times of prolonged droughts in the interior, birds such Pallid Cuckoo, Masked Woodswallow, Dusky Woodswallow, Red-backed Kingfisher and White-winged Triller appear.
On your way to the site check these out:
Sun Rice Mill in Colevale Rd, just out of Brandon. When we were passing the mill, thousands of Magpie Geese and Plumed Whistling-Ducks were piled on a heap of rice husks in the mill yard. That was a spectacular view. Dozens of waterbirds foraged in a rice field in front of the mill.
A small lagoon with an irrigation canal at the corner of Toll Rd and Drynie Rd. Cotton Pygmy-geese are regularly found there. Rufous-throated Honeyeaters live in the dense vegetation along the canal.
It may be also worthwhile to check the sugar cane fields along Becker Rd and Jack Rd. We were surprised by the large numbers of Australian Bustards, walking unhurriedly in pairs in the breaks between the cane stands and along the road. Pheasant Coucals, Bush Stone-curlews, Black-faced Woodswallows, White-breasted Woodswallows, Red-backed Fairy-wrens and Nankeen Kestrels were also plentiful. Chestnut-breasted Mannikins were simply uncountable.
Birds at Brandon Rice Mill
Horseshoe Lagoon Area
This site, besides the main location of the Horseshoe Lagoon, also includes a small farm dam south the lagoon, irrigation canals and farmland along Hodel Rd as well as saltmarshes, wetlands and farmland further down along Morris Creek Rd and the mudflats around the boat ramp on the Barramundi Creek at the end of Morris Creek Rd. During the Wet, large temporary wetlands are forming along Morris Creek Rd. These are visited by thousands of waterbirds.
Access to all these spots is from Bruce Hwy (A1), turning north into Hodel Rd about 35km northwest of Ayr and 55km south of Townsville. The turnoff is signposted simply to a ‘Bird hide’. GPS coordinates at the turnoff are 19o32’43’’S and 147o07’09’’E. The next two turnoffs, when driving north from Ayr, lead to Giru.
Over 160 bird species have been recorded around the Horseshoe Lagoon. Key species are Zitting Cisticola, Cotton Pygmy-goose, Magpie Goose, White-browed Crake, White-winged Black Tern and Horsfield’s Bushlark. Other birds of interest include Black-bellied Crimson Finch, Green Pygmy-goose, Glossy Ibis, Comb-crested Jacana, Black-necked Stork, Oriental Dollarbird and Swamp Harrier. Among the rarities are Common Sandpiper, Australian Pratincole and Little Eagle.
Horseshoe Lagoon
Horseshoe Lagoon is a permanent wetland thanks to the supply of irrigation tailwater. It is especially important to birdlife in a dry season. It is a well-known birdwatching spot, equipped with a bird hide.
Waterbirds forming the bulk of the bird mass here include Hardheads (when water becomes deep enough, up to 3,000 birds have been reported), Magpie Geese, Eurasian Coots and Black Swans. Found in good numbers are also Cotton Pygmy-geese, Pied Stilts, Comb-crested Jacanas and Plumed Egrets. Around the bird hide, look for White-browed Crake, Latham’s Snipe and Buff-banded Rail.
A 3m-long crocodile often rests near the bird hide.
In the dense, tall grasses around the lagoon you may find Black-bellied Crimson Finch, Pheasant Coucal, Australian Reed-Warbler, Tawny Grassbird and Brown Quail. Swamp Harriers regularly patrol the lagoon.
On the few scattered trees, you may see Yellow Honeyeater, Rufous-throated Honeyeater, Brush Cuckoo, Black-faced Woodswallow, Forest Kingfisher and Oriental Dollarbird.
A small farm dam located about 200m from the corner of Bruce Hwy and Hodel Rd supports a good population of White-browed Crakes which often pop out in the open at this spot. Australasian Grebes nest here and Yellow-billed Spoonbills are found regularly. Other birds around this pond include Black-fronted Dotterel, Pied Stilt, Marsh Sandpiper, Brown Quail, Black-bellied Crimson Finch and White-breasted Woodswallow.
Hodel Road
The road section between the bird hide and Corrick Plains is good for the grassland birds, particularly Plum-headed Finch, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Nutmeg Mannikin, Horsfield’s Bushlark, Brown Songlark and Red-backed Fairy-wren. On the powerlines should be plenty Rainbow Bee-eaters, White-breasted Woodswallows and Black-faced Woodswallows. In autumn and winter, Red-backed Kingfishers and Pallid Cuckoos appear.
Check the turf farm, best after the rains. Latham’s Snipes are often sighted in water puddles there.
Morris Creek Road
Morris Creek Rd, and in particular the saltmarshes near a boat ramp, are the places to look for Zitting Cisticola. The birds are seen mostly on the barbed wire fences on the roadside on the final 400m-long stretch of the road to the boat ramp. The most important spot is about 100m from the boat ramp, at the culvert lined with a few mangroves. GPS coordinates are 19o28’55’’S and 147o09’00’’E.
The Corrick Plains Nature Refuge it is also worth checking (look for an obscure sign at the start of Morris Creek Rd). When we were there, the area was overgrazed to the bare ground however we were lucky to sight one bird on a fence in a belt of tall grass saved from cattle as it was growing outside the fence.
Zitting Cisticola is a cryptic species, easy to misidentify with Golden-headed Cisticola. The best time to observe them is in the breeding season when the males Zitting Cisticolas perform zig-zag flights, emitting their characteristic zit-zit call.
When temporary wetlands appear along Morris Creek Rd, thousands of Magpie Geese arrive together with flocks of Whiskered Terns. These are accompanied by smaller numbers of White-winged Black Terns. You will also see Brolgas, Black-necked Storks, Red-kneed Dotterels, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, White-necked Herons and Plumed Egrets.
On the mudflats near the boat ramp, Whimbrels, Far Eastern Curlews, Common Greenshanks, Buff-banded Rails, Striated Herons and Little Egrets are often seen. Raptors, mainly Brahminy Kites and White-bellied Sea-Eagles, are often seen patrolling Barramundi Creek.
Juvenile Striated Heron
Giru Area
Giru is a small sugar town, located on the banks of Haughton River close to Bruce Hwy, more or less half-way between Townsville and Ayr. It is surrounded by unending sugar cane plantations with countless irrigation canals. The main feature of this town is its large sugar mill. Giru is a good base for exploring large wetlands of the Bowen-Townsville coast. You can stay at the local camping grounds and observe flocks of waterbirds (such as Brolgas and Magpie Geese) flying overhead as they return every evening to their roosting sites.
To get there, from Bruce Hwy (A1) take Shirbourne Rd or Woodstock-Giru Rd. Facilities in the township include a free camping area, a general store with basic supplies and fuel and a pub.
About 100 bird species have been recorded in the Giru area. Key species are Plum-headed Finch, Red-rumped Kingfisher, Black-necked Stork and Peregrine Falcon. Other birds of interest include Black-faced Woodswallow, Great Bowerbird, Rufous-throated Honeyeater, Forest Kingfisher and Barn Owl. Rarities include Great-billed Heron, Zitting Cisticola and Red-necked Avocet.
Giru
