Saturday, 4 February 2017
Thursday, 2 February 2017
Birding the Tip (of Cape York Peninsula)
Day1
The object of this trip was to see some of the Cape-York specials and see if a scheduled tour was viable.
We left Cairns on Friday 20th January at 2pm on
the little 30 seater SAAB aircraft and arrived at Bamaga Airport just
after 4pm. We drove out to Seisia where we had hired a cabin. A
quick beer on the veranda and we were right into the birding. Crested Terns and
Lesser Frigatebird’s before we even left the veranda. Palm Cockatoo’s in the
camp ground, purple wattled Brush Turkey, Friarbirds and all the usual
suspects. We had dinner and an early night to prepare for an early morning
start.
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| Australian Brush Turkey |
Day 2
We headed out to Little and Big Wood Islands by boat. On Little Woody we quickly bagged the Pale and Yellow White-eye’s
and had spectacular views of Mangrove Golden Whistler. It was pleasing to note
dozens of turtle tracks up the beach and many fresh nests. We also saw several
Mangrove Robin and had heart racing views of a Peregrine Falcon pursuing the
nesting Torresian Imperial-Pigeons. On our return to the mainland we were
engulfed by a nasty squall and had to take shelter in the lee of a small island
along with Crested and Little Tern and a solitary Pied Oystercatcher. The rest
of the day was spent poking around the local area.
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| Pale White-eye |
Day 3
Our destination for the morning is the Lockerby Scrub.
First up we searched for the Northern Scrub-robin of which we heard four and
manage to get cracking views of one. Unfortunately it would not keep still long
enough for a photo! Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher’s where calling
everywhere as were the Magnificent Riflebird of which we got 2 male flybys and
a good perched female. We heard at least 6 Red-bellied/Papuan Pitta’s calling
and had cracking views of one male. Once again the light was atrocious for
photography but I did manage a quick id shot.
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| Red-bellied/Papuan Pitta |
Yellow-legged Flycatcher was
heard and many Trumpet Manucode where seen and
heard. We spent the afternoon exploring various settling ponds where we turned
up 25 Spotted Whistling-duck’s, Magpie Goose, Common and Marsh Sandpiper,
Glossy Ibis and others. Later that afternoon whilst again imbibing in a cold
beer on the veranda of our cabin we just happened to notice two Beach
Stone-curlew stroll by on the lawn.
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| Spotted Whistling-Duck |
Day 4
We are back in the scrub chasing Yellow-legged
Flycatcher in the rain. We had some fantastic photo
opportunities with Palm Cockatoo and then went sightseeing along the east coast
in the rain. After lunch and we focused on some rain-forest
fringe for the local subspecies of the Spectacled Monarch (albiventris) whose buff markings end abruptly high on the breast and
the Yellow-breasted Boatbill (faviventer)
which has an olive back.
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| Palm Cockatoo |
After dinner we went out spotlighting and where
rewarded with six Marbled Frogmouth calling of which we were able to see three.
Spectacular end to the day indeed!
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| Marbled Frogmouth |
Day 5
Today is clear with no imminent rain showers and we
head south in search of the Fawn-breasted Bowerbird. We began with a
Black-backed Butcherbird, White-streaked Honeyeater, three species of Friarbird
and more Palm Cockatoo sightings. We found the Fawn-breasted Bowerbird easily
at his bower and spent the next two hours totally engrossed as he came and went
with decorations for his bower.
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| Fawn-breasted Bowerbird |
Later we went in the direction of Muttee, a former WWII radar
instillation where we picked up Trumpet Manucode, Cicadabird, Grey Goshawk
(white morph), White-streaked Honeyeater and more Palm Cockatoo. We once again
spent the afternoon poking around the back roads and rain-forest pockets of
Bamaga where we picked up the usual suspects and an Oriental Cuckoo.
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| Trumpet Manucode |
Day 6
Once again a fine sunny morning and we revisited
the Lockerby Scrub where I got fantastic views of a perched male Magnificent
Riflebird but our main objective today was to reach the tip of Cape York, the
most northerly point of the Australian Mainland.
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| Magnificent Riflebird |
This we did and had lovely
views out to the multitude of island in the straits. Just as
we were finishing up the sky blackened and the rain came down in torrents! It
was still raining when we left Bamaga Airport at 4 in the afternoon.
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| Tip of Cape York |
A 5 night 6 day fly-in fly-out birding trip from Cairns for late December this year and every year thereafter has now been planned! See the details at http://mangroverobin.wixsite.com/birding-port-douglas/extended-tours !
Wednesday, 29 June 2016
Why should you use a LOCAL GUIDE when visiting a new area?
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| Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater in the beautiful late afternoon light |
I have just returned from a birding trip to the Alice Springs area in the Northern Territory of Australia. It was a totally new area for me and I was unfamiliar with the birds and where to find them.
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| Western Bowebird at Olive Pink Botanic Gardens One of my lifers I found for myself |
So I studied my field guide and checked out all the hotspots and recent sightings on eBird . Still not satisfied that I knew enough about the area I hired a guide with a vehicle. This gave me all the advantage of local knowledge and not having to drive in an unfamiliar area and look for birds!
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| Redthroat |
My guide, Mark Carter, knew exactly where to find the birds and at what time of day they where lightly to be there. It saved a lot of time that would otherwise have been wasted waiting around for or missing out on a new species.
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| Red-capped Robin (female) quickly identified for me by my local guide - Mark Carter |
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| Spinifexbird in its natural habitat! My local guide set me up nicely for this photo! |
When visiting a new area I always use the local guides who know the best spots, have access to private property's and know the best time of day to visit. We even managed to locate a Bourke's Parrot in day light and then watch them coming in to drink after sunset. Thanks mark for a wonderful 3 days birding and the wealth of local knowledge - not only about the birds!
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| Bourke's Parrot. Not a perfect photo but a memorable sighting. |
By Doug Herrington of Birdwatching Tropical Australia in the Wet Tropics of Far North Queensland, Australia.
Sunday, 31 January 2016
Willie Wagtails at Abattoir Swamp
Being a regular visitor to
Abattoir Swamp at Julatten I noticed a pair of Willie Wagtails building a nest
next to the exit on 2 January. The nest was already well advanced and the birds
seemed totally unperturbed by all the comings and goings of the workers
repairing the boardwalk to the bird hide.
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| Wrapping spider web around the nest |
Both birds where coming in with pieces of bark and grass
and carefully inserting them into the nest. Every now and so often one would
turn up with its bill and head covered in spider webs. It would wrap these
around the outside by turning around and around whilst standing in the nest.
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| The half completed nest |
After arranging each piece of nesting material they would
sit in the nest and shuffle around to shape the inside of the cup.
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| Shaping the inside of the nest |
On another of my visits to the swamp on 14 January the
pair was sitting on three eggs and still totally unperturbed by all the
comings and goings. Vehicles leaving the area pass within 2 metres of the nest!
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| Sitting on 3 eggs |
On my latest visit on the 29th January one of
the eggs had hatch and the chick was loudly demanding to be fed.
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| Nestling loudly demanding food |
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| Waiting quietly for food to arrive |
Saturday, 21 March 2015
March with Birdwatching Tropical Australia
Cyclone Nathan finally managed to cross the coast 100km
north of Cooktown on its second attempt. Here in the Port Douglas/Julatten area
attempt one brought some wind and much needed rain along with several frigate
birds. These could be seen in the skies above Port Douglas and Thala Beach. The
second attempt brought only a few drops of rain and a light breeze as the
cyclone was much further north.
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| Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher |
Birwatching Tropical Australia has been having some good
sightings of Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher in Julatten. 8 adults and 2 juveniles were seen on one of
last week’s tours. Mt Lewis is as good as it always is with great sightings of
Blue-faced Parrot-Finch this month. We
also saw a 2.5m long Amethystine Python along the walking track which made for
a bit of excitement for our visitor from Perth!
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| Blue-faced Parrot-Finch |
One of the ponds at Port Douglas produced an impressive 24
Pied Herons for a photographer from Melbourne and the Wandering
Whistling-Ducklings and Magpie Goslings produced plenty of oh’s and ah’s from
the ladies.
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| Wandering Whistling-Duck |
The Metallic Starlings nesting at Mossman have managed to
pump out a third brood of youngsters again this season.
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| Metallic Starling |
As we look forward to the cooler dryer months of winter
our shore birds and summer migrants are preparing to leave our shores. Departures
should begin within the week.
Happy Birding to all!
Saturday, 14 December 2013
Mount Lewis in the Summer
Recent tours to Mt Lewis have been turning up some really
good birds. We usually manage to get most of the Wet Tropics Endemics and
sometimes all 12. (Or 13 if you wish to include the Spotted Catbird which is
also found further north on Cape York Peninsula.)
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| Spotted Catbird |
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| Tooth-billed Bowerbird |
We have also seen Superb and Wompoo Fruit-dove, Topknot
Pigeons and Barred Cuckoo-shrike. Up to 5 flocks of Chowchilla are usually
encountered along the length of the track. Both the Bridled and Lewin’s
Honeyeaters are abundant and we have occasional sightings of the Eastern
Spinebill.
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| Lewin's Honeyeater |
Victoria’s Riflebird are also showing well. The hardest
of the endemics to find at the moment seem to be the Golden Bowerbird and the Pied Monarch.
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| Pied Monarch |
The recent rains have encouraged the fungi to grow and we
see some really fancy looking growths
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| Various Fungi photographed on Mt Lewis |
The Brush
Mistletoe, Amylotheca dictyophleba, and the Climbing Guinea Flower , Hibbertia scanders, are flowering at
present and add vivid splashes of colour to the usually green rainforest.
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| Brush Mistletoe, Amylotheca dictyophleba |
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| Climbing Guinea Flower , Hibbertia scanders |
The Yellow-breasted Boatbill is also frequently seen along the track
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| Yellow-breasted Boatbill |
Thursday, 5 December 2013
The Dry Savannah in November
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 |
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.
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