Gatton to St George

Stopped a few times briefly along the drive west from Toowoomba, esp. to check out flowering mistletoes, abundant in the Eucalypts, Acacias (also flowering) and Casuarinas. We stopped first around Jondaryan on the Darling Downs (Warrego Hwy), then cut across to the Moonie Hwy via Cecil Plains. We noted interesting, quality brigalow and casuarina habitat in Southwood NP, east of St George, as a place to return to in future. Many Yellow Thornbills, Brown HE, Yellow-faced HE, Singing HE, Spiny-cheeked HE, and a sole Striped HE seen (but others heard). Also many Nankeen kestrels, Black-shouldered kites, the odd Brown falcon and Brown goshawk, Pied currawong, White-winged chough, Australian raven, Galah, Cockatiel, Yellow-eared miner, and irksome numbers of Indian mynahs around the broadscale-cleared cotton properties in particular. Got beautiful looks at a male and female Red-rumped parrot pair along the Cecil Plains Road.

Soil turned redder, sandier, more Callitris, Broad-leaved ironbark, mulga forms replacing brigalow, as we entered the Balonne Shire. We passed through St George and headed west for Thrushton National Park. The weather was being gentle: it had rained lightly that morning, skies were still leaden, v cold, and a few small puddles still on the side of the unsealed roads as we headed north off the highway, into the park. We slowed to let winter-coated cattle clear the roadway, and heard the manic call of a Major Mitchell (Pink) cockatoo. Sure enough, a male was watching us, crest raised, disapproving... he flew off a little way and watched, as we studied back. Eyes full, we had no sooner turned to head back to the car than he flew down to his water point: the roadside puddle. New bird #2, for Sally, today 😊Les mer