Australian Good Birding Guide: Northern Queensland. Ted Wnorowski
the fruiting figs. Short walking tracks leading from the camping area to the forest may produce both the dry forest and rainforest species.
Over 150 bird species have been recorded in the Mt Elliot section. Key species are White-browed Robin, White-eared Monarch, Noisy Pitta, Northern Fantail and Large-tailed Nightjar. Other birds of interest include Spectacled Monarch, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Rufous Fantail, Great Bowerbird, Large-billed Gerygone, Azure Kingfisher, Brush Cuckoo, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove and Australian Owlet-nightjar. Among the rarities are Oriental Cuckoo, Little Kingfisher, Superb Fruit-Dove, Metallic Starling and White-throated Needletail.
Seventeen honeyeater species can be found in the area including Brown-backed Honeyeater, White-gaped Honeyeater, Yellow-spotted Honeyeater, Dusky Honeyeater and Yellow Honeyeater.
Before getting to the Park, birding can start in the Alligator Creek village. Azure Kingfisher is often seen hunting along the creek. Look also for Pheasant Coucal, Forest Kingfisher, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Golden Whistler, White-breasted Woodswallow and Northern Fantail. Nankeen Night-Herons roost by the creek. Bush Stone-curlews are resident in the village. Wedge-tailed Eagles are often observed flying over the area.
In the Park, we had the best birding at the start of the boardwalk. White-browed Robins and Noisy Pittas were very visible. Along the boardwalk, we found plenty of honeyeaters in the flowering bottlebrushes. Dusky Honeyeaters were dominant, but we also ticked off Scarlet Honeyeater, Yellow-spotted Honeyeater, Lewin’s Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Yellow Honeyeater and Little Friarbird. In the fruiting figs nearby, we found Australasian Figbirds, Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves, Torresian Imperial-Pigeons, Brown-capped Emerald-Doves and a single White-headed Pigeon. Two Nankeen Night-Herons were roosting by the boardwalk.
Northern Fantail, Spectacled Monarch and Lemon-bellied Flycatcher were among our finds in the camping area. Brown-backed Honeyeaters were nesting near the picnic area. A mixed flock of Australian Swiftlets and White-throated Needletails was flying over the trees. Brush Cuckoo and Little Bronze-cuckoo were calling. During the night, we listened to Large-tailed Nightjar and Australian Owlet-nightjar and watched Bush Stone-curlews walking among the tents.
Cape Cleveland Section
To get there, 33km south of Townsville turn east from Bruce Hwy (A1) into Cape Cleveland Rd. The road is signposted at the turnoff to the Australian Institute of Marine Science. The access road is sealed but tough 4WD tracks await you in the Park. After 12km from the turnoff head left to the Cocoa Creek camping area. The Salmon Creek camping area is situated further down Cape Cleveland Rd, reached via a coastal township of Cungulla.
Over 160 bird species have been recorded in the Cape Cleveland section. Key species are the waders (such as Beach Stone-curlew, Grey Plover, Terek Sandpiper, Marsh Sandpiper), Brolga, Black-necked Stork and Little Tern. Other birds of interest include Glossy Ibis, Mangrove Honeyeater, Pink-eared Duck, Shining Flycatcher, Collared Kingfisher, Large-billed Gerygone, Oriental Dollarbird and Large-tailed Nightjar. Rarities include Australian Yellow White-eye, Mangrove Golden Whistler, Chestnut Teal, Australasian Shoveler, Red-backed Kingfisher and Metallic Starling.
Cape Cleveland Road Saltpans
The site is located just 1-2km from Bruce Hwy at the approximate position of 19o23’16’’S and 147o01’36’’E. The saltpans are only filled in the wet season or during very high tides. The site is good for the waterfowl and waders. Found here are Marsh Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-capped Plover (breeding here in good numbers), Red-necked Stint and Red-kneed Dotterel. May is the best month to visit as thousands of waterbirds flock here as the water is drying out. You’ll see masses of Grey Teals, Australian Pelicans and Pink-eared Ducks. The regulars also include Glossy Ibis, Caspian Tern, Brolga and Black-necked Stork.
Cocoa Creek Camping Area
Mangroves at the turnoff to the access road to the camping site may produce Mangrove Robin. Little Kingfisher was recorded several times. Look also for Mangrove Honeyeater, Mangrove Gerygone, Helmeted Friarbird and Brahminy Kite.
Cungulla
To get there, from Cape Cleveland Rd turn right into Carty Rd, further on it will change name to Goodsell Rd. The route is signposted to Cungulla. Sand flies of Cungulla are vicious, use plenty of repellent and cover up.
Mudflats on the northern end of Cungulla, off Snapper Ct, are good for the waders. Regularly seen there are Far Eastern Curlew, Great Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Lesser Sand Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Pacific Golden Plover, Australian Pied Oystercatcher and Whimbrel. Rarer species include Terek Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper. A pair of Beach Stone-curlews resides near the creek mouth. Before their migration north, Lesser Sand Plovers, Great Knots, Red-necked Stints and Little Terns are stopping here in numbers of 1,000–3,000 birds for each species.
Another good birding spot is a disused boat ramp and sand dunes off Sword St at the south end of the village. Grey Plovers and Terek Sandpipers are commonly seen in this location. Look also for Marsh Sandpiper, Large-billed Gerygone and Striated Heron. Common Sandpiper can occasionally be found near the boat ramp.
In the mangroves up to 100m upstream of the boat ramp, you may come across Shining Flycatcher, Collared Kingfisher, Brush Cuckoo, Varied Honeyeater and Mangrove Honeyeater. Both Varied and Mangrove Honeyeaters are common in this area. These two species interbreed in the Townsville area including Cungulla so beware of strange birds with the characteristics of both species.
Great Knots with two Lesser Sand Plovers
Large-tailed Nightjars are often heard and seen in a small park at the end of Sword St. You may also get there Varied Triller, Great Bowerbird (a bower is located near the mangroves), both Laughing and Blue-winged Kookaburras and Rainbow Bee-eater.
In the foreshore parkland of Cungulla you may find Torresian Imperial-Pigeon (nesting here), Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Red-winged Parrot, Forest Kingfisher, Little Shrike-thrush, Little Bronze Cuckoo and Tawny Frogmouth.
Mangroves along Haughton River south of Cungulla are only accessible by boat or kayak. Isolated populations of Australian Yellow White-eyes and Mangrove Golden Whistlers exist there.
Bowling Green Bay Section
This section is located near the coastal village of Jerona. The site is often called Jerona Wetlands. To get there, turn north from Bruce Hwy (A1) into Jerona Rd. The turnoff is located about 63km south of Townsville and 26km north of Ayr. It is further 16km to the village from the turnoff. No signage from Bruce Hwy indicates the national park. An obscure sign before Jerona directs to the Barratta Creek camping site. This camping area is accessible only by 4WD vehicles and is susceptible to tidal influences. The first few kilometres of Jerona Rd is sealed. The rest is unsealed and may have many washouts. The road runs first through the sugar cane plantations which are soon replaced by extensive wetlands on both sides of the road, stretching up to the coast.
When we got there, the fields were freshly planted with sugar cane and completely covered with Magpie Geese (about 3,000 birds) that had a feast on the young seedlings. They were accompanied by flocks of Australian White Ibises, Straw-necked Ibises and Cattle Egrets, busy helping the farmer with the removal of grubs and insects from the recently turned soil. A majestic pair of White-bellied Sea-Eagles was perching on a power pole near the irrigation canal. Powerlines also yielded Brown Falcon, Australian Hobby, Nankeen Kestrel, Pallid Cuckoo, Brush Cuckoo and Black-faced Woodswallows.
Further down the road we came across a couple of large ponds about 50m from the road, enveloped in a cloud of white: Royal Spoonbills, Plumed Egrets, Cattle Egrets, Great Egrets and Australian White Ibises. Nearby, we spotted a family of Brolgas and a Black-necked Stork.
About 9km from Bruce Hwy we reached Jerona Wetlands with shallow water on both sides of the road.