No pics sorry

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birdie
birdie's picture
No pics sorry

Lately I have come across 3-4 new birds. Three of which I saw down at the Maroochy Surf Club, right on the beach front there.
1. One was a darling little brown bird with a long curved beak - looked like a brown honey eater and had the most piercing pretty song,
2.the other was a nondescript lbb in the same tree - can't give any description except that I thought first they were sparrows but they were more petite and flitty.
3.Then when we were inside looking out to the beach. a huge brown winged bird with slow and easy wingbeats flew straight past with a blue faced honeyeater in hot pursuit. At the same time I noticed that another one of the same was circling round and getting harrassed back at the trees where this one had flown from. it looked too big to be some kind of gull and didn't have a BOP beak.

4.Also tonight just before dusk I heard a totally new call in the thicket next to our house. it was a loud machine gun style "kek kek kek kek"

Any ideas? I know they are a bit vague.

Cheers

birdie

DenisWilson
DenisWilson's picture

Hi Birdie
Bit hard.
Last one first, - might it be a waterbird? Moorhens make a sharp call, Not unlike what you say.
#3 sounds to me like a Whistling Eagle or similar. I know You said it did not have a BOP beak, but the second bird circling rules out most non-BOP species.
#2 - very vague. Finches? Thornbills?
Brown Honeyeaters would be around at Maroochy, I am confident.
Their call is a harsh chatter.
Cheers
Denis

birdie
birdie's picture

Thanks for trying denis. I don't think it would be moorhen as we don't live near any ponds or wetlands. it was in a tree nextdoor and was very loud and sharp. Have never heard it before.

The LBBs were difficult , but the one with the curved bill looked like but did not sound like a brown honeyeater. it had a beautiful whistly - tweety call.

I'll keep searching

cheers

Birdie

Sunshine Coast Queensland

Andy
Andy's picture

Hi Birdie,

It's always nice to hear or see new birds, and to try and figure out what they are, isn't it?

Regarding number 3: I can't remember from your previous posts if you've seen Channel-billed Cuckoos before. I was thinking it could be a CBC, because they're big, and are often being chased by other birds. At my work, I often see them flying around the trees trying to find a new spot to land without being attacked. They're described as greyish rather than brown, but I think they have darker wings.

Regarding number 4: Do dollarbirds make that sound? (I'm not looking at my book at the moment, so I can't remember.) For some reason I'm also thinking of one of the kingfishers - either forest or sacred... but no I think that's a different sound... can't find the words to describe it right now.

bushanwater
bushanwater's picture

Dollar bird could be right for number 4 I think and there a quite a few around lately. Number 2, consider nutmeg finches maybe. Number 3 I agree with Denis, circling would I think rule out anything other than a BOP.Number 3, Maybe Dusky Honey Eater but the "pretty song" has me wondering.

See Yez
Trev

ed
ed's picture

Hi Birdie

what about a lewin h e for #4

dusky h e for #1

can't add much to the others work on #2 & #3

Ed Townsville NQ

gez
gez's picture

I know this was posted a couple of years ago but I've enjoyed going back thru the old stuff. The large brown BOP could ba a Black Falcon which are actually a dark brown. It also makes the sound you described.

Happy birdwatching!

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