Hi All,
Have just returned from picking up most of ten missing ticks in
the area around Cairns, and, with Kapitan Klaus, at Musgrave and Iron Range.
Also picked up a few mosquitoes, and a lot of March flies.
Viewing rarities from verandahs is highly developed up in FNQ.
Kingfisher Lodge rates five stars, where we've seen PACIFIC BAZA drop in
onto a Green Treefrog a few feet from our breakfast table in January a
couple of years ago.On this trip, resident NOISY PITTA and BUFF-BANDED
RAILS were respectively hopping and running around and between BRUSH TURKEYS
and ORANGE-FOOTED JUNGLE-FOWL, a BUFF-BREASTED PARADISE KINGFISHER just
perched near the birdbath and contemplating life for as long as we watched,
MACLEAY'S HONEYEATERS, BOWERS and LITTLE SHRIKE-THRUSHES, GREY-HEADED
ROBINS, SPECTACLED MONARCHS feeding all around the little lawn, which is
enclosed by rainforest gardens , just in front of the verandah. Local trash
birds (American terminology) like EMERALD DOVES, BLUE-FACED, YELLOW SPOTTED
and LEWINS HONEYEATERS, PALE-YELLOW ROBINS, RED-BROWED FINCHES and
CHESTNUT-BREASTED MANNIKINS become distractions; the Blue-faced Honeyeayers
are brilliantly gold on their backs and with bright blue faces look like
flying Faberges.
The couple in the next unit saw LESSER SOOTY OWL that night sitting
on the adjacent toilet block under the overhead light, and RED-NECKED CRAKES
sneak in either early or late but we missed them here. Three kinds of small
mammals come to the verandah edge for grain below the finch-feeder including
the (?) CAPE YORK PYGMY MOUSE, easy to see in our torches.
These were just from the verandah!
At and under the Cassowary House verandah bird-feeder were a fat
RED-NECKED CRAKE gorging on cheese, fussy about variety, refers Aus.
cheddar, CASSOWARY male with three 50cm chicks, the mother was in the
orchard the evening before, VICTORIA'S RIFLEBIRD, SPOTTED CATBIRD, MACLEAYS
HONEYEATER, and lots more in the surrounding rainforest trees.Rare (?)Rufous
Rat-kangaroos kept chasing off the Rail. Had a prolonged view of RUFOUS OWL
in the spotlight on a branch over Black Mountain Rd. a couple of km. from
the guesthouse.
These birds are habituated to humans rather than tame, the lack of
disturbing behavior and presence of other habituated birds must make them
feel safe. Water bowls certainly attract, and nectar birdfeeders and grain
bring in some species, but others seem to be there because of the other
birds.
At Mareeba Wetlands there is a great viewing verandah overlooking
Clancy's lagoon, a largish shallow dam that, with several other
impoundments, catches the runoff from the Mareeba irrigation scheme. COTTON
PYGMYGOOSE was the most notable species we saw on the dam. A couple of young
Magpie-geese tried eating our backpacks as we sat trying out a cupof the
locally grown coffee. Dryland birds in the reserve include Black-throated
finches and Squatter Pigeons, and the super-elusive Buff-breasted
Button-quail in a super-secret sensitive area barred to birdos. The reserve
doesn't open until eight thirty and closes at four, precluding access to
Brolgas and Sarus Cranes which are said to roost on one of the other dams.
We walked the six km return walk to "Pandanus Wetland" in temperatures that
reached over forty degrees although it was coolish on departure. Apart from
Squatter Pigeons and Apostlebirds, there was nothing exceptional.
Further North, they feed BLACK-BACKED BUTCHERBIRDS and a family of
Laughing Kookaburras at the Hann River Roadhouse as you watch and rehydrate
under their verandah.
A PAPUAN FROGMOUTH , trying to stuff two claustrophobic fluffy
nestlings back beneath her, was well camouflaged on her nest in the fork of
a pale tree a few metres from the verandah of Lotusbird Lodge, unpreturbed
by the oohs & aahs. Waterbird allsorts including JABIRU, ROYAL SPOONBILL,
GREEN PYGMYGEESE and a few SHARPTAILED SANDPIPERS were easy in the adjacent
lagoon.
Our chateau on the hillside at Portland Roads overlooked the
anchorage and reef waters beyond. Scopes were set up on the verandah, and
GREATER and LESSER FRIGATEBIRDS, male and female, BROWN BOOBIES and CRESTED
TERNS came in over the prawnboats, WHITE-BREASTED WOODSWALLOWS and PIED
IMPERIAL PIGEONS flew back and forth just offshore. A SUNBIRD nest with eggs
with mother intermittently sitting hung from a sunshade, YELLOW ORIOLES were
flying around in the scrub below with BAR-SHOULDERED DOVES, always good to
see in the right light. Penny and I glimpsed a pair of REDCHEEKED PARROTS
streaking up the adjoining gully and over the hill, the best of several
glimpses during the week.
These are the places to which we will return when old and
infirm. They will need to improve wheelchair access to the Portland Roads
site though Klaus.
Michael & Penny Hunter
Mulgoa Valley
50km west of Sydney Harbour Bridge
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
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