A nice day out yesterday, with Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfishers
at Emerald Creek and Kingfisher Park near Julatten, great views of Noisy
Pitta at the latter site, then 2 Blue-faced Parrot-Finch at
the clearing on Mt Lewis, both singles and with Red-browed Firetails
both times. It seems to be a poor season for them thus far but they
around. The supporting cast included a family party of 4 Mountain Thornbill,
an immature
Atherton Scrubwren with really clear yellow on the breast,
Tooth-billed Bowerbirds
still singing, Bridled Honeyeaters,
Grey-headed Robin and a beautiful view of an Atherton Ground-Thrush
(currently lumped with Bassian Thrush) by the track on the way down. I
have yet to see Russet-tailed Thrush here, I need to be convinced
they do exist in the area.....
Back home at Cassowary House, Kuranda, a Red-necked Crake completed
things, and the rainforest form of Cicadabird is still singing well,
both here and at Kingfisher Park. A Brush Cuckoo singing at Cassowary
House on Boxing day was a new record for the immediate area.
News on the Cassowary front is mixed- the male has at least 3
babies which we first saw on Nov 2, but he is being very shy still. We
did however see a sub-adult male Cassowary half way down the Kuranda Range
Road to Cairns on Dec 27, trying to cross the Kennedy Highway. Luckily
the car in front had an alert driver who braked promptly, and the bird
retreated upslope. Kuranda Envirocare have posted warning notices adjacent
to the site in what is probably a forlorn bid to slow down the drivers.
This is the first time I've seen one by this highway in 5 years plus here.
There are up ton 10 Barn Swallows at Newell Beach, but I have
not heard of any Red-rumped so far this season.
Happy new year to all
Phil Gregory
Cassowary House, Kuranda
www. cassowary-house.com.au
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