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AUSTRALIA!The Best of Queensland
July 5 - 14, 2013
Featuring: Michelmas
Cay and
the Great Barrier Reef,
Cassowary
House, Atherton Tablelands,
Kingfisher Park, Daintree
River
and
more!
Other
tours in Australia to be
combined with this:
Darwin & Kakadu:
June 27 - July 4>>
O'Reilly's
Extension:
July 14 - 17>>
Queensland
holds some of the most
outstanding birding
areas in Australia and
this
amazing
tour takes
in
the very best of
northeast Australia.
From
coastal mudflats
to mangroves and lowland
tropical rainforest
our tour offers
the chance to see a
host of endemics and
much
sought after species
in the absolute besting
birding areas in Queensland.
There will
also be a
full
day cruise out
the Great Barrier
Reef
where we can enjoy
several
species of seabird
and
a wealth of marine
life. On
another day we will
have a cruise on
the
Daintree River and
visiting
the
Atherton Tablelands
will
introduce us to
a completely different
avifauna. This
is by far the best
itinerary for Queensland! Join
us for a birding
adventure down
under! See
our 2009
Trip Report & Highlights>>
Trip Cost and Travel Planning>> Registration Form>>
ITINERARY
Day
1 - Arrive Cairns
Plan
to arrive in
Cairns
(Airport code: CNS) on
July 4. Those joining
from the Darwin/Kakadu
Top End tour will fly from
Darwin to Cairns today
as well. Overnight
Cairns.
Day
2 – Cairns
Hotspots
After
breakfast we will explore
several interesting and
bird rich sites in the
Cairns area. Along the
esplanade we will be
able
to look out over a large
expanse of tidal mud
flats
for species that
may include Australian
Pelicans, Australian
Darter,
Little Black Cormorant,
White-faced Herons, Masked
Lapwings, Great Knot,
Gray-tailed
Tattler, Chestnut-headed
Plover, Black-fronted
Dotterel and
near the mangroves if
we
are lucky we could find Mangrove
Robins (Photo:
Steve
Bird),
Shining
Flycatchers and perhaps
the rare Beach Thick-Knee.
We can expect
to
see many Silver Gulls
and several tern species,
and in and around
the trees and bushes
such
species as White-bellied
Woodswallows, Welcome
Swallows,
Peaceful and Spotted
Doves,
Varied 
Honeyeaters,
Helmeted Friarbird,
Willie
Wagtail, Magpie Lark
and
possibly White-bellied
Cuckooshrike, Yellow-bellied
Sunbird, Metallic
Starlings or Mistletoe
Bird.
In one of the local parks with its collection of small ponds and botanical gardens we will search for Straw-necked Ibis, Little and Collared Kingfisher, White-browed Crake, Australian Figbirds, Yellow Honeyeater, Yellow Oriole, Laughing Kookaburras and skulkers such as Australian Brush Turkeys, Orange-footed Scrub-Fowl. A short detour to the local cemetery will find us lots of confiding and photogenic Bush Thick-knees (Photo: Gina Nichol), while another local pond could produce Nankeen Night Heron, Pacific Black Duck, Gray Teal, Green Pygmy-Goose, Plumed Whistling Duck, Hardhead, Australian Grebe, Dusky Moorhen, and sometimes Radjah Shelducks. The surrounding scrub can play host to small flocks of Nutmeg and Chestnut-breasted Mannikins where we could also see Fairy Martins, Olive-backed Oriole and Leaden Flycatcher. Night Cairns.
Day
3 – Michelmas
Cay / Great
Barrier Reef
Today
we have a full day boat
trip out to Michelmas
Cay on the Great
Barrier Reef. During
our
leisurely boat crossing
to this small sandy cay
we will look out for
Brown
and Masked Boobies, Common
Noddy, Roseate,
Black-naped, Sooty and
Bridled Terns (Photo:
Gina Nichol),
plus the
piratical Lesser
Frigatebirds. Several
terns
species nest on the
island
and offer
wonderful photo opportunities.
We will spend a few
hours
anchored
beside the island where
we have the chance
to
either
snorkel or
even scuba dive. The
undersea
reef here is one of
the
world’s
greatest
natural wonders and
the
marine life simply
incredible.
After this
wonderful day out
we will return to Cairns.
Night Cairns.
Day
4 – Cassowary
House
Today
we will visit Cassowary
House, a small family
run guest house
in the world heritage
tropical rain forests
of Far North Queensland,
just 30 minutes from
Cairns. Cassowary
House is world renowned
as one of the best places
to see Southern Cassowary
and we'll hope to catch
a glimpse of one as we
explore the grounds,
though we'll have to keep
a safe distance. Around
the main building,
we have a good chance
of seeing Maclay’s
Honeyeater, Helmeted
Friarbirds, Green Catbirds
and around the grounds
we might see Double-eyed
Fig-Parrot, Superb
Fruit-Dove, Victoria’s
Riflebird, Topknot
Pigeon, Spotted
Catbird, Black Butcherbird,
Chowchilla, Lovely
Fairy-wren,
White-eared, Spectacled
and Pied Monarchs,
Yellow-breasted
Boatbill, and Yellow-eyed
Cuckoo-Shrike and,
if we are lucky, Noisy
Pitta.
Day
5 - Kingfisher Park Birders
Lodge
After
breakfast
we
will travel across the
Tablelands
to our accommodations
at Kingfisher Lodge near
Julatten Village. The
Lodge
is adjacent to rainforest,
farmland, Mount Lewis
and
the dry Queensland interior.
This diverse habitat supports
many bird species and
the
Lodge is designed for
those interested in birds
and other wildlife. Around
the lodge and within short
traveling distance we
can look for Collared
Sparrow Hawk, Sarus Crane,
Australian Bustard, Squatter
Pigeon,
Red winged Parrot, Blue-winged
Kookaburra, Red-backed
Fairy wren, Little Friarbird,
Double-barred Finch,
Apostle
birds and Great Bowerbird
are a few of the species
we can expect to find
here
and possibly
Noisy Pitta and Victoria’s
Riflebird. In the evening
we may be able to see
Large-tailed Nightjars,
Barking Owl or Masked
Owl (Photo:
Gina Nichol).
Night Kingfisher
Park Birders Lodge.
Day
6 - Daintree River
Today
we
will
set
off
early for our drive to
the Daintree River where
we embark on a two-hour
birdwatching cruise. Surrounded
by lush tropical forest
this is a wonderful way
to relax amidst a wealth
of
wildlife. Species we will
hopefully see include
Great-billed
Heron, Nankeen Night Heron,
Royal Spoonbill, Black
Bittern, Little, Sacred,
Collared and Forest Kingfishers,
Rainbow Bee-eater, Papuan
Frogmouth, White-rumped
Swiftlet, Large-billed
Gerygone, Helmeted Friarbird,
Double-eyed Fig-Parrot,
Varied Triller, Yellow-bellied
Sunbird and several
species of honeyeaters.
With luck we could come
across some of the less
frequent species such
as
Pacific Baza, Channel-billed
Cuckoo, Yellow-breasted
Boatbill and even Saltwater
Crocodile.
After the boat trip, we will head back up the range to Julatten and Kingfisher Park. During the afternoon we will visit Mt Lewis area for upland specialties such as Australian Bustard, Great, Golden and Tooth-billed Bowerbirds, Apostlebird, White-browed Robin, Black-throated and Blue-faced Parrot-Finch. We may also have opportunities to do a little night birding where Australian Owlet-Nightjar is a possibility. Night Kingfisher Park Birders Lodge.
Day
7 - Mount Carbine / Mount
Malloy
Today
we
head
for
the
dry country woodlands
and
old mining lakes of Mount
Carbine and Mount Malloy.
Here we have more chances
to see Australian Bustard,
as well as Great Bowerbirds
around the town, Squatter
Pigeon, Wompoo Fruit-Dove,
Olive-backed Orioles,
Little
Cuckoo-shrikes, Dusky
and
Yellow Honeyeaters, Little
Shrike-thrushes and
Satin Flycatcher. Pheasant
Coucals are in the area
as well as Red-tailed
Black Cockatoos, Red-winged
Parrots, Blue-winged Kookaburras,
Pale-headed Rosellas,
and
the delightful Weebill.
We
hope to
encounter the strange
Duck-billed
Platypus (Photo:
Gina Nichol) swimming
about in quiet
pools,
and other mammals could
include Agile Wallaby,
Musky Rat-Kangaroo,
Spectacled
Flying-Fox, and Brushtail
Possom. Night Kingfisher
Park Birders Lodge.
Day
8 - Southern Atherton
Tablelands / Lake
Mitchell / Mount Hypipamee
National
Park
Today
we will
drive
to the southern Atherton
Tableland visiting Lake
Mitchell, Atherton, Hasties
Swamp and Mount Hypipamee
National Park. We have
good
opportunities to see countless
Magpie Geese, Pink-eared
Duck, Hardhead, Wandering
and Plumed
Whistling Duck (Photo:
Gina Nichol),
Cotton
and Green Pygmy-Goose,
Australian Darter, Spotted
Harrier, Gray Goshawk,
Emerald Dove, Fernwren,
Mountain Thornbill,
Bridled
and Scarlet Honeyeaters,
Atherton Scrubwren,
and
much more. In the late
afternoon we will watch
both Sarus Cranes and
Brolga
fly into roost at Bromfield
Crater. Night Malanda.
Day
9 - Curtain Fig Tree National
Park / Lake Eacham / Lake
Barrine
After breakfast
visit
we Curtain Fig Tree National
Park where we
will search for the localized
Bower’s
Shrike-Thrush and well
as Lakes Eacham and Barrine,
where the rainforests
are among the richest in
Australia. We will also
visit other birding spots
as we head back down the
range to Cairns. Night
Cairns.
Day 10 - Departures from Cairns or flight to Brisbane for O'Reilly's extension>>.
 AUSTRALIAThe Best of Queensland July 5 - 14, 2013 Registration Form>> TOUR
PRICE: $TBA
per
person
from
Brisbane,
Australia
(airport
code
BNE) based
on
double
occupancy. Tour
pricing
expected
in
mid-2012.
Please
inquire! gina@sunrisebirding.com Included in cost: Accommodation in twin rooms en-suite, packed lunches, group airport transfers, all entrance fees, transport throughout, internal flights, national park and reserve entrance fees, drinks and guiding services of leaders. Not included: It does not include roundtrip airfare to Australia, insurance, passport and visa fees, boat trip, dinners, alcoholic drinks and items of a personal nature such as: laundry, telephone, beverages, gratuities for porterage, guides, driver, and personal services.
Final
payment
is
due
by
February
27,
2013
and
must
be
paid
by
check.
Cancellations and Refunds: Refunds, less a cancellation fee to be determined at the discretion of Sunrise Birding will be made only if Sunrise Birding, LLC is notified in writing of intent to cancel on or before February 27, 2013. No refunds will be made after February 27, 2013. All cancellations must be made in writing. There are no refunds for unused meals, accommodations, or other trip features. Insurance: The
purchase
of trip
cancellation
insurance
for
every
and
any
eventuality
is strongly
recommended. Sunrise
Birding,
LLC
can
not
accept
liability
for
airline
cancellations
or delays
or penalties
incurred
by the
purchase
of non-refundable
airline
tickets
or other
expenses
incurred
by tour
participants
in preparing
for
this
tour. Questions? Contact Gina Nichol at gina@sunrisebirding.com |