Thanks all, much appreciated.
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Australia, New Worlds. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Jos Stratford
- Start date
Thanks all, much appreciated.
25 July. Mount Lewis & Abattoir Swamp.
Another blank on Platypus at dawn, thereafter up to Mount Lewis for the remainder of the morning. Shrouded in dense tropical forest, this site supposedly offers some of the best birding in the Julatten area, species such as Blue-faced Parrot Finch and Atherton Scrubwren lurking on the mountain's flanks, plus the almost mystical Golden Bowerbird. Indeed, prior to 2013, a reliable bower for this much-desired bird was known on one of the higher trails, though this is no more and the species is once again something of dreams on this mountain.
Hard-going I found the birding here, birds generally few and far-between and, even when seen, mostly hidden high in the canopy. From the track, Mountain Thornbill, Spectacled Monarch and Pale-yellow Robin all proved easy enough, plus the near endemic Atherton Scrubwren, but as for everything else it was a question of slowly plugging away. Added fly-over Double-eyed Fig Parrots, found a bunch of Topknot Pigeons in a tree, plus too a couple of rather elusive Brown Cuckoo-Doves lurking in dense vegetation. At the top of the track, I walked a trail as far as a couple of pools that used to mark the locality of the bower of the Golden Bowerbird. Predictably, I did not see Golden Bowerbird. Less predictably, I basically saw nothing else either – in total, other than a few unidentified things flitting in the canopy, my totality was a couple of Pacific Emerald Doves flushed from the trail and a few Brown Gerygones. Spotted Catbirds and Yellow Oriole back at the road remedied the poor showing to quite some degree, a fabulous Tooth-billed Bowerbird doing so much more admirably – this being one of the top birds of the trip.
Still have to say, this was not my favourite locality in Australia! On route back down, a assortment of stops added a few birds more, including Bridled Honeyeater, Brown Treecreeper, Golden Whistler, Grey-headed Robin and Yellow-throated Scrubwren, but overall pretty much the same as going up, not many birds.
A bit of easy-going stuff around Kingfisher Park middle day, trying to photograph the Macleay's Honeyeaters and Bower's Shrike-Thrush etc, then a saunter off to Abattoir Swamp a little later. Very dry with no visible standing water, thus a total blank on waterbirds, but not all lost – one Swamp Harrier quartering, plus a whole bunch of honeyeaters on the short trail between the parking and hide, not least six Brown-backed Honeyeaters, two Dusky Honeyeaters and four Brown Honeyeaters.
Managed another zilch on Platypus attempts in the evening, then an almost equally non-productive few hours driving up the Mount Lewis road after dark. Supposed to be chock-a-block with nocturnal mammals, assorted bandicoots and possums at the very least. I however saw not a single mammal! But then, just as my dislike of Mount Lewis was tumbling yet further, a major stroke of luck – a ghostly pale owl flew out in the headlights, swooped up and perched upon a branch ...one superb Lesser Sooty Owl, an amazing moment. And so ended the day, despite my negativity towards Mount Lewis, it had produced a few real crackers, both the owl and Tooth-billed Bowerbird in particular being among the highlights of the trip.
Another blank on Platypus at dawn, thereafter up to Mount Lewis for the remainder of the morning. Shrouded in dense tropical forest, this site supposedly offers some of the best birding in the Julatten area, species such as Blue-faced Parrot Finch and Atherton Scrubwren lurking on the mountain's flanks, plus the almost mystical Golden Bowerbird. Indeed, prior to 2013, a reliable bower for this much-desired bird was known on one of the higher trails, though this is no more and the species is once again something of dreams on this mountain.
Hard-going I found the birding here, birds generally few and far-between and, even when seen, mostly hidden high in the canopy. From the track, Mountain Thornbill, Spectacled Monarch and Pale-yellow Robin all proved easy enough, plus the near endemic Atherton Scrubwren, but as for everything else it was a question of slowly plugging away. Added fly-over Double-eyed Fig Parrots, found a bunch of Topknot Pigeons in a tree, plus too a couple of rather elusive Brown Cuckoo-Doves lurking in dense vegetation. At the top of the track, I walked a trail as far as a couple of pools that used to mark the locality of the bower of the Golden Bowerbird. Predictably, I did not see Golden Bowerbird. Less predictably, I basically saw nothing else either – in total, other than a few unidentified things flitting in the canopy, my totality was a couple of Pacific Emerald Doves flushed from the trail and a few Brown Gerygones. Spotted Catbirds and Yellow Oriole back at the road remedied the poor showing to quite some degree, a fabulous Tooth-billed Bowerbird doing so much more admirably – this being one of the top birds of the trip.
Still have to say, this was not my favourite locality in Australia! On route back down, a assortment of stops added a few birds more, including Bridled Honeyeater, Brown Treecreeper, Golden Whistler, Grey-headed Robin and Yellow-throated Scrubwren, but overall pretty much the same as going up, not many birds.
A bit of easy-going stuff around Kingfisher Park middle day, trying to photograph the Macleay's Honeyeaters and Bower's Shrike-Thrush etc, then a saunter off to Abattoir Swamp a little later. Very dry with no visible standing water, thus a total blank on waterbirds, but not all lost – one Swamp Harrier quartering, plus a whole bunch of honeyeaters on the short trail between the parking and hide, not least six Brown-backed Honeyeaters, two Dusky Honeyeaters and four Brown Honeyeaters.
Managed another zilch on Platypus attempts in the evening, then an almost equally non-productive few hours driving up the Mount Lewis road after dark. Supposed to be chock-a-block with nocturnal mammals, assorted bandicoots and possums at the very least. I however saw not a single mammal! But then, just as my dislike of Mount Lewis was tumbling yet further, a major stroke of luck – a ghostly pale owl flew out in the headlights, swooped up and perched upon a branch ...one superb Lesser Sooty Owl, an amazing moment. And so ended the day, despite my negativity towards Mount Lewis, it had produced a few real crackers, both the owl and Tooth-billed Bowerbird in particular being among the highlights of the trip.
26 July. Kingfisher Park, Lake Mitchell & Mary Farms.
An excellent day starting at Kingfisher Park, followed by a productive visit to Lake Mitchell and finally ending up at the twin roads at Mary Farms. And so it started in the morning, a now familiar dip on the Platypus. Fortunately things then improved with the two Papuan Frogmouths still in their roost, hordes of noisy Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets hurtling around, plus a number of species that had so far eluded me - enormous Blue-faced Honeyeaters, along with Olive-backed Orioles and the bit more nondescript Fairy Gerygones and Grey Whistlers.
Down at Lake Mitchell, glimmering blue water and umpteen birds attracted, but first (so I thought) the need for a bit a bush walk down a long hot track to get to the best viewing area - pretty good walk, four Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos labouring across the sky, their deep wingbeats, size and apparent slow pace evoking an almost prehistoric feel. Yellow Honeyeaters singing, Golden-headed Cisticola dancing at from parched grass, a right cutie of a Spotted Pardalote appearing in bushes, plenty of good stuff here. Rufous Whistler also seen, plus Rufous-throated Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater and more Blue-faced Honeyeaters.
For all the riches of the bush, Lake Mitchel was even better - a vast area of shallow bays and emergent vegetation, the first 'wow' was the sheer abundance of gorky Magpie Geese, flocks of them all over, many also looking most ungainly in trees! Rather daintier, also 150 or so Green Pygmy Geese and at least 35 Comb-crested Jacanas. Also a good mix of the Phalacrocoracidae and Anhinga - all plentiful, Australian Darter, Little Black Cormorant, Little Pied Cormorant and Pied Cormorant. Also my first Black Swan of the trip, several Australian Grebes, assorted egrets and, in skies above, Eastern Osprey, several Swamp Harriers and a few Black Kites.
Back at the main road, I discovered my long hot walk had not been necessary - the gate was not in fact locked and birders are permitted to drive down! Thereafter, a detour of not too many kilometres took us to Mary Farms, a birding locality characterised by two parallel tracks running through open dry farmland, my first real open country birding on this trip.
The bird everyone hopes to see here is Australian Bustard, a number of these stately giants inhabiting the area. However, as it was now mid-afternoon and pretty hot, I was not entirely sure my strategy was very good. I need not have worried - barely ten minutes after arriving, a shout from my companion and an order to reverse a little ...and there, poking up from long grass, the head of an Australian Bustard, and then another head! Two Australian Bustards that then proceeded to strut along an open fire break, very nice indeed. Rufous Songlark and Australian Pipit also scrubbing around in the grass, Nankeen Kestrel and Brown Falcon circling overhead. Found another pair of Australian Bustards a little later, then yet another pair. The real treat however was a single individual feeding right on the side of the road - Australian Bustard at three metres distant, an impressive bird!
Also added an Agile Wallaby here, but then departed to return to Kingfisher Park for attempt number three on Platypus. And dip number three, a couple of hours staring at a darkening stream, no Platypus! Did see another Red-legged Pademelon, plus one Giant White-tailed Rat.
An excellent day starting at Kingfisher Park, followed by a productive visit to Lake Mitchell and finally ending up at the twin roads at Mary Farms. And so it started in the morning, a now familiar dip on the Platypus. Fortunately things then improved with the two Papuan Frogmouths still in their roost, hordes of noisy Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets hurtling around, plus a number of species that had so far eluded me - enormous Blue-faced Honeyeaters, along with Olive-backed Orioles and the bit more nondescript Fairy Gerygones and Grey Whistlers.
Down at Lake Mitchell, glimmering blue water and umpteen birds attracted, but first (so I thought) the need for a bit a bush walk down a long hot track to get to the best viewing area - pretty good walk, four Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos labouring across the sky, their deep wingbeats, size and apparent slow pace evoking an almost prehistoric feel. Yellow Honeyeaters singing, Golden-headed Cisticola dancing at from parched grass, a right cutie of a Spotted Pardalote appearing in bushes, plenty of good stuff here. Rufous Whistler also seen, plus Rufous-throated Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater and more Blue-faced Honeyeaters.
For all the riches of the bush, Lake Mitchel was even better - a vast area of shallow bays and emergent vegetation, the first 'wow' was the sheer abundance of gorky Magpie Geese, flocks of them all over, many also looking most ungainly in trees! Rather daintier, also 150 or so Green Pygmy Geese and at least 35 Comb-crested Jacanas. Also a good mix of the Phalacrocoracidae and Anhinga - all plentiful, Australian Darter, Little Black Cormorant, Little Pied Cormorant and Pied Cormorant. Also my first Black Swan of the trip, several Australian Grebes, assorted egrets and, in skies above, Eastern Osprey, several Swamp Harriers and a few Black Kites.
Back at the main road, I discovered my long hot walk had not been necessary - the gate was not in fact locked and birders are permitted to drive down! Thereafter, a detour of not too many kilometres took us to Mary Farms, a birding locality characterised by two parallel tracks running through open dry farmland, my first real open country birding on this trip.
The bird everyone hopes to see here is Australian Bustard, a number of these stately giants inhabiting the area. However, as it was now mid-afternoon and pretty hot, I was not entirely sure my strategy was very good. I need not have worried - barely ten minutes after arriving, a shout from my companion and an order to reverse a little ...and there, poking up from long grass, the head of an Australian Bustard, and then another head! Two Australian Bustards that then proceeded to strut along an open fire break, very nice indeed. Rufous Songlark and Australian Pipit also scrubbing around in the grass, Nankeen Kestrel and Brown Falcon circling overhead. Found another pair of Australian Bustards a little later, then yet another pair. The real treat however was a single individual feeding right on the side of the road - Australian Bustard at three metres distant, an impressive bird!
Also added an Agile Wallaby here, but then departed to return to Kingfisher Park for attempt number three on Platypus. And dip number three, a couple of hours staring at a darkening stream, no Platypus! Did see another Red-legged Pademelon, plus one Giant White-tailed Rat.
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wolfbirder
Well-known member
Looks mouth-watering already. I tentatively looked into a tour of Oz for one day when I retire (that or an African safari).
Victoria's Riflebird was a species I dreamt of seeing, being a Bird of Paradise. Wow!
Really look forward to reading the rest of this.
Victoria's Riflebird was a species I dreamt of seeing, being a Bird of Paradise. Wow!
Really look forward to reading the rest of this.
27 July. Schools, Golf, Boulders and Yungaburra.
Another excellent day, only transferring about 100 km from Julaten to Yungaburra in the Atherton Highlands, but top notch from start to finish.
Academia to start the day, visits to a couple of primary schools my priority for the day. Wandering around school grounds with binoculars in hand as kids mill into school might seem a good way to get in trouble, but not so at these schools - indeed, at one there is even a sign on the gate declaring 'birdwatchers welcome'. And the reason, Great Bowerbirds - a splendid bird that seems to have taken a liking to school grounds to build the bowers! First stop was Julatten Primary School, a bunch of mums dropping their little darlings off. No need to actually enter the school here, as the Great Bowerbirds tend to hang out near a gazebo directly opposite - and that is exactly where I got my first glimpse, a chunky grey bird flying up and flitting over to the school where it perched a while on their fence. Unfortunately it then vanished and didn't reappear.
No problem, a mere 10 km to the south is Mt Molloy Primary School ...and this is where the ' birdwatchers welcome' sign is hung upon the gate. So in I went, classes underway, a mere smile from the only person I saw. Walked round to the allotted spot - the base of a fence near an outbuilding. And there before me, a bower decorated with assorted blue and white paraphernalia, snail shells, bits of plastic, school chalk, the works. And then in popped the Great Bowerbird, a spot of tidying up before disappearing into the bower's tunnel. Some moments later, out the other end he appeared, a bit more housecleaning and off he went. And so the process went on, the bird returning every few minutes to spruce up the bower yet more. Splendid stuff. Backdrop birds included White-cheeked Honeyeater, Straw-necked Ibis and Masked Plover.
Next stop, a short stop again at Lake Mitchell - not the lake itself, but an arid gulley a shot distance away. A walk of a few hundred metres and there I found the target, one White-browed Robin, a localised endemic to these parts and a nice one at that. Also here, Spotted Pardalote, five Noisy Friarbirds, several Blue-faced Honeyeaters, a Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike and a few Double-barred Finches.
It was now midday and time to move further south. Having been in Australia for a week now, albeit mostly in fairly humid habitats with luxuriant vegetation, I was acutely aware that I was still 'kangaroo-less' - I had seen quite a few Agile Wallabies, as well as the tiny Red-legged Pademelons, but I wanted a 'proper' kangaroo, i.e. one of the big beasties with kangaroo in the name! For these, arid land habitats tend to be better, or for the lazy, the pleasant greens of a golf course in otherwise arid area! And so it was, my next destination - the rather ungreen greens of Mareeba Golf Course. Famed for its resident mob of Eastern Grey Kangaroos, it took all of two minutes to spot them - a great bunch of them chilling out on the manicured grass, ambling golfers strolling past, barely a glance exchanged between the golfers and roos. Got up close and personal with a herd of about 40, sitting myself down on the grass as several lolloped across, others stretching out and taking a siesta. Began to feel I was really in Australia! Little did I know, due to a lack of homework, that I would subsequently see hundreds of Eastern Grey Kangaroos in the later parts of the trip.
Mareeba Wetlands, a classic birding locality in this neck of the woods, seems to have closed for an indefinite period of time, so decided I would add another mammal excursion at this point - venturing a dozen of so kilometres to Granite Rock Nature Park, the single best locality to see the highly range-restricted Mareeba Rock Wallaby. - this species literally occurs in a few isolated outcrops in the Mareeba area.
Vast granite boulders, squawking Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, a dozen or so tourists all gawking at ...Mareeba Rock Wallabies! Well that was easy, a half dozen were ambling around on the rocks not five minutes from the car park. Slightly less expected, also found a flock of eleven Squatter Pigeons here, feeding amongst farmyard geese and ducks in the adjacent campsite. Lay flat in my stomach to try and get a few photos, immediately got ambushed by the geese hoping for hand outs. And so, having covered a grand total of little more than 60 km in more than half the day, it was time to finish the transit, motoring the final 40 km to the Atherton Tablelands and a couple of superb localities there, hopefully too a Platypus or two by day's end.
Just south of Atherton, first treat was Hasties Swamp - a moderately slim slither of water, but absolutely crammed with birds! Vying for attention, at least 800 Plumed Whistling Ducks, 250 Magpie Geese and an impressive 80 or so Australian Swamphens, many of these strolling along the road. Plenty more birds among them too, ducks including Grey Teals, Freckled Ducks and Hardheads, while others included White-headed Stilt and a Pale-vented Bush-hen. Also had my first Sarus Cranes of the trip here, 18 flying over, plus a Brown Falcon, a flock of mixed Welcome Swallows and Tree Swallows and a variety of passserines, Eastern Yellow Robins particularly common. Could easily have stayed till dusk here, hopes of stuff coming into roost, but I still had a certain aquatic mammal bugging me ...and just a handful of kilometres away was the small town of Yungaburra, a locality where it is said 'you can't miss Platypus'. Problem one was finding accommodation, my visit coinciding with a traditional market, but that sorted headed straight for Peterson's Creek, the ultimate in des res for discerning Platypuses!
A midget of a stream in reality, but with a nice walking path all the way along, we got ourselves in position at about 4.30 pm., the late afternoon sun still lighting the water nicely. White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike in the trees, Pacific Black Duck floating down the stream. And then we waited.
A bit of déjà vu setting in, I had peered expectantly at waters on six dawns and dusks in preceding days, and I was quite aware I had no further Platypus localities on my planned route. A half hour went by, the sun dipped a little. I took a stroll further along the stream. Then a sudden gasp, a Platypus paddling along on a broad meander! Oh jeepers, took a quick look, then sprinted back to my original point to collect my fellow Platypus spotter, aka Cassowary Gripper (for which I still had not totally got over). Got back to the meander ...and no Platypus! But worry not, suddenly it resurfaced and then proceeded to paddle right past us, a tiny little thing, far smaller than I had been expecting. Fantastic views, and then we found another, and another! Four in all that evening, all totally unaware/unconcerned by our presence, each paddling past on several occasions, sometimes as close as three or four metres.
Another excellent day, only transferring about 100 km from Julaten to Yungaburra in the Atherton Highlands, but top notch from start to finish.
Academia to start the day, visits to a couple of primary schools my priority for the day. Wandering around school grounds with binoculars in hand as kids mill into school might seem a good way to get in trouble, but not so at these schools - indeed, at one there is even a sign on the gate declaring 'birdwatchers welcome'. And the reason, Great Bowerbirds - a splendid bird that seems to have taken a liking to school grounds to build the bowers! First stop was Julatten Primary School, a bunch of mums dropping their little darlings off. No need to actually enter the school here, as the Great Bowerbirds tend to hang out near a gazebo directly opposite - and that is exactly where I got my first glimpse, a chunky grey bird flying up and flitting over to the school where it perched a while on their fence. Unfortunately it then vanished and didn't reappear.
No problem, a mere 10 km to the south is Mt Molloy Primary School ...and this is where the ' birdwatchers welcome' sign is hung upon the gate. So in I went, classes underway, a mere smile from the only person I saw. Walked round to the allotted spot - the base of a fence near an outbuilding. And there before me, a bower decorated with assorted blue and white paraphernalia, snail shells, bits of plastic, school chalk, the works. And then in popped the Great Bowerbird, a spot of tidying up before disappearing into the bower's tunnel. Some moments later, out the other end he appeared, a bit more housecleaning and off he went. And so the process went on, the bird returning every few minutes to spruce up the bower yet more. Splendid stuff. Backdrop birds included White-cheeked Honeyeater, Straw-necked Ibis and Masked Plover.
Next stop, a short stop again at Lake Mitchell - not the lake itself, but an arid gulley a shot distance away. A walk of a few hundred metres and there I found the target, one White-browed Robin, a localised endemic to these parts and a nice one at that. Also here, Spotted Pardalote, five Noisy Friarbirds, several Blue-faced Honeyeaters, a Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike and a few Double-barred Finches.
It was now midday and time to move further south. Having been in Australia for a week now, albeit mostly in fairly humid habitats with luxuriant vegetation, I was acutely aware that I was still 'kangaroo-less' - I had seen quite a few Agile Wallabies, as well as the tiny Red-legged Pademelons, but I wanted a 'proper' kangaroo, i.e. one of the big beasties with kangaroo in the name! For these, arid land habitats tend to be better, or for the lazy, the pleasant greens of a golf course in otherwise arid area! And so it was, my next destination - the rather ungreen greens of Mareeba Golf Course. Famed for its resident mob of Eastern Grey Kangaroos, it took all of two minutes to spot them - a great bunch of them chilling out on the manicured grass, ambling golfers strolling past, barely a glance exchanged between the golfers and roos. Got up close and personal with a herd of about 40, sitting myself down on the grass as several lolloped across, others stretching out and taking a siesta. Began to feel I was really in Australia! Little did I know, due to a lack of homework, that I would subsequently see hundreds of Eastern Grey Kangaroos in the later parts of the trip.
Mareeba Wetlands, a classic birding locality in this neck of the woods, seems to have closed for an indefinite period of time, so decided I would add another mammal excursion at this point - venturing a dozen of so kilometres to Granite Rock Nature Park, the single best locality to see the highly range-restricted Mareeba Rock Wallaby. - this species literally occurs in a few isolated outcrops in the Mareeba area.
Vast granite boulders, squawking Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, a dozen or so tourists all gawking at ...Mareeba Rock Wallabies! Well that was easy, a half dozen were ambling around on the rocks not five minutes from the car park. Slightly less expected, also found a flock of eleven Squatter Pigeons here, feeding amongst farmyard geese and ducks in the adjacent campsite. Lay flat in my stomach to try and get a few photos, immediately got ambushed by the geese hoping for hand outs. And so, having covered a grand total of little more than 60 km in more than half the day, it was time to finish the transit, motoring the final 40 km to the Atherton Tablelands and a couple of superb localities there, hopefully too a Platypus or two by day's end.
Just south of Atherton, first treat was Hasties Swamp - a moderately slim slither of water, but absolutely crammed with birds! Vying for attention, at least 800 Plumed Whistling Ducks, 250 Magpie Geese and an impressive 80 or so Australian Swamphens, many of these strolling along the road. Plenty more birds among them too, ducks including Grey Teals, Freckled Ducks and Hardheads, while others included White-headed Stilt and a Pale-vented Bush-hen. Also had my first Sarus Cranes of the trip here, 18 flying over, plus a Brown Falcon, a flock of mixed Welcome Swallows and Tree Swallows and a variety of passserines, Eastern Yellow Robins particularly common. Could easily have stayed till dusk here, hopes of stuff coming into roost, but I still had a certain aquatic mammal bugging me ...and just a handful of kilometres away was the small town of Yungaburra, a locality where it is said 'you can't miss Platypus'. Problem one was finding accommodation, my visit coinciding with a traditional market, but that sorted headed straight for Peterson's Creek, the ultimate in des res for discerning Platypuses!
A midget of a stream in reality, but with a nice walking path all the way along, we got ourselves in position at about 4.30 pm., the late afternoon sun still lighting the water nicely. White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike in the trees, Pacific Black Duck floating down the stream. And then we waited.
A bit of déjà vu setting in, I had peered expectantly at waters on six dawns and dusks in preceding days, and I was quite aware I had no further Platypus localities on my planned route. A half hour went by, the sun dipped a little. I took a stroll further along the stream. Then a sudden gasp, a Platypus paddling along on a broad meander! Oh jeepers, took a quick look, then sprinted back to my original point to collect my fellow Platypus spotter, aka Cassowary Gripper (for which I still had not totally got over). Got back to the meander ...and no Platypus! But worry not, suddenly it resurfaced and then proceeded to paddle right past us, a tiny little thing, far smaller than I had been expecting. Fantastic views, and then we found another, and another! Four in all that evening, all totally unaware/unconcerned by our presence, each paddling past on several occasions, sometimes as close as three or four metres.
StuartReeves
Local rarity
A lot of familiar sites here; things don't seem to have changed much in the fifteen years since I visited that area! I missed Mareeba rock wallaby though.
I think with platypus there is a lot of variation in size with latitude; my first were in Tasmania and they were pretty robust beasts. I then saw one in the wet tropics and was surprised at how much smaller it was - half the size or less of the Tasmanian ones.
I think with platypus there is a lot of variation in size with latitude; my first were in Tasmania and they were pretty robust beasts. I then saw one in the wet tropics and was surprised at how much smaller it was - half the size or less of the Tasmanian ones.
28 July. Yungaburra.
Stayed in the Yungaburra area, a fairly easy-going day starting along Peterson's Creek, before exploring several sites in the general area, including Crater Lake and Bromfield Swamp.
Didn't find any more Platypus along Peterson's Creek at dawn, but did add a good bird mix, including Topknot Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Spotted Catbird, Scarlet Honeyeater and commonplace Brown Gerygones, Pale Yellow Robins and Silvereyes. Also 12 Agile Wallabies in a meadow. A good range of stuff in the suburbia - Spotted Doves, Crested Pigeons and Laughing Kookaburras all common, plus other birds such as Figbird and Varied Triller. Completed the Yungaburra tally with Australian Wood Ducks, Chestnut Teals and Pink-eared Ducks all at the edge of a lake in a well-to-do residential zone a few kilometres distant.
Slight mistake in my planning when I arrived at Crater Lake - as soon as I got to the car park, I realised I actually wanted to be at Hypipamee, a locality that also has a crater lake, but as I then understood was quite far to the south! Still, took a stroll surrounded by rather many tourists, admired my first Great Crested Grebes (!) of the trip, plus rather better a White-throated Treecreeper in shrubbery near the car park and a Fernwren on the circular walk around the lake. Had a quick look at the endemic turtle species, then departed for my next locality, this time sorting my directions out better!
And so a half hour later, I parked up on the slope directly above Bromfield Swamp. And what a glorious sight, a broad sweep of swampland stretching out below, grassland slopes rising to all sides. And much to my delight, thinking they only came to this locality to roost, a whole load of cranes ...56 Brolga and 12 Sarus Cranes to be exact, some even engaging in a bit of dancing. Adding to the atmosphere, Australian Swamphens dotted the marsh, a number of Swamp Harriers drifted about and a couple of Black-shouldered Kites hunted the grassland. Also Tawny Grassbird here.
For afternoon entertainment, it was back to Peterson's Creek and my biggest identification botch up of the trip! In addition to the Platypus, Peterson's Creek is also one of the best localities in Australia to find the rare Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo. Highly restricted in range and notoriously difficult to spot, how cool it would be I though to see a kangaroo that lives in a tree! So off we went, very slowly walking the streamside trail, carefully scanning the canopy for telltale signs, perhaps a tail hanging down or whatever. A half hour in, much to my amazement, we found one fast asleep in a very thick clump of vegetation, almost stuffed into a fork of a branch. Could see basically nothing though, just blob of obscured brown fur and what appeared to be a tail.
No problem thought I, just wait till it woke up, for surely it would do so before dusk. Ambled around for a while, had a Platypus swim by, showed a very grateful French lady the tree kangaroo and a couple of Australians, all went away happy. Still though it slept fast. As the sun dipped, it did indeed shift a little and I could even now see part of the face ...a face that didn't quite match what I was expecting. And then some doubts began to creep in. The tail seemed to be wrapped around the body, why was it not hanging down? And then, as dusk approached, it woke up and clambered a metre or two along the branch ...ah, it looked nothing like a tree kangaroo anymore. It was in fact a possom, what I now understand to be a Common Brushtail Possum! A rather battle scared individual it has to be said, the face looking none too pretty. So, to the French lady and the two Australians, I do apologise for showing you a totally duff tree kangaroo!
After dark, had one of my best mammal outings of the trip, first exploring the approach road to Mount Hypipamee, here finding Red-legged Pademelon, six Lemuroid Ringtail Possums and one Common Brushtail Possum, then meandering around in the surrounding area, the tops here being a Northern Bettong, a truly rare species. Also had a Rabbit!
Stayed in the Yungaburra area, a fairly easy-going day starting along Peterson's Creek, before exploring several sites in the general area, including Crater Lake and Bromfield Swamp.
Didn't find any more Platypus along Peterson's Creek at dawn, but did add a good bird mix, including Topknot Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Spotted Catbird, Scarlet Honeyeater and commonplace Brown Gerygones, Pale Yellow Robins and Silvereyes. Also 12 Agile Wallabies in a meadow. A good range of stuff in the suburbia - Spotted Doves, Crested Pigeons and Laughing Kookaburras all common, plus other birds such as Figbird and Varied Triller. Completed the Yungaburra tally with Australian Wood Ducks, Chestnut Teals and Pink-eared Ducks all at the edge of a lake in a well-to-do residential zone a few kilometres distant.
Slight mistake in my planning when I arrived at Crater Lake - as soon as I got to the car park, I realised I actually wanted to be at Hypipamee, a locality that also has a crater lake, but as I then understood was quite far to the south! Still, took a stroll surrounded by rather many tourists, admired my first Great Crested Grebes (!) of the trip, plus rather better a White-throated Treecreeper in shrubbery near the car park and a Fernwren on the circular walk around the lake. Had a quick look at the endemic turtle species, then departed for my next locality, this time sorting my directions out better!
And so a half hour later, I parked up on the slope directly above Bromfield Swamp. And what a glorious sight, a broad sweep of swampland stretching out below, grassland slopes rising to all sides. And much to my delight, thinking they only came to this locality to roost, a whole load of cranes ...56 Brolga and 12 Sarus Cranes to be exact, some even engaging in a bit of dancing. Adding to the atmosphere, Australian Swamphens dotted the marsh, a number of Swamp Harriers drifted about and a couple of Black-shouldered Kites hunted the grassland. Also Tawny Grassbird here.
For afternoon entertainment, it was back to Peterson's Creek and my biggest identification botch up of the trip! In addition to the Platypus, Peterson's Creek is also one of the best localities in Australia to find the rare Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo. Highly restricted in range and notoriously difficult to spot, how cool it would be I though to see a kangaroo that lives in a tree! So off we went, very slowly walking the streamside trail, carefully scanning the canopy for telltale signs, perhaps a tail hanging down or whatever. A half hour in, much to my amazement, we found one fast asleep in a very thick clump of vegetation, almost stuffed into a fork of a branch. Could see basically nothing though, just blob of obscured brown fur and what appeared to be a tail.
No problem thought I, just wait till it woke up, for surely it would do so before dusk. Ambled around for a while, had a Platypus swim by, showed a very grateful French lady the tree kangaroo and a couple of Australians, all went away happy. Still though it slept fast. As the sun dipped, it did indeed shift a little and I could even now see part of the face ...a face that didn't quite match what I was expecting. And then some doubts began to creep in. The tail seemed to be wrapped around the body, why was it not hanging down? And then, as dusk approached, it woke up and clambered a metre or two along the branch ...ah, it looked nothing like a tree kangaroo anymore. It was in fact a possom, what I now understand to be a Common Brushtail Possum! A rather battle scared individual it has to be said, the face looking none too pretty. So, to the French lady and the two Australians, I do apologise for showing you a totally duff tree kangaroo!
After dark, had one of my best mammal outings of the trip, first exploring the approach road to Mount Hypipamee, here finding Red-legged Pademelon, six Lemuroid Ringtail Possums and one Common Brushtail Possum, then meandering around in the surrounding area, the tops here being a Northern Bettong, a truly rare species. Also had a Rabbit!
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Jon Turner
Well-known member
Brilliant stuff Jos. That day I had out with Chowchilla back in 2014 on the Tablelands is still vivid in my memory. I saw lots of Rock Wallaby and also found the Mareeba Wetlands closed!
JWN Andrewes
Poor Judge of Pasta.
Well done with the Platypus Jos, and bad luck with the Treek.
Another well written account of an exciting sounding jaunt. A pleasure to return to each evening, keep it coming!
Another well written account of an exciting sounding jaunt. A pleasure to return to each evening, keep it coming!
Farnboro John
Well-known member
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