Hello all... Lorne here...
Well I'm back from up north and I miss it when faced with Sydney's smog
and traffic serpents and sweaty stress. I had a splendid honeymoon.
Cairns, Mossman, Port Douglas, Daintree, Cape Tribulation are absolutely
gorgeous spots. My head is still full of jades and emeralds and mango
trees and flying foxes and sweeping cane fields and low clouds on
mountain tops and shopping and of course...birds!!!!!! Before I look at
birds, I suggest birdos going up there visit... the Pier Marketplace
where you'll find... Pesci's seafood restaurant (delicious main courses)
and the Reef Gallery (there's a beautiful $2000+ painting of a
Red-necked Crake by Ivar S. there), and the butterfly farm at Kuranda.
The Radisson Treetops at Port Douglas is a great place greenery wise and
has some good eating places and a big pool. The staff were a bit cut off
though.
Anyway... I saw 7 new birds... White-rumped Swiftlet, Fork-tailed Swift,
Grey Whistler, Large-billed Gerygone, Brown-backed honeyeater,
Yellow-spotted Honeyeater, Lovely Fairy-wren.
I tried Centenary Lakes many times for Little Kingfisher and
White-browed Crake... NO LUCK!!!!!!! GRRRRRRR!!!!!!! I walked through
the rainforest boardwalk many times in search of Rufous Owl!!!! NO
LUCK!!!!!!! GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!! I called and called for the Mangrove
Robin in the channel there... NO LUCK!!!!!!! GRRRRR!!!!!!!!!
At Nine Mile Rd. near Julatten I heard Superb Fruit-dove and Noisy Pitta
and knew Pied Monarchs were about...DIDN"T SEE THEM!!!!!! GRRRRR!!!!!!
All would've been new birds for me! When after the doves I ripped my
t-shirt, got thorns in my hands and got a leech on my foot!!!!!!! It was
both frustrating and hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The rainforest didn't
want me intruding!!!!!!!!!
PART TWO LATER!!!!
Lorne.
|
