Warrina Lakes parkland, Innisfail monthly bird survey: June 2025
- Guest Contributor
- Jun 23
- 4 min read
Geoff Stapley | Guest contributor and Ceri Pearce | Cassowary Coast Area Coordinator
A major difference from our February, March, April, and May visits to Warrina Lakes Parkland was immediately obvious: no rain. The area was dry for a change: a welcome contrast after months of damp weather.
As I bounced out of the car and stood in the temporary car park, I couldn’t help feeling a bit disheartened: the Park and Botanical Gardens are under pressure. The new skate park, the adventure playground, and what looks like a soon-to-be-sealed car park have taken over what was once valuable bird habitat.
Still, nature endures. I was immediately surrounded by the resident domestic geese, a mob of feral pigeons, a lone Pacific Black Duck, and a few Masked Lapwings – all before I’d even picked up my camera.
Soon, more birders began arriving. Greg was to be our official observer and recorder for the morning: so he was hands-off with the camera, leaving the photography duties to me. Paul arrived, bringing our tally to three. A message from Tony let us know he’d be along shortly.
As we set off, the first notable sighting was a pair of Bush Stone-curlews tucked under the train storage container. Then, at the bridge, Rainbow Lorikeets zipped past with their signature screeches. We were just about to cross the bridge when I spotted two Plumed Egrets perched high in a tree further down the lake. I quickly changed direction to try for a closer view.
On the way, I passed a group of ducks – 35 in total – made up of both Wandering and Plumed Whistling-Ducks, happily mingling. We would see them again as we circled the lake.
Then, from either the lake or one of the islands, a Great-billed Heron suddenly lifted off and glided to a distant tree. That would become a theme for the day: distant birds in distant places, and my poor old camera lens getting a workout.
Bird activity was solid. The Plumed Egrets turned out to be four in total, not two. Tony arrived and we split into two teams to cover more ground.
Tony and I spotted a Dove Orchid in bloom – a traditional sign of changing weather – shortly before a Forest Kingfisher appeared, soaking up the sun.
Further into the park, we saw Rajah Shelducks, Laughing Kookaburras, and heard Helmeted Friarbirds. Australasian Figbirds and Metallic Starlings were also high in the canopy. The Shining Flycatcher made itself known by call only, despite our best efforts to spot it. Australian Swiflets flitted overhead, fast and high.
At the far corner of the Park, looking over the cane fields, we saw more Masked Lapwings loitering with some unidentified white birds hiding along the canefields’ edge. Then I noticed movement in a nearby tree and managed to photograph a Large-billed Gerygone – a personal first for me at Warrina Lakes. It wasn’t the sharpest shot, but satisfying nonetheless. These quick, cryptic birds are regulars but are often hard to spot, so I was stoked to see one.
As we made our way back, we were joined by Willy Wagtails, Magpie-larks, Orange-footed Scrubfowl, and a White-breasted Woodswallow. The local Pacific Baza was heard calling just before an Australian White Ibis did a lazy fly-by.
Crossing the bridge again, we spotted more Comb-crested Jacana. And across the lake, the Great-billed Heron reappeared – this time stalking the water with laser focus. Then in one swift, powerful strike, it emerged with a sizeable Tilapia clamped in its beak. We watched in awe as the heron manoeuvred the fish, finally swallowing it whole, pausing only momentarily as it appeared to choke before recovering. None of us had ever seen a Great-billed Heron catch and eat Tilapia before.
This remarkable moment also solved a mystery that had lingered in our group for a couple of years. During a previous visit, some of our local birders had found several dead Tilapia along the lake-shore – each bearing puncture wounds, as if stabbed. That same day, we’d observed a Great-billed Heron with a Tilapia in its bill, but we never saw it attempt to eat the fish. We were left wondering whether the bird had caught the fish but abandoned it due to size, or was perhaps picking up dead fish left by local spearfishing people. After all, Warrina Lakes hosts an annual Tilapia Bash fishing event aimed at reducing this invasive pest species, so we thought it would be surprising if the Great-billed Heron fished for them.
To finally witness a Great-billed Heron not only catch but successfully consume a Tilapia confirmed – at least for us – that these fish are indeed part of the Heron’s diet. And it closed the loop on an old question we’d often pondered.
We completed the circuit with another sighting of a lone Pacific Black Duck, bringing the total to three for the day. A few more Comb-crested Jacana showed themselves, and the earlier flock of Whistling-Duck had split between water and land. Additional species observed included Double-eyed Fig Parrots, Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants, Rainbow Bee-eaters, and a Little Bronze Cuckoo.
By Greg’s count, a very respectable total of 211 individual birds across 45 species were seen or heard. A great outcome for a dry morning and just four birders!
Join us next time on Sunday, July 6th, a week earlier than usual to avoid the Innisfail Show weekend. You never know what you might see – or hear – at Warrina Lakes, Innisfail.
