Will the rain bring out more birds? Join me for a rainy morning of birdwatching and bird photography at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, near Maleny in Queensland's beautiful Sunshine Coast hinterland.
With rain falling through the subtropical rainforest, I wasn't sure whether the birds would be hiding away or whether the wet weather might bring some unexpected activity.
What followed was an incredible morning filled with wonderful Australian rainforest bird encounters, fascinating behaviour and a few special moments that made braving the rain well worth it!
Come along and experience the sights and natural sounds of the rainforest, and stay until the end to see some of my favourite photographs from the morning.
Instagram: @oznaturephotos
📷 Camera Gear Sony A7R VI Sony A6700 Sony FE 400–800mm f/6.3–8 G OSS Sony FE 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6 GM OSS Insta360 X6
⏱️ Chapters 00:00 A Rainy Morning at Mary Cairncross 01:05 A Noisy Pitta Steals the Show 02:56 A Feast in the Rainforest 05:47 Eastern Whipbird Calling 08:11 More Rainforest Discoveries 12:54 Photography Results
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Waking up to the sound of rain isn't always what you want
when you plan a morning of bird
photography and that was exactly what happened for me recently.
I was heading to Mary Cairncross
Scenic Reserve but with the rain coming down I wasn't sure what
to expect. Still I decided to
give it a go. I couldn't help wondering whether
the rain would keep the birds away
or whether there might be a few surprises waiting for me.
Located in the Sunshine Coast hinterland,
Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve protects 55 hectares of beautiful
subtropical rainforest with over 140 bird species recorded here.
It's a fantastic place to explore
and discover some of our amazing rainforest birds.
It all started with a noisy pitta,
which was initially well hidden amongst the vegetation,
but then it ventured out onto the track and really put on a show.
The rain seemed to have brought the worms to the surface
and the noisy pitta was certainly
making
the most
of it.
And then
to my
surprise
a
russet-tailed
thrush
appeared
right
in front
of it
joining in the feast.
Before long birds seemed
to be appearing everywhere.
It honestly felt like I was surrounded by them.
What an incredible start to the morning.
But then the rainforest started getting really dark
as the clouds rolled in and before long
the rain was coming down quite heavily.
I decided to take cover for a while and wait for it to ease
but once I headed back out there
was still plenty more birds to discover.
And
then
I
had
a
wonderful
encounter
with
an
eastern
whipbird.
They're
often
heard
rather than seen but this one was perched up
on a branch calling over and over again.
I couldn't help wondering what had prompted it
to sit there calling for so long.
As I continued along
the track there
were still
more wonderful
encounters,
including a log runner,
but one of the loveliest moments
was discovering a robin sitting on its
nest. It's not something you
get to see every day and it was
lovely to quietly observe it
from a
distance.
There was
also a brief
but lovely
encounter
with the
paradise
riflebird.
Considering how the morning started,
I'm certainly glad I decided to head out.
The rain made photography a little challenging at times,
but it also seemed to bring the
rainforest to life, with birds appearing everywhere
and some really special encounters along the
way.
I don't know whether birds are more active in the rain,
but on this particular morning,
it
certainly
felt
that way.
Before I finish, I thought I'd share
the beautiful view from Mary Cairncross on a sunny day.
It's quite a contrast to the weather I experienced
this morning and with that
let's take a look at some of my favourite photographs
from Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve.
