GULF OF CARPENTARIA TOUR
QUEENSLAND

11 June to 22 June 2004


Day1
11th June
Cairns to Georgetown
Leaving Cairns early, we'll spend most of the day travelling to Georgetown. We drive through the remnant rainforests of the Atherton tablelands — always good for raptors. We'll be on the lookout for Spotted Harrier and Grey Goshawk and perhaps Square-tailed Kite. As we travel westward the country becomes increasingly drier. The forests and woodland around Mt Garnet may yield such delights as Apostlebird, Red-winged Parrot, Cockatiel, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo and with luck, the red-eyed form of Squatter Pigeon.
Overnight: Georgetown

Day 2
12th June
Georgetown to Karumba
Today we bird the dry tropical woodland around Georgetown — usually a good area for finches and in particular for the declining Black-throated Finch, as well as Double-bars and Masked Finches. Also here we could see Banded and Rufous-throated Honeyeaters and the delightful Diamond Dove, as well as Red-browed Pardalote and the rare dark form of Brown Treecreeper.
We then head north-west to Karumba, hopefully viewing the seriously cute Spinifex Pigeon along the way. Beyond Croydon we should also start seeing our first Little Woodswallows.
Overnight: Karumba

Day 3
13th June
Karumba area
A great list of species is guaranteed today. This morning we'll do a boat trip in the Karumba mangroves seeking out the mangrove specialities including White-breasted Whistler, Red-headed Honeyeater, Mangrove Grey Fantail, Mangrove Robin and Yellow White-eye, plus friendly Ospreys and Brahminy Kites. We should also see saltwater crocodile.

We'll spend the rest of the day birding the Karumba area where species should include Brolga, Sarus Crane, Jabiru and Australian Pratincole, as well as bush and waterbirds and a good bag of raptors.
Overnight: Karumba

Day 4
14th June
Karumba to Escott Lodge near Burketwon
Today we travel west to Burketown in the heart of the Gulf Country. Birds we may encounter along the way include the highly nomadic Pictorella Mannikin, which can be in their hundreds one year and completely absent the next. The area can be good for raptors and we'll be on the lookout for Black-breasted Buzzard and Square-tailed Kite. Flock Pigeon, known to vex birding guides, will be sought, and like Pictorella Mannikin can be present in big numbers some years and conspicuous by its absence the next.
Overnight: Escott Lodge

Day 5
15th June
Escott Lodge
This morning we bird the Nicholson River on Escott Lodge Station. The Nicholson is a picturesque river lined with pandanus and a good spot for the delicately hued Purple-crowned Fairy-wren.
Other species we should see along the river include the buff-sided form of the White-browed Robin, Crimson and Masked Finches, the golden-backed form of Black-chinned Honeyeater, Bar-breasted Honeyeater, and perhaps an overwintering Channel-billed Cuckoo. Spotlighting tonight could produce Boobook and Barking Owls and perhaps Spotted Nightjar.
Overnight: Escott Lodge

Day 6
16th June
Escott Lodge
We have a reasonable chance for Flock Pigeon and maybe an Australian Bustard or two on the Mitchell Grass plains along the Leichhardt River floodplain. Later, in the tropical woodland we have a chance for Varied Lorikeet, Spinifex Pigeon and Long-tailed and Painted Finches if the season has been favourable.
Overnight: Cloncurry

Day 7
17th June
Cloncurry area
With much patience this morning we'll search for the denizens of the spinifex — the Rufous-crowned Emu-wren and Spinifexbird. Painted Finch and Grey-headed and Grey-fronted Honeyeaters may capture our attention, and conditions being favourable, so will Budgerigar, Crimson Chat and White-winged Triller. We'll scan the cliffs for Purple-necked Rock-Wallaby.
Overnight: Cloncurry area

Day 8
18th June
Cloncurry to Mt Isa
Today we head to Mt Isa searching the creek lines for the uncommon Cloncurry race of the Australian Ringneck. We may also connect with Black-tailed Treecreeper, as well as Varied Lorikeet and Banded and Rufous-throated Honeyeaters if the bloodwoods are flowering. We'll check out the lakes around Mt Isa for Jacana and Green Pygmy-Goose — plus there's another chance for Painted Finch here should we need it.
Overnight: Mt Isa

Day 9
19th June
Mt Isa area
Today we journey north-west of Mt Isa to seek out one of our most beautiful and least known grassswrens, the Carpentarian Grassswren. This species, widespread in low numbers amongst the rocks and spinifex north-west of Mt Isa, was virtually unknown for most of the 20th century. It could take great cunning and know-how to secure good looks at this elusive species — or we may be lucky and fall over it! Other species possible here include Spinifexbird, Painted Finch, Grey-fronted Honeyeater and Owlet Nightjar.
Overnight: Mt Isa

Day 10
20th June
Mt Isa area
The Kalkadoon Grasswren, a recently proposed split from Dusky, is on the agenda today. Whether the taxonomists decide to split or lump, this species is well worth seeing in the rocky hills around Mt Isa. We will spend what remains of the day checking out waterbirds and any waders that may be about at Lake Moondarra.
Overnight: Mt Isa

Day 11
21st June
Mt Isa to Hughenden
We start our journey back across the Mitchell Grass plains of central Queensland. Here we have an excellent chance for that most nomadic of nomads — Flock Pigeon. Also possible on the plains are Bustard, Black Falcon and Spotted Harrier. This is also a good area for Ground Cuckoo-shrike.
Overnight: Hughenden

Day 12
22nd June
Hughenden to Cairns (c 600 km)
We leave the Mitchell Grass plains behind and head back into the tropical woodlands of the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range. Here we could see the rare blue-eyed form of the Squatter Pigeon and the declining white-rumped form of the Black-throated Finch - both species residing in this vast tract of tropical woodland. We plan to arrive back in Cairns in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Cairns

Cost and other information:
* $4,300.00 AUD (twin share) including GST
* single supplement: $583 AUD
* motel accommodation from the 10th June to and
   including 22nd   June
* meals from breakfast on the 11th June to breakfast on the 23rd
* park entry fees
* 22 seater bus or 2 x 4WDs
* tour starts and finishes in Cairns
* cost does not include airfares
* luggage: restricted to 2 bags per person, preferably soft bags.
* weather: warm to hot, mostly dry - expect temperatures from
   25C to 35 C (77F to 95 F).
* tour leaders: Philip Maher & Patricia Mahe
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Species recorded 2003 Gulf trip