Continuing our journey into the mountain rainforest of the Lamington Mountains National Park (about 900 – 1000 meters above sea level) we focus on the smaller passerines which mostly inhabit the rainforest floor, searching under leaf litter or peeling bark from ancient trees in search of grubs and insects. Our first encounter was the beautiful Rufous Fantail, which is a common inhabitant, fanning its tail as it moves rapidly without hardly stopping, in search of insects.
Birders love to pursue this bird especially when they can catch a glimpse of it fanning its tail in the bright sunlight. With its rapid constant movement it is challenge for any photographer.
As one winds their way up the narrow mountain road before reaching the top, on the side of the mountain slope in the low lying bushes we saw our first lifer for this trip, the Red-backed Fairy-wren. This tiny bird was very shy and was difficult to photograph from a distance on the day as it had been raining, and because of its jet black facial features. Like the fantail it was constantly on the hunt for insects. We only saw the male of the species.
While searching for the Red-backed Fairy-wren we saw the beautiful tiny male Spotted Pardalote nearby.
The tiny Red-browed Finch was moving about looking for grass seed on the mowed lawns of the park grounds.
While the Superb Fairy-wren families, too many to number were hopping about the grounds on the mountain top, after the rain had cleared.
The rainforest Wonga Pigeon was also wandering around the grounds. This bird seldom flies but is most comfortable grazing off the floor of the rainforest.
On reaching the top and entering the rainforest the sounds and presence of the tiny active White-browed Scrubwren is noticeable, hopping about the rainforest floor among the leaf litter.
You can easily love these cute little birds as they are so bold and will sometimes come right up to you.
The White-throated’s rarer cousin, the Yellow-throated Scrubwren was found alongside and just as plenteous, with much the same noisy activity communicating with its relatives continually as it foraged for food.
Interestingly enough, both scrubwrens have a white brow, which makes me think the White-browed should be called the White-throated Scrubwren. Possibly the White-browed, being more widely common was discovered and named first by our early European birders.
As one begins walking through the rainforest the sound of the Golden Whistler is clearly discernible, especially considering it is Spring, and that is when the whistler sings his heart out as he seeks a mate. Both male and female were seen and heard many times throughout the forest.
The Lewins Honeyeater was also heard frequently with its chattering call as it moved about the under-story of the rainforest.
The nectar rich spring wildflowers attracted the Eastern Spinebill, another beautiful small honeyeater with a purpose designed bill for extracting nectar from deep inside the native flowers.
The highly elusive and constantly moving Brown Gerygone is heard calling from within the cover of the sub canopy, a real challenge to photograph at any time. Calling ‘Ger-ig-onee’.
Further into the forest we were surprised to find quietly sitting on a branch above our heads this beautiful Brown Cuckoo-dove. The great variety of rainforest pigeons and doves are well fed by the great variety of rainforest fruits, especially varieties of fig, which Australia has one of the largest number of species. Most medium sized rainforest passerines, are fruit eaters as well as insect eaters. The Figbird is not the only eater of figs.
A golden find was this beautiful Emerald Dove walking in a clearing, another fruit eating bird, but spends a lot of its time browsing at ground level.
But the one sound you constantly hear as you walk through the rainforest is that of the Eastern Whipbird calling. The male making the whip like cracking sound, and when the female responds immediately after she makes the ‘tsh tsh’ sound.
This bird mainly forages on the rainforest floor among leaf litter, and peels off bark on trees below the canopy with its strong beak for worms and insects. The whip call marks its territory to other whipbirds, and also keeps check of where the pair are located, as they move together, yet seperatley through the forest.
We were privileged to see both juvenile and immature whipbirds foraging in the rainforest. The immature were practicing their calls. You will hear the female calling in the clip below.
Another colourful little rainforest bird known to pry off the bark from trees with its powerful little beak is the Crested Shrike-tit. This bird is usually high up in the sub canopy of tall eucalypt and other rainforest trees. We usually discover it by the sound of falling bark and prying bark. They are difficult to get good photos because they are constantly moving and often becasue of their size difficult to see.
Lastly the very curious Grey Shrike-thrush is seen sometimes to follow you around. They have a lovely song that rings through the forest, and feel quite safe coming close to humans most of the time. This young one watched us from the fence at O’Reillys Rainforest Retreat.
These birds all dwell harmoniously. sharing the rainforest together. They each know how to live and flourish in their habitat, and what foods are best to eat and how to best forage for it. They each have bodies designed and beaks designed for specific food types, and they know instinctively how to find their food, build their nests and raise their young in exact;y the same way as generations before them. How wonderfully amazing is Intelligent Design and how much more wonderful and amazing is the Intelligent Designer.
“This is what the Lord says — your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:
I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself,” – Isaiah 44:24
My home page has a new look. I now feature local findings and interesting findings in Something Special which may be of interest. This week see the Tawny Frogmouth nest my wife and I found at the Royal National Park last week.
Have a wonderful week!