Hello all.
Greetings from a South African birder shortly to visit your country. I am
an experienced birder who is fortunate enough to have been sent to
Australia to attend the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists
Conference in Cairns from 28 April to 2 May this year.
I will have some free time during my visit and intend to do some keen
birding while I am in Australia for the first time. I have been told that
Cairns has recently been the victim of a cyclone, and would like to know
what's around at the moment. I will do some birding around Cairns and would
also like to visit the Atherton area.
I shall also be spending a few days in Mackay, visiting the Sugar Research
Institute and some of the mills in the area, but will have a free day on
the public holiday. The Eungella and Cape Hillsborough National Parks have
been recommended to me; which is the better bet?
I may also be visiting the Gold Coast area for a couple of days, to visit
the Conlong mill, before moving down to Sydney for the final week. This
week is all mine, and I intend to spend it sightseeing and birding and
generally being a tourist, before I leave for South Africa on 19th May.
I would appreciate any comments on hot spots in Cairns and Mackay, and any
other tips. I would also like to meet some local birders, as this helps
tremendously in sorting out heaps of unknown lifers! This lesson was well
brought home when I visited the Peruvian Amazon two years ago, where it was
hard enough just to see the forest birds, let alone identify them. All help
will be much appreciated :-).
Good birding!
Steve Davis
Sugar Milling Research Institute
Tel 031 2616882
Fax 031 2616886
|
