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Gulf trip 6 May to 3 June 2005 - Part 1

To: "Messages Birding-aus" <>
Subject: Gulf trip 6 May to 3 June 2005 - Part 1
From: "Bob Forsyth" <>
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2005 22:57:45 +1000
G'day all,
Barbara Gilfedder from Alice Springs has given me permission to post this trip report to Birding-aus.

Bob Forsyth
Mount Isa, NW Qld.
 

Gulf trip 6 May to 3 June 2005 ? Barb and Jim Gilfedder

 

First stop was the Davenport Ranges where we camped at one of the waterholes along the Frew loop road. The water level was considerably lower than when we there 12 months ago, but it was still a pretty place. A small group of Spinifex Pigeons strutted down to the water both evenings. On the second day two Brolgas flew in. They were frightened by a couple of Donkeys before we got very close. We saw 23 other bird species there including a range of waterbirds and a few Honeyeaters in a nearby flowering Bloodwood. We even picked up a couple of different frog species in the spotlight at night.

 

Next camp was on Lakes Francis and Canellan on the Georgina river at Camooweal. Here there were bigger numbers of birds. The water was shallow and its edges lined with waterlilies. A group of about 30 Spoonbills, mainly Royal but some Yellow-billed, many of them with beautiful breeding plumes, preened and slept on the edge; about 20 Freckled Ducks paraded up and down , Crimson chats were busy along the edge, 50 Brolgas completely submerged their heads searching for food; a few Great Crested grebes kept disappearing when I trained the scope on them and a couple of Green Pygmy Geese flew in. We saw 41 species here in a day.

 

Briefly circuiting the Camooweal Sewage Ponds in the morning and we were pleased to identify several Singing Bushlarks perching on the surrounding fence.

 

We camped at Adels Grove for four nights, twice paddling slowly up Lawn Hill gorge in a canoe. The White-browed Robins* and Crimson Finches* were very friendly and Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens* hopped around in the pandanus. All firsts for me.

We also caught up with Great Bowerbirds, Crimson Finches, Channel-billed Cuckoo, WB Sea-eagle, Pheasant Coucal, Red-winged Parrot, Azure Kingfisher, Blue-winged Kookaburra, flocks of Budgerigars and Cockatiel, Restless Flycatcher and Yellow-tinted HE.

 

We climbed the Island Stack where we were able to track down a Sandstone Shrike Thrush*. We had good views of it sitting on the rocks and then it flew off near the ground to a low branch and sat there for a while. Another first! It was a very pleasant walk around the top of the stack where we also caught up with White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Little Woodswallow and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.

 

At Frenchman?s Gardens, Louie Creek there were lots of birds, notably for me, Northern Rosellas, Bar-shouldered Doves, Variegated Fairy-wrens, Double-barred Finches, a Pheasant Coucal carrying a frog, Long-tailed and Crimson Finches and a Jacky Winter.

We heard this great noise and thought it may be a Black Bittern but couldn?t track it down.

44 species in the Lawn Hill area.

 

... continued part 2

 

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