Bird Watching

w w w . s a v a n n a h w a y . c o m . a u 11 Bird Watching in the Gulf Savannah 10 Migration, Nomads and Vagrants Special Species Cranes and waders spend the summer in the gulf country in large numbers but for each there is a different reason. Cranes come to breed but for most of the waders on the shores and wetlands it is time to avoid the harsh northern winter and gain weight before the long flight back to northern Asia where they breed. Some of these birds are very small and have to stop two or three times on their way home. Nomads of the arid parts of Australia like the Budgerigar often turn up in places like the Gulf Savannahs when there are droughts in their normal range or after particularly good breeding years when birds are dispersing. Migrating birds often fly more than 500 kilometres in one go but Bar-tailed Godwits can fly from Alaska to New Zealand, 11 000 km! Some birds overshoot their wintering grounds in Asia and storms can blow birds a long way off course. Please report unusual sightings as per the contacts list.” EVENTS Atherton Tablelands Crane Count on the first Saturday of September and visitors are welcome to participate. Contact http://birdlifenq.org. Tablelands Crane Week activities are centred on Malanda in the September school holidays www.craneweek.org Flat Creek Station Gouldian Finch Count late September www.flatcreekstation.com.au HANDY RESOURCES The Savannah Way www.savannahway.com.au BirdLife Northern Queensland http://birdlifenq.org Savannah Guides www.savannah-guides.com.au CONTACTS FOR SIGHTINGS Crane and Brolga http://birdlifenq.org/crane/clipbbs sightings clipbbs.cgi Unusual Bird sightings http://ebird.org/content/australia/ Gouldian Finch sightings Del Richards 4094 1199 BIRD WATCHING TOURS Flat Creek Station www.flatcreekstation.com.au The Ferryman www.ferryman.net.au Alan’s Wildlife Tours www.alanswildlifetours.com.au Birdwatching Tropical www.birdwatchingtropicalaustralia.com.au Australia Bird Guides http://birdingtnq.com.au/ Some cranes spend the whole year in the gulf country but in the wet season Sarus Cranes and Brolga breed in their thousands in the wetlands between Normanton and Karumba. During the dry they can be found in small numbers. In the evening you may be lucky enough to see them dance which reinforces their pair bond. Remember – Brolga have a black beard and Sarus a scarlet neck and cerise shanks. Please report crane sightings at http://birdlifenq.org/crane/clipbbs/clipbbs.cgi The Sandstone Shrike-thrush is neither a shrike nor a thrush but has one of the most beautiful, flute-like calls of the bird world. It is to be found only in rough sandstone country and nearly always on the ground. It will fly across gullies. The White-breasted Whistler and Mangrove Golden Whistler are found in the mangroves along with Arafura Fantail, Mangrove Robin and Yellow White-eye . One shy skulker of the mangroves is the Great-billed Heron . In the swampy grasslands, look for Zitting Cisticola . The beautiful finches of the Gulf Savannah tell a story of its history. The Gulf divides populations of Masked Finch and Crimson Finch , with subspecies on the east coast of the gulf having more white than their western relatives. Long-tailed Finches have not established east of this old divide. The Gouldian Finch has suffered from an introduced air sac mite and, like the other hollow nesting species changed fire regimes have meant fewer breeding trees. The southern race of the Black-throated Finch is endangered by this process. Changed fire regimes have also had an impact on seed eaters. There has always been little seed in the early wet but now that many people burn in the late dry, this period of scarceness is longer and can be critical to survival. Red-headed Honeyeaters are a bird of the northern mangroves and just make it into this region. While they utilise a variety of habitats they are best found in the mangroves of Karumba. The scarlet head and rump of the males catches the eye as these active little birds feed on insects and nectar. In the wild colouration of Gouldian Finches varies. About 70-80% are black crowned, 20-30% red crowned and a few ochre-yellow. Gouldian Finch Double-barred Finch Black-throated Finch Hardheads Flock of Budgerigars