What a busy month November has been. I have had many tours
with some very exciting bird encounters.
I am really enjoying the dry savannah section of my tours at the present
time. This is possibly because I have managed to get two lifers for myself, including
one I never expected to see in this area. A Grey Falcon! Many thanks to John Pearson for
putting me onto this bird. Unfortunately, I did not manage to get a photograph.
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Early morning on the road to Mt Carbine
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I did however get a photograph of my other lifer, the Little
Curlew, which we came across at the rodeo grounds at Mareeba where he remained
for almost a month, much to the delight of guests.
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| Little Curlew |
Mary Farms has been fantastic for Bustards with up to 20
birds seen per visit. We have had cracking views of male birds displaying close
to the road. Two guests from Red Mill House even managed to video a bird doing
his boom and roar call.
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| Australian Bustard |
Further north at Mt Carbine caravan park, breeding season is in full
swing. Blue-faced Honeyeaters carrying nesting materials, Apostlebirds building
their mud nest above the road and the Tawny Frogmouth rearing a beautiful
fluffy chick. The Blue-winged Kookaburra's have hatched two chicks in an arboreal
termite nest which are now well feathered.
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| Tawny Frogmouth |
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| Apostlebird |
Since the rains began, water birds at Lake Mitchell and
Brady Rd Swamp have dispersed far and wide. We have been seeing White-faced and
White-necked Heron in pools of water at the side of the road and many species
of duck as well as Sharp-tailed Sandpiper on muddy pools in the farm paddocks.
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| Australian Pratincole |
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| Eastern Grey Kangaroo |
Other interesting sightings have been a Grey Wagtail,
observed for about 30 minutes, at Brady Road and several Australian Pratincole.
