I had a short window of opportunity for birding this morning, so decided to stick local, heading to Sandy Camp Wetlands just before dawn for yet another try for Black Bittern, predictably without success. I’m going to need a change of strategy, and will try evening visits and also going during the night. It was a pleasant enough morning at Sandy Camp although nothing rare was about. Best bird was a Rufous Fantail. I spent quite some time listening to and looking at Leaden Flycatchers. April is a good month for migrating Satin Flycatchers showing up in Brisbane (although nothing like as good as October – see below), and I carefully studied the features on the Leadens to make sure I’d be able to pick out a Satin should one cross my path. If I don’t see one in the next couple of weeks, I’ll probably have to wait until September or so for my next reasonable chance, and it’s a hard species to specifically go out and look for.

In the afternoon we headed out to Lota to take the kids to the playground. I took the scope and spent 17 minutes scanning the mudflats offshore. Quite a few Terek Sandpipers around, but I couldn’t pick out a Double-banded Plover in the loose flock of Red-capped Plovers. I’m going on a Queensland Wader Study Group shorebird count to southern Moreton Island next Tuesday so hope to pick up another year tick or two there.

With no year ticks today, my year list remained on 254 species. I spent 2 hours 38 minutes birding, walked 3.738 km and drove 20.4 km.

Satin Flycatcher is usually considered a passage migrant through Brisbane, with the spring passage being much more pronounced than autumn.