Hi Peter
Good thing to do would be to do a tour with someone like Del Richards. Top
bloke and great at what he does. We got Barn and Pacific Swallow (on the
road into Newell Beach I think) with him not to mention most of the endemics
plus Grass Owl, Superb F-Dove on nest, White-eared Monarch,
Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo (calling only though unfortunately), Bush-hen etc
etc .
Also give Alan Gillanders a call. He showed me Blue-faced Parrot Finch among
other things the other week when we were up again. Fun night looking for
mammals too.
Lloyd Nielsens book on birds of the wet tropics is great too.
Centenary Lakes is definitely worth a visit for white-browed Crake and
plenty of other things. We saw Collared Kingfisher here too.
The Esplanade obviously for waders an hour or 2 before the high tide. Didn¹t
see anything exciting at Christmas but I¹m no wader expert! Terek Sandpiper,
Great Knot, Black-tailed Godwit etc. Heard Mangrove Robin in the mangroves
at the far Nth end of the esplanade.
Get your hands on the HEMA Atherton tablelands map if you can too. It isn¹t
a bad map and has Yule Point marked on it. Driving north from Cairns on the
road to Port Douglas it has a small sign post saying Yule Point. Just after
that is a place to get off the road and you should see a track going to the
water.
Kingfisher Park is also a great place to stay as everyone has probably
already told you. We saw Masked Owl with Keith and Lindsay at Christmas.
Hope this is helpful.
Cheers
Dave
PS I don¹t have any commercial arrangement with any of these guys, I have
just been up there a few times and have used their services and think they
are great.
On 19/1/06 4:19 PM, ""
<> wrote:
>
> Is anyone able to help me out with a few site details for areas around Cairns?
>
> I'm after:
>
> ** Swallow sites - Where at Newell Beach?
>
> ** Beach Stone Curlew - access from Yule Point? Where is Yule point?
>
> ** Georgetown - sites for Red Browed Pardolotes, Finches, Rufous Throated and
> Grey Fronted Honeyeaters. Location of cumberland dam?
>
> ** Banded Honeyeater sites???
>
> ** Any current good sightings around Cairns ( waders? other rarities?)
>
> ** Best photography spots for any FNQ speciality species (any bowers? ?tame?
> birds in public places, schools etc)
>
> This is my first trip to Cairns, so any advice appreciated. The archive has
> been great, but nothing compares to local knowledge and birder experience
|
