We had a great half day tour yesterday, originally for four
guests but one could not make it. Pick-up time was 7am at the Sheraton Mirage
in Port Douglas where I met Judy, Brian and Lindy. None had binoculars with them
so we decided to go for the big birds and to use the spotting scope. The first
stop was along the Captain Cook Highway just south of the Mowbray River where
we viewed the Eastern Osprey on their newly constructed nest. We spied a third
Osprey in the distance and found him to be feasting on a Garfish. Across the
road in the fallow cane paddock, we saw a pair of Bush Stone-curlew standing
statue like in the tall grass and several Masked Lapwing foraging in and around
muddy puddles. The air was full of the calls of Golden-headed Cisticola but
alas we could not get one in the spotting scope. A pair of Olive-backed
Sunbirds paid us a very brief visit before we moved on.
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| Eastern Osprey |
Our second stop was in Port Douglas where we sought the
Eclectus Parrots. A lovely walk down a shaded road next to the golf course. We
inspected the Eclectus nesting hollows and nearby perches and found nothing. We
observed a Wandering Whistling Duck in one of the shallow ponds along the golf
course fence. The poor fellow was missing one of his feet. Great views of a pair
of Radjah Shelduck nearby were had. We had some really close views of a Comb-crested
Jacana who stood still long enough for everyone to get great views through the
spotting scope. A pair of Rainbow Bee-eaters were located on a hunting perch
and the scope was very usefully to see them come and go as the pursued insects
in flight. The Eclectus Parrot was heard calling and we hurried back to the
nest hollow where two females where perched. We had great views through the
scope before a Magpie-lark took exception to their presence and flushed them.
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| Eclectus Parrot |
Warri Park with its lagoon and water lilies was our next
stop. Here there were Dusky Moorhen and Australasian Swamphen as well as more
Masked Lapwing. We got the scope onto a beautiful yellow breasted male Australasian
Figbird and had a brief discussion about the Looking-glass Mangroves that grow
around the edge of the lagoon. Another
interesting find was a fallen tree trunk that had Double-eyed Fig-Parrot
nesting hollows bored into it.
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| Australasian Swamphen |
Time for a break and a cup of tea at a shady picnic area
along with a discussion of the birds seen thus far.
Next stop Newell Beach beginning with a visit to the sand
spit at the mouth of the Mossman River. The scope was set up and we found
Crested Tern, Little Tern, Bar-tailed Godwit and a couple of Great Knot. We had
a majestic flyby from a Great Egret and a few minutes later a Grey Goshawk
passed overhead. We took in the landmarks of Snapper Island, Low Isles and the
Port Douglas headland to help orientate where exactly we were standing. Moving
on to a patch of bushland we had magnificent views of an extremely confiding
male Lovely Fairywren accompanied by a male Mistletoebird in his bright red
waist-coat, several Olive-backed Sunbirds and a couple of Dusky Honeyeaters.
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| Lovely Fairywren |
Heading back to Port Douglas we paused at a small private
dam and were treated to a Pied Heron, Pied Stilt and some Australian White
Ibis. We stood for awhile under the Golden Penda trees marvelling at the call
of the Brown Honeyeaters. After a bit of “pishing” they came out and had a look
at us along with a pair of Yellow Honeyeaters. Interestingly the White-breasted Woodswallows also came in for a look flying low around our heads.
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| Pied Heron |
All good things must come to an end and we headed back
into Port Douglas with a final stop at my Papuan Frogmouth day roost. We were
treated to two of these wonderful creatures quietly sleeping on their favourite
branch. We then found a shady spot at the Sheraton and filled out the bird list
for the morning and bid each other farewell. Thankyou Judy, Brian and Lindy for
a wonderful morning and some interesting conversation.
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| Papuan Frogmouth |
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