9th November Report

The week had warm nights and hot dry days, around 30ºC. The birding was again good with 95 species seen and a further 8 heard. There were 16 mammal and reptile sightings.
The highlight of the week was the return of a Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher on the morning of the 6th which is getting quite late (the latest arrival date is 8th November). This coincided with the winds switching around to the north-east and resulting in higher humidity. The rest of the Kingfishers arrived overnight of the 6th and a walk around the lodge grounds found about 6-7 pairs calling. Other local arrivals were at Cassowary House in Kuranda on the 2nd Nov. and Daintree Village on the 3rd Nov.

Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher

Other notable sightings were a White-throated Nightjar flying over Geraghty Park next door, another view of a Pied Imperial Pigeon (after the sighting last week), a Grey-headed Robin appeared after saying they had all disappeared a few weeks ago, Red-necked Crake made two appearances at the Crake Pool in the orchard, the Australian Owlet-nightjar reported last week continues to make an appearance at his roost hollow in the early morning and was calling on one occasion. Raptors have been more obvious with Whistling Kite, Brahminy Kite and Black Kite, Brown Goshawk, Grey Goshawk, Nankeen Kestrel and Brown Falcon. Sooty Owl was heard on several occasions, but only glimpsed once. 14 honeyeater species were seen plus one heard and Leaden Flycatchers built up in numbers, Fairy Martins returned.

The Platypus in Bushy Creek have been performing early morning and late afternoon with one putting on a display one afternoon by swimming along the creek, stopping in front of everyone and floating on the surface before climbing onto a sand bar and flipping onto its side where it had a good long scratch. A Stripped Possum was seen on two occasions as was Boyd’s Forest Dragon.

Further afield a Macleay’s Honeyeater was observed on Mt. Lewis at about 960m by Del Richards who says it is the first time he has seen one at this altitude, we have not seen one in this location either. They are reported to go as high as 1100m but this is not the case on Mt. Lewis up behind the lodge. A quick look at the Flying Fox colony along Dicksons Inlet in Port Douglas also provided a few waders (shorebirds) along the mangroves, Pied Imperial Pigeon was displaying, Both Intermediate and Little Egret were foraging along the edge with a Buff-banded Rail, a Royal Spoonbill was perched in the mangroves, a Striated Heron flew past, in the muddy edges were Pacific Golden Plover, Black-fronted Dotterel, Masked Lapwing, Whimbrel, Common Greenshank, Red-necked Stint and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, a pair of Double-eyed Fig-Parrot with a juvenile flew in for good looks.

Common Greenshank

If you are in the area and want to go to this part of Port Douglas, turn off the main road into town and go down beside the Rainforest Habitat, when reaching T-junction turn right and stop just before bridge - look along right hand side of the road.