Gavin Bieber on the conclusion of his series of tours to Australia

We just finished up the last leg of the WINGS Australia tours for 2014.  Our last few days were (as usual) just filled with amazing birds and sites.  In Lamington National Park we had up close and very personal views of Regent Bowerbirds, surely one of the snazziest birds on the planet,

Regent Bowerbird

and birds like Eastern Whipbird which have lost their typical reserve and parade around in the open here.

Eastern Whipbird

Then we moved down to Sydney, and the adjacent Royal National Park (and its impressive Powerful Owls).

Powerful Owl

We closed with a sublimely calm pelagic trip which yielded 4 species of Albatrosses and 13 species of tubenoses, with highlights being Wandering Albatrosses just feet from our boat

Wandering Albatross

and a pod of sleeping Short-finned Pilot Whales.

Short-finned Pilot Whales

It is always with a touch of sadness that I board the plane to leave this amazing continent, and I very much look forward to next year.