TRIP REPORT: SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND CUSTOM TOUR

DATES: 11-18 MARCH 2012

Guide and Photos: Nick Leseberg

Trips like this are my favourites ; designed for someone who has been to Australia, knocked off most of the common , and wants to get off the beat en track to find some of Australia’s fantastic endemics . With this as the brief, we organised a trip out of Brisbane with just a couple of days to track down a few local specialties, before heading deep inland. Here we would hunt for some of those beautiful but rare endemics that roam Australia’s arid interior , rarely coming to the coast. Conditions were in our favour with a bit of rain to spruce up the countryside, and although it was coming into autumn (fall here Down Under), the birds were still about.

The highlights were many, but in the arid inland there are always a few birds which stand out from the crowd. It’s hard to forget the Pink (Major Mitchell’s) Cockatoo , its delicate pink glowing in the late afternoon sun , and the flocks of Cockatiels, or ‘Qu arrions’, gracefully barrelling overhead , much more beautiful here in the outback than stuck in a cage . We saw several majestic Wedge-tailed Eagle s, hundreds of comical Emus , and luckily, the last few Orange and Crimson Chats, still hanging around before they retreat further inland until next spring. It was a great trip, a fantastic week and we returned home tired, but with a great haul of fantastic species.

The gorgeous Crested Pigeon, one of the most common birds of the trip . www.tropicalbirding.com Page 1 of 21

Day 1: Sunday, 11th March – Brisbane, Lockyer Valley and Mt Glorious.

One of the great things about Brisbane, is that you can be birding literally within minutes of your arrival, and with only a week to fit in as many birds as possible, we started straight away. Our first port-of-ca ll was a few local wetlands to get our list off to a good start, first at the Metroplex Wetland, then at Minnippi Parklands. We quickly ticked off most of the common ducks, with Maned and Pacific Black Ducks both common, plus Eurasian Coots , Dusky Moorhens and Purple Swamphens . A few pairs of cute Australasian Grebes poked around the floating waterweeds, while in nearby woodland we picked up Pale-headed Rosella and frustratingly brief glimpses of a Tawny Grassbird .

Leaving the wetlands behind we started west, heading out to the Lockyer Valley, a well-known birding area just west of Brisbane. As well as being great for waterbirds, t he Lockyer Valley often holds a few inland birds which for some reason come closer to the coast here than is normal. After a we t summer I was worried many of the birds would have dispersed but we were in luck. Our The striking Pink-eared Duck. The p ink ‘ear’ is first stop at Lake Galletly was very very difficult to see – it’s just a little spot behind the eye. productive with the highlight being a crisp male Blue-billed Duck , while a dapper Pink-eared Duck was spied resting on the bank. There were plenty of Plumed Whistling -Ducks and Gray Teal around , as well as a few White-eyed Duck , known locally as ‘Hardhead’.

After picking up some lunch on the fly, we hit a small area of woodland. Here we picked up a late staying Dollarbird , who must hav e been at least thinking about heading north for the winter. A nearby wetland had a few Comb-crested Jacanas or ‘Lily-trotters’ running around on the floating vegetation, but the highlight of the stop was a distant but definite Black Falcon soaring over th e valley. Our next stop was Lake Clarendon where out on the lake were many majestic Black Swans , a large raft of Great-crested Grebes and more White- eyed Ducks . A small party of Gray-crowned Babblers were chasing each other around the picnic area, and we a lso spotted a Striped Honeyeater feeding quietly in the eucalypts at the lake’s edge.

With the afternoon getting on we had to leave the valley and make our way up into the heavily forested mountains behind Brisbane, where we were planning a little night bi rding. We managed to squeeze in a productive hour ’s birding in the subtropical rainforest at the top of the range before nightfall, picking up a few rainforest specialties like Yellow-throated Scrubwren , Eastern Yellow Robin and Large-billed Scrubwren . Aft er much effort we also www.tropicalbirding.com Page 2 of 21 managed to get cracking ‘scope views of a gorgeous male Scarlet Honeyeater , sitting up in the afternoon sun and showing off his blood red plumage.

After a picnic dinner and with darkness well and truly settled, we set about trying to track down some night birds. First cab off the rank was a cryptically coloured Tawny Frogmouth , who instead of sitting quietly in a tree was enjoying the warmth radiating off the road. After he flushed from in front of the car we jumped out and managed to spotlight him nearby, getting great views. Our attempt for Masked Owl was unfortunately a dip, and the hoped for Marbled Frogmouths didn’t eventuate either. It is not a great time of year for night birds, as they tend to become quiet with the onset of cold weather. We did manage to hear a nearby Sooty Owl , but unfortunately that was all. So, after a successful first day of birding we called it quits and headed back to Brisbane, resting up for our assault on the Tawny Frogmouth – one of Australia’s most arid inland. common night birds.

Day 2: Monday, 12th March – Brisbane to St George.

We made an early start, heading out to a wetland on Brisbane’s western outskirts where there had been recent reports of Australian Painted Snipe. As expected the snipe had moved on, along with most of the other waterbirds, but we still managed a few good birds in the rank grasslands surrounding the dam. We finally got ticakble views of Tawny Grassbird , and there were many Golden-headed Cisticolas giving their curious buzzing call from the grass. A flock of Chestnut-breasted Munias circled around and we also picked up a covey of Brown Quail scurrying off the road.

Continuing west we made a brief stop at Spicer’s Gap where we picked up several Satin Bowerbirds and more Scarlet Honeyeaters , along with a cute little Spectacled Monarch and a Rufous Fantail . On our way down from the gap we spotted a scruffy looking Pheasant Coucal crossing the road, followed shortly after by a skulking Buff-banded Rail which sauntered off into the long grass beside the road. Our next stop was at nearby Cunningham’s Gap where after a bit of effort we managed to add a pair of Musk Lorikeets to the list, plus Bell Miner and a friendly Olive-tailed Thrush . www.tropicalbirding.com Page 3 of 21

Pushing into the dry woodlands west of the Great Dividing Range, we made it to Durikai State Forest before lunchtime, and spent a fantastic couple of hours poking around this great forest, steadily adding to our list. Highlights included several species of honeyeater, with Yellow-tufted , Fuscous and Yellow-faced Honeyeaters all common, plus a small group of Brown-headed Honeyeaters . In the undergrowth we managed to find the rare Speckled Warbler , along with Yellow , Inland and Buff-rumped Thornbills . A few small parties of Varied Sitellas passed through, small insectivorous birds that seem to remind most visiting birders of nuthatches. Australia’s smallest , the Weebill , was Speckled Warbler, a classic species of the dry common and we also turned up a couple woodlands in Australia’s south-east. of very pretty Double-barred Finches . The last splash of colour was provided by a gaudy Eastern Rosella which quickly passed by.

After lunch we had to drag ourselves away from Durikai, and continued west to Lake Coolmunda and a local birdwatching hotspot, Mosquito Creek Road. Here we had great looks at our first Apostlebirds , along with both Yellow-throated and Noisy Miners , a great chance to compare these two similar species. We picked up our first real inland birds in the form of a gorgeous male White-winged Fairywren and a pair of shy Bluebonnets . Our final bird, which flushed from under our feet as we walked back to the car, was a single Squatter Pigeon . A rare bird in these parts, they are at the limit of their range here in southern Queensland. Unfortunately that was our birding done for the day, and we had to spend a couple of hours in the car making our way to St George, positioning ourselves for the push into the Mulgalands tomorrow.

Day 3: Tuesday, 13th March – St George to Cunnamulla.

We made a leisurely start to the day, and after breakfast at the local bakery packed up the car and got on our way towards Cunnamulla. We stopped to bird some of the dry woodland beside the road as we went, and started to pick up some more inland birds. Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters were common, and would be one of the most regularly seen birds for this section of the trip. We also picked up Singing Honeyeater , White-plumed Honeyeater and Little Friarbird . The highlight was our first male Hooded Robin , one of Australia’s www.tropicalbirding.com Page 4 of 21 quintessential dry country birds that has suffered terribly from land clearing. We made a couple more roadside stops, adding Little Woodswallow and a nesting White-necked Heron to the list, the heron guarding a few fluffy young chicks in its flimsy nest.

As we continued towards Cunnamulla we flushed several enormous Wedge-tailed Eagles off the road, with a few dark adults, but mostly lighter coloured immatures. We also picked up our first of what would be many Spotted Harriers floating lazily over the paddocks, again mostly immatures after what must have been a good breeding season. About 50kms short of Cunnamulla a possible Spotted Bowerbird had us jumping on the anchors, but these birds can be tricky to get onto, and this one gave us the slip. Not to worry though, we ended up with a couple of excellent consolation prizes, with our first male Splendid Fairywren , a bird that definitely lives up to its name. We also picked up Crested Bellbird , a bird that is often heard in these parts, but difficult to see. A mournful whistle had us scratching One of Australia’s best birds , a gorgeous our heads – I suspected Pied Honeyeater, male Splendid Fairywren. and had a heart flutter when a black-and- white bird about the right size flew past – but unfortunately it never returned, so we were left with a ‘possible’ on our lists.

With lunch approaching we pressed on to Cunnamulla and stopped for a bite to eat before checking in to our motel and resting up for a couple of hours. With the sun on the way down and things starting to cool down a little we got on the road west towards Eulo Bore for what turned out to be a very productive afternoon. A stop at a large cleared area for some small birds flitting across the road produced our first Zebra Finches , the first of many. Another small finch caught our attention, and we were pleased to pick up our only Plum-headed Finch for the trip, a beautifully plumaged adult. Surrounded by the ratchetty ‘wit-chy whee- dle’ call of Rufous Songlarks , we scanned around and were lucky enough to spot four small green parrots alight in the bare branches of a distant tree – Budgerigars ! This iconic Australian parrot is ten times better in the wild than in a cage. Before leaving, a fortunate detour into the grass to set up the scope on some flat ground flushed a Little Buttonquail , our only one for the trip.

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We were continuing out to Eulo Bore, when a stop for a perched Little Eagle turned out to be very fortuitous, as a small group of babblers was heard darting away through the thick mulga (a species of hardy acacia that dominates the vegetation out here). We chased them down and were lucky to pick up our only Hall’s Babblers for the trip, one of the specialties of this area. At Eulo Bore itself things were fairly quiet, but a bit of wandering around eventually produced the goods, with Diamond Doves , more Budgerigars , and many White- browed Woodswallows showing well, although try as we might, we couldn’t find any Masked Woodswallows among them. The highlight of the afternoon though, was a gorgeous pink and blue Bourke’s Parrot which eventually came in to drink, another of the sought after birds from this area. Our final new bird for the day was a stolid Red-backed Kingfisher , unperturbed by the car which pulled up right beside him as we were leaving Eulo Bore and heading back to Cunnamulla.

Hall’s Babbler is a mulga specialist which is endemic to this area of Australia.

Day 4: Wednesday, 14th March – Eulo Bore and Cunnamulla.

We were up early on our quest for more of the mulga specialties which we were out here to see, although plenty of birds on the way out kept catching our attention. Raptors were in abundance, and we rarely went more than a few minutes without seeing more Whistling and Black Kites , Brown Falcons and Australian Kestrels . A surprise for the morning was a tiny little Holy Cross Toad sitting in the middle of the road. These little guys spend most of their life buried beneath the sand, waiting for rain before coming to the surface to breed.

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This one was presumably up and about after the rain from the previous week, but quite why he was crossing the highway in broad daylight I’m not sure.

It’s not a golf ball dipped in fluro paint, it’s a Holy Cross Toad we found crossing the road near Cunnamulla. You can see the cross pattern on his back.

We made it to a stony ridgeline where we cast about looking for the shy and secretive Chestnut-breasted Quail-Thrush. We didn’t find any, but did get a nice group of very active Chestnut-crowned Babblers and a couple of Euros (a type of kangaroo) bouncing away into the mulga. After breakfast we made another short expedition but with no luck, so we backtracked to another stony ridge we had already passed. It looked like we were going to miss out there too, until a characteristic high-pitched ‘seeep’ just caught my ear. A few minutes later we had a smashing male Chestnut-breasted Quail-Thrush perched up in front of us giving great views, before coming to the ground and trotting around us showing off his fantastic chestnut, black and white plumage. Moving on, we returned to an area of thick mulga to search for our next mulga specialist, White-browed Treecreeper. We quickly picked up our first male Red-capped Robin for the trip, a very dapper little bird, then heard a distant White-browed Treecreeper . Moving towards the call we eventually came across one of these great little birds, perched quietly on a mulga tree, allowing nice close views. www.tropicalbirding.com Page 7 of 21

Having picked up our four main targets, we decided to head out to Eulo Bore for the rest of the morning. We saw a small party of Southern Whitefaces , plus many of the same birds we had already seen, including a great male Hooded Robin and more Budgerigars . We found a pair of Bourke’s Parrots , this time an adult feeding a still dependent f ledgling. We also picked up, a little unexpectedly, a cute little Chirruping Wedgebill with its wispy crest flicking in the breeze. With the day heating up we pushed on to the town of Eulo, where we found a Spotted Bowerbird in the main street before returning to Cunnamulla for lunch and a rest. On the way back we made a quick The subtle but beautiful Bourke’s Parrot. stop at the airport just to see what was around and were rewarded with nice views of a couple of Stubble Quail as they flushed from the long grass.

At about 3pm we headed back east, a s I was keen to try and find the suspected Pied Honeyeater from yesterday. We dipped on the honeyeater, but birded a likely looking road through some callitris woodland , ideal Pink Cockatoo habitat . A pair of gaudy Mallee Ringnecks was a nice find that sho wed well, but the undoubted highlight announced itself with a quavering cry as it flew in towards us. A magnificent Pink Cockatoo passed by, the bright pink underwings glowing in the evening sun. It might not be Australia’s best bird, but it definitely mak es the top ten! On that note we finished a very successful day and returned to Cunnamulla for a well deserved beer.

Day 5: Thursday, 15th March – Lake Bindegolly, and Cunnamulla to St George.

It was another early start was we made our way even further wes t to Lake Bindegolly for the morning. It took us a couple of hours to get out there, but we were rewarded with some fantastic birds on the way. We had barely left Cunnamulla before an Australian Bustard flew across the road, and as we approached Eulo had t o s top briefly for a pair of Pink Cockatoos feeding quietly beside the road . On arrival at the lake a small party of Variegated Fairywrens were feeding around the carpark as usual, although unfortunately none of the males were in breeding plumage. We also picked up our first Masked Woodswallow of the trip. These birds are usually in mixed flocks with White -browed Woodswallows, and I couldn’t believe how long it had taken us to find one given the number of White -broweds www.tropicalbirding.com Page 8 of 21 around. Although the lake was nearly full there weren’t many waterfowl, but there were Gull-billed and Caspian Terns fishing in the shallows. Following the edge of the lake we lucked on a small group of Crimson Chats , including a couple of nicely coloured males, a very pretty little bird. We flushed another chat from beside the lake, but this time an Orange Chat . Unfortunately it didn’t hang around, and we had to be satisfied with distant flight views.

Birding some of the roads near the lake produced our first Black-fronted Dotterels – I was very surprised it had taken us this long to get onto this little wader. A surprising find was a White-fronted Honeyeater , normally a difficult bird to come across out here, but unfortunately it didn’t hang around for extended views. Leaving the lake behind and making our way back towards Cunnamulla we continued to pick up some nice birds, including a few Black-tailed Native-Hens , darting across the road near some of the flooded creeks. Unfortunately the end of the inland section of our birding adventure was coming to a close, and as the day heated up, we returned to Cunnamulla for lunch, before the long drive to St George where we stayed for the night.

We found a small group of these cute Black-fronted Dotterels on the edge of Lake Bindegolly.

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Day 6: Friday, 16th March – St George to Gympie.

Today was a travel day, so after a couple of early mornings we made a (relatively) late start, leaving St George on our way to the coast. It took us most of the day and there wasn’t much birding, although we did make a stop in the afternoon at a wetland near Gympie. Packed with floating lilies, it looked an ideal spot for a bird we still needed, and sure enough there were a couple of pairs of Cotton Pygmy-geese foraging on the pond, along with both Plumed and Wandering Whistling-Ducks . After arriving in Gympie and checking into our accommodation we decided to make a dash for Inskip Point where we would still have an hour or so of daylight for birding.

We headed straight to the end of the point, wandering slowly through the littoral rainforest searching for the shy Black-breasted Buttonquail. We got to the end of the point having had no luck with the quail, but did find several groups of waders waiting for us. Sifting through them we turned up both Lesser and Greater Sand-Plovers in breeding plumage, Red-capped and Double banded Plovers . There was also a large flock of terns, producing Great Crested , Common , Caspian , Gull-billed and Little Terns . Moving back through the forest it was getting quite dark, but some movement in the undergrowth caught our eye. Manoeuvring into a better position we eventually got extended views of a striking female Black-breasted Buttonquail , before she toddled off into the undergrowth. On that note we called it a day and returned to Rainbow Beach for a delicious dinner of local fish and chips, then it was back to Gympie for the night.

Day 7: Saturday, 17th March – Cooloola National Park, and Inskip Point to Brisbane.

Our final full day of birding saw us returning to Rainbow Beach, stopping briefly to watch a Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo on the way. After breakfast in Rainbow Beach we went to a local patch of subtropical rainforest where I was hoping to find a few rainforest pigeons. Within seconds of getting out of the car we could hear pigeons calling all around us, and we quickly picked up our first Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves , high in the canopy. They were a bit skittish, but we still obtained good views. While watching them, another large fruit-dove landed nearby, and we were soon watching a trio of Wompoo Fruit-Doves , an absolutely gorgeous bird. I We were lucky to find a few Rose-crowned couldn’t believe we’d seen both of these Fruit-Doves around Rainbow Beach. www.tropicalbirding.com Page 10 of 21 within seconds of arriving! We wandered around a while longer and picked up a few more good birds, with a beautiful male Golden Whistler coming in to investigate, while a flock of Red-browed Firetails fed by the side of the road.

We returned to Inskip Point to see what else might be around, and of course after our efforts yesterday, found a pair of confiding Black-breasted Buttonquails within minutes. The tide was lower than yesterday, and as we moved out of the forest onto the sand flats soon picked up our next target, Beach Thick-knee . The bird seemed quite agitated, and was calling insistently as campers and fishermen walked past, a fair indication that it had a nest or young nearby, so after good views we left it in peace. Moving back into the forest we found a fig tree that was in fruit and bringing in the birds. Sitting back and watching the action allowed us to see Varied Triller , Mangrove Honeyeater , Spectacled Monarch , Rufous Fantail , Rufous Shrike-Thrush , Fairy Gerygone and finally another Rose-crowned Fruit- Dove , all arriving to feast on the fruits. Quite happy with our morning’s effort, we decided to move on back towards Brisbane.

The unusual Beach Thick-knee is fairly reliable at Inskip Point on a low tide.

Unfortunately it looked like threatening rain as we moved south, and after a quick stop at Alexandra Headland to get Sooty Oystercatcher , the rain started to come down. After a short break in Mooloolaba for lunch the rain stopped for about an hour as we arrived at our next stop near Caboolture. We used the break to pick up a couple of new birds, including Black-chinned Honeyeater , quite a rare bird this side of the dividing range. We also found a www.tropicalbirding.com Page 11 of 21 pair of White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrikes , one dark phase bird confusing us momentarily. Pressing on the rain started again, getting heavier this time. Still it didn’t deter us as we kept trying to add new birds from the car. We met success, finding a pair of bedraggled Glossy Black-Cockatoos feeding quietly in some casuarinas, but as the rain got heavier again, we decided that would be a good bird to finish the day on, so returned to Brisbane. After a couple of hours off in the afternoon we celebrated our last night of the trip with a delicious Thai dinner before one last bird for the day, a family group of the lanky and nocturnal Bush Thick-knee at the local university grounds.

Day 8: Sunday, 18th March –Brisbane.

There was a couple of hours in the morning before departing Brisbane, so we made use of it to get one last bird, the fairly drab little Mangrove Gerygone , which is quite easy to find near the airport. That was our last bird of the trip, and a fantastic trip it was. From the subtropical rainforests of the coastal ranges, to the mulga and arid grasslands of the interior and back again, we had covered a lot of ground and seen some spectacular birds. We covered a range of Australia’s inland specialties, from enormous Emus to tiny little Zebra Finches, and the understated White-browed Treecreeper through to the gaudy Mallee Ringneck. This short little trip is great for anyone who has been to Australia before and is looking to get off the beaten track. With some great seasons over the past few years the inland is looking green and there are birds everywhere, so now is the time to come along!

BIRD LIST

This list includes all the bird species that were recorded on the trip. and nomenclature closely follow the latest Clements updates. Parentheses denote an alternate name used by some checklists.

Total: 244 species, including six heard only (H) and six seen only by the guide (G).

EMU: Dromaiidae 1. Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae

DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS: Anatidae 2. Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata 3. Plumed Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna eytoni 4. Wandering Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna arcuata 5. Black Swan Cygnus atratus 6. Cottom Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus 7. Maned Duck Chenonetta jubata 8. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 9. Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa www.tropicalbirding.com Page 12 of 21

10. Australian Shoveler Anas rhynchotis 11. Gray Teal Anas gracilis 12. Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus 13. White-eyed Duck Aythya australis 14. Blue-billed Duck Oxyura australis

PHEASANTS, GROUSE AND ALLIES: Phasianidae 15. Stubble Quail Coturnix pectoralis 16. Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora

GREBES: Podicipedidae 17. Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae 18. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

CORMORANTS AND SHAGS: Phalacrocoracidae 19. Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris 20. Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 21. Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius 22. Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos

ANHINGAS: Anhingidae 23. Darter Anhinga melanogaster

PELICANS: Pelecanidae 24. Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus

HERONS, EGRETS AND BITTERNS: Ardeidae 25. Pacific Heron Ardea pacifica 26. Great Egret Ardea alba 27. Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia 28. White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae 29. Little Egret Egretta garzetta 30. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

IBIS AND SPOONBILLS: Threskiornithidae 31. Australian Ibis Threskiornis molucca 32. Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis 33. Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia 34. Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platalea flavipes

HAWKS, EAGLES AND KITES: Accipitridae 35. Australian Kite Elanus axillaris 36. Black Kite Milvus migrans 37. Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus 38. White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster 39. Swamp Harrier Circus approximans 40. Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis www.tropicalbirding.com Page 13 of 21

41. Brown Goshawk Accipter fasciatus 42. Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus 43. Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax 44. Little Eagle Aquila morphnoides

FALCONS AND CARACARAS: Falconidae 45. Australian Kestrel Falco cenchroides 46. Australian Hobby Falco longipennis 47. Brown Falcon Falco berigora 48. Black Falcon Falco subniger

RAILS, GALLINULES AND COOTS: Rallidae 49. Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus phillippensis 50. Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio 51. Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa 52. Black-tailed Native-hen Gallinula ventralis 53. Eurasian Coot Fulica atra

BUSTARDS: Otididae 54. Australian Bustard Ardeotis australis

CRANES: Gruidae 55. Brolga Grus rubicunda

THICK-KNEES: Burhinidae 56. Bush Thick-knee Burhinus grallarius 57. Beach Thick-knee Esacus magnirostris

PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS: Charadriidae 58. Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles 59. Lesser Sand-Plover Charadrius mongolus 60. Greater Sand-Plover Charadrius leschenaultia 61. Double-banded Plover Charadrius bicinctus 62. Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus 63. Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops

STILTS AND AVOCETS: Recurvirostridae 64. Pied Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus

JACANAS: Jacanidae 65. Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacean

BUTTONQUAIL: Turnicidae 66. Gray-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes 67. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 68. Whimbrel Numenius paheopus 69. Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis www.tropicalbirding.com Page 14 of 21

70. Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica 71. Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis

BUTTONQUAIL: Turnicidae 72. Black-breasted Buttonquail Turnix melanogaster 73. Little Buttonquail Turnix velox

GULLS, TERNS AND SKIMMERS: Laridae 74. Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae 75. Little Tern Sternula albifrons 76. Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica 77. Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 78. Common Tern Sterna hirundo 79. Great Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii

PIGEONS AND DOVES: Columbidae 80. Rock Pigeon Columba livia 81. White-headed Pigeon Columba leucomela 82. Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis 83. Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera 84. Crested Pigeon Geophaps lophotes 85. Squatter Pigeon Geophaps scripta 86. Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata 87. Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida 88. Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis 89. Wompoo Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus magnificus 90. Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus regina 91. Topknot Pigeon Lopholaimus antarcticus

COCKATOOS: Cacatuidae 92. Glossy Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus lathami 93. Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus 94. Pink Cockatoo Cacatua leadbeateri 95. Galah Eolophus roseicapilla 96. Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea 97. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita 98. Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus

PARROTS: Psittacidae 99. Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus 100. Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus 101. Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna 102. Little Lorikeet (G) Glossopsitta pusilla 103. Mallee Ringneck Barnardius barnardi 104. Crimson Rosella (G) Platycercus elegans 105. Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius 106. Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus www.tropicalbirding.com Page 15 of 21

107. Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus 108. Mulga Parrot Psephotus varius 109. Bluebonnet Northiella haematogaster 110. Bourke’s Parrot Neophema bourkii 111. Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus 112. Australian King-Parrot (G) Alisterus scapularis 113. Red-winged Parrot Aprosmictus erythropterus

CUCKOOS: Cuculidae 114. Pallid Cuckoo Cuculus pallidus 115. Brush Cuckoo (G) Cacomantis variolosus 116. Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae 117. Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianinus

BARN-OWLS: Tytonidae 118. Sooty-Owl (H) Tyto tenebricosa

FROGMOUTHS: Podargidae 119. Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides

KINGFISHERS: Alcedinidae 120. Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae 121. Red-backed Kingfisher Todiramphus pyrrhopygius 122. Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus

BEE-EATERS: Meropidae 123. Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus

ROLLERS: Coraciidae 124. Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis

BOWERBIRDS: Ptilonorhynchidae 125. Green Catbird (H) Ailuroedus crassitrostris 126. Satin Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus violaceus 127. Spotted Bowerbird Chlamydera maculata

AUSTRALASIAN TREECREEPERS: Climacteridae 128. White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea 129. White-browed Treecreeper Climacteris affinis 130. Brown Treecreeper Climacteris picumnus

FAIRYWRENS: Maluridae 131. Red-backed Fairywren Malurus melanocephalus 132. White-winged Fairywren Malurus leucopterus 133. Superb Fairywren Malurus cyaneus 134. Splendid Fairywren Malurus splendens 135. Variegated Fairywren Malurus lamberti www.tropicalbirding.com Page 16 of 21

HONEYEATERS: Meliphagidae 136. Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii 137. Yellow-faced Honeyeater Lichenostomus chrysops 138. Mangrove Honeyeater Lichenostomus fasciogularis 139. Singing Honeyeater Lichenostomus virescens 140. Yellow-tufted Honeyeater Lichenostomus melanops 141. Fuscous Honeyeater Lichenostomus fuscus 142. White-plumed Honeyeater Lichenostomus penicillatus 143. White-fronted Honeyeater (G) Purnella albifrons 144. Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys 145. Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala 146. Yellow-throated Miner Manorina flavigula 147. Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthagenys rufogularis 148. Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera 149. Crimson Chat Epthianura tricolor 150. Orange Chat Epthianura aurifrons 151. Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta 152. Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistinct 153. White-cheeked Honeyeater Phylidonyris niger 154. Black-chinned Honeyeater Melithreptus gularis 155. Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris 156. Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis 157. Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis 158. Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus 159. Striped Honeyeater Plectorhyncha lanceolata

PARDALOTES: Pardalotidae 160. Spotted Pardalote (H) Pardalotus punctatus 161. Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus

THORNBILLS AND ALLIES: Acanthizidae 162. Yellow-throated Scrubwren Sericornis citreogularis 163. White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis 164. Large-billed Scrubwren Sericornis magnirostra 165. Speckled Warbler Pyrrholaemus sagittatus 166. Buff-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza reguloides 167. Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla 168. Inland Thornbill Acanthiza apicalis 169. Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa 170. Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza uropygialis 171. Yellow Thornbill Acanthiza nana 172. Striated Thornbill Acanthiza lineata 173. Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris 174. Fairy Gerygone Gerygone palpebrosa 175. White-throated Gerygone (H) Gerygone olivacea 176. Brown Gerygone Gerygone mouki 177. Mangrove Gerygone Gerygone levigaster www.tropicalbirding.com Page 17 of 21

178. Southern Whiteface Aphelocephala leucopsis

PSEUDO-BABBLERS: Pomatostomidae 179. Gray-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis 180. Hall’s Babbler Pomatostomus halli 181. Chestnut-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus ruficeps

WHIPBIRDS AND WEDGEBILLS: 182. Eastern Whipbird olivaceus 183. Chirruping Wedgebill Psophodes cristatus

QUAIL-THRUSHES AND JEWEL-BABBLERS: Cinclosomatidae 184. Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush Cinclosoma castaneothorax

WOODSWALLOWS: Artamidae 185. White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus 186. Masked Woodswallow Artamus personatus 187. White-browed Woodswallow Artamus superciliosus 188. Black-faced Woodswallow Artamus cinereus 189. Little Woodswallow Artamus minor

BELLMAGPIES AND ALLIES: Cracticidae 190. Gray Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus 191. Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis 192. Australasian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen 193. Pied Currawong Strepera graculina

CUCKOO-SHRIKES: Campephagidae 194. Ground Cuckoo-shrike (G) Coracina maxima 195. Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae 196. White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Coracina papuensis 197. White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor 198. Varied Triller Lalage leucomela

SITELLAS: Neosittidae 199. Varied Sittella Neositta chrysoptera

WHISTLERS AND ALLIES: Pachycephalidae 200. Crested Bellbird Oreoica gutturalis 201. Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis 202. Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris 203. Rufous Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla megarhyncha 204. Grey Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla harmonica

OLD WORLD ORIOLES: Oriolidae 205. Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus 206. Australasian Figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti www.tropicalbirding.com Page 18 of 21

DRONGOS: Dicruridae 207. Spangled Drongo (H) Dicrurus bracteatus

FANTAILS: Rhipiduridae 208. Willie-wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys 209. Gray Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa 210. Rufous Fantail Rhipidura rufifrons

MONARCH-FLYCATCHERS: Monarchidae 211. Spectacled Monarch Monarcha trivirgatus 212. Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca 213. Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula 214. Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta

CROWS, JAYS AND MAGPIES: Corvidae 215. Torresian Crow Corvus orru 216. Australian Raven Corvus coronoides

WHITE-WINGED CHOUGH AND APOSTLEBIRD: Corcoracidae 217. White-winged Chough Corcorax melanorhamphos 218. Apostlebird Struthidea cinerea

AUSTRALASIAN ROBINS: Petroicidae 219. Jacky-winter Microeca fascinans 220. Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii 221. Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata 222. Pale-yellow Robin Tregellasia capito 223. Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis

SWALLOWS: Hirundinidae 224. Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena 225. Fairy Martin Petrochelidon ariel 226. Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans

REED-WARBLERS AND ALLIES: Acrocephalidae 227. Australian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus australis

GRASSBIRDS AND ALLIES: Megaluridae 228. Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis 229. Little Grassbird (H) Megalurus gramineus 230. Brown Songlark Cincloramphus cruralis 231. Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi

CISTICOLAS AND ALLIES: Cisticolidae 232. Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis

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THRUSHES AND ALLIES: Turdidae 233. Olive-tailed (Bassian) Thrush Zoothera lunulata

WHITE-EYES: Zosteropidae 234. Silver-eye Zosterops lateralis

STARLINGS: Sturnidae 235. Common Myna Acridotheres tristis 236. European Starling Sturnus vulgaris

FLOWERPECKERS: Dicaeidae 237. Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum

WAGTAILS AND PIPITS: Motacillidae 238. Australasian Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae

OLD WORLD SPARROWS: Passeridae 239. House Sparrow Passer domesticus

WAXBILLS AND ALLIES: Estrildidae 240. Red-browed Firetail Neochmia temporalis 241. Plum-headed Finch Neochmia modesta 242. Zebra Finch Taeniopygia castanotis 243. Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii 244. Chestnut-breasted Munia Lonchura castaneothorax

MAMMAL LIST 1. Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula 2. Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus 3. Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus 4. Red Kangaroo Macropus rufus 5. Euro (Common Wallaroo) Macropus robustus 6. Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus 7. Black (Swamp) Wallaby Wallabia bicolour 8. Red-necked Pademelon Thylogale thetis 9. Little Red Flying-fox Pteropus scapulatus 10. Red Fox Vulpes vulpes

REPTILE LIST 1. Macquarie Turtle Emydura macquarii 2. Shingleback Tiliqua rugosa 3. Eastern Blue-tongue Tiliqua scincoides 4. Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii 5. Common Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata 6. Sand Goanna Varanus gouldii www.tropicalbirding.com Page 20 of 21

7. Lace Monitor Varanus varius 8. Green Tree Snake Dendrelaphis punctulata 9. Eastern Small-eyed Snake Cryptophis nigrescens

BUTTERFLY LIST 1. Green Triangle Graphium macfarlanei 2. Orchard Swallowtail Papilio aegeus 3. Chequered Swallowtail Papilio demoleus 4. Black Jezebel Delias nigrina 5. Caper White Belenois java 6. Evening Brown Melanitis leda 7. Meadow Argus Junonia villida 8. Common Crow Euploea core 9. Lesser Wanderer Danaus chrysippus 10. Monarch Danaus plexippus

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