Mooloolah River Floodpain, Sunshine Coast, QLD.

Mooloolah River

While looking on Goggle Earth recently, we discovered that there was an interesting looking trail from near the Kawana Soccerfields to the banks of the Mooloolah River. We parked our car at the western end of Main Drive in Warana, near an information board about the Mooloolah River Floodplain walk. To our surprise, we discovered an elevated concrete walkway which goes for 2 km through wetland to the Mooloolah River. 

Elevated Concrete Walkway

There was a variety of butterflies, lizards and dragonflies alongside the walkway.

Wall Skink Cryptoblepharus virgatus

By walking as quietly as we could we were able to observe a large number of small crabs in the floodplain below the walkway. The only ones we know are the Red-fingered Marsh Crabs. Their name always amuses us because it completely ignores the fact that these crabs a such a lovely green. We were particularly taken by the appearance of the two-tone black and white crabs. 

Red-fingered Marsh Crab Parasesarma erythodactyla

Semaphore Crab Heloecius cordiformis

After arriving at the banks of the Mooloolah River, we continued on a rough trail for a short distance through a grassy area. There were a number of milkweed plants in the grass and quite a few Monarch butterflies. This trail appears to continue for some distance but as the afternoon light was fading we turned back.

Near the bank of the river, we observed a pair of Whistlers. The adult male Whistler looked different to any Golden Whistler that we have ever seen because the throat area wasn't white; it was more of a speckled grey, and the neck and chest area was a deep orange-yellow. The other whistler had more green and russet colouring than we have observed before. Unfortunately, the light wasn't ideal for photography by this time but we hope the photos show what we mean. Perhaps they were Mangrove Whistlers? 

We would be very pleased if our readers could let us know what these crabs and any of the unlabelled photos are. Any thoughts on the Whistlers would also be appreciated. 

Note added in March 2015: We have since discovered that Mangrove Whistlers don't come this far south so these photos are of Golden Whistlers. Greg Roberts who, amongst other things, writes the excellent blog at http://sunshinecoastbirds.blogspot.com.au/
has let me know that he has also seen Golden Whistlers that look like these on the Sunshine Coast.

Kawana Forest Walking Trail, Sunshine Coast, QLD

The Kawana Forest Walking Trail is a short easy walk in Meridan Plains that borders the suburb known as Kawana Forest. It starts opposite Tulipwood Court, loops into remnant paperbark and eucalypt forest and comes out again at Lillypilly Court. We extended the walk by taking the pathway east to Kawana Wetlands. Before we even entered the walk we saw Pale-headed Rosellas and Brown Cuckoo-Doves feeding on the forest edge.

Pale-headed Rosella

Brown Cuckoo-Dove

It was a good morning for butterfly sightings.

Monarch Danaus plexippus

Brown Ringlet Hypocysta metirius

Regent Skipper Euschemon rafflesia

The forest is a habitat for endangered microbats and nesting boxes have been provided for their use. I think it would be a great walk to do at night; be on the lookout for microbats and sugar gliders. Groves of Piccabeen Palm and Cabbage Palm can be seen on the walk. In the forest we saw Golden Whistlers, Olive-backed Orioles and Grey Shrike-thrush.

Piccabeen Palms

Cabbage Palm

We came back out of the forest and walked along the path to the wetlands area. Scarlet Honeyeaters were feeding on flowering native plants.

Scarlet Honeyeater, male

Scarlet Honeyeater, female

 In the wetlands area we saw Great Egret, Royal Spoonbills and Purple Swamphens.

Royal Spoonbill and Great Egret

Royal Spoobills