What bird lover does not like adding to their list of sightings? I am one such person who was fortunate enough to take a 4×4 camping holiday to Cape York recently and several new sightings and confirmations have been crossed off my ‘bucket list of birds’.
I guess what struck me most from Palmer River north was the amount of Black Kites (milvus migrans),easily depicted on the wing by their forked tail whereas almost all other kites/hawks have a straight (square) tail. Extremely abundant, it appears road-kill is its main food source. I also wonder whether this species has increased in amount over the past 20-30 years due to the increased traffic to the Cape to the detriment of other raptor cousins not quite as adaptable as this most prevalent Kite.
While driving on the very dusty roads bird life seemed nonexistent however while camping in some lovely secluded spots near the creeks and waterfalls quite a selection of wildlife appeared for my enjoyment. I will mention some that were of real delight.
Brown Songlark (cincloramphus cruralis), delightfully pattered winged brown bird with seemingly long legs for its body shape. Interesting loud voice that makes you look around to see what it is. Seen Palmer River and Mt Carbine area.
A wonderful little bird Satin Flycatcher (myiagra cyanoleuca) busily followed us in the trees beside a track at Eliot Falls. Amazing blue/black head cut-off sharply across breast by white underparts.
Very similar to our Black-Faced Cuckoo Shrike back home on Fraser Island I came across the smaller White Bellied Cuckoo-Shrike (coracina papeunsis) in a tree above our campsite at Punsand Bay right at the tip of Cape York.
With amazement we watched several Great Frigatebirds (fregata minor) patrolling the east coast of Cape York at Captain Billy Landing. Although my call was Great Frigatebird, they could in fact have been Lesser Frigatebirds as at the height they were hovering one could not be absolutely sure. Regardless, the composure at which they glided on the thermals was a wonderful sight.
Lakefield National Park is a great haven for all birds and I will only name a few that I had not seen before. The Red-Winged Parrot (aprosmictus erythropterus) most definitely a green parrot with splashes of red on the wings flying in little groups along water courses. We camped at Hann River Crossing where many of these and Pale Headed Rosellas made their home.
A great treat for me was to watch the beautiful Radjah Shelduck (tadorna radjah). This conspicuous white duck with dark rusty-brown underparts frequented the swampy area around the Hann River Crossing and I also sighted them in other parts of Lakefield’s lagoon areas.
The majestic Magpie Geese (anseranas semipalmata) were in abundance in the different swampy areas, much larger than I imagined (can reach 90cm high and wing span of 1.8m) and with comically long orange-yellow legs. Seeing them take flight in mass was very beautiful.
Really wanted to get a good sighting of a Blue-winged Kookaburra (dacelo leachii), heard their very unmistakable cry on numerous occasions but a definite sighting eluded me even though other members of our camping adventure were lucky enough to see them.
Further south walking the wonderful Mossman Gorge Rob and I came across a magnificent Wompoo Fruit Dove (prilinopus marnigicus) with its characteristic ‘Wompoo’ call. This large pigeon is basically green with yellow underparts and plum coloured breast. Although a photograph was taken it was difficult to obtain a clear image as foliage and shadow obscured parts of this beautiful bird.
At Cape Tribulation and Cape Hillsborough scratching in the leaf litter the Orange Footed Scrub Fowl (megapoius reinwardt) almost looks prehistoric with small crested head and bright orange legs and large orange powerful looking feet.
At Malanda in the rainforest obtained good views of Yellow Throated Scrubwren (sericornis citreogularis), Pied Monarch(arses kaupi), secretive Eastern Whipbird (psophodes olivaceus) and the quite colourful Spotted Catbird (ailuroedus melanotis) along with many other scrub birds not mentioned here.
Can you imagine my delight at Cape Tribulation when a Southern Cassowary (casuarius casuarius) along with two juveniles walked across the road in front of us. A scramble for the Go Pro resulted in a wonderful video of them slowly making their way across the road and entering the dense rain forest hidden again from view within a moment. What a privilege to be in their presence if only for a short time.
Yes the ‘bucket list’ is getting shorter however with so many wonderful birds yet to identify in this huge land of ours my travelling days obviously will need to continue.
Jen