We are just back from an awesome week in tropical queensland. It being my
first trip I picked up some 40 lifers. Highlights were 4 separate close up
sightings of 5 Cassowaries. The Daintree area seems like the spot to see
them. Lake Barrine and Mossman Gorge were bird rich once the tourists had
left. I would have loved to spend more time in the Atherton-Yungaburra
area. Unfortunately I got brief views of what I think were Tooth-billed
Bowerbird, Golden Bowerbird and Bower's Shrike-thrush, but not enough to
positively identify them (more below). Also what wallaby species is likely
at both Abattoir Swamp and Quaids Rd nr Mt Molloy? Maryfarms was great with
3 species of friarbird plus many honeyeaters around flowering shrubs
including a possible Brown-backed Honeyeater. I don't know whether this is
possible?
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Cool Waters Holiday Park (12-14/7)
Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Large-billed Gerygone, Yellow-bellied Sunbird, Spotted
Catbird, Topknot Pigeon, Varied Triller, Yellow Oriole, Dusky Honeyeater,
Metallic Starling (6), Black Butcherbird, Helmeted Friarbird, Figbird,
Striped Possum, Northern Brown Bandicoot, Long-nosed Bandicoot (adjacent
Glenora Pk), Burrowing Frog(?), Saw-shelled Turtle, Freshwater Eel.
Barron Gorge NP (13/7)
Fairy Gerygone, Little Shrike-thrush, Spectacled Monarch.
Kuranda (13 & 14/7)
Macleay's Honeyeater (4), Southern Cassowary (1 male in garden beside
highway just before bridge), Red-bellied Black Snake.
Mareeba (13/7)
Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (40), Blue-winged Kookaburra (2), Brown
Honeyeater.
Hasties Swamp (=Nyleta Wetland) (13/7)
Magpie Goose (>500), Plumed Whistling-Duck (>1,000).
Granite Gorge (13/7)
Mareeba Rock Wallaby (>8).
Chewko Rd (13/7)
Sarus Crane (8), Black Kite (4).
The Crater (Mt Hypipamee NP) (13/7)
Grey-headed Robin (3, pair in car park), White-throated (Little)
Treecreeper, Bassian Thrush, Brown Cuckoo-Dove.
Lake Barrine (Crater Lakes NP) (13/7)
Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Pale-yellow Robin, Victoria's Riflebird (7 total,
1 male! with 3 females in car park), Yellow-throated Scrubwren,
Large-billed Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Emerald Dove,
Spotted Catbird (3), Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Topknot Pigeon (>50), Rufous
Fantail, White-throated (Little) Treecreeper, Musky Rat-Kangaroo (>5),
Yellow-footed Antechinus. Almost all species were seen late afternoon in
car park or along rainforest loop track.
Curtain Fig Tree (13/7)
Grey-headed Robin.
Yungaburra (13/7)
White-headed Pigeon (2), Australian King-Parrot (12), Chestnut-breasted
Mannikin, Sarus Crane (4 along road to Atherton).
Cairns Esplanade (14/7)
Caspian Tern (4), Egret (>30 of 4 different species), Whimbrel (>8),
Eastern Curlew (7), Plovers (>7), Tattlers (8), Bar-tailed Godwit (4),
Royal Spoonbill (5), Red-necked Stint, Osprey (1 at the marina),
Mudskippers.
Centenary Lakes (14/7)
Black Butcherbird, Spotted Catbird, Spangled Drongo, Striated Heron. A
Little Kingfisher was seen the same day by another birdo.
Clifton Beach (15/7)
Agile Wallaby (>8).
Mowbray River (15/7)
Brahminy Kite.
Port Douglas (15/7)
Osprey (1 in marina).
Mossman (15/7)
Bar-shouldered Dove.
Mossman Gorge (Daintree NP) (15 & 17/7)
Little Shrike-thrush, Grey-headed Robin, Pied Monarch (1), Fernwren (1),
Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Noisy Pitta (1), Yellow Honeyeater, Pale-yellow
Robin, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Fairy Gerygone, Tooth-billed Bowerbird(?) (1
posible bird in large figtree in car park among figbirds which was
confusing), Golden Bowerbird(?) (1 possible immature male in figtree in car
park), Victoria's Riflebird (1 female in large figtree in car park). Maybe
someone can tell me whether it is likely that the Golden Bowerbird is found
at Mossman Gorge in the busy car park? The bird was dark brown high up in
the fruiting figtree and with an olive-yellow tinge to the back/wings. It
seemed larger than the figbirds. It was quiet and kept in the shadows.
Julatten (15/7)
Brown Quail (3).
Kingfisher Park (15-17/7)
Grey-headed Robin (2), Macleay's Honeyeater, Yellow-spotted Honeyeater,
Graceful Honeyeater, Victoria's Riflebird (1 female), Spotted Catbird (2),
Noisy Pitta (1), Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Pied Monarch, Grey Whistler,
Metallic Starling (overhead), Scarlet Honeyeater, Yellow-bellied Sunbird,
Emerald Dove, Black Butcherbird, Pale-yellow Robin, Brahminy Kite (2),
Masked Owl (2), Papuan Frogmouth (1), Spectacled Flying Fox (1), Giant
White-tailed Rat, Northern Brown Bandicoot, Long-nosed Bandicoot,
Long-tailed Pygmy Possum, Striped Possum, White-lipped Tree Frog, Brown
Tree Frog.
Daintree River (16/7)
Estuarine Crocodile (>5, several large examples including a male over 3
metres long), Azure Kingfisher, Large-billed Gerygone (several, 1 bird in
ferry crossing car park), Black-necked Stork, Emerald Dove (2),
White-bellied Sea-Eagle (2), Pacific Baza, Papuan Frogmouth (1), Nankeen
Night Heron (1 immature), Yellow-bellied Sunbird, Wandering Whistling-Duck
(1 lone bird in middle of river!), Green Tree Snake.
Daintree Discovery Centre (16/7)
Metallic Starling (>30 including immatures), Pacific Baza (2 birds circling
over canopy tower), Fairy Gerygone, Grey Whistler.
Jindalba Walking Track (Daintree NP) (16/7)
Dusky Honeyeater, Varied Triller, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Graceful Honeyeater,
Little Shrike-thrush.
Marrdja Boardwalk (Daintree NP) (16/7)
Victoria's Riflebird (2 females), Bridled Honeyeater, Southern Cassowary
(brief glimpse along river), Ulysses Blue Butterfly (>4), Jungle Perch(?)
plus other fish species.
Dubuji Boardwalk (Daintree NP) (16/7)
Southern Cassowary (heart-stopping close encounter along track 100m from
car park).
Cape Tribulation (Daintree NP) (16/7)
Helmeted Friarbird, Saw-shelled Turtle.
Daintree Rd (Daintree NP) (16/7)
Southern Cassowary (adult plus older chick crossed road in front of our
car!).
Daintree Village (16/7)
Bar-shouldered Dove (3).
Abattoir Swamp (17/7)
Leaden Flycatcher, Dusky Honeyeater, Wallaby (Whiptail or Agile?).
East Mary Rd (Maryfarms) (17/7)
Australian Bustard (1 flying over fields), Blue-winged Kookaburra,
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Blue-faced Honeyeater (>6), Scarlet
Honeyeater, Helmeted Friarbird, Brown Falcon, Brown-backed Honeyeater(?).
Big Mitchell Creek (17/7)
White-browed Robin (2), Yellow Honeyeater.
Lake Mitchell (17/7)
Grey-crowned Babbler (5), Pale-headed Rosella, Pied Butcherbird (2),
Whistling Kite (2).
Mount Molloy (17/7)
Great Bowerbird (several noisy birds by cafe in main street), Lemon-bellied
Flycatcher, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Yellow Honeyeater,
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Wallaby (Whiptail or
Agile?).
Mangrove Boardwalk (Cairns Airport) (17/7)
Varied Honeyeater, Yellow-bellied Sunbird, Rufous Fantail. A Mangrove Robin
was seen by another birdo a few days before at the end of the southern
boardwalk.
Some commonly seen species
White-rumped Swiftlet, White-breasted Woodswallow, Spectacled Monarch,
Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Peaceful Dove, Double-eyed Fig-Parrot.
Marnix Zwankhuizen
Gungahlin ACT
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