We left the plateau with its chilly nights for a few days of truly tropical climate before leaving for Sydney. Yesterday drove south along the coast past banana orchards and sugar fields. Stopped at lovely and deserted beaches where breakers lapped against coconut palms. Found more Cassowary and heard our last Bird-of-Paradise (Victoria’s Riflebird).
Well mates, we’re on the Atherton Plateau. Warm in the day, cool at night. Rainforest on the slope to the coast, progressively drier ground to the west. Here seems a bit like California with agriculture and water being what people talk about. They grow a lot of sugar and other things. Today we had lunch at a coffee factory. Day before we birded on a tea farm.
Yesterday, we took a boat ride on the DAintree River and then took the ferry across so we could tour to Cape Tribulation. All good fun. On the river we were overjoyed to see a Jabaroo and Spotted Whistling Ducks, but most of the dozen passengers were there to see the “salties.” We did not see these at first, but they were on the bank during our return after the sun had come up. Very toothy. No swimming in the DAintree.
Drive from Cairns to Mossman is a bit like that along California route 1 with mountains on one side and the sea on the other. A bit more tropical. We stopped at the Mossman River where fishermen mentioned the crocs. I said, “a bit of a nuisance?” They said, “Not really,” but stood back 3 meters from the shore.
This is a chore day between our float on the Great Barrrier Reef and a drive north to Mossman. I woke with a full fledged cold and so was lazy. No birding outing at dawn. Laundry is now underway, and we go to shop for groceries soon. The Kingfisher Park Lodge warns that there are few provisions nearby. In a pinch there are restaurants one mile and five miles away. We may sample them but will also pack groceries for our own cooking. I don’t know if I will have access to Internet for the next five days. So, I’ll give a summary of our itinerary.
Just back from two days and one night on the live-aboard dive boat Reef Encounter moored at various locations along Norman and Saxon reefs which make up a small portion of the enormous Great Barrier Reef of northeastern Australia.
I might not vote any member of the Bird of Paradise family the most beautiful bird in the world, but they are certainly the most ornate and some of their courtship behaviors are absolutely ridiculous. Human males would have to spend some $100K on their attire to match the cost to these birds of wearing such outfits.
My first bowerbird in PNG was McGregor’s, a more handsome one. Anne spotted a less elegant species, the Yellow-breasted, a day earlier. She almost missed the McGregoprs by going on a “cultural tour” for one morning. Good news was that a McGregor’s showed up again in the afternoon. These often pigeon-sized birds are noted for the peculiar structures the males make to interest females. We have seen a few of these bowers and I find them amazing.
Many birds inhabit New Britain and New Guinea, but the islands are also well peopled, and there is no public land; therefore one birds among people. More, the most curious birds are the white people who come wearing field cloths and binoculars and calling birds with little speakers. And so, one must great the resident to obtain permission to bird and will be watched. One becomes used to that, but from time to time each of us needs leve the group to step behind a bush away from the group. That is difficult when there is often a person standing on the other side of the bush watching.
Arrived before the birding tour and dove for two days. Small boats took us to fringe reefs at the endge of Kimbe Bay. Equipment was well used but adequate. Reefs were lovely but showing stress. The anemones, basket stars, and small reef fish were spectacular. Adjusted to the warmth surprisingly easily and woke to the cries of the friarbirds that began their hoarse gurgling at dawn. We more often heard than saw these large bare-faced birds that haunt the trees of New Britain.