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2014 Cape York, The Gulf & more on our Blog


RodnSue

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Hello Everyone


many of you will already know that Rod & I spent 4.5 months on the road in Qld last year.



We took 6 wks to travel from Bris to Mossman. We spent 5 wks doing The Cape with not all areas visited there & stayed 8 days @ Loyalty Beach.


After Atherton Tableland region, we headed out to The Gulf & then further west to Lawn Hill NP.


We didn't spend much time doing inland / central or far west Qld - perhaps another time :-)



We got home 1st week of Sept. I'm a mad keen bird watcher & this is why we took so long. (Rod probably read about 3 dozen books & went fishing where he could whilst I birded.)



I have a blog that has taken me 6 mths to complete .....lol......(I'm still birding 3 days a week since getting home)


There are 10 chapters starting from Oct 2014 & the last was finished last week.



I do mention some camps, but my blog has loads of photos (perhaps 100 per chapter) with commentary about the area & what we saw.


You can read it here http://www.ournomadicways.blogspot.com.au/ ( the last chapter will come up 1st, but look down on the right side to find the others under Blog Archive - starting mid October 2014.)



I plan to add maybe 2 more chapters dedicated to birds only, but I've only just started no* 1 :-)



Enjoy the read :-)



If you want any info about where we went etc please don't hesitate to ask here or drop me a PM.



cheers


Sue


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Thanks Ann


it's a little different to most peoples trip reports, but, my take on our trips is also about what you see & I also love photography - be it very amateurish - so I love to showcase that in my journey / story.



Bird chapter no* 1 is 1/2 complete :-)



Sue

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Hello Sue



I have really enjoyed your blog especially as a fellow birder, the pics of birds have been a great learning tool for me.



A suggestion that would help me a lot is a bit more info with each bird pic. The type of thing that would help me is rough time of day (e.g. early morning or afternoon) and type of vegetation you have spotted the bird in such as open grassland, thick forest, isolated clump of trees, etc. These couple of things plus the general location you already provide would be great to help myself and Ellie to spot some of your great birds.



I also have found the mobile phone app (both on phone and iPad) from Morcombe and Stewart "Australian Birds" really helpful especially the distribution maps and calls helping me with identification. I can also strongly recommend a trip to Birds Australia Gluepot in SA, it has about 60km of good dirt road (should be no problem for a Kedron unless it rains) to get there and good camping sites (no fires) and very well set up bird hides.


http://www.gluepot.org



Keep up the good work, I looking forward to reading your next two birding instalments.



Regards


Terry


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Hi Terry


very pleasing to find like minded folk re the birds.


I like your suggestions & I've already been saying where I saw the shown birds as I started typing in part 1 yesterday.



Most birds are active early morning or mid to late afternoon. But those times aren't always possible when travelling unless we're staying in a place for > a day.


I sometimes birded early before we packed up camp to move to another area.


Some sites were en route in the heat. Others were after we arrived at a camp spot.



I have a 15 page Word doc that I created from loads of hours of research from Eremaea eBird website. (Qld tour only)


It has all my targeted birds & a few choices of places in which to find them.


(If you or anyone else is interested in this rough doc, please drop me a PM.)



I recommend using Eremaea eBird as a source of where to find a targeted bird for a particular time of the year.


You will also find some folk will give a description of where to find a particular bird.....ie when looking for Carpentarian Grass wren I searched for said bird for say June to Sept. (for when I was in Mt Isa area)


Most times I used 12 month old lists as a guiide, but found someone had listed the Carpentarian Grasswren 4 -6 wks earlier at a particular spot.


I went to that area & was lucky enough to find that bird after a bit of searching around.


(If you or anyone else needs help in searching for particular bird on eBird please send me a PM)



I have been using Morcombe eGuide since mid 2011 & have been saving lists to the app since late 2012 of all the birds I see, matched with the places visited.


I am then able to upload / email the lists to my computer to place onto an excel sheet.



Sometime last year I also purchased app Pizzey & Knight - Birds of Australia. It is more expensive @ about $50, but I find it very useful if Morcombe doesn't give me enough info - ie immature cuckoos are better on Pizzey & Knight.



After getting home I purchased a book "Finding Aust Birds" by Tim Dolby & Rohan Clarke where regions of each state are broken up & what birds are expected to find.


I've been told another excellent book to have is Thomas & Thomas - which I've been told is more comprehensive



Many thanks for the link to Gluepot.....I have it on my list of places to visit during our trip to SA & Vic via SW Qld, starting early July / August.


I'm yet to start my research for this 4/12 trip.



cheers


Sue

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Hello Sue



Thanks for the info, I am a keen birder, my wife is even keener. We are still learning since we retired and have more time. I did look at the Pizzy app, but have yet to buy it. I have been using the ebird site, but tend to do some research before a trip and then just go for it and record what we see, trying to make it a relaxed birding trip. We have the Thomas and Thomas, et al "The Complete to Finding the Birds of Australia" and have used it, but not enough, but intend to use it more.



We are picking up our new van in August and intend to make a trip to FNQ and Lawn Hill in September as our first Kedron trip and your blog has just made me get more enthusiastic about it. Birds Australia's Newhaven Station in the NT is on my list to visit one day, but have yet to find out if you can get a caravan into it, I have spoken to people who have been there and they said it was great, but a 4WD road. I need to do more research on Newhaven. However, we have been to gluepot a couple of times and can't wait to get back there with our new Kedron.



There are three camping areas in Gluepot and all are very basic, but nice, pit toilet and a couple of picnic tables. The visitor centre and shop are really good. I would suggest the camping area furthest from the homestead as it usually gets fewer visitors. Also the hides are great and you probably need a few days to see Gluepot as a birder.



I would like to see your Word doc. I will try to PM you for a copy.


Regards


Terry


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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello Sue



We have purchased the Pizzy and Knight app, you were right it is well worth the $50, we find it easier to use and more comprehensive than the Morcombe app. We have now used it a few times and really like the the ID feature. We recently spotted and ID a Golden Whistler in a reserve (Stony Creek nature reserve, Carwoola) near home, first one we had been able to ID.



I think it would be great for Birding beginners as well as those with some experience. Thanks for recommending it.



Good birding


Regards


Terry

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Hi Terry


am really pleased you are very happy with the Pizzey & Knight app.



Have fun with the journey Terry & Ellie...you are both very lucky in that the pair of you like birding which is an added bonus.....



cheers


Sue


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Hello Sue,



I have just enjoyed reading your blog. What a wonderful collection of bird sightings. I cannot agree that your photography is "very amateurish" as you claim as the photos are excellent. Thanks once again.



Regards


Colin


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Hi Colin


you're very welcome. Am very pleased you're enjoying my blog & my photos. My recycle bin on the computer is full of rejects from lots of out of focus pics :-)


When I retired 3 yrs ago, I had no idea that I birding would become such a wonderful hobby. Taking pics of some of them was just an extension.



Once you get to the Cape section, if you see any errors in what I wrote, please send me a PM as I'm very happy to edit same.


Though I try to re read the resource material I have, I don't want to be misleading to prospective travellers either :-)



Cheers


Sue

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Hi Sue


I've just passed a thoroughly enjoyable half hour looking through your photos. I totally agree with Tolley that your photos are not amateurish at all. They are very clear and give great details of the birds involved. I particularly loved the Purple-crowned Fairy Wren on the rear view mirror. They can be quite cheeky.


Your blog is great reading, and shows your passion for your hobby.


Thanks for sharing


Lea

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Hi Lea


many thanks for your kind words :-)



Whilst I love birding & touring & taking pics of same, I love to share what I've seen.



It's also a method of recording my travels..done the 21st century way with loads of photos.



It initially started as a project for family & friends to read & experience our journey, but since our 2011 tour, I've had 18,900 hits to my blog :o


collectively from any where in the world - even North Americans.



Enjoy the journey too



Sue

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