you’ll also see Little Tern and Caspian Tern here. Black-necked Storks are a regular feature among the masses of waterbirds including Plumed Egrets, White-necked Herons, Magpie Geese and Black Swans. Occasionally, an enormous flock of Glossy Ibises (300-400 birds) may descend on the area.
In the wetlands near the fifth cattle grid, Baillon’s Crake and Latham’s Snipe were recorded. The former was also found at the second causeway after third cattle grid (when driving towards the coast).
Common birds in the grassland along the road include Horsfield’s Bushlark, Australasian Pipit, Brown Quail and Golden-headed Cisticola. Brolgas and Australian Bustards may be walking through the tall grass. Look for Zitting Cisticola in the saltmarshes along the road.
When you reach the beach, expect to see Greater Sand Plovers, Lesser Sand Plovers, Whimbrels and Far Eastern Curlews. In the vegetation on coastal dunes, look for Black Butcherbird, Varied Triller, Little Shrike-thrush and Shining Flycatcher.
Common raptors in the area include Swamp Harrier, Brown Falcon, Wedge-tailed Eagle and White-bellied Sea-Eagle.
Home Hill Area
Home Hill is a small town located on the south side of Burdekin River. Many good birding opportunities can be found in this area.
Ayr-Dalberg Road
The road runs along the northern banks of Burdekin River, the turnoff from Bruce Hwy (A1) is located 4km south of Ayr. Birding is good along this road, even if it runs mostly through sugar cane plantations and other cropland.
We stopped at the Rock Weir, a rocky island on the Burdekin River opposite the BQC Quarries. GPS coordinates are 19o42’12’’S and 147o17’32’’E. Little Eagle was flying over the river. Black-bellied Crimson Finches were foraging in the reeds. In the bushes were Leaden Flycatcher, Forest Kingfisher, White-throated Honeyeater, Spangled Drongo and Rainbow Bee-eater.
Next, we stopped near the irrigation reservoir on Ayr-Ravenswood Rd. The adjoining cane field was freshly harvested and there was a lot of bird activity there. There were hundreds of Pacific Black Ducks, Masked Lapwings, Whiskered Terns, Australian Gull-billed Terns, Great Egrets and White-faced Herons. In smaller numbers were Plumed Egrets and White-necked Herons.
Further down the road, a tractor was ploughing a stubble field. Trailing behind it were hundreds of Cattle Egrets, Torresian Crows, Black Kites and Straw-necked Ibises. Seeing all these birds on the fields brought us a few champagne moments.
Black Kite
In the scrub at the Eight Mile Creek crossing, we found Grey-crowned Babbler, Great Bowerbird, Sacred Kingfisher, Rufous Whistler and Leaden Flycatcher.
Kirknie Road
This 40km-long road starts in Home Hill and meanders through the farmland along the Burdekin River up to the hills covered with dry eucalypt woodland. Turn southwest from Bruce Hwy (A1) into Kirknie Rd just before the bridge over the Burdekin River.
The first 15km of this route runs through the agricultural land, mostly sugar cane with patches of corn and other grains. When the corn has been harvested, stubble fields are regularly visited by large flocks of Brolgas (400-500 birds).
A waste transfer station is located near Home Hill, with huge flocks of Black Kites circling above. Occasionally other raptors are recorded including Black Falcon.
On the powerlines along the road, look for White-breasted Woodswallow, Pale-headed Rosella, Forest Kingfisher, Nankeen Kestrel and Brown Falcon. Check the irrigation channels where many waterbirds can be found including Great Egret, White-necked Heron, Yellow-billed Spoonbill and Royal Spoonbill.
Alligator Creek Crossing is a regular spot for Azure Kingfisher. In the bush near the crossing you may come across Yellow Honeyeater, Dusky Honeyeater, White-gaped Honeyeater and Helmeted Friarbird.
The remaining 25km of the route runs mostly through the grazing country with remnants of dry woodland. A lagoon is situated at Tompkin’s Crossing; Cotton Pygmy-geese are regularly found there.
A section of the road before Kirknie may produce Squatter Pigeons. Other birds here include Red-backed Kingfisher, Black-faced Woodswallow and Black-shouldered Kite. Autumn and winter lures huge numbers of Tree Martins and Welcome Swallows that appear along Kirknie Rd.
Groper Creek Road
Large temporary wetlands along Groper Creek Rd can quickly fill with the waterbirds and waders at the beginning of the dry season.
To get there, at the outskirts of Home Hill turn off Bruce Hwy (A1) into First St by the racecourse. Turn right at the T-junction into Groper Creek Rd and drive nearly to the coast. The wetland is located on the southern side of the road just before the junction with Fry Rd. Approximate GPS coordinates are 19o41’13’’S and 147o29’60’’E.
Large flocks of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers often use these wetlands. Look also for Marsh Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Pied Stilt, Comb-crested Jacana, White-necked Heron and Yellow-billed Spoonbill.
Other birds along the road include Australian Bustard, Brush Cuckoo, Red-winged Parrot, Varied Triller and Chestnut-breasted Mannikin.
Spotswood Wetlands
These are extensive wetlands located on southern side of the Burdekin River mouth. The wetland worth visiting is located in Inkerman along Arthur Spotswood Rd. To get to there, take Wallace Rd from Bruce Hwy (A1) at Inkerman, about 10km south of Home Hill. Observations can be conducted from the main road, i.e. Arthur Spotswood Rd, further called Gladys Rd, at the GPS location 19o43’35’’S and 147o31’53’’E, and from Peak Rd that branches off Wallace Rd and leads to a private property called Spotswood Park. GPS coordinates here are 19o43’36’’S and 147o31’59’’E.
Over 160 bird species have been recorded on the wetlands. Key species are the waders, White-browed Crake, Radjah Shelduck, Glossy Ibis, Cotton Pygmy-goose and Barn Owl. Other birds of interest include Brolga, Black-necked Stork, White-necked Heron, Little Grassbird, Australian Swiftlet, Bush Stone-curlew, Azure Kingfisher and Large-tailed Nightjar. Among the rarities are Eastern Grass Owl, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Red-backed Button-quail, Squatter Pigeon, Common Sandpiper, Baillon’s Crake and White-throated Nightjar.
Wallace Rd runs through the grazing land and sugar cane plantations with a margin of tall grasses along the road. When the grasses are seeding, large flocks of often over a thousand Chestnut-breasted Mannikins descend on the area. Seeing their mini-murmuration (synchronous movement of the flock) low in the air is truly memorable.
Waders commonly found around the Spotswood Wetlands include Pied Stilt, Red-necked Avocet, Marsh Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Latham’s Snipe and Comb-crested Jacana. White-browed Crakes occur here in good numbers. You can also come across Buff-banded Rail and Baillon’s Crake.
Waterbirds congregate at the wetlands in masses, particularly Magpie Geese, Pacific Black Ducks, Australian Pelicans, Australasian Grebes, Cattle Egrets and even Glossy Ibises. Substantial flocks of White-winged Black Terns (20-30 birds) are regularly found here. Australian Reed-Warblers and Little
