Australian Good Birding Guide: Northern Queensland. Ted Wnorowski
Bowling Green Bay saltmarshes
Near the Jerona village, we sighted a single Zitting Cisticola in the saltmarshes (near the directional sign to Barratta Creek campsite). Site coordinates of this spot are 19o27’00’’S and 147o14’02’’E.
Birds in Jerona included Osprey, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Far Eastern Curlew, Little Egret, Great Bowerbird, Australasian Pipit, Mangrove Gerygone, Mangrove Honeyeater and Australian Bustard.
Wongaloo (Cromarty) Wetlands
Wongaloo Wetlands, previously known as Cromarty Wetlands, are the area of national importance and are recorded in DIWA (Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia). Since 2015, the wetlands have become part of the currently developed 1,600ha Wongaloo Regional Park. The swamp is a natural, ephemeral hydrological system, varying from very wet with dense stands of bulkuru (the primary food source of Magpie Geese) to barren, dry playgrounds to thousands of Brolgas. The wetland is adjacent to the Ramsar site of Bowling Green Bay.
The wetlands and grasslands of Wongaloo are known for the largest regional populations of Brolgas; up to 8,000 birds have been recorded at one time. The wetlands are mostly used as Brolga post-breeding congregation site. Magpie Geese also occur here in huge numbers, mostly in the Wet (up to July in some years). In the Dry, the lagoons dry out and unending grassland is enjoyed by finches. In such conditions this is the best site for finches in the Townsville area.
The new Wongaloo Regional Park also protects regionally unique, important closed forest (black scrub) and poplar gum woodland. Patches of these forests support a good selection of bushland bird species. Most of the Wongaloo Wetland is not yet accessible, with the tracks, a viewing platform and other facilities still being constructed in the regional park.
To get there, 42km south of Townsville turn east from Bruce Hwy (A1) into Cromarty Siding Rd. Watch out for a directional sign to the Australian Institute of Marine Science on Cape Cleveland Rd, a side road preceding Cromarty Siding Rd if coming from Townsville. At the end of the road you’ll find the “Cromarty Gate”. Past the gate veer left into Reed Beds Rd. It will take you to a T-junction with Piralko Rd where you turn right to get back to Bruce Hwy.
Birding can be conducted along the whole route. The start of Cromarty Siding Rd and Piralko Rd are good for bush birds, the rest of the route is interesting due to the waterbirds. Scope is essential.
Over 160 bird species have been recorded around the Wongaloo Wetlands. Key species are Brolga, Magpie Goose, Latham’s Snipe, Black-necked Stork and Plum-headed Finch. Other birds of interest include the waders, Glossy Ibis, Whiskered Tern, Horsfield’s Bushlark, Black-bellied Crimson Finch, Black-faced Woodswallow, White-browed Robin, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Australian Swiftlet and Bush Stone-curlew. Rarities include Zitting Cisticola, White-winged Black Tern, Red Knot, Little Kingfisher, Red-backed Kingfisher and Oriental Cuckoo.
Along the first section of Cromarty Siding Rd look for White-browed Robin, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Large-billed Gerygone, Golden-backed Honeyeater, Yellow-throated Miner, Little Shrike-thrush, Varied Triller, Brush Cuckoo and Forest Kingfisher. Flocks of Topknot Pigeons are often moving over the tree canopy.
When you get to the wetland, expect to see a wide variety of waterbirds and waders including Cotton Pygmy-goose, Wandering Whistling-Duck, Plumed Whistling-Duck, Royal Spoonbill, White-necked Heron, Glossy Ibis, Whiskered Tern and occasionally White-winged Black Tern.
When the wetlands are dry, finches and other grassland birds thrive such as Plum-headed Finch, Black-bellied Crimson Finch, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Horsfield’s Bushlark, Brown Quail, Australian Bustard, Australasian Pipit and Golden-headed Cisticola. If you are lucky, you may spot Zitting Cisticola.
Check the stands of paperbark trees in Piralko Rd for the presence of Yellow Honeyeater, Rufous-throated Honeyeater, Brown-backed Honeyeater, White-gaped Honeyeater, Dusky Honeyeater, Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo, Little Bronze-cuckoo and Olive-backed Sunbird.
Horsfield’s Bronze-cuckoo
Although most of the regional park is not yet accessible, you can join regular monthly surveys done by the Townsville Birdlife Group at six selected sites, some described below.
Wongaloo Rainforest
The site is located in the northeastern corner at 19o28’05’’S and 147o03’18’’E. Birds found there include Noisy Pitta, Spectacled Monarch, Black-faced Monarch, Brown-capped Emerald-Dove, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Rose-crowned Dove, Torresian Imperial-Pigeon, White-browed Robin, Azure Kingfisher and Pacific Baza.
Wongaloo Cattle Yard
The site is situated near the railway track, when Cromarty Siding Rd turns south. It is farmland with a few trees. GPS coordinates are 19o28’02’’S and 147o03’09’’E. It is a good place for Golden-backed Honeyeaters which can be found here in good numbers. Other birds at this spot include Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Great Bowerbird, Rufous-throated Honeyeater, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Black-bellied Crimson Finch, Zebra Finch and Bush Stone-curlew.
Wongaloo Pandanus Point
The site is a 2km track branching off Cromarty Siding Rd and leading straight to the Pandanus Point, northeast of Cromarty. GPS coordinates are 19o27’44’’S and 147o03’39’’E. When the wetlands are drying up, this is a favourite place for the waders such as Pied Stilt, Great Knot, Marsh Sandpiper, Red-kneed Dotterel, Common Greenshank and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. When the water levels are high, you will find here masses of Magpie Geese, Black Swans, Australian Pelicans and, in smaller numbers, Green Pygmy-geese, Glossy Ibises, Plumed Egrets and Yellow-billed Spoonbills.
Wongaloo Big Ti Tree
The site is situated just north of Pandanus Point. Terns are often found there. Look for Little Tern, Australian Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern and Whiskered Tern. When wetlands are dry, you may come across Yellow Honeyeater, Olive-backed Oriole, Spotted Pardalote, Red-winged Parrot, Varied Triller and Bush Stone-curlew.
Nome
This site is located about 18km southeast of Townsville along Willing Dr and Paul James Dr. You’ll find here farmland, wetlands and saltmarshes near the Alligator Creek. GPS coordinates are 19o20’24’’S and 146o56’05’’E. To get there, if driving south from Townsville, turn left from Bruce Hwy (A1) past the Billabong Sanctuary into Bentley Dr. You are already in the Nome area. Turn left into Willing Dr and left into Paul James Dr.
The site is known for many rare vagrant species. For example, in December 2015, Brown Hawk-Owl, a vagrant from south Asia, was found here. It looks similar to Southern Boobook but is a bit smaller. Australian Painted-snipes were recorded here several times, for example in March 2019.
Birds regularly found in this area include Black-necked Stork, Latham’s Snipe, White-necked Heron, Australian Gull-billed Tern, Magpie Goose, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo and Great Bowerbird.
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