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Spent the weekend at Paluma, rainforest village north of Townsville - it
was the first opportunity I've had to do some serious birding at this location.
Thick cloud hampered birding on Saturday morning, reducing visability to
about 20 metres but cleared for the rest of my stay - result was 5
lifers in 48 hours! I was staying at Gumburu, run by Catholic
Education.
Highlights were 2 pairs of Golden Whistler in rainforest bordering Gumburu,
good views of White-headed Pigeon & Wompoo Fruit-Dove along Paluma
Rainforest Walk, Tooth-billed Bowerbird here as well as along Smith Cr.
Had lunch at famous Ivy Cottage - the usual White-cheeked, Lewin's &
Macleay's Honeyeaters with Macleay's on our table as we ate. Riflebirds were
conspicuous in their absense, although I did see them elsewhere.
Saw a male Satin Flycatcher along Smith Cres, then later at Gumburu. Local
guidebooks refer to this species as rare or even very rare - would anyone like
to comment - do they generally winter south of NQ - surely if they were going to
PNG they would be regulars on passage.
Little Shrike-Thrushes were common around the village & White-cheeked
Honeyeaters filled every flowering bottlebrush. An Azure Kingfisher was found
dead on the roof of Gumburu - apparently crashed into the window.
From Witt's lookout a Wedge-tailed Eagle flew past, followed closely by a
Peregrine Falcon.
Bird list was.
Australian Brush Turkey
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Australian King Parrot
Crimson Rosella
Shinning Bronze-Cuckoo
Pheasant Coucal
Azure Kingfisher
Large-billed Scrubwren
Macleay's Honeyeater
Lewin's Honeyeater
White-cheeked Honeyeater
Eastern Spinebill
Dusky Honeyeater
Chowchilla
Eastern Whipbird
Grey-headed Robin
Pale-yellow Robin
Little Shrike-Thrush
Golden Whistler
Rufous Fantail
Satin Flycatcher
Spectacled Monarch
Black-faced Monarch
Magpie Lark
Figbird
Victoria's Riflebird
Tooth-billed Bowerbird
Spotted Catbird
White-breasted Woodswallow
Red-browed Finch
Mistletoebird
Silvereye
P.S - What do you do if you meet a semi coming down the Paluma road - we
saw one but thankfully were parked at Little Crystal Creek at the time
Tim Dickson
Townsville
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