CHAMBERS WILDLIFE RAINFOREST LODGE certainly lives up to its name. It is in the forest smack-dab inside Crater Lakes National Park on the Atherton Tablelands, and, yes, it rains. Our cabin is smaller than some of other places we’ve stayed but it has all the essentials. We were a bit worried when we arrived — there is no air-con and neither the TV or wifi was working. It seems the other night’s power outage tripped our circuit breaker — an easy fix and the ceiling fans keep it comfortable. So now we’re happy campers.
Noisy Pitta, an unexpected find
We drove up from Port Douglas yesterday. We liked our digs as the Lychee Tree enough to book another four days after returning from Cooktown. It’s comfortable and affordable and we still had a score to settle with the elusive Buff-Breasted Kingfisher! I guess I should say we still HAVE a score to settle — two more searches turned up ten audible and two visual “sightings” but still no photos. Ya win some and ya lose some. But we did see a colorful Noisy Pita, a species I didn’t expect to see.
Can you find the Wallaby among the termite mounds?
Masked Lapwing "Chicklet"
Mareeba’s Rodeo Grounds doesn’t sound like a birding hotspot but it held some surprises this morning. Not exactly the bird we were looking for but some surprises non-the-less beginning with a Masked Lapwing chick. Lapwings seem to be everywhere but this is the first time we’ve seen chicks.
Grey-Crowned Babbler
While kangaroos (or wallabies) frolicked among the termite mounds, eight Pale-headed Rosellas squawked in followed by a dozen Grey-crowned Babblers. And the birds John thought were Stone Curlews turned out to be Squatter Pigeons, and yes, he is that big.
Squatter Pigeon, another surprise
Nearly half of Australia’s 700+ bird species have been recorded on the Atherton Tablelands, including several on Connie’s hit list and dozens where my photos could be improved. So we’ll have plenty do do in the next couple of days, weather permitting. I am also hoping to get a good look, and maybe a photo, of a platypus.
