1 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary: Eastern Australia Australia Eastern 20144.pdf · 1 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary: Eastern Australia ... 2 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary:

1 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary: Eastern Australia

EASTERN AUSTRALIAMain Tour Duration: 21 daysOutback Queensland Extension: 13 daysGroup Size Limit: 10Tour Category: Easy for the most part, occasionally Moderate

This exciting tour has been specifically designed to concentrate on the many endemic specialties of the eastern region of Australia. Eastern Australia is one of several classic Birdquests that between them cover every corner of Australia and achieve a level of coverage of its specialities that is unequalled. Our journey begins at Sydney, where we will commence our explorations of the attractive woodlands and heathlands of the New South Wales coast, reaching as far south as the Kiama area. Here we will have a good chance to find Powerful Owl, Superb Lyrebird, Southern Emu-wren, Rockwarbler and the endangered Eastern Bristlebird. Afterwards we will move inland in order to explore the dry eucalyptus woodlands of the western slopes of the Blue Mountains, famous for Turquoise Parrot, Regent Honeyeater and Plum-

headed Finch, and also home to many other species. From the Sydney region we will head northwards to Swansea, from where we will take a boat out to the edge of the continental shelf in search of pelagic seabirds ranging from huge albatrosses to the uncommon Gould’s Petrel and tiny storm-petrels. We will also explore a fine area in the coastal ranges where the elusive Rufous Scrub-bird, one of only two members of this little-known family, can be seen, and look for other good birds ranging from Greater Sooty Owl to Spotted Quail-thrush. Next we travel northwards to Brisbane in the southeastern corner of Queensland, from where we will drive up into the coastal mountain range and stay in the very midst of the magnificent subtropical rainforests of Lamington National Park. Here we will be seeking out a wonderful selection of forest birds including the localized Albert’s Lyrebird, the secretive Australian Frogmouth (now better treated as a separate species from Marbled), the gorgeous Noisy Pitta, the amusing Australian Logrunner, splendid Satin and Regent

Bowerbirds, and the beautiful Paradise Riflebird. Around Brisbane itself, or further up the coast, White-throated Nightjar, Mangrove Honeyeater and even Black-breasted Button-quail will be on the menu. Moving northwards once more, we will stop off at Mackay to look for the relatively recently-described Eungella Honeyeater and the strange Platypus. The greatest highlight of the tour will surely be our time in the rich tropical rainforests and coastal habitats of northern Queensland. At Cairns we will admire the wonderful selection of shorebirds and other waterbirds on the coastal mudflats, as well as look for such species as the huge and impressive Southern Cassowary, the much sought-after Rufous Owl and the restricted-range Varied Honeyeater. Finally, we shall explore the rainforests and dry eucalypt woodlands of the Jullaten and Mount Carbine regions, situated immediately south of the Cape York Peninsula, where Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Spotted Catbird and Victoria’s Riflebird will compete for our attentions with the secretive Fernwren and enormous birdwing

Australia, the smallest continent or the largest island on earth, depending on how you like to look at it, has been cut off from the rest of the world for more than sixty million years and as a result has evolved a remarkable and unique flora and fauna. The birdlife has followed its own evolutionary path and Australia has more endemic bird species (over 300) than any other country and many bird families which are entirely restricted to it or which do not extend beyond Australasia. Australia’s immense geographical area means that it is simply impossible to see the great majority of its endemic birds during a single visit of just a few weeks, so it is far more sensible to regard the island continent as a place where one should make two or more visits. Superb, mostly easy, birding combined with good travelling conditions make for an unforgettable experience.

Regent Bowerbird (Nik Borrow)


butterflies. Amongst the many other good birds in this area are Australian Bustard, Squatter Pigeon, Lesser Sooty Owl, the gorgeous Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, the aptly-named Lovely Fairy-wren, Atherton Scrubwren, Mountain Thornbill, Macleay’s and Bridled Honeyeaters, Chowchilla, Bower’s Shrike-thrush, Pale-yellow, Grey-headed and White-browed Robins, the elusive Golden Bowerbird and the uncommon and much-sought-after Black-throated Finch. During the Outback Queensland extension we shall explore some wild, lonely country in the far north and west of Queensland. Initially we will head north into the remote Cape York Peninsula to look for two highly localized and much sought-after endemics, White-streaked Honeyeater and the beautiful but endangered Golden-shouldered Parrot, as well as Black-backed Butcherbird and Tropical Scrubwren. After returning to Cairns we fly to Mount Isa in far western Queensland, where we will be hoping to track down Carpentarian and Kalkadoon Grasswrens, and

Spotted Bowerbird. Finally we will travel to the remote, semidesert region around Cunnamulla in southwestern Queensland, home to Bourke’s Parrot, White-browed Treecreeper and the localized Hall’s Babbler and Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush. Birdquest has operated tours to Australia since 1985.

Itinerary

Day 1 The tour begins this evening at Sydney, where we will stay for two nights.

Day 2 This morning we will explore Royal National Park, an extensive tract of ‘bush’ right on the edge of the city. The park was badly damaged during the bush fires of 2001, but as usual in Australia, where the forest is adapted to fires, the vegetation has since made a dramatic recovery. Here we will be concentrating on finding the strange Rockwarbler (or Origma), a species restricted to sandstone outcrops in the forest. Other species of interest in the eucalypt forest and the heathland include the smart Wonga Pigeon and the shy Chestnut-rumped Heathwren. We also have a first chance of coming across the remarkable

Superb Lyrebird, which is not uncommon in the park. Later we will pay a brief visit to the waterfront in Sydney to admire the world famous view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House en route to a regular daytime roost of the impressive Powerful Owl. More widespread birds we should see today include Little Pied Cormorant, Australian White Ibis, Pacific Black and Maned (or Australian Wood) Ducks, Dusky Moorhen, Australian Swamphen (split from Purple), Silver Gull, the introduced Spotted Dove, Crested Pigeon, Little Corella, the raucous Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian King Parrot, Crimson and Eastern Rosellas, the huge Laughing Kookaburra, Azure Kingfisher, Dollarbird, White-throated Treecreeper, the bulky Satin Bowerbird, Superb Fairy-wren, White-browed Scrubwren, Brown Gerygone, Striated and Brown Thornbills, Spotted Pardalote, Lewin’s, Yellow-faced, Tawny-crowned and New Holland Honeyeaters, Eastern Spinebill, Red Wattlebird, the appropriately-named Noisy Miner, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Common Golden and Rufous Whistlers, Grey Shrike-thrush, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Leaden Flycatcher, Australian Raven, the strange Magpie-lark, Eastern Yellow Robin, Welcome Swallow and the introduced Common Myna.

Day 3 Early this morning we will head south to the Kiama area for an overnight stay. The wild coastal heathlands of Barren Grounds Nature Reserve are famous as one of the last strongholds of the critically endangered Eastern Bristlebird, which we will concentrate on locating. With persistence we have a good chance of seeing this generally shy species. We will also be hoping for Fan-

tailed Cuckoo, the delightful little Southern Emu-wren, Brush Wattlebird and, with luck, Pilotbird. In another area of heathland we will search for the uncommon and retiring Ground Parrot (which we will need some luck to see).

Day 4 After some final birding at Barren Grounds or elsewhere in the Kiama area we will head inland to Lithgow for a two nights stay. Late this afternoon we will visit a small wetland area where we may well find the nomadic Pink-eared Duck and the localized Blue-billed Duck, as well as Hoary-headed Grebe, Australasian Shoveler, Grey and Chestnut Teals, Hardhead, Common (or Eurasian) Coot, Masked Lapwing and Australian Reed Warbler.

Day 5 The country around Glen Davis consists of rather dry, rugged sandstone hills and open eucalyptus woodland. The area is notable for Turquoise Parrot, Regent Honeyeater and Plum-headed Finch, all three rather localized species of erratic occurrence. While looking for these sought-after birds (we should see two of them, at least), we should also come across Eastern Shrike-tit and, with a great deal of luck, the rare Painted Honeyeater or a Speckled Warbler. Common and widespread species typical of the bird-rich Glen Davis area include Australasian Grebe, White-faced Heron, Straw-necked Ibis, Australian (or Black-shouldered) Kite, Brown Goshawk, the impressive Wedge-tailed Eagle, Little Eagle, Brown Falcon, Nankeen (or Australian) Kestrel, Painted Button-quail, Black-fronted Dotterel, Common Bronzewing, Peaceful Dove, Galah (a widespread yet beautiful cockatoo), Little Lorikeet, Red-rumped Parrot, Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo, Sacred Kingfisher, Brown Treecreeper, Yellow-rumped

Superb Lyrebird (Michael Hodgson)


and Yellow Thornbills, Southern Whiteface, Striated Pardalote, Yellow-tufted, Fuscous, White-plumed, Black-chinned and White-naped Honeyeaters, the rather grotesque Noisy Friarbird, White-browed Babbler, Varied Sittella, White-winged Triller, Olive-backed Oriole, Masked, White-browed and Dusky Woodswallows, Pied and Grey Butcherbirds, Restless Flycatcher, the strange White-winged Chough, Jacky Winter, Hooded Robin, Tree and Fairy Martins, Rufous Songlark, Mistletoebird, Zebra, Double-barred and Red-browed Finches, the smart Diamond Firetail and Australasian Pipit. We also have a good chance of seeing the strange Australian Owlet-Nightjar at a daytime roost and perhaps also Striped Honeyeater. Mammals seem thin on the ground here, but should include Eastern Grey Kangaroo.

Day 6 After some final birding in the Glen Davis area we will head northeast to Swansea, a small town situated just to the south of Newcastle, for a two nights stay. We should arrive in time for some initial exploration.

Day 7 Today we will travel by boat out to the edge of the continental shelf in search of pelagic seabirds. Australia has a marvellous variety of seabirds in its coastal waters and we are likely to enjoy a spectacular and unforgettable performance during our hours at sea. Huge albatrosses are regularly in view, borne aloft on the wind before banking away across the waves, Pterodroma petrels bound high into the air and groups of shearwaters sweep from side to side as they follow the troughs between the waves. Frequently the birds come very close, providing amazing views. The most interesting species on pelagics out of the Newcastle region of New South Wales are Gould’s Petrel (which is a restricted-range species with a local breeding population on Cabbage tree Island north of Newcastle) and Providence Petrel (which formerly nested on Norfolk Island in vast numbers before it was exterminated by starving convicts, hence its vernacular name, and other introduced predators, and which now breeds only on Lord Howe Island and Phillip Island off Norfolk Island). Amongst the other species we should see today are Gibson’s, Black-browed and Campbell Island Albatrosses, Great-winged Petrel, Wedge-tailed, Short-tailed, Hutton’s and Fluttering Shearwaters, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, Great, Pied and Little Black Cormorants, Australian Pelican, Australasian Gannet and Greater Crested Tern. In addition we should encounter at least three or four of the scarcer visitors to the area at this season, which include Wandering,

Antipodean, Shy, Salvin’s and Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses, Northern and Southern Giant Petrels, Cape and Kermadec Petrels, Flesh-footed and Sooty Shearwaters, Black-bellied and White-faced Storm-Petrels, Brown Skua, and Pomarine, Arctic and Long-tailed Skuas (or Pomarine, Parasitic and long-tailed Jaegers). Common Bottle-nosed Dolphin is regular seen on these trips and we have a fair chance of Common or Risso’s Dolphins, or perhaps even a whale.

While on land in the Newcastle area, we will have some exciting landbirds to look for, including Greater Sooty Owl, Eastern Grass Owl, Mangrove Gerygone and Spotted Quail-thrush. We will also be hoping to see Lewin’s Rail. While we should hear this secretive species, we will have to be lucky to actually see one creeping about in the rank vegetation. Other species we should find in this part of Australia include Great Crested Grebe (this southern form, which remains in breeding dress all year, is a candidate for a split as Southern Crested Grebe), Australasian Darter, Eastern Cattle, Great, Intermediate and Little Egrets, White-necked (or Pacific) Heron, Royal Spoonbill, Black Swan, the strange Musk Duck, Whistling Kite, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Swamp Harrier, Australian Pied Oystercatcher, White-headed Stilt, the handsome Red-necked Avocet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Pheasant Coucal, the splendid Tawny Frogmouth, Variegated Fairy-wren, White-throated Gerygone, Scarlet Honeyeater, Australasian Figbird, Rufous Fantail, White-fronted Chat, Golden-headed Cisticola, Silvereye and Tawny Grassbird.

Day 8 After spending the morning birding in the Newcastle region we will

head north to Gloucester for an overnight stay.

Day 9 Today we will explore the rich moss-clad forests high in the coastal ranges of New South Wales. Our main objective will be to track down Rufous Scrub-bird, the ‘mystery bird’ of the east coast forests. One of the most elusive of Australian birds, it is disinclined to show itself – preferring to run among and beneath the dense entanglements of vines, logs and fallen debris. Its call is so powerful that it seems almost deafening at close range, and yet it is such an accomplished mimic and ventriloquist that the owner of the voice is very hard to locate. The two species of scrub-bird (the only other being the equally elusive Noisy Scrub-bird of southwestern Australia) are classified as constituting a unique bird family. Since both species can be devilishly hard to see, this presents a real challenge to those wishing to see all the bird families of the world! In any event, this is definitely one of the very best places to try for this difficult bird. Other birds we should encounter today include Australian Brush-Turkey, White-headed Pigeon, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Superb Lyrebird, Large-billed Scrubwren, Buff-rumped Thornbill, the aptly-named Bell Miner, the noisy but secretive Eastern Whipbird, the isolated northern New South Wales form of the Forest Raven (sometimes split as Relict Raven), the exquisite Rose Robin and Bassian (or Australian Ground) Thrush. We may also find one or two of the scarcer or more elusive inhabitants of the forest, such as the impressive Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, the secretive Satin Flycatcher or the lovely Flame Robin. Later we will head back to the Newcastle area for an overnight stay.

Australian Owlet-Nightjar(Nik Borrow)


Day 10 After some final birding in the Newcastle area we will take a flight to Brisbane in southeast Queensland. From Brisbane we will drive up into the hills to Lamington National Park for a two nights stay at famous O’Reilly’s.

Day 11 High above the border between Queensland and New South Wales rise the 1000m high escarpments of the Lamington Plateau where Queensland’s best known national park protects a vast area of mountain peaks, cliffs, gorges and dense subtropical rainforest. One of the most interesting botanical features of Lamington is the forest of ancient Antarctic Beech that flourishes in the higher parts of the park. These gnarled, moss-covered giants are of tremendous age and many carry upon their limbs great clumps of staghorn, elkhorn and crowsnest ferns, and aerial orchids. Amidst this lush forest several of the coastal rivers have their source and the many tributary creeks form innumerable waterfalls as they tumble from the high plateau in ribbons of white down the

fern-covered cliffs before disappearing far below in inaccessible ravines. The birdlife here is exciting and we should find such species as Topknot Pigeon, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, the marvellous Noisy Pitta, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, the characterful Australian Logrunner (watching a small party scurrying about the forest floor, turning over leaves in search of food is a delightful experience), Black-faced Monarch, Paradise Riflebird (one of Australia’s birds of paradise), Green Catbird and, with a bit of luck, the splendid Albert’s Lyrebird and Red-browed Treecreeper. Amongst the highlights of the park are the deep blue Satin Bowerbirds and stunning black and gold Regent Bowerbirds that come to feed out in the open, quite unafraid of nearby human beings. We should be able to observe the remarkable male Satin Bowerbird at its bower, which it decorates with whatever blue trinkets it can find – feathers, berries, bottle tops, plastic straws or anything else that is portable. The local Crimson Rosellas and Australian King Parrots, and even the bowerbirds and Australian Brush-

Turkeys, are inclined to mob anyone unwary enough to try to feed them! At night we will go out in search of the uncommon Australian Frogmouth (often lumped in Marbled, but surely deserving specific status) and Southern Boobook. Red-necked Pademelons can easily be seen around O’Reilly’s, whilst at nightfall Mountain Possums come out to feed on food put out by the lodge staff. In the farmlands below Lamington we should come across Pale-headed Rosella, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Spangled Drongo and Torresian Crow, while if we are really in luck we will find the uncommon and partly nomadic Glossy Black-Cockatoo feeding on Casuarina seeds in the foothill forests.

Day 12 After spending the morning at Lamington we will drive northwards to Rainbow Beach for an overnight stay.

Day 13 This morning we will set off early and visit a good area for the rare and threatened Black-breasted Button-quail. We may have to be persistent, but we have a good chance of seeing this sought-after species. The restricted-range Mangrove Honeyeater is common in the coastal vegetation in the Rainbow Beach area, and we should also find our first Bar-shouldered Doves, Rainbow Bee-eaters, Red-backed Fairy-wrens and Little Friarbirds. This is also a good area for Australian Hobby. Afterwards we will return to Brisbane for an overnight stay. At dusk we have a good chance of observing White-throated Nightjar.

Day 14 This morning we will look for Russet-tailed Thrush in the hill forests west of Brisbane and then take an afternoon flight to Mackay, on the central Queensland coast, for an overnight stay.

Day 15 This morning we

will drive up the steep escarpment to the rainforests of Eungella National Park. First we will visit a favoured haunt of the shy Platypus, hoping to see this strange creature swimming about in a quiet pool. Next we will turn our attentions to the Eungella Honeyeater, a species that was only described to science in 1983 and is restricted to the rainforests of the Eungella area. Luckily it is a common bird here, so we should have no problem finding several. This is also a good area for both Superb and Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves. Later we will take an afternoon flight from Mackay to Cairns in northeast Queensland for a two nights stay.

Day 16 Cairns is the gateway to one of Australia’s most outstanding birding areas. During our time here we shall visit sandy beaches, coastal mudflats, mangrove-lined creeks and a small area of lowland tropical rainforest. Birds we will be concentrating on while at Cairns include Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, the splendid Rufous Owl and the restricted-range Varied Honeyeater. Other birds we should encounter in the Cairns area include Black and Brahminy Kites, Grey Goshawk, Bush and Beach Thick-knees, Torresian Imperial-Pigeon, Eastern (or Australian Koel), Australian Swiftlet (split from White-rumped), Forest and Collared Kingfishers, Yellow-spotted, Yellow, Brown, Brown-backed and Dusky Honeyeaters, Helmeted Friarbird, White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike, Yellow Oriole, Cicadabird, White-breasted Woodswallow, Black Butcherbird, Shining Flycatcher, Mangrove Robin, Yellow-bellied Sunbird, Scaly-breasted Munia (or Nutmeg Mannikin), Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Crimson Finch and Metallic Starling.

Magpie-lark (Nik Borrow)


The Cairns foreshore has long been famous for its large shorebird roost and many other waterbirds. Mercifully the area was saved from ‘development’ after a long campaign and now tourists and Cairns citizens wander along the boardwalk at the edge of the mudflats largely oblivious of the flocks of birds that are sometimes only a few metres from them! Amongst the many species we should see here are Striated Heron, the impressive Black-necked Stork, Eastern Osprey (split from Eurasian), Buff-banded Rail, Pacific Golden and Red-capped Plovers, Greater and Mongolian Sand Plovers, Eastern Curlew, Eurasian Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Greenshank, Grey-tailed Tattler, Terek, Curlew and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Great Knot, Red-necked Stint, and Little, Caspian and Gull-billed Terns. With a bit of luck we will find Broad-billed Sandpiper as well.

Day 17 The area around Cairns is probably the best place in Australia in which to see Southern Cassowary, and that means the best place for seeing any kind of cassowary anywhere in the world, as birds in New Guinea and its islands are hunted and very shy! In spite of their huge size (the species is known to attain a height of up to 1.6m), cassowaries are often

secretive and numbers in Australia are in decline due to habitat clearance and traffic fatalities. Early this morning we will visit a good area for the species and we have an excellent chance of one or more encounters with this wonderful creature. Later in the day we will drive north to Julatten for a four nights stay at famous Kingfisher Park. We will detour via the Atherton Tablelands in order to check out arable fields and wetlands for Glossy Ibis, Magpie Goose, Wandering and Plumed Whistling-Ducks, Green Pygmy-Goose (and perhaps Cotton Pygmy-Goose), Brolga and Sarus Crane.

Days 18-20 During our stay in this superb area, which is likely to be an unforgettable experience, we shall visit a number of different habitats. The rainforests of this area, as on nearby Mount Lewis, are the richest and most fascinating in Australia. A trickle of light filters down through the leafy canopy to reveal a prolific growth of ferns of every description. Huge epiphytic staghorns and elkhorns, together with innumerable smaller ferns, cling to the moss-covered trunks and branches of the giant trees of this luxuriant and perpetually damp environment. Living in the green twilight are such creatures as the enormous Cape York Birdwing Butterfly

and a host of rainforest birds. Amongst the birds we may well see in the northeast Queensland rainforests, or in the surrounding countryside with its pastures, open savanna and scattered wetlands, include Pacific Baza, Collared Sparrowhawk, Brown Quail, Emerald Dove, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Little Bronze-Cuckoo, the gorgeous Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher (definitely one of the mega-birds of the tour, and newly-arrived from its winter quarters in New Guinea), Lovely Fairy-wren, Atherton Scrubwren, the secretive Fernwren, Mountain Thornbill, Graceful, Macleay’s and Bridled Honeyeaters, the noisy Chowchilla, Yellow-eyed (or Barred) Cuckoo-Shrike, Varied Triller, Grey-headed and Pale-yellow Robins, Bower’s and Little Shrike-thrushes, Grey Whistler, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Spectacled, White-eared and Pied Monarchs, Victoria’s Riflebird (a stunning bird of paradise!), Spotted Catbird and Tooth-billed Bowerbird. With luck we will come across one or two of the more difficult species, such as a Red-necked Crake, Golden Bowerbird and Blue-faced Parrot-Finch. Nightbirding may turn up Common Masked, Lesser Sooty and Eastern Barn Owls, as well as the incredible Papuan Frogmouth. We also have another chance here for Australian Owlet-Nightjar.

As well as the moist habitats around Julatten itself, we will also penetrate drier habitats inland where we will be looking for such species as the huge Australian Bustard, Squatter Pigeon, the huge Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, the extraordinary Channel-billed Cuckoo, the impressive Blue-winged Kookaburra, Large-billed Gerygone, Weebill, White-gaped, Yellow-tinted, Rufous-throated, Bar-breasted, Banded and White-throated

Honeyeaters, the huge Great Bowerbird, Grey-crowned Babbler, the striking White-browed Robin and the uncommon and much sought-after Black-throated Finch. With luck we will also see the rare Square-tailed Kite. Mammals we may well see during our visit include Platypus, Northern Brown Bandicoot, Common Brushtail Possum, Green Ringtail Possum, Musky Rat-Kangaroo, Agile Wallaby, Bush Rat and Black and Spectacled Flying-Foxes.

Day 21 You will be transferred to Cairns airport, where the tour ends this morning.

Outback Queensland Post-Tour Extension Itinerary

Day 21 This morning will head north to the remote Musgrave Station region in the southern part of the Cape York Peninsula. Road conditions have vastly improved in recent years, but there are still long stretches of corrugated, unsurfaced road to cover. Our destination is the lovely Lotusbird Lodge, where we will stay for two nights beside an attractive billabong (lagoon). This afternoon we will begin our exploration of the surrounding area.

Day 22 Our main purpose in coming to this remote region is to look for the rare and highly localized endemic Golden-shouldered Parrot, a much sought-after species that few Australian birders have ever seen, let alone overseas visitors, owing to the remote location of its small surviving population in the Cape York Peninsula. We have an excellent chance of finding this beautiful little parrot at a drinking pool either early or late in the day, and we should also come across Black-backed Butcherbird, another Cape York speciality. As well as dry eucalypt woodland punctuated by numerous

Southern Cassowaries (Michael Hodgson)


termite hills (in which the parrots nest), there are also extensive grassy plains, lagoons and gallery woodland along the rivers. Likely new species in these habitats include Pied Heron, Radjah Shelduck, Black Falcon, Australian Pratincole, Latham’s Snipe, Marsh and Common Sandpipers, Rufous-banded Honeyeater, Silver-crowned Friarbird and Horsfield’s Bushlark (split from Singing). At some coastal mangroves we should find the lovely Red-headed Honeyeater and also Broad-billed Flycatcher. We even have a fair chance of coming across a Red Goshawk, one of Australia’s rarest raptors, in this splendid area.

Day 23 After some final birding in the Musgrave region we will head for Cooktown, a small coastal town, for an overnight stay.

Day 24 This morning we will look for White-streaked Honeyeater (endemic to the Cape York Peninsula) and Tropical Scrubwren (a Cape York speciality which, although occurring locally in New Guinea, is not seen on normal bird tours to the island) in some favoured

areas of forest. Later we will return to Cairns for an overnight stay.

Day 25 We will take a morning flight to Mount Isa, situated in far northwestern Queensland, for a three nights stay. This afternoon we will begin our exploration of the Mount Isa region.

Days 26-27 Mount Isa is an unlovely mining town (although the sheer scale of the mines is impressive in a Tolkienesque-manner), existing solely because of the huge mineral wealth of the surrounding region, but it has the distinction of being the only place of any consequence for about 700 kilometres in any direction! The near-desert conditions of western Queensland, thinly populated by tenacious farming communities that often barely seem to survive, are hard to reconcile with the verdant, tropical exuberance of the Queensland coast. Around Mount Isa the land has been turned on its side. Upheavals millions of years ago shattered the rocks and pushed them upwards, only for the elements to erode jagged peaks and contorted

gullies over the subsequent eons. Nowadays much of this country is covered in thin spinifex and wattle scrub where cattle eke out an existence, but there are also low sandstone ridges with many tumbled boulders and scattering of acacias and eucalypts, while the Mount Isa highlands are a belt of low, rugged hills made up of granite intrusions with areas of spinifex, Snappy Gums, Bloodwoods and Western Box on the plateau-like tops. For most of the year this is a hot, dry, harsh land, but after rain the landscape is enhanced for a short time by a brilliant display of wildflowers and the seasonal rivers begin to flow once more, either northwards to the Gulf of Carpentaria or southwards until they dissipate in the great thirstlands of South Australia. In particular we shall be looking for the elusive Carpentarian Grasswren, a species that managed to remain undetected for more than 60 years after its initial discovery, and the Kalkadoon Grasswren, which was only described in 1969 and which was for a time lumped in Dusky Grasswren. Additional specialities of the area include the cute Spinifex Pigeon, Black-tailed Treecreeper, the beautiful Spotted Bowerbird and the skulking Spinifexbird. Other birds found around Mount Isa include Pink-eared Duck, the localized Cloncurry Ringneck (often lumped in Mallee Ringneck), Red-backed Kingfisher, Grey-headed and Grey-fronted Honeyeaters, Yellow-throated Miner, Crested Bellbird, Black-faced and Little Woodswallows, and Painted Firetail.

Day 28 After some final birding in the Mount Isa region we will fly to Brisbane and from there head west to Toowoomba for an overnight stay.

Day 29 This morning we will

head west to Cunnamulla for a three nights stay. It is a long drive, but with an early start and largely empty roads we could well be there by lunchtime. This afternoon we will begin our exploration of the surrounding region.

Days 30-31 The small outpost of Cunnamulla lies at the eastern edge of southwest Queensland’s ‘Empty Quarter’, the Channel Country that stretches from here to the distant Birdsville Track connecting Queensland and South Australia. Only a few utterly remote cattle stations survive in this wilderness, but from a birding viewpoint it has great attractions! The most famous birding locale in the region is a cattle and sheep drinking pool driven by an artesian bore in the middle of nowhere. Here we may see Bourke’s Parrots coming to drink at dusk (and even if they do not, we have a good chance of finding them feeding in daytime), while the surrounding dry woodland holds two mega-specialities, Hall’s Babbler and the attractive Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush, both of which we should be able to find. Other star birds of the area include the spectacular Pink (or Major Mitchell’s) Cockatoo, White-browed Treecreeper and the beautiful Crimson and Orange Chats. Flowering bushes sometimes attract the nomadic White-eared, Pied and Black Honeyeaters. Other species in this remote region include the comical Emu, the handsome Spotted Harrier, Diamond Dove, Cockatiel, Blue Bonnet, Mulga Parrot, Mallee Ringneck (sometimes lumped with Port Lincoln Ringneck under the name Australian Ringneck), the nomadic Budgerigar, Pallid Cuckoo, Splendid and White-winged Fairy-wrens, Chestnut-rumped and Inland Thornbills, Spiny-cheeked and Singing Honeyeaters, Chestnut-crowned Babbler,

Golden-shouldered Parrot (Nik Borrow)


Letter-winged Kite or the rare Grey Falcon in this part of Queensland. The huge Red Kangaroo is still fairly common in this region.

Day 32 After some early morning birding in the Cunnamulla region we will return to Toowoomba for an overnight stay.

Day 33 We will continue the comparatively short distance to Brisbane, where the tour ends in the late morning.

Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels/motels are of good or medium

standard throughout. At Kingfisher Park some rooms have shared bathroom facilities. Road transport will be by minibus or 4x4 vehicles and roads are mostly good, although we will spend some time on unsurfaced roads (especially during the extension).

Walking: The walking effort is mostly easy but there are a few moderate grade walks.

Climate: Most days are warm, hot or very hot, dry and sunny but overcast conditions are not

infrequent and there may well be some rain in coastal areas. It is generally rather humid near the coast, while conditions south of Sydney can be cool or even quite cold early in the day.

Bird Photography: Opportunities are good.

Part-Tour Option: Subject to space being available, we can accept bookings for any part of this itinerary (for example, Sydney to Brisbane, or the Cairns region and Outback Queensland, or just Outback Queensland). Please contact us for further information.

the curious Apostlebird, Red-capped Robin and perhaps the elusive Black-eared Cuckoo or Ground Cuckoo-Shrike. Further to the west, if there is any water at Lake Bindegolly (yes, this part of Australia has some wonderful place names!), provided there is water, we have a good chance of finding the rare Freckled Duck and both Baillon’s and Australian Crakes. Even if the lake is dry, small wetlands in the Cunnamulla region can hold Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Black-tailed Native-hen and Red-kneed Dotterel. There is even a slim chance of coming across the nomadic

Documents

1 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary: Eastern Australia Australia Eastern 20144.pdf · 1 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary: Eastern Australia ... 2 Birdquest Detailed Tour Itinerary: