Hasties Swamp Monthly Bird Survey: January 2025

Lesley Deacon | Guest Contributor

The start of the birding New Year was celebrated on Friday, 3 January with a group selfie photo in front of the hide at Hasties, after a biscuit reward for achieving 52 species. We thought there would be meagre sightings with a rain-topped swamp almost vacant of water birds, and frequent storms discouraging bush bird activity. But not so.

All the regular Hasties Count participants (bar one chasing birds in Cape York) eager to continue in 2025. Photo by Jennifer Browne.

The hide (and car park) is due to close for a week or so from 6 January as Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) makes safety alterations to the hide steps. Hopefully, construction will not be hindered by the beginning wet season, and the hide will be open before next month’s survey clicks around.

Pacific Black Duck was the most numerous of the waterbirds, and if it had not been for them and a group of Plumed Whistling-Duck that flew in later, our water bird tally may not have reached 25 individuals.

It is worth seeing Hasties Swamp in this fine, calm summer weather: with wonderful reflections, but not a lot of bird activity. Photo by Barry Deacon.

Breeding activity is still taking place with Red-browed Finch nest building; Eastern Yellow Robin feeding young near the hide; and newly arrived Dollarbirds chasing and chattering while scoping out a nest site in a large Eucalypt. Unfortunately, the Black-faced Monarch nest was vacated, apparently without successful raising of any young.

Can you identify this bird? The young Eastern Yellow Robin gives no hints to its identity except for a large yellow gape. Photo by Barry Deacon.

We were discussing the likelihood of one grey bird, with darker rufous patches on head and wing, being a female or juvenile Golden Whistler, or something else, when a stunningly yellow male Golden Whistler flew in and fed the bird we were discussing. Thank you. Definitely a juvenile Golden Whistler.

The fledgling Golden Whistler which had us guessing for a while. Photo by Peter Valentine.

The distinctive piping squawks of the Pale-vented Bush-hen hinted at where they may be nest building. However, their secretive nature means they are seldom seen.

There are still Melicope elleryana (Pink Evodia) flowers in profusion, and these were attracting the blossom-chasing Honeyeaters with six different species seen feeding, as well as Flower Beetles and many types of Butterflies.

There’s always something after the Evodia flowers: this time a Yellow-faced Honeyeater. Photo by Barry Deacon.

It turned out being a great two hours of bird watching. It usually is. The complete bird list has been entered on eBird by Lesley Deacon for Hasties Swamp National Park.