G'day All,
From the 9th to the 22nd of this month, I was able to visit North QLD. I was
in Cairns from the 9th to the 11th where I enjoyed some birding, picking up
a range of birds in the area. Among the waders on the Cairns esplanade I was
able to enjoy the BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER that had recently been sighted
there. There were a range of birds in the city gardens and surrounding
bushland. Brian Venables, who I met the year before at Mornington in the
Kimberley, also took me on a tour into the wet tropics rainforest up the
road in the mountain leading to Copperload Dam. Some of the more outstanding
sightings for me in Cairns and here were WHITE-RUMPED SWIFT, YELLOW
HONEYEATER, HELMETED FRIARBIRD, BUSH-HEN, BUFF-BREASTED PARADISE KINGFISHER,
SPECTACLED MONARCH, BARRED CUCKOO-SHRIKE, GREY WHISTLER, DOUBLE-EYED FIG
PARROT, MACLEAY'S HONEYEATER, VICTORIA'S RIFLEBIRD, FAIRY GERYGONE, SUPERB
FRUIT-DOVE, BROWN-BACKED HONEYEATER & PAPUAN FROGMOUTH. I picked up over
ninety species while in Cairns and surrounds.
On the 11th Brian, and a mate of his, Michael Hopkins, and I set out for
Iron Range. We called at Mt Lewis , where we spent an hour or so, picking up
among others, NOISY PITTA, SPOTTED CATBIRD, TOOTH-BILLED BOWERBIRD -
performing on its display ground, YELLOW-BREASTED BOATBILL, ATHERTON
SCRUBWREN, FERNWREN, BRIDLED HONEYEATER, MOUNTAIN THORNBILL, BOWER'S SHIRKE
THRUSH, GREY-HEADED ROBIN, GOLDEN BOWERBIRD & PALE YELLOW ROBIN in addition
to other special birds of the area seen nearer to Cairns. I was hoping to
see the BLUE-FACED PARROT-FINCH, but there was no sign of them. I also was
enjoying seeing many subspecies new to me, such as WHITE-THROATED
TREECREEPER etc.
Called into Mt Molloy for a 'cuppa' but no sign of the BUFF-BREASTED
BUTTON-QUAIL. Onto the Developmental Road we birded along the way, visiting
Lakeland Downs, Laura and Lakefield National Park onto Musgrave Station and
stopped overnight at Tom, Sue and Trevor Shepherd's home at Artamis Station.
There were a good range of birds in this dry woodland, grassland country,
including BUSTARD etc. However, the ones I was looking most for were the
special subspecies of the area. I was greatly pleased to see BLACK-FACED
WOODSWALLOW - Race normani and one of the highlights of the trip for me, the
beautiful form of the CRIMSON FINCH - Race evangelinae. Both these species
have white vents, as strangely, do several other subspecies of birds in this
area. I enjoyed seeing the blue cheeked form of the PALE-HEADED ROSELLA -
Race adscitus. BROLGA AND SARUS CRANE were also seen as were BANDED
HONEYEATER, GREY-FRONTED HONEYEATER & BLACK-BACKED BUTCHERBIRD.
Early next morning Sue Shepherd, who does some monitoring of the
GOLDEN-SHOULDERED PARROT, took us to an area she was monitoring. We saw
about 20 to 30 of this striking and rare parrot, including two beautifully
plumed males. What a privilege! We continued to see a range of birds
including some wetland birds, MAGPIE GEESE, PIED HERON, WANDERING WHISTLING
DUCK, and STRIATED HERON etc. Over 180 species were seen on the trip from
Cairns to Iron Range.
When we hit Iron Range late in the afternoon the special birds started
coming thick and fast. Along the road where rainforest is found - beside the
rivers and creeks flowing through the area - we began to see a host of
birds, some unique to the area. Stopping at one spot we all at once were
overwhelmed by TRUMPET MANUCODE calling and displaying, vying for attention
with a pair of MAGNIFICENT RIFLEBIRD - the male giving breath-taking
glimpses of his iridescent chest on a sunlight branch of a tree. Birds were
calling and flying around us, including WHITE-EARED MONARCH, RED-CHEEKED
PARROT, ELECTUS PARROT, TROPICAL SCRUBWREN, YELLOW-BREASTED BOATBILL,
BLACK-WINGED MONARCH, WHITE-FACED ROBIN and various others.
Eventually we got to Brian's place on a hillside overlooking the sea and
surrounded by tropical vine forest. Here and at nearby Chili Beach and Swamp
(Mordor Swamp) and Portland Roads, I was to enjoy a whole range of other
special birds of the area. Among the 125 plus species seen here and further
back into the rainforest areas I enjoyed LARGE-BILLED GERYGONE, LARGE-TAILED
NIGHTJAR, LOVELY FAIRY-WREN, WHITE-BROWED ROBIN, DOUBLE-EYED FIG-PARROT,
Race marshalli FAWN-BREASTED BOWERBIRD, WHITE-STREAKED HONEYEATER,
TAWNY-BREASTED HONEYEATER, FRILLED MONARCH, BLACK NODDY, COMMON NODDY,
BRIDLED TERN, SOOTY TERN, BLACK-NAPED TERN, GREATER & LESSER FRIGATEBIRD,
PALM COCKATOO, GOULD'S & LITTLE BRONZE-CUCKOO, GREEN-BACKED HONEYEATER,
YELLOW-BILLED KINGFISHER, ORIENTIAL CUCKOO (including several hepatic or
rufous form), BROAD-BILLED FLYCATCHER, BLACK BITTERN, YELLOW-LEGGED
FLYCATCHER, NORTHERN FANTAIL, NORTHERN SCRUB-ROBIN, CHESTNUT-BREASTED
CUCKOO, RUFOUS OWL & MARBLED FROGMOUTH. Several of these sightings were not
very satisfactory, but with the calls were positively identified. There was
also a RED-NECKED CRAKE calling, but would not show itself. A single SPOTTED
WHISTLING-DUCK was seen by some other visitors, but escaped me. The big dip
was the RED-BELLIED PITTA. Most of the locals, including Brian, say that it
is almost always at Iron Range by the second week of December. However it
seems its migration from New Guinea is tied to the development of the
Monsoon Trough in the southern hemisphere. It had not yet developed - being
very late - thus no RED-BELLIED PITTA.
I also enjoyed the butterflies, reptiles and mammals, not to mention the
botany of the area. It was great to have Brian, who is so knowledgeable of
the local fauna and flora to refer to, as well as the field guides. One of
the best reptiles for me was the CANOPY GOANNA (Varanus keithornei) which is
unique to this area. The mammal I most enjoyed seeing on three occasions was
the COMMON SPOTTED CUS CUS. I saw about 99 new species or subspecies of
birds, 14 species of mammals, 9 species of reptile, 36 species of butterfly
and four species of amphibians. It was a satisfied boy who flew home on the
22nd. Will have to go back for the RED-BELLIED PITTA.
I have made a separate posting on Birding-aus of the new species and
subspecies of birds I saw, plus mammal, reptile and butterfly list. I trust
to have a full report and species list posted in the near future.
Thanks Brian for the big treat - I look forward to showing you the Mallee.
All the best everyone for the New Year.
Chris Coleborn
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