Great Northern
Birding Tour
NOTE:
This Tour is currently not being offered!
17
Day Tour
8 birdwatchers maximum
Cairns - Atherton Tablelands - Mission Beach - Bamaga
(Cape York) - Darwin - Kakadu National Park - Katherine
- Darwin.
NOTE:
This itinerary can also operates in reverse,
depending on the timetable of adjacent tours.
Day
1
Today
we meet and visit local areas like the Botanical Garden
and the Esplanade, which at the right tide produces
a great variety of waders. Another great spot is one
of the cemeteries to look at the numerous Bush Stone-Curlews
and more.
Accommodation:
All Seasons Sunshine Tower, Cairns
Day
2
The
whole day is spent at Michaelmas Cay. This important
seabird island is well known for the thousands of Noddies,
Sooty Terns, Brown Boobies, Lesser Crested Terns, Frigatebirds
and many more. Unusual sightings of Red-footed and Masked
Boobies are always possible. Of course swimming and
snorkelling are also on the agenda.
Accommodation:
All Seasons Sunshine Tower, Cairns
Day
3 & 4
We drive via a few good birding spots to Yungaburra,
a central location on the Atherton Tablelands. Around
the Crater Lakes we look for Tooth-billed Bowerbirds,
Fernwrens, Chowchillas and many more. At night we visit
forests which harbour up to five different species of
Possums, plus the chance of some owls.
The northern part of the Tablelands is fairly dry and
offers different species of birds. White-browed Robins,
Black-throated Finches and Pardalotes are found in these
regions, and a visit to Mt Lewis should show us in the
rainforest among others the Satin Bowerbird, Golden
Bowerbird and Atherton Scrubwren among others.
Accommodation:
Yungaburra Park Motel, Yungaburra
Day
5 & 6
In the southern part of the Tablelands we have another
chance of seeing the Golden Bowerbird, and we also look
out for Bridled Honeyeaters, Mountain Thornbills and
Grey-headed Robins. In the woodland close-by we usually
find the Yellow Thornbills, White-cheeked Honeyeaters,
Fuscous Honeyeaters and Red-backed Fairy-wrens.
After lunch we drive down to the coast to Mission Beach,
the best area for the elusive Cassowary. Several times
we walk in the lowland rainforests with its spectacular
Fan Palms, where also our nocturnal searches for Lesser
Sooty Owl and Rufous Owl take place.
Accommodation:
Castaways Beach Resort
Day
7 - 10
On day 7 we drive very early to Cairns to catch the
plane from Cairns to Bamaga. We arrive at Bamaga about
midday. Resort Bamaga is owned and operated by the Aboriginal
Community. The area has magnificent beaches, which are
fringed by the lush rainforest and provide a spectacular
wilderness setting.
We have no set itinerary during our stay, but we visit
the rainforest at day and night, woodland, mudflats
and beaches, visit an off-shore Island and do a tour
to the woodland and riverine forests at the Jardine
River. There are numerous highlights in this region,
and the Palm Cockatoo, Magnificent Riflebird, Pale White-Eye
and Yellow-billed Kingfisher are just some of them.
Accommodation
: Resort Bamaga
Day
11
We leave Bamaga and fly to Cairns. We usually have a
few hours to go birding (or shopping) before we fly
to Darwin, where we arrive at about 8.00 pm.
Accommodation:
Frontier Darwin, Darwin
Day
12 & 13
We drive to Cooinda via Fogg Dam, where we look for
White-browed Crakes and Rainbow Pittas . During our
stay we visit several locations to look for Banded Fruit-Doves,
Sandstone Shrike-thrushes and Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon
to name just a few. A boat trip in the afternoon shows
us the multitude of waterbirds and crocodiles on 'Yellow
Water'.
Accommodation
: Gagudju Cooinda Lodge, Kakadu N.P
Day
14 & 15
A last stop, before we leave Kakadu N.P., is Gunlom
area, where we look for the uncommon White-throated
Grasswren. We arrive at Katherine and spend the next
days looking for Gouldian Finches and Hooded Parrots,
but of course as usual we enjoy looking at all birds
present. A visit to Katherine Gorge is also planned
as is a trip to the nesting site of the Red Goshawk.
Accommodation:
Knott's Crossing Resort, Katherine
Day
16
On
this day we travel via a river with remaining waterholes,
where we could expect up to 35 species of birds coming
in to drink, to Darwin. The afternoon is spend birding
in the local area.
Accommodation:
Frontier Darwin, Darwin
Day
17
In
the morning we look for the Chestnut Rail and other
mangrove birds. The tour ends around midday.
