birdspots

Karumba, July 2021

[A stop on the West Queensland Trip Jul-Aug 2021 trip] Karumba: they call it “the outback by the sea”, a fisherman’s paradise way up in the Gulf of Carpentaria. But the town also has a solid reputation for birding. Does it make any sense to cover the whole area in just one write-up? For various reasons, I’mContinue reading “Karumba, July 2021”

Muttonhole Wetlands, Normanton, Jul 2021

[A stop on the West Queensland Trip Jul-Aug 2021 trip] Muttonhole Wetlands is an enormous (9000 hectare) conservation area just across the Norman River from the township of Normanton in Queensland. It is a must-stop if you’re passing through on a birding trip, as we were on the way to and from Karumba in July 2021. WeContinue reading “Muttonhole Wetlands, Normanton, Jul 2021”

Adel’s Grove, Jul 2021

[A stop on the West Queensland Trip Jul-Aug 2021 trip] It’s hard to imagine a place as different from Boodjamulla/Lawn Hill’s chilled-out vibe as Adel’s Grove, just 10km down the road. Where Lawn Hill has a handful of campsites and is generally pretty quiet, Adel’s Grove has hundreds of sites and is incredibly busy with all sortsContinue reading “Adel’s Grove, Jul 2021”

Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park, Jul 2021

[A stop on the West Queensland Trip Jul-Aug 2021 trip] The Gorge section of Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park is an oasis in the outback, featuring a lushly-lined rocky gorge, idyllic waterfalls, great bushwalking, and some excellent birding. There are two main ways in, a quite rough gravel road from the south (featuring a few creek crossingsContinue reading “Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park, Jul 2021”

Darwin and Kakadu Trip, Aug-Sep 2021

Three of us took ten days out of our busy lives to travel to the Northern Territory to seek out the beautiful and exotic birds of the Top End. Darwin: The Top Of The Top End We had barely arrived in mid-afternoon when the inevitable question arose… where to go first? The answer being: theContinue reading “Darwin and Kakadu Trip, Aug-Sep 2021”

O’Shannassy River Crossing, Jul 2021

[A stop on the West Queensland Trip Jul-Aug 2021 trip] If you find yourself on Riversleigh Road, you’re probably travelling to or from Boodjamulla / Lawn Hill National Park. A stop for birding at the beautiful O’Shannassy River crossing, approximately 20km west of the Gregory-Downs-Camoweal Road, could be well worth your while. It’s worth noting that RiversleighContinue reading “O’Shannassy River Crossing, Jul 2021”

Lake Bindegolly, Jul 2021

[A stop on the West Queensland Trip Jul-Aug 2021 trip]. Lake Bindegolly is just one of a string of freshwater and saltwater lakes found in the 14000ha Lake Bindegolly National Park, 40km east of Thargomindah in the mulga country of Western Queensland. For the outback traveller it is a welcome break from long arid stretches, and for theContinue reading “Lake Bindegolly, Jul 2021”

Pamela Street Water Tanks, Mount Isa, Jul 2021

[A stop on the West Queensland Trip Jul-Aug 2021 trip] The water tank area at the far eastern end of Pamela Street is a popular birding hotspot in Mount Isa. Part of the reason for this is that it is a known site for finding the Kalkadoon Grasswren, which is endemic to the region; but it isContinue reading “Pamela Street Water Tanks, Mount Isa, Jul 2021”

Chinaman Creek Dam, Cloncurry, Jul 2021

[A stop on the West Queensland Trip Jul-Aug 2021 trip] Chinaman Creek Dam, 3km west of the outback town of Cloncurry, is a big blue lake that might be the first big body of water you encounter if you’re driving from the east through Winton and Longreach and its endless flat dry pasturelands. But not only isContinue reading “Chinaman Creek Dam, Cloncurry, Jul 2021”

Winton Wastewater Plant, Jul 2021

[A stop on the West Queensland Trip Jul-Aug 2021 trip] Birdwatching does take one to some strange places, not least sewerage ponds and wastewater treatment areas, such as the Winton Wastewater Treatment Plant in Winton, central Queensland. Like the Longreach Sewerage Ponds, it consists merely of a few rectangular lagoons, but attracts tons of birds, particularly ducks.Continue reading “Winton Wastewater Plant, Jul 2021”