprey.
Australasian Gannet
Osprey
After we packed up and finished breakfast, we headed out to the docks to wait for the ferry. There, I saw the Whistling Kites one last time fighting with a pair of Torresian Crows.
Whistling Kite - fighting with Torresian Crow
On the ferry back to the mainland, I did not see much birds of interest expect a few Little Egrets, Caspian Tern, Pied Stilts, dozens of Great Crested Terns and an Australian Darter.
Little Egrets and Silver Gulls
Caspian Tern
Pied Stilt
Great Crested Terns
Australian Darter
Once we arrived back at the docks, I spotted an Olive Backed Oriole and a few Australian Figbirds feeding on some fruits.
We then took a cab to Brisbane Airport to rent a car to drive down to the Gold Coast, and I managed to see a Rock Pigeon while waiting for the car.
Rock Pigeon
Next, we drove over to Charis Seafoods on the Gold Coast, where we would have lunch and watch the daily Pelican feeding show at 1:30PM. On the way there, I added a few Square Tailed Kites soaring over the road.
Once we arrived at the restaurant, I saw that there were many Pelicans waiting to be fed, way more than on Moreton Island! In addition to that, I saw some other birds including a pair of Black Swans and a Brahminy Kite.
Black Swan
Australian Pelicans
Brahminy Kite
Once the feeding began, more Pelicans flew in, and soon fights broke out with some of the salmon thrown out by the feeder. After we watched the feeding, we went to eat some fish and chips, which we delicious.
My sister wanted to do some horseriding, so after lunch we drove another hour south of Gold Coast to Byron Bay in New South Wales where we would be able to ride hoses. The place was named Zephyr Horses, and other than the horses, I saw birds including Dusky Moorhen, Australasian Swamphen, Pacific Black Ducks, Chestnut Teals, Maned Ducks and a Gray Butcherbird.
Dusky Moorhen
Pacific Black Duck
Chestnut Teal
Maned Duck
Gray Butcherbird
After the horseriding, I it was nearly dark, and we still had to drive the hour back to the Gold Coast. On the way, I saw a large fire burning, I do not know if it is a wildfire or a controlled burning.
Blazing Fire
We arrived at our hotel in Surfer's Paradise, and we went to bed early since we were all tired from a day of travelling and we had something exciting planned the next day.
To be continued....
Awesome stuff, Australia is always lots of fun. Your Little Pied Cormorants are actually Pied Cormorants, note the yellow spot in front of the eye, and Olive-backed Oriole should be female Figbirds, which are in fact a type of Oriole. I also believe your Square-tailed Kite to be a Black Kite, Square-tailed Kites inhabits more wooded areas, as they are canopy specialists.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your corrections, I did not check with the Figbirds, just thought that the females were Olive Backed and have corrected the mistakes. I didn't know that square tailed kites like wooded areas, thought their tail looked kind of long for a black. Thanks a lot!
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ReplyDeleteDetail description of your observation & excellent photos, well done!
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