A.W.Birder: Always on the lookout for fine birds...: 2019

Tuesday, 31 December 2019

Eastern Australia Birding

After birding in the south, center and north of Australia (Victoria, South Australia, and Northern Territory) I moved over to Queensland and New South Wales for several weeks birding.

I love the birding in Queensland and this time I spent about a week at the incredible O'Reilly's Rainforest Resort, visited the very dry southwest of the state, spent time traveling around the Atherton Tablelands, and had a couple of trips out onto the Great Barrier Reef. So many cool birds all over the place, and loads of unique animals too.... In New South Wales I birded around and to the south of Sydney - another great city for birding.

Here are some pics (scan down for some animals too...)

Southern Cassowary

Yellow-breasted Boatbill

Wonga Pigeon

White-headed Pigeon

Spotted Catbird

Tawny Frogmouth

Victoria's Riflebird

White-eared Monarch

Scarlet Myzomela

Satin Bowerbird

Russet-tailed Thrush

Regent Bowerbird

Paradise Riflebird

Papuan Frogmouth

Glossy Black Cockatoo

Golden Bowerbird

Green Catbird

Noisy Pitta

Eastern Bristlebird

Crimson Rosella

Bridled Honeyeater

Bassian Thrush

Australian Logrunner

Australian Bustard

Albert's Lyrebird

Koala

Platypus

Short-beaked Echidna

Green Turtle

Monday, 30 December 2019

Australia Mega Tour Darwin Photos

After the dry conditions found in Alice Spring (see here) we moved on up to Darwin in the Northern Territory.

This is an amazing place for birding with lots of cool birds present right around the various patches of habitats right in the city. After enjoying the delights of the city birding options we ventured further afield and headed across to the incredible Kakadu National Park. After immersing ourselves in all that we could find in Kakadu we dropped down to Katherine before driving north back to Darwin to complete a loop of the top of the Northern Territory.

There are so many avian highlights from our time around Darwin and Kakadu such as: Gouldian Finch, Masked Finch, Long-tailed Finch, Crimson Finch, Chestnut Rail, White-breasted Whistler, Mangrove Golden Whistler, Rainbow Pitta, Rufous Owl, Barking Owl, Beach Stone-curlew, Red-collared Lorikeet, Rufous-banded Honeyeater, Grey-fronted Honeyeater, Grey-headed Honeyeater, White-gaped Honeyeater, Red-headed Myzomela, Great Bowerbird, Arafura Fantail, Broad-billed Flycatcher, Torresian Kingfisher, Arafura Shrikethrush, Canary White-eye, Varied Lorikeet, Yellow-tinted Honeyeater, Pacific Baza, Black-tailed Treecreeper, Black-banded Fruit Dove, Sandstone Shrikethrush, Pied Heron, White-lined Honeyeater, Partridge Pigeon, Hooded Parrot, Silver-backed Butcherbird, Red-backed Kingfisher, Paperbark Flycatcher, Cockatiel, and Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon.

I really can't explain just how awesome the birding is here. We were targeting certain species (such as those above) however the 'general' birding around this region is great. Some of the waterholes are absolutely spectacular and totally packed with birds - a real sight to behold.

Here's a few pics....