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Crossed the NT/Qld border with the intention of
reaching the cool coast as soon as possible.Spent the night as the only
occupants of the Julia Creek caravan park, walked along a very degraded
creekline and counted 20 species in over two hours, with Diamond Dove
and Clamorous Reed-Warbler the best.The next day saw
us drive all day to reach Townsville.After a brief morning-tea at the Fossil
Center at Richmond we spied a single Ground Cuckoo-Shrike only
3kms from town, followed by great views of Grey Falcon a few
kms on.(We had also seen the falcon around Richmond on our '98 trip).Lunch at
Prarie, arvo tea at Charters Towers, and finally the cooling sea breezes of
Rowes Bay, Townsville for tea.We quickly fell asleep to the whoof whoof of the
resident Barking Owls.
We spent a restful week in Townsville enjoying the
proximity of the sea.Made a couple of visits to a very dry Common where could
only find 3 Brolga a party of Brown-backed
Honeyeaters.A trip up Castle Hill revealed Yellow
Honeyeater and Nutmeg Finch, as well as spectacular
views of Townsville and surronds. We saw the usual waders , never in large
numbers, on the foreshore.A day trip to Magnetic Island gave us Brown
Booby from the ferry on both trips, whilst we saw Bush
Stone Curlew and Sooty Oystercatcher at Geoffrey
Beach..
Feeling refreshed, my mind turned to what new birds
were possible in NQ.Next day we headed to Paluma with two targets in mind.We
choose the "H" walk behind Lennox St and within the first 100 metres heard the
loud and strident calls of Tooth-billed Bowerbird
(tick),quickly finding the songster sitting still about a metre above
the forest floor.As expected we saw Grey-headed Robin,Victoria's
Riflebird, Spotted Catbird, Bridled Honeyeater on the walk, and then in
the last 100 metres, a party of three Fernwren (tick)quietly
appeared by the track, scratched around the floor, then disappeared.We had got
our two targets within an hour.We celebrated with tea and jam at Ivy Cottage and
the close-up views of riflebirds and honeyeaters.
We drove on towards Lake Paluma, stopping at
Birthday Creek Falls where locals proudly showed me the resident male
Golden Bowerbird and his well-used bower.Nothing much bird-wise
at the lake, but a good lunch spot.After descending the range we poked about
some side roads north of Rollingstone and found a farm dam beside a canefield
where over 200 Chestnut-breasted Mannikin were flying in to
drink.
The pull of the Atherton Tableland was too great so
we headed north, stopping at Ingham for a brief exploration of the Tyto
Wetlands.I was fortunate to run into local birder Tony Ashton you offered to
show me around.Within 10 minutes we had stunning views of a Little
Bittern in the reeds.Further on we same both
Whistling-Duck,Glossy Ibis, Marsh,Curlew, and
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. Both Forest and
Sacred Kingfisher were seen, along with Dollarbird
and Rainbow Bee-eater.We found nesting Willie
Wagtail and Yellow Honeyeater,and I heard a
Little Grassbird calling.Whilst scanning some edges I caught a
glimpse through the scope of a large dark bird flopping into reeds which Tony
confidently called as Black Bittern.Soon after setting-up at
Atherton, we headed for Hasties Swamp where both species and numbers of birds
were low compared to previous visits.We did see a dozen Sarus Crane
fly-in, and there were newly-fledged Masked Lapwing
being aggressively protected by their parents on the edge opposite the
hide.Swamp Harrier and White-bellied Sea-Eagle
flew over, putting the frighteners on the ducks.We listed over 30 birds
in the caravan park in 4 days including 9 honeyeaters (Noisy
and Little Friarbirds , Lewin's,
Yellow-faced,White-naped,White-cheeked, Banded, Scarlet, and
Eastern Spinebill). Visited Mt. Hypipamee Crater and Bloomfield
Swamp, nothing exceptional found at the Crater, but counted 263 crane (some
Sarus, but mainly Brolga) at the
swamp.
Spent a day doing the Dundalla Forest Drive on the
north side of Tinaroo Dam.Saw Latham's Snipe , and at one
little bay, both Green and Cotton Pygmy-goose.
Also encountered the tamest Buff-banded Rail ever seen near a
camping area.Were disappointed we couldn't locate the Boatbill and Pied Monarch
we had found on this route in 2002. Best part of the day was being taken-out by
Alan Gillanders for his famed nocturnal walk at Yungaburra. We were shown Rex,
the resident male Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo, as well as the
Coppery and Common Brushtail Possum, Green
Ringtail Possum,and a single Spectacled Flying-fox
flying past.Allan is an expert on matters mammallian and his tour
should not be missed.We also enjoyed seeing the Platypus in
Piebald Creek next door to the Chinese museum and temple in
Atherton.
We tried for Black-throated Finch on Pickford
Rd, which leads into the Mareeba Wetlands, but without success, but did see
Latham's Snipe in a drain line.Down to Cairns for a couple of
days, only managed a bit of birding on the Esplanade, nothing of note.Couldn't
leave the north without a visit to Kingfisher Park, now managed by Keith &
Lindsay Fisher. On our first night Keith took us next door to Geraghty Park
where we waited expectantly for night to fall.After a 20 minute wait, a
Masked Owl (tick) appeared at a hollow entrance, looking at us
looking at it.It flew-off and was immediately followed by its mate.Both were
very pale birds and needed careful observation to distinguish them from Barn
Owl.The Masked Owl completed my set of Aussie owls and nightbirds, what a
treat.The night finished with good views also of a Lesser Sooty
Owl in an adjacent tree.During the afternoon Lindsay had shown us
the nesting Papuan Frogmouth as small groups of birders scoured
the area for Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher seen earlier
that morning, and first heard the day before.We were up bright and early next
morning and after an hour got good views of the Kingfisher with its long
trailing white streamer.Even better views were obtained the next morning as a
bird flew across open space behind the creek at the back of the park.Kingfisher
Park had again lived up to its reputation with over 60 species recorded, two
ticks, and other great birds like Barred Cuckoo-Shrike, Macleay's
and Graceful Honeyeater, White-rumped Swiftlet, Metallic
Starling. We drove up Mt Lewis hoping for the Blue-faced Parrot Finch.
Alas, no such luck, but we did get Mountain Thornbill, Topknot Pigeon,
lots of Tooth-billed Bowerbirds and more
Barred Cuckoo-Shrike.The rain had begun so we headed for home,
only venturing out again to Abbatoir Swamp in the late afternoon where there
were few waterbirds, but we did get Brown-backed Honeyeater. We
tried a few back roads hoping for the Parrot Finch but dipped.
By now we were hearing the call of home, so
packed-up and headed south, stoping at Bowen overnight, and then a long days
drive to home.No more birding, except through the windscreen.
We had been on the road for 13 weeks, had driven
18,500 km, spent a king's ransom on petrol, but had travelled without
incident.We had seen 208 species since re-entering Queensland, with four
new birds.All-up we saw 349 species on the trip (amazingly the same number we
saw in three weeks in India in Feb), and I got 30 new birds, more than I had
hoped for or believed possible.I had seen all of Australia's raptors on the
trip, and completed the owls and nightbirds.And I had finally seen my bogey
birds, the Black Bittern and Great-billed Heron.Time for a rest before the next
adventure.
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