Birding Cairns
Birding Cairns is a local bird-watching club based in Cairns, N.E.Queensland, Australia. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Also hosting the Cairns Birding Forum http://cairnsbirding.blogspot.com/ and Michaelmas Cay Report http://michaelmascay.blogspot.comTuesday, December 09, 2008
BIRDING CAIRNS PROGRAM – May-Sep 2009
1st Sunday of the month, 0630, Centenary Lakes Walk
3rd Sunday of the month, 0730 (for the 4 winter months), as programmed below
Aug 2 Centenary Lakes, 0630, meet opposite THE phonebox on Geenslopes St, Cairns.
Aug 16.
Aug 21 to Sep 6. 1st BIRDING CAIRNS FESTIVAL a programme of fun birding
held in conjunction with FESTIVAL CAIRNS.
Activities include guided bird walks on the Esplanade and at Centenary Lakes, short field trips to other close-to-Cairns hotspots, evening talks and entertainment, workshops, and -
Sep 5. a BIG DAY bird race (organise a team!). Entry details to follow.
Sep 6 Centenary Lakes, 0630, meet opposite THE phonebox on Geenslopes St, Cairns.
1100 - 1400. BBQ on the Cairns Esplanade for the end of the 1st BIRDING CAIRNS FESTIVAL. Details of the festival below.
August 21 to September 6, 2009. 1ST CAIRNS BIRDING FESTIVAL
August is an exciting time for Cairns bird watchers. This is when migrants begin coming back from the north; some, such as shorebirds after breeding in the northern hemisphere, and some, such as the Pied Pigeon, the Metallic Starling and other songbird migrants, to nest in Australia after spending the winter in New Guinea.
The new action usually starts with the shorebirds' arrival, sometimes en masse, near the end of the second week of August. The arrival of the Pied Pigeon, usually in the last week of August or the first week of September, is keenly anticipated by the general public.
The programme will include -
▪ stationary bird watching, daily, at 1530,
- on the Esplanade boardwalk opposite the RSL at the start of Florence St, with John Seale & John Crowhurst;
▪ bird watching for kids, Sat 22nd, Sun 30th
- on the Esplanade boardwalk opposite the RSL at start of Florence St, with John Seale;
▪ active bird walks
- along the Esplanade, Mon, Tue, Fri, Sun, 0630 with Andy Anderson, meet opp the RSL, start of Florence St;
- Botanic Gardens & Centenary Lakes, 0830, with John Seale, meet outside the Botanic Gardens Office on Collins Ave;
- at Yorkey's Knob, meet at the west end of Wattle St just past the entrance to the golf club;
- Redden Is, meet at the end of Cinderella St, Machan's Beach;
- Thala Beach Resort, near Port Douglas, 0730, with David Anderson;
- Thompson Rd, Edmonton, meet near the boat ramp at the end of Thompson Rd (turn left at Edmonton lights).
▪ a Pied Pigeon Day;
▪ two picnic lunches with prize-giving;
▪ evening entertainment slides and lectures.
▪ a bird photo competition;
▪ a bird art competition;
▪ a Big Day bird race.
Programme. (Tide times for best shorebird viewing, in brackets).
Fri 21.
0630 Esplanade walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL, (best viewing time 0630-0730);
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Sat 22.
0830 Gardens & Lakes walk with John S;
1300 Birdwatching for kids, on the Esplanade;
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
1900 Festival Cairns parade, watch for the pelicans!
Sun 23
0630 Esplanade walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL, (best tide 0800-1000).
0830 Yorkey's Knob walk with John S,
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Mon 24.
0630 Esplanade walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL, (best viewing 0900-1500),
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S, opp the RSL.
Tue 25.
0630 Esplanade walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL, (best viewing 1000 until 1800).
0830 Gardens & Lakes walk with John S;
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S;
1900
Wed 26.
0830 Redden Is walk with John S,
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Thu 27.
0730 Thala Lodge walk, with David A, meet in lower carpark, Thala Lodge, a few kms south of Port Douglas.
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S,
1900 .
Fri 28.
0630 Esplanade walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL, (best tides 0630, part-way out; 1510 coming in);
0830 Gardens & Lakes walk with John S;
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Sat 29.
0830 Thompson Rd, Edmonton, with John S;
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Sun 30.
0630 Esplanade walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL, (best viewing 1000 until 1800).
0830 Gardens & Lakes walk with John S;
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S;
1900
Wed 26.
0830 Redden Is walk with John S,
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Thu 27.
0730 Thala Lodge walk, with David A, meet in lower carpark, Thala Lodge, a few kms south of Port Douglas.
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S,
1900 .
Fri 28.
0630 Esplanade walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL, (best tides 0630, part-way out; 1510 coming in);
0830 Gardens & Lakes walk with John S;
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Sat 29.
0830 Thompson Rd, Edmonton, with John S;
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Sun 30.
0630 Esplanade walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL, (tide sitting nicely until 0830; 1615 coming in);
0830 Gardens & Lakes walk with John S;
1530 Birdwatching for kids, on the Esplanade.
Mon 31.
1530 Birdwatching for kids, on the Esplanade.
Mon 31.
0630 Esplanade walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL, (tide 0630-0830 just right; 1640 coming in);
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S & John C.
Tue 1.
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S & John C.
Tue 1.
Pied Pigeon Day. 0630 Esplanade walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL, (tide OK until 0900; 1630, coming in).
0830 Gardens & Lakes walk with John S;
1200 noon, northern Esplanade picnic/barbeque lunch (bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks); prizes to -
▪ worthy & honourable birders;
▪ the first to have seen a Beach Thicknee.
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S & John C.
0830 Gardens & Lakes walk with John S;
1200 noon, northern Esplanade picnic/barbeque lunch (bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks); prizes to -
▪ worthy & honourable birders;
▪ the first to have seen a Beach Thicknee.
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S & John C.
1900
Wed 2.
0830 Eubanagee Swamp walk,
Wed 2.
0830 Eubanagee Swamp walk,
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S & John C.
Wed 2.
0830 Eubanagee Swamp walk,
0830 Eubanagee Swamp walk,
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S & John C.
Thu 3.
Thu 3.
0730 Thala Lodge walk, with David A, meet in lower carpark, Thala Lodge, a few kms south of Port Douglas.
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S & John C.
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S & John C.
1900
Fri 4.
Fri 4.
0630 Esplanade walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL, (tide on the ebb from 1000-1130.
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S & John C.
Sat 5.
1530 Esplanade bird-watching with John S & John C.
Sat 5.
Big Day - 24 hr bird race, midnight to midnight. See below for rules. (Best Esplanade viewing 0630-0730; 1030-1200).
Sun 6.
Sun 6.
0630-0930 Birding Cairns Lakes Walk. Meet on Greenslopes St, opp the phonebox.
1100, northern Esplanade picnic/barbeque lunch (bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks); prizes to -northern end of Esplanade (best Esplanade viewing 0630-0800; 1100-1230), and prizes to -
1100, northern Esplanade picnic/barbeque lunch (bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks); prizes to -northern end of Esplanade (best Esplanade viewing 0630-0800; 1100-1230), and prizes to -
▪ Big Day winners
▪ the first to have seen a newly arrived Pied Pigeon.
Evening entertainment by Frank Harrison, illustrated talks;
Brian Venables, how to record bird calls on your mobile;
Andy Anderson, Dominic Chaplin, Graham Finnegan, slide evening/s;
▪ the first to have seen a newly arrived Pied Pigeon.
Evening entertainment by Frank Harrison, illustrated talks;
Brian Venables, how to record bird calls on your mobile;
Andy Anderson, Dominic Chaplin, Graham Finnegan, slide evening/s;
Big Day - 24 hr bird race - rules
- Teams of 2 or more must be registered with Birding Cairns ( ) before the competition starts at 2400 hrs on Sept 5th.
- Species, to be identified by sight or sound by a majority of team members, are to be marked on the official Cairns Area List.pdf which is the official entry form. Click on the link and print out the form.
- Team members must keep in normal voice contact at all times.
- There shall be no advice whatsoever to team members from the public, by sign, voice, mobile phone, etc
- No artificial objects may be used to attract birds.
- Teams must use surface travel only during the 24 hrs and count only the species within a day's surface travel of Cairns.
- Results can be forwarded to judges by phone ( ) by 0030 hrs on the 6th Sept, and completed entry forms presented to the judges before 1100 hrs at the Esplanade picnic/barbeque on 6th Sept.
- Any violation of these conditions will result in disqualification.
- The judges decision will be final.
The Cairns Area List is grouped into families and includes all species recorded including accidentals.
It is divided into non-passerines, which make about half the bird species in the world,
It is divided into non-passerines, which make about half the bird species in the world,
and passerines or songbirds, which make up the other half.
These birds have been recorded within a day's surface travel of Cairns (418 species).
After each family name there is reference indicating the number of species of that family in the world (W).
After each family name there is reference indicating the number of species of that family in the world (W).
Results will be announced at the Esplanade picnic/bbq Sep 6th.
Bird Photo Competition - rules
Photos -
- to be taken within the Cairns Regional Council Area (which is approxiamately the coastal plain between the Daintree River and Fishery Falls),
- must be of a native species,
- to be taken between Aug 21-31,
- to sent to Pine Creek Studios by midnight Sep 3rd.
Results will be announced at the Esplanade picnic/bbq Sep 6th.
Bird Art Competition - rules
Drawings/Paintings -
- to be done within the Cairns Regional Council Area (which is approxiamately the coastal plain between the Daintree River and Fishery Falls),
- must be of a native species,
- to be done between Aug 21-31,
- to sent to Pine Creek Studios by midnight Sep 3rd.
Results will be announced at the esplanade picnic/bbq Sep 6th.
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In the Cairns area it is estimated that 2000 to 3000 bird watchers visit each year and that 90% of these are serious birders from overseas who nearly all have Cairns as their primary Australian destination because nearly half of Australia's land birds can be seen within one day's travel of Cairns City.
It is anticipated that many non-birding partners of avid birders will take the opportunities provided by Festival Cairns to attend alternative events.
Wader arrivals - 2006, 10 August.
PIP arrivals - 2004, 10 August.
2002, 26 August.
In this century however, as the climate has gradually got warmer and more palm fruit is available into the winter, some PIPs have been over-wintering in the Cairns area. The local birders keep track of these small (4-10) over-wintering populations so new migrants are usually relatively easy to identify; but if the trend to a warmer climate continues, migrant individuals will get harder to isolate from a growing number of non-migrants.
In Memoriam -
One of our younger members, Rosemary Barker, died from a brain tumour on 7th Jan. Here she is at one of her favourite places, The Esplanade, with her friend Kate, in late November. The Pelicans and the Jabiru were some of her favourite birds.
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