Lindsay Fisher | Treasurer
Queensland Twitch March 16–17 1991: Cairns, Queensland
Editor’s note: In an email to me, Lindsay Fisher said, “We were just sorting through some old birding paperwork and found this account of a twitch we did in 1991. I thought it may be of historic interest to current members being an insight to birding 34 years ago complete with some old bird names!” I agree, and here it is, slightly modified from Lindsay’s original.
At last it was 12 noon and we could start! With two scopes and four pairs of binoculars at the ready, we were keen to start our first Twitchathon. We were starting on the Cairns Esplanade, and as if by a miracle, the tide and the weather were both perfect. Just enough mud was exposed to show us the waders busily feeding after an early morning high tide of 2.8 metres.
We busily went from scope to scope as names were called out, and got 16 waders, terns and the Silver Gull within 20 minutes – sadly our Laughing Gull hasn’t been seen for many months. All the regulars were there apart from Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, and even a lone pelican stayed around until 12:05 pm when it flew away. The usual birds were in the trees, but the Varied Honeyeater – usually so vocal – was silent.
Off through the Cairns industrial area where our regular spot for Bush Thick-knees was quickly scanned and sure enough, two heads were seen above the tall grass. A drive down the new connector road to the south of Cairns took us past the dump, and Wandering Whistle Ducks and Golden-headed Cisticola were added, followed by an obliging Osprey sitting on its nest on top of a pylon.
Next stop was the boat ramp in the mangroves on Thompson’s Road where we were greeted with total silence. After trying in vain to squeak up a Mangrove Robin, we tried walking around a track at the back of the mangroves and suddenly we heard the robin calling, followed by a Shining Flycatcher, Dusky Honeyeater, and a Varied Triller. By the time we got back to the car, we had heard or seen 11 new species, and it was time to do our first count – 47 species – and it was 1:20 pm, not too bad. A drive round the Turf Farm was disappointing: no Yellow Wagtails and only a pipit to add to our list.
Now it was time to head to the Tablelands up the Gillies Highway. We knew this would be a quiet half hour and so it was. Not until the top when we stopped for a few minutes to see Brown Gerygone, Lewins Honeyeater, and Pale Yellow Robin, did we add to our total.
We decided against going to the Cathedral Fig Tree as it would take too long, and opted instead for Lake Barrine. The lake only gave us a Little Black Cormorant and Black Duck, but the rainforest, after a very quiet start, produced Large-billed Scrub Wren, Spotted Catbird and a Black-faced Monarch, as well as the three we had already seen on the Gillies Highway. Strange there wasn’t a Brush Turkey, but no matter, the Crater would have heaps!
We drove along through Malanda, and across past the Bromfield Crater where with the aid of the scope we found Cotton Pygmy Geese and also heard Brown Quail, and saw Tawny Grass Bird and Red-back Wren.
On the road again two of us saw a kestrel, but it turned out to be the end of the day before all of us saw one – usually this is a common species. The same happened with Rainbow Lorikeets, one heard them, one saw them, but it was the next morning before we all got them and these were two easy birds!
We indulged in afternoon tea at the Crater and, after walking around a bit, eventually added another 10 to our list, including Mountain Thornbill, Grey-headed Robin and Bower Shrike-thrush, but still no Brush Turkey!
Next to Kaban which is in the Ravenshoe area and usually produces some good dry country species. Again we were greeted with silence, though when we had been there 10 days before there was a deluge of calls – where had all the birds gone? We walked through the forest and gradually we picked up Fuscous Honeyeater, Pale-headed Rosella and Eastern Yellow Robin. The Little Lorikeets buzzed overhead followed by Scaly-breasteds, and then we saw Dusky Woodswallows. This was more like it! We left with nine new species and quickly added a Wedge-tailed Eagle soaring over the fields – not a common raptor on the Tablelands. A stop at the side of the road for a listen produced a Pied Currawong sitting looking at us, and a flock of Top-knot Pigeons flying over, but nothing was heard! We passed the Crater again. Should we go in and look for a turkey? No, we’ll see one at our overnight stop, no worries.
Next to Hasties Swamp, and we heard the Rufous Whistler that is always calling there and, of course, the Purple Swamphens were there in abundance. Hardhead, Grey Teal and Jacanas were quickly picked up with the scope, and at last we saw our first Laughing Kookaburra – about time too! A White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike was calling and Chestnut-breasted Mannikins were busy feeding, but no Spice Finches that had been there 10 days ago.
Our count by now was 99, and we headed off to Nardello’s Lagoon arriving as the light was fading. Here we caught up with a team from NPWS who were keen to tell us of seeing a Spotted Harrier. We added Black Swan, Great Cormorant, and at long last a kestrel flew past for us all to see.
We then had a long drive in twilight to Julatten where we were over-nighting. A group of Magpie Geese flew off into the sunset as we drove along relaxing after a hectic seven hours. The Kingfisher Caravan Park is renowned for its beautiful setting in rainforest along a creek, and proved an ideal place to spend the night.
We drove around for a while after tea, but everywhere was quiet without even the call of one owl, so we retired to bed ready for an early start, our sleep only disturbed by scrub fowl calling at our door. Our alarm of kookaburras sounded off at 5:45 am, quickly followed by a dawn chorus which had us busy adding to our list. We heard the young chicks of a Red-necked Rail calling, but its parents stayed quiet. The White-tailed Kingfisher after which the caravan park is named, also called along with Macleay’s and Yellow-spotted Honeyeaters, Boatbills and Fairy Gerygones. The treetops revealed Shining Starlings and Fig Parrots, and in the creek, an Azure Kingfisher was seen sitting quietly. We were feeling pleased at obtaining another 17 species until we realised that no Brush Turkey had been seen – where had they all gone?
A stop nearby at Rifle Creek found Blue-faced Honeyeaters active in the trees and a Yellow-faced Honeyeater was heard along with a Cicadabird.
Back on the road, crows were disturbed foraging in Mount Molloy and a trip to the cemetery and rubbish dump found Red-winged Parrots and Great Bowerbirds. It was then time to stop at Quaid’s Dam Southedge which until recent weeks had been so full of water that no birds had been seen. Now though, the water was receding once more, and our first egrets of the trip were seen along with Green Pygmy Geese, Darter and Little Pied Cormorant. The trees alongside were also occupied, and Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Leaden Flycatcher, and Little Friarbird were added to the list.
Next stop was for breakfast at Big Mitchell Creek and as we ate and listened, a White-browed Robin sang out to us just as we had hoped. Double-barred Finches were also feeding there, and our first Whistling Kite soared overhead. A drive down Pickford Road and at last we saw a Dollar Bird, and a White-faced Heron was perched up a tree. We looked in vain for Black-throated Finches, but had to make do with Blue-winged Kookaburras and, just for a treat, a Black Bittern flew past! We had been told there was a Sea Eagle at the West Barron Storage Dam the day before, but when we got there it had flown and we had to make do with a Marsh Harrier instead. The only other new bird for us was Whiskered Tern, so we started back to Mareeba with a count of 147.
It was time to head back to Cairns. We stopped along the road by some promising eucalypts in the hope of seeing a Scarlet Honeyeater, but instead we saw an interesting raptor soaring between the trees. After watching it for a while, we decided it was a Square-tailed Kite, a bird none of us had seen for ages, and quite a delight! We hoped to see a Jabiru and a Brahminy Kite as we drove towards Cairns, but no luck. We stopped for our last twitch at the Centennial Lakes and heard our first cuckoo – a Gould Bronze. A walk along the mangroves produced a Striated Heron, and just as we got back to the car we saw a Spotted Turtle Dove at last!
Back to the Esplanade by 11.50 am, and a last look at the mudflats revealed an Eastern Reef Heron as lucky last. Still the Varied Honeyeater refused to sing for us and there certainly wasn’t a chance of a Brush Turkey, so we had to be content with 152.
Twelve o’clock and twitchers appeared with lists in hands all full of stories and excuses. It seemed we weren’t the only ones to dip the turkey, but then if we had been at The Crater at dawn...! Later we were to find that teams on the Tablelands had counts of 154 and 155, so it was a close call. All in all it had been a fun event for us all, and probably a few more people will become addicted to birdwatching as a result of it, and we hope the Golden Shouldered Parrot will benefit from the funds raised.