Species list
CH= Cassowary House HH= Henry Hannam Drive KP= Kingfisher Park.
* unusual sighting *** vagrant
Cassowary: Wonderful views of male and female in the garden at CH on 25/3, again on 26/3. We saw the 13 month old sub-adult 27/3, 28/3, 29/3 and 31/3, beginning to colour up with blue on the neck, a pointy casque starting, and black feathering on the mantle. Female also on 31/3.
Australian Brush-Turkey: CH
Orange-footed Scrubfowl: Three at Centenary park, and a huge mound at KP.
Australian Grebe: Hastie's Swamp and Mossman Dump.
Wandering Whistling-Duck: Single at Hastie's, 15 at Barrine, 12 at Mossman dump.
Pacific Black Duck
Green Pygmy-Goose: A pair and 4 juv at Hastie's, 2 prs and 8 juvs at Lake Mitchell.
* Eastern Reef Egret: A dark phase at Yule Point, and curiously another dark one off the Esplanade on 30/3, where I've not seem them for ages.
* White-necked Heron: A lovely adult at Wondecla 31/3, my first this year.
White-faced Heron: Singles at Croc farm and Mareeba.
Intermediate Egret: Hastie's Swamp, Lake Mitchell and a single at the croc farm.
Great White Egret: Three at the Croc farm.
Cattle Egret: 3 near Yungaburra.
Little Egret: Two at the Esplanade.
Nankeen Night-Heron: Two at the croc farm.
Striated Heron: Three at Yule Point, four at the croc farm.
* Black Bittern: An adult at the croc farm.
Australian White Ibis: Singles at the Esplanade and three at Mossman dump.
Straw-necked Ibis: The first of the return were two near the croc farm, then two over the road near Yungaburra on 31/3.
Royal Spoonbill: Two vacuuming away on the mud at the Esplanade, and two at the croc farm.
Black Kite: A few on the tablelands, max 7.
Whistling Kite: Singles at various sites.
Brahminy Kite: Singles near Cairns.
Osprey: Two at a nest by Mossman dump, and a single at the esplanade.
Grey Goshawk: One on the Kuranda Range.
** Black-breasted Buzzard: A wonderful adult over the lychee farm near Julatten 27/3, my first of the year and always very scarce in FNQ.
Nankeen Kestrel: A few around, two seen at Mary Farms and a couple near Mareeba, plus singles near Yungaburra.
Black-shouldered Kite: One near Mareeba.
White-bellied Sea-Eagle: Two at the croc farm and singles at Yule Point and Mossman dump.
* Pacific Baza: Two near Mareeba 31/3.
Red-necked Crake: The pair and 4 juvs at Cass House on 25/3 gave good views. We saw a single juv. thereafter, the family group then splitting up after being together since 25/2.
Buff-banded Rail: Good views at Hastie's Swamp and the croc farm. Also near the Curtain Fig.
White-browed Crake: High water levels meant they were not easily seen, but we eventually got an adult and then later an imm at the croc farm.
Purple Swamphen: Hastie's Swamp and croc farm.
Dusky Moorhen: Hastie's Swamp and Lake Barrine.
Eurasian Coot: Two at Hastie's Swamp.
Australian Bustard: A pair by the Big Peanut at Tolga, and a pair at Mary Farms.
Latham's Snipe: Great views of one at Hastie's Swamp, then 5 near the Rainforest habitat at Port Douglas on puddles and a single at the croc farm. A large, long -billed snipe with an extensive white belly and no foot projection also distinguishing it from the deeper chested Swinhoe's Snipe.
Bar-tailed Godwit: Two at Yule Point and about 8 at Cairns, with two in summer plumage.
Whimbrel: A few at the esplanade.
Eastern Curlew: Six at the esplanade.
* Marsh Sandpiper: A summer plumaged bird at the croc farm, a year tick.
Common Greenshank: Singles at Port Douglas and the croc farm.
Terek Sandpiper: Five at the esplanade.
Common Sandpiper: Singles at Port Douglas and the croc farm.
Grey-tailed Tattler: A single at Yule Point and about four at the esplanade.
*** Asian Dowitcher: A single in winter plumage at the esplanade, coming in quite late as many birds were leaving. The long, straight, all black rather cylindrical bill and the mottled rather greyish upperparts distinguished it from adjacent barwits. An unexpected year tick, I did not know it was still around after being seen a week earlier by Glenn. Igor arrived in the nick of time for his life bird!
Great Knot: 30 or so on the esplanade, a few in summer plumage.
Red-necked Stint: Seven on the esplanade, one in summer plumage.
Curlew Sandpiper: Ten at the esplanade, most in brick red summer plumage.
* Beach Stone-curlew: Two at Yule Point, nice scope views and a year tick.
Bush Stone-curlew: 26 at the cemetery.
Pied Oystercatcher: Two at the esplanade.
White-headed Stilt: Seven at Mossman dump.
Pacific Golden Plover: One at Port Douglas, and three at the esplanade including one in summer plumage.
Lesser Sand-Plover: Two or three at the esplanade.
Greater Sand-Plover: Ten at the esplanade, many in summer plumage.
Black-fronted Dotterel: Three at Mossman Dump and four at the croc farm.
Masked Lapwing:
Comb-crested Jacana: Hastie's Swamp.
Silver Gull: Esplanade.
Caspian Tern: Four at the esplanade.
Crested Tern: Two at Yule Point and one at the esplanade.
Little Tern: Eight at the esplanade and six at the croc farm.
Feral Pigeon
* White-headed Pigeon: Great views of two at the Crater and a single later near Tolga.
Spotted Turtle-Dove
Brown Cuckoo-Dove: Great views of one at the Crater, unaccountably scarce at CH at the moment.
Emerald Dove: Lovely views at CH.
Crested Pigeon: One at the Termite on 26/3 was the closest to the coast yet locally, and then three at Mareeba.
Peaceful Dove
Bar-shouldered Dove: Mt. Molloy and the croc farm.
Wompoo Pigeon: A single at CH.
Superb Fruit-Dove: A single fly-by and heard at CH.
Pied Imperial-Pigeon: One at Port Douglas and then six at Centenary Park, feeding on red palm fruits.
Topknot Pigeon: Eight over Lake Barrine.
Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo: About 35 at Walkamin, great views and well spotted by Peggy.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo: The world's most disgusting one was a mud or dust covered bird in the ploughed field at Tolga, looking very puzzling from a distance!
Rainbow Lorikeet
Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
* Little Lorikeet: About ten feeding in flowering gums at Wondecla, first of the year.
Australian King-Parrot: Three at Kuranda.
Double-eyed Fig-Parrot: Lots of bullets by CH , but sadly no good views this time.
Pale-headed Rosella: Two along Henry Hannam Drive.
Brush Cuckoo: One at Henry Hannam, and a strange pale barred beneath imm. at Wonga Beach.
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo: One at CH 28/3, first of the return, and another seen very well at L. Barrine.
Little Bronze-Cuckoo: One along Henry Hannam drive 26/3 and another at the croc farm.
Gould's Bronze-Cuckoo (H): Heard at CH, presumably this species.
Australian Koel: A female at Mt. Molloy gave great views. One heard briefly along the Daintree.
Channel-billed Cuckoo (H): One called at CH 30/3.
Pheasant Coucal: A couple of roadside birds near Mareeba.
Lesser Sooty Owl (H): One called at CH 29/3.
Papuan Frogmouth: Two birds at Port Douglas on 28/3, incongruously roosting in a small palm.
White-rumped Swiftlet: Small groups around Kuranda and the tablelands.
Azure Kingfisher: Two on the Daintree gave good views.
Little Kingfisher: Three along Forest Creek, Daintree, a year tick.
Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher: An immature at KP gave good views.
Laughing Kookaburra
Blue-winged Kookaburra: One at the Rainforest habitat was a surprise. Peggy said it had the haircut of a 1950's Russian bureaucrat, shaggy on top and short at the sides!
Forest Kingfisher: Several by CH and one at Port Douglas.
Sacred Kingfisher: A few migrants at Port Douglas and the esplanade.
Rainbow Bee-eater: Plenty of migrants about.
Dollarbird: Singles near Mareeba on 27/3 and 31/3.
Noisy Pitta: A single at KP eventually gave quite good views for all. It appeared to be minus a tail in flight, even shorter than usual.
White-throated Tree-creeper: One at Wondecla- sorry Peggy, I thought you were looking at it!
Brown Tree-creeper: Two along Henry Hannam.
Red-backed Fairywren: Three males and several brown birds gave great views at Abattoir swamp.
Striated Pardalote: Nice looks along HH.
Fernwren (H): I heard one calling at CH on 31/3, after my first ever here heard on 17/3.
Yellow-throated Scrubwren: Crater and Lake Barrine.
Large-billed Scrubwren: CH, good views.
Atherton Scrubwren: Two at the Crater, views interrupted by finding the White-headed Pigeons.
Weebill: Two along HH.
Brown Gerygone: CH, Barrine, Wondecla, Crater.
Fairy Gerygone: Two near Yungaburra at Picnic Crossing platypus site.
Large-billed Gerygone: HH and Daintree.
Mountain Thornbill: Great views at Longlands Gap.
Helmeted Friarbird: CH
Little Friarbird: Two along HH.
Blue-faced Honeyeater: Mareeba and KP.
Noisy Miner: Six at Wondecla.
Macleay's Honeyeater: CH, KP.
Lewin's Honeyeater: Barrine and Crater.
Yellow-spotted Honeyeater: CH
Graceful Honeyeater: CH and KP.
Yellow-faced Honeyeater: Hastie's Swamp and Wondecla.
Yellow Honeyeater: HH.
Fuscous Honeyeater: Wondecla, none singing at this time but many feeding in the tree with the Little Lorikeets.
White-throated Honeyeater: HH and Abattoir swamp.
White-naped Honeyeater: Ten at Hastie's Swamp on 26/3 were clearly migrants as I don't usually see them here. Two at Wondecla.
Brown Honeyeater: Abattoir swamp.
* White-cheeked Honeyeater: Two feeding in Banksias at the café at Tolga were a surprise and a year tick.
Brown-backed Honeyeater: One along Forest Creek and several at the croc farm.
Eastern Spinebill: One at Barrine.
Dusky Honeyeater: CH.
Scarlet Honeyeater: A lovely male at Barrine and heard at Crater.
Lemon-bellied Flycatcher: HH
Pale-yellow Robin: CH and Barrine
Eastern Yellow Robin: Four at Wondecla.
Mangrove Robin (H): One heard calling along Forest Creek, Daintree.
Grey-headed Robin: Crater, great views.
Chowchilla: Four by CH gave very nice views. Calling most days at first light.
Eastern Whipbird: One seen at Barrine.
Golden Whistler: Males at the Crater.
Rufous Whistler: Good views along HH and at Wondecla.
Grey Whistler: One near CH.
Little Shrike-thrush: Common at CH.
Bower's Shrike-thrush (H): Heard at the Crater.
Grey-Shrike-thrush: Three at Wondecla.
Yellow-breasted Boatbill: Lovely views of a male at Lake Barrine, and heard at CH.
Black-faced Monarch: An adult at Barrine, and an imm at the platypus site were clearly migrants.
Spectacled Monarch: Lovely views at CH and Barrine.
Pied Monarch: The group saw one at CH one morning.
Leaden Flycatcher: HH drive, male and female.
Shining Flycatcher: A few along Forest Creek, Daintree.
Magpie-lark:
Rufous Fantail: Migrants at Wondecla. 31/3.
Grey Fantail: Wondecla.
Willie Wagtail
Spangled Drongo: Two along HH.
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike:
White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike:
* White-winged Triller: A single immature along HH Drive, my first this year.
Varied Triller: CH
Yellow Oriole: Very nice views at the croc farm.
Olive-backed Oriole: A single at Wondecla.
Figbird:
White-breasted Wood-swallow:
* Dusky Wood-swallow: A group of five at Wondecla were unexpected, and a year tick.
Black Butcherbird: One at Port Douglas and heard at CH, where the residents suddenly have become shy!
Pied Butcherbird: A few near Mareeba.
Australian Magpie:
Pied Currawong: One at Herberton and a single near the Crater.
Victoria's Riflebird: Female plumaged birds at CH gave fine views, and heard at Barrine, whilst a male as the group were about to leave on 2/4 was a fine finale.
Torresian Crow:
Apostlebird: Half a dozen at Lake Mitchell gave brief views.
Spotted Catbird: Great views at CH.
Tooth-billed Catbird (H): Heard at Longlands Gap.
Golden Bowerbird: A fine bower at Longlands Gap, still decorated with lichen, though no bird in evidence on a quick look. Also a huge variety of leeches including many tiny ones!
Great Bowerbird: Several at Mt. Molloy and a fine bower there, still very actively being used. Also one at the creek along HH a new site and the first I've seen along here at all.
Australasian (Richard's) Pipit: Seen near the croc farm and at the platypus site, also at Port Douglas.
House Sparrow
Double-barred Finch: A few along HH.
Crimson Finch: A fine male and a female at the croc farm.
Red-browed Firetail: KP and the croc farm.
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin: Nice looks at Hastie's Swamp and the croc farm, also Mossman dump.
Nutmeg Mannikin: Good views at Port Douglas.
Yellow-bellied Sunbird: CH and the croc farm.
Mistletoebird: Wondecla.
Welcome Swallow:
Tree Martin: A couple near Atherton.
Australasian (Clamorous) Reed Warbler: Two at the croc farm, presumably migrants.
Tawny Grassbird (H): Heard at Hastie's Swamp and Abattoir swamp.
Golden-headed Cisticola: Mary Farms and near Atherton.
Silvereye:
Metallic Starling: Excellent views in Kuranda and at Cairns, many immatures with the flocks.
Common Myna:

Eastern Grey Kangaroo: 30 at Mareeba Golf course.
Agile Wallaby: Hastie's Swamp and along HH.
Striped Possum: 1 from the veranda at CH on 28/3 whilst I was at the Dylan concert.