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Narrative and Trip List - 

Australia (west, centre, north & Tasmania) Sep/Oct 2005

A few photo highlights from the 2005 tour...

Gouldian Finch (red-faced form)
Letter-winged Kite (a nocturnal hawk)
Barn Owl (up close and personal!)	Rainbow Bee-eater
Blue-winged Kookaburra with wood roach	Brown Falcon

Australia Tour

Sept 30 Perth. Four full days were spent in Western Australia at the start of the trip, beginning in the capital of Perth. Over a million Australians call this city home. Amazingly this represents roughly two thirds of the entire population of the state. We met at our hotel in Perth for dinner, drinks and introductions.

NIGHT: Best Western Emerald Hotel, PERTH, WA

Oct 1 Perth to Albany. Before we even got out of town we saw several common urban birds such as Rainbow Lorikeet, Singing Honeyeater, Spotted Turtle-Dove and Black-shouldered Kite. Our first stop of the day was just a short drive to Wungong Gorge where we birded for an hour near the dam. Some of our first birds included Red-tailed Black Cockatoo (south west forest race), Splendid Fairy-wren and the southwestern endemic White-breasted Robin.

Then we headed south along the coast. By mid day we reached Cape Naturaliste. Here we stopped at Sugarloaf Rock and Bunker Bay and saw the western race of the Little Wattlebird. The strong west winds the day before pushed many seabirds close to shore. Hundreds of pelagic birds were flying by the shoreline at Bunker Bay heading back towards the open Indian Ocean. Highlights included Shy, Black-browed and Yellow-nosed Albatross, Flesh-footed Shearwater, Great Skua, Cape Petrel and a pod of dolphins. Several immature Southern Giant-Petrels were well seen including one bird that flew close by and investigated a person swimming near shore.

After lunch in Dunsborough we continued our drive through some beautiful forest tracts en route to Albany. We stopped at Lake Muir were we saw another two southwest endemics, Long-billed Black Cockatoo and Western Corella.

NIGHT: Best Western Ace Motor Inn, ALBANY, WA

Oct 2 Albany We left the motel at 6:00 am and drove to Cheyne’s Beach. This protected bay held about a dozen Southern Right Whales (females with calves) and we had great looks at these whales as they lounged near the shore. A walk through the caravan park produced Red-winged Fairy-wrens, Brush Bronzewing, Western Spinebill, White-breasted Robin and Red-eared Firetail. New Holland Honeyeaters were everywhere but the similar White-cheeked Honeyeater was only seen away from the bay in the extensive heath. A Noisy Scrub-bird sang repeatedly near the van but could not be coaxed into making an appearance so we settled on watching a male Golden Whistler sing from the edge of the thicket.

Another highlight of Cheyne’s Beach was the unprovoked attack on our vehicle by a diminutive male Splendid Fairy-wren. He repeatedly attacked the side mirrors of the Toyota van.

After lunch at the Naggi crawfish farm we drove over to Two Peoples Bay and spent some time looking for Western Whipbird and Western Bristlebird that could be heard singing on the slope above the road. We had great looks at a young Western Kangaroo and its mom on the way out of the park at dusk.

Other new birds today include the endemic Short-billed Black Cockatoo and Red-capped Parrot.

NIGHT: Best Western Ace Motor Inn, ALBANY, WA

Oct 3 Stirling Range National Park Caravan parks are often birdy spots in Australia and the Stirling Range Retreat was no exception. We started with an Australian Owlet-Nightjar that was sunning at the mouth of a cavity in an old gum. As we walked around the park we had great looks at Elegant Parrot, Australian Pipit, Blue-breasted Fairy-wren, Restless Flycatcher, Dusky Woodswallow, Rufous Songlark and White-winged Triller.

After leaving the caravan park we drove along the north side of the national park stopping to bird along the roadside. Here we saw many Tawny-crowned Honeyeaters, over 30 Emus, Western Rosellas and the only Black-eared Cuckoo of the trip (while Paul was in the car!). One of the flowering shrubs along the roadside was Prickly Poison. A poison bait called "1080" is made from this plant. It will kill introduced species such as the Red Fox but not affect native animals which have adapted to the poison.

Tom’s "squeaking" skills were impressive. Honeyeaters and other skulkers of the heath often came pouring in to discover the source of the squeaking but the most impressive lured bird was a Wedge-tailed Eagle that came in low overhead to investigate the sound.

In the afternoon we drove north to Narrogin. After an early dinner we went night lighting in Dyandra State Forest where we saw many Western Grey Kangaroos and a Brush-tailed Possum. Our final stop of the evening was to observe the night sky with a spectacular Milky Way overhead. Astronomical highlights included Venus, Ptolemy’s Cluster (M7), The Southern Crown, The Southern Cross, Coal Sack Nebula, Alpha Centauri (the closest bright star to Earth) and two bright galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud and Small Magellanic Cloud. A Masked Owl was heard calling for the 116th species of the trip. (The green laser pointer used for pointing out the stars is available at http://betapointer.com/green.htm).

NIGHT: Albert Facey Motor Inn, NARROGIN, WA

Oct 4 Dyandra to Perth

The morning was spent in Dyandra State Forest searching for regional specialties such as Rufous

Treecreeper (20 seen), Purple-crowned Lorikeet, Blue-breasted Fairywren, Western Thornbill, Western Spinebill, Little Wattlebird and Grey-breasted Robin.

The south-west corner of Australia is home to one of the richest floras in the world. There are over 4,000 species of flowering plants, of which 80 percent are endemic to the region. Early October is the peak flowering period for woodland wildflowers and we spent a couple of hours photographing fringe lilies, sundews, Cowslip Orchids, Purple Tassels, Granny Bonnets and many others. There were

several species of flowering sundews, plants that trap insects in their sticky leaves. The insects are digested by enzymes and bacterial action which provides a source of nitrogen to the plants. Even more amazing is a small bug that is immune to the sticky globules and feeds on the trapped insects (hopefully bush flies!).

Later in the morning Charlene flushed a Painted Button-quail and we had excellent looks at a

Short-beaked Echidna before heading back to Perth.

The ringneck parrots of the region are sometimes considered to be a separate species, the Western Ringneck. Two races of the Western Ringneck were seen. The Port Lincoln Ringneck (zonarius race) had a yellow belly and no red forehead. The 28 Parrot (semitorquatus race) had a green belly and a red forehead patch. The latter race is restricted to the extreme southwest while the former is more widespread and was also seen at Alice Springs.

Back near Perth we birded by the roadside while Tom washed the mud off the van. We had great looks at Port Lincoln Ringnecks, 12 Western Corellas, a flock of Galahs and 15 Regent Parrots. The Regents were entering cavities in several large trees situated in an open pasture.

NIGHT: Best Western Emerald Hotel, PERTH, WA

Oct 5 Transfer to Darwin

This was a travel day with a flight to Darwin in the Northern Territory. After arriving we spent the afternoon replenishing supplies, doing laundry and renting a Holden station wagon. There was also some pool time as we adjusted from the cool weather of Perth to the humid tropical 34C weather of Darwin. Orange-footed Scrubfowl and Black Flying Fox were seen on motel grounds.

NIGHT: Best Western Top End, DARWIN, NT

Our first stop of the day was Knuckey Lagoons (Snipe Swamp access). Although there was no water (it was nearing the end of the dry season) there were plenty of new birds including Little Curlew and Australian Pratincole. The adjacent trees and mango orchard held White-gaped Honeyeater, Rufous-banded Honeyeater, Silver-crowned Friarbird, Red-collared race of Rainbow Lorikeet, hundreds of Magpie Geese and a pair of Bush Stone-curlews with babies.

Hundreds of Black Kites were seen today with many seen perched at Holmes Jungle Nature Reserve. Here we also saw our first Bar-breasted Honeyeaters, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove, Forest Kingfisher and Lemon-bellied Flycatcher.

A visit to the Palmerston lagoons was another great stop with Radjah Shelducks, White-browed Crakes, +100 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Marsh Sandpiper, Pacific Golden Plover, Chestnut-breasted Manakin. The mangroves here produced Broad-billed Flycatcher, Mangrove Gerygone, Green-backed Gerygone, Chestnut Rail (heard) and the striking Red-headed Honeyeater.

Another mangrove site near downtown Darwin at Bayview Haven added Collared Kingfisher, Eastern Reef Egret, Striated Heron, Brahminy Kite and White-bellied Sea-Eagle

Evening conditions were perfect at Knuckles Pond (Fiddler’s Lane access) and we had wonderful views of birds such as 500 Pied Herons, Glossy Ibis, Royal Spoonbill, Black-necked Stork, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Little Curlews, Eastern Curlew, Marsh Sandpipers, Wood Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, 12 Black-fronted Dotterel, 3 Red-kneed Dotterel, 20 Australian Pratincole and a female Yellow Chat.

NIGHT: Best Western Top End, DARWIN, NT

The first stop this morning was the rocky point at the tip of East Point Reserve. At high tide there were Whimbrel, Pacific Golden Plover, Lesser Sand Plover (15), Greater Sand Plover, Terek Sandpiper, Beach Stone-curlew and Lesser Crested Tern resting on the rocks. We also saw several Agile Wallabies and another Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove in the park. A short walk on the Mangrove trail produced Black Butcherbird, Yellow White-eye, Red-headed Honeyeater and Mangrove Grey Fantail.

Back at Bayview Haven we eventually spotted a Chestnut Rail feeding on the exposed mudflats and a small group of roosting Black Flying Foxes. Then we met Niven McCrie at the Darwin Botanical Gardens for our second attempt at Rufous Owl. Tom spotted one within minutes of our arrival.

While looking for owls the most conspicuous lump in a tree was the nest of the Green Ant Oecophylla smaragdina. Their football sized nests are constructed by attaching leaves together with silk produced by their larvae. They are very aggressive and will vigorously attack intruders (including birders). Due to their large population sizes and predacious habits, these ants have been used for biological control of fruit orchard pests.

Niven then guided us to a spot north of town were we walked way out on the exposed mudflats and birded patches of mangroves. After several attempts we had great looks at the rare White-breasted Whistler.

After a mid-day break we drove up to Lee Point and had great luck birding along the beach. Birds seen here included Gull-billed Tern, Little Tern, Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 20 Whimbrel (Asiatic race), 50 Eastern Curlew, 2 Common Greenshanks, 12 Terek Sandpipers, 20 Common Sandpipers, 300 Great Knots, Red-necked Stint, Sanderling, Black-bellied (Grey ) Plover, 12 Red-capped Plovers, 50 Greater Sand Plovers, and Masked Lapwing.

At the end of the day we stopped to look at a Brown Goshawk nest, admired some Long-tailed Finches and had a nice flight of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos and Red-winged Parrots.

NIGHT: Best Western Top End, DARWIN, NT

Oct 8 Fogg Dam to Kakadu

This was an early morning departure from Darwin. We arrived at Fogg Dam before sunrise and were rewarded with a duet of calling Barking Owls (one seen in scope) while hundreds of Little Red Flying Foxes flew overhead. The recently burnt fields were full of Black Kites, Masked Lapwings, Little Curlews, Australian Pratincoles, Oriental Plovers and Brolgas. The wetland portion on the other side of this elevated road produced Brown Quail, Golden-headed Cisticola, Clamorous Reed-Warbler, Tawny Grassbird, Swamp Harrier, Purple Swamphen and Olive Python. A Red-backed Button-quail wobbled back-and-forth as it crept across the road in front of the car.

The boardwalk of the Woodland to Waterlilies Trail provided great views of Rainbow Pittas.

On the way back to the highway we stopped at an area of open grassland with widely scattered trees. Here we saw one of the best birds of the trip, Letter-winged Kite. This elusive nocturnal hawk is very rarely seen so it was a wonderful treat to see four perched together and then have one bird fly out and circle overhead!

At the Adelaide River we stopped for a quick meal and were rewarded with a great look at a male Mangrove Golden Whistler.

After reaching Kakadu National Park we stopped for a brief visit to the Mamukala Wetlands. The view from the observation platform was amazing. Over 25,000 birds were present at the pond. Magpie Geese were the most common species with several hundred Plumed Whistling-Ducks, 15 Black-necked Storks, many egrets, ibis and shorebirds, three Dingos and Agile Wallaby. The only Partridge Pigeon of the trip was spotted walking across the highway near the park’s visitor centre.

NIGHT:Cooinda Lodge, KAKADU, NT

We enjoyed an exciting ‘Yellow Waters’ boat trip down the South Alligator River this morning. It was a great spot for kingfishers as we saw Forest Kingfisher, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Azure Kingfisher and the diminutive Little Kingfisher. Other good sightings included Darter, 10 Nankeen Night-Herons, 6 Purple Swamphens, +100 Green Pygmy-Geese, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Brolgas, Black-necked Storks, wild horses, water buffalo and saltwater crocodiles.

In the late afternoon we visited the sandstone cliffs at Nourlangie. Here we saw White-lined Honeyeaters, Helmeted Friarbird and Emerald Dove. The Nourlangie art site in Kakadu National Park was occupied by aboriginal people as much as 20,000 years ago. The original art is very old but repainting was common and some of the art was repainted about 50 years ago. Tom has a nice web photo of "Nabulwinjbulwinj", a dangerous spirit who eats females. We also saw a painting of Namarrgon, the Lightning Man. Namarrgon is an important Creation Ancestor in Aboriginal mythology. His wife was Barrginj who is also painted on the same cliff.

NIGHT:Cooinda Lodge, KAKADU, NT

Oct 10 Kakadu to Katherine

After an early departure from the lodge we drove to Gunlom Falls and climbed to the top of the escarpment. The view from the top was breathtaking as we listened to the song of the Sandstone Shrike-thrush echo off the cliffs. Despite a long search no White-throated Grasswren was found but there were glimpses of Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon and Banded Fruit Dove.

We then drove out of the park and on to the village of Pine Creek. The small municipal "Water Garden" park was full of birds including over 30 Hooded Parrots, 2 Northern Rosellas, +100 Little Corellas, Cockatiels, Masked Finches, Grey-crowned Babblers, Common Koel and an impressive Great Bowerbird bower adorned with white shells, glass and numerous red bottle caps.

After lunch we drove to Edith Falls. We stopped about 6 km off the highway where a power line crossed the road. Here we found a large flock of Gouldian Finches. Tom squeaked dozens of these jewels (both black and red faced males) into a single tree and later we had many bathing at a small puddle along with Masked & Long-tailed Finches and Diamond Doves. As a bonus we also had good looks at two Black-tailed Treecreepers, Jacky Winter and several Black-faced Woodswallows..

There was a flowering tree in the campground at Edith Falls that attracted large numbers of honeyeaters (very nice looks at Banded Honeyeaters), Varied Lorikeets and a Little Red Flying Fox.

Just north of Katherine we stopped along the highway to watch three Australian Bustards. A Ground Cuckoo-shrike was seen in flight over a large open pasture.

NIGHT: All Seasons Katherine, KATHERINE, NT

Today we drove about 200 km. SW of Katherine along the Victoria Highway to the bridge over the Victoria River. The prize here was Purple-crowned Fairy-wren. We had great looks of these gems in the tall grass and shrubs at the east side of the bridge. Yellow-tinted Honeyeaters were common along the river. We also saw the only Grey-fronted Honeyeaters (3) of the trip at a small park campground east of the bridge.

On the way back to Katherine we stopped several times to bird. At Brandy Bottle Creek there was a large flock of finches drinking and bathing at a pool of water, including about two dozen Star Finches.

In the evening we walked along the river north of Katherine, saw another Great Bowerbird bower, Olive-backed Oriole, Rainbow Bee-eaters flying into their nest holes and several Agile Wallabies.

Musca vetustissima, the bush fly By this time of the trip we had become well acquainted with the bush fly. Although they didn’t bite, and were only present outdoors on warm days they could be a pest by their appetite for protein rich body fluids (the tears from your eyes, saliva from the corners of your lips, mucous from your nose and blood from any cuts or scrapes). Female bush flies need this protein to develop their eggs which are mostly laid in cow dung. Native animals produce small, dry droppings which the flies shun but cattle produce 12 moist pads a day, each a nursery for 2,000 flies.

In an effort to control these pesky flies over 50 species of dung beetles have been introduced to Australia with the hope they will reduce the quality and quantity of droppings available to the flies.

NIGHT: All Seasons Katherine, KATHERINE, NT

Oct 12 Travel Day

This was the long drive down the Stuart Highway to Alice Springs, a trip of over 1200 km. Our first stop of the day was at Mataranka where we watched a female Red Goshawk fly in to the nest and feed two large young (the food item appeared to be a Varied Lorikeet). This is also where we observed a "gang" of Apostlebirds drive a domestic cat from their territory.

We walked around the trails by the Thermal Pool at Elsey National Park. Here the palm trees were full of thousands of noisy Little Red Flying Foxes. Park staff were using noise makers and water sprinklers to try and keep the bats away from the pool.

Stops en route to Alice Springs produced some excellent birds including two Spinifex Pigeons, Red-browed Pardalote, Black-breasted Buzzard, Red-backed Kingfisher and Black-chinned Honeyeater (Golden-backed race).

NIGHT: Novotel Alice Springs, ALICE SPRINGS, NT

This was a free day to rest, shop or explore the town. A cold front from the south dropped temperatures from the 45C of a few days ago to a comfortable 25C so conditions were good for birding during our stay here. The only time weather interfered with our plans was a heavy downpour that kept us from an afternoon visit to Simpson’s Gap.

NIGHT: Novotel Alice Springs, ALICE SPRINGS, NT

Oct 14 Alice Springs

We took advantage of the cool weather to walk the spectacular Pound Trail at Ormiston Gorge this morning. This 7 km. rail loops over a mountain ridge and then descends into a scenic valley, returning through a beautiful gorge with high cliffs. Highlights of the many sightings along the trail included Spinifex Pigeon (almost at our feet!), Grey-headed Honeyeater (common), Western Bowerbird, Painted Finch and Dusky Grasswren. Six Black-footed (-flanked) Rock Wallabies and two Euros (Common Wallaroo) were also seen here. Mulga Parrots, Ringnecks and a small flock of Major Mitchell’s Cockatoos were seen along the highway during the morning drive.

After lunch at Glen Helen we birded our way back to Alice Springs. A pair of Redthroats (and Tom’s Black Honeyeater) near Stanley’s Chasm were a nice bonus, as was a huge flock of Budgerigars feeding along the roadside.

NIGHT: Novotel Alice Springs, ALICE SPRINGS, NT

We drove 180 km. South of Alice Springs to a site 20 km. north of Eridunda. The open gravelly flats here supported only sparse low shrubs with little ground cover. We walked this habitat for two hours and were rewarded with Banded Whiteface (flock of five), Cinnamon Quail-Thrush (pair) and Chiming Wedgebill (singing from the top of a dead tree about 800m west of the highway). We also saw our first Masked Woodswallows.

Twenty km. west of Erdunda we found a nice colony of Crimson Chats. These birds were very active with many birds displaying, pair feeding and carrying food. Other species since this morning included Crested Bellbird, White-winged Fairy-wren, Pallid Cuckoo, Rufous and Brown Songlarks.

In the afternoon we toured the Desert Museum in Alice Springs.

NIGHT: Novotel Alice Springs, ALICE SPRINGS, NT

Oct 16 Alice Springs

The early morning was spent northwest of town at Kunoth Well. Here we had great looks at another Pallid Cuckoo, scope views of Bourke’s and Mulga Parrots, Red-capped Robins, White-backed Swallow and a young Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo being fed by a diminutive Splendid Fairy-wren.

Before our flight to Adelaide we also had time to visit the Alice Springs sewage ponds. There was an excellent selection of birds here including 6 Black-tailed Native-hens, 1 Ruff, 30 Red-necked Avocets, 5 Freckled Ducks, 25 Pink-eared Ducks and 75 Hardheads.

NIGHT: Mercury Hotel, ADELAIDE, SA

Today we toured the wine country around Tanunda and sampled some of the local wines. Birds seen included Adelaide Rosellas, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, Red and Little (Brush) Wattlebirds, European Goldfinches and European Blackbirds.

Then we headed east and south through the mallee country and Billiat Conservation Park were we saw our first White-fronted, White-eared and Purple-gaped Honeyeaters, Grey Currawongs, Spotted Pardalotes, Mulga Parrots, White-winged Chough (on nest), Tawny Frogmouth (nest with two young) and the eastern race of Splendid Fairy-wren. There were lots of Shingle-backed Skinks seen along the roadsides.

We watched a partial eclipse of the moon while driving to our motel in Horsham.

NIGHT: Best Western May Park lodge, HORSHAM, VIC

We started the day with superb scope views of Musk Lorikeets on the motel grounds and then spent the morning at Grampions National Park with lunch at Hall’s Gap. It was a good morning for parrots with many Musk Lorikeets, Rainbow Lorikeets, Little Lorikeets, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Galahs, Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos, Long-billed Corellas and Crimson Rosellas. Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, Yellow-tufted H., White-plumed H, White-naped H. and Eastern Spinebills were common and we saw the other race of Black-chinned Honeyeater. Both White-throated and Brown Treecreepers were easily seen and Eastern Grey Kangaroos were numerous.

After dinner in Port Fairy we walked out to Griffiths Island after dark to see the "mutton-bird" colony. Thousands of Short-tailed Shearwaters come ashore at night to nest in the island’s sand dunes and we got within a few feet of them!

NIGHT: Best Western Ashmont Mtr Inn, PT FAIRY, VIC

The pond by the Port Fairy causeway produced 5 Latham’s Snipes, European Goldfinch, European Greenfinch, and a fly-by Blue-winged Parrot. There were many Short-tailed Shearwaters and a few Fluttering Shearwaters, Shy Albatross and Australasian Gannets scoped off the island where we also saw two Black (Swamp) Wallabies.

Near Port Fairy we descended into the basin of Tower Hill Crater. This was a good spot for raptors and we enjoyed Little Eagle, Brown Falcon, Swamp Harrier and Square-tailed Kite. After several glimpses we had a nice flock of Red-browed Finches in the picnic area, along with four Emus and a Koala.

We drove along the Great Ocean Highway stopping to view the scenic coastline at several spots. Our best find here was having great looks at several Rufous Bristlebirds (two were carrying food). Then we continued on to our motel near the Melbourne airport.

NIGHT: Best Western Ciloms Airport Lodge, TULLAMARINE, VIC

We arrived in Launceston around 10:00 am and drove west to Cradle Mountain National Park. It was spring-time in Tasmania with daffodils and tulips in bloom. En route we birded a wooded area and saw our first Strong-billed, Black-headed and Yellow-throated Honeyeaters. In the cool misty mountain setting around our lodge we saw Pink Robin, Tasmanian Scrubtit (Paul), Tasmanian Scrubwren, Tasmanian Thornbill, Green Rosella, Crescent Honeyeater, Forest Raven and Black Currawong. A Short-beaked Echidna was found right beside the lodge.

That evening we spotlighted for mammals. Rufous-bellied (Tasmanian) Pademelons and Bennett’s Wallabies were common and we saw a few European Rabbits, Brush-tailed Possums and Common Wombats.

NIGHT: Cradle Mountain Lodge, CRADLE MOUNTAIN, TAS

Tom and Paul did a pre-dawn drive and found a freshly road-killed Tasmanian Devil a few miles from the lodge. After birding on the trails near the lodge we drove out to the west coast at Strahan. Here we walked through some of the extensive heathland near the airport to look for Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Striated Fieldwren and Southern Emu-wren.

Then we headed inland and settled in at our accommodations at Derwent Bridge where we found a Common Wombat living under the cottage. Charlene also picked out a Flame Robin in the backyard. After dinner we did another night drive and saw several pademelons and a Ring-tailed Possum. We also heard an Australian Owlet-Nightjar.

NIGHT: Derwent Bridge Chalets, DERWENT BRIDGE, TAS

Tasmania’s four endemic honeyeaters and Olive Whistler were well seen along the road into Lake St. Clair National Park this morning before we started the drive to Bruny Island. Along the way we stopped at a creek to look at a Tasmanian Native-hen and also found a nice male Flame Robin. While watching the robin Gene spotted some ripples on the creek which turned into a Duck-billed Platypus.

Another stop was Mt. Field National Park We had a superb scope view of Eastern Rosella, Noisy Miners and several more native-hens.

We arrived at the ferry dock at 2:15pm and took the short ride over to Bruny Island. The large Blue Gums along the road were flowering and full of Swift Parrots. Driving across the island we stopped for Brown Quail, Kelp and Pacific Gulls, Black-faced Cormorants, Pied Oystercatchers (common), Sooty Oystercatcher and White-fronted Chat. Five Hooded Plovers were seen along the causeway. Inala Cottage is set well off the road on South Bruny Island. Just around the cottage we saw Flame Robin, Dusky Robin, Green Rosella, Tasmanian Thornbill, Black-headed Honeyeater and a glimpse of a Forty-spotted Pardalote.

After dinner (and that big friendly birthday crowd) we drove slowly along the beach causeway and saw over 20 Little Penguins crossing the road (and some mating activity).

NIGHT: Inala Cottage, BRUNY ISLAND, TAS

In the morning we explored the area near the cottage and had great views of several Forty-spotted Pardalotes as they foraged in White Gums along the driveway. Other birds seen by the cottage included Spotted Pardalote, Tasmanian Native-hen, Superb Fairy-wren, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Yellow Wattlebird and Green Rosella. It was an excellent day for robins with four species seen well (Pink, Dusky, Flame and Scarlet), the endemic honeyeaters, Tasmanian and Yellow-rumped Thornbills and Tasmanian Scrubwrens.

Of the many different frogs heard singing on the trip the most distinctive species we heard was appropriately called the Banjo Frog. Its genus name, Limnodynastes, means ‘Lord of the Marshes’.

Lunch today was at an outdoors garden cafe where two tame Rainbow Lorikeets were known to steal cream from the guests. Our final night was spent in Hobart where we finished the tour with a seafood dinner on the waterfront.

NIGHT: Mercury Hotel, HOBART, TAS

Oct 24 Return to mainland

We recorded 385 species of birds on the tour (with a total of 401 species recorded pre & post tour) including 186 Australian endemics, 22 species of raptors, 34 species of parrots and 47 species of honeyeaters. Mammals were well represented with short-beaked echidna, platypus, koala, wombat, dingo, flying foxes, whales, and 10 species of kangaroos/macropods.

You can contact me at (519) 825-9070 or peleetom@netcore.ca

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