I had to go to the Sunshine Coast for a weekend training trip so decided to take the Friday for a photography day. My plan was to check out Tinchi Tamba on the North side of Brisbane early in the morning and then make my way to Bribie Island for the night. Unfortunately a change of schedule meant I had to drop off the kids at school first so didn’t get away from the Gold Coast to 8:30 meaning I hit the Brisbane traffic and didn’t get to to Tinchi Tamba until 10:30. Just a little bit past the prime time I was hoping for.
It was my first visit to this location so I wasn’t that sure where to go and probably missed the good spots. It was a pretty hot steamy day and there really wasn’t much activity about. I grabbed a couple of shots of the crows which were everywhere.
Following the walkway and then the sign to the bird hide there were a few Eastern Grey Kangaroo around.
I did get to see Welcome Swallow, Australian White Ibis, a distant White-faced Heron, a single Bar-Shouldered Dove, and one Australasian Fig Bird on the walk to the bird hide but with no good views. Very quiet would be an understatement. The bird hide provided good views on to a mudbank on the river perfect for waders but there was not a single bird to be seen.
I followed another path that looked like it might head towards the main river this time finding a little bit more to look at with a nice family of Variegated Fairy-wren.
There was a bit more activity here with a Rufous Whistler calling along with a couple of Sacred Kingfisher.
and a Spangled Drongo who sat up nicely for me.
Heading on to the flood plain a few Masked Lapwing had claimed the area and were not impressed that I was walking through, calling out loudly and circling in the air. I tried to make my way around the edge of the area as best as I could so as not to disturb them to much and circled back to join on to the main walkway. Noisy Minor, Crested Pigeon and a single Cattle Egret were my only other views from this area.
Back on the main walkway that follows the river other than the Torresian Crows who were still everywhere I managed to get some views of a Mangrove Gerygone, and more Masked Lapwing before the walkway came to its end. On the way back I had a bit more luck with better views of another Mangrove Gerygone that was hanging out with a Rufous Fantail. The fantail never sat still long enough in a clear spot unfortunately.
A White-bellied Sea-eagle had found a perch in a nice position for me to get some shots. The sunlight was a bit harsh by now which did make getting a clear shot a bit harder.
I waited around for it to take off and as always happens just as you look elsewhere for a second it took flight so I only just got the take-off shot.
Across the other side of the river (it always seems to be the other side of the river) a couple of Eastern Curlew could be seen. Up in the sky a Brahminy Kite circled in the distance. The other birds seen included an Australian Pelican, Silver Gull and a Crested Tern.
Back towards the carpark at the boat ramp a nice Great Egret in breeding plumage had come in. The harsh sun and white feathers are not the best combo for detailed shots but you can make out the breading feathers clearly.
In breeding plumage the Great Egret also has a green face.
My final bird for the area was a pack of Noisy Minor feeding on the ground in the carpark.
Heading out of Tinch Tamba I noticed access to the flood plain from the road so pulled over to go in and have a look. There was a lot of water around so I could not get right in unfortunately. I have heard of lots of good waders seen at Tinchi Tamba and this looked like a very likely spot but no such luck. My only sightings were the common birds such as Pacific Black Duck, Australian Ibis, Straw-necked Ibis, White-faced Heron and a Pied Butcher Bird.
I was at Tinchi Tamba at not a great time of the day but was still a little disappointed in what little I had seen. I could see a lot of potential for the place and obviously really didn’t know where I was going so especially given some of the reports I have seen from the location on eBird I marked it in my book as worth another look one day.
- World Bird Count: 445
- Australian Bird Count: 301
Birds Photographed:
- Welcome Swallow
- Torresian Crow
- White-faced Heron
- Australian White Ibis
- Bar-shouldered Dove
- Australasian Figbird
- Spangled Drongo
- Variegated Fairy-Wren
- Sacred Kingfisher
- Rufous Whistler
- Masked Lapwing
- Crested Pigeon
- Noisy Miner
- Eastern Cattle Egret
- Brahminy Kite
- Mangrove Gerygone
- White-bellied Sea-eagle
- Rufous Fantail
- Eastern Curlew
- Australian Pelican
- Silver Gull
- Crested Tern
- Great Egret
- Pied Butcher Bird
- Pacific Black Duck
- Straw-necked Ibis
- Australian Magpie