140907 Queensland first day Cassowary and Cairns

Queensland, Australia 2014-09-05--09-25
Sunday 140907
click photo to view with Lightbox   © NF Photos 140907, Cairns and Kuranda

After our guide, Phil, picked us up we went to the hotel for our first stay. Acacia Court Hotel, Cairns.  

Despite our early arrival we were able to get access to our rooms. We now had time to take a very much needed shower before breakfast at 6.30. I had room 608 with a great view of the Esplanade. In the treetop was sitting a beautiful white dove. My first bird in Australia. 

As we arrived early we went to visit Cassowary House today instead of tomorrow. Which turned out to be good.. Our guide lives there and we thought it would be great to start with it. There was a family of 2 adult and 2 chicks of the Cassowary birds. Very hard to get shots though as we were too many people on a small veranda. It was very nice to see them. There was also several other birds to start off the birding list. 

The area was also good for birding the forest edge. We spent an hour birding along the road and in the forest as well. And there we met another family of Cassowary birds. But in the wild people got nervous and we had to retreat. Taking a look in my files I realised there was no shots at all from that meeting. :(  

Then we drove to Cattana Wetlands nature concervation park, a great place for walking and birding. And with great dragonflies and butterflies as well. We had a nice walk around the wetland enjoying ourselves. One thing we learned about the country already this first day is that places are subject to flooding now and then and warning signs stood at tthe parkinglot. After that we really needed to have something to eat. I also found some cool parrots to shoot. :) 

Now we turned back toward Cairns and made a stop at another pond in what seemed like a factory area. We found, among other birds, these two Straw-necked Ibis. The smaller one seemed to be injued and did not move during the time we spent there.

To finish of the day we made two stops at the coast. One just outside Cairns and then we drove to the
Esplanade to see what was there. When we arrived it was low tide and some waders and other shorebirds was there. We also were looking for an owl that was supposed to be there, but we did not find it.

Dinner at 19.30 and going through the birdlist for today. 

Back on my room I checked the window view, uploaded my images to the computer and hit the sack. 

I was sleeping before I hit the pillow. 

At the end of The Esplanade was this place to take a swim. Suitable for all ages from what I could see. I thought it was a very nice place. 

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Labels:    Resor, travel, trip, journey, Sverige, Sweden, sky, photo, photography, Monica Johansson, NatureFootstep, nfphoto, NF_photo, nature, natur, fågelskådning, birding, resa, travel, Australia, Australien, Acacia Court Hotel, Cassowary House, Cattana Wetlands, Kuranda, Cairns, Cassowary, Straw-necked Ibis, Esplanade, strand, Queensland,