Wetlands all day.
Australia, Day Twenty Four.
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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).
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Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea). |
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Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea). |
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Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea). |
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Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea) immature. |
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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).
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Red-backed Fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) male. |
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Red-backed Fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) male. |
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Red-backed Fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) female.
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Chocolate Argus (Junonia hedonia).
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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.
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Cotton Pygme-Geese (Nettapus coromandelianus). |
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Cotton Pygme-Geese (Nettapus coromandelianus). |
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Red-backed Fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) Male.
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Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) flashing it's speculum.
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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.
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Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii). |
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White-bellied Cuckooshrike (Coracina papuensis). |
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Hornbill Friarbird (Philemon yorki). |
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Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata). |
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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).
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White-browed Robin (Poecilodryas superciliosa). |
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Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris). |
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No-brand Crow (Euploea alcathoe). |
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Red-browed Firetail (Neochmia temporalis). |
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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.
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Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus). |
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Neon Cuckoo Bee (Thyreus nitidulus) ????
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Spotted Jezebel (Delias aganippe).
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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.
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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).
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Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus). |
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Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii). |
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????????? |
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.
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Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus). |
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Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus). |
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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).
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Lesser Wanderer (Danaus chrysippus).
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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).