Atherton Tableland, Townsville, Mission Beach and Cairns

Atherton Tableland, Townsville, Mission Beach and Cairns 22nd  November - 3rd December 2019

Lindsay's sister, Janet, from England had a three week visit to Far North Queensland and as part of that we went on a road trip from Julatten to Townsville and back to Cairns doing the tourist trip along with birding. This gave us the opportunity to visit places we had not been to before or had not visited for many years.

Hasties Swamp National Park protects a wetland refuge known for its diverse range of migratory and resident bird species. It is a remnant of the once extensive Nyleta Wetlands before most of it was cleared. 

Hasties Swamp National Park

 

At least 231 species have been recorded in the wetland and surrounding woodland, a species list can be found on the Birdlife North Queensland website

The water levels in the swamp change as the annual cycle of wet and dry seasons occur. Large numbers of waterbirds can occur here with counts of up to 15,000 Plumed Whistling- Duck not uncommon, personal observation. Sarus Crane and Brolga come here to roost and were coming in early evening after 6.00pm for the night. They nearly all left at first light so were difficult to photograph, plus the weather wasn't good as the early morning mist hung around every day we were here.

Plumed Whistling-Duck

 

Our accommodation for the four nights we were at Hasties Swamp was a newly built house called Nyletta Lodge, adjacent to the National Park, which is ideal for birdwatchers. The house is well appointed with views to the swamp and only a short walk to the hide. The house is for rent on Stayz. 

Nyletta Lodge

 

 

 

We used the house as a base to visit places you only go when you have visitors, such as the National Trust property Hou Wang Chinese Temple and Museum in Atherton and Herberton Historic Village in nearby Herberton, both were excellent.

Chinese Temple

 

Chinese Temple - interior

 

The Herberton Historic Village is a collection of over 50 restored pioneer buildings all with different themes. There are shops, pub, bank, chemist, grocer, printer and garage, all packed with period memorabilia. We spent a morning here, but you could easily spend a full day here. A couple of buildings here were of particular interest to us as they came from Julatten.

The house above was our neighbour when we were running Kingfisher Park Birdwatchers Lodge in Julatten

Radio Display

 

Sewing Display

 

Not everything has been restored.

Rusty Gold - Old Vehicles

 

 Meanwhile back at Hasties Swamp the birds were performing for us. The Rufous Whistler and Yellow-faced Honeyeater were foraging next to the Hide.

Rufous Whistler (m)

Yellow-faced Honeyeater

Waterbirds were close to the hide going about their foraging in the vegetation, as was the dragonfly, which we think is a Red Arrow, however our ID skills for dragonflies are not the best!

Royal Spoonbill

Pelican

Australian White Ibis

Australian Swamphen

Glossy Ibis

Red Arrow

Opposite the hide was a pair of Bush Stone-curlew with two chicks trying not to look obvious.

Bush Stone-curlew

A few Cattle Egret were flying past the house and the Australian Swamphen were doing over the lawn pulling out the grass and eating the roots.

Cattle Egret

Australian Swamphen

One day we headed out to Tinaroo Dam for morning coffee, here we had one Little Pied and two Little Black Cormorant at the dam wall. 

Little Black Cormorant and Little Pied Cormorant

Little Pied Cormorant

After coffee we drove the circuit road, stopping along the way at Downfall Creek camp ground, here we had a Caspian Tern.

Caspian Tern

 
We ended up at the Cathedral Fig Tree for lunch - always a good rainforest birding location. We had a few Grey-headed Robin checking us out during lunch.

Grey-headed Robin

From the fig tree we drove back to Malanda and out to the Nerada Tea Factory, which is a great place to see Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo, we were not disappointed as we saw three. After a great four night stay we headed south for a morning break at Mt. Hypipamee National Park (The Crater) where we saw an immature Golden Bowerbird and a single Satin Bowerbird.

Satin Bowerbird (F)

We also walked down to the crater, something we had not done for many years.

The Crater

 
We continued on to the Millaa Millaa Lookout on the East Evelyn Road, where we stopped to admire the view.

Millaa Millaa Lookout

A bonus here was a Lumholz Tree Kangaroo sitting out in the open a few metres away from us.

Lumholz Tree Kangaroo

We continued on down the Palmerston Highway with a stop at Henrietta Creek Camping Area, which is usually quiet during the week when we normally visit, but as this was a weekend it was packed. We found an empty spot for lunch, which was hurried due to the hundreds of marsh flies intent on biting us. Next we stopped at Cardwell.

Cardwell Foreshore

The tide was low with much mudflat exposed but only a solitary Eastern Curlew along with a Masked Lapwing were to be seen.

Eastern Curlew

Next leg of the journey took us to our Airbnb at Belgian Gardens, Townsville. In the evening we went out to a local Thai restaurant with a couple of birding friends. Next morning we headed off to walk along Rowes Bay, a very pleasant start to the morning.  Not much happening on the foreshore, only Silver Gull and Masked Lapwing, but there were plenty of other birds in the trees along the walk. A Channel-billed Cuckoo flew overhead as did a few Torresian Imperial Pigeon and a pair of Masked Lapwing were carrying on as they protected their chick from passing walkers.

Masked Lapwing

We had breakfast with our friend sitting on her veranda watching birds coming into her bird bath, including Little and Helmeted Friarbird (Hornbill) plus Varied Honeyeater.

Little Friarbird

Helmeted Friarbird (Hornbill)

Varied Honeyeater

A Brahminy Kite and Pacific Baza flew overhead. The rest of the day was relaxing and going up Castle Hill for a fantastic view over Townsville and Magnetic Island, our destination for tomorrow.

Tomorrow came and we caught the ferry for the 20 minute journey to Magnetic Island. It was at least 30 years since we last visited the island, so we saw a few changes. The ferry docked in Nelly Bay, it was Picnic Bay on our last visit. 

Nellie Bay Ferry Terminal

We decided to hire a car to make the most of our visit. We hired a Toyota Rav 4 from MI Car Rentals. There are bus services, which cover most of the island.

First stop was Picnic Bay where we had a coffee on the beach front, only one Silver Gull here! There were a few other birds here, including Whistling Kite and Dollarbird.

Dollarbird

West Point is accessed along a gravel track and a place the buses don't go. Great views looking back to Townsville. 

West Point

Quiet for birds but there was an Eastern Reef Egret foraging along the mud.

Eastern Reef Egret

From here we backtracked and went to Horseshoe Bay, which is far more touristy. Had lunch overlooking the bay, plenty of Silver Gull looking for handouts, but they got nothing from us. A White-bellied Sea-Eagle made a very brief appearance before disappearing over the houses.

White-bellied Sea-Eagle

After lunch we headed up to the Forts Walk to try and find Koala's but it was getting hot and the walk is quite steep. 

The views over the island were great, but no sign of Koala's. From here we drove down to Alma Bay and had a rest in the park overlooking the beach. 

Alma Bay

Behind us in a tall pine tree was an Osprey nest with at least one chick in it. The parent birds were making frequent visits with food. A single Orange-footed Scrubfowl was scratching a living in the park.

Orange-footed Scrubfowl

A lone Galah was alongside the road as we returned the hire car before catching the ferry at Nellie Bay back to Townsville.

Galah

The next day we visited Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park the site of a historic Quarantine Station—established in 1915, to quarantine passengers on incoming ships. A short walk from the car park takes you to Shelly Cove and the site of WWII gun emplacements. Here we found a Black Kite soaring out to sea. Along the walk there were a variety of honeyeaters, Blue-faced, Brown-backed, Dusky, Brown and Helmeted Friarbird (Hornbill).

Black Kite

From there we went into the Townsville Town Common Conservation Park. Usually good birds here, best ones were Pacific Golden Plover, Black-necked Stork, Brolga, Red-backed Fairy-wren and Horsefield's Bronze-Cuckoo.

Black-necked Stork (male-dark eye)

In the afternoon we took a walk along Kissing Point to the Jezzine Barracks.  The area of 15-hectare has been developed at a cost of $40 million into a commemoration of the Aboriginal and military heritage. There are plenty of interesting public artworks and many interpretive signs along with the Kissing Point Fort , which has some parts restored. There are views across to Magnetic Island and of course a few birds along the way. Brahminy Kite was soaring over the cliffs, a few Great Bowerbird were feeding in a fruiting fig and and a Brush Cuckoo was calling from a frangipani.

Brush Cuckoo

The following day a group of us headed north to Paluma. The turnoff is about 80km from Townsville where the road winds its' way up to Paluma at about 1000m. We had booked a cottage for a few days in the Paluma Village alongside the rainforest - a great location. A male Victoria's Riflebird came to visit and show off.

Victoria's Riflebird

The next few days started off in the mist, but cleared enough for us to travel around the area, visiting the Village of Paluma, walking to Cloudy Creek, Puzzle Creek, the Grandis Forest and Birthday Creek Falls. Plenty of interesting birds in this area including Tooth-bill and Golden Bowerbird, Noisy Pitta (heard), Eastern Yellow Robin and Red-necked Crake (heard).

This female Rufous Whistler was in the Grandis Forest and probably taking the moth to a nest nearby.

Rufous Whistler (F)

The Golden and Tooth-billed Bower birds were at Birthday Creek.

Golden Bowerbird (M)

Tooth-billed Bowerbird

The Eastern Yellow Robin was in the Grandis Forest.

Eastern Yellow Robin

After three days with friends in Paluma we headed down the hill and took the highway north, stopping at Cardwell, where we had lunch at the Coral Sea Park. A quiet spot away from the highway traffic. Continued north, stopping at the Hinchinbrook Lookout to admire the views to Hinchinbrook Island. Further north we passed through Tully turning off the highway to Mission Beach. Stopped at the Licuala Day Use Area in the Dijiru National Park and went for a walk along the 1.3km Fan Palm Walk. Interesting walk but only saw 3 bird species, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Yellow-spotted Honeyeater and a Little (Rufous) Shrike-thrush.

Little (Rufous) Shrike-thrush

Drove into South Mission Beach and booked into the Mission Beach Resort, which was adequate for an overnight stop. There were a few birds around the grounds, which backed onto a patch of lowland forest. A couple of Orange-footed Scrubfowl were calling from the forest and Australian Figbird along with Rainbow Bee-eater were in the trees. Three Bush Stone-curlew were lurking around in the resort grounds.

Bush Stone-curlew

That evening we went out for a farewell dinner as Lindsay's sister Janet was flying back to London the next day. We went to Pepper Vine Restaurant as Lindsay had a $100.00 voucher she had bid for at an auction a few weeks before at the Cassowary Festival.

The following day we got organised to leave Mission Beach and head back to Cairns. Called into Lacey Creek to look for a Southern Cassowary, but none around. So continued on a headed for Etty Bay, usually reliable for the cassowary. Sure enough we came across one about 500m before the beach alongside the road. Lindsay's sister Janet managed to get a phone photo.

Southern Cassowary

After this excitement we continued on to the beach, where there were plenty of people. From here we travelled back to Cairns, calling into the Cairns Esplanade before dropping Janet off at the airport for her evening flight to Singapore and London.

Trip Species List  

Southern Cassowary - Casuarius casuarius

Magpie Goose - Anseranas semipalmata

Plumed Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna eytoni

Wandering Whistling-Duck - Dendrocygna arcuata

Cotton Pygmy-Goose - Nettapus coromandelianus

Pacific Black Duck - Anas superciliosa

Grey Teal - Anas gracilis

Pink-eared Duck - Malacorhynchus membranaceus

Hardhead - Aythya australis

Australian Brushturkey - Alectura lathami

Orange-footed Scrubfowl - Megapodius reinwardt

Australasian Grebe - Tachybaptus novaehollandiae

Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus

Rock Dove - Columba livia

White-headed Pigeon - Columba leucomela

Spotted Dove - Streptopelia chinensis

Brown Cuckoo-Dove - Macropygia phasianella

Pacific Emerald Dove - Chalcophaps longirostris

Crested Pigeon - Ocyphaps lophotes

Peaceful Dove - Geopelia placida

Bar-shouldered Dove - Geopelia humeralis

Wompoo Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus magnificus

Superb Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus superbus

Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove - Ptilinopus regina

Torresian Imperial-Pigeon - Ducula spilorrhoa

Topknot Pigeon - Lopholaimus antarcticus

Pheasant Coucal - Centropus phasianinus

Pacific Koel - Eudynamys orientalis

Channel-billed Cuckoo - Scythrops novaehollandiae

Shining Bronze-Cuckoo - Chrysococcyx lucidus

Little Bronze-Cuckoo - Chrysococcyx minutillus

Brush Cuckoo - Cacomantis variolosus

Australian Swiftlet - Aerodramus terraereginae

Buff-banded Rail - Gallirallus philippensis

Dusky Moorhen - Gallinula tenebrosa

Eurasian Coot - Fulica atra

Australasian Swamphen - Porphyrio melanotus

Red-necked Crake - Rallina tricolor

Sarus Crane - Antigone antigone

Brolga - Antigone rubicunda

Bush Stone-curlew - Burhinus grallarius

Pied Stilt - Himantopus leucocephalus

Australian Pied Oystercatcher - Haematopus longirostris

Pacific Golden-Plover - Pluvialis fulva

Masked Lapwing - Vanellus miles

Red-kneed Dotterel - Erythrogonys cinctus

Black-fronted Dotterel - Elseyornis melanops

Comb-crested Jacana - Irediparra gallinacea

Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus

Eastern Curlew - Numenius madagascariensis

Bar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica

Great Knot - Calidris tenuirostris

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - Calidris acuminata

Curlew Sandpiper - Calidris ferruginea

Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos

Grey-tailed Tattler - Tringa brevipes

Marsh Sandpiper - Tringa stagnatilis

Wood Sandpiper - Tringa glareola

Silver Gull - Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae

Little Tern - Sternula albifrons

Gull-billed Tern - Gelochelidon nilotica

Caspian Tern - Hydroprogne caspia

Crested Tern - Thalasseus bergii

Black-necked Stork - Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus

Australasian Darter - Anhinga novaehollandiae

Little Pied Cormorant - Microcarbo melanoleucos

Great Cormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo

Little Black Cormorant - Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

Australian Pelican - Pelecanus conspicillatus

White-necked Heron - Ardea pacifica

Great Egret - Ardea alba

Intermediate Egret - Ardea intermedia

Little Egret - Egretta garzetta

Eastern Reef Egret - Egretta sacra

Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis

Nankeen Night-Heron - Nycticorax caledonicus

Glossy Ibis - Plegadis falcinellus

Australian White Ibis - Threskiornis molucca

Straw-necked Ibis - Threskiornis spinicollis

Royal Spoonbill - Platalea regia

Osprey - Pandion haliaetus

Pacific Baza - Aviceda subcristata

Swamp Harrier - Circus approximans

Black Kite - Milvus migrans

Whistling Kite - Haliastur sphenurus

Brahminy Kite - Haliastur indus

White-bellied Sea-Eagle - Haliaeetus leucogaster

Azure Kingfisher - Ceyx azureus

Laughing Kookaburra - Dacelo novaeguineae

Blue-winged Kookaburra - Dacelo leachii

Forest Kingfisher - Todiramphus macleayii

Sacred Kingfisher - Todiramphus sanctus

Rainbow Bee-eater - Merops ornatus

Dollarbird - Eurystomus orientalis

Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo - Calyptorhynchus banksii

Galah - Eolophus roseicapilla

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo - Cacatua galerita

Australian King-Parrot - Alisterus scapularis

Red-winged Parrot - Aprosmictus erythropterus

Crimson Rosella - Platycercus elegans

Rainbow Lorikeet - Trichoglossus moluccanus

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet - Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus

Noisy Pitta - Pitta versicolor

Spotted Catbird - Ailuroedus maculosus

Tooth-billed Bowerbird - Scenopoeetes dentirostris

Golden Bowerbird - Amblyornis newtoniana

Satin Bowerbird - Ptilonorhynchus violaceus

Great Bowerbird - Chlamydera nuchalis

White-throated Treecreeper - Cormobates leucophaea

Red-backed Fairywren - Malurus melanocephalus

Yellow-spotted Honeyeater - Meliphaga notata

Lewin's Honeyeater - Meliphaga lewinii

Yellow Honeyeater - Stomiopera flava

White-gaped Honeyeater - Stomiopera unicolor

Yellow-faced Honeyeater - Caligavis chrysops

Noisy Miner - Manorina melanocephala

Bridled Honeyeater - Bolemoreus frenatus

Varied Honeyeater - Gavicalis versicolor

Brown-backed Honeyeater - Ramsayornis modestus

Dusky Honeyeater - Myzomela obscura

Scarlet Honeyeater - Myzomela sanguinolenta

Brown Honeyeater - Lichmera indistincta

White-cheeked Honeyeater - Phylidonyris niger

Blue-faced Honeyeater - Entomyzon cyanotis

White-throated Honeyeater - Melithreptus albogularis

White-naped Honeyeater - Melithreptus lunatus

Macleay's Honeyeater - Xanthotis macleayanus

Little Friarbird - Philemon citreogularis

Helmeted Friarbird - Philemon buceroides

Noisy Friarbird - Philemon corniculatus

Atherton Scrubwren - Sericornis keri

Large-billed Scrubwren - Sericornis magnirostra

Mountain Thornbill - Acanthiza katherina

White-throated Gerygone - Gerygone olivacea

Large-billed Gerygone - Gerygone magnirostris

Brown Gerygone - Gerygone mouki

Chowchilla - Orthonyx spaldingii

Barred Cuckooshrike - Coracina lineata

Black-faced Cuckooshrike - Coracina novaehollandiae

White-bellied Cuckooshrike - Coracina papuensis

Varied Triller - Lalage leucomela

Common Cicadabird - Edolisoma tenuirostre

Eastern Whipbird - Psophodes olivaceus

Bower's Shrikethrush - Colluricincla boweri

Grey Shrikethrush - Colluricincla harmonica

Little Shrikethrush - Colluricincla megarhyncha

Golden Whistler - Pachycephala pectoralis

Grey Whistler - Pachycephala simplex

Rufous Whistler - Pachycephala rufiventris

Olive-backed Oriole - Oriolus sagittatus

Yellow Oriole - Oriolus flavocinctus

Australasian Figbird - Sphecotheres vieilloti

Yellow-breasted Boatbill - Machaerirhynchus flaviventer

White-breasted Woodswallow - Artamus leucorynchus

Pied Butcherbird - Cracticus nigrogularis

Black Butcherbird - Cracticus quoyi

Australian Magpie - Gymnorhina tibicen

Pied Currawong - Strepera graculina

Willie Wagtail - Rhipidura leucophrys

Rufous Fantail - Rhipidura rufifrons

Grey Fantail - Rhipidura albiscapa

Spangled Drongo - Dicrurus bracteatus

Victoria's Riflebird - Ptiloris victoriae

Black-faced Monarch - Monarcha melanopsis

Spectacled Monarch - Symposiachrus trivirgatus

Magpie-lark - Grallina cyanoleuca

Leaden Flycatcher - Myiagra rubecula

Torresian Crow - Corvus orru

Pale-yellow Robin - Tregellasia capito

Eastern Yellow Robin - Eopsaltria australis

Grey-headed Robin - Heteromyias cinereifrons

Australasian Bushlark - Mirafra javanica

Golden-headed Cisticola - Cisticola exilis

Australian Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus australis

Welcome Swallow - Hirundo neoxena

Fairy Martin - Petrochelidon ariel

Silvereye - Zosterops lateralis

Metallic Starling - Aplonis metallica

Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis

Mistletoebird - Dicaeum hirundinaceum

Olive-backed Sunbird - Cinnyris jugularis

Scaly-breasted Munia - Lonchura punctulata

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin - Lonchura castaneothorax

House Sparrow - Passer domesticus

Australasian Pipit - Anthus novaeseelandiae

185 Species