IRON RANGE II

FRILL NECKED MONARCH - BIRD OF THE DAY!!

This morning we went back to the camp ground areas within Iron Range National Park for the first few hours of the day. Pretty soon we got our first new bird – Green backed Honeyeater. Usual suspects showed up too; Eclectus flying by, Magnificent Riflebird, Metallic Starlings. Everyone got great views of Yellow billed Kingfishers.

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cryptic pic of Green backed Honeyeater

Yellow billed Kingfisher

Yellow billed Kingfisher

We worked our way back to the first two campgrounds where we birded for a while getting good views of Lovely Fairy wren, Frill necked Monarch, Fairy Gerygones and more Green backed Honeyeaters plus more common species. Noisy Pitta was seen briefly by Helen, who had it crossing a path.

Fairy Gerygones

female Magnificent Riflebird

A few [the two Russells or One Russell and one Russ] managed to get reasonable views of Northern Scrub-robin but most dipped…

Russell - happy he got Northern Scrub Robin....[BIRDER OF THE DAY!]

After lunch we spent most of our time trying different locations for Palm Cockatoo. And while we got a few distant views of birds in flight it mainly eluded us for reasons which will remain unanswered.

Lockhart River Sewage ponds produced a juvy and adult Pied Heron plus our first Cattle Egrets accompanied by the calls of an unseen Brush Cuckoo.

juvy Pied Heron

The coast at Lockhart produced some good birds and my major mistake. Looking down on the coast I saw a flock of small pale waders running together on the beach. I sadly took the bait until a slightly more detailed observation allowed my Sanderlings to morph into Red necked Stints. I thank the patience of Russell MacGregor’s patient questioning to review my original ID. A few other waders helped the bird obsessed to enjoy even more the beautiful beach scene at Lockhart.

panorama scene

Red necked Stints

Large billed or Greater Sand plover

At wonderful Chilli Beach we missed Palm Cockatoos; ‘Oh we had one when we drove into our camp site”. But enjoyed again the beautiful coastline and the birds there and off there. Bridled and Lesser Crested and Black-naped Terns filled the latter category. A variety of waders filled the former.

Behind Chilli Beach Russell MacGregor had a brief view of a lifer; Fawn breasted Bowerbird. The bird failed to re-appear. Meanwhile Gillie snagged a photo of a fine male Satin Flycatcher. The bird failed to re-appear.

Driving back for Lasagne and Salad at our accommodation we managed the briefest of views of flying Palmies.

Bird of the Day – Frill necked Monarch

Birder of the Day – Russell MacGregor