Birdwatching to the Tip of Cape York 2010
| Accmdated: | No |
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| No.of days: | 14 |
| Ex: | Cairns - Cairns |
| Departure: | 17th - 30th July, 2010 1st - 14th August, 2010 |
| Price: | $3,000pp $3,000pp |
| Deposit: | $500pp |
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17th July Departure - FULLY BOOKED
1st August - NEW DEPARTURE DATE JUST RELEASED ! (Reverse Itinerary)
Join us for a birding tour to Cape York! Highlights include Lakefield National Park and Iron Range National Park. Departing from Cairns as we spend 14 days travelling up to the tip of Cape York. We spend time exploring the track with its history Aboriginal Art and swimming holes. There will be plenty of time to birdwatch along the track. Includes flight back from Horn Island to Cairns on Day 14. 17th July Departure is led by Birding Guide, Charlie Andrews. The 1st August departure will be led by Birding Guide, Jim Valentine.
Trip Overview
BIRDS WHICH WE HOPE TO SEE
As we leave Cairns to travel north, we will start to see the commoner birds of Far North Queensland such as Whistling, Black and Brahminy Kites, Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, Forest Kingfisher, Australian Swift, Metallic Starling, Little Friarbird and Blue-faced Honeyeater. With luck at Daintree River, we may see Azure, Collared and Little Kingfishers, Great-billed Heron and Black Bittern. From Daintree to Cooktown, we pass through excellent rainforest supporting a wide variety of birds including Southern Cassowary, Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, Papuan Frogmouth, Noisy Pitta, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Spectacled, White-eared and Pied Monarch and Victoria’s Riflebird. Pigeons include Superb, Rose-crowned, Wompoo, Topknot, White-headed and Brown Cuckoo-Dove.
Around Cooktown, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Red-winged Parrot, Lovely and Red-backed Fairy-wren, Black Butcherbird, and Yellow Oriole are all possible. While travelling, we will pass many wetlands which support a vast range of waterbirds including Australasian Darter, Black-necked Stork, Pied Heron, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, Magpie Geese, Plumed and Wandering Whistling-Duck, Radjah Shelduck, Cotton and Green Pygmy-geese, Swamp Harrier, White-browed Crake and Comb-crested Jacana. Care must be taken with Brolgas to ensure that Sarus Cranes are not overlooked. In Lakefield National Park there will be opportunities to see many of these species.
The Golden-shouldered Parrot is an endangered endemic restricted to the Musgrave area of the Cape. We will look for it at Artemis Station where the owners, Tom and Sue Shepherd are active in saving this rare and beautiful parrot. Other birds which we may see include Squatter Pigeon, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Great Bowerbird, Masked Finch and Black-backed and Pied Butcherbird. Flowering trees, especially along the watercourses should be checked for honeyeaters such as Helmeted, Silver-crowned and Little friarbirds and White-throated, Black-chinned, White-gaped, Yellow, Bar-breasted and dusky Honeyeaters, Yellow-bellied Sunbirds may also be present
Birds which can only be seen at Iron Range or further north include Palm Cockatoo, Eclectus and Red-cheeked Parrots, Yellow-billed Kingfisher, White-faced Robin, Yellow-legged Flycatcher, Northern Scrub-robin, Frilled Monarch, Tropical Scrubwren, Green-backed Honeyeater, Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Magnificent Riflebird and Trumpet Manucode. White-streaked Honeyeater lives in a wide range of habitat but rarely in rainforest. Four nights at Iron Range National Park will allow plenty of time to look for these specialties but there will be opportunities further north to find any that are missed. Spotted Whistling-Ducks are occasionally recorded at Chilli Beach near Iron Range and at Weipa.
At Portland Roads, seabirds that are possible are Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds, Brown Booby, Crested, Lesser Crested and Bridled Tern and Black and Common Noddy. In the mangroves at Portland Roads and Weipa, Great-billed Heron, Beach Stone-curlew, Mangrove Robin, Shining and Broad-billed Flycatchers, Grey Whistler, Fairy, Mangrove and Large-billed Gerygone and Varied and Red-headed Honeyeater are all possible. It is hoped that a trip by launch can be arranged to an island of Seisia at the tip of Cape York. Here it is possible to find Pale White-eye which is restricted the islands off the Cape York Peninsula.
Details of Trip
Single Tent $60 supplement.
BOOKINGS Can only be confirmed with the payment of $500 deposit, this includes the booking of the flight, which is non-refundable and non-transferrable. Final payment falls due 45 days before departure. Cheques are to be made payable to 'Outback Track Tours Pty Ltd'. We also accept VISA MASTERCARD. All credit card transactions over $250.00 will attract a 3% fee.
TRAVEL INSURANCE We strongly recommend travel insurance against loss of possessions accident and cancellation through unforeseen circumstances. Insurance is available at the office. PLEASE NOTE This is a camping tour. If weather road conditions or other circumstances necessitate a change in itinerary the decision to make such changes is solely that of the Tour Guide.
Included
INCLUDED IN FARE Travel by airconditioned OTT 4WD vehicle. All meals unless specified denoted as B breakfast L lunch D dinner some assistance with preparation is required. All camping fees. All National Park entrance fees. All camping gear including two person tents foam sleep mats tables and chairs. Ferry to, and tour of Thursday Island. Return flight Horn Island to Cairns (subject to availability at time of booking). Any additional flights cruises side excursions are optional extras. Note on the itinerary "Bush Camps" do not have facilities "Camps" are at Caravan Parks with full facilities National Park campsites have limited facilities.
Minimum Passengers
10
Itinerary
Day 1 - Depart Cairns for Cooktown via the Daintree River and explore Cape Tribulation before travelling onto Cooktown O/N Cooktown (LD)
Day 2 - In the morning, we will explore Cooktown and learn about the Palmer River goldfields with a visit to the Museum and Grassy Hill lookout. Travel to Lakefield National Park O/N Lakefield National Park (BLD)
Day 3 - From Lakefield to Musgrave the afternoon will allow time to search for the Golden Shoulder Parrot O/N Musgrave (BLD)
Day 4 - O/N Archer River (BLD)
Days 5-8 - Iron Range National Park is a remote coastal park in northern Cape York Peninsula, protecting the largest area of lowland tropical rainforest in Australia. Rainforest, eucalypt and paperbark forests and heath-shrouded hills provide a backdrop to long sweeping beaches, rocky outcrops and mangrove forests. We will be keeping lookout for eclectus parrots and palm cockatoos. Iron Range Nat Park (BLD)
Day 9 - Continuing North see the historic site of the Overland Telegraph repeater station with frequent birding stops along the way O/N Weipa (BLD)
Day 10 - Tour the township and Bauxite Mine. Afternoon free to explore O/N Weipa (BLD)
Day 11 - Join the old telegraph track passing through remote cattle stations before reaching the Wenlock River Crossing. Once over the crossing the country opens up and we start seeing giant Termite mounds O/N Wenlock River (BLD)
Day 12 - Pass through light rainforest on our way to the Jardine River ferry crossing. Enter the northern settlement of Bamaga and travel further onto our beach side camp Seisia. O/N Seisia (BLD)
Day 13 - Stand on the most Northern Point of mainland Australia O/N Seisia (BLD)
Day 14 - An early morning cruise through the islands of the Torres Strait. A tour of Thursday Island is included. Transfer to Horn Island before flying along over the Great Barrier Reef on our return to Cairns. (Flight is included) (B)
