Ground cuckoo-shrikes were seen yesterday (8 March) within 50 km of the
outskirts of Townsville along the Flinders Highway.
The details:
5 ground cuckoo-shrikes seen at 09.45 am, Sunday 8 March near the junction
of Flinders Highway / Cardington Road; lat. S19 degrees 48.7' south; long.
E146 degrees 49.0', approx. 64 km from Townsville GPO or roughly 50 km
from the urban area. The birds were observed by telescope for several
minutes. Weather hot and humid, < 50% cloud cover; no wind.
Observers: Marleen Acton, Alex Appleman and John Maddy.
Comment:
It is unusual for ground-cuckoo shrikes to be seen so close to Townsville.
Previous reports from local birders have been in the Gulf Country around
Georgetown, the Lynd Highway near Greenvale or near Richmond on the
Flinders Highway (approx. 500 km from Townsville).
If any birding-aus subscribers would like to send me their records of
ground cuckoo-shrike sightings I will compile a list.
Other sighting of interest:
Straw-necked ibis have returned to Townsville in good numbers; indicating
that the Autumn migration is underway. Where do they go to during the wet
season? The australian white ibis remains all year round (huge colony on
the South Bank of the Ross River).
5 Yellow-billed spoonbills along the Bruce Highway north of Giru, but only
1 royal spoonbill at the wetlands along Link Road.
Cheers
Alex Appleman
Townsville
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