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

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

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’.