BIRD CHECKLIST

Weipa on the far north-west coast of Cape York Peninsula is a great birding location with access to avariety of habitats. There are coastal dunes, wetlands, mangroves, patches of vine forest, gallery forests along the major rivers as well as the tall open Darwin Stringybark forests of the Weipa plateau.

A highlight of visiting Weipa is the only known mainland roost of frigatebirds. Large numbers of both Great and Lesser Frigatebirds roost on the western Weipa peninsula. Many come down to roost after sunset, just on dark, along the main road into town between the port facilities and Evans Landing. Visitors also come to Weipa to see Spotted Whistling Ducks and Cape York specialities like Magnificent Riflebird. Local Stringybark forests are a refuge for the disappearing black-backed form of the Brown Treecreeper.

Generally we see most birds in the morning and evening. Here is a short list of what we can find in the mud flats

BIRD CHECKLIST

• Jabiru

• Brolga

• Egrets, greater and lessor

• White face heron

• Great bill heron

• Striated heron

• Black wing stilts

• White bellied sea eagle

• Brahminy kite

• Whistling kite

• Osprey

• Azure kingfisher

• Pied oyster catcher

• Royal spoonbill

• Eastern curlew

• Beach stone curlew

• Darters and Cormorants