Recently back from driving/birding holiday to North Queensland, away for 20
days.First extended trip that didn't produce a lifer, despite trying hard for
Zitting Cisticola I couldn't convince myself I saw it (many thanks to Ivor
Preston and Tony Ashton for excellent sites, and tips on
identification----obviously easier to confidently ID in breeding season for
visiting non-locals).
Nevertheless we saw some great birds and I did manage to add three to
my Qld list. Birding highlights were:
Southern Cassowary ---- 30/9, pair, Tam O'Shanter
NP, Mission Beach
Radjah Shelduck ---- 8/10, Centenary Lakes, Cairns
Green Pygmy-geese -- 4/10, 40+ Lake Mitchell
Great-billed Heron----- 6/10, Daintree River
Black Bittern------ 6/10, Daintree River
Grey Goshawk------- 6/10, Mount Alexandra lookout,
Daintree NP
Sarus Crane ------- 2/10, 70+, Hasties Swamp,
Atherton
Bustard ------ 4/10, road into Mareeba Wetlands
5/10, 2 on Eastern Maryfarms Rd,
Mt. Carbine
Terek Sandpiper----8/10, Esplanade, Cairns
Common Sandpiper----5/10, Newell Beach boat ramp
(crocodile as well)
Beach Stone-curlew----9/10, mouth of Barron River
Double-eyed Fig-Parrot----1/10, Eubenangee Swamp,
heard elsewhere
Barking Owl------- 26/9, pair, Townsville Common
Papuan Frogmouth------ 6/10, on nest, Daintree River
Little Kingfisher-------29/9, Trebonne Creek, cnr Orient
& Kirkwoods Rds, S of Ingham
Lovely Fairy-wren---5/10, Vixies Rd, Wonga Beach
White-gaped Honeyeater---28/9, Palmetum,Townsville
Rufous-throated Honeyeater---26/9, Townsville
Common
Bower's Shrike-thrush-----2/10, Wongabel SF,
Atherton
Pied Monarch------2/10, Wongabel SF, Atherton
4/10, Kingfisher Park, Julatten
Barred Cuckoo-shrike----2/10, Woodlands caravan
park, Atherton
Best birding sites included:
Mullers Lagoon, Bowen----Large-tailed Nightjar
Townsville Common------ best I've ever seen it, lots of
waterbirds incl. Jabiru, Brolga,
Magpie Geese, Glossy Ibis
Reed Beds Rd, Cromarty------great car-based birding,
varied habitats, 5 finch
species (Zebra,Crimson,
Nutmeg, Double-barred,
Chestnut-breasted)
Tyto Wetlands,Ingham---- 35+ species, Amethystine
Python
Eubenangee Swamp,Innisfail---Double-eyed Fig-Parrot
Topknot Pigeon
Hasties Swamp, Atherton---- 35+ species
Wongabel SF, Atherton---- Macleays H/E, Tooth-billed
Bowerbird, Victoria's
Riflebird, Spectacled &
Pied Monarch, Bower's
Shrike-thrush
Lake Mitchell---- 25 species in 40 mins
Kingfisher Park, Julatten---- as always, plenty of birds,
but also great sightings of
Bush Rat, Giant White-
tailed Rat, Northern Brown
Bandicoot, Hercules Moth
Daintree River----- took early morning Daintree River
Experience cruise, terrific birds, 37+
over 2 hours incl pair Great-billed
Heron, Black Bittern, nesting
Papuan Frogmouth, Shining
Flycatcher, Graceful H/E
Cattana Wetlands, Cairns--- new birding spot, well
created wetlands, will develop
Centenary Lakes, Cairns-- Radjah Shelduck,Helmeted
Friarbird, nesting Bush Stone-
Curlew, Whimbrel
Esplanade,Cairns---visited couple of times. Terek,
Curlew, Sharp-tailed S'pipers,
Mangrove Robin, Varied H/E,
Greater Sand Plover, Pacific
Golden Plover,Collared K'fisher
Total of 217 species for trip.
Russ Lamb, Maleny,SEQ
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