Cairns to Karumba

["Ian Cowan" <>]

I just got back home last night after spending the last week as a support driver for the Cairns to Karumba Coast-to-Coast bike ride - second year I have done this.  Disadvantages include not being able to stop where I wanted, having the caravan always coupled up to the vehicle (for early getaways) and the early starts which don't allow for early morning "best-time" birding, but there was always time in the afternoons to have a poke around the local area of the camp to see the birds of the area.

Highlight was the mixed flocks of Woodswallows, Masked, Black faced and White-browed, seen at Georgetown - The white browed seems to be venturing further north this year, I saw them near Petford about 3 weeks earlier

Diamond Doves were also plentiful around Georgetown, didn't see any Peacefuls there

Ground Cuckoo Shrikes at Georgetown (Forsyth Road, which is now sealed) and on the main road east of Croydon

The whole area is very dry this year, areas that held good water last year are now dry or nearly so

 

Ian Cowan

Clifton Beach