BLACK NODDY

Photagraphed at Michelmas cay, Queensland October 2015

720          BLACK NODDY       Anous minutus

Australia        (562)

Also known as White-capped Noddy. 33-36 cm, wingspan c. 65 cm. Found over tropical, subtropical oceans; woodlands on islands; cays. Range: inhabits regular island colonies (some huge) in e. Aust. on Capricorn and Bunker Groups, s. Gt Barrier; Norfolk I, possibly Lord Howe Is., also Quoin Is. (ne Q) and Coral Sea. Adults sedentary, young dispersive.

SOOTY TERN

Photograhed on Michelmas Cay, Queensland October 2015

719         SOOTY TERN      Sterna fuscata   

Australia        (561)

Also known as Wideawake. Found over tropical or subtropical seas; islands, cays. 40-46 cm, wingspan c. 90 cm. Range; breeds n. from Abrolhos Group (WA) to n. Gt Barrier Reef, Coral sea; Norfolk Is. Has breed SA. Migratory, dispersive.

BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER

Photographed from the Cairns Esplanade, Queensland October 2015

718            BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER          Limicola falcinellus

Australia             (560)

Found in tidal mudflats, reefs, saltmarshes, freshwater, wetlands, sewerage ponds; favours muddy ooze. 16-18 cm. Range: breeds in Arctic Eurasia: winters Africa, India, se Asia, Indonesia to PNG. Scarce summer migrant mostly to coastal Aust.; small numbers inland.

LARGE-BILLED GERYGONE

Photographed on the Daintree River, near Daintree Village October 2015

717             LARGE-BILLED GERYGONE         Gerygone magnirostris

Australia       (559)

Also known as Floodbird and Large-billed Warbler. 10.5-11.5 cm. Found in rainforests, paperbarks on streams; eucalyptus woodlands, mangroves, gardens. Range: coastal n. Aust., and islands, from McKay (Q) to w.Kimberley (WA). Common, sedentary.

Large-billed Gerygone nest

BLACK BITTERN

Photographed on the Daintree River, near Daintree Village, Queensland October 2015

716         BLACK BITTERN             Ixobrychus flavicollis

Australia         (558)

Found in shadowy, leafy waterside trees: callistemons, casuarinas, paperbarks, eucalypts, mangroves, willows; tidal creeks, sheltered mudflats, oyster-slats. 54-66 cm. range: coastal n., e. and sw Aust., Torres Strait and Christmas Is. From Pilbara (WA) to far e. Vic, where a few pairs breed; rare s. of Sydney (NSW) and far sw. WA Sedentary.

BRUSH CUCKOO

The only photograph I could get, taken at Cattana Wetlands, Cains, Queensland October 2015

715         BRUSH CUCKOO             Cacomantis variolosus

Australia         (557)

Found in rainforests, forests, woodlands, mangroves, scrubby roadsides. 22-26 cm. Range: coastal n. and e. Aust., regular breeding migrant to se. Aust., mostly in forests of Dividing Ra. in se. Q, NSW and e. Vic., arriving Sept.-Oct., departing Feb.-April; casual nw. Vic mallee, adjacent SA. In n. Aust. both resident and passage migrant. Common in n., uncommon in s. Aust.

CICADABIRD

Photographed at Centennial Lakes, Cains, Queensland October 2015

714           CICADABIRD             Coracina tenuirostris

Australia           (556)

Found in the canopy of rainforests, eucalyptus forests, woodlands; paperbarks, mangroves. 24-26 cm. Range: coastal n. Aust.: from Kimberley (WA) to Cape York (Q); e. Aust., s. to e. of Melbourne (Vic.); casual s. SA. Breeding migrant in se. Just., winters in n. Aust., PNG. Uncommon.

VARIED HONEYEATER

Photographed on The Esplanade, Cairns, Queensland October 2015

713           VARIED HONEYEATER              Lichenostomus versicolor

Australia           (555)

Found in coastal scrubs,adjacent woodlands; mangroves; trees on suburban waterfronts; streets, gardens of coastal towns. 18-21 cm. Range: coastal ne. Q and islands, from Cape York s. to Halifax Bay. In Townsville-Cardwell region (Q), interbreeds with Mangrove Honeyeater. Locally common, sedentary.

NUTMEG MANNIKIN

Photographed in Caines, Queensland October 2015

712              NUTMEG MANNIKIN             Lonchura punctulata

Australia          (554)

Also known as Spice Finch, Spice Bird, Scaly-breasted Munia or Scaly Breasted Mannikin. Found in grasslands, crops, rank roadside growth urban wastelands, lantana thickets, vineyards. 10.5-11.5 cm. Range: native from India to s. China, Malaysia, Philippines to e. Indonesia. Introduced from aviary escapes near Brisbane, Townsville, Rockhampton (Q), Sydney (NSW), from c. 1930. Widespread from c. Cooktown (Q) to Moruya (NSW), mostly coastal but inland to Miles (Q), Mudgee (NSW). Common, expanding.

LARGE-BILLED HERON

Photographed on Claudie River, Iron Range, Queensland October 2015

711             GREAT-BILLED HERON            Ardea sumatrana

Australia             (553)

1-1.2 m. Found in mangrove-overhung creeks and rivers, tidal mudflats, tree-surrounded swamps; ascends larger rivers. Range: coastal n. Aust.: from c. Derby(WA) to McArthur R. on Gulf (NT), and from Gregory R. and Cape York Pen. s. to c. Rockhampton (Q). Sparse, sedentary.

Photographed on the Daintree River, Queensland October 2015

CHESTNUT-BREASTED CUCKOO

Photographed at Rainforest camping area, Iron Range, Queensland October 2015

710             CHESTNUT-BREASTED CUCKOO             Cacomantis castaneiventris

Australia        (552)

23-25 cm. Found in rainforest, monsoon forest, scrub on watercourses, mangroves. Range: e. Cape York Pen. (Q), from Cape York s. to Bloomfield R. (Cooktown-Mosman), inland to McIlwaith Ra. Uncommon, sedentary, possibly part-migrant to PNG where it is also resident.

GREY WHISTLER

Photographed at Iron Range, Queensland October 2015

709         GREY WHISTLER           Pachycephala simplex

Australia      (551)

Also known as Brown Whistler. Found in rainforests, monsoon forests, vine and coastal scrubs, mangroves, paperbarks. Range: race peninsula: from Cape York (Q) s. to c. Ingham on e. coast; up to 900 m in mountain rainforests. Nominate race: Top End (NT), coastal islands; from c. Port Keats e. to Groote Eylandt. Uncommon, Sedentary; seasonal nomadic.

TRUMPET MADUCODE

Photographed near Lockhart River, Queensland October 2015

708         TRUMPET MANUCODE            Manucodia keraudrenii

Australia          (550)

Also known as Trumpetbird. 28-32 cm. Found in rainforests, vine-scrubs, eucalypt forest/woodland. Range: n. Cape York Pen. (Q): from C. York and coastal islands s. to Weipa on w. coast and McIlwaith Ra.-Rocky R. on e. coast. Fairly common, Sedentary.