TBO March Outing

Red-necked Wallaby
(I think?)

Cooby Dam, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

March 30, 2013

Enjoyed a nice outing at Cooby Dam with the kind folk from the Toowoomba Bird Observers. I think the highlight was a displaying Musk Duck. A first for me. Sadly, I failed to photograph the female and yet again, I have later thought about the benefits of having a video mode on my camera. I will have to look at it someday. 

Now that I spend time overseas, I am excited by macropods, kookaburras and go gooey over fairy-wrens. I am pleased to see them doing well. Now is the time for wildlife to benefit after fire, rain and floods. The place is looking lush. I think the last time I visited Cooby Dam it was almost completely dry due to drought.

Musk Duck displaying male

Musk Duck male

Gull-billed Terns

as I think it was concluded by TBO members?

Thanks to Mick Atzeni for pointing out an earlier error!

Laughing Kookaburra

Superb Fairy-wren male and female

This picture is a good example of how high and healthy the grasses were everywhere!
-making for lots of happy little birds.

Superb Fairy-wren male

male Superb Fairy-wren and Double-barred Finch

Too bad I didn't have a tripod with me,
 -I could have stopped down a bit to get both birds in focus.
All pics here were handheld with Nikon D800 and Nikkor AF-S 300mm f4 and TC 1.4II.

Rufous Whistler male

White-bellied Sea-eagle hiding on the opposite side of the dam.