Chris,
I would head for an area where there is no possible confusion with
Golden Whistler (i.e.away from Queensland's north-east coast). I would
say most of the
Mangrove G. Whistler reports from coastal Queensland from Cooktown south
are Golden Whistlers (which migrate altitudinally in winter). However,
there
is an isolated population of MGW in the Ayr area (south of Townsville - not
the easiest to get to) - Camp Island and environs I think - and apparently
another at Shoalwater Bay farther south (north of Rockhampton). Hanzab
lists a record from the vicinity of Cape Tribulation (north of the Daintree
River, N. Qld) which I find very hard to believe. I have birded in that area
many times over the years and the habitat is not suitable. If there is
a population at Cooktown, then none of us in N.Qld are aware of it (I
and many others have birded alot about Cooktown as well).
We saw them easily in the mangroves along a creek a few km out from
Burketown (NW Qld) a few years ago (no mud) - we just followed one of
the tracks out from the town to one of the boat ramps and the mangroves.
We also got
them along the Norman River just behind Normanton and I think also at
Karumba. We got them without too much trouble at Broome some years
ago - Crab Creek but alot of mud. They are fairly easy on some of the
Torres Strait islands where they inhabit a type of dense forest (not really
rainforest) - and strangely along with Mangrove Robin in the same
habitat - but you
need a friendly fisherman to drop you on an island there.
Good luck - I'm sure we would all be interested to know where you
finally get the bird.
Lloyd Nielsen,
PO Box 55,
Mt Molloy Qld 4871
Australia
Ph: 61 7 4094 1549
Fax: 61 7 4094 1372
Email:
Website: http://www.birdingaustralia.com.au
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