Go North 03 -- Seisia

Leaving one car at Weipa, all five of us loaded into the 76-series and made our way north to the tip of Cape York. We stopped the first night at Bramwell Resort [cattle station]. Best bird was a Palm Cockatoo. The image below was taken in the relative dullness of early morning and against a cloudy sky. I exposed the image +1-stop and applied a lot of exposure compensation [+3.5] in Photoshop.

Palm Cockatoo Probisciger atriums

The second night was spent at the "caravan park" at the Jardine River ferry which we used first thing the next morning on our way to Bamaga and its neighbours of Injinoo, Umagico and Seisia. We stopped at the Seisia Caravan Park, right on the beach, for several nights. Ethan and I visited Injinoo and its creek on the first night.

Masked Lapwing Vanillas miles miles the race in northern Australia

Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea ruficollaris northern Australian race

Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos

Eastern Reef Egret Ardea sacra white morph

Striated Heron Butorides striatus
"Going ..."

"Going ..."

We were gone before we found out if the Striated Heron actually managed to get the fish down!

Dutchman wanders into NSW

Having exhausted ourselves with Victorian birds [highlights: Long-billed Corella, Cape Gannet, Brush Bronzewing, Wandering Tattler, Southern Emu-wren, Striated Heathwren, Beautiful Firetail, Ground Parrot of 160 species seen in Victoria over 9 days] we ventured over the border to Ben Boyd NP to the south of Eden where we camped for the night. Robert and I went to check for Ground Parrot at a likely spot we had seen earlier in the afternoon near Green Cape Lighthouse. We heard plenty but it was just too dark. We decided a good strategy would be to walk through the metre-high heath and flush them. That would wait for the morning but there were other things to do so ... next time. We camped at Bittangebee Bay. Heath and Robert did some swimming and snorkelling and even spearfishing but the equipment wasn't up to the task so it was chicken stir-fry with lots of vegetables for tea. This diet became a regular evening meal. Easy to prepare and cook with just a wok and three big bowls to wash up and a few items of cutlery.

Birds seen the next morning before we left were Wonga Pigeon [have to push them out of the way in the campground], Brown Thornbills, Superb Fairy-wrens and Golden-headed Cisiticola.

Brown Thornbill

Brown Thornbill

Wonga Pigeon

Wonga Pigeon - what a delightful vent

Superb Fairy-wren, female

Golden-headed Cisticola

We moved on to the boardwalk at Merimbula, well constructed with a couple of nice side gullies. A life tick for me was a Striated Heron. Australian Pied Oystercatchers were resting on oyster beds made from industrial strength car tyres and it was a lovely day.

White-faced Heron

Striated Heron

Striated Heron

Eastern Curlew

Australian Pied Oystercatcher

Sacred Kingfisher

Magic. f8 and be there!