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Saturday, 9 July 2022

Tyto Wetlands, Ingham and The Common, Townsville, Queensland.

Wetlands all day.
Australia, Day Twenty Four.
 
Bush Thick-knees (Burhinus grallarius).
We started the day with a cracking and very well behaved pair of Bush Thick-knees (Burhinus grallarius) in the car park of the reserve and in the surrounding area we added Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles), Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), Hornbill Friarbird (Philemon yorki) and Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta).
Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea).
Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea).
Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea).
Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea) immature.
Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea) immature.
On the way along the tracks to the first pool we picked up Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii), Varied Triller (Lalage leucomela), Brown-backed (Ramsayornis modestus) and Yellow Honeyeater (Stomiopera flava), Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton) and a very smart White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa).
Green Pygmy-Goose (Nettapus pulchellus).
Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii).
Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton).
Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton).
On the first pool we spent some time watching the many Comb-crested Jacana's (Irediparra gallinacea) trotting around on the Waterlily pads amongst the stunning tall Waterlily flowers. 
Red-backed Fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) male.
Red-backed Fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) male.
Red-backed Fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) female.
Chocolate Argus (Junonia hedonia).
In the same area we also found Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa), Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata), Green Pygmy-Geese (Nettapus pulchellus) and as we walked out towards the second pool we had the first of many Chocolate Argus (Junonia hedonia) butterflies, Little Shrikethrush (Colluricincla megarhyncha), a fly over Great Bowerbird (Chlamydera nuchalis) and a party of Red-backed Fairywrens (Malurus melanocephalus) including a cracking male bird.
Cotton Pygme-Geese (Nettapus coromandelianus).
Cotton Pygme-Geese (Nettapus coromandelianus).
Red-backed Fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) Male.
Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) flashing it's speculum.
On the main lake there were good numbers of Australasian Grebes (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae), more Green Pygmy-Geese, Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia), a Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae) which was sat up in a tree drying its wings and the Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) which was sat in a similar spot as yesterday.
Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii).
White-bellied Cuckooshrike (Coracina papuensis).
Hornbill Friarbird (Philemon yorki).
Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata).
Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).
We decided to do the walk which did a full loop of the main lake, as we went around we had good views of many of the species we had already seen and added a few more including Great White Egret (Ardea alba), Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis), White-bellied Cuckooshrike (Coracina papuensis), Blue-winged Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii), Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos), Hornbill Friarbird, Golden-headed Cisticola (Cisticola exilis), Leaden Flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula), White-gaped Honeyeater (Stomiopera unicolor) and a flying but distant Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata).
White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa).
Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris).
No-brand Crow (Euploea alcathoe).
Red-browed Firetail (Neochmia temporalis).
Common Crow (Euploea core).
We finished the loop and made our way back towards the car, on the way we saw a couple of butterfly species which were No-brand Crow (Euploea alcathoe) and Common Crow (Euploea core) as well as another Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris), a White-browed Robin which showed a little bit better and a flock of Red-browed Firetail (Neochmia temporalis) before we started to head south again to Townsville.
Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus).
Neon Cuckoo Bee (Thyreus nitidulus) ????
Spotted Jezebel (Delias aganippe).
As we drove south we picked up Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis), White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae), Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia), Eastern Cattle Egret (Bubulcus coromandus), Brown Falcon (Falco berigora), Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) and a Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) which was yet another new species for me.
Leaden Flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula) male.
We got to Townsville and checked into our Cabins on the egde of the town and then went out onto what is called the Common, as we drove in we passed a couple of large pools where we stopped a found Magpie Geese (Anseranas semipalmata), Australian Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica ssp macrotarsa), Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis), Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus), a very large White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), Neon Cuckoo Bee (Thyreus nitidulus) and a stunning Spotted Jezebel (Delias aganippe).
Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus).
Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii).
?????????
The first and second hides that we visited were both fairly quiet and we only added Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis), Peaceful Dove (Geopelia placida) to the day list.
Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus).
Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus).
Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus).
However on the walk to and between the hides we picked up Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii), Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus), a couple of Brush Cuckoo's (Cacomantis variolosus) and we heard but did not see a Barking Owl (Ninox connivens).
Lesser Wanderer (Danaus chrysippus).
We returned to the car and drove back towards the accommodation but halfway back I shouted stop when I saw a brilliant looking Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) and Ian was soon on the brakes and we all got good views of the bird as well as a Lesser Wanderer (Danaus chrysippus).

Friday, 8 July 2022

Daintree Crocodylus Camp, Daintree River Crossing, Driving South to Tyto Wetlands, Queensland.

Heading out of the Rain Forest to the Wetlands.
Australia, Day Twenty Three.
 
Red-necked Crake (Rallina tricolor).
Today we were leaving Crocodylus and to be honest I would not miss the camp site but it did give us a few good species which we would have missed if we had not visited, with some work (quite a bit) and a bit of money (not a great deal considering the cost of a stay was quite expencive) being spent it could be a far better experiance.
Red-necked Crake (Rallina tricolor).

Red-necked Crake (Rallina tricolor).
Before we left we visited to pool again and almost straight away we dropped on to a cracking Red-necked Crake (Rallina tricolor) but as with a lot of the species in the rain forest it was in a dark place and the ISO was huge again.
Wompoo Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus magnificus).
Pied Monarch (Arses kaupi).
We also had Wompoo Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus magnificus), Topknot Pigeons (Lopholaimus antarcticus) flying over, a calling Spotted Catbird (Ailuroedus maculosus), Australian Swiftlet (Aerodramus terraereginae), Pied (Arses kaupi) and Spectacled Monarch (Symposiachrus trivirgatus), Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis), Yellow-spotted (Meliphaga notata) and White-throated Honeyeater (Melithreptus albogularis), a slightly more confiding Noisy Pitta (Pitta versicolor) which actually stood still in the Open for at least 1 second, Little Shrikethrush (Colluricincla megarhyncha), Rufous Fantail (Rhipidura rufifrons), Varied Triller (Lalage leucomela), Dusky Myzomela (Myzomela obscura), Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus bracteatus) and Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis).
Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena).
Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana).
Mangrove Gerygone (Gerygone levigaster).
We packed the car and headed back to the Daintree River Ferry, as we crossed there were several Welcome Swallows (Hirundo neoxena) perching on the railings and when we were reaching the far side Ian picked up a Heron sat on the shore which turned out to be yet another lifer for me a Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana).
Eastern Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus).
Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata).
We tried to get better views of the Heron but the Mangroves were too thick, however we added Striated Heron (Butorides striata) to the day list and had another new species for me a Mangrove Gerygone (Gerygone levigaster) before pushing on south past Mossman and on via Cairns South, on the way we saw Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii), Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles), Brahminy (Haliastur indus), Whistling (Haliastur sphenurus) and Black Kite (Milvus migrans), Eastern Cattle Egret (Bubulcus coromandus), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) and Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis).
Hinchinbrook Island from Cardwell.
On our way down to Cardwell where we had lunch we picked up White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus), Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis), Eastern Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Great White Egret (Ardea alba), Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), Peaceful Dove (Geopelia placida) and a White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster).
Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta).
Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta).
Yellow Honeyeater (Stomiopera flava).
Yellow Honeyeater (Stomiopera flava).
We had Lunch and Coffee in Cardwell before continuing on to Ingham where we were stopping for the night, before we reached our destination we had Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), Laughing (Dacelo novaeguineae) and Blue-winged Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii), Bar-shouldered Dove (Geopelia humeralis), Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) and a flying Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata) which Deb had spotted perched on a dead tree but by the time we turned around it had decided to fly off but we still had nice views.
Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis).
Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis).
Brown Quail (Synoicus ypsilophorus).
Brown Quail (Synoicus ypsilophorus).
We checked in to the Ingham Motel and whilst we were there I checked out some Bottle Brush plants and found Brown (Lichmera indistincta) and Yellow Honeyeaters (Stomiopera flava) and in the trees along the road Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis) and Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus).
Red-backed Fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) male.
Brown-backed Honeyeater (Ramsayornis modestus).
Brown-backed Honeyeater (Ramsayornis modestus).
Luckily the Motel was right across the road from the Tyto Wetlands entrance so after unloading we had a walk over, before we got there we accidentally flushed up two Brown Quail (Synoicus ypsilophorus) but the one bird did not fly more than a couple of meters and gave us great views.
Agile Wallaby (Notamacropus agilis).
Once we were in the reserve we started to find good numbers of new species again including the stunning Red-backed Fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus), Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris), Brown-backed Honeyeater (Ramsayornis modestus) and Agile Wallaby (Notamacropus agilis).
Green Pygmy-Geese (Nettapus pulchellus).
Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii).
On the first pool we reached there were a good number of
Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea), several Green Pygmy-Geese (Nettapus pulchellus), a single Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata) and Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton).
Cane Toad (Bufo Marinus).
Gecko Species.
On the second much larger pool there were Cotton Pygme-Geese (Nettapus coromandelianus), a distant Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus), Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia), Baillon's Crake (Zapornia pusilla), Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae), Magpie Geese (Anseranas semipalmata) and a dusk started to fall we heard and saw both Large-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus) and Bush Thick-knee (Burhinus grallarius).
Dusk arrivals.
The Last of the Light.
On the edge of some reeds we also saw what looked like a large 4 meter plus Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), on the shelter where we were standing we had a Gecko species and as we walked back to the Motel a Cane Toad (Bufo Marinus).