The rainy season

After a comparatively dry 2012 (2830ml), this year's "wet" season is off to a good start. A monsoonal low on Cape York is bringing good rains to the Daintree (200ml+ in the past 4 days), filling the wetlands and flushing the Daintree River. No flooding yet but, the ground is now saturated so, continued heavy rains will cause local flooding.
Excellent for birding though, with Pale-vented Bushhen frolicking in drains along the side of the road, Red-necked Crake calling at night and both Little and Azure Kingfishers returning to their traditional spots (including Red Mill House pond) after the breeding season.

Azure Kingfisher (Russell Jones)

A visit to Maardja Boardwalk last week gave us two sightings of Little Kingfisher, and three separate sightings of Southern Cassowary were reported yesterday north of the Daintree River.
A large flock of Wandering Whistling Duck (40+) flying over Daintree Village each evening, and several hundred Magpie Goose are still in the area - roosting near Barratt Creek and feeding in the fields throughout the valley.

Magpie Goose (T.Forsyth)

The perils of the rainy season, unfortunately, are obvious. The Papuan Frogmouth nest we have been watching has had a large branch fall on it during the rain. We are not sure of the result.

The new Daintree Birdwatching Bulletin

Following the crash of the one existing computer in this house which supported Windows XP, we no longer have access to the Dreamweaver programme from which the Daintree Birdwatching Bulletin was created and maintained.

So - - - this blog is now the new Daintree Birdwatching Bulletin, which means I have to be a bit more vigilant  about keeping it updated!

September is a fabulous time of year in Daintree - warm, sunny, not humid and very few mosquitoes. With a couple of notable exceptions (Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher and Black Bittern), all our summer migrants are here. Lots of nesting is going on making some birds like Great-billed Heron and Southern Cassowary more difficult to see, and others like Metallic Starling and Brown-backed Honeyeater are easier.

Good sightings of Little Kingfisher, Double-eyed Fig-Parrot and Pacific Baza in the garden at Red Mill House while Stewart Creek Rd has been handy for Lovely Fairy-Wren and Pied Monarch.

Very good sightings of Noisy Pitta on the track at the end of Cape Kimberly and there has been a very handsome, and somewhat 'friendly' sub-adult Southern Cassowary at Jindalba Boardwalk, as the following photos from Paul McLelland shows us.

Sub-adult Cassowary Jindalba Boardwalk

Sub-adult Cassowary Jindalba Boardwalk - a close look!

A male Cassowary with three chicks is also in the region of Jindalba, and also a large female. Most sightings seem have been early morning and it is has been difficult finding then during the day.

Other Daintree sightings include Topknot Pigeon, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Victoria's Riflebird and Shining Flycatcher. Check out our weekly sightings list for more details Red Mill House Sightings page