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| AUSTRALIAN KING-PARROT, O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat |
The trip was in five sections: 2 days in Sydney with Lon & Peg; the four of us joined by Kim & Cindy for a pre-tour day trip to Royal National Park; Mike arrived on the 6th and on the 7th we all flew to Tasmania as a pre-tour add-on for 4 days; Cindy left for home on the 11th and we six did the main tour, a swath of eastern Queensland; Kim left us in Sydney and Mike, Shari & I birded the area for 2 days. Shari & I flew home on the 27th, while Mike still had almost a week of birding by himself.
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| Shari with life size Cassowary sculpture, Cape Tribulation |
Australia, needless to say (so, why am I saying it?) is a continent and we could only bird a relatively small section of it. However, our travels were the equivalent of going from Key West to New Brunswick in Canada. It is an interesting question, to me, of how many species you could see in 3 weeks if you ran up and down the eastern seaboard and where you would go to get the most species. I recorded 327 species, which is about a third of the species listed for Australia, with 291 life birds, so I am happy with the results. To achieve those numbers the birding was intense and exhausting, with many 4:30 AM mornings and a few nocturnal excursions. It is, in a way, like doing the World Series of Birding almost every day for 3 weeks.
I've detailed our travels by locations. The links are below and they give a good idea of our itinerary with a couple of "interludes:"
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| AUSTRALIAN PELICAN, Cairns Esplanade |
Key to the list: LIFE BIRD, Year Bird
Species First
Sighting
SOUTHERN
CASSOWARY Cape Tribulation
MAGPIE
GOOSE Centenary Lakes
PLUMED
WHISTLING-DUCK Hasties Swamp National Park
FRECKLED
DUCK Goulds Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary
BLACK
SWAN Tamar Island Wetlands
RADJAH
SHELDUCK Centenary Lakes
AUSTRALIAN
SHELDUCK Tamar Island Wetlands
GREEN
PYGMY-GOOSE Lake Mitchell
MANED
DUCK Royal Botanic Gardens
AUSTRALIAN
SHOVELER Hollowtree Road
PACIFIC
BLACK DUCK Royal National Park
Mallard
Goulds Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary
GRAY TEAL Tamar Island Wetlands
CHESTNUT
TEAL Tamar Island Wetlands
PINK-EARED
DUCK Hasties Swamp National Park
HARDHEAD Oppenheims Road
MUSK
DUCK Hollowtree Road
AUSTRALIAN
BRUSHTURKEY Cairns Botanical Gardens
ORANGE-FOOTED
SCRUBFOWL Cairns Botanical Gardens
Helmeted Guineafowl Granite Gorge Nature Park
BROWN
QUAIL Yore Rd Wetlands
AUSTRALASIAN
GREBE Royal National Park
HOARY-HEADED
GREBE Atkinsons Park
Great Crested Grebe Shoobridge Park
Rock Pigeon
Sydney
WHITE-HEADED
PIGEON O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat
SPOTTED
DOVE Cairns Esplanade
BROWN
CUCKOO-DOVE Cape Tribulation
PACIFIC
EMERALD DOVE Cape Tribulation
COMMON
BRONZEWING Dru Point
BRUSH
BRONZEWING Bruny Island
CRESTED
PIGEON Bald Hills
SQUATTER
PIGEON Mount Molloy
WONGA
PIGEON Royal National Park
PEACEFUL
DOVE Cairns Esplanade
BAR-SHOULDERED
DOVE Upper Daintree River
WOMPOO
FRUIT-DOVE Mossman
TORRESIAN
IMPERIAL-PIGEON Cairns
TOPKNOT
PIGEON Royal National Park
AUSTRALIAN
BUSTARD Maryfarms
PHEASANT
COUCAL Daintree River boat trip
PACIFIC
KOEL Daintree River boat trip
CHANNEL-BILLED
CUCKOO Royal National Park
HORSFIELD'S
BRONZE-CUCKOO Cradle Mountain
SHINING
BRONZE-CUCKOO Royal National Park
LITTLE
BRONZE-CUCKOO Big Mitchell Creek Reserve
PALLID
CUCKOO Bruny Island Main Road
FAN-TAILED
CUCKOO Bruny Island Main Road
BRUSH
CUCKOO Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve
TAWNY
FROGMOUTH Jannali
MARBLED
FROGMOUTH Lamington National Park
PAPUAN
FROGMOUTH Daintree River boat trip
LARGE-TAILED
NIGHTJAR Upper Daintree River
AUSTRALIAN
SWIFTLET Cairns Esplanade
BUFF-BANDED
RAIL Lady Elliot Island
TASMANIAN
NATIVEHEN Tamar Island Wetlands
DUSKY
MOORHEN Royal Botanic Gardens
EURASIAN
COOT Royal National Park
AUSTRALASIAN
SWAMPHEN Royal National Park
WHITE-BROWED
CRAKE Daintree River boat trip
SARUS
CRANE East Barron
BROLGA East Barron
BUSH
THICK-KNEE Cairns Cemetery
PIED
STILT Hasties Swamp National Park
PIED
OYSTERCATCHER Atkinsons Park
SOOTY
OYSTERCATCHER Bruny Island
PACIFIC
GOLDEN-PLOVER Cairns Esplanade
BANDED
LAPWING Lyell Highway
MASKED
LAPWING Royal Botanic Gardens
GREATER
SAND-PLOVER Cairns Esplanade
ORIENTAL
PLOVER Maryfarms
RED-KNEED
DOTTEREL Hasties Swamp National Park
HOODED
PLOVER Adventure Bay
BLACK-FRONTED
DOTTEREL Cairns Esplanade
COMB-CRESTED
JACANA Julatten
Whimbrel
Cairns Esplanade
FAR
EASTERN CURLEW Cairns Esplanade
Bar-Tailed Godwit Cairns Esplanade
BLACK-TAILED
GODWIT Cairns Esplanade
Ruddy Turnstone Lady
Elliot Island
GREAT
KNOT Cairns Esplanade
Red Knot
Cairns Esplanade
BROAD-BILLED
SANDPIPER Cairns Esplanade
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Cairns Esplanade
Curlew Sandpiper Cairns Esplanade
Red-Necked Stint
Cairns Esplanade
LATHAM'S
SNIPE Hasties Swamp National Park
TEREK
SANDPIPER Cairns Esplanade
Common Sandpiper Hasties Swamp National Park
GRAY-TAILED
TATTLER Cairns Esplanade
WANDERING
TATTLER Lady Elliot Island
Common Greenshank Cairns Esplanade
AUSTRALIAN
PRATINCOLE Maryfarms
SILVER
GULL Sydney
PACIFIC
GULL Atkinsons Park
KELP
GULL Royal National Park
BROWN
NODDY Lady Elliot Island
BLACK
NODDY Lady Elliot Island
SOOTY
TERN Lady Elliot Island
BRIDLED
TERN Lady Elliot Island
Little Tern
Newell Beach
Gull-billed Tern Cairns Esplanade
Caspian Tern
Cairns Esplanade
Whiskered Tern
Bromfield Swamp Viewing Platform
BLACK-NAPED
TERN Lady Elliot Island
Common Tern
Cairns Esplanade
Great Crested Tern Royal National Park
RED-TAILED
TROPICBIRD Lady Elliot Island
LITTLE
PENGUIN Bruny Island
WEDGE-TAILED
SHEARWATER Royal National Park
BLACK-NECKED
STORK Yore Rd Wetlands
AUSTRALASIAN
GANNET Royal National Park
AUSTRALASIAN
DARTER Daintree River boat trip
LITTLE
PIED CORMORANT Royal National Park
Great Cormorant Royal National Park
LITTLE
BLACK CORMORANT Sydney
PIED
CORMORANT Sydney
BLACK-FACED
CORMORANT Bruny Island Ferry Crossing
AUSTRALIAN
PELICAN Granton
PACIFIC
HERON Cape Tribulation
Great Egret
Tamar Island Wetlands
Intermediate Egret Centenary Lakes
WHITE-FACED
HERON Tamar Island Wetlands
Little Egret
Wonga Beach Rd at Mossman Daintree Rd
PACIFIC
REEF-HERON Cape Tribulation
Cattle Egret
Kindred
Striated Heron
Daintree River boat trip
RUFOUS
NIGHT-HERON Atkinsons Park
Glossy Ibis
Julatten
AUSTRALIAN
IBIS Sydney
STRAW-NECKED
IBIS Cairns Cemetery
ROYAL
SPOONBILL Wonga Beach Rd at Mossman Daintree Rd
Osprey Wonga Beach Rd at Mossman Daintree Rd
BLACK-SHOULDERED
KITE Daintree River boat trip
BLACK-BREASTED
KITE Maryfarms
SQUARE-TAILED
KITE Maryfarms
WEDGE-TAILED
EAGLE State Forest
SWAMP
HARRIER Tamar Island Wetlands
SPOTTED
HARRIER Maryfarms
GRAY GOSHAWK Mountain Valley Wilderness
COLLARED
SPARROWHAWK Cairns Botanical Gardens
RED
GOSHAWK Lake Mitchell
Black Kite
Captain Cook Highway
WHISTLING
KITE Daintree River boat trip
BRAHMINY
KITE Daintree River boat trip
WHITE-BELLIED
SEA-EAGLE Royal National Park
SOOTY
OWL Crater Lakes National Park
Barn Owl
Lamington National Park
POWERFUL
OWL Burraneer Park
SOUTHERN
BOOBOOK Lamington National Park
AZURE
KINGFISHER Royal National Park
LAUGHING
KOOKABURRA Royal National Park
BLUE-WINGED
KOOKABURRA Julatten
FOREST
KINGFISHER Daintree River boat trip
TORRESIAN
KINGFISHER Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve
SACRED
KINGFISHER Royal National Park
RAINBOW
BEE-EATER Cairns Cemetery
DOLLARBIRD Beaudesert Racing Club Lagoon
AUSTRALIAN
KESTREL Captain Cook Highway
AUSTRALIAN
HOBBY Adventure Bay
BROWN
FALCON Oppenheims Road
RED-TAILED
BLACK-COCKATOO Maryfarms
YELLOW-TAILED
BLACK-COCKATOO Kindred
GALAH Burraneer Park
LONG-BILLED
CORELLA Kingston Beach
LITTLE
CORELLA Royal National Park
SULPHUR-CRESTED
COCKATOO Sydney
AUSTRALIAN
KING-PARROT Royal National Park
BLUE-WINGED
PARROT Bruny Island
SWIFT
PARROT Bruny Island
GREEN
ROSELLA Mountain Valley Wilderness
CRIMSON
ROSELLA O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat
EASTERN
ROSELLA Queens Domain
PALE-HEADED
ROSELLA Tinana South
MUSK
LORIKEET Goulds Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary
LITTLE
LORIKEET Yore Rd Wetlands
RAINBOW
LORIKEET Sydney
SCALY-BREASTED
LORIKEET Cairns Botanical Gardens
NOISY
PITTA O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat
ALBERT'S
LYREBIRD O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat
SUPERB
LYREBIRD Royal National Park
SPOTTED
CATBIRD Mossman
GREEN
CATBIRD Royal National Park
TOOTH-BILLED
BOWERBIRD Mt Lewis Rd
GOLDEN
BOWERBIRD Mount Hypipamee National Park
REGENT
BOWERBIRD O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat
SATIN
BOWERBIRD Royal National Park
GREAT
BOWERBIRD Julatten
WHITE-THROATED
TREECREEPER Royal National Park
SOUTHERN
EMUWREN Towra Point Nature Reserve
VARIEGATED
FAIRYWREN Royal National Park
SUPERB
FAIRYWREN Royal National Park
RED-BACKED
FAIRYWREN Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve
EASTERN
SPINEBILL Royal National Park
YELLOW-SPOTTED HONEYEATER Cape Tribulation
LEWIN'S
HONEYEATER Royal National Park
GRACEFUL
HONEYEATER Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge
YELLOW HONEYEATER Cairns Esplanade
YELLOW-FACED HONEYEATER Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge
YELLOW-TUFTED HONEYEATER Heathcote National Park
BELL
MINER The Gravel Pit and Track
NOISY
MINER Sydney
BRIDLED
HONEYEATER Mossman
LITTLE
WATTLEBIRD Royal National Park
RED
WATTLEBIRD Jannali
YELLOW WATTLEBIRD Mount Field National Park
MANGROVE
HONEYEATER Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve
BROWN-BACKED
HONEYEATER Daintree River boat trip
WHITE-FRONTED
CHAT Narawntapu National Park
DUSKY
MYZOMELA Julatten
SCARLET
MYZOMELA Curtain Fig Tree
TAWNY-CROWNED
HONEYEATER Waterfall
BROWN
HONEYEATER Cairns Esplanade
CRESCENT
HONEYEATER Cradle Mountain
NEW
HOLLAND HONEYEATER Granton Power Boat Racing Centre
WHITE-CHEEKED
HONEYEATER Julatten
WHITE-EARED
HONEYEATER Heathcote National Park
YELLOW-THROATED HONEYEATER Cradle Mountain
BLUE-FACED
HONEYEATER Upper Daintree River
WHITE-THROATED
HONEYEATER Lamington National Park
WHITE-NAPED
HONEYEATER Lamington National Park
BLACK-HEADED
HONEYEATER Mountain Valley Wilderness
BLACK-CHINNED
HONEYEATER Big Mitchell Creek Reserve
STRONG-BILLED
HONEYEATER Mountain Valley Wilderness
MACLEAY'S
HONEYEATER Cape Tribulation
STRIPED
HONEYEATER Nindooinbah Dam
LITTLE
FRIARBIRD Maryfarms
HELMETED
FRIARBIRD Cairns Esplanade
SILVER-CROWNED
FRIARBIRD Big Mitchell Creek Reserve
NOISY
FRIARBIRD Mount Molloy
SPOTTED
PARDALOTE Atkinsons Park
FORTY-SPOTTED
PARDALOTE Bruny Island
STRIATED
PARDALOTE Atkinsons Park
FERNWREN Mt Lewis Rd
YELLOW-THROATED SCRUBWREN Mt Lewis Rd
WHITE-BROWED
SCRUBWREN O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat
TASMANIAN
SCRUBWREN Narawntapu National Park
ATHERTON
SCRUBWREN Mt Lewis Rd
LARGE-BILLED
SCRUBWREN O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat
SPECKLED
WARBLER Yore Rd Wetlands
MOUNTAIN
THORNBILL Mt Lewis Rd
BROWN
THORNBILL Royal National Park
TASMANIAN
THORNBILL Narawntapu National Park
YELLOW-RUMPED THORNBILL Dru Point
WHITE-THROATED
GERYGONE Yore Rd Wetlands
LARGE-BILLED
GERYGONE Cairns Botanical Gardens
BROWN
GERYGONE Royal National Park
MANGROVE
GERYGONE Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve
GRAY-CROWNED BABBLER Big Mitchell Creek Reserve
AUSTRALIAN
LOGRUNNER O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat
CHOWCHILLA Cathedral Fig Tree
EASTERN
WHIPBIRD Royal National Park
YELLOW-BREASTED BOATBILL Mossman
WHITE-BREASTED
WOODSWALLOW Cairns Esplanade
DUSKY
WOODSWALLOW Dru Point
GRAY BUTCHERBIRD Jannali
PIED
BUTCHERBIRD Maryfarms
BLACK
BUTCHERBIRD Daintree River boat trip
AUSTRALIAN
MAGPIE Sydney
PIED
CURRAWONG Sydney
BLACK
CURRAWONG Mountain Valley Wilderness
GRAY CURRAWONG Narawntapu National Park
BARRED
CUCKOOSHRIKE Mt Lewis Rd
BLACK-FACED
CUCKOOSHRIKE Launceston Airport
WHITE-BELLIED
CUCKOOSHRIKE Cairns Esplanade
WHITE-WINGED
TRILLER Big Mitchell Creek Reserve
VARIED
TRILLER Daintree River boat trip
BOWER'S
SHRIKETHRUSH Cathedral Fig Tree
GRAY SHRIKETHRUSH Narawntapu National Park
LITTLE
SHRIKETHRUSH Mossman
OLIVE
WHISTLER Mountain Valley Wilderness
GOLDEN
WHISTLER Royal National Park
GRAY WHISTLER Julatten
RUFOUS
WHISTLER Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve
OLIVE-BACKED
ORIOLE Royal National Park
GREEN
ORIOLE Daintree River boat trip
AUSTRALASIAN
FIGBIRD Cairns
SPANGLED
DRONGO Daintree River boat trip
NORTHERN
FANTAIL Mossman
WILLIE-WAGTAIL Royal National Park
RUFOUS
FANTAIL Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve
GRAY FANTAIL Royal National Park
BLACK-FACED
MONARCH Royal National Park
SPECTACLED
MONARCH Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge
PIED
MONARCH Curtain Fig Tree
MAGPIE-LARK Cairns Esplanade
LEADEN
FLYCATCHER Royal National Park
SHINING
FLYCATCHER Daintree River boat trip
TORRESIAN
CROW Maryfarms
AUSTRALIAN
RAVEN Royal National Park
FOREST
RAVEN Tamar Island Wetlands
PARADISE
RIFLEBIRD Lamington National Park
VICTORIA'S
RIFLEBIRD Crater Lakes National Park
LEMON-BELLIED FLYCATCHER Big Mitchell Creek Reserve
SCARLET
ROBIN Mountain Valley Wilderness
FLAME
ROBIN Mountain Valley Wilderness
ROSE
ROBIN Royal National Park
PINK
ROBIN Mountain Valley Wilderness
DUSKY
ROBIN Mountain Valley Wilderness
PALE-YELLOW ROBIN Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge
EASTERN YELLOW ROBIN Royal National Park
GRAY-HEADED ROBIN Mossman
EURASIAN
SKYLARK Oppenheims Road
WELCOME
SWALLOW Royal Botanic Gardens
FAIRY
MARTIN Cairns Botanical Gardens
TREE
MARTIN Adventure Bay
RED-WHISKERED
BULBUL Towra Point Nature Reserve
AUSTRALIAN
REED WARBLER Daintree River boat trip
LITTLE
GRASSBIRD Tamar Island Wetlands
TAWNY
GRASSBIRD Kerry Rd
GOLDEN-HEADED
CISTICOLA Lake Mitchell
SILVER-EYE Royal National Park
BASSIAN
THRUSH O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat
EURASIAN
BLACKBIRD Launceston Airport
METALLIC
STARLING Daintree River boat trip
European Starling Launceston Airport
Common Myna
Bondi Beach
MISTLETOEBIRD Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge
OLIVE-BACKED
SUNBIRD Cairns Botanical Gardens
AUSTRALASIAN
PIPIT Narawntapu National Park
European Greenfinch Bothwell
European Goldfinch Atkinsons Park
House Sparrow
Deloraine
BEAUTIFUL
FIRETAIL Bruny Island
RED-BROWED
FIRETAIL Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge
DOUBLE-BARRED
FINCH Yore Rd Wetlands
CHESTNUT-BREASTED
MUNIA Daintree River boat trip
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| EASTERN WHIPBIRD |
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| EASTERN SPINEBILL |
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| LAUGHING KOOKABURRA, Royal Botanic Gardens |
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| You can take the girl out of Brooklyn, but she'll find it wherever she goes Mt Lewis Road |
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