WINGS Birding ToursField Reports

October 28: Gavin Bieber reports from Queensland & New South Wales, Australia Part 1

Our Eastern Australia Tour that covers Queensland and coastal New South Wales kicked off with a fantastic week around Cairns and the Atherton Tablelands. This region hosts the highest diversity of species in the country, including many of the continent’s signature species. We had incredible experiences with many of these this year. Just a sampling of our favorite sightings included a family group of Southern Cassowaries foraging on fallen fruit along the Barron River, male Australian Bustards strutting their stuff in the dry savannah near Mount Carbine, perched Azure Kingfishers along the Daintree River, dumpy and ridiculously tame Squatter Pigeons feeding around the carpark of Granite Gorge and nesting Peregrine Falcons perched below us at the Mount Hypipamee Crater. Our views of Spotted Catbird, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, and the attractive Macleay’s Honeyeater in the rainforests of the Atherton Tablelands were particularly excellent this year. As always, tours to Australia are never solely about the birds; and in particular our lengthy views of Platypus near Yungaburra (one of an impressive 23 species of mammals for the tour) and this smart looking Boyd’s Forest Dragon were a real highlight for many.