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Magpie Goose (rookery) and wetlands
Anseranas semipalmata
-27.4513, 153.101
Field Notes
Description:
This is a Magpie Goose rookery and some of these birds can be seen in the foreground. The reference links provide some good info on this species. Photo #4 shows over a dozen more birds that are just out of view in the first photo, of which there are 5 birds. These water birds seem to nest on ground vegetation, primarily on the grassy mounds. The other birds residing at this exact location that I saw today are Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis moluccus) http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/27393247 which nest on the stick mounds, Purple Swamphens (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/23935053 and Dusky Moorhens (Gallinula tenebrosa) http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/24053028 All species cohabitate quite happily. There are also a few other bird species here, but they aren't quite so visible.
Habitat:
The Magpie Goose is found in a variety of open wetland areas such as floodplains and swamps, and are widespread throughout coastal northern and eastern Australia. These birds were spotted at the Metroplex wetlands in Murarrie, Brisbane QLD. These photos show only a small fraction of the larger wetlands area.
Notes:
These are the best photos I could manage with my little camera, and nothing short of a telephoto lense could get me any closer. Or perhaps a little row boat? Breeding season is from February to June, so I'm keenly awaiting some little fuzzballs.
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