It's always nice to receive a complimentNor are you
Chlidonias Goes To Asia, part six: 2019
- Thread starter Chlidonias
- Start date
FunkyGibbon
Well-Known Member
I'm going to try for Dugongs in Sarawak; supposedly they are easily seen from boat tours in the mangroves around Kuching. (Hopefully a bit cheaper even than 50 AUD)
Really? That doesn't sound right. Where did you hear about that?
FunkyGibbon
Well-Known Member
Ignore me, I am thinking of Irrawaddy dolphin
Oh, right, that makes more sense. You should do that - Irrawaddy Dolphins are awesome!Ignore me, I am thinking of Irrawaddy dolphin
Yes but then I realised how uninteresting you are as a stalking subject...
Actually I thought it just showed that we are both connoisseurs of classy wildlife viewing locations.
DAY THIRTY-ONE - the one with the falcon-nightjar hybrid
Finally I found a proper birdy place in Brisbane! I got to Oxley Creek Common at 7.30am and there were birds everywhere. By the time I left I had seen 45 species. Some people I met said that they came here regularly and today was a quiet morning! The problem with Brisbane (when I was there) is that it was getting light at 5am, so being anywhere at dawn would require a ridiculous start-time. Nevertheless I decided that I would do just that and come back here the next morning as early as possible to see how many more birds I could see. I just wish I'd come here on my first day though so that I'd have had more time to plan around it - tomorrow would be my last day before I headed down to the Gold Coast where my flight left from.
Oxley Creek Common is an easy place to reach from the central city. Just catch the train to Sherwood Station (about a twenty minute ride from Central Station), then turn left and walk for about two kilometres along Sherwood Road, crossing a second set of train tracks and then Oxley Creek, and the entrance is on your right about 100m past the creek. The Sherwood Arboretum (which I visited a couple of days before) is in the area as well, except you turn right from the station.
The layout of the Common is pretty simple. When you first arrive there is a carpark and the "red barn complex" from which the track leads off parallel to the creek. It is paved for a short distance then becomes a dirt track. On your left are fields and on your right a strip of forest along the creek. The track runs for a couple of kilometres, ending at a Hoop Pine plantation. The first half of the track has a lot of birds in it because of the diversity of habitat. For example, the stretch of long grass which runs between the track and the paddocks is home to Tawny Grassbirds and Golden-headed Cisticolas (I didn't see the latter until the next morning though); the fields beyond had open-country birds like Black-shouldered and Black Kites; and the forest along the creek had Brown and Lewin's Honeyeaters, Superb Blue and Red-backed Fairy Wrens, and Brown Quail. The second half of the track isn't very interesting - it is mostly too open - although this is where I saw the first Red-browed Firetails of the trip. Something I found particularly interesting was that all the corvids at Oxley Creek Common were Australian Ravens. The default corvid in Brisbane is the Torresian Crow, so that was what I assumed the ones here were too, until I heard them calling and took a closer look at them.
Male Red-backed Fairy-Wren
Female Red-backed Fairy-Wren
The best part of the Common is a side-track which branches off about halfway along and leads to two small "lagoons". This track is basically a straight road through open fields but seemed much birdier than the open fields which the second half of the main track leads through. I saw my first ever Pallid Cuckoo along here, just a fantastic bird which confused me as to what it even was, looking like some mixed-up hybrid between a falcon and a nightjar. Also my first ever Double-barred Finches - also known as Owl Finches - which are brilliant little birds.
Pallid Cuckoo
Double-barred Finches
Of the lagoons, one was half-empty but was hosting flocks of Glossy Ibis as well as a pair of Black-fronted Dotterels and some more common birds (White-eyed Ducks, Pacific Black Ducks, Purple Swamphens, Pied Stilts, etc), and I got my first ID-able looks at a martin for the trip. I was seeing a lot of martins while in Brisbane but always in situations where I can't ID them - I'm on a train, or they are too high in the air, or whatever. Here I could say with certainty that I was looking at Fairy Martins.
The walk back to the train station seemed to take longer than going in the other direction - it is uphill somewhat - but when I passed a doctors which had a temperature-clock outside I realised the problem was that it was 34 degrees already! I had half-heartedly being tossing about whether I should go back to the Arboretum, seeing it was so close, but given that I had seen very little on the other afternoon when I'd visited and that today was even hotter, I decided to leave any further birding activities until tomorrow morning.
Animals seen today:
BIRDS:
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
Grey Butcherbird Craciticus torquatus
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
Australian Brush Turkey Alectura lathami
Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Australian Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris
Willy Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Magpie-Lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Black Kite Milvus migrans
Tawny Grassbird Cincloramphus timoriensis
Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
Red-backed Fairy Wren Malurus melanocephalus
Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
Superb Blue Wren Malurus cyaneus
Pallid Cuckoo Cacomantis pallidus
Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
White-eyed Duck Aythya australis
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Little Black Shag Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
Common Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops
White-headed (Pied) Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel
Double-barred (Owl) Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii
Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora
Red-browed Firetail Neochmia temporalis
White-faced Heron Ardea novaehollandiae
Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae
MAMMALS:
None
REPTILES:
Eastern Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii
Finally I found a proper birdy place in Brisbane! I got to Oxley Creek Common at 7.30am and there were birds everywhere. By the time I left I had seen 45 species. Some people I met said that they came here regularly and today was a quiet morning! The problem with Brisbane (when I was there) is that it was getting light at 5am, so being anywhere at dawn would require a ridiculous start-time. Nevertheless I decided that I would do just that and come back here the next morning as early as possible to see how many more birds I could see. I just wish I'd come here on my first day though so that I'd have had more time to plan around it - tomorrow would be my last day before I headed down to the Gold Coast where my flight left from.
Oxley Creek Common is an easy place to reach from the central city. Just catch the train to Sherwood Station (about a twenty minute ride from Central Station), then turn left and walk for about two kilometres along Sherwood Road, crossing a second set of train tracks and then Oxley Creek, and the entrance is on your right about 100m past the creek. The Sherwood Arboretum (which I visited a couple of days before) is in the area as well, except you turn right from the station.
The layout of the Common is pretty simple. When you first arrive there is a carpark and the "red barn complex" from which the track leads off parallel to the creek. It is paved for a short distance then becomes a dirt track. On your left are fields and on your right a strip of forest along the creek. The track runs for a couple of kilometres, ending at a Hoop Pine plantation. The first half of the track has a lot of birds in it because of the diversity of habitat. For example, the stretch of long grass which runs between the track and the paddocks is home to Tawny Grassbirds and Golden-headed Cisticolas (I didn't see the latter until the next morning though); the fields beyond had open-country birds like Black-shouldered and Black Kites; and the forest along the creek had Brown and Lewin's Honeyeaters, Superb Blue and Red-backed Fairy Wrens, and Brown Quail. The second half of the track isn't very interesting - it is mostly too open - although this is where I saw the first Red-browed Firetails of the trip. Something I found particularly interesting was that all the corvids at Oxley Creek Common were Australian Ravens. The default corvid in Brisbane is the Torresian Crow, so that was what I assumed the ones here were too, until I heard them calling and took a closer look at them.
Male Red-backed Fairy-Wren
Female Red-backed Fairy-Wren
The best part of the Common is a side-track which branches off about halfway along and leads to two small "lagoons". This track is basically a straight road through open fields but seemed much birdier than the open fields which the second half of the main track leads through. I saw my first ever Pallid Cuckoo along here, just a fantastic bird which confused me as to what it even was, looking like some mixed-up hybrid between a falcon and a nightjar. Also my first ever Double-barred Finches - also known as Owl Finches - which are brilliant little birds.
Pallid Cuckoo
Double-barred Finches
Of the lagoons, one was half-empty but was hosting flocks of Glossy Ibis as well as a pair of Black-fronted Dotterels and some more common birds (White-eyed Ducks, Pacific Black Ducks, Purple Swamphens, Pied Stilts, etc), and I got my first ID-able looks at a martin for the trip. I was seeing a lot of martins while in Brisbane but always in situations where I can't ID them - I'm on a train, or they are too high in the air, or whatever. Here I could say with certainty that I was looking at Fairy Martins.
The walk back to the train station seemed to take longer than going in the other direction - it is uphill somewhat - but when I passed a doctors which had a temperature-clock outside I realised the problem was that it was 34 degrees already! I had half-heartedly being tossing about whether I should go back to the Arboretum, seeing it was so close, but given that I had seen very little on the other afternoon when I'd visited and that today was even hotter, I decided to leave any further birding activities until tomorrow morning.
Animals seen today:
BIRDS:
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
Grey Butcherbird Craciticus torquatus
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
Australian Brush Turkey Alectura lathami
Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Australian Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris
Willy Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Magpie-Lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Black Kite Milvus migrans
Tawny Grassbird Cincloramphus timoriensis
Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
Red-backed Fairy Wren Malurus melanocephalus
Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
Superb Blue Wren Malurus cyaneus
Pallid Cuckoo Cacomantis pallidus
Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
White-eyed Duck Aythya australis
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Little Black Shag Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
Common Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops
White-headed (Pied) Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel
Double-barred (Owl) Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii
Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora
Red-browed Firetail Neochmia temporalis
White-faced Heron Ardea novaehollandiae
Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae
MAMMALS:
None
REPTILES:
Eastern Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii
DAY THIRTY-TWO - the one with all the birds
Yesterday I had discovered that the Oxley Creek Common was not only an excellent birding spot but that the morning I was there was, apparently, "pretty quiet". As I had seen 45 species that morning I wanted to go back and see what it was like if I got there early enough for it not to be "quiet". Taking the earliest train I could, I arrived at the reserve at 5.30am, just half an hour after sunrise and two hours earlier yesterday's arrival time. This did indeed seem to make a big difference. Not only did were there a lot more birds in general but the number of species I saw was also considerably higher, with sixty species ticked off by the time I left. The day as a whole was the most successful of the trip in terms of numbers, with 72 bird species seen in total.
There was a bit of a surprise right at the start with a young Brushtail Possum sitting by the "red barn". I have no idea what it was doing out in the daytime, and its presence was certainly not appreciated by the Grey Butcherbird who kept dive-bombing it. Just afterwards I came across another nocturnal animal, although this one was a Tawny Frogmouth sitting in a tree pretending to be a branch as they are wont to do.
Common Brushtail Possum
Tawny Frogmouth
The first half of the track was even better than yesterday, with Brown Quail being vastly more apparent than the day before and there just being more of all the birds in general. I saw a number of cisticolas which I had missed the previous day. Other birds which I hadn't seen yesterday and which were new for the trip-list included Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Olive-backed Oriole, White-winged Triller and Golden Whistler. The Pallid Cuckoo was still in the same area as before. In the weedy lagoon I spotted a lifer Latham's Snipe (apparently commonly seen here) and the larger lagoon had Australian Pelicans, Darters and Great Cormorants amongst the usual ducks. I was really pleased with how the morning turned out.
Brown Quail
Golden-headed Cisticola
Despite not having seen much at the Sherwood Arboretum when I'd been on one of the previous afternoons, I had been going to return there briefly today anyway; and then I was going to go to Mt. Coot-Tha where there was supposed to be a chance of seeing Powerful Owls roosting. But while at Oxley Creek Common I had a chat to two ladies who were wandering through, and they mentioned that Crested Bellbirds were common at a place called Enoggera Reservoir. I have never seen Crested Bellbirds - and I wanted to. Should I go for a slim chance of Powerful Owls at Mt. Coot-Tha, or a high chance of Crested Bellbirds at the Enoggera Reservoir? I went with the bellbirds. Now, the Slater field-guide cuts out the eastern coast on their distribution map for the Crested Bellbird but their maps can't always be trusted (cough... Brown Honeyeater!) and the two ladies were very specific on these being Crested Bellbirds and how they were common at the lake. I decided to skip the arboretum and head directly back to the city so that I could find out how to get to this lake.
The info centre in the city was most helpful - it turns out that the Enoggera Reservoir is well-known and not some obscure location as I had thought it might be, and there is a bus (the #385) which goes straight there from town. The lake is quite large with a track running right around it through forest. I think it would likely be an exceptionally good birding spot in the early morning - probably not as good as Oxley Creek Common because there is less of a range in the habitats, but there would be a lot of proper forest birds there. Because I was there in the middle of the day I only saw a few birds, the best of which were Large-billed Scrubwren and White-throated Treecreeper. An extra bird bonus were the Comb-crested Jacanas strutting around on the rafts of floating vegetation.
And what of the Crested Bellbirds? Well, soon after I arrived I started hearing the distinctive metallic chiming of Bell Miners and knew immediately that there had been a fatal error in the ladies' use of bird names...
Still, it wasn't a waste of time going there because I did see some other nice birds, even if nothing "new", and I happily discovered that this was where the Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre was located. I wrote a little review and species list here: Walkabout Creek species list, October 2019 [Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre]
Also extremely noteworthy was a lifer snake! While walking back to the bus stop I came across this beautiful Carpet Python crossing the path.
My day was not yet done. I had failed to find a Greater Glider the night before last and this was my last chance. The writer of the trip report I mentioned in that post had found the gliders easily, or so they had implied. And thus I found myself back on a train to Cleveland. Dusk had already fallen when I got to the Greater Glider Conservation Area. On the walk to the reserve I saw Black Flying Foxes flapping overhead, with enough light still to see which species they were (on my previous visit I had only seen them after dark).
In contrast to the last visit, on this evening I saw three Common Ringtail Possums (none last time), and it wasn't until I was three-quarters of the way around the loop track that I encountered the first Common Brushtail and I only saw one other after that. Also there were Cane Toads all around the track whereas last time I hadn't seen any at all (their absence was something I had specifically noticed because they had been so common at the Deagon Wetlands in Sandgate).
Finally, when my time was almost up, I got some eye-shine in the top of a massive eucalyptus and saw a huge possum staring down at me. That had to be a Greater Glider just from size alone. I hi-fived myself mentally (not physically because that would be weird). The possum didn't move. I kept looking at it. Greater Glider - had to be. Honestly I wasn't convinced. I moved around the tree, trying to get a side view without the branch it was on obscuring the body. No good. I went back to the front. It just looked wrong. The ears were wrong. I could see the end of the tail poking out behind the branch, and it looked wrong. But it was far too big to be a Brushtail Possum. I spent twenty minutes staring at the damn thing through binoculars but because it wasn't moving the view wasn't changing anything. I was pretty sure it had to be a Brushtail, but it was a monster. Eventually I had to leave because if I missed the bus there was no way to get back to the city after the last train. Final assessment: not a Greater Glider. Or if it was I don't want to know. I checked some photos online afterwards to reassure myself and I'm positive it had to have been a ginormous Brushtail Possum.
I made it back to the bus stop with ten minutes to spare.
The reserve does seem like it would be a "reliable" place to try and see Greater Gliders. If I were to go back to Brisbane (which is likely if Air Asia retains the Bangkok-to-Brisbane route) then I will go back there. In fact I'd see if I could find a hostel in Cleveland or closer, so that I could stay in the reserve for longer without having to worry about missing the last train back to the city.
Animals seen today:
BIRDS:
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Magpie-Lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Australian Brush Turkey Alectura lathami
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides
Grey Butcherbird Craciticus torquatus
Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus
Tawny Grassbird Cincloramphus timoriensis
Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
Superb Blue Wren Malurus cyaneus
Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis
Red-browed Firetail Neochmia temporalis
Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
Pallid Cuckoo Cacomantis pallidus
Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Willy Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
Red-backed Fairy Wren Malurus melanocephalus
Double-barred (Owl) Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii
Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
White-headed (Pied) Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel
Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii
White-faced Heron Ardea novaehollandiae
Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
Australian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Little Black Shag Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
White-eyed Duck Aythya australis
Grey Teal Anas gracilis
Australian Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris
Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor
Grey Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla harmonica
Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Common Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Australasian Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis
Common Coot Fulica atra
Australian Little Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Comb-crested Jacana Jacana gallinacea
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
Large-billed Scrubwren Sericornis magnirostris
Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys
White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaeus
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
MAMMALS:
Common Brush-tailed Possum Trichosurus vulpecula
Black Flying Fox Pteropus alecto
Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus
Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus
REPTILES:
Eastern Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii
Carpet Python Morelia spilota
AMPHIBIANS:
Cane Toad Rhinella marinus
Yesterday I had discovered that the Oxley Creek Common was not only an excellent birding spot but that the morning I was there was, apparently, "pretty quiet". As I had seen 45 species that morning I wanted to go back and see what it was like if I got there early enough for it not to be "quiet". Taking the earliest train I could, I arrived at the reserve at 5.30am, just half an hour after sunrise and two hours earlier yesterday's arrival time. This did indeed seem to make a big difference. Not only did were there a lot more birds in general but the number of species I saw was also considerably higher, with sixty species ticked off by the time I left. The day as a whole was the most successful of the trip in terms of numbers, with 72 bird species seen in total.
There was a bit of a surprise right at the start with a young Brushtail Possum sitting by the "red barn". I have no idea what it was doing out in the daytime, and its presence was certainly not appreciated by the Grey Butcherbird who kept dive-bombing it. Just afterwards I came across another nocturnal animal, although this one was a Tawny Frogmouth sitting in a tree pretending to be a branch as they are wont to do.
Common Brushtail Possum
Tawny Frogmouth
The first half of the track was even better than yesterday, with Brown Quail being vastly more apparent than the day before and there just being more of all the birds in general. I saw a number of cisticolas which I had missed the previous day. Other birds which I hadn't seen yesterday and which were new for the trip-list included Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Olive-backed Oriole, White-winged Triller and Golden Whistler. The Pallid Cuckoo was still in the same area as before. In the weedy lagoon I spotted a lifer Latham's Snipe (apparently commonly seen here) and the larger lagoon had Australian Pelicans, Darters and Great Cormorants amongst the usual ducks. I was really pleased with how the morning turned out.
Brown Quail
Golden-headed Cisticola
Despite not having seen much at the Sherwood Arboretum when I'd been on one of the previous afternoons, I had been going to return there briefly today anyway; and then I was going to go to Mt. Coot-Tha where there was supposed to be a chance of seeing Powerful Owls roosting. But while at Oxley Creek Common I had a chat to two ladies who were wandering through, and they mentioned that Crested Bellbirds were common at a place called Enoggera Reservoir. I have never seen Crested Bellbirds - and I wanted to. Should I go for a slim chance of Powerful Owls at Mt. Coot-Tha, or a high chance of Crested Bellbirds at the Enoggera Reservoir? I went with the bellbirds. Now, the Slater field-guide cuts out the eastern coast on their distribution map for the Crested Bellbird but their maps can't always be trusted (cough... Brown Honeyeater!) and the two ladies were very specific on these being Crested Bellbirds and how they were common at the lake. I decided to skip the arboretum and head directly back to the city so that I could find out how to get to this lake.
The info centre in the city was most helpful - it turns out that the Enoggera Reservoir is well-known and not some obscure location as I had thought it might be, and there is a bus (the #385) which goes straight there from town. The lake is quite large with a track running right around it through forest. I think it would likely be an exceptionally good birding spot in the early morning - probably not as good as Oxley Creek Common because there is less of a range in the habitats, but there would be a lot of proper forest birds there. Because I was there in the middle of the day I only saw a few birds, the best of which were Large-billed Scrubwren and White-throated Treecreeper. An extra bird bonus were the Comb-crested Jacanas strutting around on the rafts of floating vegetation.
And what of the Crested Bellbirds? Well, soon after I arrived I started hearing the distinctive metallic chiming of Bell Miners and knew immediately that there had been a fatal error in the ladies' use of bird names...
Still, it wasn't a waste of time going there because I did see some other nice birds, even if nothing "new", and I happily discovered that this was where the Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre was located. I wrote a little review and species list here: Walkabout Creek species list, October 2019 [Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre]
Also extremely noteworthy was a lifer snake! While walking back to the bus stop I came across this beautiful Carpet Python crossing the path.
My day was not yet done. I had failed to find a Greater Glider the night before last and this was my last chance. The writer of the trip report I mentioned in that post had found the gliders easily, or so they had implied. And thus I found myself back on a train to Cleveland. Dusk had already fallen when I got to the Greater Glider Conservation Area. On the walk to the reserve I saw Black Flying Foxes flapping overhead, with enough light still to see which species they were (on my previous visit I had only seen them after dark).
In contrast to the last visit, on this evening I saw three Common Ringtail Possums (none last time), and it wasn't until I was three-quarters of the way around the loop track that I encountered the first Common Brushtail and I only saw one other after that. Also there were Cane Toads all around the track whereas last time I hadn't seen any at all (their absence was something I had specifically noticed because they had been so common at the Deagon Wetlands in Sandgate).
Finally, when my time was almost up, I got some eye-shine in the top of a massive eucalyptus and saw a huge possum staring down at me. That had to be a Greater Glider just from size alone. I hi-fived myself mentally (not physically because that would be weird). The possum didn't move. I kept looking at it. Greater Glider - had to be. Honestly I wasn't convinced. I moved around the tree, trying to get a side view without the branch it was on obscuring the body. No good. I went back to the front. It just looked wrong. The ears were wrong. I could see the end of the tail poking out behind the branch, and it looked wrong. But it was far too big to be a Brushtail Possum. I spent twenty minutes staring at the damn thing through binoculars but because it wasn't moving the view wasn't changing anything. I was pretty sure it had to be a Brushtail, but it was a monster. Eventually I had to leave because if I missed the bus there was no way to get back to the city after the last train. Final assessment: not a Greater Glider. Or if it was I don't want to know. I checked some photos online afterwards to reassure myself and I'm positive it had to have been a ginormous Brushtail Possum.
I made it back to the bus stop with ten minutes to spare.
The reserve does seem like it would be a "reliable" place to try and see Greater Gliders. If I were to go back to Brisbane (which is likely if Air Asia retains the Bangkok-to-Brisbane route) then I will go back there. In fact I'd see if I could find a hostel in Cleveland or closer, so that I could stay in the reserve for longer without having to worry about missing the last train back to the city.
Animals seen today:
BIRDS:
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Magpie-Lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Australian Brush Turkey Alectura lathami
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides
Grey Butcherbird Craciticus torquatus
Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus
Tawny Grassbird Cincloramphus timoriensis
Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
Superb Blue Wren Malurus cyaneus
Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis
Red-browed Firetail Neochmia temporalis
Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
Pallid Cuckoo Cacomantis pallidus
Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Willy Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
Red-backed Fairy Wren Malurus melanocephalus
Double-barred (Owl) Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii
Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
White-headed (Pied) Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel
Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii
White-faced Heron Ardea novaehollandiae
Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
Australian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Little Black Shag Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
White-eyed Duck Aythya australis
Grey Teal Anas gracilis
Australian Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris
Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor
Grey Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla harmonica
Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
Common Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Australasian Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis
Common Coot Fulica atra
Australian Little Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
Comb-crested Jacana Jacana gallinacea
Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
Large-billed Scrubwren Sericornis magnirostris
Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys
White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaeus
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
MAMMALS:
Common Brush-tailed Possum Trichosurus vulpecula
Black Flying Fox Pteropus alecto
Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus
Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus
REPTILES:
Eastern Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii
Carpet Python Morelia spilota
AMPHIBIANS:
Cane Toad Rhinella marinus
DAY THIRTY-THREE - the one with the end of the trip
The last full day of the trip! Early tomorrow morning I would be flying back to New Zealand from the Gold Coast Airport (it is much cheaper to fly from Gold Coast than from Brisbane itself), so I had to make my way down there today and stay overnight.
The travel between the two cities is easy enough - there is a train direct from Central Station in Brisbane to Varsity Lakes Station at the Gold Coast, which takes 1.5 hours and costs AU$14, and then you just take a bus from the station to where-ever you're going. On this morning the train took two hours due to "congestion" and also a truck accident on a bridge; not sure why a road accident would delay the train but it did. I saw quite a lot of birds from the train - on the list below everything up to Dollarbird was seen on the way.
I had booked at the Coolongatta YHA. This is literally right next to the airport - it takes about five minutes to walk from the hostel to the airport entrance. I'd got a single room here for NZ$46 which is more than I'd normally like to pay but it was only $20 more than a bed in an eight-person dorm, and it was only for one night, so I considered it a better price in relative terms. Of the four pre-booked accommodations of the trip (in Sydney, Singapore, Brisbane, and Gold Coast) this was the only one I liked and the only one which I'd recommend staying at. Also it is obviously very convenient if you are flying in or out through this airport. There isn't much in the general vicinity apart for the airport though. There's a cafe directly across the road, if you are happy paying AU$16 for a fancy sandwich, but there are various cheaper places for food outside the airport entrance.
My plan for the day had initially been to go birding at Schuster Park and then walk a few kilometres from there to the David Fleay Wildlife Park. The #760 bus was a convenient route on this day - it runs from the train station all the way to the YHA and airport, it passes close to Schuster Park, and I also discovered that it runs directly past Currumbin Sanctuary (i.e. you could visit Currumbin easily as a day-trip from Brisbane, by taking the train to Varsity Lakes and then the #760 bus direct to Currumbin).
In the end I only visited Schuster Park. Firstly, I didn't get checked in at the YHA until long after I had anticipated - the confirmation email had said that check-in was from 11am, which apparently was not the case, but the manager wasn't there anyway so I had to wait over an hour for her return, meaning that I couldn't get out of there until after midday. Secondly I had to get the unused money from my Go-Card refunded which couldn't be done at the airport (you can buy a Go-Card at the Gold Coast Airport but not get a refund there, which is really inconvenient), so I had to go across town to the Pacific Fair Shopping Centre in Broadbeach but this had to be done at the end of the day yet not so late that the shop there would be closed. It all meant I only had time for one thing - birding, or one of the two zoos. I went with the birding, because I was still hoping to find a Mangrove Honeyeater.
Schuster Park had sounded like a fantastic birding spot on one document I'd seen - "a large park comprising mature native trees, mangroves, paperbark and water-lilies" - but I found it disappointing. It seemed more like a dog park and picnic area. There were also some police in there arresting someone. Just after arrival I saw my first female Australian Koel (I have only seen males before - the females are dramatically different to the females of Asian Koels). I followed the paths heading to my right where there should have been swampy areas - not present due to drought conditions - and eventually found a track leading into a mangrove reserve. A sign at the entrance had a photo of a Mangrove Honeyeater on it! I spent the rest of my day wandering around in this area. No honeyeaters were seen. I ran into a local birder who said he had never seen one in this park. He was there to try and find a pair of Powerful Owls which had been reported - they couldn't be found either. I did see a Shining Cuckoo to add to the list. Much better was a male Cicadabird, which was a lifer - it's kind of like a much more elegant-looking cuckoo-shrike, and I felt I'd rather have seen that than the Mangrove Honeyeater because it is more singular than just another honeyeater.
As I left the park I spotted a Whistling Kite gliding about high in the sky. It is probably a fitting Zoochat ending to have the last Brisbane bird of the trip be a Whistling Kite.
The Pacific Fair Shopping Centre is about half an hour by bus from the YHA. There are only a couple of places on the Gold Coast which do refunds on Go-Cards, and this was the easiest for me to reach. It was dusk by now, so of course there were flying foxes flapping through the sky over the mall. I got AU$40 back on the refund (including the AU$10 initial cost of buying the card), meaning I had spent about AU$60 on transport over six days. I guess this is okay considering I took quite a few long train trips. Probably not really okay if you were living there and having to spend that amount every week to get around though.
Animals seen today:
BIRDS:
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Pied Butcherbird Craciticus nigrogularis
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
Common Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
Magpie-Lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
White-faced Heron Ardea novaehollandiae
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
Australian Brush Turkey Alectura lathami
Australian Koel Eudynamys orientalis
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
Shining Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus
Superb Blue Wren Malurus cyaneus
Cicadabird Coracina [Edolisoma] tenuirostris
Australian Figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti
Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus
MAMMALS:
Flying Fox Pteropus sp.
The last full day of the trip! Early tomorrow morning I would be flying back to New Zealand from the Gold Coast Airport (it is much cheaper to fly from Gold Coast than from Brisbane itself), so I had to make my way down there today and stay overnight.
The travel between the two cities is easy enough - there is a train direct from Central Station in Brisbane to Varsity Lakes Station at the Gold Coast, which takes 1.5 hours and costs AU$14, and then you just take a bus from the station to where-ever you're going. On this morning the train took two hours due to "congestion" and also a truck accident on a bridge; not sure why a road accident would delay the train but it did. I saw quite a lot of birds from the train - on the list below everything up to Dollarbird was seen on the way.
I had booked at the Coolongatta YHA. This is literally right next to the airport - it takes about five minutes to walk from the hostel to the airport entrance. I'd got a single room here for NZ$46 which is more than I'd normally like to pay but it was only $20 more than a bed in an eight-person dorm, and it was only for one night, so I considered it a better price in relative terms. Of the four pre-booked accommodations of the trip (in Sydney, Singapore, Brisbane, and Gold Coast) this was the only one I liked and the only one which I'd recommend staying at. Also it is obviously very convenient if you are flying in or out through this airport. There isn't much in the general vicinity apart for the airport though. There's a cafe directly across the road, if you are happy paying AU$16 for a fancy sandwich, but there are various cheaper places for food outside the airport entrance.
My plan for the day had initially been to go birding at Schuster Park and then walk a few kilometres from there to the David Fleay Wildlife Park. The #760 bus was a convenient route on this day - it runs from the train station all the way to the YHA and airport, it passes close to Schuster Park, and I also discovered that it runs directly past Currumbin Sanctuary (i.e. you could visit Currumbin easily as a day-trip from Brisbane, by taking the train to Varsity Lakes and then the #760 bus direct to Currumbin).
In the end I only visited Schuster Park. Firstly, I didn't get checked in at the YHA until long after I had anticipated - the confirmation email had said that check-in was from 11am, which apparently was not the case, but the manager wasn't there anyway so I had to wait over an hour for her return, meaning that I couldn't get out of there until after midday. Secondly I had to get the unused money from my Go-Card refunded which couldn't be done at the airport (you can buy a Go-Card at the Gold Coast Airport but not get a refund there, which is really inconvenient), so I had to go across town to the Pacific Fair Shopping Centre in Broadbeach but this had to be done at the end of the day yet not so late that the shop there would be closed. It all meant I only had time for one thing - birding, or one of the two zoos. I went with the birding, because I was still hoping to find a Mangrove Honeyeater.
Schuster Park had sounded like a fantastic birding spot on one document I'd seen - "a large park comprising mature native trees, mangroves, paperbark and water-lilies" - but I found it disappointing. It seemed more like a dog park and picnic area. There were also some police in there arresting someone. Just after arrival I saw my first female Australian Koel (I have only seen males before - the females are dramatically different to the females of Asian Koels). I followed the paths heading to my right where there should have been swampy areas - not present due to drought conditions - and eventually found a track leading into a mangrove reserve. A sign at the entrance had a photo of a Mangrove Honeyeater on it! I spent the rest of my day wandering around in this area. No honeyeaters were seen. I ran into a local birder who said he had never seen one in this park. He was there to try and find a pair of Powerful Owls which had been reported - they couldn't be found either. I did see a Shining Cuckoo to add to the list. Much better was a male Cicadabird, which was a lifer - it's kind of like a much more elegant-looking cuckoo-shrike, and I felt I'd rather have seen that than the Mangrove Honeyeater because it is more singular than just another honeyeater.
As I left the park I spotted a Whistling Kite gliding about high in the sky. It is probably a fitting Zoochat ending to have the last Brisbane bird of the trip be a Whistling Kite.
The Pacific Fair Shopping Centre is about half an hour by bus from the YHA. There are only a couple of places on the Gold Coast which do refunds on Go-Cards, and this was the easiest for me to reach. It was dusk by now, so of course there were flying foxes flapping through the sky over the mall. I got AU$40 back on the refund (including the AU$10 initial cost of buying the card), meaning I had spent about AU$60 on transport over six days. I guess this is okay considering I took quite a few long train trips. Probably not really okay if you were living there and having to spend that amount every week to get around though.
Animals seen today:
BIRDS:
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Pied Butcherbird Craciticus nigrogularis
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
Common Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
Magpie-Lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
White-faced Heron Ardea novaehollandiae
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
Australian Brush Turkey Alectura lathami
Australian Koel Eudynamys orientalis
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
Shining Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus
Superb Blue Wren Malurus cyaneus
Cicadabird Coracina [Edolisoma] tenuirostris
Australian Figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti
Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus
MAMMALS:
Flying Fox Pteropus sp.
END - the one where it ends
My flight home was with Jetstar, at 6.15am. This was why I chose the Coolongatta YHA to stay my final night! The Gold Coast Airport doesn't open until 4.30am, which tied in well with the checking-in time. I actually got to the terminal at 4.20am and everything was already open and full of people so ... I guess the airport website is wrong?
No birds were seen today, although I heard Noisy Miners and Noisy Friarbirds calling in the dark as I walked to the terminal. Both of them are Noisy.
I found out something interesting about airport body-scanners today. They only show a stylised body shape on the monitor (i.e. they aren't showing an actual image of the person going through the scanner) and "anomalies" show as yellow blocks on the body-shape. The machine has one button for male and one for female, so that the machine can ignore features which are common to one sex (e.g. beards in men). In my case I got an anomaly alert for my entire back because the machine didn't recognise my hair (in a plait) as a male feature.
From the in-flight magazine I learned a couple of other interesting things. I take no responsibility if these are not true.
One: the shortest scheduled passenger flight is ninety seconds long, in the Orkney Islands.
Two: Roald Dahl wrote the screenplay for the 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice.
I also read this nice quote by Gustave Flaubert: "Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world".
Normally in my trip threads I will wrap everything up in a neat little package, with how much money I spent and average spends per day and per country, etc etc. However on this trip I was just bouncing about between countries, a few days here and a few days there, so the averages will be pretty meaningless. Instead I will simply give - in the next post - a full list of all the birds and other animals I saw, and then that will be the end.
My flight home was with Jetstar, at 6.15am. This was why I chose the Coolongatta YHA to stay my final night! The Gold Coast Airport doesn't open until 4.30am, which tied in well with the checking-in time. I actually got to the terminal at 4.20am and everything was already open and full of people so ... I guess the airport website is wrong?
No birds were seen today, although I heard Noisy Miners and Noisy Friarbirds calling in the dark as I walked to the terminal. Both of them are Noisy.
I found out something interesting about airport body-scanners today. They only show a stylised body shape on the monitor (i.e. they aren't showing an actual image of the person going through the scanner) and "anomalies" show as yellow blocks on the body-shape. The machine has one button for male and one for female, so that the machine can ignore features which are common to one sex (e.g. beards in men). In my case I got an anomaly alert for my entire back because the machine didn't recognise my hair (in a plait) as a male feature.
From the in-flight magazine I learned a couple of other interesting things. I take no responsibility if these are not true.
One: the shortest scheduled passenger flight is ninety seconds long, in the Orkney Islands.
Two: Roald Dahl wrote the screenplay for the 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice.
I also read this nice quote by Gustave Flaubert: "Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world".
Normally in my trip threads I will wrap everything up in a neat little package, with how much money I spent and average spends per day and per country, etc etc. However on this trip I was just bouncing about between countries, a few days here and a few days there, so the averages will be pretty meaningless. Instead I will simply give - in the next post - a full list of all the birds and other animals I saw, and then that will be the end.
SPECIES LISTS!
These are the full lists for all the animals I saw (not including fish and invertebrates because I don't keep tallies of those). Lifers are in bold - there were nine new mammals (out of 41 species seen) and ten new birds (out of 284 species seen). They are listed in the order I saw them, by country. I have duplicated the species between the countries (e.g. Common Mynah is listed under all the countries), but each species is only numbered once. The numbers are the totals for this trip - they do not correspond to my year-list (because a lot of the Australian birds I had already seen in New Zealand before the trip).
BIRDS
SYDNEY
1) Feral Pigeon Columba livia
2) Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae
3) Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
4) Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
5) Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
6) Australian Magpie Gymorhina tibicen
7) Common Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
8) Common Coot Fulica atra
9) Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
10) Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
11) Purple Swamphen Porphrio porphyrio
12) Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
13) Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
14) Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
15) Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
16) Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
17) Spur-winged (Masked) Plover Vanellus miles
18) Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
19) Brown Falcon Falco berigora
20) Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus
21) Superb Blue Wren Malurus cyaneus
22) Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
23) Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
24) Willy Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
25) Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis
26) Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia
27) Australian Little Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
28) Little Black Shag Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
29) White-cheeked Honeyeater Phylidonyris nigra
30) Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
31) Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys
32) Little Pied Shag Phalacrocorax melanoleucos
33) Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
34) Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
35) Australian Brush Turkey Alectura lathami
36) Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
37) White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
38) Brown Gerygone Gerygone mouki
39) Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis
40) Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
41) Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
42) Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
43) Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
44) Australian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
45) Black Swan Cygnus atratus
46) Grey Teal Anas gracilis
47) Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
48) Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
49) White-eyed Duck Aythya australis
50) Magpie-Lark Grallina cyanoleuca
SINGAPORE
51) Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
52) Striated Heron Butorides striatus
53) Germain's Swiftlet Collocalia germani
54) Monk (Quaker) Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus
55) Feral Chicken ["Red Junglefowl"] Gallus gallus (this is only numbered here because it is a list of birds seen - I don't count feral chickens on my year-lists etc)
56) Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans
57) Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris
58) Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
59) Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea
60) Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosa
61) Sunda Pigmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos moluccensis
62) White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
63) Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis
64) Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
65) Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
66) Javan Mynah Acridotheres javanicus
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
67) House Crow Corvus splendens
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
68) Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
69) Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua sulphurea
70) Moustached Parakeet Psittacula alexandri
71) Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
72) Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
73) Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
74) Indian Ringneck Parakeet Psittacula krameri
75) Little Egret Egretta garzetta
76) Stork-billed Kingfisher Halcyon capensis
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
77) Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
78) Zebra Dove Geopelia striata
79) Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus
80) Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
81) Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
82) Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica
83) Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
MALAYSIA
84) White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
Javan Mynah Acridotheres javanicus
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
House Crow Corvus splendens
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Germain's Swiftlet Collocalia germani
85) Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis
86) Greater Green Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati
87) Orange-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum trigonostigma
88) Cream-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus simplex
89) Hairy-backed Bulbul Tricholestes criniger
90) Greater Hill Mynah Gracula religiosa
91) Orange-backed Woodpecker Reinwardtipicus validus
92) Purple-naped Sunbird Hypogramma hypogrammicum
93) Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis moluccensis
94) Striped Tit-Babbler Macronous gularis
95) Chestnut-breasted Malkoha Phoenicophaeus curvirostris
96) Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica
97) Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus
98) Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus
99) Buff-vented Bulbul Iole olivacea
100) Raffles' Malkoha Phoenicophaeus chlorophaeus
101) Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
102) Asian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi
Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
103) Asian House Swift Apus nipalensis
104) White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus
105) Olive-winged Bulbul Pycnonotus plumosus
106) Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus
107) Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra
108) Grey-chested Jungle Flycatcher Rhinomyias umbratilis
109) Yellow-bellied Bulbul Alophoixus phaeocephalus
110) Checquer-throated Woodpecker Picus mentalis
111) Spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus erythrophthalmus
Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
112) White-vented Mynah Acridotheres grandis
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
113) White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
114) Lineated Barbet Megalaima lineata
115) Long-tailed Parakeet Psittacula longicauda
Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
Zebra Dove Geopelia striata
116) Nutmeg Finch (Scaly-breasted Munia) Lonchura punctulata
117) Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
118) Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
119) Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
Striated Heron Butorides striatus
120) Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus
121) White-bellied Yuhina Erpornis zantholeuca
122) Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
123) Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis
124) Red-billed Malkoha Phoenicophaeus javanicus
125) Asian Fairy Bluebird Irena puella
126) Plain Flowerpecker Dicaeum concolor
127) Mountain Fulvetta Alcippe peracensis
128) Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis
129) White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis
130) Streaked Spiderhunter Arachnothera magna
131) Glossy (White-bellied) Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta
132) Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
133) Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus flaviventris
134) Everett's White-eye Zosterops everetti
135) Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus
136) Mountain Tailorbird Phyllergates cucullatus
137) Golden Babbler Stachyridopsis chrysaea
138) Orange-breasted Trogon Harpactes oreskios
139) Black and Yellow Broadbill Eurylaimus ochromalus
140) Yellow-rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia
141) Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica
142) Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
143) Slaty-backed Forktail Enicurus schistaceus
144) Long-tailed Sibia Heterophasia picaoides
145) Black and Crimson Oriole Oriolus cruentus
146) Black-browed Barbet Megalaima oorti
147) Chestnut-capped Laughing Thrush Garrulax mitratus
148) Black-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus diardi
149) Fire-tufted Barbet Psilopogon pyrolophus
150) Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus solaris
151) Black-throated Sunbird Aethopyga saturata
152) Rufous-browed Flycatcher Ficedula solitaris
153) Lesser Racquet-tailed Drongo Dicrurus remifer
154) Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus
155) Grey-throated Babbler Stachyris nigriceps
156) Slender-billed Crow Corvus enca
157) Sultan Tit Melanochlora sultanea
158) Mountain Bulbul Hypsipetes macclellandii
159) Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus
160) Rufescent Prinia Prinia rufescens
161) Little Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia ruficeps
162) Little Pied Flycatcher Ficedula westermanni
163) Greater Yellownape Woodpecker Picus flavinucha
164) Silver-eared Mesia Leiothrix argentauris
165) Chestnut-crowned Warbler Seicercus castaniceps
166) Blue-winged Minla Siva cyanouroptera
167) Large Niltava Niltava grandis
168) Blue Nuthatch Sitta azurea
169) Ochraceous Bulbul Alophoixus ochraceus
170) Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
171) Mountain Imperial Pigeon Ducula badia
172) Purple-backed (Daurian) Starling Agropsar (Sturnus) sturninus
THAILAND
Asian House Swift Apus nipalensis
Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
White-vented Mynah Acridotheres grandis
Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
Nutmeg Finch (Scaly-breasted Munia) Lonchura punctulata
173) Sooty-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus aurigaster
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
174) Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus
175) House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
Zebra Dove Geopelia striata
176) Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus
177) Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
178) Crested Tree-Swift Hemiprocne coronata
179) Asian Openbill Stork Anastomus oscitans
180) Asian Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica
181) Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus blanfordi
182) Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum
183) Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
184) Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris
LAOS
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Zebra Dove Geopelia striata
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
White-vented Mynah Acridotheres grandis
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
185) Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Streaked Spiderhunter Arachnothera magna
186) Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodei
187) Puff-throated Bulbul Alophoixus pallidus
188) Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
THAILAND again
White-vented Mynah Acridotheres grandis
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Zebra Dove Geopelia striata
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
Asian Openbill Stork Anastomus oscitans
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
189) Great Egret Egretta alba
190) Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
191) Asian Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger
192) Crow-billed Drongo Dicrurus annectens
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
193) Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus
194) Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala
195) Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
Asian Koel Eudynamis scolopacea
196) Asian Pied Starling Sturnus contra
Asian Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica
Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus
Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus blanfordi
197)Black-collared Starling Sturnus nigricollis
198) Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum
Scaly-breasted Munia (Nutmeg Finch) Lonchura punctulata
199) Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis
200) Black-winged Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina melaschistos
Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
201) Javan Pond Heron Ardeola speciosa
202) Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris
203) Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
204) White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
205) Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus
206) Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus
207) Common Redshank Tringa totanus
208) Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
209) Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica
210) Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
211) Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva
212) Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
213) Hill Blue Flycatcher Cyornis banyumas
214) Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea
215) Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea
Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
Striated Heron Butorides stiatus
Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus
Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans
Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis
216) Hainan Blue Flycatcher Cyornis hainanus
217) Large Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina macei
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis
Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
218) Plain Prinia Prinia inornata
219) Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus
220) Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
221) Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis
222) Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
223) Yellow Wagtail Motacilla thunbergi (or the Eastern M. tschutschensis if split)
224) Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
225) Stejneger's Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri
226) Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi
227) Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii
BRISBANE
228) Australian Figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
229) Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Magpie-Lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
230) Grey Butcherbird Craciticus torquatus
231) Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
232) Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
233) Banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis
Common Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
234) Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis
Willy Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
235) Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
236) Grey Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla harmonica
237) Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus
Little Pied Shag Phalacrocorax melanoleucos
238) Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
239) White-headed (Pied) Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Grey Teal Anas gracilis
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
White-eyed Duck Aythya australis
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus
Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
240) Red-backed Fairy-Wren Malurus melanocephalus
241) Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus
242) Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris
243) Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata
244) Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
245) Bush Stone-Curlew Burhinus grallarius
Common Coot Fulica atra
Little Black Shag Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Australian Brush Turkey Alectura lathami
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
246) Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta
247) Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis
Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
248) Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
249) White-faced Heron Ardea novaehollandiae
250) Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
251) Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae
252) Great Crested Tern Sterna bergii
253) Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea
254) White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus
Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
255) Osprey Pandion haliaetus
256) Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula
Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis
257) Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
258) Australian Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris
259) Black Kite Milvus migrans
260) Tawny Grassbird Cincloramphus timoriensis
Superb Blue Wren Malurus cyaneus
261) Pallid Cuckoo Cacomantis pallidus
Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
262) Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
263) Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops
264) Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel
265) Double-barred (Owl) Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii
266) Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora
267) Red-browed Firetail Neochmia temporalis
268) Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides
269) Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
270) Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
271) Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis
272) Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii
Australian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
273) Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
274) White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor
275) Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
276) Australasian Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis
277) Comb-crested Jacana Jacana gallinacea
278) Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
279) Large-billed Scrubwren Sericornis magnirostris
Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys
280) White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaeus
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
281) Australian Koel Eudynamys orientalis
282) Shining Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus
283) Cicadabird Coracina [Edolisoma] tenuirostris
284) Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus
.......................................................................
MAMMALS
SYDNEY
1) Grey-headed Flying Fox Pteropus poliocephalus
2) Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps
3) Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor
4) Common Brush-tailed Possum Trichosurus vulpecula
5) Brown Antechinus Antechinus stuartii
SINGAPORE
6) Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata
7) Plantain squirrel Callosciurus notatus
8) Wild Pig Sus scrofa (vittatus)
9) Colugo Cynocephalus variegatus
10) Common Tree Shrew Tupaia glis
11) Slender Squirrel Sundasciurus tenuis
12) Sunda Pangolin Manis javanica
MALAYSIA
13) Crab-eating Macaque Macaca fascicularis
Slender Squirrel Sundasciurus tenuis
14) Banded Leaf Monkey Presbytis femoralis
15) White-handed (Lar) Gibbon Hylobates lar
Common Tree Shrew Tupaia glis
16) Cream-coloured Giant Squirrel Ratufa affinis
Plantain Squirrel Callosciurus notatus
17) Dusky Langur Trachypithecus obscurus
18) Malaysian Upland Squirrel Sundasciurus tahan
19) Agile Gibbon Hylobates agilis
20) Grey-bellied Squirrel Callosciurus caniceps
21) Himalayan Striped Squirrel Tamiops macclellandi
22) Red-bellied (Pallas') Squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus
23) White-thighed Langur Presbytis siamensis
24) Spotted Giant Flying Squirrel Petaurista elegans
25) Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis
26) Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus
THAILAND
27) Assamese Macaque Macaca assamensis
Himalayan Striped Squirrel Tamiops macclellandii
28) Indochinese Grey Langur Trachypithecus crepusculus
29) Variable Squirrel Callosciurus finlaysonii
30) Northern Tree Shrew Tupaia belangeri
31) Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat Cynopterus sphinx
32) Berdmore's (Indochinese) Ground Squirrel Menetes berdmorei
33) Lyle's Flying Fox Pteropus lylei
Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus
Red-bellied (Pallas') Squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus
BRISBANE
34) Black Flying Fox Pteropus alecto
35) Little Red Flying Fox Pteropus scapulatus
Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula
Grey-headed Flying Fox Pteropus poliocephalus
36) Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus
37) Koala Phascolarctos cinereus
38) Australian Humpback Dolphin Sousa sahulensis
39) Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus
40) Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis
Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps
41) Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus
.......................................................................
REPTILES
SYDNEY
1) Eastern Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii
SINGAPORE
2) Asian Water Monitor Varanus salvator
3) Red-eared Terrapin Trachemys scripta elegans
4) Garden Lizard Calotes versicolor
MALAYSIA
Asian Water Monitor Varanus salvator
5) Green Crested Lizard Bronchocela cristatella
6 and 7) Two reed snakes which I still haven't got round to IDing yet...
THAILAND
Asian Water Monitor Varanus salvator
Red-eared Terrapin Trachemys scripta elegans
BRISBANE
Eastern Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii
8) Brisbane River Turtle Emydura krefftii signata
9) Carpet Python Morelia spilota
.......................................................................
AMPHIBIANS
SINGAPORE
1) Black-spined Toad Bufo melanostictus
BRISBANE
2) Cane Toad Rhinella marinus
These are the full lists for all the animals I saw (not including fish and invertebrates because I don't keep tallies of those). Lifers are in bold - there were nine new mammals (out of 41 species seen) and ten new birds (out of 284 species seen). They are listed in the order I saw them, by country. I have duplicated the species between the countries (e.g. Common Mynah is listed under all the countries), but each species is only numbered once. The numbers are the totals for this trip - they do not correspond to my year-list (because a lot of the Australian birds I had already seen in New Zealand before the trip).
BIRDS
SYDNEY
1) Feral Pigeon Columba livia
2) Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae
3) Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
4) Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
5) Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
6) Australian Magpie Gymorhina tibicen
7) Common Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
8) Common Coot Fulica atra
9) Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
10) Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
11) Purple Swamphen Porphrio porphyrio
12) Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
13) Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
14) Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
15) Little Wattlebird Anthochaera chrysoptera
16) Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
17) Spur-winged (Masked) Plover Vanellus miles
18) Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
19) Brown Falcon Falco berigora
20) Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus
21) Superb Blue Wren Malurus cyaneus
22) Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa
23) Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
24) Willy Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
25) Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis
26) Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia
27) Australian Little Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
28) Little Black Shag Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
29) White-cheeked Honeyeater Phylidonyris nigra
30) Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata
31) Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys
32) Little Pied Shag Phalacrocorax melanoleucos
33) Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
34) Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
35) Australian Brush Turkey Alectura lathami
36) Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
37) White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
38) Brown Gerygone Gerygone mouki
39) Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis
40) Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
41) Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
42) Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
43) Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
44) Australian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
45) Black Swan Cygnus atratus
46) Grey Teal Anas gracilis
47) Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
48) Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
49) White-eyed Duck Aythya australis
50) Magpie-Lark Grallina cyanoleuca
SINGAPORE
51) Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
52) Striated Heron Butorides striatus
53) Germain's Swiftlet Collocalia germani
54) Monk (Quaker) Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus
55) Feral Chicken ["Red Junglefowl"] Gallus gallus (this is only numbered here because it is a list of birds seen - I don't count feral chickens on my year-lists etc)
56) Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans
57) Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris
58) Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
59) Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea
60) Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosa
61) Sunda Pigmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos moluccensis
62) White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
63) Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis
64) Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
65) Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
66) Javan Mynah Acridotheres javanicus
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
67) House Crow Corvus splendens
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
68) Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
69) Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua sulphurea
70) Moustached Parakeet Psittacula alexandri
71) Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
72) Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
73) Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
74) Indian Ringneck Parakeet Psittacula krameri
75) Little Egret Egretta garzetta
76) Stork-billed Kingfisher Halcyon capensis
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
77) Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
78) Zebra Dove Geopelia striata
79) Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus
80) Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
81) Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
82) Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica
83) Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
MALAYSIA
84) White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
Javan Mynah Acridotheres javanicus
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
House Crow Corvus splendens
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Germain's Swiftlet Collocalia germani
85) Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis
86) Greater Green Leafbird Chloropsis sonnerati
87) Orange-bellied Flowerpecker Dicaeum trigonostigma
88) Cream-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus simplex
89) Hairy-backed Bulbul Tricholestes criniger
90) Greater Hill Mynah Gracula religiosa
91) Orange-backed Woodpecker Reinwardtipicus validus
92) Purple-naped Sunbird Hypogramma hypogrammicum
93) Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis moluccensis
94) Striped Tit-Babbler Macronous gularis
95) Chestnut-breasted Malkoha Phoenicophaeus curvirostris
96) Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica
97) Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus
98) Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus
99) Buff-vented Bulbul Iole olivacea
100) Raffles' Malkoha Phoenicophaeus chlorophaeus
101) Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
102) Asian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi
Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
103) Asian House Swift Apus nipalensis
104) White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus
105) Olive-winged Bulbul Pycnonotus plumosus
106) Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus
107) Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra
108) Grey-chested Jungle Flycatcher Rhinomyias umbratilis
109) Yellow-bellied Bulbul Alophoixus phaeocephalus
110) Checquer-throated Woodpecker Picus mentalis
111) Spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus erythrophthalmus
Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
112) White-vented Mynah Acridotheres grandis
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
113) White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
114) Lineated Barbet Megalaima lineata
115) Long-tailed Parakeet Psittacula longicauda
Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
Zebra Dove Geopelia striata
116) Nutmeg Finch (Scaly-breasted Munia) Lonchura punctulata
117) Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
118) Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
119) Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
Striated Heron Butorides striatus
120) Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus
121) White-bellied Yuhina Erpornis zantholeuca
122) Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
123) Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis
124) Red-billed Malkoha Phoenicophaeus javanicus
125) Asian Fairy Bluebird Irena puella
126) Plain Flowerpecker Dicaeum concolor
127) Mountain Fulvetta Alcippe peracensis
128) Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis
129) White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis
130) Streaked Spiderhunter Arachnothera magna
131) Glossy (White-bellied) Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta
132) Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
133) Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus flaviventris
134) Everett's White-eye Zosterops everetti
135) Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus
136) Mountain Tailorbird Phyllergates cucullatus
137) Golden Babbler Stachyridopsis chrysaea
138) Orange-breasted Trogon Harpactes oreskios
139) Black and Yellow Broadbill Eurylaimus ochromalus
140) Yellow-rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia
141) Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica
142) Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
143) Slaty-backed Forktail Enicurus schistaceus
144) Long-tailed Sibia Heterophasia picaoides
145) Black and Crimson Oriole Oriolus cruentus
146) Black-browed Barbet Megalaima oorti
147) Chestnut-capped Laughing Thrush Garrulax mitratus
148) Black-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus diardi
149) Fire-tufted Barbet Psilopogon pyrolophus
150) Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus solaris
151) Black-throated Sunbird Aethopyga saturata
152) Rufous-browed Flycatcher Ficedula solitaris
153) Lesser Racquet-tailed Drongo Dicrurus remifer
154) Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus
155) Grey-throated Babbler Stachyris nigriceps
156) Slender-billed Crow Corvus enca
157) Sultan Tit Melanochlora sultanea
158) Mountain Bulbul Hypsipetes macclellandii
159) Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus
160) Rufescent Prinia Prinia rufescens
161) Little Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia ruficeps
162) Little Pied Flycatcher Ficedula westermanni
163) Greater Yellownape Woodpecker Picus flavinucha
164) Silver-eared Mesia Leiothrix argentauris
165) Chestnut-crowned Warbler Seicercus castaniceps
166) Blue-winged Minla Siva cyanouroptera
167) Large Niltava Niltava grandis
168) Blue Nuthatch Sitta azurea
169) Ochraceous Bulbul Alophoixus ochraceus
170) Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
171) Mountain Imperial Pigeon Ducula badia
172) Purple-backed (Daurian) Starling Agropsar (Sturnus) sturninus
THAILAND
Asian House Swift Apus nipalensis
Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
White-vented Mynah Acridotheres grandis
Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus
Nutmeg Finch (Scaly-breasted Munia) Lonchura punctulata
173) Sooty-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus aurigaster
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
174) Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus
175) House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala
Zebra Dove Geopelia striata
176) Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus
177) Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
178) Crested Tree-Swift Hemiprocne coronata
179) Asian Openbill Stork Anastomus oscitans
180) Asian Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica
181) Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus blanfordi
182) Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum
183) Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
184) Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris
LAOS
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Zebra Dove Geopelia striata
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
White-vented Mynah Acridotheres grandis
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
185) Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Streaked Spiderhunter Arachnothera magna
186) Collared Owlet Glaucidium brodei
187) Puff-throated Bulbul Alophoixus pallidus
188) Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
THAILAND again
White-vented Mynah Acridotheres grandis
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
Zebra Dove Geopelia striata
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Himalayan Swiftlet Collocalia brevirostris
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
Asian Openbill Stork Anastomus oscitans
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus
Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
189) Great Egret Egretta alba
190) Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis
191) Asian Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger
192) Crow-billed Drongo Dicrurus annectens
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
193) Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus
194) Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala
195) Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis
Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis
Asian Koel Eudynamis scolopacea
196) Asian Pied Starling Sturnus contra
Asian Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica
Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus
Streak-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus blanfordi
197)Black-collared Starling Sturnus nigricollis
198) Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker Dicaeum cruentatum
Scaly-breasted Munia (Nutmeg Finch) Lonchura punctulata
199) Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis
200) Black-winged Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina melaschistos
Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier
201) Javan Pond Heron Ardeola speciosa
202) Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus
Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris
203) Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
204) White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
205) Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus
206) Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus
207) Common Redshank Tringa totanus
208) Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
209) Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica
210) Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
211) Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva
212) Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
213) Hill Blue Flycatcher Cyornis banyumas
214) Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea
215) Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea
Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius
Striated Heron Butorides stiatus
Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus
Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus
Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus
Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans
Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis
216) Hainan Blue Flycatcher Cyornis hainanus
217) Large Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina macei
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis
Dark-necked Tailorbird Orthotomus atrogularis
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
218) Plain Prinia Prinia inornata
219) Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus
220) Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
221) Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis
222) Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
223) Yellow Wagtail Motacilla thunbergi (or the Eastern M. tschutschensis if split)
224) Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus
225) Stejneger's Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri
226) Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi
227) Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii
BRISBANE
228) Australian Figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca
Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles
229) Torresian Crow Corvus orru
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis
Magpie-Lark Grallina cyanoleuca
Feral Pigeon Columba livia
230) Grey Butcherbird Craciticus torquatus
231) Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
232) Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis
233) Banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis
Common Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
234) Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis
Willy Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys
235) Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
236) Grey Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla harmonica
237) Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus
Little Pied Shag Phalacrocorax melanoleucos
238) Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
239) White-headed (Pied) Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa
Grey Teal Anas gracilis
Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
White-eyed Duck Aythya australis
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus
Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita
240) Red-backed Fairy-Wren Malurus melanocephalus
241) Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus
242) Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris
243) Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata
244) Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina novaehollandiae
Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus
Pied Currawong Strepera graculina
245) Bush Stone-Curlew Burhinus grallarius
Common Coot Fulica atra
Little Black Shag Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata
Australian Brush Turkey Alectura lathami
Common Mynah Acridotheres tristis
246) Scarlet Honeyeater Myzomela sanguinolenta
247) Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis
Galah Cacatua roseicapilla
248) Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
249) White-faced Heron Ardea novaehollandiae
250) Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus
251) Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae
252) Great Crested Tern Sterna bergii
253) Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea
254) White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus
Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus
255) Osprey Pandion haliaetus
256) Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula
Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis
257) Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis
Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris
Australian Raven Corvus coronoides
258) Australian Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris
259) Black Kite Milvus migrans
260) Tawny Grassbird Cincloramphus timoriensis
Superb Blue Wren Malurus cyaneus
261) Pallid Cuckoo Cacomantis pallidus
Lewin's Honeyeater Meliphaga lewinii
262) Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
263) Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops
264) Fairy Martin Hirundo ariel
265) Double-barred (Owl) Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii
266) Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora
267) Red-browed Firetail Neochmia temporalis
268) Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides
269) Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
270) Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus
271) Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis
272) Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii
Australian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae
273) Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Eastern Whipbird Psophodes olivaceus
274) White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor
275) Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis
276) Australasian Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae
Australian King Parrot Alisterus scapularis
277) Comb-crested Jacana Jacana gallinacea
278) Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis
279) Large-billed Scrubwren Sericornis magnirostris
Bell Miner Manorina melanophrys
280) White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaeus
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis
281) Australian Koel Eudynamys orientalis
282) Shining Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus
283) Cicadabird Coracina [Edolisoma] tenuirostris
284) Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus
.......................................................................
MAMMALS
SYDNEY
1) Grey-headed Flying Fox Pteropus poliocephalus
2) Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps
3) Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor
4) Common Brush-tailed Possum Trichosurus vulpecula
5) Brown Antechinus Antechinus stuartii
SINGAPORE
6) Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata
7) Plantain squirrel Callosciurus notatus
8) Wild Pig Sus scrofa (vittatus)
9) Colugo Cynocephalus variegatus
10) Common Tree Shrew Tupaia glis
11) Slender Squirrel Sundasciurus tenuis
12) Sunda Pangolin Manis javanica
MALAYSIA
13) Crab-eating Macaque Macaca fascicularis
Slender Squirrel Sundasciurus tenuis
14) Banded Leaf Monkey Presbytis femoralis
15) White-handed (Lar) Gibbon Hylobates lar
Common Tree Shrew Tupaia glis
16) Cream-coloured Giant Squirrel Ratufa affinis
Plantain Squirrel Callosciurus notatus
17) Dusky Langur Trachypithecus obscurus
18) Malaysian Upland Squirrel Sundasciurus tahan
19) Agile Gibbon Hylobates agilis
20) Grey-bellied Squirrel Callosciurus caniceps
21) Himalayan Striped Squirrel Tamiops macclellandi
22) Red-bellied (Pallas') Squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus
23) White-thighed Langur Presbytis siamensis
24) Spotted Giant Flying Squirrel Petaurista elegans
25) Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis
26) Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus
THAILAND
27) Assamese Macaque Macaca assamensis
Himalayan Striped Squirrel Tamiops macclellandii
28) Indochinese Grey Langur Trachypithecus crepusculus
29) Variable Squirrel Callosciurus finlaysonii
30) Northern Tree Shrew Tupaia belangeri
31) Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat Cynopterus sphinx
32) Berdmore's (Indochinese) Ground Squirrel Menetes berdmorei
33) Lyle's Flying Fox Pteropus lylei
Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus
Red-bellied (Pallas') Squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus
BRISBANE
34) Black Flying Fox Pteropus alecto
35) Little Red Flying Fox Pteropus scapulatus
Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula
Grey-headed Flying Fox Pteropus poliocephalus
36) Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus
37) Koala Phascolarctos cinereus
38) Australian Humpback Dolphin Sousa sahulensis
39) Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus
40) Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis
Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps
41) Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus
.......................................................................
REPTILES
SYDNEY
1) Eastern Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii
SINGAPORE
2) Asian Water Monitor Varanus salvator
3) Red-eared Terrapin Trachemys scripta elegans
4) Garden Lizard Calotes versicolor
MALAYSIA
Asian Water Monitor Varanus salvator
5) Green Crested Lizard Bronchocela cristatella
6 and 7) Two reed snakes which I still haven't got round to IDing yet...
THAILAND
Asian Water Monitor Varanus salvator
Red-eared Terrapin Trachemys scripta elegans
BRISBANE
Eastern Water Dragon Physignathus lesueurii
8) Brisbane River Turtle Emydura krefftii signata
9) Carpet Python Morelia spilota
.......................................................................
AMPHIBIANS
SINGAPORE
1) Black-spined Toad Bufo melanostictus
BRISBANE
2) Cane Toad Rhinella marinus
Thanks for taking us with you on another interesting rollick through Asia.
In this journey I learned what a powerful owl is and that as a ratophobe, I never want to go near alleys behind restaurants at night.
In this journey I learned what a powerful owl is and that as a ratophobe, I never want to go near alleys behind restaurants at night.
What a fantastic bird to finish the trip!
Really enjoyed reading about your travels.
FunkyGibbon
Well-Known Member
True, although I haven't flown it.
Sounds like you wouldn't even need the plane. Could probably just jump across.
Just take a Powerful Owl with you. You'll be fine.
That's great - I wish this had been available a few months ago! Maybe a return trip...
Looking at a map, the Kong Lor caves are only about 40km from where I was in Ban Na Hin!
I think the viewing point he mentions for Laos Langur (where he says a zip-line has now been installed) is the one I passed on the bus where they were building a new platform.
Le sigh