Daintree River, Stewart Creek, Daintree Ferry area, Abattoir Swamp, Mount Molloy School and back to Kingfisher Lodge, Queensland.

A few hours on a River Cruise and then a whizz around a few other spots.

Australia, Day Thirty.

 

Along Barratt Creek just of the main river.

We were out early as we had to be at Daintree Village Boat Ramp by 07.30 to meet Murray Hunt from Daintree Boatman Wildlife Cruises, on the way there we saw Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles), Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) and Bar-shouldered Dove (Geopelia humeralis) as it got light.

Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus).

Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus).

We parked just above the river but we were a little early so we scanned the water as while we waited seeing Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans), Eastern Cattle Egret (Bubulcus coromandus), Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae) and Australian Swiftlet (Aerodramus terraereginae).

Little Kingfisher (Ceyx pusillus).

Little Kingfisher (Ceyx pusillus).

Once out on the water Murry gave us a good amount of info as we headed down stream, we soon had a smallish Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) out in the main flow in an area he was not expecting to see one, a good start.

Further up Barratt Creek.

As we cruised slowly along w had the first of several Azure Kingfishers (Ceyx azureus), a stunning bird but not quite as nice as the Little Kingfisher (Ceyx pusillus) which we had views of next, the light was not great so the pictures were not the best but still great to get something.

Papuan Frogmouth (Podargus papuensis).

White-throated Nightjar (Eurostopodus mystacalis).

White-throated Nightjar (Eurostopodus mystacalis).

As we left the main river and turned into Barrot Creek we had a Great White Egret (Ardea alba) in a small reed bed on the corner and as we went passed this spot a Black Bittern (Ixobrychus flavicollis) flushed up from cover and dived back in a short way along the bank.

Common Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis punctulata).

As we headed along the Creek, Murry called several interesting species including a roosting Papuan Frogmouth (Podargus papuensis) and White-throated Nightjar (Eurostopodus mystacalis), the latter was another Lifer I had not expected.

Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae).

As we continued on we saw and heard Australasian Figbird (Sphecotheres vieilloti), Wompoo Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus magnificus), Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos), Large-billed Gerygone (Gerygone magnirostris), Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis), Macleay's (Xanthotis macleayanus) and Bridled Honeyeater (Bolemoreus frenatus), Shining Flycatcher (Myiagra alecto), Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus), Grey Whistler (Pachycephala simplex) but heard only, Orange-footed Scrubfowl (Megapodius reinwardt) and on the way back we had a calling Spotted Catbird (Ailuroedus maculosus), a flyby pair of Double-eyed Fig-Parrot (Cyclopsitta diophthalma) and another much larger Saltwater Crocodile.

Shining Flycatcher (Myiagra alecto).

Shining Flycatcher (Myiagra alecto).

Once we were back at Daintree we went into the Bakery were we had Coffee and a sort of Cream Tea and the went for a walk along Stewart Creek Road but we only saw Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus) and Yellow-spotted Honeyeater (Meliphaga notata).

Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).

Bar-shouldered Dove (Geopelia humeralis).

Barratt Creek.

We decided to go and have a look around the forest and Mangroves near the slip of the Daintree ferry, we parked in a rest area just short of the queue waiting to cross the river and walked along a track near there and then later we walked up to the river, along the track we saw Spectacled Monarch (Symposiachrus trivirgatus), Cryptic Honeyeater (Microptilotis imitatrix), White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica) and Fairy Gerygone (Gerygone palpebrosa).

Painted Grasshawk (Neurothemis stigmatizans) teneral female.

Painted Grasshawk (Neurothemis stigmatizans) teneral male.

Painted Grasshawk (Neurothemis stigmatizans) teneral male.

Skipper species.

Skipper species.

Orange Bush Brown (Mycalesis terminus).

White-banded Line-blue (Nacaduba kurava).

As we walked to and around the Ferry area Deb and I spent some time looking at several Dragonflies and Butterflies including White-banded Line-blue (Nacaduba kurava), Orange Bush Brown (Mycalesis terminus) and Painted Grasshawk (Neurothemis stigmatizans).

Common Cicadabird (Edolisoma tenuirostre).

Common Cicadabird (Edolisoma tenuirostre).

Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus bracteatus).

We walked into the Mangroves on the edge of the river where Deb was very pleased (as was I) to see an unexpected Common Cicadabird (Edolisoma tenuirostre) as well as Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus bracteatus) and on the way back to the car a passing Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus).

White-cheeked Honeyeater (Phylidonyris niger).

White-cheeked Honeyeater (Phylidonyris niger).

Little Shrikethrush (Colluricincla megarhyncha).

We returned to the car and then made our way south to Mossman where we had some lunch and then we continued on to Kingfisher Lodge seeing Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia), Eastern Cattle Egret, Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis), Black Kite (Milvus migrans), White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus) and Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) on the way.

Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura).

At the Lodge we had a quick look out back finding Chestnut-breasted Munia (Lonchura castaneothorax), and Red-browed Firetail (Neochmia temporalis) before we made our way just down the road to Abattoir Swamp where we walked out to the hide again but there was no sign of the Scrub Python (Morelia amethistina) after it was disturbed by another visitor after we laft it on our last visit.

Abattoir Swamp.

Species seen were White-throated (Melithreptus albogularis), Brown (Lichmera indistincta) and White-cheeked Honeyeater (Phylidonyris niger), Scarlet Myzomela (Myzomela sanguinolenta), Leaden Flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula), Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum), Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus), Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris), Little Shrikethrush (Colluricincla megarhyncha), Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis), Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans) and a very smart fly over Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura).

Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina).

Squatter Pigeon (Geophaps scripta).

Peaceful Dove (Geopelia placida).

Our next stop was at the School in Mount Molloy where we walked around the grounds, it was nice to see a sign on the gate to the fields saying birders welcome, as we walked we found Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles), Great Bowerbird (Chlamydera nuchalis), Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina), Peaceful Dove (Geopelia placida), Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus), Red-winged Parrot (Aprosmictus erythropterus) and Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis).

Black Rat (rattus rattus).

Northern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus).

We returned to Kingfisher and had a short walk in the grounds seeing Cryptic (Microptilotis imitatrix), Macleay's Honeyeater (Xanthotis macleayanus), White-lipped Tree Frog (Nyctimystes infrafrenatus) and later I sat outside after dark and saw Northern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus) and Black Rat (rattus rattus).