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Australia Photo Journey: August - September 2017

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Australia Photo Journey: August - September 2017 Tropical Birding Trip Report Australia Photo Journey: August - September 2017 A Tropical Birding SET DEPARTURE tour Australia Photo Journey 21st August – 5th September 2017 One of the most spectacular birds in Australia, the Southern Cassowary who was also bird of the trip. Tour Leader: Laurie Ross (co-guided by George Lin) All photos in this report were taken by Laurie Ross / Tropical Birding. 1 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Page Tropical Birding Trip Report Australia Photo Journey: August - September 2017 INTRODUCTION: We started the Australia Photo Tour in the beautiful city of Cairns, Far North Queensland. On the first leg of the tour we found ourselves wedged between the Great Barrier Reef (one of the worlds largest living organisms), and the lush Daintree Rainforest (one of the worlds oldest rainforests). We start the tour on the mudflats of the Cairns Esplanade which was full of shorebirds, followed by the lush Botanic Gardens where we found a pair of nesting Rufous Owls and Little Kingfisher, Australias smallest. We then spent a day out on the Great Barrier Reef where we got up close and personal with Brown Booby’s and Sooty Terns. Next, we spent time in the thick Tropical Rainforest of Kuranda and the Daintree where we found Southern Cassowary and Great-billed Heron. We ended this leg on the Atherton Tablelands where we found great birds such as Red-tailed Black Cockatoos and the super cool Squatter Pigeons. The second leg took us to Brisbane, here we slowly made our way from the Coast to the Outback. We started the tour near the city where we found a day roosting Powerful Owl holding a flyingfox (large bat) in its talons. The main destination for this leg was the famous Bowra Station, amazing open plains and Mulga Scrub, this is great country for bird photography. Here we found Mulga Parrots, Bourke’s Parrots and Major Mitchell’s Cockatoos. By day five of this leg we were in the thick rainforest of Lamington National Park and the famous O’Reilly’s Rainforest Lodge, here we found some spectacular birds like Regent & Satin Bowerbirds, Alberts Lyrebird, King Parrot and Crimson Rosellas. The third and final leg of the tour took us far south to the incredible island of Tasmania. The first day we explored the reserves around Hobart including Mount Wellington and the local waterworks; here we found all of Tasmanias Robin species, Grey Currawong, Short-beaked Echidna and Tasmanian Pademelon. Our second day in Tasmania and last day of the tour we ventured down to the stunning Bruny Island, highlights here were the albino Bennett’s Wallaby, Hooded Plover, Pacific Gull, Green Rosella and the rare Forty-spotted Pardalote. TOP BIRDS & MAMMALS OF THE TRIP: Its always hard for the group to pick their top five targets from this photography trip, and this trip was next level with birds such as Southern Cassowary, Bourke’s Parrot, Splendid Fairywren, Rufous Owl, Powerful Owl, Alberts Lyrebird, Pink Robin, Flame Robin, Regent Bowerbird and mamals such as Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo, Koala, Whiptail Wallaby and Boyd’s Forest Dragon. All making it near impossible to pick a top five but after some deliberation we decided on: TOP 5 BIRDS 1 - Southern Cassowary 2 - Victoria’s Riflebird 3 - Papuan Frogmouth 4 – Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo 5 – Powerful Owl 2 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Page Tropical Birding Trip Report Australia Photo Journey: August - September 2017 TOP 3 MAMMALS 1 – Platypus 2 – Koala 3 – Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo ITINERARY 21st August Arrival in Cairns; afternoon birding in Cairns (Queensland). 22st August The Great Barrier Reef to Kuranda (Queensland). 23st August Cassowary House to Daintree (Queensland). 24st August Daintree River Cruise; Daintree to Mareeba (Queensland). 25th August Rainforest to Outback (Queensland). 26th August Hypipamee National Park to Cairns (Queensland). 27th August Cairns to Goondiwindi (Queensland) 28th August To the Southern Outback – Goondiwindi to Warrego (Queensland). 29th August Bowra Station (Queensland). 30th August Outback to the Western Plains (Queensland). 31st August Rangelands to Lamington National Park (Queensland). 1st September Lamington National Park – O’Reilly’s Rainforest Lodge (Queensland). 2nd September Lamington National Park to Tasmania. 3rd September Hobart and Mount Wellington (Tasmania). 4th September Hobart and Bruny Island (Tasmania). 5th September Departure from Hobart (Tasmania). 3 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Page Tropical Birding Trip Report Australia Photo Journey: August - September 2017 TOUR SUMMARY DAY ONE (21st August): Cairns City; After meeting in the foyer of the hotel with cameras ready to go we headed over to start the tour at the George Brown Botanic Gardens, I had done a quick reconicince earlier in the day and found some great birds so I hoped that they had stuck around for the group. First stop was a roosting Papuan Frogmouth that I had been told about. She wasn’t in the best place for a photo but still a great bird to start the afternoon. Parking the car we headed over to the freshwater lakes, here we were greeted by a lumbering Australian Brush Turkey, this large and very interesting bird was quite used to people and posed for some nice photos, in the lakes themselves we found Pacific Black Ducks, Radjah Shelduck, White Ibis, Magpie Geese and a lone Dusky Morehen. Around the edge of the lake we were very lucky to find a Little Kingfisher sitting quietly in the shade and a posing male Olive- backed Sunbird and a Little Bronze-cuckoo. Australia’s smallest Kingfisher, the Little Kingfisher seen at the Cairns Botanic Gardens At the other end of the gardnes near the salt-water lakes we found a roosting family of Bush-stone Curlews sitting in some amazing afternoon sunlight. Also, a nesting pair of Double-eyed Fig Parrots 4 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Page Tropical Birding Trip Report Australia Photo Journey: August - September 2017 with an eye-level nest, the female sat at the nest entrance for a few minutes providing killer views of this beautiful little parrot. After a great photography session at the Botanic Gardens we headed over to a local park where I had been told some rare Rufous Owls were nesting. Arriving at the tree we were greeted by the peaceful sound (Not really) of squawking Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, this was a good sign the Owl must be up there somewhere. I quickly scanned the tree and half way up looking right back down at me was this huge male Rufous Owl, awesome. In the same area we also had our first views of Rainbow Lorikeets who were nesting in one of the smaller tree hollows, Dusky Myzomela and Yellow Honeyeater hanging out in the same tree. After a delicious meal at a local Italian restaurant we headed off to bed dreaming of what the Great Barrier Reef would hold for us tomorrow. The male Rufous Owl showing off for the cameras. DAY TWO (22nd August): Michaelmas Cay; This morning we were booked on with Sea Star Cruises to cruise out to Michaelmas Cay on the Great Barrier Reef, we enjoyed breakfast at the hotel before packing the van and heading 5 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Page Tropical Birding Trip Report Australia Photo Journey: August - September 2017 down to the docks to meet the boat crew by 7.30am. We had picked a spectacular day to head out, the weather was amazing and we had very little wind. Arriving at Michaelmas Cay around 9.30am, the whole island was alive with birds so we quickly loaded onto a small boat and were transferred over to the Cay and close to all the action. This photo shows you just how close your get to Brown Booby’s on Michaelmas Cay. The Cay was covered with birds, we were greeted by big number of both nesting Brown Noddy’s and Sooty Terns along with good numbers of Brown Booby, Great Crested Terns, a single Ruddy Turnstone and a small gang of Greater Frigate Birds which were on the hunt for breakfast. The photo opportunities here are amazing with birds going about their day like we weren’t there which is incredible. After a very productive morning we headed back to the boat for some lunch then cruised over to Hastings Reef for some snorkeling, everyone on the tour was keen to get wet and had a great time seeing what was below the surface. 6 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Page Tropical Birding Trip Report Australia Photo Journey: August - September 2017 This Great Frigatebird was out looking for breakfast making for great photo opportunities. We arrived back in Cairns around 4.30pm and decided to go and try our luck at one of Australia’s best-looking shorebirds, the Beach Stone-curlew. Pulling up to an area I had seen this bird previously we straightaway had one standing out in the open, what a treat. We also had a pair of Black-fronted Dotterels wandering around just in front of us. Last spot for the day was the Northern end of Cairns Esplanade, here we found some very active Varied Honeyeaters providing a couple of nice photos and a stunning Rose-crowned Fruit-dove sitting quietly in a Fig Tree, great bird to end the day on. It was now time to have dinner and make our way up to Cassowary House and our accommodation for the night. 7 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Page Tropical Birding Trip Report Australia Photo Journey: August - September 2017 The Sooty Terns on Michaelmas Cay always show off in front of the cameras.
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