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Best 5 birding spots

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Subject: Best 5 birding spots
From: "Peter Ewin" <>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 21:06:57 +1000
This is quite a difficult thing to do because of three reasons:
1. How big is the area you define (is an area somewhere you can cover in a day or a week). 2. Comparing areas you visit briefly to see specific species to somewhere you have lived/visited regularly over a long period where you get an idea of all the different species. 3. I haven't been to some of the great spots already listed (Werribbee) or haven't visited as a fuller fledged birder (Broome). Despite this I will throw my two cents in with the following locations that I have some experience of: 1. Cairns/Atherton Tablelands to Mt. Molloy - An amazing diversity of species in a relatively small area. 2. Wollongong (including the Minnamurra catchment) - From the woodlands above the escarpment to the pelagics this probably has the greatest diversity of species in a very small distance. 3. Weddin Mountains NP - west of the divide in NSW is vastly underated (see below) and the number of birds in this relatively small remnant is amazing. 4. Albany - as an easterner seeing so many new species between Two Peoples Bay and the Stirling Ranges was pretty great. 5. Karumba/Normanton - Not having been to Broome this is probably the best mangrove birding I have done, and the areas to the south of town add a lot of diversity.

Some close runners up would be:
Griffith - Within 2 hours of this town has an amazing variety of habitats (mallee/woodland/wetlands) giving lots of variety. The place where I really started learning what bird-watching is all about. Tweed Valley - From the mountain rainforests to the coastal forests another area with high diversity in small distances. Iron Range - Just for the pure tick value and the experience of getting there.
Dryandra Forest - An insight into what the WA wheat belt once was.
Gunlom Falls, Kakadu - Great swimming hole, great birding
Simpson Desert - I have only skirted both the western and eastern fringes, but I truly love the arid country and the birds I have seen in these areas make me keen to head back.

My bias is towards NSW (where I have lived most of my life) but hopefully this gives an idea of the sort of places I like to bird watch.
Cheers,
Peter

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