Adels Grove to Mareeba wetlands 2016

12/9/2016                                                   92km

Up at 6.30 and met the people on my bird tour at 7.00, we got 45sp in the 2 ½ hrs walk at Adels Grove including Grey Goshawk and Zebra Finches breeding on the edge of the airstrip, went back and packed up and said our goodbyes, it was 12.30 when we hit the road, stopped at the MMG mine road site for 5sp with Red-backed Kingfisher. In the short trip several doors and drawers had come open so whilst I did the survey Bev put everything back together. Around the road to the Century mine T junction and despite 37 degrees of heat got 14sp with Banded Honeyeater and others in a flowering Bauhina. After lunch we drove the quickly deteriorating road that the miners used to maintain to Gregory Downs camp by the river, there were quite a few caravans here but the track up the river revealed a nice private alcove where we camped at 15.15 and had 32sp by dark with the first sighting of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins in the area.

                             Agile Wallaby

13/9                                                                               146km

Had Boobook Owls overnight and added 9 more species in the morning, I had just found a Whistling Kite pair with two young chicks and was watching a pair of Bar-shouldered Doves fighting in a tree when whoosh one of the Whistling Kites came at them goshawk style through the trees, they only just missed out on being breakfast for the chicks. Had to wait for fuel at Gregory until 9am then headed towards Burke and Wills, did my survey at the floodway east of Gregory which had roadworks going on, but I found 13sp in the dry woodland. Went up the Augustus Downs road and stopped at the T intersection on Augustus Downs station for the survey, there was water in the dam and I got 9sp. We got to Leichardt River Falls at 12.30 and decided to stay, the west side was a no go with the soft sand towing the caravan so we found the track on the east side that curves around and comes back to the cliffs overlooking the waterhole. There was no water flowing over the falls but still lots of water in the waterhole. We idled the afternoon away on the cliff top watching Freshwater Crocodiles and amassing a list of 37sp by dark. We had a procession of 80 Little Corellas moving up and down the waterhole all afternoon, then on dark a wave of 60 Apostlebirds came and chattered away in a nearby tree, thankfully as it got dark they quietened down. It had been a strong northerly wind all day, which made the heat and humidity a little more bearable, but as it got dark it died and the mozzies came our, so we retreated.

              Leichardt Falls

         Leichardt Falls

             Dead bat caught on barbed wire

14/9                                                                              192km

Walked around to the waterfall area, but there was no flow, and I didn’t add much, it was 8.30 when we left and already quite warm. M Creek had some pools, one had barbed wire across it and a desiccated bat strung up, contorted in it’s long slow death, such disregard for the lives of our native animals. An incessant calling drew me to a juvenile Channel-billed Cuckoo begging for food, there were some Blue-winged Kookaburras nearby that may have been the unfortunate surrogate parents, but I didn’t see it being fed, maybe they’d wizened up. The Savannah Way was in pretty good condition, with little need to slow down except for some creek crossings. Flinders River still had some flow and we got a Whiskered Tern, two Caspian Terns and a Greenshank with 16 others. Into Normanton and did our shopping, then out to the Normanton Common (Norman river and town dam) for 38sp with 500 Magpie Geese, 90 Rajah Shelduck, 33 Royal Spoonbills, 22 Marsh Sandpipers 2 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, a Latham’s Snipe a Glossy Ibis and a Pied Heron. Goose Lagoon (long billabong Normanton) was just about dry and had had a fire through the scrubland, but still had 10sp with a lone Glossy Ibis in the small pool. Corduroy Ck (Split Billabong)had the tide coming in and had 13sp with Brolga. Got to Walkers creek at 16.00. There was no one else camped here, so the Freshwater Crocodile hadn’t been disturbed and slowly drifted along the middle of the creek. Got 30sp by dark with some tropical specialists such as Yellow Oriole and Yellow Honeyeater getting onto a survey for the first time this trip, others such as Leaden Flycatcher and Spangled Drongo I haven’t seen for a while.

Magpie Geese, Royal Spoonbill, Radjah Shelduck by the shore

15/9                                                                          282km

Added a few more birds in the morning, and were off by 8.00. The Karumba rd site was dry and only had some Australian Bushlarks and Zitting Cisticolas in the long grass by the road. Karumba Point had the tide in and had 24sp with Figbird, Osprey and Common Sandpiper. On the road out saw about 20 Brolgas and some Saurus Cranes at a small patch of water in the field. Filled up with fuel in Normanton at the BP and went to the Leichardt Lagoon campground. I’d had a few people tell me to come here that I’d taken on my bird tour at Adels Grove, but the lake was pretty ordinary, the lakeside trashed by pigs and the campground had little in the way of habitat, just a few trees and poor ground cover, still managed 28sp with Sarus Crane, Plumed Whistling Duck and Cotton Pygmy Goose. A long drive to Elbow dam for 17sp with Red-browed Pardalote and a pair of Banded Flutterer Dragonflies. Just south of Croydon the ephemeral lake S of Croydon site still held some water, so we stopped at 14.45 and sat in the shade and watched the Noisy Friarbirds, Blue-faced Honeyeaters and others take their afternoon baths. The Torresian Crows took exception to the wallabies coming down to drink and would nip their tails when they approached the water, but there were more wallabies than crows so they got their drink eventually.

 

 

16/9                                                                                    130km

We had a brief thunderclap, but no rain on dark. It had been cloudy all afternoon, so I hadn’t got enough power into the battery and the fridge went off overnight, so I started the car when I got up to get the fridge going. Ended the survey with 42sp, just after dark we had the wonderful wailing of a Bush Stone-curlew, and I added White-throated Gerygone and a few others. We set off at 7.40, the first stop was Little River Gulf Development Rd, which had a big pool and 15sp, on to Venture Ck W of Georgetown which also had a pool of water but only 8sp. Got to Cumberland dam at 10.40, it’s had some infrastructure put in with a little platform with a low power scope on for people to view the dam. It was already hot so we set up our chairs in the shade on the platform and slowly added birds all day, we did a few walks to add a few more getting to 59sp by dark. As well as spending money on infrastructure I wish they’d spent money improving the environment, the pond is surrounded by an invasive weed, with some pig damage to the water’s edge, so it’s not the best habitat I’ve seen, but at least they’ve kept the cattle out, and I was pleased to see a Black-necked Stork with a good number of Green Pygmy-geese.

 

 

 

 

17/9                                                                                301km

Added Masked Finch, Banded Honeyeater and others to end with 68sp, so still a very good birding site, though I believe on the decline. First stop on the way east was Junction Ck W of Mount Surprise for 19sp all seen from the road as the creek is fenced off so that the cattle can get access to it, but not us, something wrong there I believe. Duck dam Undara was a weed infested, cattle trashed mess for 12sp mostly in the woodland, only a pair of Masked Lapwings were anywhere near the water. Undara resort lodge only had 5sp, then back to the main road, and headed north. Just up the road 40 Mile Scrub NP was our lunch stop and had 4sp with Stubble Quail. Smiths creek SW Mount Garnet was another fenced off creek where I got Scarlet Honeyeater feeding young. Picked up fuel in Mount Garnet, the BP was offering $1.11cpl for over 30L. Down to Wurruma swamp where there is a no camping, no rubbish no swimming sign, but the cattle have access to the dam and have trashed the edge, got 15sp with 100 Black Swans, some Green Pygmy Geese and Comb-crested Jacanas. Stopped not far up the road at Archer creek camp, which is right on the roadside, with quite a few people camped. We’re quite high up here so the air is a lot cooler, which gave my fridge some respite and necessitated putting on a jumper as the sun went down. Had 20sp just after dark with Lewin’s Honeyeater, White-browed Scrubwren and Red-browed Finch indicating we’re getting near the east coast, and on dark Boobook Owl and Bush Stone-curlew both called.

 

 

            Snowflake Lily

18/9                                                                                           129km

It got down to 16 degrees overnight, with a good dew, ended the survey with 23sp. We left the caravan at the camp, to save fuel, so after a bit of re-arranging of stuff we set off at 7.50 and got to Mt Hypipame NP at 8.15, there was no one else there, so there was still plenty of bird activity, and for the nearly 2hrs we spent there we steadily added interesting species such as Grey-headed Robin, Bridled Honeyeater, Tooth-billed Bowerbird, mostly rainforest birds, as usual I missed a few because I didn’t recognize the call or they were just too quick, or elusive, but we ended up with 27sp. North to Hastie Swamp where there were 10,000 Plumed Whistling Ducks crammed in all around the shoreline, what a sight! There were a few other species using the lake, but it was a matter of managing to pick them out from the massed ranks of the Plumed Whistling Ducks. A walk along the road added some nice birds such as Brown Cuckoo-dove, Little Shrike-thrush, and Golden Whistler, all up 39sp. Went in to Mareeba and got some food, then went to a caravan park and bought a shower for $5 each and did our washing too. It was 15.00 when we left there and did the short drive to Mareeba wetlands (Jabiru Safari Lodge), where we introduced ourselves and inquired about work. They informed us that there was the possibility of casual work, so went on the afternoon tour and then camped down by the house at the farm. They gave us some work and we stayed.

Plumed Whistling Ducks around the edge of Hasties Swamp

Bird list for the trip. % is of the 28 surveys done. B is for breeding record.

• Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata 4 (13.79%)
• Plumed Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna eytoni 2 (6.90%)
• Black Swan Cygnus atratus 2 (6.90%)
• Radjah Shelduck Radjah radjah 1 (3.45%)
• Hardhead Aythya australis 2 (6.90%)
• Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa 6 (20.69%)
• Grey Teal Anas gracilis 1 (3.45%)
• Green Pygmy-goose Nettapus pulchellus 3 (10.34%)
• Australian Brush-turkey Alectura lathami 1 (3.45%)
• Stubble Quail Coturnix pectoralis 1 (3.45%)
• Brown Quail Synoicus ypsilophora 1 (3.45%)
• Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae 3 (10.34%)
• Brown Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia phasianella 2 (6.90%)
• Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera 2 (6.90%)
• Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes 4 (13.79%)
• Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata 5 (17.24%)
• Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida 19 (65.52%)
• Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis 9 (31.03%)
• Wompoo Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus magnificus 1 (3.45%)
• Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianinus 6 (20.69%)
• Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae 3 (10.34%)
• Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Chalcites lucidus 1 (3.45%)
• Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis 2 (6.90%)
• Australian Bustard Ardeotis australis 1 (3.45%)
• Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio 1 (3.45%)
• Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa 1 (3.45%)
• Sarus Crane Antigone antigone 1 (3.45%)
• Brolga Antigone rubicunda 3 (10.34%)
• Bush Stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius 1 (3.45%)
• Black-winged Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus 3 (10.34%)
• Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus 2 (6.90%)
• Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops 4 (13.79%)
• Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles 10 (34.48%)
• Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea 3 (10.34%)
• Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata 1 (3.45%)
• Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii 1 (3.45%)
• Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 1 (3.45%)
• Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 1 (3.45%)
• Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis 1 (3.45%)
• Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae 1 (3.45%)
• Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 2 (6.90%)
• Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida 4 (13.79%)
• Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus 1 (3.45%)
• Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus 8 (27.59%)
• Nankeen Night-Heron Nycticorax caledonicus 1 (3.45%)
• Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 2 (6.90%)
• Great Egret Ardea alba 4 (13.79%)
• Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia 7 (24.14%)
• Pied Heron Egretta picata 2 (6.90%)
• White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae 4 (13.79%)
• Little Egret Egretta garzetta 1 (3.45%)
• Australian White Ibis Threskiornis moluccus 5 (17.24%)
• Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis 5 (17.24%)
• Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia 3 (10.34%)
• Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 2 (6.90%)
• Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos 6 (20.69%)
• Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris 4 (13.79%)
• Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius 1 (3.45%)
• Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae 6 (20.69%)
• Osprey Pandion haliaetus 1 (3.45%)
• Swamp Harrier Circus approximans 1 (3.45%)
• Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae 2 (6.90%)
• Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus 2 (6.90%)
• Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus 3 (10.34%)
• White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster 1 (3.45%)
• Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus 11 (37.93%) (B)
• Black Kite Milvus migrans 22 (75.86%)
• Southern Boobook Ninox boobook 3 (10.34%)
• Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus 11 (37.93%)
• Azure Kingfisher Ceyx azureus 1 (3.45%)
• Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus 6 (20.69%)
• Red-backed Kingfisher Todiramphus pyrrhopygius 4 (13.79%)
• Blue-winged Kookaburra Dacelo leachii 9 (31.03%)
• Australian Hobby Falco longipennis 1 (3.45%)
• Brown Falcon Falco berigora 1 (3.45%)
• Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus 4 (13.79%)
• Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii 4 (13.79%)
• Galah Eolophus roseicapilla 10 (34.48%)
• Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea 3 (10.34%)
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita 7 (24.14%)
• Red-winged Parrot Aprosmictus erythropterus 4 (13.79%) (B)
• Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus 5 (17.24%)
• Varied Lorikeet Psitteuteles versicolor 4 (13.79%)
• Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus 11 (37.93%)
• Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus 1 (3.45%)
• Spotted Catbird Ailuroedus melanotis 1 (3.45%)
• Tooth-billed Bowerbird Scenopoeetes dentirostris 1 (3.45%)
• Great Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus nuchalis 4 (13.79%)
• White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea 1 (3.45%)
• Purple-crowned Fairy-wren Malurus coronatus 2 (6.90%)
• Variegated Fairy-wren Malurus lamberti 4 (13.79%)
• Red-backed Fairy-wren Malurus melanocephalus 4 (13.79%)
• Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta 1 (3.45%) (B)
• Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis 12 (41.38%)
• Banded Honeyeater Cissomela pectoralis 3 (10.34%)
• Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta 11 (37.93%)
• Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis 7 (24.14%)
• Black-chinned Honeyeater Melithreptus gularis 1 (3.45%)
• White-throated Honeyeater Melithreptus albogularis 4 (13.79%)
• Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris 1 (3.45%)
• Rufous-throated Honeyeater Conopophila rufogularis 11 (37.93%)
• White-gaped Honeyeater Stomiopera unicolor 2 (6.90%)
• Yellow Honeyeater Stomiopera flava 2 (6.90%)
• Lewin’s Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii 2 (6.90%)
• Bridled Honeyeater Bolemoreus frenatus 1 (3.45%)
• Singing Honeyeater Gavicalis virescens 3 (10.34%)
• Yellow-tinted Honeyeater Ptilotula flavescens 3 (10.34%)
• White-plumed Honeyeater Ptilotula penicillata 1 (3.45%)
• Yellow-faced Honeyeater Caligavis chrysops 1 (3.45%)
• Yellow-throated Miner Manorina flavigula 5 (17.24%)
• Red-browed Pardalote Pardalotus rubricatus 2 (6.90%)
• Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus 10 (34.48%)
• Brown Gerygone Gerygone mouki 1 (3.45%)
• White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea 7 (24.14%)
• Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris 12 (41.38%)
• Large-billed Scrubwren Sericornis magnirostra 1 (3.45%)
• Chowchilla Orthonyx spaldingii 1 (3.45%)
• Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis 2 (6.90%)
• Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae 6 (20.69%)
• White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Coracina papuensis 6 (20.69%)
• White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor 1 (3.45%)
• Grey Whistler Pachycephala simplex 1 (3.45%)
• Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris 11 (37.93%)
• Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis 1 (3.45%)
• Little Shrike-thrush Colluricincla megarhyncha 1 (3.45%)
• Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica 3 (10.34%)
• Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus 1 (3.45%)
• Australasian Figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti 2 (6.90%)
• Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus 5 (17.24%)
• Yellow Oriole Oriolus flavocinctus 2 (6.90%)
• Pied Currawong Strepera graculina 4 (13.79%)
• Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen 3 (10.34%)
• Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis 8 (27.59%)
• Black-faced Woodswallow Artamus cinereus 5 (17.24%)
• White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus 6 (20.69%)
• Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus 2 (6.90%)
• Northern Fantail Rhipidura rufiventris 2 (6.90%)
• Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys 9 (31.03%) (B)
• Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons 2 (6.90%)
• Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa 3 (10.34%)
• Torresian Crow Corvus orru 7 (24.14%)
• Australian Raven Corvus coronoides 11 (37.93%)
• Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula 1 (3.45%)
• Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta 9 (31.03%)
• Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca 19 (65.52%) (B)
• Apostlebird Struthidea cinerea 9 (31.03%)
• Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans 3 (10.34%)
• Buff-sided Robin Poecilodryas cerviniventris 1 (3.45%)
• Grey-headed Robin Heteromyias albispecularis 1 (3.45%)
• Pale-yellow Robin Tregellasia capito 1 (3.45%)
• Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum 5 (17.24%)
• Chestnut-breasted Mannikin Lonchura castaneothorax 2 (6.90%)
• Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis 1 (3.45%)
• Crimson Finch Neochmia phaeton 2 (6.90%)
• Masked Finch Poephila personata 2 (6.90%)
• Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata 6 (20.69%) (B)
• Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii 8 (27.59%) (B)
• Horsfield’s Bushlark Mirafra javanica 1 (3.45%)
• Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis 1 (3.45%)
• Australian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus australis 2 (6.90%)
• Fairy Martin Petrochelidon ariel 5 (17.24%)
• Silvereye Zosterops lateralis 2 (6.90%)
• Black Duck-Mallard hybrid 1 (3.45%)

If you would like to contribute the the well being of this world, our world, your world, an easy and effective way to do it is to join a quality environmental group. There are many spread across the world all plugging away trying to make the world a better place for wildlife. We belong to Birdlife Australia, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC). You can donate your time and or money to these and many others knowing that the world will be a slightly better place because of your effort.