The last blog post with photos from my trip to Australia. In here are birds found while driving from Surfers Paradise, on the 30th of Dec. 2016 up until we left the country on the 4th of Jan, 2017.
The other blog posts from Australia:
And also two more post from Singapore, from the trip to and from Australia:
So, below are som photos from these last days in Australia, including a full day with a guide Andrew Patrick -
check out his webpage.
First out, from Surfers Paradise, we headed for Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. This was too long a drive for one day, with the kids and all, so we had booked a room at Tea Gardens Country Club.
While on the road to Tea Gardens
We stopped a couple of times and there were always birds around. Some new and some I had seen before. The Pazific Baza I found during the first stop was cool...
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| Pacific Baza (gråfotad baza, Aviceda subcristata) |
We had a longer stop at Sandy Beach. Beautiful place! The beach is amazing. Not that many birds here, though a Black-naped Tern was nice to see.
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| Silver Gull (silvermås, Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) |
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| Greater Crested Tern (tofstärna, Thalasseus bergii) |
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| Eastern Rosella (praktrosella, Platycercus eximius) |
Bad photo of an Eastern Rosella. We stopped some times at the free coffee stops along the way and this was during one of these stops. I also had a Wedge-tailed Eagle and a Black-shouldered Kite in this place, next photo. Though the Kite is difficult to see in the photo.
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| Wedge-tailed Eagle (kilstjärtsörn, Aquila audax) |
When we arrived in Tea Gardens it was already dusk. The Flying Foxes were all around and I managed to take this shot, using the built in flash in the camera. The kids thought the bats were cool.
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| Grey-headed Flying Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) |
Even before leaving Sweden, I had this morning planned. A new place can always bring new birds and the habitat here was a bit different to what I had visited before. So I walked from the country club down to the river. Not a long walk but some nice birds along the way. Four new lifers during this morning; Southern Emu-Wren, Yellow Thornbill, Yellow-faced Honeyeater and Scarlet Myzomela (Scarlet Honeyeater). While I had two species of fairy-wrens among other birds during my walk, the trees and bushes just outside of our room at the country club proved to be a gread birding site. This is where I found the two honeyeaters.
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| Brown Quail (brun vaktel, Coturnix ypsilophora) |
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| Southern Emu-Wren (sydlig emusmyg, Stipiturus malachurus) |
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White-bellied Sea Eagle (vitbukig havsörn, Haliaeetus
leucogaster) |
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| Unidentified Kangaroo |
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Little Wattlebird (banksiahonungsätare,
Anthochaera chrysoptera) |
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Little Wattlebird (banksiahonungsätare,
Anthochaera chrysoptera) |
After we left Tea Gardens we drove to Katoomba, without any stops, if I remember correctly. We wanted to have the New Year's Eve afternoon there and after getting some lunch we all went for a walk. Spectacular scenery and if it weren't for the flies buzzing all around us this would have been perhaps the most memorable part of the trip. It was really hot this day (not the next day though...) and we took a trail along the edge of the cliffs leading to the three sisters.
The Sulphur-crested Cockatoos were everywhere and Nankeen Kestrels could also be seen in several spots. No Rockwarblers unfortunately... Australian Raven was expected as a new species for me here but a Red Wattlebird also showed itself. Other nice birds were the Satin Bowerbird (male) and all the parrots of course. I cannot get enough of the Galahs... Neither could my daughters. :-)
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Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
(större gultofskakadua, Cacatua galerita) |
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| Wedge-tailed Eagle (kilstjärtsörn, Aquila audax) |
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Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (större gultofskakadua,
Cacatua galerita) |
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| Nankeen Kestrel (nankinfalk, Falco cenchroides) |
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Red Wattlebird (rödflikig honungsfågel,
Anthochaera carunculata) |
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| Galah (rosenkakadua, Eolophus roseicapilla) |
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| Galah (rosenkakadua, Eolophus roseicapilla) |
The morning of the new year was decidedly cooler... But since almost everyone were asleep, my morning walk was very nice. In the end, none of us had managed to stay up long enough for the fireworks...
I didn't have time for that long a walk but I went back to the three sisters and I at least managed to find a New Holland Honeyeater.
After breakfast we went to the "Scenic world" and tried the cable car and the train there. Wonderful place for the kids and the walk in the forest below the cliff actually gave me a couple of nice sightings. At least three different Superb Lyrebirds - and when the kids saw them they came running to me shouting that they had seen a Peacock... Also Bassian Ground Thrush, which I had seen in Lamington NP but this time I managed to get something resembling a photo of one.
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New Holland Honeyeater (vitögd honungsfågel,
Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) |
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| The morning view of the three sisters and the valley below |
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| Bassian Thrush (eukalyptustrast, Zoothera lunulata) |
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| Superb Lyrebird (praktlyrfågel, Menura novaehollandiae) |
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| Superb Lyrebird (praktlyrfågel, Menura novaehollandiae) |
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| Superb Lyrebird (praktlyrfågel, Menura novaehollandiae) |
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| Galah (rosenkakadua, Eolophus roseicapilla) |
I was standing outside of the hotel room when I shot this photo. It just seemed unreal to have a bird with these colours sitting in a tree just 50m away. I wanted to save this memory for when I got back to Sweden. And looking at it almost a year later, when I'm writing this, I really get the feeling that I should get back there at some point...
Finally in Sydney! I think this was the place my wife had looked forward to the most ;-) I had, in my turn, booked a day with a local birder. At this point in time, I had been doing quite a lot of birding during this trip to Australia and it proved a little bit difficult to find new species for me. I didn't mind that much, we probably also didn't get the best day for birding either but in the end it was a great day.
We started of at one of the beaches in the southern part of Sydney and soon headed towards National NP, were I found that the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos had the played the same part as Magpies do in Sweden... Foraging in the trash...
Here are some photos from the day
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Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (större gultofskakadua,
Cacatua galerita) |
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Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (större gultofskakadua,
Cacatua galerita) |
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| Variegated Fairywren (brokblåsmyg, Malurus lamberti) |
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| Australian Raven (australisk korp, Corvus coronoides) |
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| Rockwarbler (klippsmyg/origma, Origma solitaria) |
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Oriental Dollarbird (rödnäbbad blåkråka,
Eurystomus orientalis) |
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| Bowerbird dance spot |
At the same location where the three Dollarbirds were, Andrew knew of a dance "arena" - or whatever it is called - of a Bowerbird. Just to the right of the middle of the photo it can be seen and all around are some blue trinkets, which it had collected.
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Black-fronted Dotterel (svartpannad pipare,
Elseyornis melanops) |
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| Willie Wagtail (ärlesolfjäderstjärt, Rhipidura leucophrys) |
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Yellow-rumped Thornbill (gulgumpad taggnäbb,
Acanthiza chrysorrhoa) |
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Australasian Darter (australisk ormhalsfågel,
Anhinga novaehollandiae) |
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| Tawny Frogmouth (australisk grodmun, Podargus strigoides) |
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| Tawny Frogmouth (australisk grodmun, Podargus strigoides) |
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| White-faced Heron (vithuvad häger, Egretta novaehollandiae) |
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Australasian Swamphen (australisk purpurhöna,
Porphyrio melanotus) |
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Long-billed Corella (långnäbbad kakadua,
Cacatua tenuirostris) |
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| Little Corella (nakenögd kakadua, Cacatua sanguinea) |
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Long-billed Corella (långnäbbad kakadua,
Cacatua tenuirostris) |
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| Royal Spoonbill (australisk skedstork, Platalea regia) |
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| Intermediate Egret (mellanhäger, Egretta intermedia) |
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| Pacific Black Duck (stillahavssvartand, Anas superciliosa) |
During the day, Andrew gave me the tip to take the ferry to Manly, where the Little Penguin can be seen. I had to make two tours there but I finally managed to see one.
This concludes my trip to Australia. A fantastic experience! Not only birdingwise.
Species seen during these days (the most common ones are not included, see post from Noosa) New lifers marked with *
En route between Surfers Paradise and Tea Gardens - 30th of Dec
Black-shouldered Kite (svartskuldrad glada, Elanus axillaris)
Pacific Baza (gråfotad baza, Aviceda subcristata) *
Sacred Kingfisher (helig kungsfiskare, Todiramphus sanctus)
Wedge-tailed Eagle (kilstjärtsörn, Aquila audax)
Australian Hobby (australisk lärkfalk, Falco longipennis) *
Eastern Rosella (praktrosella, Platycercus eximius) *
Sandy Beach (well, strickly speaking this is still en route from Surfers Paradise to Tea Gardens...)
Silver Gull (silvermås, Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae)
Greater Crested Tern (tofstärna, Thalasseus bergii)
Black-naped Tern (svartnackad tärna, Sterna sumatrana)
Early morning walk in Tea Gardens - New Year's Eve
Brown Quail (brun vaktel, Coturnix ypsilophora)
Great Egret (ägretthäger, Ardea alba modesta)
Variegated Fairywren (brokblåsmyg, Malurus lamberti)
Superb Fairywren (vitbukig blåsmyg, Malurus cyaneus)
Southern Emu-Wren (sydlig emusmyg, Stipiturus malachurus) *
Yellow Thornbill (gul taggnäbb, Acanthiza nana) *
Australian Golden Whistler (guldvisslare, Pachycephala pectoralis)
Australian Pelican (australisk pelikan, Pelecanus conspicillatus)
White-bellied Sea Eagle (vitbukig havsörn, Haliaeetus leucogaster)
Pacific Koel (australisk koel, Eudynamys orientalis)
Little Wattlebird (banksiahonungsätare, Anthochaera chrysoptera)
Yellow-faced Honeyeater (gulkindad honungsfågel, Caligavis chrysops) *
Scarlet Myzomela (scharlakansmyzomela, Myzomela sanguinolenta) *
Oriental Dollarbird (rödnäbbad blåkråka, Eurystomus orientalis)
Galah (rosenkakadua, Eolophus roseicapilla)
Katoomba - afternoon walk on New Year's Eve
Wedge-tailed Eagle (kilstjärtsörn, Aquila audax)
Nankeen Kestrel (nankinfalk, Falco cenchroides)
Galah (rosenkakadua, Eolophus roseicapilla)
Little Corella (nakenögd kakadua, Cacatua sanguinea)
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (större gultofskakadua, Cacatua galerita)
Australian King Parrot (australisk kungspapegoja, Alisterus scapularis)
Crimson Rosella (blåkindad rosella, Platycercus elegans)
Satin Bowerbird (satänglövsalsfågel, Ptilonorhynchus violaceus)
Red Wattlebird (rödflikig honungsfågel, Anthochaera carunculata) *
Bell Miner (klockhonungsstare, Manorina melanophrys)
White-browed Scrubwren (vitbrynad busksmyg, Sericornis frontalis)
Australian Raven (australisk korp, Corvus coronoides) *
Common Myna (brun majna, Acridotheres tristis)
House Sparrow (gråsparv, Passer domesticus)
Katoomba - New Year's Day -2017 (Since it's the first day of a new year, I'v noted all species. Even the common ones)
Rock Dove (klippduva, Columba livia var. domestica)
Spotted Dove (pärlhalsduva, Spilopelia chinensis)
Galah (rosenkakadua, Eolophus roseicapilla)
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (större gultofskakadua, Cacatua galerita)
Australian King Parrot (australisk kungspapegoja, Alisterus scapularis)
Crimson Rosella (blåkindad rosella, Platycercus elegans)
Rainbow Lorikeet (regnbågslorikit, Trichoglossus moluccanus)
Superb Lyrebird (praktlyrfågel, Menura novaehollandiae) *
Satin Bowerbird (satänglövsalsfågel, Ptilonorhynchus violaceus)
Eastern Spinebill (östlig sylnäbb, Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris)
New Holland Honeyeater (vitögd honungsfågel, Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) *
Red Wattlebird (rödflikig honungsfågel, Anthochaera carunculata)
Bell Miner (klockhonungsstare, Manorina melanophrys)
White-browed Scrubwren (vitbrynad busksmyg, Sericornis frontalis)
Yellow-throated Scrubwren (gulstrupig busksmyg, Sericornis citreogularis)
Eastern Whipbird (svarttofsad snärtfågel, Psophodes olivaceus)
Australian Magpie (flöjtkråka, Gymnorhina tibicen)
Pied Currawong (svartvit kurrawong, Strepera graculina)
Common Myna (brun majna, Acridotheres tristis)
Bassian Thrush (eukalyptustrast, Zoothera lunulata)
House Sparrow (gråsparv, Passer domesticus)
Day tour with Andrew Patrick - Starting with a beach close to Sydney and I've split species according to sites as best I can.
Southern Sydney, one of the beaches and while driving
Australian White Ibis (australisk ibis, Threskiornis moluccus)
Little Black Cormorant (sotskarv, Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)
Far Eastern Curlew (orientspov, Numenius madagascariensis)
Bar-tailed Godwit (myrspov, Limosa lapponica)
Silver Gull (silvermås, Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae)
Greater Crested Tern (tofstärna, Thalasseus bergii)
Crested Pigeon (tofsduva, Ocyphaps lophotes)
Little Corella (nakenögd kakadua, Cacatua sanguinea)
Noisy Miner (larmhonungsstare, Manorina melanocephala)
Australian Raven (australisk korp, Corvus coronoides)
Common Starling (stare, Sturnus vulgaris)
Royal NP
Maned Duck/Australian Wood Duck (manand, Chenonetta jubata)
Pacific Black Duck (stillahavssvartand, Anas superciliosa)
Chestnut Teal (kastanjekricka, Anas castanea)
White-faced Heron (vithuvad häger, Egretta novaehollandiae)
Little Pied Cormorant (svartvit skarv, Microcarbo melanoleucos)
Australasian Swamphen (australisk purpurhöna, Porphyrio melanotus)
Dusky Moorhen (mörk rörhöna, Gallinula tenebrosa)
Masked Lapwing (maskvipa, Vanellus miles)
Little Tern (småtärna, Sternula albifrons)
Wonga Pigeon (wongaduva, Leucosarcia melanoleuca)
Channel-billed Cuckoo (jättegök, Scythrops novaehollandiae)
Oriental Dollarbird (rödnäbbad blåkråka, Eurystomus orientalis)
Laughing Kookaburra (skrattkokaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae)
Azure Kingfisher (azurkungsfiskare, Ceyx azureus)
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (större gultofskakadua, Cacatua galerita)
Crimson Rosella (blåkindad rosella, Platycercus elegans)
Satin Bowerbird (satänglövsalsfågel, Ptilonorhynchus violaceus)
White-throated Treecreeper (vitstrupig eukalyptuskrypare, Cormobates leucophaea)
Variegated Fairywren (brokblåsmyg, Malurus lamberti)
Superb Fairywren (vitbukig blåsmyg, Malurus cyaneus)
Eastern Spinebill (östlig sylnäbb, Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris)
New Holland Honeyeater (vitögd honungsfågel, Phylidonyris novaehollandiae)
Noisy Friarbird (skränmunkskata, Philemon corniculatus)
Little Wattlebird (banksiahonungsätare, Anthochaera chrysoptera)
Yellow-faced Honeyeater (gulkindad honungsfågel, Caligavis chrysops)
Lewin's Honeyeater (gulörad honungsfågel, Meliphaga lewinii)
Brown Gerygone (brun sångsmyg, Gerygone mouki)
Brown Thornbill (rostpannad taggnäbb, Acanthiza pusilla)
Grey Butcherbird (grå törnkråka, Cracticus torquatus)
Grey Shrikethrush (grå törntrast, Colluricincla harmonica)
Olive-backed Oriole (grönryggig gylling, Oriolus sagittatus)
Willie Wagtail (ärlesolfjäderstjärt, Rhipidura leucophrys)
Grey Fantail (australisk solfjäderstjärt, Rhipidura albiscapa)
Rufous Fantail (rostgumpad solfjäderstjärt, Rhipidura rufifrons)
Magpie-lark (skatlärka, Grallina cyanoleuca)
Leaden Flycatcher (blågrå monark, Myiagra rubecula)
Red-browed Finch (rödbrynad astrild, Neochmia temporalis)
Royal NP - Wattamolla
Rockwarbler (klippsmyg, Origma solitaria) *
Welcome Swallow (välkomstsvala, Hirundo neoxena)
Landing Lights Wetland
Black-fronted Dotterel (svartpannad pipare, Elseyornis melanops) *
Red Wattlebird (rödflikig honungsfågel, Anthochaera carunculata)
Yellow-rumped Thornbill (gulgumpad taggnäbb, Acanthiza chrysorrhoa) *
Black-faced Cuckooshrike (australisk gråfågel, Coracina novaehollandiae)
Red-whiskered Bulbul (rödörad bulbyl, Pycnonotus jocosus)
Australian Reed Warbler (australisk rörsångare, Acrocephalus australis) *
Silvereye (gråryggig glasögonfågel , Zosterops lateralis)
Centennial Park, Sydney
Black Swan (svart svan, Cygnus atratus)
Hardhead (australisk dykand, Aythya australis)
Royal Spoonbill (australisk skedstork, Platalea regia) *
Intermediate Egret (mellanhäger, Egretta intermedia)
Australian Pelican (australisk pelikan, Pelecanus conspicillatus)
Great Cormorant (storskarv, Phalacrocorax carbo)
Australasian Darter (australisk ormhalsfågel, Anhinga novaehollandiae)
Red-knobbed Coot (kamsothöna, Fulica cristata)
Tawny Frogmouth (australisk grodmun, Podargus strigoides) *
Long-billed Corella (långnäbbad kakadua, Cacatua tenuirostris) *
Little Corella (nakenögd kakadua, Cacatua sanguinea)
