2011 Tour Narrative
A Southern Cassowary sighting, a visit to the Great Barrier Reef, the daily wader show at the Cairn’s Esplanade, O’Reilly’s, a Sydney pelagic all entice birders to eastern Australia. During our time in the east, we experienced these delights as well as quite a bit more. A vagrant flock of Spotted Whistling-Ducks at Wonga Beach was an unexpected bonus as we drove north from Cairns to Daintree Village. Papuan Frogmouth on a nest, recently arrived Channel-billed Cuckoos, and Great-billed Herons were just a few of the sightings on the early morning Daintree boat trip. A Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher sitting motionless for second and third scope views, a Platypus sighting at dusk on a tranquil forest stream, Noisy Pittas, Spotted Catbirds, Tooth-billed Bowerbirds and Cicadabirds were all located by their unique calls. A rufous phase Tawny Frogmouth and a Barn Owl at dusk had us birding until time for dinner at the lodge during which the local mammals provided the dinner entertainment. Australian Bustards, barely visible in the tall grass, performed their stately walk, a Great Bowerbird with a bower on a school ground, Black-throated Finches, Emus with chicks, Squatter Pigeons, Yellow-breasted Boatbills, Black-faced, Spectacled and Pied Monarchs, Fernwren, Victoria’s Riflebird, and Golden Bowerbird were just a few of the species that occupied our birding hours in the areas around the Tablelands.
Anticipation and nervousness was high as we left Cairns to drive to Cassowary House - would a cassowary make a visit to partake of the fruit that is so generously offered to the wildlife of the area? No sooner had we approached the entrance than Phil appeared to say a cassowary was at the house. Our hour-long experience sitting quietly just feet away from where a female fed on fruit and drank from the water fountain gave us an opportunity to become intimately acquainted with this enigmatic species. The superb breakfast and lunch then provided for us left us as sated as the birds and mammals who partake of the daily offerings. Lovely Fairy-wrens, Superb and Rose-crowned Fruit-doves, Black Butcherbirds, and docile Musky Rat-Kangaroos all contributed to a great day of forest birding. A day on the Great Barrier Reef never disappoints with the abundance of terns as well as a few frigatebirds and boobies and the underwater world of tropical fish and coral that can be experienced through the semi-submersible trip and/or snorkelling. And then Qantas dropped a bomb on our carefully orchestrated trip by grounding all its planes for 3 days (but fortunately a day before we were due to fly thus giving us time to strategically plan the remaining days left in Australia). With a bit of luck and a lot of local assistance, we were able to minimize the impact of the strike on our birding. An extra 24 hours in the Cairns area provided an extra day of birding in northern Queensland while scheduling changes still allowed us 2 nights at O’Reillys, thus optimizing our birding time there.
With our early morning flight on time into Brisbane, we were soon on our way to Lamington National Park with a few quick stops along the way for Mangrove Honeyeater, Tawny Grassbird, Brown Quail and Whiptail Wallaby. Before check-in at O’Reilly’s, lifers started appearing including the stunning Regent and Satin Bowerbirds and Wonga Pigeons as well as numerous and very tame Crimson Rosellas and King Parrots. A few species including Paradise Riflebirds and Green Catbirds tested our spotting skills while Australian Logrunners and Yellow-throated Scrubwrens presented themselves throughout the forest. And, as always, there were the couple that got away including Albert’s Lyrebirds and Marbled Frogmouths that will remain auditory not visual experiences for us all in spite of extensive efforts. And, on our drive to Coolangatta, we learned the value of never giving up as a Koala, a species we thought was a lost sighting this year, was spotted as we sped toward the airport.
Time was shorter than usual around Sydney but the weather continuing to be with us, and we were able to find Superb Lyrebird for those who had not been on the first section and Rock Warbler and Southern Emu-wren for all during our land-based birding. The Sydney pelagic was smooth sailing enhanced by both both morning and afternoon sightings of Humpback Whales and a rare and unexpected sighting of a Fin Whale for some. A brief sighting of a rare Tahiti Petrel and Wandering, Black-browed and Shy Albatrosses almost touchable as they sat on the water just behind the boat. Great-winged and Providence Petrels, Pomarine Skuas, shearwaters and the occasional Wilson’s Storm-Petrels were a few of the species that rounded out our pelagic sightings for a superb day on the water and an incredible conclusion of a diverse Australian experience.
Thanks to all who joined us for all or part of this year’s tour to the unique continent of Australia for the superb birding and mammal experiences always on offer here. Your energy and enthusiasm during the trip and the assistance of our expert team of local leaders and friends who shared their passion and knowledge of their ‘patches’ with us during this year’s tour helped to make this one of our most successful ever.
Updated: March 2012