Go North -- 11 -- Daintree

Eventually the birding adventure had to finish but there was a last hurrah for Ethan and me. We did an early morning birding cruise on the Daintree River with Sauce Worcester. Highly recommended. It was fantastic. His knowledge of birds is terrific as is his knowledge of all things local be it floral or faunal.

We saw ....

Great-billed Heron Ardea sumatrana

This bird is a known resident to Sauce. We pulled up near a creek junction,
Sauce played the call once and he appeared out of the bush letting us know
in no uncertain terms that THIS was HIS territory. An impressive bird.

Striated Heron Butorides striatus

Little Bronze-cuckoo Chalcites minutillus

Azure Kingfisher Ceyx azurea

Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum

Rainbow Bee-eaters Merops ornatus

Shining Flycatcher, female Myiagra alecto

Mr S Flycatcher

On our way back to Mossman we observed a whole heap of sticks atop an electricity pole.

Heap of sticks

The Resident, an Eastern Osprey Pandion cristatus

The final bird of the trip to Cape York
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin Lonhcura castaneothorax

So, the number of birds for the 21-day trip was 190.

Magic. f8 and be there!

Go South 06 -- Tyto Wetlands, Ingham

This is a great spot just to the south of Ingham township. Saw about 40 species of birds here on a walk around most of the wetlands freshly overfull after a LOT of rain in the previous two days. Tyto Tony blogs about this place; always well worth a read. John Young [of Night Parrot fame] had a major role in the design.

 Here is a selection of birds seen.

Rainbow Bee-eaters Merops ornatus
These birds were fresh in from southern climes
on their northward migration

Yellow Honeyeater
Lichenostomus flavus

Rufous-throated Honeyeater Conopophila albogularis

White-browed Robin
Poecilodryas superciliosa

Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leugophrys with a LARGE meal

White-Breasted Woodswallows Artamus leucorynchus

Crimson Finch Neochmia phaeton

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
Lonchura castaneothorax