BA-NQG do the Windsor Tableland

["Keith and Lindsay Fisher" <>]

Birds Australia-North Queensland Group had a weekend trip to the Windsor Tableland (16 16 02  145 02 21) approx 55km NW of Mount Molloy. We had permission to camp at an old forestry hut which is used by researchers. The area is off limits to the general public but we were conducting atlas surveys in the area which afforded us entry to the area. The site is at 1100m elevation and is mainly rainforest but has a couple of callitris and eucalypt areas. Of interest here was Little Lorikeets not normally found this far east - more likely to be found on the western edge of the Atherton Tableland further south at Wondecla/Kaban. Several Golden Bowerbirds were seen, Grey-headed Robins  & Yellow-throated Scrubwrens were everywhere along the roads. Atherton Scrubwrens were seen as well as Bridled Honeyeaters which were dominant in the rainforest whilst Yellow-faced and Scarlet Honeyeaters were seen in the eucalypt areas Other birds of interest seen were Superb and Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove, Barred-Cuckoo Shrike, Fernwren, Chowchilla, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Bower's Shrike-thrush &  Tooth-billed Bowerbird. The tooth-bills were calling at their courts mimicking other birds including King Parrot and Bower's-Shrike Thrush. We filled in plenty of atlas sheets and saw well over 60 species, which made for a very productive weekend.

We also had our first looks at Jo Wieneke's new edition of her book "Where to find birds in North-East Queensland" an excellent book and a must for anyone coming to this area, a welcome addition and a book which will compliment the other guides available for this region.

 

Cheers

Keith & Lindsay Fisher

PO Box 2209,   Cairns QLD 4870
E-mail:  m("north.net.au","lkfisher");">