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Evening, all.
This is a general RFI in the context of a family
camping trip in September and early October. We'll be stopping at Cobar
(overnight only); "Bowra" near Cunnamulla; Charleville; Carnarvon Gorge National
Park; Tannum Sands near Gladstone; Hervey Bay; Bribie Island; Lamington NP;
Bundjalung NP near Grafton; Myall Lakes NP; Dubbo; and Narrandera (also
overnight only). I have searched through the Birding-aus archives and
extracted what information I could find there, and have also been in direct
contact with a couple of regular contributors to the list. I would be very
grateful for any specific suggestions of good spots near those general locations
for a southerner for whom lots of the Qld species will be new, exciting and
probably confusing. I should stress that the rest of the family are not
fanatical birders, so our activities will have to be balanced out; however, I do
hope to fill in lots of Atlas sheets. I'm not really a twitcher (except
once a year, in a good cause), but I do keep lists and I would like to see, and
hopefully become familiar with, some of the non-Victorian species whose ranges
we will be entering. I would be particularly grateful for advice about the
following species - not necessarily just "good spots", but also what to look out
for in terms of habitat, and any useful field ID tips to supplement the field
guides (I'll have Pizzey & Knight and Morcombe with me):
Cotton Pygmy-Goose; Eastern Reef Egret; Black
Bittern; Pacific Baza; Bush-hen; Red-backed & Black-breasted Button-quails;
Squatter Pigeon; Marbled (Plumed) Frogmouth; Blue-winged Kookaburra; Pale-yellow
Robin; Spectacled & White-eared Monarchs; Shining Flycatcher; Varied
Triller; Plum-headed Finch; Yellow-bellied Sunbird; Tawny
Grassbird.
I know there are lots of other potential "ticks",
especially at "Bowra" and at Lamington NP, but I'm hoping for some expert local
advice at those locations. I also realise that we will probably be only on
the fringe of the range of some of the above species, but it's difficlt to tell
from the readily available information what our realistic chances are of finding
those species. I will post a summary trip report to birding-aus after we
return, and write up the trip more comprehensively for anyone who is
interested.
Most grateful for any advice anyone can
offer. The Birding-aus assistance made a big difference to the birding on
our trip to the Eyre Peninsula in 1999, and similar help this time will be very
much appreciated.
Regards, and thanks in advance,
Jack
Krohn
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