11/1-15/1 cont'd...
NEARBY SITES:
I visited a number of sites nearby which were recommended by Ron Stannard
of Kingfisher Park. Most were within 40min drive. The only ones which
were further were Macleods River and Hurricane station/ Kondaparinga
Station Rd ( which I visited in my futile quest to see Black throated
Finches, but they were good spots anyway), and Mt Hyppipanee National Park
(The Crater). I visited the latter because I was told that my 2WD vehicle
which I hired would not get me up to "the Clearing" on Mt Lewis earlier in
the week given recent rain etc, but that all species found at Mt Lewis,
with the exception of the Blue throated Parrot Finch, could be easily found
here instead. This was the furthest site from Kingfisher Park and was
about 1.5 hours drive away. The Mt Lewis Rd dried up toward the end of the
week and I was able to drive along this without any problems - be warned
that when this road is good it is fine, but it is apparently very bad in
wet weather.
McDougall Rd Wetland:
This was a small wetland on the northern side of Mc Dougall Rd, after the
Bushy Creek crossing. Although it had a number of wetland species, such as
Wandering Whistling-Duck, Black Duck, Coot, Intermediate Egret and Little
Black Cormorant and Australasian Grebe, it lacked the one I was really
hoping for - Cotton Pygmy-Goose. The water seemed to be quite choked up
with Azolla, but no more so than the lagoon at Yorkey's Knob.
A large farm dam on the southern side of this road just after turning off
from the road to Mt Molloy, and easily visible form the road produced all
the species found at the wetland, in addition to Magpie
Goose. Chestnut-breasted Mannikins and Rainbow Bee-eaters were
particularly common near the road.
Abbatoir Swamp
This is a small wetland halfway to Mt Molloy. I am told that it is not a
patch on what it used to be, ever since it was turned into a reserve and
the cows were excluded from grazing here which has resulted in rank grass
growth and the water surface area reduction. Nervtheless it was a good
intorduction to the more open-country birds. Honeyeaters abounded, with
Yellow Honeyeater, Brown-backed Hoeneyater, WHITE-THROATED HONEYEATER,
Brown Honeyeater. Forest Kingsfisher, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Pale-headed
Rosella, Olive-backed Oriole, White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike were all
obvious. Red-backed Fairy-wrens flitted through regrowth of Blady Grass,
as did a covey of Brown Quail. Although there were few waterbirds, Purple
Swamphen, Black Duck were present, and I saw a White-browed Crake on my
second visit. A Buttonquail was calling in the thick grass beyond the
boardwalk which I was assured would be Red-backed, but I never saw it.
Station Creek
This was on the Cape York Devlopment Rd (or Cooktown Hwy as Ron, but not my
map, told me) about 10 min drive north from the turnoff from the Mareeba
road. The place to see Banded Honeyeaters, or so I was told. Others
managed to do so whilst I was there, but I popped in on several visits on
my way up to the Mt Carbinbe area, and failed to see any. There is
Melaleuca woodland fringing the creek, and Bloodwood/paperbark woodland
further away from the creek. A good selection of drier country birds were
present, most of which were seen at most other drier sites, but this was
the only place at which I saw Scarlet Honeyeater, Grey Shrike-thrush and
Spotted Pardalote.
East Mary Rd (Mary Farms)
Mary Farms is about another ten minutes further on up the Hwy from Station
Creek. An AUSTRALIAN BUSTARD walked through the grass in a paddock near
the road edge only a couple of km from the turnoff. Apparently West Mary
Rd is just as good, but I tried the first one twice and saw a Bustard each
time.
Mt Carbine Dam
A very good spot, but I was here at a very hot part of the day (both
visits) so birds were diverse, but low in individuals and not easy to
spot. Nevertheless this produced Crested Pigeon (one of the only two
individuals I saw on this trip) in addition to the numerous Peaceful Doves,
Red-winged Parrot, BLUE-WINGED KOOKABURRA, PALE-HEADED ROSELLA, Koel,
Dollarbird, Rainbow Lorikeet, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Noisy Friarbird, Pied
Butcherbird among others already seen. Raptors were quite good, and
included Whistling Kite, Black Kite and great views of a Square-tailed
Kite. In addition to large numbers of Coots and Wandering-whistling Ducks,
several Great-crested Grebes were present, apparently quite rare in the
north. Royal Spoonbills hunched up in some sedges near the waters' edge,
Intermediate Egrets were around, as was a single Little Egret, and both
Little Black and Little Pied Cormorants could be found. Darters were
conspicuous, and on the second visit, a single Black-necked Stork lurked
near the waters edge.
McLeod's River
Nice but creepy. I visited here on the way to a later afternoon visit to
Hurricane Station Rd/ Kondaparinga Rd as part of my never-ending quest for
Black-throated Finches. The McLeod's River crossing is from memory about
15-20min drive further from Mt Carbine dam/pub. A river winds it's way
through the dry countryside, with Figs and denser vegetation along the
river channel, larger melaleucas in the dry overflow areas, and all this
winding through low open woodland of eucs, bloodwoods and melaleucas. A
track followed up stream from the road crossing, but this was a popular
camping area, and the track went through a number of people's camping
sites, so I opted to follow a track which went downstream instead and ran
along a high bank next to the main channel. This produced little other
than pair of Pacific Bazas, some Spangled Drongos, and White-throated
Honeyeaters. Although I had tried to avoid people the track led through a
group's campsite and I went through only to have to return again to stares
which otherwise suggested I had a second head, and then later, as I was
further away again, laughter, scorn and bad bird
impersonations. Huh!! And they thought I looked wierd! The scorn was
mutual, but I didn't risk laughing myself, the place was a little too
Deliverance for my liking.
I crossed the road and headed off on an old track into the surrounding
woodland on the southern side of the creek bed. This was more
productive. I had my first views of a bird which up til then had also
proved elusive - SQUATTER PIGEON - a group of 6 walking along the track
some 10m in front of me. A number of species were here which I saw at other
woodland areas, and I heard what was probably a Common Bronzewing but
couldn't see it. This area was also good for raptors, with Brown Goshawk,
Whistling Kite and Black Kite in addition to the Bazas.
Hurricane Station Rd/ Kondaparinga Rd
I was given alternate names to this Rd by different people. This road
leads off from the main road about another ten-fifteen minutes further on
from McLeods River, and the site was some km drive from the turn off down
the worst road of the entire trip. Another site recommended by several
people for Black-throated Finches, but not the day I went, with a small
ground tank in low open woodland with Ironbarks. This was possibly the
driest, most open site I visited. Also the worst as far as flies which
bite you. No amount of insect repellant worked on them, and I was bitten
more times than I could remember.
As far as the birds went, no finches of any sort. A great selection of
woodland birds, and the only site at which I saw Brown Treecreeper,
White-throated Gerygone and Galah. With the exception of the Blue-winged
Kookaburra and Pale-headed Rosella, all the birds present would have fitted
in the Central Western Slopes of NSW. Also great views of a Square-tailed
Kite swooping low over the trees over the road a couple of km before the site
More sites visited 11/1-15/1 in part 3...
Frank Hemmings
Curator
John T. Waterhouse Herbarium
School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences
University of New South Wales
UNSW SYDNEY 2052
AUSTRALIA
Tel +61 2 9385 3274
Fax +61 2 9385 1558
CRICOS Provider Code: 00098G
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