The Bribie Island Birdwatching Weekend List
Each time our resident kookaburra fluffs up its wings and lets out its morning chuckle upon our fence, we stop and stare and inch quietly closer. If we spot an owl on our evening jog, we are similarly entranced and rendered silent. This weekend, why not turn this instinctive spying on birds into a purposeful event, rather than simply one of chance.
Leaving the cloud-like softness of bed early in the morning, run through your checklist of Bribie Island-bound essentials. Swimwear, towel, bucket and spade – check. Binoculars, sunscreen, wide-brimmed hat with chin cord – check. After the slow crawl through the traffic lights as you exit the city, make one (vital) stop for strong coffee at The Fort Specialty Coffee at Northlakes before cruising up the highway.
Start your day at Pumicestone Passage, which is home to 350 species of birds. Thousands of migratory shorebirds visit the area in the warmer months, feeding on yabbies, worms and pippis in the wetlands. They fly away again to Alaska, China and Siberia to breed from April, so make sure to catch them while you can. While wandering the wetlands or hiking through the Bribie Island National Park, you may come across species with fun names like the white-bellied sea eagle, collared sparrowhawk or spangled drongo. Amongst rarer sightings are the wandering whistling-duck, northern mallad and dusky woodswallow, while emus, galahs, kingfishers, honeyeaters and kookaburras are frequently spotted. Stretching 35 km, Pumicestone Passage is not only a place to frolic in the calm warm water when you want to relax along the coast, but also an ecologically important site. Fish, crabs and prawns breed in the passage and dugong feed on seagrass. You’ll also find dolphins and turtles amongst the wildlife calling Bribie Island home.
When you’ve spied on and successfully named a decent flock of birds, head to Woorim Beach for a refreshing dip in the ocean, followed by digging in the sand for pippis. The pippis found on Bribie Island are quite tiny, so you’ll need to dedicate a bit of time to foraging a plentiful supply to turn into a rewarding dinner. After you’ve earned your keep, stroll over to the Nats Shack on the Beach fish and chip shop, which is known for serving up an icy Corona. If time permits, stay for a colourful sunset overlooking the water, before heading home for a hot dish of fettucini, parmesan, samphire and pippis.
You can find more information about Bribie Island and the Moreton Bay Region here.
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