Western Queensland - Winter 2023 Part 1: Longreach to Mt Isa

Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush

We set out with much anticipation for a string of bird, mammal and other wildlife targets in far western Queensland. Unseasonal rain prevented access to some planned sites and restricted time at others. Still, it was a productive trip. We opted to travel via Mitchell and Longreach, then south-west to the Winton-Jundah Road before proceeding north. We had planned to head from there to Diamantina National Park and the Coorabulka area but rain put paid to that, so instead it was north to Cloncurry and then Mt Isa in search of grasswrens and other goodies. From there it was south to Boulia and beyond (second post to follow for the final leg). 

Black-breasted Buzzard

Red-browed Pardalote

The Winton-Jundah road and the road connecting it to Longreach were as productive as always. Black-breasted Buzzard and Red-browed Pardalote were scored in Lochern National Park. 

Black Falcon showed nicely at it flew overhead. Camp at a waterhole near the road turned up several Mud Adder snakes. A Curl Snake was found during another stop. 

Black Falcon

Curl Snake

Mud Adder

Sunset on the Jundah-Winton Road

Three Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush were seen in broken limestone ridge country, as were plenty of Grey-headed Honeyeaters. 

Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush

Grey-headed Honeyeater

Parrots in good numbers following three successive La Nina wet years included Budgerigar and Cockatiel. 

Budgerigar

Cockatiel

Crimson Chats were common. Hooded Robin pairs were spotted in several places. 

Crimson Chat

Hooded Robin

A nocturnal foray turned up a much-wanted Stripe-faced Dunnart. Long-haired Rat was encountered frequently at various sites, including during the day towards the end of the trip.

Long-haired Rat

Stripe-faced Dunnart

 A stop at Lark Quarry was brief due to looming rain but Rufous-crowned Emu-wren obliged (though not offering a clear image) along with Purple-backed Fairy-wren. 

Purple-backed Fairywren

Rufous-crowned Emu-wren

Spinifex Pigeon was quite common along the road. We negotiated plenty of Red Kangaroos as we continued on to Winton. 

Red Kangaroo

Spinifex Pigeon

Moving further north we stopped at Chinaman Creek Dam outside Cloncurry, where Paperbark Flycatcher showed well. 

Paperbark Flycatcher

 We had a late afternoon stop for Kalkadoon Grasswren outside Mt Isa at Telstra Hill, where most of us had brief views. The next day we headed north to search various sites for Carpentarian Grasswren; some of the group scored decent views, but sadly no photographs. Grey-fronted Honeyeater and Red-backed Kingfisher were among the birds present. 

Grey-fronted Honeyeater

Red-backed Kingfisher

 Three species of woodswallow – Black-faced, Masked and White-browed – were in good numbers and a Pied Honeyeater was spotted perched among them. Black-tailed Treecreeper was common. 

Black-tailed Treecreeper

White-browed Woodswallow

 Another late afternoon stop had us again looking for Kalkadoon Grasswren, this time at the Pamela Street tanks in Mt Isa, with better views but no photograph for me. A distant Purple-necked Rock-Wallaby was present along with some smart Varied Lorikeets. Plans for another look the next morning were aborted by the heaviest July rainfall for Mt Isa on record.

Purple-necked Rock-Wallaby

Varied Lorikeet