Birds With Altitude: Birding the Misty Mountains
Ceri Pearce | Birds With Altitude Project Leader
Six eager birdwatchers, lush rainforest and an opportunity to sharpen our survey skills made a promising start to the 2026 Birds With Altitude (BWA) Misty Mountains campout. By the end of the long weekend, a record 17 participants had completed 41 standardised bird surveys, recording 63 species and contributing valuable data to ongoing monitoring of the Wet Tropics’ mountain bird communities. Along the way, there were acoustic recorders to retrieve, a few unexpected roadside challenges and a platypus that stole the evening show.
Our base for 2–5 October 2026 was South Johnstone Forestry Camp in Wooroonooran National Park. After setting up camp and a brief induction on Friday, six of us headed to the BWA 600 m sites on Maple Creek Road to practise BirdLife Australia’s 2 ha/20-minute and 500 m area search methods.
The rainforest was looking wonderfully lush after recent rain, although the muddy roadside patches demanded careful parking. Everyone was keen to identify the birds calling around us, and our first 500 m area search produced 23 bird species, including good views of Bower’s Shrike-thrush. Three surveys completed, we returned to camp to relax beside the South Johnstone River.
After dark, the forest supplied its own entertainment, with Red-necked Crakes calling around camp and an Eastern Koel adding its voice. Some participants also headed out spotlighting to discover what other wildlife was stirring in the rainforest.
More volunteers arrived on Saturday morning, and we returned to Maple Creek Road. It was a cool 15.7 °C and, despite overnight rain, we were grateful for a dry start.
Twelve participants joined the first survey, sharing identification tips, learning the methods and reacquainting themselves with rainforest bird calls. We then divided into smaller groups for further surveys.
Bird activity appeared considerably higher than the previous afternoon: a repeat 500 m area search at the same site recorded 33 species, including Fernwren and Australian King-Parrot.
That certainly warranted morning tea and cornflake cookies.
After lunch, we regrouped as more participants arrived and shared four-wheel-drive vehicles for the longer journey to West Maalan Track. Getting there proved to be a team exercise in more ways than expected.
First, a stranded motorist with a flat tyre was blocking K Tree Road. His jack had sunk into the mud, leaving him unable to fit the spare. Fortunately, several practical members of our group pitched in, helped raise the vehicle and changed the tyre.
Further along, after entering the restricted-access section of the park, a fallen tree blocked West Maalan Track. Out came a pruning saw and a clever folding emergency hand saw. With some diligent sawing and a combined effort to move the timber safely aside, the way was clear again.
We finally reached the 800 m sites at about 3:30 pm, by which time drizzle and light rain had settled in. Our enthusiasm remained intact.
While Amanda and a small group retrieved four acoustic recorders deployed the previous week, the rest of us surveyed two sites. The higher rainforest had a different soundtrack: Tooth-billed Bowerbirds called around us, Grey Fantails flitted through the vegetation and occasional Satin Bowerbird calls drew our attention.
After dinner back at camp, Ceri gave a short presentation on BWA’s acoustic monitoring project and the two recorders deployed on Mount Bellenden Ker. Chris Roach from Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS), who had joined us that afternoon, brought the story to life by sharing his experience of installing the recorders on the summit with Dominic and Ceri.
James Cook University PhD candidate Pavithra Sundar then introduced her planned research on Wet Tropics mountain birds. A lively discussion followed about Pavithra’s research and how acoustic recordings and volunteer surveys could contribute to understanding rainforest bird communities.
Several participants departed on Sunday morning. Before leaving, Olya and Lindley went birding and encountered feral cats showing clear signs of breeding activity. The observations and photographs were subsequently reported to QPWS, providing useful information for cat control.
The remaining group made an early return to the 800 m sites. Initially, the sky was clear, but mist and drizzle returned by mid-morning, and we found ourselves birding in the clouds.
We visited an active Satin Bowerbird bower previously identified by QPWS, then concentrated on the birds around us. Mountain Thornbill, Atherton Scrubwren and Bridled Honeyeaters joined our higher-elevation list, along with more Tooth-billed Bowerbirds, Satin Bowerbirds and Bower’s Shrike-thrushes, amongst many others. Shining Bronze-Cuckoos called regularly, as did Grey-headed Robins.
The pigeons and doves also put on a fine showing. Rose-crowned, Superb and Wompoo Fruit-Doves, Brown-capped Emerald-Dove, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Topknot Pigeon and White-headed Pigeon were all seen or heard.
By lunchtime, sunshine had returned. We settled in the shade at the junction of West Maalan Track, Maalan Track and Bora Ground Road, where Golo discovered a Topknot Pigeon sitting on a nest not far above our heads.
Afternoon surveys took us to the 700 m sites along Maalan Track and Bora Ground Road before we returned to camp for sunset drinks beside the river.
Just before the fireflies appeared, Golo spotted a platypus. Conversation fell away as we watched, captivated by this unexpected encounter.
March flies had been refreshingly scarce throughout the campout. On Monday, however, full sunshine brought them out after 8:00 am. Fortunately, we had risen early and were already packed and ready to leave.
There was still birding to do. On the way home along K Tree Road, we surveyed three sites in the 400 m elevation band. At one, around 40 Torresian Imperial-Pigeons suddenly erupted from a nearby tree. The commotion sounded briefly like a tree coming down! Something had clearly startled them, although we could only speculate about the cause.
A final morning tea gave us time to relax together in the forest before heading home.
Across the weekend, volunteers completed 21 2 ha/20-minute surveys and 20 area searches, recording 63 bird species. By returning to sites surveyed since 2022, BWA volunteers are building a valuable long-term record of bird communities across different elevations in the Misty Mountains.
Additional sites extended the program’s coverage, while the retrieved acoustic recordings will provide another source of information once analysed. Together, these efforts contribute to a growing understanding of the region’s rainforest birds and how their communities may change over time. Observations of mammals, frogs, reptiles and fish added to our appreciation of the area’s wildlife.
Just as valuable were the shared skills, conversations and willingness to help. Participants learnt calls, practised survey methods and contributed their experience, while taking muddy roads, a tyre change and a fallen tree in their stride. It was a productive and rewarding weekend, made possible by a generous group of volunteers.
Explore the full survey results
Want to know more about what we discovered? Read the 2026 Birds With Altitude Misty Mountains Campout Report for detailed survey results, species lists, reporting rates across elevation bands, breeding observations, and other wildlife sightings.
Find out more about Birds With Altitude and how to get involved:
Acknowledgements
Our thanks to QPWS for its ongoing partnership, provision of the campground and forestry hut, and access to restricted tracks. We also acknowledge the growing collaboration with James Cook University and thank Pavithra Sundar for sharing her research plans and joining the surveys.
Thank you to Amanda Freeman, Alistair Freeman, Claire Willard, Gavin Colthart, Kathy Goodwin, Ron Goodwin, Kath Shurcliff, Dave Houghton, Sandra Christensen, Pavithra Sundar, Oly Milenkaya, Lindley McKay, Golo Mauer, Alice McGlasham, Glyn Thomas and Chris Roach.
From setting up and packing down camp to sharing bird knowledge and solving problems along the way, everyone helped make the weekend a success. Thanks also to participants who consented to photography and filming for a new BWA introductory video.
