In 2004-05 Cathy spent 6 months of an academic sabbatical working at the Northern Territory Museum in Darwin, Australia. Mid-way through this stint, Paul came over to visit and we spent 2 weeks birding our way across the Top End from Darwin to Kununurra, WA. We then flew to Brisbane for an additional week’s birding in SE Queensland. November is an excellent time for birding the Top End provided one can tolerate the heat and humidity of the “build up” (air conditioned accommodations are a must, and camping not recommended). Although we had a few late afternoon storms, the wet season had not yet arrived in earnest and the countryside was still quite dry. As a result, birds were concentrated around those lagoons and billabongs that still retained water. On the coast, all of the migrant shorebirds “wintering” from the northern hemisphere had arrived, along with a few vagrants, and southern hemisphere summer migrants such as cuckoos were also present. As a result, species diversity was at its highest. In SE Queensland it was spring, the temperatures were very pleasant, and the breeding season was underway.
For the Top End portion of our trip we relied heavily on McCrie & Watson’s excellent site guide “Finding Birds in Darwin, Kakadu and the Top End” (2003). Another useful guide to this region is Denise Goodfellow’s somewhat eccentric “Birds of Australia’s Top End” (2001). We found it more difficult to plan the SE Queensland leg, as detailed information about birding sites other than the globally renowned Lamington NP was difficult to find. Thomas & Thomas’s oft-cited “The Complete Guide to Finding the Birds of Australia” (1996) is out of print, and we were unable to obtain a copy, even from within Australia. Lloyd Nielsen’s “Birding Australia: A Directory for Birders” (2004) was helpful for selecting general areas to visit and accommodations. It is, however, primarily a lodging and travel directory, and does not include much specific site information. (All of these resources can be ordered online at www.birdingaustralia.com.au). Birds Queensland’s website has detailed directions to sites in and around Brisbane (www.birdsqueensland.org.au/gazetteer.html) which we found quite useful, but for many of the sites only travel directions are given, and there is little or no information on the type of habitat or species that can be expected. At Lamington NP, the resident naturalists at O’Reilly’s were very helpful in directing us to the best locations for particular species.
Paul’s flight from Los Angeles to Brisbane and our Brisbane-Darwin flights were all with Qantas (within Australia, Virgin Blue is another, slightly cheaper alternative carrier). In Brisbane we rented a car from Europcar, whose internet rates were considerably lower than the other major agencies. A complete list of our accommodations is provided at the end of this report.
Paul arrived in Darwin on the evening of Saturday 13 November, and, figuring he was going to be awake from jet-lag anyway, we started birding bright and early the next morning.
Sunday 14 November: Darwin
We started the morning at Buffalo Creek, where a high tide guaranteed that the large flocks of waders that congregate there would be concentrated in a small area high on the shore. Among the thousands of Great Knots and many fewer Red Knots, we found Greater and Lesser Sand-Plovers, Red-capped Plover, both Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits, Eastern Curlew, Terek and Curlew Sandpipers, Red-necked Stint, Grey-tailed Tattler, and one individual each of both Pied and Sooty Oystercatcher. Great Crested, Lesser Crested, Little and Caspian Terns were roosting on the beach, and a fly-by Brown Booby was a nice bonus. In the mangroves and monsoon forest bordering the beach we found species such as Red-headed Honeyeater, Australian Yellow White-Eye, Black Butcherbird, Shining Flycatcher, Azure Kingfisher and Emerald Dove, as well as an immature Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo, a relative rarity in the northern Top End. Next we visited the Leanyer Sewage Works, where all nine species of ducks and geese that regularly occur in the Top End were present, including small numbers of Pink-eared Ducks. Also at the sewage ponds were at least five Yellow Wagtails, a vagrant Ruff, and several Little Curlews, as well as Whiskered, Common and White-winged Black Terns.
In the late afternoon we visited the Knuckey Lagoons, adding Marsh, Wood, and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers to our list of waders, and also picking up Black-fronted and Red-kneed Dotterels, White-browed Crake, Purple Swamphen, Black-necked Stork, Royal Spoonbill, and all three ibis species including Glossy Ibis. We also successfully located a Garganey that had been seen there in previous weeks. We ended the day at East Point Reserve, where we found pairs of Beach Thick-knees and Bush Thick-knees as well as an Eastern Reef Egret, and at dusk got a very brief glimpse of a Large-tailed Nightjar. We ended our first day of birding with the list already at 109 species.
Monday 15 November: Fogg Dam and Adelaide River
We arrived at Fogg Dam shortly after dawn, and from the first viewing platform watched as Comb-crested Jacanas, White-browed Crakes, and Buff-banded Rails foraged in and around the lily ponds. Eventually we also located a Spotless Crake feeding in a small muddy patch close to theplatform. Australian Reed Warblers, Tawny Grassbirds, Golden-he aded Cisticolas, and Bar-breasted Honeyeaters were active and conspicuous in the reed beds, and along the dam were Willie-wagtails, Paperbark (Restless) Flycatchers, and Crimson Finches. Many hundreds of Oriental Pratincoles flew over the dam shortly after sunrise, and a small group of Fork-tailed Swifts also passed by. At the end of the causeway we found Rufous Whistler and Broad-billed Flycatcher, and in the monsoon forest got good looks at Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove, as well as other common species such as Grey Whistler, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Northern Fantail, Yellow Oriole, and Spangled Drongo. Although we heard several Rainbow Pittas, we never saw any of the calling individuals. After leaving Fogg Dam we stopped at the Adelaide River bridge, where we were able to find only the female Mangrove Golden Whistler. Upon returning to Darwin we made a late afternoon visit to the Botanic Gardens, locating two Rufous Owls roosting in the children’s play area, and a Barking Owl near the palm grove.
Tuesday 16 November: Darwin to Jabiru via Mary River Park
Another early morning, as we left Darwin at 5 a.m. in order to arrive at Mary River Park in time for a 7 a.m. cruise on the Mary River. Mike, the guide who runs this cruise, was pleased to have customers who were interested in birds rather than crocodiles. Although we did see a number of large “salties” (Estuarine Crocodiles), he was able to give us superb views of several Black Bitterns, a pair of roosting Barking Owls, and the hoped-for crown jewel, a Great-billed Heron at very close range. We birded the grounds of the Mary River Park for several hours, picking up Australian Koel, Brush Cuckoo, Little Bronze-Cuckoo, Blue-faced and Dusky Honeyeaters, Leaden Flycatcher, Arafura (Rufous) Fantail and Little Shrike-Thrush, before driving on to Kakadu NP. A stop at the Mamukala wetlands turned up little new other than Red-backed Fairy-Wren and Grey-crowned Babbler. After checking in to Lakeview Park in Jabiru for the night, we took a sunset walk around the lake, where we added only Rufous-throated Honeyeater to the list.
Wednesday 17 November: Kakadu NP — Ubirr to Cooinda
In the morning we drove north from Jabiru to the Ubirr area, stopping first at the Bardedjilidji Sandstone walk. The area around these sandstone outcroppings was extremely quiet, and initially we saw little other than a Short-eared Rock Wallaby. As we headed back towards the car, however, we ran across three Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeons foraging on the ground at the base of an outcrop. Then, on the last small outcrop before the carpark we found a Sandstone Shrike-Thrush, which allowed us to approach very closely. At the Ubirr Rock Art area we saw another Sandstone Shrike-Thrush, this one more distant but singing lustily from behind one of the rock art galleries. At this site we also found a small party of the lavender-flanked race of Variegated Fairy-Wren. Our final stop in the Ubirr area was the Manngarre monsoon forest walk, where we finally caught up with Rainbow Pitta, and had marvelous scope views of a stunning, white-phase Grey Goshawk perched among the huge colony of Black Flying Foxes.
In the afternoon we headed south to Cooinda, stopping to drive the Muirella road, where we found a pair of Partridge Pigeons sitting in almost the exact same place that Cathy had seen them 3 years earlier. On a late afternoon walk around Nourlangie Rock we located a solitary Banded Fruit-Dove, feeding quietly above one of the rock art galleries. We were, however, disappointed to miss White-lined Honeyeater, a species which eluded us for the rest of the trip. We spent the night at the Gagujdu Cooinda Lodge, which is overpriced but the only accommodation convenient to Yellow Water.
Thursday 18 November: Kakadu NP — Cooinda to Mary River Roadhouse
We started the morning with the 6:45 a.m. Yellow Water cruise, a must for anyone visiting Kakadu in the late dry season. Thousands of Magpie-Geese had recently arrived on the wetlands, and the sight and sound of these flocks taking off in the early morning light was truly spectacular. Our guide, Murray, was able to edge the boat up to within an arm’s length of both Azure and Little Kingfishers, and an Australian Darter allowed us to come so close we were convinced it must be a trained bird! Another highlight was watching a pair of Brolgas engaged in courtship dancing on the shore of the billabong. And, of course, we saw many large crocodiles at close range. After the cruise, we walked the 2 km through paperbark forest back to the lodge. In addition to lots of Northern and Arafura Fantails, we were very pleased to find a pair of Buff-sided (White-browed) Robins along the shore of the billabong.
Our plan for the following day had been to visit Gunlom Falls to search for White-throated Grasswren, but Murray told us that the area had recently burned and we would be unlikely to find the birds there. McCrie & Watson suggest Plum Tree Creek on the Gunlom Falls road as an alternative site for the grasswren, so we decided to spend the afternoon reconnoitering that site. Exploring the sandstone ridges in the mid-day heat, we found no signs of grasswrens, but did flush up a pair of Spotted Nightjars from their roost on the ground. We also saw the only Black-breasted Buzzards of the trip, a pair soaring over the road. We spent the night at Mary River Roadhouse, close to the southern border of the park. This was a great spot for parrots and cockatoos, with Galahs, Little Corellas, Rainbow Lorikeets, Red-winged Parrots and Northern Rosellas all flying noisily around the grounds. We were amused to find that a Great Bowerbird had constructed his bower underneath a caravan in the campground!
Friday 19 November: Kakadu NP to Katherine
In the morning we returned to Plum Tree Creek to try again for the grasswrens. Several hours of looking and listening produced no grasswrens, although we did see a Black Wallaroo, numerous Silver-crowned Friarbirds and Variegated Fairy-Wrens, several more Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeons, and a pair of Partridge Pigeons on the road. Eventually we gave up and drove south to Katherine, stopping for lunch in Pine Creek, where quick visits to the water tank and sewage ponds turned up little of interest. From Pine Creek south we observed a number of changes in the avifauna, with inland species replacing many of the coastal species common around Darwin. White-breasted and Black-faced Woodswallows and Fairy Martins became common, Rufous-banded Honeyeater was replaced by Rufous-throated, Varied Triller by White-winged Triller, Forest Kingfisher by Sacred Kingfisher, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes began to outnumber White-bellied, and Crested Pigeons replaced Torresian
(Pied) Imperial-Pigeons on telephone wires.
After checking in to the Knotts’ Crossing Resort in Katherine, we drove out the Victoria Highway to Chainman Creek. We had hardly left the car and begun to walk through the grassy woodland when a Chestnut-backed Button-quail appeared before us. We watched and even videotaped her as she wandered among clumps of grass and obligingly spent some time foraging in a little open area. At this site we also saw Black-tailed Treecreepers and the first of many Yellow-tinted and Banded Honeyeaters. A sudden storm interrupted our search for Gouldian Finches and Hooded Parrots, and we made our way back to Katherine amid heavy rain and spectacular lightening.
Saturday 20 November: Central Arnhem Hwy and Mataranka
We spent the morning driving the Central Arnhem Highway, 50 km south of Katherine, getting as far as the community of Beswick and the end of the blacktop before turning back. The first 8 km of this road were the most productive, along with the area around the Maranboy police station. In the open woodlands along the road we found Rufous Songlark, Jacky Winter, Striated Pardalote, White-throated Gerygone, Red-backed Kingfisher, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Grey Shrike-Thrush, Masked and Long-tailed Finches, and an immature Black-eared Cuckoo. At Maranboy Creek we saw the only Yellow-rumped Mannikin of the trip among a flock of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins. After eating our picnic lunch in the car while a brief storm passed over, we continued south to Mataranka, where we picked up Diamond Dove and Apostlebird in the town park, and saw a pair of Australian Hobby perched beside the Stuart Highway. On our first stop at the Red Goshawk nest we found no birds at home, but on our second visit an immature Red Goshawk appeared overhead. We watched for several minutes as it flew circles above us, appearing to be enjoying practicing flying in the strong gusts of an approaching storm.
We spent the last part of the afternoon back out the Victoria Highway at a spot about 26 km west of Katherine, where a short, stony ridge runs parallel to the road. Murray had told us this was a good place to find Gouldian Finch, and, sure enough, we found two feeding atop the ridge. This ridge was very birdy in general, and we also saw Black-tailed Treecreeper, Varied Sittella, Striated Pardalote, Red-backed Kingfisher, and Long-tailed and Masked Finches. On our way back to Katherine we found a flock of about 15 Hooded Parrots settling in to roost for the night in a tree beside the
highway, about a kilometer east of Chainman Creek.
Sunday 21 November: Katherine to Victoria River Roadhouse
We left Katherine early and returned to both of the sites we had visited the previous evening. Hooded Parrots were still foraging in the grass close to the roost spot, and at the stony ridge we now found a flock of at least 80 Gouldian Finches feeding on the ground. As we continued west on the Victoria Highway, flock after flock of Varied Lorikeets and Cockatiels passed over us. We eventually found some Cockatiels perched beside the highway, but never saw Varied Lorikeets land within sight of the road. We turned off on the Buntine Highway and drove about 30 km south, seeing Australian (Black-shouldered) Kite, an immature Spotted Harrier, and a pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles. Among a large flock of finches drinking at a roadside ditch we found another couple of Gouldian Finches. Humbles Creek, highlighted by McCrie & Watson, was dry, and the area around it very quiet except for a large flock of Galahs drinking from a stock tank.
We arrived at the Victoria River Roadhouse in mid-afternoon, and after checking in went down to the river to look for Purple-crowned Fairy-Wrens. We got a brief glimpse of a female Purple-crowned Fairy-Wren at the east end of the bridge, but when additional effort didn’t produce any better looks we moved instead to the end of the Victoria River Access Rd. Patience here was finally rewarded with great looks at a group of about 5 birds, 4 of them males in full breeding plumage. Along the Access Rd. we also saw a pair of Australian (Nankeen) Kestrels, and a large flock of Star Finches. At sunset we climbed the escarpment above the river, and on the top of the plateau found a single White-quilled Rock-Pigeon. When this bird flew it had no white in the wings whatsoever, which had us mystified until we read that the NT subspecies boothi sometimes completely lacks white wing patches. After dinner we drove back down the Victoria River Access Rd with a spotlight, finding a Tyto owl sitting in the grass. We were unable to identify this owl positively, but the relatively
dark back and head and long legs suggested Eastern Grass Owl.
Monday 22 November: Victoria River Roadhouse to Kununurra
As we drove west from the Victoria River we stopped to bird at the Bullita Access Rd. and in Timber Creek, but found only the common woodland species at these sites. We reached Keep River NP in early afternoon, and drove in as far as the Gurrandalng campground, seeing an Australian Magpie along the road. We had only walked about 100 m along the Gurrandalng escarpment trail when we found ourselves surrounded by about six White-quilled Rock-Pigeons flying noisily between outcrops. Unlike the Victoria River bird, these ones had the large, white wing patches characteristic of the albipennis subspecies. Most of the creeks in Keep River NP were dry, the forest was quiet, and relatively few water birds were present at Cockatoo Lagoon. We arrived in Kununurra in the late afternoon, and checked in to the Kona Lakeside Tourist Park, where we found a group of Grey-crowned Babblers busy on the lawn beside our cabin. We headed out to end the day looking for finches and raptors along some of the roads in the Weaber Plains, but saw little of interest before a storm arrived with heavy rain.
Tuesday 23 November: Kununurra to Wyndham
It was still raining when we got up, and we delayed our departure for Wyndham until the weather began to clear. The highlight of the 80 km drive was a pair of Wedge-tailed Eagles perched beside the road. After inadvertently exploring several four-wheel drive tracks, all of them prominently signposted for Parry Lagoons, we eventually found the main (2WD) entrance road to this site. Feeding in the road were large mixed flocks of mostly Star and Zebra Finches, along with a few Pictorella Mannikins. Australasian (Singing) Bushlarks were abundant along the grassy roadside, and we almost ran over several Brown Quail. When we finally reached the lagoon itself, it was full of ducks and waders, with a small flock of Brolgas feeding nearby. We put up the spotting scope to take a closer look at the ducks at the far end of the lagoon, and the first bird to swim across the field of view was a male Northern Pintail, only the fourth record of this species for Australia! We then discovered a female Flock Bronzewing sitting among the ducks at the water’s edge. Somewhat reluctantly we eventually moved on to the extremely unappealing little town of Wyndham Port in search of Spinifex Pigeons, which we had read could be found on the road beyond the crocodile farm. Sure enough, only 100 m past the croc farm were dozens of wonderfully upright little Spinifex Pigeons sitting on and alongside the road! In a brief stop at what passes for Wyndham Port’s foreshore we also found Mangrove Gerygone and Mangrove Grey Fantail, and saw a Striated Heron on the beach. We decided it would be more pleasant to return to Parry Lagoons for our picnic lunch, which we ate while watching Star Finches, Diamond Doves, an Australian Pratincole, and a number of Australian (Richard’s) Pipits coming in to drink. On our way back to Kununurra we stopped at The Grotto, hoping for yet another look at White-quilled Rock-Pigeon. We found no pigeons, but did enjoy watching a Brown Goshawk disembowel a large lizard.
We ended the day birding the grounds of the Kona Lakeside Tourist Park, which proved to be home to quite a large population of Buff-sided Robins. A Black Bittern was fishing in full view on a log overhanging the billabong, and at dusk we tracked down a calling Tawny Frogmouth in the campground.
Wednesday 24 November: Kununurra to Katherine
Today was largely a driving day, but we got an early start and went straight to Keep River NP, going in about 10 km and stopping wherever there was activity beside the road. At one particularly birdy spot we finally found a few Grey-fronted Honeyeaters along with several small flocks of Weebills, and among Long-tailed and Masked Finches another group of about 12 Gouldian Finches. At mid-day we reached the Buntine Highway and drove south about 2 km to one of the few creeks that still had water. This spot had looked promising when we had been here earlier in the week, and we now found large flocks of finches and honeyeaters coming in to drink. The majority were Pictorella Mannikins, a flock of at least 100 birds.
After reaching Katherine and the Knott’s Crossing Resort in late afternoon, we decided to do some sightseeing and drove out to Katherine Gorge. We saw very few birds around the Visitor Center or on the short hike up to the gorge overlook, but at the picnic area we finally added Silver-backed (Grey) Butcherbird to our list.
Thursday 25 November: Katherine to Darwin
We left Katherine at dawn and drove to Edith Falls, birding along the 20 km road in to this site. Several km east of the Stuart Highway we found an area with a lot of activity. Here we saw a pair of Hooded Parrots, a flock of about 20 Gouldian Finches, and a variety of the usual open forest species such as Black-tailed Treecreeper, Striated Pardalote, and Grey Shrike-Thrush. We stopped for an early lunch in Pine Creek, and returned to the sewage ponds, where little had changed since our previous visit, and the cemetery, where we found two sub-adult Pallid Cuckoos.
We arrived in Darwin in the mid-afternoon, and, after settling back in to Cathy’s apartment and running some errands, headed out to the Nightcliff foreshore, where we got the scope on a Collared Kingfisher mere seconds before a cloudburst had us sprinting for the car. We moved on to the Knuckey Lagoons, where we caught up with the Swinhoe’s Snipe that we had missed on the previous visit, and finally got a look at several Oriental Pratincoles sitting still on the ground.
Friday 26 November: Darwin
Today was a “clean-up” day to look for some of the mangrove species we had missed previously. We started the day at the Casuarina Coastal Reserve, where we found plenty of Mangrove, Large-billed and Green-backed Gerygones, but missed Oriental Cuckoo. We then visited the mangroves at the Palmerston Sewage Works, where we waited patiently for Mangrove Robins to appear. They eventually did, and we enjoyed good looks at Little Shrike-thrush, Little Kingfisher, and Collared Kingfisher during the wait.
The rest of the day was spent organizing and packing for the following day’s flight to Brisbane. We ended the Top End portion of our trip having seen a total of 236 species, far more than the 215 that had been our original goal.
Sunday 28 November: Brisbane to Lamington NP
The previous day had been spent flying from Darwin to Brisbane, and we had arrived in Brisbane in the early evening, getting to the Aspley Acres Caravan Park at dusk. No daylight savings time in Queensland meant that sunrise was at about 4:45 a.m., so we started our habit of hitting the trail at this hour by taking a dawn stroll around the caravan park. Other than a resident Bush Thick-knee, the grounds had little to offer except for the ever-present urban Noisy Miners, Crested Pigeons, and Australian Magpies. We quickly moved on up the road to the Tinchi Tamba wetlands, where a small pond held an assortment of birds that included a Brolga and some Chestnut Teal, and in the surrounding grasslands and open forest we found Pale-headed Rosella, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Rufous and Grey Fantails, and Grey Butcherbird. Heading south out of Brisbane we also stopped at the Minnippi Parklands, where it was already too late in the day for crakes, but where we found our first Laughing Kookaburra, Silvereyes, and Superb Fairy-Wrens.
We arrived at O’Reilly’s Guesthouse in Lamington NP after having lunch in Canungra, and headed out for a late afternoon walk along the Main Border Track. We spent several hours along the first km of this trail, studying the common understory species that we would see repeatedly during our stay: Grey and Rufous Fantails, White-browed, Yellow-throated and Large-billed Scrubwrens, Eastern Yellow Robin, Golden Whistler, Brown Gerygone, Brown Thornbill and Lewin’s Honeyeater. We were treated to the spectacle of a mixed flock containing representatives of most of these species mobbing a highly venomous Tiger Snake beside the trail. We also found the somewhat more difficult to see Green Catbird, Eastern Whipbird, and Paradise Riflebird, as well as our only Shining Bronze-Cuckoo. Although we did not encounter them as commonly in the forest, it is nearly impossible to get to one’s room at O’Reilly’s without seeing Australian Brush-Turkey (one was working on a nest mound outside our bathroom window), Crimson Rosella, Australian King Parrot, Wonga Pigeon, and both Satin and Regent Bowerbirds, all of which get fed on the grounds. In the evenings, Red-necked Pademelons graze on the lawns, and a Mountain Brush-tailed Possum comes to eat fruit at the dining room window.
Monday 29 November: Lamington NP
We were up and out of our room at dawn, walking 1 km down the entrance road to the Python Rock Trail. Along the road we saw more Paradise Riflebirds (sadly, we only ever saw females of this species) and the charismatic little Logrunners. The first part of the Python Rock Trail was fairly quiet except for numerous Red-legged Pademelons, but as we approached the Python Rock lookout, we picked up Spectacled Monarch, White-throated Treecreeper, Bassian Thrush, and Topknot Pigeon, and flushed a Noisy Pitta from the trail. We returned to the lodge for a late breakfast, then, on the advice of Warren, one of the resident naturalists, headed down the Wishing Tree Trail behind the lodge. The birding along this trail was excellent, and as we descended to the creek we got a good look at a Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove and found our first Albert’s Lyrebird, which flew up into a large Crow’s nest fern to forage among the leaf litter accumulated there. We surprised a gorgeous male
Rose Robin bathing in the creek, a very fortuitous encounter since this species normally stays high in the canopy where it is difficult to see. Along the creek we saw many Black-faced Monarchs, a Fan-tailed Cuckoo that appeared to be trying to parasitize a monarch’s nest, and a White-headed Pigeon sitting out in full view. We also spent a long time and got very stiff necks trying unsuccessfully to see a Wompoo Fruit-Dove that was calling right above us. Upon returning to the guesthouse for lunch, we discovered Red-browed Finch and Eastern Spinebill feeding in the ornamental shrubs around the housing units.
After a late lunch and a short nap, we went back down the Wishing Tree Trail in the late afternoon. Unfortunately, the sun had already left the creek, and there was much less bird activity than there had been in the morning, but at the far end of the trail we found a small flock of Brown Cuckoo-Doves and several Crimson Rosellas feeding on thistles. We canceled our plans to go on that evening’s organized spotlighting walk in favor of an early night before the next day’s big trek. On our way back to our room, however, we put our own spotlight on a small ornamental pond and were lucky enough to see a Tiger Snake that had just caught a large Red-eyed Treefrog.
Tuesday 30 November: Lamington NP
Having already seen most of our target species, we decided to spend a day looking for the almost mythical Rufous Scrub-bird. The favored habitat of this elusive species occurs along the ridge past Mt. Bithongabel, a 6 km hike from O’Reilly’s. We hit the trail at 5 a.m. and reached Mt. Bithongabel at about 7 a.m., having seen several more Albert’s Lyrebirds and a Russet-tailed Thrush on the way. Along the ridge between Mt. Bithongabel and the Wanungara Lookout we stopped to play a tape periodically, but had only one response. The calling bird was, however, quite far off the trail, and we opted not to pursue it in the dense undergrowth. We did get a quick look at an Olive Whistler, another species whose range at Lamington is restricted to this particular area. We spent most of the day returning to the lodge via the extremely scenic Toolona Creek Trail, a route along which we saw many more waterfalls than birds. The last 2 km of this 18 km loop brought us back to the Main Border Track, where we followed a Noisy Pitta down the trail, getting somewhat better looks than we had on our previous encounters with this species. After recovering for a few hours, we went out at dusk to the Treetop Trail, hoping to see the resident Australian Owlet-Nightjar emerge from its roost. We missed the nightjar, but did find a Southern Boobook calling from a dead tree above the staff carpark.
Wednesday 01 December: Lamington NP to Stanthorpe
On our final morning at O’Reilly’s, Wompoo Fruit-Dove remained our primary target, so we started the day on the Main Border Track, where we had heard several calling the previous morning. This time it did not take long to finally get clear views of two calling birds. With that species ticked at last, we strolled back down the entrance road, hoping we might find a male Paradise Riflebird. Alas, that was not to be, but we were very pleased when instead Paul found a Crested Shrike-Tit. We also enjoyed watching a male Satin Bowerbird trying to entice a female into his bower by offering her a blue water-bottle cap. Strewn around his bower was an assortment of other blue objects, including many plastic drinking straws, bottle tops, and creamer packets! After breakfast we hiked back out the Python Rock Trail and turned off to Pat’s Bluff, where there is some open eucalypt forest. The only birds we saw here, however, were Noisy Miners and Grey Butcherbirds, and a Grey Goshawk that quickly disappeared over the cliff edge. At lunch we heard that people on the morning nature walk had seen the owlet-nightjar at a roost hole, and when we inquired about it Michael O’Reilly himself offered to take us to the spot. Unfortunately, the bird had gone and we did not see it.
Looking for the owlet-nightjar had somewhat delayed our departure from O’Reilly’s, and we did not have the leisure to do much birding on our drive to Stanthorpe. We left via the Duck Creek Rd., a gravel road that winds steeply down through the forest and out into the Kerry Valley before eventually reaching the Cunningham Highway. Our only stops were during the descent through open woodland, when we stopped to look at a flock of Bell Miners beside the road, and a brief stop in the valley to look at Pale-headed Rosellas. We arrived in Stanthorpe at 6 p.m., and while stopped at an information kiosk beside the river there saw our first Eastern Rosella. We got a second, better look only a few minutes later when we pulled into the Murray Gardens Country Cottages & Motel to find one sitting at their bird feeding station. This is certainly the loveliest of the rosellas, more deserving of the moniker “rainbow” than any of the other birds that bear that name.
Thursday 02 December: Girraween NP
We left Stanthorpe at dawn and drove the 30 km to Girraween NP, a park in the “Granite Belt” where Superb Lyrebird and other more southern species supposedly occur. Red Wattlebirds, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters and Eastern Spinebills were abundant around the picnic area, and the latter two species plus White-browed Scrubwren dominated along the trails. The only species we saw here that we would not see elsewhere, however, were Striated and Yellow Thornbills, together in small mixed flocks, and Spotted Pardalote. The lyrebirds and other advertised specialty species eluded us, and by mid-morning we were seeing very few birds, so aborted our hike to Mt. Norman in favor of returning to the picnic area. The early morning activity had abated there as well, so we drove back to Stanthorpe, making a rest stop at the information kiosk by the river. This turned out to be an inspired decision, as a short walk along the river turned up the only Yellow-rumped Thornbills, White-plumed Honeyeater, and white-rumped individuals of Double-barred Finch that we would see.
We reached Goomburra Forest Reserve in the mid-afternoon after stopping to buy groceries in Warwick. On the 40 km drive in through farmland and open woodland we saw a large flock of Zebra Finches in a farmyard, our first White-winged Choughs, and a White-naped Honeyeater bathing at a stream crossing. The Goomburra Forest Retreat is a property with just two guest cabins, located only 300 m from the entrance gate to the reserve. The cabins are new and beautifully furnished, and we voted this the nicest accommodation we had found during our Australian travels. After arriving, we wandered down the road to the reserve and walked a short distance along the North Branch Trail, which we quickly discovered is home to a large flock of Bell Miners. We also found small numbers of Musk Lorikeets mixed in with the larger, louder flocks of Rainbow Lorikeets. Yellow-faced, White-naped and Lewin’s Honeyeaters were all very common, and we saw a single Yellow-tufted Honeyeater bathing in the creek. We both got a shot of adrenaline when Cathy almost stepped on a very large (> 2 m) Carpet Python that was stretched out motionless beside the trail. When we passed back by at dusk, it had not moved at all.
Friday 03 December: Goomburra Forest Reserve
We headed back out the North Branch Trail first thing in the morning, and found “our” python still in the exact same position as the previous evening, presumably having spent the night waiting unsuccessfully for a meal to pass by on the path. It was, however, gone when we c ame back several hours later. We walked to the trail’s terminus at the rainforest edge, finding a pair of Scarlet Honeyeaters, Red-browed Treecreeper, the white-headed race of Varied Sitella, and a flock of about 25 Glossy Black-Cockatoos feeding noisily on the she-oak nuts on which they specialize. After lunch we attempted to drive to the lookouts, but found the road a bit rough for a low-clearance vehicle so stopped instead at the Araucaria Trail. This trail descends through rainforest that was logged a century ago, so is somewhat more open with a denser understory than the forest at Lamington. Nonetheless, we saw many of the same species, including Large-billed and Yellow-throated Scrubwrens, Logrunner, Green Catbird and Topknot Pigeon. In the late afternoon we decided to hike the 6 km
Cascade Trail loop, but unfortunately started a bit too late in the day and ended up having to push hard to make it back to the car before dark. Despite spending more time walking briskly than birding, we managed to see another Rose Robin, Albert’s Lyrebird, and a small family group of Pale-Yellow Robins.
04 December: Goomburra to Brisbane via Lockyer Valley
We left Goomburra at about 6 a.m. and birded our way out the Inverramsay Rd to Allora. In the open forest adjacent to the reserve we saw more White-winged Choughs, a Channel-billed Cuckoo that flew over calling noisily, and a Wedge-tailed Eagle soaring in the distance. In the cultivated areas we found several pairs of lovely Red-rumped Parrots by the roadside, along with Australasian Bushlarks, an Australian Pipit, and a possible female Brown Songlark. From Allora we drove to the Lockyer Valley, and visited some of the lakes in the area around Gatton. Unfortunately, several of these lakes (Seven Mile Lagoon, Lake Atkinson) were completely dry, and Lake Clarendon had very little water. Only the Apex Lakes in the middle of Gatton and the lake at the U. Queensland Gatton Campus had substantial amounts of both water and birds. At the Apex Lakes we found several Yellow-billed Spoonbills in with Royal Spoonbills, and at the Gatton Campus lake we saw Red-necked Avocets, a large number of Pink-eared Ducks, and three Latham’s Snipe standing in the open along the water’s edge. Lake Clarendon had large flocks of Black Swans, Hardheads, and Eurasian Coots.
We ended our birding trip with a final stop at Mt. Coot-tha on our way into Brisbane. Finding very few birds at the Botanic Garden, we moved on to J.C. Slaughter Falls, where a Pacific Baza flying over the carpark was our last new bird of the trip. We finished the Brisbane leg with 162 species, 85 of them new, for a grand trip total of 318 species.
Notes on accommodations:
Lakeview Park, Jabiru [08 8979 3144]: Pleasant room with shared kitchen
facilities and shared external bathroom. Self-catering cabins also available.
Gagudju Cooinda Lodge [08 8979 0145]: Pleasant en suite motel room, but overpriced. Bar bistro and expensive restaurant on site.
Mary River Roadhouse [08 8975 4564]: Very basic, small en suite motel rooms.
Staff very friendly, shared their dinner with us. Pub grub also available.
Knott’s Crossing Resort, Katherine [1 800 222 511]: Self-catering cabins or en suite motel rooms with private kitchen facilities. Nice restaurant on site.
Victoria River Roadhouse [08 8975 0744]: Very basic, fairly run-down en suite motel rooms. Pub grub. Voted worst accommodation of the trip.
Kona Lakeside Tourist Park, Kununurra [08 91 681031]: Large, self-catering cabins on pleasant lakefront. Excellent birding around the grounds.
Aspley Acres Caravan Park, Brisbane [1 800 006 992]: Self-catering cabins, close to airport and Tinchi Tamba wetlands. Resident Bush Thick-knees.
O’Reilly’s Rainforest Guesthouse [1 800 688 722]: Legendary. Very expensive, but excellent service and food, and superb birding on the grounds.
Murray Gardens Country Cottages & Motel, Stanthorpe [07 4681 4121]: Large, new self-catering cabins on outskirts of the town. Birdfeeders on the premises.
Goomburra Forest Retreat [07 466 66 058]: Two beautiful self-catering cabins adjacent to the reserve. Breakfast provided, but must bring other food (nearest town 40 km).
Complete trip list:
codes: T:n = Top End: number of days species was seen (of 13 total)
Q: Queensland; Br = Brisbane area; La = Lamington NP; St = Stanthorpe area;
Gi = Girraween NP; Go = Goomburra Forest Reserve; Lo = Lockyer Valley
Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae) – (T:7; Q:Br,St,Lo)
Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) – (T:7; Q:Br,Lo)
Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) – (T:1)
Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) – (T:3; Q:Br,Lo)
Little Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax melanoleucos) – (T:9; Q:Br,St,Lo)
Darter (Anhinga melanogaster) – (T:5; Q:Br,Lo)
Pacific (White-necked) Heron (Ardea pacifica) – (T:6)
Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana) – (T:1)
Great Egret (Ardea alba) – (T:8)
Pied Heron (Egretta picata) – (T:4)
Intermediate Egret (Egretta intermedia) – (T:7; Q:Br)
White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) – (T:2; Q:Br,St)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) – (T:3; Q:Br,Lo)
Eastern Reef Egret (Egretta sacra) – (T:1)
Cattle Egret (Egretta ibis) – (T:3; Q:Lo)
Striated Heron (Butoroides striatus) – (T:1)
Rufous (Nankeen) Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) – (T:6; Q:Go)
Black Bittern (Ixobrychus flavicollis) – (T:3)
Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) – (T:6)
Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) – (T:9; Q:Br,St,Lo)
Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) – (T:7; Q:Br,St,Lo)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) – (T:8; Q:Lo)
Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia) – (T:6; Q:Br,Lo)
Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes) – (Q:Lo)
Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata) – (T:10; Q:Br,Lo)
Plumed Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna eytoni) – (T:5; Q:Lo)
Wandering Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata) – (T:6; Q:Br,Lo)
Black Swan (Cygnus astratus) – (Q:Lo)
Radjah Shelduck (Tadorna radjah) – (T:10)
Green Pygmy-Goose (Nettapus pulchellus) – (T:7)
Australian Wood (Maned) Duck (Chenonetta jubata) – (Q:St,Go,Lo)
Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) – (T:5; Q:Lo)
Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea) – (Q:Br,Lo)
Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) – (T:8; Q:Br,St,Go,Lo)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) – (T:1)
Garganey (Anas querquedula) – (T:1)
Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) – (T:2; Q:Lo)
Hardhead (Aythya australis) – (T:5; Q:St,Lo)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) – (T:1), pair and fledgling at nest in Parap, Darwin
Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata) – (Q:Br)
Black-breasted Buzzard (Hamirostra melanosternon) – (T:1)
Australian (Black-shouldered) Kite (Elanus axillaris) – (T:3; Q:Br,St)
Black Kite (Milvus migrans) – (T:11)
Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus) – (T:13; Q:Gi)
Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) – (T:3)
White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) – (T:3)
Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis) – (T:2)
Grey Goshawk (Accipiter novaehollandiae) – (T:1; Q:La)
Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) – (T:3; Q:La,Gi)
Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrhocephalus) – (T:1) uncertain ID at Bardedjilidji
Red Goshawk (Erythrotriorchis radiatus) – (T:1)
Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) – (T:3; Q:Go)
Nankeen (Australian) Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) – (T:2; Q:St,Go,Lo)
Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis) – (T:2)
Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) – (T:9)
Australian Brush-Turkey (Alectura lathami) – (Q:Br,La,Go)
Orange-footed Scrubfowl (Megapodius reinwardt) – (T:4)
Brown Quail (Coturnix ypsilophora) – (T:2)
Chestnut-backed Button-Quail (Turnix castanota) – (T:1)
Brolga (Grus rubicunda) – (T:4; Q:Br)
Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis) – (T:2)
Spotless Crake (Porzana tabuensis) – (T:1)
White-browed Crake (Porzana cinerea) – (T:3)
Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) – (T:5; Q:Br.Lo)
Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa) – (Q:Br,St,Lo)
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) – (T:3; Q:St,Lo)
Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea) – (T:8; Q:Lo)
Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) – (T:1)
Sooty Oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosa) – (T:1)
Black-winged (White-headed) Stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus) – (T:8; Q:Br,Lo)
Red-necked Avocet (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae) – (Q:Lo)
Bush Thick-knee (Burhinus grallarius) – (T:2; Q:Br)
Beach Thick-knee (Esacus neglectus) – (T:1)
Australian Pratincole (Stiltia isabella) – (T:1)
Oriental Pratincole (Glareola maldivarum) – (T:3)
Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) – (T:8; Q:Br,St,Go,Lo)
Red-kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus) – (T:4; Q:Lo)
Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva) – (T:2; Q:Lo)
Grey (Black-bellied) Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) – (T:1)
Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus) – (T:2)
Lesser Sand-Plover (Charadrius mongolus) – (T:2)
Greater Sand-Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii) – (T:2)
Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops) – (T:6; Q:Lo)
Latham’s Snipe (Gallinago hardwickii) – (Q:Lo)
Swinhoe’s Snipe (Gallinago megala) – (T:1)
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) – (T:1)
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) – (T:2; Q:Br)
Little Curlew (Numenius minutus) – (T:2)
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) – (T:1; Q:Br)
Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) – (T:2; Q:Br)
Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis) – (T:5)
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) – (T:3)
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) – (T:3)
Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus) – (T:2)
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) – (T:4)
Grey-tailed Tattler (Heteroscelus brevipes) – (T:1)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) – (T:2)
Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris) – (T:2)
Red Knot (Calidris canutus) – (T:1)
Sanderling (Calidris alba) – (T:2)
Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) – (T:3)
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) – (T:5; Q:Br)
Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) – (T:1)
Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) – (T:1)
Silver Gull (Larus novaehollandiae) – (T:3; Q:Br.Lo)
Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) – (T:2)
Lesser Crested Tern (Sterna bengalensis) – (T:1)
Greater Crested Tern (Sterna bergii) – (T:1)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) – (T:1)
Little Tern (Sterna albifrons) – (T:1)
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus) – (T:7; Q:Lo)
White-winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) – (T:2)
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) – (Q:Br,St,Lo)
White-headed Pigeon (Columba leucomela) – (Q:La)
Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis) – (Q:Br)
Brown Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia phasienella) – (Q:La,Go)
Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) – (T:1)
Common Bronzewing (Phaps calcoptera) – (T:3; Q:Gi)
Flock Bronzewing (Phaps histrionica) – (T:1)
Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) – (T:7; Q:Br,St,Lo)
Spinifex Pigeon (Geophaps plumifera) –(T:1)
Partridge Pigeon (Geophaps smithii) – (T:2)
Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon (Petrophassa rufipennis) – (T:3)
White-quilled Rock-Pigeon (Petrophassa albipennis) – (T:2)
Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata) – (T:3)
Peaceful Dove (Geopelia placida) – (T:12)
Bar-shouldered Dove (Geopelia humeralis) – (T:13; Q:Br)
Wonga Pigeon (Leucosarcia melanoleuca) – (Q:La,Gi,Go)
Banded Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus alligator) – (T:1)
Wompoo Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus magnificus) – (Q:La)
Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus regina) – (T:1; Q:La)
Torresian (Pied) Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula spilorrhoa) – (T:7)
Topknot Pigeon (Lopholaimus antarcticus) – (Q:La,Go)
Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii) – (T:11)
Glossy Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) – (Q:Go)
Galah (Eolophus roseicapillus) – (T:7; Q:St,Go,Lo)
Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea) – (T:8; Q:Go)
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) – (T:5; Q:La,Go)
Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) – (T:2)
Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus) – (T:10; Q:Br,St,Go,Lo)
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus) – (Q:Br,St)
Varied Lorikeet (Psitteuteles versicolor) – (T:3)
Musk Lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna) – (Q:Go)
Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) – (Q:La,St,Gi,Go)
Northern Rosella (Platycercus venustus) – (T:4)
Eastern Rosella (Platycercus eximius) – (Q:St,Go)
Pale-headed Rosella (Platycercus adscitus) – (Q:Br,St,Lo)
Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus) – (Q:Go,Lo)
Hooded Parrot (Psephotus dissimilis) – (T:3)
Australian King Parrot (Alisterus scapularis) – (Q:La,Go)
Red-winged Parrot (Aprosmictus erythropterus) – (T:10)
Pallid Cuckoo (Cuculus pallidus) – (T:1)
Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus) – (T:4) heard more often than seen
Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis) – (Q:La,Go)
Black-eared Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx osculans) – (T:1)
Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis) – (T:5)
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidis) – (Q:La)
Little Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus) – (T:4)
Australian Koel (Eudynamys cyanocephala) – (T:5; Q:Br) heard more often than seen
Channel-billed Cuckoo (Scythrops novaehollandiae) – (Q:Go)
Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) – (T:8)
?Eastern Grass Owl (Tyto longimembris) – (T:1)
Rufous Owl (Ninox rufa) – (T:1)
Barking Owl (Ninox connivens) – (T:2)
Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook) – (Q:La)
Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) – (T:1)
Spotted Nightjar (Eurostopodus argus) – (T:1)
Large-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus) – (T:1)
Fork-tailed Swift (Apus pacificus) – (T:2)
Azure Kingfisher (Alcedo azurea) – (T:5)
Little Kingfisher (Alcedo pusilla) – (T:2)
Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) – (Q:Br,St,Gi,Go,Lo)
Blue-winged Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii) – (T:10)
Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii) – (T:6)
Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygia) – (T:4)
Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) – (T:2)
Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) – (T:5; Q:Br,Go,Lo)
Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus) – (T:12)
Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis) – (T:12; Q:Br,St,Go,Lo)
Noisy Pitta (Pitta versicolor) – (Q:La)
Rainbow Pitta (Pitta iris) – (T:1)
Albert’s Lyrebird (Menura alberti) – (Q:La,Go)
Australasian (Singing) Bushlark (Mirafra javanica) – (T:3; Q:Go)
Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) – (Q:Br,La,St,Go,Lo)
Tree Martin (Hirundo nigricans) – (T:1) only seen at Yellow Water
Fairy Martin (Hirundo ariel) – (T:5; Q:St,Go,Lo)
Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) – (T:1)
Australian (Richard’s) Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae) – (T:1; Q:Go)
Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike (Coracina novaehollandiae) – (T:9; Q:Br,St,Gi,Lo)
White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike (Coracina papuensis) – (T:12)
White-winged Triller (Lalage tricolor) – (T:6)
Varied Triller (Lalage leucomela) – (T:5; Q:La)
Bassian (Olive-backed) Thrush (Zoothera lunulata) – (Q:La)
Russet-tailed Thrush (Zoothera heinii) – (Q:La)
Golden-headed Cisticola (Cisticola exilis) – (T:8; Q:Br,Lo)
Australian (Clamorous) Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus australis) – (T:1; Q:Br,St)
Tawny Grassbird (Megalurus timoriensis) – (T:1; Q:Br)
Rufous Songlark (Cincloramphus mathewsi) – (T:1)
?Brown Songlark (Cincloramphus cruralis) – (Q:Go)
Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris) – (T:8)
Willie-Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) – (T:12; Q:Br,StGi,Go,Lo)
Mangrove Grey Fantail (Rhipidura phasiana) – (T:1)
Grey Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) – (Q:Br,La,Gi,Go)
Rufous Fantail (Rhipidura rufifrons) – (Q:Br,La,Gi,Go)
Arafura (Rufous) Fantail (Rhipidura dryas) – (T:2)
Black-faced Monarch (Monarcha melanopsis) – (Q:La,Go)
Spectacled Monarch (Monarcha trivirgatus) – (Q:La)
Leaden Flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula) – (T:4; Q:Gi)
Broad-billed Flycatcher (Myiagra ruficollis) – (T:1)
Paperbark (Restless) Flycatcher (Myiagra nana) – (T:6)
Shining Flycatcher (Myiagra alecto) – (T:5)
Jacky Winter (Microeca fascinans) – (T:5)
Lemon-bellied Flycatcher (Microeca flavigaster) – (T:5)
Rose Robin (Petroica rosea) – (Q:La,Go)
Pale-Yellow Robin (Tregellasia capito) – (Q:Go)
Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis) – (Q:La,Go)
Mangrove Robin (Eopsaltria pulverulenta) – (T:1)
Buff-sided (White-browed) Robin (Poecilodryas cerviniventris) – (T:2)
Crested Shrike-Tit (Falcunculus frontatus) – (Q:La)
Olive Whistler (Pachycephala olivacea) – (Q:La)
Grey (Brown) Whistler (Pachycephala simplex) – (T:2)
Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis) – (Q:La,Gi,Go)
Mangrove Golden Whistler (Pachycephala melaneura) – (T:1)
Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) – (T:11; Q:Br,Gi)
Little (Rufous) Shrike-Thrush (Colluricincla megarhyncha) – (T:3)
Sandstone Shrike-Thrush (Colluricincla woodwardi) – (T:1)
Grey Shrike-Thrush (Colluricincla harmonica) – (T:2; Q:Br,La,Gi,Go)
Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis) – (T:6)
Logrunner (Orthonyx temminckii) – (Q:La,Go)
Eastern Whipbird (Psophodes olivaceus) – (Q:La,Go)
Red-backed Fairy-Wren (Malurus melanocephalus) – (T:9; Q:Br,Go)
Superb Fairy-Wren (Malurus cyaneus) – (Q:Br,La,St,Gi,Go)
Variegated Fairy-Wren (Malurus lamberti) – (T:2; Q:Br,Gi,Go)
Purple-crowned Fairy-Wren (Malurus coronatus) – (T:1)
Yellow-throated Scrubwren (Sericornis citreogularis) – (Q:La,Go)
White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis) – (Q:Br,La,Gi,Go)
Large-billed Scrubwren (Sericornis magnirostris) – (Q:La,Go)
Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla) – (Q:Br,La,Gi,Go)
Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa) – (Q:St)
Yellow Thornbill (Acanthiza nana) – (Q:Gi)
Striated Thornbill (Acanthiza lineata) – (Q:Gi)
Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris) – (T:2; Q:Gi)
Green-backed Gerygone (Gerygone chloronotus) – (T:1)
White-throated Gerygone (Gerygone olivacea) – (T:1)
Large-billed Gerygone (Gerygone magnirostris) – (T:1)
Brown Gerygone (Gerygone mouki) – (Q:La,Go)
Mangrove Gerygone (Gerygone levigaster) – (T:2; Q:Br)
Varied Sittella (Neositta chrysoptera) – (T:3; Q:Go)
White-throated Treecreeper (Cormobates leucophaeus) – (Q:La,Gi,Go)
Red-browed Treecreeper (Climacteris erythrops) – (Q:Go)
Black-tailed Treecreeper (Climacteris melanura) – (T:5)
Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) – (T:6)
Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus) – (Q:Gi)
Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus) – (T:4)
Australian Yellow White-Eye (Zosterops luteus) – (T:4)
Silver-eye (Zosterops lateralis) – (Q:Br,La,Go)
Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta) – (T:13)
Dusky Honeyeater (Myzomela obscura) – (T:8)
Red-headed Honeyeater (Myzomela erythrocephala) – (T:2)
Scarlet Honeyeater (Myzomela sanguinolenta) – (Q:Go)
Banded Honeyeater (Certhionyx pectoralis) – (T:4)
Lewin’s Honeyeater (Meliphaga lewinii) – (Q:La,Go)
Yellow-faced Honeyeater (Lichenostomus chrysops) – (Q:Gi,Go)
White-gaped Honeyeater (Lichenostomus unicolor) – (T:12)
Yellow-tufted Honeyeater (Lichenostomus melanops) – (Q:Gi,Go)
Yellow-tinted Honeyeater (Lichenostomus flavescens) – (T:5)
Grey-fronted Honeyeater (Lichenostomus plumulus) – (T:1)
White-plumed Honeyeater (Lichenostomus penicillatus) – (Q:St)
White-naped Honeyeater (Melithreptus lunatus) – (Q:Go)
White-throated Honeyeater (Melithreptus albogularis) – (T:10)
Black-chinned Honeyeater (Melithreptus laetior) – (T:1)
Little Friarbird (Philemon citreogularis) – (T:4)
Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides) – (T:2)
Silver-crowned Friarbird (Philemon argenticeps) – (T:6)
Noisy Friarbird (Philemon corniculatus) – (Q:St,Gi,Go)
Bar-breasted Honeyeater (Ramsayornis fasciatus) – (T:5)
Rufous-banded Honeyeater (Conopophila albogularis) – (T:6)
Rufous-throated Honeyeater (Conopophila rufogularis) – (T:7)
Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) – (Q:La,Gi,Go)
Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotus) – (T:7; Q:Br)
Bell Miner (Manorina melanophrys) – (Q:La,Go)
Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala) – (Q:Br,La,St,Go,Lo)
Yellow-throated Miner (Manorina flavigula) – (T:5)
Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata) – (Q:Gi,Go)
Olive-backed Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus) – (T:3; Q:Br)
Yellow Oriole (Oriolus flavocinctus) – (T:9)
Figbird (Sphecotheres viridis) – (T:6; Q:Br,Lo)
Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus bracteatus) – (T:6; Q:Go)
Magpie-Lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) – (T:11; Q:Br,St,Go,Lo)
White-winged Chough (Corcorax melanorhamphos) – (Q:Go)
Apostlebird (Struthidea cinerea) – (T:4)
White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus) – (T:7; Q:Br)
Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus) – (T:8)
Little Woodswallow (Artamus minor) – (T:3)
Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus) – (Q:Br,La,Gi,Go)
Silver-backed (Grey) Butcherbird (Cracticus argenteus) – (T:1)
Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis) – (T:7; Q:Br,St,Go,Lo)
Black Butcherbird (Cracticus quoyi) – (T:2)
Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) – (T:2; Q:Br,La,St,Gi,Go,Lo)
Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina) – (Q:La,Gi,Go,Lo)
Paradise Riflebird (Ptiloris paradiseus) – (Q:La)
Green Catbird (Ailuroedus melanotus) – (Q:La,Go)
Regent Bowerbird (Sericulus chrysocephalus) – (Q:La)
Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) – (Q:La,Gi,Go)
Great Bowerbird (Chlamydera nuchalis) – (T:10)
Torresian Crow (Corvus orru) – (T:11; Q:Br,St,Gi,Go)
Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides) – (Q:Go,Lo)
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) – (Q:Br,St,Go,Lo)
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) – (Q:St,Go,Lo)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) – (Q:Br,Go,Lo)
Red-browed Finch (Neochmia temporalis) – (Q:La,Gi,Go)
Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton) – (T:10)
Star Finch (Neochmia ruficauda) – (T:3)
Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) – (T:1; Q:Go)
Double-barred Finch (Taeniopygia bichenovii) – (T:9; Q:St)
Masked Finch (Poephila personata) – (T:6)
Long-tailed Finch (Poephila acuticauda) – (T:7)
Gouldian Finch (Erythrura gouldiae) – (T:4)
Yellow-rumped Mannikin (Lonchura flaviprymna) – (T:1)
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin (Lonchura castaneothorax) – (T:4; Q:Br)
Pictorella Mannikin (Heteromunia pectoralis) – (T:2)
Mammals:
Common Brushtail Possum (Tricosurus vulpecula)
Mountain Brushtail Possum (Tricosurus caninus)
Common Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)
Agile Wallaby (Macropus agilis)
Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)
Black Wallaroo (Macropus bernardus)
Red-necked Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus)
Short-eared Rock Wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis)
Red-legged Pademelon (Thylogale stigmatica)
Red-necked Pademelon (Thylogale thetis)
Black Flying Fox (Pteropus alecto)
Herps:
Yellow Tree Snake (Dendrelaphus sp.)
Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus)
Red-bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus)
Carpet Python (Morelia sp.)
Asian House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus)
Yellow Spotted Monitor (Varanus sp.)
Frilled Lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii)
Dragon (Diporiphora lalliae)
Eastern Water Dragon (Physignathus lesueurii)
Rainforest Dragon (Hypsilurus spinipes)
Land Mullet (Egernia major)
Tryon’s Skink (Eulamprus tryoni)
Red-eyed Treefrog (Litoria chloris)
Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)
Freshwater Crocodile (Crocodylus