Australian Good Birding Guide: Northern Queensland. Ted Wnorowski

most reliable place to find Eungella Honeyeater. To get there, from Mackay-Eungella Rd (64) in Eungella turn north into Cummings St. Out of town it will change name to Darlymple Rd. Drive 16km through the farmland and rainforest to a junction with Chelmans Rd. Turn left and drive about 3km to the end of Chelmans Rd. Stop before the ranch gate. On the left you’ll see dense bush with plenty of pandanus vines and staghorn ferns on the trees. This is the site. During our visit in February, Eungella Honeyeaters were very vocal and quite easy to spot but tricky to photograph.

      Eungella Honeyeater’s habitat at Chelmans Rd

      Other birds we found in this area included Brown Thornbill, Large-billed Scrubwren, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Brown Cuckoo-Dove and Rufous Fantail. Male Regent Bowerbird flew over the farm buildings. A Southern Boobook, roosting in the pandanus vine, was being attacked by a group of Eastern Yellow Robins and other small bush birds.

      If you miss Eungella Honeyeater at Chelmans Rd, try Snake Rd nearby, the turnoff from Darlymple Rd is just about 200m to the south.

      Eungella Honeyeaters have been reported from the bush about 300m from the turnoff, opposite the natural therapy place. Look also about 2.5km further down the road, opposite the properties numbered 238 and 240. GPS coordinates here are 21^o03’26’’S and 148^o33’01’’E.

      Bush along Snake Rd is also good for White-throated Treecreeper, Varied Sittella, Crimson Rosella, Superb Fruit-Dove (plenty), Wompoo Fruit-Dove and Noisy Pitta.

      When driving along Darlymple Rd to Chelmans Rd, it is worth stopping at Peases Lookout. Pepperberry trees around the lookout were fruiting when we visited and were heavy with pigeons such as Superb Fruit-Dove, Wompoo Fruit-Dove, White-headed Pigeon and Torresian Imperial-Pigeon. Russet-tailed Thrushes were foraging on the ground.

      Another good stop on the way was the start of an unsealed section of the road. There is rainforest on one side and farmland on the other side of the road. Our findings here included Bar-breasted Honeyeater, Yellow Honeyeater, Russet-tailed Thrush, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Crimson Rosella, Brown Gerygone, Large-billed Scrubwren and plenty of Red-browed Finches.

Eungella

      Everywhere you turn in Eungella, there is something to see. One of the best places is a small park and an oval on the corner of North St and the road to the Goodes Lookout. GPS coordinates are 21^o07’49’’S and 148^o29’38’’E. Extraordinary congregations of button-quails and quails have been recorded several times in this slightly overgrown sports field. For example, in January 2017 birders reported Red-backed Button-quail (12), Painted Button-quail (3), King Quail (3) and Brown Quail (5) at the same time. Look also for Tawny Grassbird, Common Cicadabird, Forest Kingfisher, Scarlet Honeyeater and Buff-banded Rail.

      Scarlet Honeyeater

      At Goodes Lookout, watch birds flying around and below you. See pigeons moving in the canopies. Occasionally, large flocks of Tree Martins, Masked Woodswallows and White-browed Woodswallows can be observed flying around the lookout. Raptors here include Wedge-tailed Eagle, Pacific Baza and Peregrine Falcon.

      Another good spot is a short, 1.6km-long Pine Grove Circuit. Stop at the Pine Grove carpark not far from the General Store. The walk runs through the enchanted rainforest, dripping with moisture from the morning fog. At the start of the walk, a large flying-fox colony is established. Birds often found at the beginning of this track include Noisy Pitta (listen to its ‘walk to work’ call), Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Large-billed Scrubwren, Wompoo Fruit-Dove and Grey Goshawk.

      Regent Bowerbirds often visit gardens and accommodation behind the General Store.

      Another place to visit is Schumanns Rd, situated just north of Eungella. Turn left into this road from Darlymple Rd. You’ll have a chance to find Grey Goshawk here, they are spaced regularly every few kilometres along this road. Also, Eungella Honeyeaters can occasionally be spotted here. Other birds in the area include Spectacled Monarch, Black-faced Monarch, Eastern Spinebill, Noisy Pitta, Brown Gerygone and nearly all fruit-eating pigeons, in particular Wompoo Fruit-Dove, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove and Topknot Pigeon.

      Diggins Road

      Drive south past the General Store on Eungella Dam Rd. After 1.2km turn right into Diggins Rd, a narrow, steep dirt track. On the first few kilometres look for Eungella Honeyeaters. We found two birds about 800m from the turnoff, site coordinates were 21^o08’36’’S and 148^o29’17’’E.

      The trees were teeming with small brown birds, such as Brown Gerygone, Large-billed Scrubwren and Brown Thornbill. A male Regent Bowerbird, brightly plumed, flew along the treeline. A single fruiting tree was feeding Topknot Pigeons, Brown Cuckoo-Doves and White-headed Pigeons. The walk also produced Scarlet Honeyeater, Noisy Pitta, Spectacled Monarch, Golden Whistler and Barred Cuckoo-shrike.

      Sky Window Picnic Area

      Just past the turnoff to Diggins Rd you’ll see the Sky Window picnic site with a large carpark. White-headed Pigeons are common around the area.

      Three short walking tracks start here: Sky Window Circuit, Cedar Grove Track and Palm Grove Circuit. The first few hundred metres of Cedar Grove Track are the place to look for Russet-tailed Thrush, Brown-capped Emerald-Dove and Large-billed Scrubwren. On the Sky Window Circuit, you may find Regent Bowerbird, Little Shrike-thrush, Crimson Rosella, Pacific Baza, Black-faced Monarch, Superb Fruit-Dove and Wompoo Fruit-Dove. Occasionally, Satin Flycatcher can be spotted.

Broken River

      Broken River with its platypus viewing deck is the major tourist attraction in the Eungella National Park. Good birding can be experienced nearby at the Broken River Picnic Area, Fern Flat Camping Area and 800m-long Rainforest Discovery Circuit.

      Look for Eungella Honeyeaters here. They can be found in the bush near the crossing and around the picnic site. Azure Kingfishers are common along the river. Large, raucous flocks of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos come to drink here. Nankeen Night-Herons may be roosting in trees by the river.

      When watching the platypus from the deck, look also for White-eared Monarchs (often nesting near the platform). Other birds here include Brown-capped Emerald-Dove, Brown Gerygone, Scarlet Honeyeater, Brown Thornbill and Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo. There are also plenty of red-legged pademelons, hiding in dense shrubbery.

      The short Rainforest Discovery Circuit starts and finishes at the Broken River Picnic Area. Granit Bend Circuit is an extension of this walk. Eungella Honeyeaters are occasionally found along this walk; look for them at the junction of both tracks. Look also for Regent Bowerbird, Noisy Pitta, Dusky Honeyeater, Fairy Gerygone and Golden Whistler.

      Male Golden Whistler

      Tawny Frogmouth and Southern Boobook can be heard or seen when camping at Fern Flat. Birds common around the camping area include Lewin’s Honeyeater, White-throated Treecreeper, Spectacled Monarch, Superb Fruit-Dove, Black-faced Monarch and Australian King-Parrot.

Eungella Dam

      Eungella Dam is a scenic lake fringed by dry eucalypt forest. It is located 24km south of Eungella. It can be reached from Eungella via Eungella Dam Rd. Bitumen ends at the point where rainforest is replaced with farmland. Camping area with good facilities including cold showers is provided on the banks of the dam.

      On your way, stop at the junction of Eungella Dam Rd and Crediton Loop. Sooty Owls have been regularly recorded here. Look also for Topknot Pigeon, White-headed Pigeon, Common Cicadabird and Golden Whistler.

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