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Visited: autumn
Recommendation: Tie up with the local birders who walk this route every week. They can provide great information about the local area and help to spot mangrove endemics that are difficult to see.
I always try and get local information before I visit a new place and the birders in MacKay had a regular walk along the river that I was able to join. I knew the Mangrove Gerygone, Robin and Honeyeater were seen here so I was very keen to explore this area. The group walked from the car park at the River Street Boat Ramp east along the Blue Water Trail with mangroves between the walkers and the water. Eventually we reached a large expanse of beach. On the walk with the group we had fleeting glimpses of them and certainly heard them, there were no photographic opportunities. Undeterred, I stuck around after the walk. I wasn't leaving with my photos. After a while I found the gerygone and honeyeater flitting about in the mangroves.
Mangrove Gerygone (Gerygone levigaster)
Mangrove Honeyeater (Gavicalis fasciogularis)
Also skulking around the mangroves was a Fan-tailed Cuckoo. Cuckoos are a real favourite of mine. As I teacher in a former life, I used to teach about instinct using the cuckoo as an example. Really though, I just love the energy they put into the breeding process. I have seen them monitoring the host birds as they raise their chicks. Fascinating behaviour.
Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis)
There were plenty of Rainbow Bee-eaters around. I am interested in how they form and maintain their relationships. From feeding each other to dancing in the sky, they are always wonderful to watch.
Even the tails of these birds tells a story. The males have longer tails to be more attractive to females. This is because these exaggerated traits signal to females that the male is healthy and genetically superior. Females, therefore, tend to choose males with longer tails as mates, passing on these desirable genes to their offspring.
Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus)
A real treat was the stunning Brahminy Kite flying over the river. I did see this bird sitting on the bridge later but I didn't think I would be popular if I stopped in the middle to photograph it. Shame!
Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)
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