Kingfisher Bay Resort And Fraser Island

Fraser Island's Slipperiest Characters Steal The Show In Jan!

2012-02-08T13:44:00.002+10:00

Those balmy mid-summer nights we’ve experienced over the last few weeks have provided us with almost perfect conditions for spotting our native nocturnal wildlife in and around Kingfisher Bay Resort.

Over the last month, our Wallum heath has teamed with amphibian and reptile life – and all the usual frog species were spotted. However, we have to say that it was our beautiful snake species that stole the show this month.

We know that they’re not everyone’s cup-of-tea, but snakes are vital in maintaining functioning ecosystems and their amazing physiology and lifestyle must surely earn them an honourable mention?

The good news is that we don’t often encounter snakes on our guided night walks (much to the disappointment of the resort’s Rangers) and the most common ones we see are our shy, docile, non-venomous Pythons.

The wonderfully graceful Carpet Python can sense temperature differences of 1/30th of a degree using sensory pits in their lower and sometimes upper lips. They also exhibit a style of parental care that is unique amongst Australian snakes - the attentive (and ever patient) female coils around her eggs to guard them until they hatch.

Some of the smaller Pythonidae counterparts that Rangers spotted this month include the pleasantly named Children’s Python (pictured above, image courtesy of tinypythons.com) - named after its discoverer rather than its affinity to children. A Bandy Bandy was also seen, despite their very reclusive nature. They are not pythons and instead burrow underground feeding exclusively on other snake species!

Our skies were filled with a familiar sound this month as our Grey-headed Flying Fox – who occasionally like to grace us with their presence – returned to Fraser Island. The arrival of these protected creatures is unmistakable as they take to the trees and bicker with each other over blossoms and fruit.

While the marine life viewing from the Jetty was amazing as always, one January night our attention was diverted from the delights of the Great Sandy Strait and we were lucky enough to see one of Fraser Island’s most well-known icons meandering down the beach. That’s right a purebred Dingo was spotted looking for food on Fraser’s western beach!

At this time of year they tend to be more active at night in an attempt to avoid the warm summer sun. Much to the delight of our night walkers, this captivating canine stayed around for a while, sniffing the air, the sand and everything in between, before continuing on his path north, disappearing into the night.

Hooroo until next time!

We're Just Wild About Our Waders...

2012-02-03T15:07:00.003+10:00

Hot on the heels of our Quail report, comes the latest bird wrap up from the Kingfisher Bay Resort Ranger team.

With summer in full swing, the days are long and the birds are plentiful here on Fraser Island. And, with the impatient sun peaking over the horizon at around 5:30am, it is definitely the very early bird that’s been getting the worm.

January was a month for Waders, and most of the ‘exciting birding’ was happening on Kingfisher Bay’s western beach, overlooking the Great Sandy Strait.

Eastern Curlews are regular visitors to Fraser Island and easily identified by the eerie territorial calls they let out of a night time – “cuur-lee, cuur-lee!” In daylight however, these birds are not at all menacing and live an amazing migratory life - flying thousands of kilometres along the East Asian Australasian Flyway from Russia and China each year to feed on our shores.

Another impressive wader that’s been gracing our shoreline of late is the Beach Stone-Curlew – another species known for its wailing call. This large-beaked wader stands up to 65 centimetres and is a striking presence on Fraser Island’s western shore. The species is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (QLD), so we take extra care when we’re exploring the beautiful beach environment in front of the resort, on our guided walks, not to disturb their habitat.

Other waders sighted this month included the shy and petite Whimbrel, the striking White-faced Heron, slender and graceful Little Egrets and our furtive Striated Herons.

Other environments around the resort also provided some great sightings over the past month.

Red-browed Finches filled the Wallum and main road with their sweet cheeping calls as they spent their mornings foraging on the ground for seeds and insects. These diminutive birds are identified by their steely grey and olive green plumage, with splashes of fiery red on their rump and above their eyes.

The start of a new year also heralds the start of Midyim berry season. Midyim bushes are prolific around the resort and, from January to about April each year, produce an abundance of small and very tasty fruits. Mistletoebirds are big fans of these bushes and this month bird watchers were lucky enough to witness male Mistletoebirds gorging on these fruits. Our Resort Rangers also love to forage for the delicious Midyim during our guided Bush Tucker walks and new faces are most welcome!

What a great start to 2012… let’s see what February brings.
Hooroo from Ranger Kat

All Hail The Holy Grail Of Quails...

2012-01-13T11:51:00.002+10:00

December was, as always, a bird watcher’s delight here on beautiful Fraser Island. Kingfisher Bay Resort guests disembarked the ferry to friendly greetings by our aerobatic Welcome Swallows – who dipped and dived through the air chasing down a bug-gy meal.

The Welcome Swallows’ muddy nests – filled with fluffy fledglings – were easily spotted from under the resort’s Jetty on the western side of Fraser… and were a definite highlight on our early morning bird walks.

Walking through the Wallum Heathland – just a stone’s throw from the resort’s Centre Complex - always excites our Ranger team and the Twitchers who come and stay with us. There are no manicured lawns and rose gardens here at Kingfisher Bay and when the resort was built, the landscaping was designed to mirror the native vegetation and ensure the protection of the gene pool.

Many thousands of plants were removed prior to construction and held in an on-site nursery for replanting later. A further 150,000 plants were raised from seeds and cuttings. The success of the revegetation in the area can be judged by the abundance of wildflowers and native wildlife nesting and feeding in the bush around the resort.

This month, we were pleased to see plenty of Bar Shouldered Doves going about their daily business. These uniquely marked doves – adults have a blue-grey head neck and upper breast with a distinctive reddish-bronze patch on the hind neck with dark barring - have a unique feeding habit. Once the young hatches, both parents feed them with a source of milk known as Crop Milk. After about a week the young chick is weened onto an adult diet of seeds.

Our fabulous White Cheeked Honeyeaters were all aflutter as them flitted from blossom to blossom on the Swamp Banskias in the resort grounds – they were too engrossed to spare a thought about our cameras and curiosity. The White Cheeked Honeyeaters’ busy feeding behaviour along with the Brown Honeyeater and the Blue Faced Honeyeater helps to pollinate our local plant life.

However, the word on everyone’s lips this month was ‘Quail’. A few lucky twitchers were treated to several sightings of the super-shy Brown Quail (pictured above; image courtesy of Wikipedia) - a bird very rarely seen around the resort grounds. Though the holy grail of quails; the Black Breasted Button Quail eluded us for the year, we remain hopeful we’ll spot our BBBQ courting pair in the coming months. The species is listed as vulnerable in Queensland due to habitat loss and exotic species and Fraser Island is one of the few safe havens left for this ground dwelling bird. Fingers crossed for 2012!

With December coming to an end, we look forward to a bird watching bonanza in 2012 - may it bring some feathered surprises with it. This is Ranger Kelly sighing off until next month.

December's Been A Magical Month of Marine Magic

2012-01-10T11:37:00.008+10:00

Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Jetty has been a popular hangout with fisher folk after the ‘catch of the day’ and with resort guests wandering down to watch mango-coloured sunsets over the Great Sandy Strait. And with December’s the gorgeous weather – it was also popular feature on our Ranger-guided night walk trail.

The jetty’s infrastructure creates the perfect platform for viewing the intertidal zone – or the seafloor exposed by the low tide - and the creatures that normally lurk beneath the surface. Our guests continue to be fascinated by the moving wave of hundreds upon hundreds of Solider Crabs and Ghost Crabs swarming the area looking for food.

These animals are prime examples of the many organisms that have adapted to this extreme environment. Whilst it’s great for fishermen and the guests that paddle the water’s edge; for marine creatures it represents a combination of voluminous nutrients from the sea, saline and fresh water from Dundonga Creek, and harsh sunlight conditions during tidal changes.

Guests delighted when we spotted Bottlenose Dolphins (file picture - see above) on numerous occasions. Working as a team, they glided through the water in rings, flipping fish out of the air and catching them swiftly in their mouth. It was magical to be just a stone’s throw from the resort, but so close to the action and we hope to see them continue their fun in the coming months.

Other marine life capturing our attention included some particularly large Stingrays, Loggerhead Sea Turtles - which can also be spotted on our guided creek canoe paddles – and ruby-coloured Squid. Deep sea squid are generally this dark red colour because the red wavelength doesn’t penetrate into the deep sea, making them nearly invisible.

Around the rest of the resort, scattered December rain brought our Wallum area to life with a number of species of frogs competing with one another for the loudest croak. The fresh water lakes around Kingfisher’s grounds are naturally acidic and create a special habitat for a lot of these vulnerable acid frog species such as the Wallum Rocket Frogs and Striped Rocket Frog – which are often spotted from the boardwalks. Large Green Tree Frogs and the comparatively smaller Cooloola Sedge Frog were also heard within the chorus.

Spotting our nocturnal flighty friends - the Tawny Frogmouths - requires keen eyes. These gorgeous non-raptorial birds are masters of disguise and are able to perfectly mimic a part of a tree branch.

Birdy Fact: Did you know that many Aussies refer to the Tawny Frogmouth by the colloquial name of Mopoke?

While Tawny Frogmouths are often confused with Owls, they are actually more closely related to the Nightjars. Their feet are quite weak, mostly used for perching and they lack the curved talons of Owls.

Keep your eyes peeled for Ranger Kelly’s December bird wrap up – it’s coming soon.

November Brings With It A Moveable Feast...

2011-12-08T12:13:00.012+10:00

It’s certainly been a case of all creatures great and small coming to visit us on Fraser Island over the past month – and our eagle-eyed twitchers and guests on our early morning bird walks and resort nature walks couldn’t have been happier.

As the seasons changed on Fraser and we move steadily towards summer – we’ve seen our trees come alive with blossoms and seeds in the Wallum Heathland.

This moveable feast has attracted all manner of birdlife including an Australian native – Bar-shouldered Doves - which are easily identified by the blue-grey breasted, chequered brown-bronze wings and striated nape feathers. November has also seen the arrival of a species we only ever see in summer - the very shy, rich-red Red Browed Finch.

If its colour you’re looking for, we’ve got that too!

Regular sightings of the bashful electric blue Azure Kingfisher (pictured above left) – after which the resort is named - and the striking, tropical colours of the Rainbow Bee-eater filled the sky with florescent blues, greens, yellows and oranges and lots of ‘prrp prrp’ noises as they flitted through the wallum.

Birdy Fact: Did you know that Rainbow Bee-eaters rub bees and wasps against its perch to remove their stings before eating them?

On the western beaches, we’ve seen Eastern Reef Egrets and White Faced Herons frolicking along the shoreline in search of a fresh seafood meal whilst Brahminy Kites and Whistling Kites – with their loud descending whistle (it sounds like ‘teee-titi’) - soared high above them also scanning the water for their next tasty treat of fresh fish.

At this time of year, the waters of the Great Sandy Strait (which border Kingfisher Bay’s resort grounds to the west) are full of large schools of bait fish – making them perfect feeding grounds for our Gull-billed Terns and Crested Terns.

This month we’ve watched as they’ve dive bombed into the water – only to come fluttering back out with a prized fish in their beak. There's been plenty of great photographic opportunities.

Overall November was magical for bird spotters. Our feathered friends have played, posed and paraded around for all to admire and we've loved every minute. Until next blog, this is Ranger Kat signing off.

November's Been 'Turtlely Awesome' For Watching Wildlife

2011-11-21T10:45:00.005+10:00

With this warmer November weather, we’ve seen a change in the types of nocturnal wildlife that we’re seeing in and around Kingfisher Bay Resort.

The Wallum is one of the many different eco-systems on Fraser Island and is characterised by floristically-rich scrubland and healthland on deep, nutrient-poor, sandy soil (thanks Wikipedia for the definition!).

At Kingfisher, you’ll find the Wallum area just in front of our main Centre Complex and hotel centre complex and some of our villas border it as well.

Guests are free to explore the Wallum at their leisure on our timber boardwalks, which wind their way past the mirror lakes – it’s a great spot to see our local birdlife diving for insects across the purple-hued waters first thing in the morning; or where you might catch a glimpse of a carpet python sunning itself in the bush. Or you can head out on one of our many Ranger-guided eco walks.

In November, our beautiful native frog species become more active and vocal from their home in the Wallum! Of an evening the air is filled with a chorus of calls made by striking Striped Rocket Frogs, energetic Wallum Rocket Frogs and dainty Cooloola Sedge Frogs. Throughout the warmer months we marvel at the sounds made by these amazing amphibians and watch with childlike excitement as they bound across the Wallum boardwalks right in front of our eyes. Our Junior Eco Rangers love it too.

The resort’s main road has also been a mecca of activity with the return of regular sightings of Tawny Frogmouths. These graceful nocturnal birds could be seen perched in roadside Eucalypts waiting for the streetlights to lure in a tasty insect meal... and as we reported in our bird report for last month - our Tawny Frogmouths have been seen out and about with a new chick – we’ll be following their progress closely and will keep you updated.

Bandicoots were also regularly spied rustling around under the fluffy foliage of the Fox-tail Sedge. These curious marsupials busily dig for crickets, worms and tubers of a night time, leaving tell-tale holes in the sandy soil around the resort.

The marine life around the jetty at Kingfisher Bay was spectacular this month as a gorgeous Green Sea Turtle (pictured above - special thanks to greenpack for the use of their photo) was spotted several times throughout the month. This magnificent creature comes to feed and sleep under our jetty from time to time and it is always a night walk highlight to see it momentarily surface for a gulp of air.

And on Fraser Island's western sea shore thousands of Soldier Crabs have been busily feeding at the water’s edge – it really is a spectacular sight.

Catch you next time, tree huggers, Ranger Kat.

Crakey! It's Been An Egg-citing Month For Twitchers

2011-11-17T10:51:00.004+10:00

Sorry for the lateness in getting this blog to you - spring is such an exciting time for birding and this October was no exception – so we’ve been away from our desks and out on Fraser Island, wandering the wallum and seashore with guests in search of new and exciting feathered friends to add to our burgeoning bird count!

This month we’re pleased to report that Kingfisher Bay Resort’s resident Grey Shrike Thrushes are nesting for a second time this season. Each year we bear witness to the development of their young from just eggs; to noisy chicks constantly nagging for food; to anxious fledglings that can’t wait to explore their new surrounds; and to the adults that that become part of our Kingfisher family.

To experience this breeding cycle twice in such close succession is a real treat and we’ll keep you posted with the progress of the new families over the coming months. If you’ve visited Kingfisher, chances are you’ve seen these intelligent birds around our Centre Complex area and in the Wallum. Working in pairs, they’ve perfected the art of the ‘fly by’ to gain access to our main reception and Maheno areas – one flies past the sensor to activate the doors and the other zips inside.

In other egg-citing news, a pair of Tawny Frogmouths has also produced a chick, which we spied early one morning on our Ranger-guided Bird Walk around Kingfisher. This small fluffy ball of down was spotted testing out its wings under the watchful eye of both parents. Although these birds are nocturnal, the new addition to the family means little sleep for attentive parents.

Sound familiar?

The Wallum lakes – within a stone’s throw of the resort - sported a flurry of activity this month with Red-backed Fairy-wrens, Noisy Friarbirds, Lewin’s Honeyeaters and Bar-shouldered Doves all sighted in and around the lake banks. A new addition – a Darter - made a cameo appearance much to our delight. This graceful bird was spotted on several bird walks either wading through the tea-coloured water in search of a meal, or perched in a lakeside Paperbark - wings outstretched, drying off in the warm morning sun.

The Wallum was definitely the place to be this October with our most exciting sighting of a species never before recorded on our bird walks - a Spotless Crake (pictured above, beautiful photo courtesy of aadvark on Flickr) – and right in front of our Hervey Bay Bird Watching Group – we couldn’t have planned it better!

This pint-sized wader had bird watchers spellbound as it surreptitiously emerged from amongst the vegetation for a look around, before quickly darting back under cover. This was a rare and special sighting of this uncommon and nomadic species.

We can’t wait to see what November brings… until then this is Ranger Kat saying hooroo.

Blossoms, Berries, Bats And Balmy OctoBer Nights

2011-11-14T10:54:00.003+10:00

October brings with it a distinctive spring peak a clear balmy evenings, a delight for our night time wildlife and our Kingfisher Bay guests on our night time nature walks in and around the resort.

An abundance of blossoms, berries kept our resident bats bedazzled for hours each evening. The beautiful Grey Headed Flying Fox (pictured. Photo courtesy of Ku-ring-gai Council) was most commonly seen hanging upside down, scrambling through the masses of nectar filled blossoms, whilst the gracious, yet erratic, flight of the much smaller Micro-bats flew silently above in search of their next meaty bug meal.

Cautiously sharing the hunting grounds of the trees are the Gliders – one of the most popular animals with our night time walkers. These small yet aerobatic possum like creatures spend their nights launching themselves off high branches, gliding up to 50m before landing, gripping and sprinting up the trunk of the tree into the cover of the food filled branches.

The most commonly seen on the western side of Fraser Island are the Sugar Glider and Squirrel Glider, which are about the size of your hand, however the smaller and more illusive Feather-tailed Gliders are the size of a match box and a spectacular sight when seen.

The Great Sandy Strait is also filled with mysterious and marvellous creatures. However night time brings the weird and wonderful to the shallows for our viewing. Torch light reveals techno-coloured Squid, which have the ability to change into a moving circus of lights, colours and patterns.

Stingrays were on the hunt for hidden crustaceans buried in the sand and are fascinating to watch from above. Using their highly developed sensory glands around their mouth they’re able to pick up even the tiniest of electrical current produced by living creatures in the balmy waters around them. Night time feeding frenzies are a sight to be seen from the Kingfisher jetty, as schools of bait fish are targeted by larger lurking predatory fish.

This month was filled with the wonders of Fraser Island’s night life and the clear star filled sky was the cherry on top.

Stay tuned for our bird report coming soon to a blog near you – cheers Ranger Kelly.

More From Our September Flockstars!

2011-10-17T11:04:00.005+10:00

Spring has sprung and what a beautiful time of year it is here at Kingfisher Bay Resort.

The resort's Wallum is simply teeming with bird life as Fraser Island's wild flowers have burst into bloom. The aromatic and nectar filled flower spikes of Forest Grasstrees continue to attract Honeyeaters from far and wide. Dusky Honeyeaters, Scarlet Honeyeaters, White Throated Honeyeaters and Blue-faced Honeyeaters could all be seen gorging themselves on the nectar.

The beautiful red inflorescences of the Bottlebrush are also in bloom and are equally as attractive at mealtime for our resident Honeyeaters.

Birding along the main road was stunning this month and our eagle-eyed twitchers spotted Emerald Doves on three separate occasions. These striking birds, with their iridescent green wings, are mainly found in rainforest and rarely seen within the resort grounds, causing our Rangers to do a double-take!

Adorable Eastern Yellow Robins were also spotted on several mornings flitting through the undergrowth, collecting twigs to construct their tiny nests. Fraser’s resident flower peckers - Mistletoebirds - were also seen on several September mornings - happily picking fruit from clusters of Mistletoe high amongst the Eucalypts.

There was plenty of activity down on Fraser Island’s western beach with many of our magnificent raptors making an appearance. Whistling Kites and Brahminy Kites were seen on many mornings soaring gracefully over the Great Sandy Strait scanning the waters for fish prey. Ospreys and White-bellied Sea-Eagles were happy for us to watch them as they perched majestically in beach side Eucalypts.

We’re pleased to report that our Rainbow Bee-eaters (pictured) are back on island! These stunning birds can migrate all the way to Papua New Guinea during winter but their return to Fraser’s shores is a sure sign that spring is here!

Hooroo until next month, Ranger Kat.

Spring 'Daze' On Fraser Island This September

2011-10-06T14:09:00.007+10:00

The arrival of spring and the abundance of nocturnal wildlife - spotted on our nightly guided walks - made us get through September on Fraser Island with a spring in our step.

It was business as normal for our usual suspects - the Squirrel Gliders and Fruit Bats - in and around Kingfisher Bay Resort - who were seen indulging in the rich array of nectar filled blossoms.

However, it was our Fraser Island reptiles that really impressed Rangers and guests alike this month. A beautifully sound-track comprising the choruses of various native frog species provided a perfect accompaniment to our nightly wanderings... and from September 1 we were off to a fantastic start.

Notable amphibian sightings included rare Striped Rocket Frogs and the Cooloola Sedge Frog, plus additional reptile sightings of Asian Wood geckoes and a beautiful Carpet Python (see above).

But the fun didn't just happen on land... in the calm waters of the Great Sandy Strait, a number of larger fish species were spotted off the resort's jetty stalking the shallows for prey. A sizable Barramundi and two sightings of large Barracudas left us in awe of their sheer size and grace in the water.

Two particular species of birds also made regular appearances this month. A Tawny Frogmouth, sitting silently on a eucalypt branch, was quiet happy for us to pop in and say g'day on many a night. And on one of our Wallum walks, we stumbled across two Pacific Black Ducks quietly roosting on the shore of one of our window lakes.

The clear, Spring nights made this month's night walks truly memorable. We think it was the combination of new spring-time animal sightings, alongside our old favourites, and some spectacular clear night skies above Fraser - including one where we saw plenty of shooting stars.

Until next month, hooroo for now. Ranger Kat.

August: Of Moon Snails, Micro-bats, Mud Crabs and Melomys...

2011-09-12T11:02:00.007+10:00

As we neared the end of August and welcomed the warmer weather, the changes in the wildlife around Kingfisher Bay Resort and across the island became even more apparent.

Perhaps the greatest changes were observed in the abundance and diversity of marine life spotted this month in the Great Sandy Strait.

Whilst Flying-foxes weren’t as abundant as in previous months, we observed that numbers of Micro-bats were on the rise on Fraser Island.

With the weather warming up we have seen an increase in insect numbers, which has in turn attracted a greater number of these small flying mammals, which prey on insects using their fascinating sonar adaptations.

We have noticed a decline in the number of nocturnal mammals we’re seeing; however several Bandicoot sightings and the glimpse of a Grassland Melomys (pictured above - photo courtesy of James Cook University) -making a hasty retreat through the Eucalypt forest – certainly topped the nocturnal mammal sightings for August. These mammals were a big hit with the resort’s ranger team and resort guests alike.

The oceans provided us with dozens of fish sightings with many small juvenile fish taking refuge in the safety of the shallows at high tide.

A few larger predators were also spotted including two recorded sightings of both Barramundi and Flathead. In total we observed 15 different marine species including 11 fish species, two species of elasmobranch including a Brown Stringray – and two species of crustacean including a sizeable Mud Crab and the most notable of all sightings for August – a Moon Snail.

Moon Snails are large snails that can attain a size of 5 inches and can extend a fleshy foot over 12 inches in diameter - low tides in the spring and summer are the best time to spot these critters as they come into shallow water to lay their eggs.

All in all a great August, but we’re looking forward to seeing what this September spring brings on Fraser Island.

August Augurs Well With Our Feathered Friends

2011-09-12T10:52:00.004+10:00

Winter has drawn to close, but what a great month of birding we experienced here at Kingfisher Bay Resort and on Fraser Island’s western side over the past month.

Around the resort’s Wallum Heath there has been an outburst of activity as the temperatures have warmed up and different bird species have flocked back to Fraser Island.

With spring truly in the air, our feathered friends will also being gearing up for, what we hope is, a very productive breeding season. The first indication of this has been our gorgeous firebirds; the Red-backed Fairy-wrens (pictured) which have been courting in the Wallum, the fittest and brightest males dancing to attract their bevy of beautiful-but-dull (colour wise!) females.

Other Wallum sightings have included the unassuming Australasian Figbirds which we’ve seen quite regularly, feeding on everything from Blueberry Ash to Prickly Broom Heath. Whilst these birds are so quiet in their movements, their bright red eye patch is a dead giveaway amongst the green foliage.

Down by the beach, only one species made regular appearances this month. Our majestic Whistling Kites were spotted most days, either diving for a fishy meal, or casually gliding on a breeze. Sacred Kingfishers were occasionally spotted perched in the beach side Eucalypt surveying the sand for crustacean prey.

However, the highlight of the month was encountered unexpectedly one beautiful sunny morning, as we stood on the beach looking back over the dunes… and admired the silhouettes of three Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos as they glided quietly over the tree tops.

Here’s looking forward to September.

July: What A 'Turtlely' Awesome Month On Fraser Island

2011-08-11T14:03:00.004+10:00

As July rolled in, it was obvious that Queensland’s winter was well and truly upon us.

While the nights were brisk, they were well worth braving to experience the amazing nocturnal wildlife here on Fraser Island.

As is the case throughout winter, Squirrel Gliders made appearances on most nights. This month however we were lucky enough to be graced with rarer sightings of Sugar Gliders and even a Feather-tail Glider!

The cool night air did not slow down life in the trees with frequent sightings including several Micro Bat species and three species of Flying Fox - the Grey Headed, Black and the Little Red. Fantastic stuff and our resort guests loved it!

An abundance of animals of a smaller scale appeared throughout the month, with a variety of spiders including the Golden Orb Weavers and Net-casting Spiders. The wonderful array of arachnids was commonly sighted on the roadside and amongst the Wallum - to the accompaniment of chirps from our wetland Rocket frogs.

Notable sightings for the month included a Tawny Frogmouth (pictured) and a rare sighting of Grassland Melomys in the Wallum. A single Green Sea Turtle was spotted off the Jetty – signalling spring is not far off. We’re pleased to report greater numbers were also seen towards the end of the month – a clear sign that things are getting warmer.

The ocean provided a variety of marine life including the usual Stingrays; however a greater number of Gudgeons, Garfish, Bream, Whiting and Flathead have been spotted, which indicates the change in the weather. Long Finned Eels and a Moon Snail topped off the memorable marine sightings for July.

Look forward to chatting critters next month.

Cheers Ranger Kat.

Moving Through July With A Spring In Our Step

2011-08-11T13:59:00.004+10:00

Hi-De-Ho from Fraser Island

Very little rainfall was recorded for the whole of July… and the beautiful clear mornings that we experienced this month provided perfect conditions for our feathered friends and twitchers alike.

Our resident Buff-banded Rail made appearances on several mornings around the resort’s lakes. We also spotted a newcomer to our shores in the shape of a Dusky Moorhen (pictured), which was seen gliding through reflective waters of our mirror lakes in search of its morning meal.

Throughout the Wallum, White-cheeked Honeyeaters were out in force. As usual, these handsome birds put on a great show for guests by chasing each other through the vegetation or hanging upside down on the Casuarina branches.

Noisy Friarbirds were also entertaining to watch as they stripped soft bark off our Paperbark trees and flew - with mouths full - to construct their new nest. Blue-faced Honeyeaters also had nesting in mind. Pairs of these striking birds were spotted flying overhead with various twigs and vines in tow.

Down by the beach, our gorgeous Welcome Swallows could be seen busily collecting sand and mud in their beaks. Each year these little birds set about the laborious task of building their precariously-perched mud nests under the resort’s jetty. And we’re there to keep an eye on their progress.

The delight of the month though was a flock of Galahs that we spotted one morning down at the beach. These beautiful birds are rarely seen around the resort and were quite a welcome surprise in July.

Can’t wait to see what August brings…until next time…

Fraser Island - A Winter Wonderland

2011-07-07T13:46:00.002+10:00

Hey nature lovers,

Winter has started with near-perfect conditions for spotting some of the Fraser Island’s more elusive nocturnal animals. The still air and wonderfully clear nights have resulted in spectacular star gazing and animal spotting.

Our little furry friends in the trees have continued to put on magnificent aerial displays throughout the month, with regular sightings of Squirrel Gliders, Sugar Gliders and the occasional Feather-Tail Glider.

Once again these aerobatic marsupials have impressed with their gliding skills and territorial displays - with one Sugar Glider fiercely defending its branch of blossoms from a Grey-Headed Flying Fox.

Down on ground-level we have had a variety of animal sightings ranging from mammals, to reptiles, and amphibians to arachnids!

A rare sighting of two amphibians – the Striped Rocket Frog and the Wallum Rocket Frog – added to the excitement along with the amazing behavioural adaptations of the Net-Casting Spider.

A greater number of Bandicoots (pictured above left) have been spotted this month, with some of these normally shy creatures seemingly undisturbed by our shining torches!

The beach once again produced the usual array of marine life for us to spot, however the notable sighting of a Green Sea Turtle topped off what was a truly magnificent month of night-walking!

Who knows what July will bring – we’ll keep you posted.
Ranger Kat and the team.

We're Winging Our Way Into Winter

2011-07-07T13:33:00.004+10:00

The first month of winter has brought with it some amazing bird sightings in and around Kingfisher Bay! Plenty of guests braved the brisk early morning air and the birding rewards were worth it.

The Wallum teamed with life as usual this month with the quavering calls of Varied Trillers ringing in the morning chorus most days.

Pairs of Eastern Whipbirds were heard most mornings calling back and forth to each other through the dense undergrowth. The melodic calls of the Rufous Whistler were also often heard from amongst the Casuarinas.

The resort’s lakes were graced with the presence of a Little Egret this month. This majestic creature was seen on many of our early morning bird walks - gracefully treading through the grassy banks and probing the soft soil for its morning meal.

We also greeted two new additions to the Wallum lakes this month - with a pair of Australasian Grebes spotted on a number of occasions quietly paddling amongst the reeds.

Down by sunset beach White-breasted Woodswallows (pictured above right) have returned in their dozens, favouring a particular Eucalypt. These adorable birds were observed several mornings huddled together along its branches aiming to catch the first rays of warming sun as it crept over the dunes.

Our magnificent birds of prey were also out and about this month. Ospreys, Whistling Kites, Brahminy Kites and a White-bellied Sea Eagle were all observed taking advantage of the superb visibility of the Great Sandy Strait’s crystal clear waters; perfect for catching fish prey!

Can’t wait to see what our feathered friends are up to next month – catch you then.
Ranger Kat

We're Just Batty About May On Fraser!

2011-06-02T14:30:00.009+10:00

Hi there Tree Huggers - winter is almost upon us with cooler mornings, warmer May days and perfectly clear blue skies… this time of the year is just perfect for spotting nocturnal wildlife!

Our Squirrel Glider population were the most active they’ve been all year. These adorable little creatures could be seen feasting on flowers high in the Eucalypts and squabbling amongst each other.

Night walkers were delighted as they leapt from the edge of the branches and glided gracefully to the next tree!

Yet more guests on a night walk were lucky enough to spot a large Carpet Python slowly slithering its way up a tree in the Wallum - proving we weren't the only wildlife watching the Gliders!

The various lakes around the resort grounds have been a hot spot for wildlife. Microbats (pictured top - photo courtesy of DERM) busily went about catching their evening meal oblivious to the walkers below them watching fascinated. These tiny creatures display amazing aerobatics as they soar within millimetres of the water – skimming insects sitting on the surface. Attracted by our night walk spotlight, they sometimes came within millimetres of our faces!

The usual suspects congregated under the jetty during May. Estuary and Blue Spotted Stingrays cruised the sandy bottom, with the occasional Shovel-Nosed Ray and Flathead fish joining in the fishy fun. Schools of Herring brought the dark waters to life, and these skittish fish jumped out of the water in all directions when exposed to the spotlight – the kids on the walks loved it... and so did the big kids.

Also this month, several large Squid could be seen using cunning camouflage techniques to hunt their fish prey.

We look forward to seeing what sort of wildlife winter brings – see you next month.

Warm May Days Serve Up Some Hot Bird Spotting!

2011-06-02T14:25:00.005+10:00

As the autumn season comes to a close, the morning sun starts to creep over the sand dunes later and later – which means we can sleep in longer, before heading out on our early morning bird walks.

While crawling out of a warm bed becomes increasingly difficult, for any Birder intrepid enough, this month has proved that now is the perfect time for spotting our amazing avian residents.

The sweetly scented blossoms of the resort’s Swamp Mahoganies have drawn in an array of magnificent bird life. Rainbow Lorikeets, Noisy Friarbirds, Spangled Drongos, White-Throated and Lewin’s Honeyeaters were all seen feasting noisily on the abundant nectar these plants produce.

The various flowering Paperbarks around the Wallum were also teaming with our smaller feathered residents as Scarlet, Dusky and White-Cheeked Honeyeaters busily flitted from flower to flower.

This month also marked by several rare and unusual sightings, much to the delight of guests and rangers alike. Chestnut Breasted Manikins (pictured above) were sighted down by Dundonga Creek, the first Buff-banded Rail sighting in years occurred on the bank of one of the resort’s lakes and flocks of rarely seen Topknot Pigeons have been spotted on several mornings soaring over the resort grounds.

Both male and female Australasian Figbirds were also sighted in the Wallum. These quiet and unassuming birds made for delightful additions to this month’s bird walks and have certainly given us something to tweet about.

All Of Fraser's Creatures... Great And Small...

2011-05-09T19:07:00.021+10:00

Autumn at Kingfisher Bay has well and truly sprung... and April has seen some boisterous behaviour around the resort with pairs of Flying Foxes - both Grey-Headed and Little Red species - regularly seen hanging in trees above.

These somewhat noisy critters have been quarrelling over the sweetly scented nectar of Swamp Mahogany blossoms and have put on quite a show during this month’s night walks.

Gliders were also regularly spotted in April. Fortunately for our guests, as winter approaches and the resort’s various Eucalypt species begin to flower prolifically, they will become more and more abundant. Feathertail Gliders, however, have proven more elusive than their Squirrel Glider mates.

These minute marsupials hold the title of the smallest gliding mammal in the world and are a real delight to see in action. This month a lone Feathertail Glider was spotted scampering through a Swamp Mahogany - and we loved it.

From the small critters on Fraser to the very largest… there are just a couple of months until the start of Whale Watching season at the resort – with the season splashing down from August 1. Our friends at Air Fraser spotted the first Humpbacks (pictured left) of the season migrating north (in the open ocean off Fraser Island's eastern beach) just a few days ago. It’s when they begin their migration south that the magic happens.

Hervey Bay is one of only two places in the world – Hawaii is the other – where Humpbacks take time out of their migration schedule to wallow and socialise in the warm waters off Fraser Island. It’s great for the whales and great for the Bay as we serve up some of the best Whale Watching in the world!

Those same calm clear waters on the western side of Fraser proved popular with both experienced and amateur fisher folk alike over the past month. Large Flathead could be found lying in wait in the shallow water and several tasty looking Mud Crabs were also spotted around the jetty. Though perhaps more exciting was the great number of Banana Prawns around this month. These cute crustaceans could be seen frolicking in the shallow water, jumping about with legs flailing and tails fanned.

We're wild about Fraser Island - hope you are too. Until next time, this is Ranger Kat signing off.

April's All About The 'Love' Birds On Fraser Island

2011-05-09T18:49:00.024+10:00

Forget Noah and his animals marching two-by-two onto the ark, April was the month to pair up in the Bird World, with several different species exhibiting courtship behaviour at Kingfisher Bay Resort.

Down near the beach we recorded pairs of beautiful Brahminy Kites flying side by side; Spangled Drongos (pictured right - photo by Sushi Photography) were spotted participating in what appeared to be courtship feeding; and Pied Oystercatchers were spotted quietly foraging together along the sandy beach strip. Not to be outdone, mating pairs of White Breasted Woodswallows were also seen busily preparing a nest high in dead tree hollow.

Around the Wallum this month, the skies were filled with noise as the unmistakable calls of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and Rainbow Lorikeets, which dominated the morning chorus. These colourful characters are not found on the island all year round, instead they flock in droves in the cooler months to feast on the nectar of flowering Swamp Mahogany.

A lone Little Pied Cormorant also graced us with its presence on several occasions - either fast asleep on a Paperbark branch around the banks of the resort’s lakes, or bobbing around in the water under the jetty searching for a fishy meal.

Along the resort’s main road Laughing Kookaburras perched themselves on overhanging branches and, on the ground, Grey Shrike Thrushes and Bar Shouldered Doves foraged through the leaf litter in search of insects and seeds and amongst the Eucalypts.

Mistletoe Birds could be seen busily searching for Mistletoe fruit. From Ranger Kat, and her feathered flockstars, we’re signing off until next month.

Happy Twitchin’.

They Fly Through The Trees With The Greatest Of Ease...

2011-04-19T13:15:00.011+10:00

During March we looked again to the trees for signs of life with Tawny Frogmouths and Squirrel Gliders (pictured left) both regularly sighted on night walks.

Frogmouths are the masters of camouflage during the day as they blend in amongst the rough bark of different tree species. At night however, they become stealthy hunters and can often be seen swooping down to the ground to snap up juicy insects.

So too, our Glider population are always entertaining as they scamper through the trees with effortless ease. Squirrel Gliders, although small, can glide up to 50 metres between trees and it's quite a sight to see!

Some of Fraser Island’s snake species made an appearance - with pythons being sighted on several night walks. These docile nocturnal creatures move unassumingly through their Wallum home, no doubt in search of a tasty amphibian meal. Carpet Pythons can grow up to four metres in length and on one particular night guests were delighted to witness not one but two of these beauties in plain view as they lay on the bitumen road – well away from human activity - absorbing the day’s residual heat.

Off the Jetty this month Estuary Stingrays were about as usual, as were several different types of Baitfish that inhabit the clear calm waters of the Great Sandy Strait and Hervey Bay. However, it was the Eastern Shovel-nosed Rays that seemed to want to hang with us this month. These interesting creatures have the distinctive head of a Ray and the body of a Shark and, at night, can be seen gliding through the shallow waters in search of crustaceans, molluscs living under the sand.

Catch you for the April 'creatures of the night' round-up here on Fraser Island, cheers Ranger Kat.

Living In A Twitcher's Paradise

2011-04-19T12:59:00.010+10:00

Well Bird Lovers, what a month we’ve had here in paradise.

Kingfisher Bay Resort’s resident Honeyeaters were out in force with seven species sighted in March alone. White Cheeked Honeyeaters (pictured right), Blue-faced and White-throated Honeyeaters, Lewin’s Honeyeaters, and Brown and Dusky Honeyeaters were all spotted in and around the resort during our morning bird and Ranger-guided walks.

However, it has been the Scarlet Honeyeaters that have been the highlight in March, with their beautiful melodic calls filling the morning air. These adorable little birds are a delightful addition to any bird walk - especially when their bright scarlet plumage is illuminated by the morning sun creating a stunning contrast amongst the green Eucalypt foliage.

Fraser Island’s western beach has also been a twitcher's paradise this month with many species sighted. The Welcome Swallows were abundant as usual, and kept our guests captivated as they darted and performed aerobic manoeuvres above their heads in their eternal search for food.

Crested and Caspian Terns also made appearances this month and majestic White Faced Herons were seen gliding over the coastline.

John Knight and our mates from the Hervey Bay Bird Watchers club came and spent time at the resort and kept us abreast of their sightings – high on their list of top birds was a Spectacled Monarch, the Pheasant Coucal, the Sacred Kingfishers and an unconfirmed sighting of an Eastern Spinebill.

A White Bellied Sea Eagle also spent time in our neck of the woods and a pair of Pied Oyster Catchers decided to take an Autumn break and spend some time on our shores - their striking black and white plumage and bright orange beaks a stand out against the turquoise waters.

For those that follow our regular tweets and birdie blogs – we’re certainly clucking about one stand-out sighting this month… a Fan-tailed Cuckoo was spotted by an eagle-eyed twitcher amongst a stand of Swamp Mahogany down by the western beach. This beautiful creature flitted from tree to tree showing off its impressive tail complete with notched white feathers.

April has a lot to live up too in the bird watching stakes and we’ll be there to record it.

Hooroo… until next time from Ranger Kat.

In The Still Of The 'February' Night

2011-03-09T17:38:00.011+10:00

Howdy Night Walkers and Nature Fans

The beautiful waters of Hervey Bay's Great Sandy Strait were the perfect place to spot some of our amazing marine life this month. Loggerhead Turtles were spotted on two different occasions from the resort jetty – which was fabulous - and on many nights Squid of varying sizes could be seen gracefully gliding through the calm clear waters.

The jetty was also the perfect place to marvel at the thousands of Soldier Crabs (pictured above) that emerge to feed at low tide. These small, spider-like crustaceans form impressive gatherings or ‘armies’ at the tide line and busily go about feeding on organic matter that has settled in the sand.

Around the window lakes this month nocturnal predators, including the Long Finned Eels, could be seen darting in and out amongst the vegetation busily hunting mosquito fish and various aquatic insects.

An unusual and, as it turned out, regular evening visitor around the resort’s lakes this month was a lone Pacific Black Duck! This cunning creature managed to avoid the eagle-eyes of our early morning bird walkers, preferring to wander the banks of the main lake in the Wallum – much to the delight of our night guests.

This month’s night walks were also characterised by a stunning array of everyone’s favourite creepy crawlies…Spiders. The infamous, but quite harmless, Huntsman Spiders were spotted and the group watched in awe, on night, as the spider subdued and devoured a Cicada. The impressive web building Garden Orb Weavers and ground dwelling Wolf Spiders were also encountered.

Our usual array of furry friends were out and about this month as well. Squirrel Gliders were regularly seen feasting on the flowering Blackbutts near the resort’s round-about. Bandicoots weren’t as active this month with only a couple of sightings made and the elusive Grassland Melomys were occasionally seen darting through the dense Wallum vegetation.

A great month was had by all… and we wait with baited breath to see what critters and creatures come out to play in autumn.

Catch you all again 'real' soon, Ranger Kat.

One Good 'Tern' Deserves Another...

2011-03-09T17:23:00.013+10:00

G’day nature lovers, as we waved goodbye to the last weeks of summer, February produced some exhilarating bird watching, and some impressive feathered visitors made cameos in and around Kingfisher Bay Resort.

The White Bellied Sea Eagle is more commonly seen on the eastern side of Fraser Island, but the breezy weather on the western beach this month provided the perfect conditions for our largest bird of prey.

Guests on the bird walks, and eco walks for that matter, watched transfixed as these giant creatures soared majestically overhead on thermal currents. One even landed in a nearby Eucalypt making for excellent close-up viewing of its striking plumage and powerful talons – not to mention some great ‘happy snaps’ for the collection.

Crested Terns (pictured above right) were also regularly sighted on the beach this month, no doubt taking advantage of the large number of bait fish present in the calm clear waters at the moment. Several of the less common Caspian Terns were also recorded.

As the name suggests Kingfisher Bay Resirt is a pretty good place to spot a Kingfisher… and this month we’re recorded sightings of the three different species known to reside in and around the resort. The Azure Kingfisher with its vibrant orange and blue plumage was seen around the resorts lakes, while the Forest Kingfisher and Sacred Kingfisher spent their mornings scouring the beach for tasty crustaceans – and that’s where we were.

February was also a very colourful month with quite a few Rainbow Lorikeets sighted. These charismatic birds were hardly seen during the first half of summer, but joined us to feed on the Bloodwoods and Blackbutts that have been flowering throughout the month.

Mistletoebirds were also regularly spotted through the Wallum and amongst the paperbarks around the tennis courts. These gorgeous little birds, with their striking red, black and white plumage, are always a delightful addition to any morning’s sightings.

By far and away the most unusual sighting this month was of a pair of Brown Thornbills, spotted behind the resort’s Centre Complex. We’ve not seen any Thornbills so far this year, so their presence was a welcome surprise.

As we head into autumn, we look forward to the 10th anniversary of Fraser Island Bird Week… if you love nature, featured friends, good company and Fraser Island – consider coming to visit for a few days during this time. All details are on our website – www.birdwatching.kingfisherbay.com.

This is Ranger Kat saying hooroo for now.

Of Night Walkers And Nature Lovers

2011-02-03T16:30:00.002+10:00

Hi Night Walkers and Nature Lovers - Fraser island was well and truly teeming with wonderful nightlife this month.

The warmth of those January nights encouraged a lovely array of animals out and about and there was no shortage of guests eager to spot them!

The skies were filled with a familiar sound this month with the return of our occasional winged visitors - the Flying Fox. The arrival of these protected creatures was unmistakable as they took to the treetops, bickering over blossom and fruit. These boisterous bats came to Fraser to feed at night and returned to roost in Hervey Bay during the day.

Warm nights and occasional summer showers, mean the amphibian life is rich and abundant at Kingfisher Bay. Beautiful native frog species were spotted at every turn in the Wallum and their distinctive calls fill the summer night air. The always-energetic Striped Rocket Frogs were seen during most night ventures and even the delicate Cooloola Sedge Frogs and the crowd-pleasing Green Tree Frogs made an appearance this month.

The crystal-clear waters of the Great Sandy Strait provided some great opportunities for spotting the island’s amazing marine life. Estuary Stingrays and Blue Spotted Stingrays filled the shallow water under the jetty. The majestic creatures could be seen busily searching the ocean floor for crunchy crustaceans living under the sand.

A myriad of different fish species also brought the waters to life. Schools of Herring and Hardihead could be seen splashing about possibly under pursuit by much larger fish, while the occasional Garfish also graced us with its presence.

Fraser Island's famous Dingoes (pictured) were also regularly sighted on the western beach. This time of year they tend to be more active at night in an attempt to avoid the warm summer sun. Much to the delight of night-walkers, the captivating canines would often stay around for a while, probably as curious of us as we were of them!

Until February - keep safe tree huggers.

January Is For The Birds On Fraser...

2011-02-03T16:25:00.005+10:00

Hi there bird lovers - "stone the crows," what a start to the year it has been.

The changeable weather didn’t dampen spirits of our guests and has worked to compact the tracks, making for some good four-wheel-driving on Fraser Island. We’re also pleased to reports that the sun has been shining on Fraser, Dingo mums are teaching their pups to hunt, the waterways are alive with Threadfish Salmon and Catfish and our island amphibians are enjoying being in the spotlight.

Down on the beach the usual shorebirds could be seen eagerly going about their business, searching the intertidal environment for their morning meal. Eastern Curlews with their long, perfectly-equipped beaks probed for tasty worms and crustaceans deep within the sand. White Faced Herons (pictured) and Striated Herons were also spotted along the western beach this month - these graceful and intelligent birds could be seen silently stalking their fish prey... and our early morning bird walkers lapped it all up.

Within the resort grounds a flowering Pink Doughwood was easily the highlight of the month’s bird walks as a collection of exceptionally beautiful birds came to feed on its nectar. Scarlet Honeyeaters flitted from flower to flower - the male’s vibrant red feathers even more stunning when illuminated by the morning sunlight. These creatures were a photographer's dream as they went about their morning unconcerned with the inquisitive twitchers below. Dusky Honeyeaters and Lewin’s Honeyeaters were also regular visitors to the buffet!

Also worth noting were some of the weird and wonderful avian calls that filled the morning air around the resort this month. Resident Noisy Friar Birds sat high in the paperbarks busily preening, whilst occasionally stopping to ring in the morning with their peculiar chortle. The infamous Laughing Kookaburra's taunting cackle turned heads as the cheeky birds went about chasing each other or taking a cooling dip in the fresh water creeks and lakes throughout the Wallum Scrub. And of course who could forget the Eastern Whipbird’s quintessentially Australian sound of the male calling out to his mate.

What a month! This is Ranger Kat signing off til the end of Feb.

December's 'Birds in Paradise'...

2011-01-14T19:03:00.020+10:00

G'day to all twitchers out there...

Summer is truly here. The island days have become warmer and this, combined with the influx of holidaying guests, has created a flutter of activity at Kingfisher Bay.

With the change of season, we've really had something to crow about on our bird walks as we've seen several exciting and rarely-seen bird species making the daily December bird list.

We started the month watching a nesting pair of White-Breasted Woodswallows.

These birds were spotted down near the beach one morning zipping in and out of a dead eucalypt... where they'd chosen to nest.

On another December day we were enthralled as a Beach Stone Curlew (pictured) faced off against a dingo on Fraser's western beach! While the dingo was only mildly interested in the large shorebird, the distressed curlew repeatedly charged at the predator in an aggressive display. It really was fascinating to watch.

While the flowering grass trees provided plenty of nectar for honeyeaters during spring, the summer seeding provided an attractive food source for many Sulphur Crested Cockatoos. It was quite amusing as these large white parrots flocked to the Wallum, landing on these slender grass tree stems, which bowed heavily under their weight.

While the larger birds definitely made an impression this month, Fraser Island’s smaller feathered residents were not overlooked with regular sightings of Mistletoebirds, Leaden Flycatchers and Red Browed Finches.

The Kingfisher Bay family also grew by three, as our resident Grey Shrike Thrushes produced a clutch of eggs in their nest (which is conveniently located in our Centre Complex near reception). Once again the 'clucky' Rangers were kept busy protecting adventurous fledglings from the hustle and bustle of summer at Kingfisher Bay.

Here's tweeting you - til next time... hooroo!

December Round Up With Ranger Kat

2011-01-14T18:26:00.004+10:00

The warm December nights and higher than average rainfall last month meant our night walk sightings lists were dominated by reptiles and amphibians!

Striped Rocket Frogs and Wallum Rocket Frogs dominated the wallum night chorus, delighting guests as they hurtled themselves across the path in a seemingly directionless trajectory! Less common sightings included the delicate Cooloola Sedge Frog (pictured) - easily recognisable due to its petite size and pale green skin.

Slithery specimens included a Carpet Python and a Brown Tree Snake, however the regular rainfall meant that snake sightings were not commonplace. The most delightful reptile sighting was actually of a Green Sea Turtle, which had found a place to sleep amongst the rocks supporting the boat ramp at the jetty. Their shells mimic barnacle-covered rocks so well, that on many nights identification was only possible due the beautiful creature’s flippers sticking out from its shell!

Other than the slimy and the scaly residents there was the occasional sighting of a Squirrel Glider or two; however the rain and lack of tasty blossoms meant they remained relatively quiet during December.

Micro bats were however out in force, darting above our heads stealthily locating their prey. The change in season has brought about some large Hawk Moths which would make a very substantial meal for a small bat.

With the resort's lakes already full, the warm summer temperatures and the weather, it appears that Kingfisher Bay will continue to serve as a haven for all things amphibian - and that's the way we like it. Catch you next month!

October and November Night Walkin' With Ranger Bec

2010-12-20T09:58:00.004+10:00

As summer arrives, our winter critters were well and truly taking a back seat on our Ranger-guided night walks… and Fraser Island’s local reptiles and amphibians are enjoying being the centre of attention.

Nightly rainfall has kept the resort’s lakes clean, clear and full of fresh water, which our amphibians are certainly relishing. Striped Rocket Frogs, Wallum Rocket Frogs, several Sedge Frog species and the ever present Emerald Spotted Tree Frog has provided a ‘frog chorus’ of musical accompaniment on our nightly wanderings.

The resort is home to a large population of the declining Acid Frog groups – and it is great for us to see these species thriving in our surrounding environment.

And in keeping with our ‘eco philosophy’ on education – we are thrilled to be able to provide an opportunity to spread awareness about these beautiful animals. Unfortunately Cane Toads (an introduced species) were also spotted on a regular basis, but they seem to be in lower numbers than last summer, which is encouraging!

Both the Feathertail and Squirrel Gliders were seen on a regular basis, and when their Satinay and Wattle blossom supply dried up at the end of October, they made use of their razor sharp teeth, biting into the bark of the Wattle trees to extract the tasty sap.

Micro Bats were seen in their dozens around the resort using every opportunity they could to tackle a tasty Cicada for dinner. Often called the ‘sound of summer’, the constant drone of the Cicada makes them ‘sitting-ducks’ thanks to the finely-tuned echo-location techniques of the various Micro Bat species. It’s a pretty awesome sight to see and our international guests loved it.

The local waterways also put on a show during the past months, with many large species of fish - primarily Kingfish, large Flathead (pictured) and the impressive Mac Tuna - taking full advantage of the massive schools of baitfish (Herring and Hardiheads - pictured). The larger fish could be clearly seen darting through the schools of fish, each vying for their own ‘catch of the day’.

The highlight of the month was the sighting of a Threadfin Salmon. We presume this appearance was due to recent rains flushing the local freshwater creek systems, and the salmon certainly put on a show making several leaps out of the water. Threadfin Salmon have a set of brilliant white whiskers around the snout, which often results in them being confused with Catfish.

With all the above amazing sightings at the start of summer, we’re eagerly awaiting what the festive season will provide in regards to nocturnal wildlife sightings around the resort. All the best over the silly season and keep watching this space!

Feathered Flutterings in October and November

2010-12-17T12:58:00.011+10:00

Howdy there Nature Lovers,
There's been a whole lot of twitchin' going on at Fraser Island and, as spring draws to a close, a flutter of new life can be seen everywhere as the offspring from successful courtships go about finding their place in the island’s ecosystem.

We eagerly watched as the Grey Shrike Thrush chicks, born in a nest in our Centre Complex roof (just near the hotel reception), grew to fledglings and, as young birds do, fearlessly leaped from the nest, only to land on the floor below. Eeek!

Thanks to the efforts of their attentive mother continuing to bring the young ones food, and our Resort Rangers - alerting guests to the possible presence of baby birds under their feet - these chicks successfully learned to fly and eventually left the reception building to start life on Fraser.

As the Bottlebrush Flowers finished for the season, we watched as the flower stems of the Grass Tree provided a rich nectar source for the island’s Honeyeaters throughout October.

Blue-Faced and Lewin’s Honeyeaters (pictured on our Rangers' desk in Reception) were regularly seen feasting on the wild flowers down near the beach. Dusky Honeyeaters were occasionally spotted but it was the ever present White Cheeked Honeyeaters that continued to dominate morning sightings on our Early Morning Bird Walks.

Down on the beach, the nesting pair of Whistling Kites produced a single chick, which proved popular with guests and staff alike during our bird walks. We followed this chick's progress with baited breath as its mother taught it to fly and to catch fish prey and to produce its stunning whistle. The air was filled with the wonderful sound of the young bird practicing on many of our mornings.

With spring nearly over, the next generation of feathered friends is busy learning about life at Kingfisher Bay. A brand new season is upon us and those warmer morning temperatures should bring about some new and fantastic sightings. We look forward to sharing this with you.

Season's Greetings from our resident 'Bird Nerds' Ranger Kat and Ranger Bec.

A Word For Our Birders For September

2010-10-05T12:30:00.010+10:00

Howdy Fellow Twitchers,
With spring well and truly here, the resort is a-flutter with nest building and courtship displays as our local feathered friends get set for another productive season.

The reception complex is filled with spring melodies as a pair of local Grey Shrike Thrushes (pictured left) have started nesting across from the main reception desk. We've watched with amazement as the adults have let themselves in and out of the building with nesting material. By identifying where the automatic door sensor is located, it only takes these cheeky locals three swift flights underneath before the doors open and welcomes them inside.

By the end of the month, we were watching a similar pattern but this time with food being brought in to feed three very hungry and quickly-growing chicks!

With the poolside Bottlebrush trees in full bloom for month, a large number of Honeyeaters were spotted on regular occasions tucking into the delicious and plentiful nectar. White-cheeked and Lewins Honeyeater certainly dominated the group with the less common Dusky Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeaters and Brown Honeyeaters also making regular appearances. In between, a pair of Blue-faced Honeyeaters could be seen swooping down from their nest in a Pandanus palm to enjoy the sweet treats.

The resort's lakes produced consistent sighting of Azure Kingfishers on most morning - darting across the surface to move from one feeding sight to the next. The Azure's close relative, the Sacred Kingfishers, were also seen regularly - particularly as we discovered their nest site along the main resort road... they don't call it Kingfisher Bay for nothing!

Whistling Kites continued to dominate the western beach front with regular sighting of a nesting pair just south of the resort jetty. Being true to their name, the skies above the resort were filled with their stunning whistle as they circled high in the air currents chasing the plentiful schooling fish available in the waters below. The occasional Osprey and Brahminy Kite also added to our tally of raptor sightings for the month.

With spring all around us at Kingfisher and our local feathered friends busy feeding, nesting and courting; October should bring some fantastic sightings of new arrivals. Stay tuned for the next generation of our fantastic feathered friends - coming soon!

This is Ranger Bec sighing off.

September Night Walkin' At Kingfisher Bay

2010-10-05T12:12:00.007+10:00

With warmer weather and consistent light showers, the resort's nocturnal wildlife sightings have certainly shifted from our local furry winter critters to our scaly summer time friends.

The occasional Lace Monitor was spotted along hollow logs attempting to absorb the last remnants of heat to get them through the night. These beautiful reptiles truly are a great sight to see by day and even more magical in the shine of the spotlight by night - and our guests just love to take holiday snaps of them.

Even some of our local reptilian species made appearances throughout the month the Carpet Python, Children's Python, Green Tree Snakes and Small Eyed Snakes amongst the most common species - giving our night walkers the opportunity to learn about these animals from a safe distance and to gain a better understanding and appreciation of these beautiful animals for them in their own environment.

The jetty bought about many delights with regular sightings of Dingoes on the late low tides. These iconic Fraser Island locals delighted guests with their casual behaviour as they wandered along the beachfront in search of food. With plenty of Bandicoots, native Bush Rats and loads of marine animals to choose from - the Dingoes certainly had a smorgasbord at their reach.

On the western side, the marine environment didn't disappoint with several species of sting rays spotted each night. Estuary Rays, Blue Spotted Sting Rays and the occasional Shovel-nosed Rays were often spotted demonstrating their unique feeding techniques. This natural behaviour provided night walk guests with a first hand look at how the saucer-shaped depressions on the beach front are formed.

Despite their reputation, Sting Rays are one of the gentle giants of our oceans and a remarkable sight to see gliding gracefully through the shallow, clear waters of the Great Sandy Straits.

All in all, September produced fantastic sightings of some of our local nocturnal wildlife here at Kingfisher Bay Resort and we are all anticipating an exciting October to come.

Until next time, Ranger Bec.

Birders Of A Feather Flock Together On Fraser In August

2010-09-14T09:30:00.006+10:00

Hi Twitchers and Bird Fans - Ranger Bec back again with your eagerly-anticipated August birding update.

With spring just around the corner, our local feathered friends have lost no time at all practicing calls, making nests and grooming plummage in the hope of another successful relationship - now that's what I call love, birds!

The smaller birds around the resort put on the biggest show for the month with the Red-backed Fairy Wrens, Red-browed Finches and Welcome Swallows (see pic) taking the limelight on several occasions much to the delight of our early morning twitchers.

The local Leaden and Restless Flycatchers added to the competition when it came to morning calls - often heard as a far pitch about the rest. Even Willy Wagtails joined in the excitement, swishing their tails in a flurry of feathered dancing.

With the local Eucalypts coming into a second flowering state for the season, Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets and the occasional Pale-headed Rosella were spotted throughout the canopies tucking into the fresh nectar on offer.

Honeyeaters of every shape, size and colour made full use of the fresh wildflowers starting to appear through the Wallum and, when none were available, made short work of the insects in the vicinity.

By far the highlight of the month was another sighting of the elusive Black Breasted Button Quails (BBBQ) - much to the delight of our Resort GM and birding fanatic, Ivor Davies - who snapped busily away with his camera.

A male and female BBBQ were spotted busily foraging in the undergrowth and perfecting their platelet technique in time for the springtime. Fingers crossed for another successful breeding season for them.

With a flurry of feathers and the cooler conditions well and truly gone - we head into the most exciting time of the year for us twitchers. Spring is well and truly on the way and by the looks of it - a touch of love is already in the air for our local feathered friends.

Until next month - Hooroo from the Bird Guru and keep on twitchin'.

August Night Walks at Kingfisher Bay

2010-09-14T09:20:00.011+10:00

Howdy Tree huggers - Ranger Bec here with your night walk wrap up for August. Those cooler August nights started to disappear mid-month as we moved closer to spring... and those warmer nights certainly didn't curb the behaviour of our local nocturnal wildlife.

With the warmer nights and the occasional damp weather pattern, spider spotting became the trick of the day. The local Golden Trapdoor spiders (these spiders are often mistaken for Funnelwebs - but their bites are not dangerous) kept groups entertained throughout the month, with females often seen sitting patiently on their funnel-shaped webs waiting for an unsuspecting insect to walk by. Their speed and accuracy in attaining their prey was a true spectacle to witness.

Also vying for our attention on the ground were the ever present local Bandicoots. These delightful creatures have the ability to hear their insect prey under the ground without having to see them - this usually makes it difficult for us to get a clear viewing. However the Bandicoots spotted of late seem to be more preoccupied with hunting their prey and not with the dozens of prying eyes from our fascinated guests.

Our resident Micro Bats once again took control of the sky show with several spotted on a nightly basis showing off their flight skills in amazing displays of agility and tenacity whilst chasing moths. The Squirrel Gliders and Feathertail Gliders tried hard to compete for the spotlight after a few tremendous glides from tree to tree in full view of our night walk guests - they certainly stole the limelight on several occasions.

All in all, the night walks seem to be getting better and better. With warmer weather on the way, we are starting to spot more of the local frog, reptile and spider species at the resort. Not to be outdone, the local gliders are not ready to give up the limelight just yet.

And in other news - out on Fraser Island dingo whelping season has begun and will run through until November. During this time it is important for dingoes to learn natural hunting and survival skills and to avoid habituation with humans - so stay dingo safe on Fraser!

Stay tuned and hope to see you on a night walk at Kingfisher Bay soon.
Ranger Bec

A Word For All Our July Twitchers With Ranger Bec

2010-08-18T10:15:00.009+10:00

We're full of tales about all the creatures great and small today as we turn our attention to Fraser's Feathered Friends for the July round-up...

Early starts on these Queensland winter mornings have certainly separated interested bird watchers from avid twitchers and for those that have braved the early starts, we've certainly spotted some great specimens in and around the wallum scrub and resort grounds.

With the sun slow to rise over the grounds at the moment, the first call of the day has become a contest between the Eastern Yellow Robin and the Laughing Kookaburra. In the end, the Kookaburra certainly played true to its nickname as the 'Dawn Breaker' and was often heard above all others. The Honeyeaters - White-cheeked Honeyeaters, Lewins Honeyeaters and Scarlet Honeyeaters were quick to add to the morning chorus once they warmed up.

Above average rainfall on Fraser Island over the past month has seen an increase in new grass shoots around the resort and a welcome return to our smaller feathered locals - the Red-browed Finches and Red-backed Fairy Wren - with both species delighting in the warm winter sun and abundance of food.

The beach truly came to life in July and early August with several bird walks occurring in the typical westerly weather - perfect for local birds of prey. Whistling Kites, Brahminy Kites, Osprey and the occasional White-bellied Sea Eagle (see pic) made appearances showing their prowess in the skies over the Great Sandy Strait. A few morning we watched a Brahminy and a Whistling Kite jostle for prime nesting locations - the Whistling Kite winning out more times than not.

Am sure our twitchers, early morning risers and folks just new to birding will agree it's been a great time to photograph, view and chat about feathered friends on beautiful Fraser. Until next time, Ranger Bec.

July Night Walk Round Up With Ranger Bec

2010-08-18T10:01:00.006+10:00

Ranger Bec here, just touching base after a small break from blogging to say g'day to all you tree-huggers out there.

Despite some chilly nights throughout the last month or so, our friendly locals have been making some regular appearances around the resort grounds during our nightly spotlighting walks.

The local Sugar and Squirrel Gliders have been seen performing consistently throughout the treetops - making full use of their gliding ability much to the delight of resort guests. By gliding between the canopies of surrounding forests, these cute critters ensure they keep away from the predators below. It's also a much more efficient use of their energy. Even their smaller relative the Feathertail Glider has made the odd cameo appearance since we last blogged - showing that, despite their small size, they can still be extremely acrobatic when moving about the canopy in search of food.

The main road to the resort came to life throughout July when members of our resident Microbat colony ducked and weaved in the night sky chasing insects. Not only do Microbats have the ability to detect their prey through the use of sonar, they also detect the size of their prey, the direction they are flying in and how fast they're flying - valuable information to ensure they never miss a meal!

The marine environment has also served up a treat for onlookers with several winter Whiting, Flathead, Garfish, Hardiheads and Herring spotted in the waters below our famous jetty. Regular sightings of a Green Sea Turtle around the ferry ramp also kept guests entertained in the evenings.

Fraser Island's clear winter skies have provided some great viewing for budding astrologers and astronomers - we've seen everything from the Southern Cross to the entire Milky Way. We were even lucky enough to spot Mars, Venus, Saturn and Mercury all on a single night.

July and early August bought about many fantastic sightings of the local wildlife here at Kingfisher Bay... and we eagerly await what's in store over the next month. Until next time, Ranger Bec.

Ranger Bec And The Bird Week Flockstars!

2010-06-18T13:53:00.010+10:00

And so the sand has settled on another successful Fraser Island Bird Week. The Twitchers have gone and our feathered friends are again ruling the roost, without prying eyes checking out their 'crowns', 'napes' and 'lores'. It was another incredible week filled with laughter, stories and a celebration of the one thing that brought us all together - the birds of Fraser Island.

Despite the wet start to the week, sightings started flooding in from the get-go and our avid twitchers refused to let the weather dampen their spirits. All the usual suspects were spotted in and around the resort including Honey-eaters, Welcome Swallows, Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, Eastern Yellow Robins and Eastern Whipbirds. In the skies above, local Whistling Kites and Osprey (see above pic) were enjoying the fresh conditions and making use of the thermal pockets.

The Hervey Bay Sites tour, conducted with the help of our friends from the Hervey Bay Bird Watchers Club, proved popular giving our guests an opportunity to cross some species that aren't found on the island off their personal sightings lists. We saw nesting Jabirus complete with their chick as well as the local Brolgas at Garnet Lagoon.

The highlight for the week in and around the resort was the presence of a lone Little Lorikeet who unsuccessfully tried to hide with a flock of Scaly-breasted and Rainbow Lorikeets. This was a fantastic spot by our eagle-eyed twitchers, as we haven't seen one of these since Bird Week 2007.

In total some 133 different species were spotted during the festivities. Numbers were down slightly on last year due, in part, to irregular weather patterns.

Next year's Bird Week will be held from 14-21 May 2011. Check it out or better yet come help us celebrate 10 years of twitching - http://www.kingfisherbay.com/fraser-island-birdweek.html

Happy Twitchin', Ranger Bec.

Night Walk Round Up For April With Resort Ranger Ash

2010-05-10T10:51:00.008+10:00

April saw many wet nights on Fraser, which seemed to reduce the number of mammals spotted around Kingfisher. Most noticeable were the low numbers of Sugar and Squirrel Gliders and an absence of rodents and Bandicoots. We didn't see any particular species more than usual, but a few less common creatures made some cameo appearances on Fraser's western side.

High in the gum trees surrounding the resort, Grey-headed Flying Foxes could be seen and heard just about every night - cackling and bickering amongst themselves. Large numbers of Little Red Flying Foxes and Micro Bats were spotted on several nights - flying at high-speeds and hunting insects.

A Carpet Python made its home next to the Resort's pool shed - well out of the way of resort guests and traffic - for a few days. It could be seen curled up right out on the open ground, attempting to digest a fairly large creature - perhaps a bat or a Bandicoot.

In the Wallum area - frogs and even Cane Toads were not as prominent as they have been in other months - although Striped Rocket Frogs were glimpsed occasionally. A smaller Long-finned Eel was also seen a few times on the resort's regular night walk. The highlight for the Wallum area for the Rangers and greenies was a Barn Owl, which was spotted on just one occasion in a tree above the Dingo Den. It sat staring at the light for some time, before flying off toward the hotel rooms. A great start to bird watching for Bird Week!

From the jetty, the usual Common Estuarine Stingrays (see pic) were spotted digging for crabs and eating bait fish. Eagle Rays were seen occasionally swimming much closer to the surface than their relatives. Some nights there were swarms of Garfish and there was no shortage of Arrow Squid in the calm waters of the Great Sandy Straits. A very large Mud Crab was seen walking along the sandy bottom and little Paddler Crabs made a few appearances swimming by at the end of the jetty - easily spotted as their back legs are modified as paddles and beat vigorously to keep the animal moving in the water.

Another wet month seems to have dissuaded some of the wildlife from being too active, but again a few of our interesting and less common friends did pop up and say hello - must to the delight of guests and staff alike.

Now into May.. we turn our attention to our feathered friends and the start of Bird Week for 2010. We'll keep you posted with the action as it comes to hand.

Until next time, Ranger Ash.

Bluedog Spots A Mistletoe Bird at Kingfisher Bay Resort - Fraser Island, Australia

2010-05-07T11:35:00.010+10:00

Fraser Island Bird Week - May 8-15
Blog excerpt taken from Blue-dogphotography.blogspot.com - Images and words by Danielle Lancaster, Blue Dog Photography.

This morning I finally photographed a male Mistletoe Bird, Dicaeum Hirundinaceum. Now while not uncommon in certain areas, such as within the grounds of Fraser Island's Kingfisher Bay Resort, what makes them a difficult subject is that they are so busy.

These tiny birds, only 10-11cm, have a brilliant scarlet throat and under-tail that catches, not only the sun but also the eye of any avid bird watcher. Well, the boys do. Mistletoe Birds are known to show marked "sexual dimorphism". What this means is that the males get to be flamboyant in their colourings while the females are far less glam.

Early morning insects have them snapping their beaks as they dart swallow-like in flight, fluttering and calling to their mmates in the bush surrounding the resort. They have sharp little voices but a choice of calls including a high double note and a warble.

We had joined Ivor Davies, Group General Manager of Kingfisher Bay Resort (see above) for a bit of bird spotting. Ivor is a keen twitcher and knows his 'bird stuff'. Indeed, he's just returned from a trip to the Red Centre where he added a futher 10 birds to his personal spotters' list.

He not only tells, but also acts out the performance of the Mistletoe Bird, a canopy bird, passing the digested mistletoe and how it ever so gently wipes itself along the branch three times - only three -bobbing between each wipe. It's a rather elegant performance from a six foot three man. The wealth of information on birds acquired not only on Fraser Island but across the world over years, flows eagerly.

Visit www.kingfisherbay.com.au/fraser-island-birdweek.html for the full wrap up.

Winter Fun On Australia's Fraser Island

2009-06-12T17:51:00.008+10:00

Fraser Island is full of contrasts and contradictions – from the rainforests that grow in sand to the silent fresh water creeks that flow under enormous sand blows – and all equally spectacular whatever the season.

The cooler months are ideal for exploring the walking tracks while in summer the beaches drawn keen anglers and on the wallum heaths the wildflowers are in bloom attracting the honeyeaters.

Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser’s western side provides a wilderness experience with all the creature comforts. Guests at the award-winning eco resort can join a Ranger-guided 4WD tour or make their own tracks across the island.

There’s even double the action for kids with the popular Junior Eco Rangers program, fishing clinics, canoe and water sports or tennis. And at the end of the day, relax with a cocktail poolside, indulge in a massage or enjoy superb food and wine.

And if you book your winter holiday at Kingfisher Bay Resort, travel to stunning Fraser Island before September 20 for every two nights booked, you’ll receive a third night for free.