Queensland Road Trip 7: Atherton to Mt Carbine - Sarus Crane, Black-throated Finch

Black-throated Finch

After our visit to Malanda (see following post) we left the rainforests and wet red soils behind for a two-day stay in the Big 4 Woodlands Caravan Park outside Atherton. Bridled Honeyeater was common here but there was little else of interest birdwise.

Bridled Honeyeater

We enjoyed a visit to the nearby historical town of Herberton. Hasties Swamp was checked out a couple of times but nothing of interest there (many thousands of Magpie Geese and Plumed Whistling-Ducks) and I could not find any Sarus Cranes in fields in the area. Red-tailed Black Cockatoos were unusually feeding in large numbers on the ground in open paddocks.

Red-tailed Black Cockatoos

Leaving the Atherton Tableland, we headed north to Mareeba for 2 nights at the Kerribee Park Rodeo camping ground on the Dimbulah Road – a huge complex (Mareeba hosts one of Australia's biggest rodeos) with a pleasant outlook over ranges to the south.

Mareeba woodlands

 The area was surrounded by termite-studded savannah woodland. I saw a single Black-throated Finch a couple of times at soaks at the back of the complex but failed to photograph the bird.

Little Bronze-Cuckoo

I had more success with an obliging Little Bronze-Cuckoo.

Yellow Honeyeater

Yellow Honeyeater was common.

Bush Stone-Curlew

Bush Stone-Curlews were also about.

Agile Wallabies

Large numbers of Agile Wallabies and Eastern Grey Kangaroos were on the grounds.

Australian Bustard

Emu

We visited the Mareeba Wetlands Centre in the morning, failing to see Black-throated Finch but Australian Bustard and Emu were both up close. Few waterbirds were about.

Dave's Dam

We drove further north for an overnight stay in the Mt Carbine Caravan Park on the Cooktown road, camped on a ridge in ironbark woodlands. On the way we passed Lake Mitchell and the famed spot where Buff-breasted Buttonquail are allegedly seen, but didn't bother to stop (why is another story for another time).

Sarus Crane

Sarus Crane

In the heat of the afternoon I drove north to Daves Dam, a small lagoon on the Hurricane Road 25km north of Mt Carbine. This was a good move.  I was greeted by a pair of Sarus Cranes, a species I expected to see on the tableland.

Black-throated Finches

The next bird I saw was a Black-throated Finch, and I was to see about 30 of these smart finches coming into drink. 

Black-throated Finches

Thanks to Kath Shucliff and Dave Houghton for information on this and other sites. The handful of species seen at this site can be found here. Sadly, the Mt Carbine Hotel is pale shadow of its former glory; don't bother eating and drinking here if you can possibly avoid it!

Queensland Road Trip 6: Malanda & Platypus, Riflebird, Tree-Kangaroo

Victoria's Riflebird

On the last morning of our stay at Possum Valley (see following two posts) I finally had some nice encounters with Platypus, seeing a total of 4 animals on 2 of the 3 small lakes on the property.

Platypus

 Paul told us he has seen presumably displaced platypus making their way through forest in search of waterways.

Possum Valley Roadblock

On our way out we were delayed a little by a tree which had fallen over the road.

Mt Hypipamee Crater

We called in at Mt Hypipamee National Park, admiring the awesome crater that never fails to inspire.

Bromfiield's Swamp

We moved on to the dairying town of Malanda for a 3-night stay in the Malanda Falls Caravan Park, passing Bromfield's Crater on the way. This is a nicely positioned park by the falls and river on the edge of the Malanda Falls Reserve, with two walking trail circuits through rainforest close by.

Malanda Falls

Our visit to Malanda coincided with a pleasant weather change from the drizzly, misty conditions that prevailed in the region for several days earlier, including our visit to Possum Valley.

Atherton Scrubwren

There more Atherton Scrubwrens here, along with Large-billed Scrubwrens.

Macleay's Honeyeater

Macleay's Honeyeaters were on the rainforest edge in the park.

Bower's Shrike-thrush

Bower's Shrike-thrushes were present on one of the circuit trails, affording better views than at Possum Valley.

Double-eyed Fig-Parrot

We visited the Nerada Tea Plantation where a small flock of Double-eyed Fig-Parrots was feeding in a fig tree.

Pied Monarch

Pied Monarch was nice to see on the second circuit trail at Malanda Falls. I heard both Masked Owl and Sooty Owl around the camping ground and on the trails but failed to see either. A pair of Bush Stone-Curlews were also present. A full list of birds at Malanda can be found here.

Victoria's Riflebird

We visited Lake Eacham National Park, doing the 3km walk through the rainforest around the lake edge. A male Victoria's Riflebird performed splendidly in the carpark.

Curtain Tree Fig

We had a look through the delightful down of Yungaburra, visited the always spectacular Curtain Tree Fig as well as Lake Tinaroo briefly.

Green Ringtail

That evening we enjoyed some local music in the Malanda pub. Later I went spotlighting and found a Green Ringtail Possum near the main road along with a few Coppery Brushtails.

Lumholtz's Tree-Kangaroo

Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo

On the final morning I returned to the Nerada Tea Plantation, seeing a female Lumholtz's Tree-Kangaroo with a pouch young perched in a strip of forest that has been a reliable site for this species for some time.

Barree Cuckoo-shrike

A flock of Barred Cuckoo-shrikes was feeding in the same fig tree that the fig-parrots had been in.

Queensland Road Trip 5: Wet Tropics Birds Revisited

Grey-headed Robin

Getting reacquainted with the birds of Queensland's wet tropics has been a joy. Here at Possum Valley, where we are winding up a 5-day stay, the rainforest is high altitude, where many specialties are restricted including the iconic Golden Bowerbird (see here for earlier sightings).

Golden Bowerbird bower

The owner of Possum Valley, Paul Tredgett, told me where to find a bower being attended by a Golden Bowerbird along one of the trails. It is in the same spot where I photographed a male bird a couple of days earlier.

Grey-headed Robin

Among other birds, Grey-headed Robin is common in the forest but somewhat skulking in this area.

Lewin's Honeyeater & friend

Lewin's Honeyeater is absurdly tame, alighting on visitors for food scraps and entering the cabin kitchens even in search of tucker.

Bridled Honeyeater

Bridled Honeyeater is less common in the lodge grounds.

Mountain Thornbill

Mountain Thornbill is common in the forest and around the edges.

Atherton Scrubwren

Fernwren, Atherton Scrubwren and Large-billed Scrubwren were all seen. I started a Facebook discussion on the images here and people are divided as to whether these are juvenile Fernwrens or Atherton Scrubwrens. They were on the edge of the forest, close to the ground but in the open, and calling like scrubwrens; I've concluded they are juvenile Atherton Scrubwrens.

Atherton Scrubwren

Bower's Shrike-thrush

Bower's Shrike-thrush is uncommon on the forest edge.

Satin Bowerbird

White-throated (Little) Treecreeper

Several small northern races of species more widespread in south-eastern Australia are present in numbers in Possum Valley. These include White-throated (Little) Treecreeper, Satin Bowerbird and Crimson Rosella.

Spotted Catbird

I saw a Spotted Catbird low in the canopy inside the forest.

Little Kingfisher

I found another Little Kingfisher on a second lake (first bird sightings here.) This one I did not need a boat to reach!

Pale-yellow Robin

Other birds in the area include Pale-yellow Robin, Topknot Pigeon, White-headed Pigeon and Grey Goshawk.  I've seen but so far not managed to photograph Fernwren, Chowchilla and Victoria's Riflebird.

Platypus

I saw a Platypus in one of the lakes but managed only a poor image.

Queensland Road Trip 4: Tree-Kangaroo & Possums at Possum Valley

Lumholtz's Tree-Kangaroo

Lumholtz's Tree-Kangaroo was the highlight of a spotlighting foray during our stay at the Possum Valley Rainforest Cottages on the Atherton Tableland in north Queensland. Excellent encounters with Golden Bowerbird and Little Kingfisher (see following post) were the ornithological highlights of our stay here, but the mammals did not disappoint.

Entrance Road to Possum Valley

Rainforest lines almost 3km of the 4km entrance road to Possum Valley, and driving along here is the best way of connecting with the arboreal mammals for which the wet tropics is renowned.

Lemur-like Ringtail

Our first possum was a Lemur-like or Lemuroid Ringtail curled up in a ball high in the canopy. We were to see about 10 of this species during our night drive, including a couple of groups of 2-4 animals.

Herbert River Ringtail

Herbert River Ringtail

We next found a Herbert River Ringtail, again high in the canopy. We saw a total of 6 during the drive, including a couple low in the canopy.

Lumholtz's Tree-Kangaroo

The highlight however was a magnificent Lumholtz's Tree-Kangaroo almost at eye level by the road. It appeared to be slumbering, perched in a tree fork. I had seen this species just once previously and it was a buzz for Glenn to connect with a tree-kangaroo.

Coppery Brushtails

A Coppery Brushtail was also spotlighted but these were common about the cabins, with 2 or 3 in residence in the ceiling of Maple Cottage, our abode. 

Coppery Brushtails feeding time

It was a nightly battle on the verandah to fend off their food-seeking attentions. The youngster looked very much like a Common Brushtail, with the adult showing the coppery colouration of this subspecies.

Red-legged Pademelon

Other mammals about included plenty of Red-legged Pademelons on lawns around the lodges.

Dingo x

A dingo-dog cross was seen on one of the walking trails.