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.
