Southern Tablelands Birdwatching Tour # 1 – Mid Level Sites
Adults - $430.00 per person
Children - $60.00 for children 3 - 15.
Under 3 years old are free.
Available 7 days
10 hours
Minimum 2 adults
Pick up at 7am & return at 5pm
This can be discussed at time of booking.
Details & Itinerary
A full day guided tour that visits a variety of different habitats in the Highlands above Cairns. The actual itinerary will vary depending on your pick-up point, the weather, the time of year, bird movements and the special requests of clients. This tour concentrates on exploring the mid altitude southern Tablelands sites with an experienced guide. Depending on the clients “wish list” there are a number of sites that can be visited. A tour for someone just out for a good days birding will be different than one for someone with a list of target species. One days birding is not enough time to do full justice to the Tablelands but this tour will give you a good introduction to the birds you can see in this area.
Schedule
- 7am – Pick up from your accommodation
- Morning birding – sites visited can depend on weather and target lists
- Midday – Lunch
- Afternoon birding – sites visited can depend on weather and target lists
- 5pm – Return to your accommodation
Tour Inclusions
- Tour Guide Fees
- Transport in a comfortable tour 4WD air-conditioned vehicle
- Lunch
- Permits & entrance fees
- Accommodation pick up and drop off
- Bottled water in vehicle
Tour Excludes
- Items of a personal nature including soft drinks and snacks
What You Should Bring
- Comfortable covered walking shoes – while there are no major hikes during this tour there will be some walking on potentially rough paths
- Lightweight long-sleeved shirt and long trousers- some plants can be rather scratchy
- Lightweight raingear
- Hat
- Sunblock
- Insect repellent
- Camera and binoculars
Black Mountain Road
Where you are picked up from will determine your first port of call. If you are coming from Cairns you may stop off at Black Mountain Road in the hope of coinciding with a Cassowary. These elusive birds are often seen crossing the road near Cassowary House in the early morning. Victoria’s Riflebird, Spotted Catbird, Black Butcherbird, Emerald Ground Dove and a variety of honeyeaters including the locally endemic Macleay’s and recently split Cryptic are amongst the birds that can also be seen in this area. A walk along the Black Mountain Road can often yield 4 species of monarch, 3 species of fruit dove, boatbills, gerygones, perhaps Chowchilla and if you are lucky Red-necked Crake and much more.
Mareeba, dry country & Atherton
The dry country around Mareeba is very different from the rainforest where we will spend most of the day. Here the impressive Red-tailed Black Cockatoos, Kookaburras, Pheasant Coucals, Red-winged Parrots, Pale-headed Rosellas, Weebills, Squatter Pigeons and Tawny Frogmouths are all possibilities along with Red backed Fairywrens, babblers and a variety of finches. As you head towards Atherton if it is winter and into spring, stately Sarus Cranes and Brolgas can often be seen in the cut cane fields beside the road. During the austral summer the cane grows tall and most of the Sarus Cranes fly to the Gulf of Carpentaria to breed.
Hasties Swamp
Beyond Atherton you may visit Hasties Swamp – a very busy wetland area where thousands of Plumed and Wandering Whistling Ducks as well as vast flocks of Magpie Geese can be seen. Pink-billed Duck, Black Swan, Hardhead, Green and Cotton Pigmy Geese and Freckled Duck are some of the other species that can be seen. Both Yellow-billed and Royal Spoonbill have been recorded plus a variety of egrets, crakes and rails. Raptors are common overhead including Wedge-tailed Eagle, Australian Kestrel, Brown Falcon and Brahminy Kite.
Curtain Fig Tree
The spectacular Curtain Fig near Yungaburra is an immense strangler fig with a specially constructed boardwalk around it giving easy access for all. It is great for monarchs, Bowers Shrike-Thrush, Chowchilla, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Large-billed Scrubwren and many more species.
This is also a good place for spotlighting for mammals and sometimes Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroos can be seen resting during the day. It is a regular site for Lesser Sooty Owl.
The Crater Lakes
Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham are known as the Crater Lakes because they developed in the craters of old extinct volcanoes. Lake Barrine is particularly good for Tooth-billed Catbird, a bowerbird which does not make a bower. Instead it makes a stage with the silver underside of leaves and then selects an adjacent sapling in which to sit and sing its ventriloquial song. Australasian Grebe, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Victoria’s Riflebird and many other birds can also be seen around the lakes and if you are very lucky you may see Australia’s smallest kangaroo the Musky Rat Kangaroo.
The Cathedral Fig
This is another strangler fig with a specially constructed wooden boardwalk around it. It has similar birds to the Curtain Fig but is often easier for Chowchilla, probably because it is less busy.