D'Aguilar National Park (Maiala)

Paradise Riflebird (Immature male)

Situated to the west of Brisbane in the D'Aguilar Range, this National Park is the closest area of rainforest and wet schlerophyll forest to the Brisbane CBD. It is a great place to see rainforest pigeons, bowerbirds  and Noisy Pittas. On a recent trip I was lucky enough to witness a Paradise Riflebird practising its mating display. I say "practise" because the bird was an immature one. He seemed to have all the right moves though! I watched him for about 20 minutes, during which time he manage to attract two females. Unfortunately they were the wrong species!     First to visit was a female Regent Bowerbird, and later a rather bemused looking Satin Bowerbird.
       

Regent Bowerbird (Male)

The main aim of the trip was to get most of the Rainforest species on my new year list. I only dipped out on a couple. The three scrubwrens are usually easy here (Large-billed, Yellow throated and White-browed); three species of Bowerbird are seen here (Green Catbird, Satin Bowerbird and Regent Bowerbird), the Regents are the least numerous, but on this morning I saw several. The pictures are not great but they are not as tame as the ones at Lamington!.

I saw four species of rainforest pigeon, with probably my best ever views of Rose-crowned and Wompoo Fruit-Doves. There were a few Topknots around...still haven't managed a decent shot of these, and the ever-present Brown Cuckoo-Dove. I usually see Wongas as well but not this time.

Wompoo Fruit-Dove

Red-legged Pademelon

The only mammals I've seen up here are Red-necked and Red-legged Pademelons. They are both quite shy here (whereas the Red-necked at least are tame at Lamington). So I was quite pleased to be able to get a shot of a Red-legged, though the picture was a little grainy due to the high ISO setting.