The Dawn Chorus in the Douglas Shire

Black Butcherbird

With the birdwatching season in full swing and being spring the dawn chorus is more pronounced. The deep melodious songs in the pre-dawn, repeated over and over again are made by Black Butcherbirds and on the edges and a little later numerous Figbirds chime in with their more strident calls. 

Image: Magnus Kjaergaard

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Crocodile Warning Wonga Beach

Recent Crocodile sighting

This temporary crocodile warning sign is at the southern end of Wonga Beach. The Daintree River mouth is at the northern end. There are crocodiles in this area and at this time of the year they are much more active because they are breeding. Some of the younger male crocodiles are chased out of the Daintree River by the older males and end up at Wonga Beach.

Beach Stone-curlews.

It is birdwatching time here in the Wet Tropics and birdwatchers visit Wonga Beach to see birds, in particular Beach Stone-curlews.

If you want to see Beach Stone-curlews do not walk along the beach. Go to the beach from the several tracks leading down to the beach, look around and then go back the way you came. Don't turn at right angles and walk along the beach because there could be a crocodile at the back of the beach and you would be in direct line with it's escape route to the sea.

You can not outrun a crocodile.

http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Travel-g499650-c162010/Daintree:Australia:Birdwatching.In.Daintree.html

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Daintree birdwatching time - Wonga Beach

Just sitting at my desk this morning I can hear four cuckoos. Channel-billed Cuckoo, Eastern Koel, Brush Cuckoo and Little Bronze-Cuckoo.

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Cassowary sightings from the Daintree River

Ian "Sauce" Worcester" from Daintree River Wild Watch telephoned yesterday to tell me he had seen a Cassowary from his boat. It is only the third time in 20 years that this has happened with the one of the other sightings during last month.

Apparently this happens at a certain time at a certain place and Sauce hopes to rack up some more sightings in the next few days.

You can book a trip with Sauce here: Book tour >  

Wonga Beach - Birdwatching time in Daintree

Little (Gould's) Bronze-Cuckoo

Anywhere at Wonga Beach at present you can hear and maybe see Cuckoos. There are resident Little Bronze-Cuckoos, migrating Brush Cuckoos and passage migrant Channel-billed Cuckoos and Eastern Koels.

Wonga Beach is just inside the Daintree Valley and accessed by road on the way to Daintree.

There is a bird walk on this Saturday 6 Sep 14.

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Wonga Beach - Birdwatching

Pacific Baza

Pacific Baza at Wonga Beach. 10.30am 1 Sep 14 near Janbal Street and Marlin Drive. Listen for distinctive call: "Each You - Each You - Each You"

Photo from: Cairnsbirdwatching.com.au

10:45am Just got word from my mate Sauce that the Pelican that was hanging around the Daintree Village was taken by a croc this morning. Sauce does and early morning birdwatching trip on the Daintree. 
See:
Daintree Birdwatching

Beach Stone-curlew at Wonga Beach

Beach Stone-curlew

Wonga Beach is well known amongst birdwatchers for 3 special species. One of them is the Beach Stone-curlew which is rare in comparison to the Bush Stone-curlew seen and heard all over Wonga. This photo was taken yesterday afternoon with my trusty old Android mobile and might explain why it is not very good.

There is a big house available for visiting birdwatchers: www.beachfront.daintree.info

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Douglas Shire Library - Bird Exhibition

Douglas Shire Library

In line with the commencement of the local birdwatching season the Douglas Shire Library has rolled out a Bird Exhibition in Mossman. The main part of the exhibition is formed by a lifelong wild bird *egg collection by Mossman man Jack Dwyer. Showcased are other bird books and the Birds of the Daintree DVD.

The eggs were collected early last century.*

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It's Birdwatching Time - boogity boogity boogity shoe....

Screenshot from birdwatching app

From now until the wet is a good time for birdwatching as the migrants flock in. To help out with accommodation Mark & Kerry Gannon have made their beachfront home at Wonga Beach available for visiting birdwatchers at some unbelievable rates. The holiday home can sleep 10 and backs onto a creek at Giblin Street which by coincidence is featured on the Port Douglas & Daintree Discovery Guide app under "birdwatching":

Backs onto Beachfront holiday home

There are lots of birdwatching places at Wonga Beach which is part of Daintree:

Wonga Beachfront Holiday Home has a responsive website at 

beachfront.daintree.info

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Strong Wind Warning

South-east Trade Winds

Right in the middle of the high season we have a strong wind warning that means it will be rough at sea and many of the reef boats in Port Douglas will not be putting to sea. It will be like this for the next few days.

The strong winds even effect the Daintree River boats because the water in the river can be rough and the trees and mangroves lining the river will be blowing around making it unpleasant and very hard to see wildlife except for crocodiles.

Go at Dawn or Dusk because it is much calmer then.

Calm conditions at dawn and dusk

Book your dawn or dusk river trip here.

You can even book it on your phone with our responsive websites.

Top image from BOM website and the bottom image courtesy of Marketing Daintree.

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