Camp Report - Leslie Dam – 16-18th May 2025

 Adapted from the FFNC June 2025 newsletter report by I. Reynolds

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater at Durakai
Photo: I. Reynolds

At least some brave souls ignored the weather forecast and settled in at Lake Leslie Tourist Park on Friday afternoon. There was 38mm of rain overnight, brightening up by Saturday, although still cloudy.

Before the camp proper a couple of early campers were fortunate to watch an Australian Hobby vigorously plucking some unfortunate small bird in a dead tree near the Lake.

Durakai State Forest was our first call, and  walking along one of the tracks, we encountered a birding ‘hot spot’ centered around a small puddle of water. Many Fuscous, Brown, Yellow-faced, Yellow-tufted and White-eared Honeyeaters were bathing, as well as Yellow Robin, male Golden Whistler, and Grey Fantail amongst others.

Later a look at the dam wall at Lake Leslie gave us excellent views of 2 Osprey perched on a rail. A walk along the edge of the Lake and surrounding bushland in the afternoon gave us another decent species list. Out on the lake were at least 1,000 Eurasian Coot, many Darters and a cluster of 40 Australasian Grebe as well as the usual Pelicans, Cormorants, etc.

Scaly-breasted Munia at Allora Mountain
Photo: Yathin S Krishnappa
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

On our way home on Sunday, four of us called in at Allora Mountain Flora and Fauna Reserve, a very interesting area with a steep climb to the top. There was lots of privet that the local Allora Landcare group are trying to eradicate. The couple last to leave had an unexpected bonus, a dozen Scaly-breasted Munia, aka Spice Finch or Nutmeg Manikin, sighted near the area where we had recorded Yellow-rumped Thornbill and Double-barred Finch.

A great weekend in great company.

Bird Species Lists

Lake Leslie – north side (40 sp.)

Australian Wood Duck-12, Pacific Black Duck-4, Grey Teal-4, Crested Pigeon-8, Dusky Moorhen-20, Eurasian Coot-1000, Australasian Swamphen-2, Pied Stilt-2, Masked Lapwing-2, Australasian Grebe-40, Australasian Darter-8, Little Pied Cormorant-4, Little Black Cormorant-12, Pied Cormorant-4, White-necked Heron-1, Great Egret-1, Australian Pelican-20, Osprey (Australasian)-2, Laughing Kookaburra-2, Australian Hobby-1, Galah-15, Little Corella-80, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo-10, Australian King-Parrot-2, Red-winged Parrot-1, Eastern Rosella-4, Red-rumped Parrot-8, Musk Lorikeet-2, Superb Fairywren-6, Noisy Miner-10, Blue-faced Honeyeater-6, Striped Honeyeater-2, Grey-crowned Babbler-2, Grey Butcherbird-1, Australian Magpie-6, Pied Currawong-4, Willie Wagtail-2, Magpie-Lark-6, Apostlebird-12, and Torresian Crow-6.

Durikai State Forest (25 sp.)

Little Lorikeet-4, White-throated Treecreeper-2, Brown Treecreeper-1, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater-2, Noisy Miner-2, Fuscous Honeyeater-12, Brown Honeyeater-1, White-eared Honeyeater-2, Striped Honeyeater-2, Noisy Friarbird-1, Striated Pardalote-4, Weebill-8, Grey Shrikethrush-2, Golden Whistler-2, Rufous Whistler-2, Grey Butcherbird-1, Willie Wagtail-2, Grey Fantail-3, Australian Raven-4, Rose Robin-2, Jacky Winter-1, Eastern Yellow Robin-1, Welcome Swallow-2, and Mistletoebird-1.

Allora Mountain Flora & Fauna Reserve (22 sp.)

Crested Pigeon-3, Black-shouldered Kite-1, Superb Fairywren-8, Noisy Miner-2, Striated

Pardalote-2, Weebill-3, Yellow-rumped Thornbill-7, White-throated Gerygone-1,

Black-faced Cuckooshrike-2, Golden Whistler-2, Rufous Whistler-1, Australasian Figbird-2, Grey Butcherbird-1, Australian Magpie-4, Pied Currawong-2, Willie Wagtail-1, Magpie-lark-1, Restless Flycatcher-2, Torresian Crow-4, Jacky Winter-1, Double-barred Finch-6, and Scaly-breasted Munia-12.