There are lots of birdwatching opportunities around Alligator Creek B & B courtesy of our gardens, mature trees, open paddocks and, of course, the creek itself. We have resident Bush Stone Curlews which have raised a baby or two every year and Sunbirds often build their little nests on the back patio just a couple of metres from the back door. Grevilleas attract a range of birds close to the house and we have lots of seating around the property so you can watch in comfort.
| Red-winged parrot on the birdfeeder | A white-throated honeyeater enjoys playing in some prickly lemon-tree cuttings. |
We have our own birdlist (see below) for the property, and would be delighted if guests could add to it, but there are lots of other birding haunts nearby. Just 4Km up the road is the Mount Elliott section of Bowling Green Bay National Park where there's a chance of spotting Noisy Pitta, Spectacled Monarch and some cute Rock Wallabies. The salt flats of the AIMS road are just 10Km south (Black-fronted Dotterel was a recent sighting here), the Horseshoe Lagoon birdhide is less than 40Km away (probable glimpses of Brolgas on the way) and there is the possibility of a croc further down the road at the Haughton River boat ramp (we also spotted Brahminy Kite and Sacred Kingfisher on our last visit). Our personal favourite is the ‘Cromarty Circuit’ with likely sightings of Crimson and Zebra Finches and often lots of Brolgas at dusk.
Townsville itself (25Km north of ACB&B) offers lots of birdwatching with three Botanical Gardens giving different habitats, and the well-known Town Common with excellent birdhides (http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/townsville/index.html ). To the west is Toonpan and the Ross River Dam, with the National Winner of the Hidden Jewel Award, Pop Sullivan cruises every Sunday ( www.townsvilletours.com.au ).
Excellent full-day trips include the rainforest at Paluma where Catbirds can often be heard, and there are myriad delights such as Victoria’s Riflebirds, Golden Bowerbirds and Chowchillas to be seen on the well-trodden walking paths. Unfortunately the Ivy Cottage Teahouse, where you could add several birds to your list (cheating? No!!) as they stole scones from your plate, has closed down but there is a licensed restaurant for lunch or dinner. The beautiful Tyto Wetlands ( http://www.tytowetlands.com.au/home.htm ) just outside Ingham has the Eastern Grass Owls as the main attraction but the recently-opened restaurant, looking out across the water is almost a good enough excuse for a visit on its own.
Townsville has a very active birding group who are always welcoming to visitors who might want to join excursions.
NEW FEATURE AT ALLIGATOR CREEK BED AND BREAKFAST!!!!
Book for 2 nights or more and you can 'Breakfast with the Birds' in the National Park. Drive 4Km up to the park to catch the 'early birds' and we will bring your freshly-cooked breakfast to you so you can sit and eat at the picnic tables right there under the trees. if you wish to go further afield we can pack a picnic breakfast for you to take with you. Either way you don't miss out on the birds OR your breakfast!
BIRD LIST – ALLIGATOR CREEK BED AND BREAKFAST
All listed birds have been seen in or flying over the property. Some are seasonal visitors and are marked (W) for wet-season and (D) for dry-season.
For wonderful photographs of these and thousands of other birds from Australia and across the world, see Ian Montgomery's site www.birdway.com.au/ Some of Ian's beautiful prints are available for guests to buy as a memento of their Alligator Creek visit.
Binoculars and birdbooks are available for guests to use so don't worry if you've not brought any with you.
1 Darter
2 Plumed Whistling-duck (W)
3 Egrets
4 White-faced heron
5 Sacred Ibis
6 Straw-necked Ibis
7 Royal Spoonbill
8 Yellow-billed Spoonbill
9 Black-necked Stork
10 Bush-stone Curlew (resident pair)
11 Masked Lapwing
12 Pacific Baza
13 Black-shouldered Kite
14 Black Kite
15 Whistling Kite
16 Brahminy Kite
17 White-bellied Sea Eagle
18 Pied (Torresian) Imperial-Pigeon (W)
19 Peaceful Dove
20 Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
21 Galah
22 Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
23 Rainbow Lorikeet
24 Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
25 Red-winged Parrot
26 Pale-headed Rosella
27 Bronze-Cuckoo (not sure which)
28 Common Koel
29 Channel-billed Cuckoo (W)
30 Pheasant Coucal
31 Brush Cuckoo
32 Barking Owl
33 Tawny Frogmouth
34 Large-tailed Nightjar
35 White-rumped swiftlet
36 Welcome Swallow
37 Blue-winged Kookaburra
38 Forest Kingfisher
39 Sacred Kingfisher
40 Rainbow Bee-eater
41 Dollarbird (W)
42 Red-backed fairy wren (D)
43 Striated Pardalote
44 Helmeted Friarbird
45 Noisy Friarbird
46 Little Friarbird
47 Blue-faced Honeyeater
48 White-gaped Honeyeater
49 Yellow Honeyeater
50 White-throated Honeyeater
51 Brown Honeyeater
52 Dusky Honeyeater
53 Brown-backed Honeyeater
54 Grey Fantail (D)
55 Willie Wagtail
56 Leaden Flycatcher
57 Satin Flycatcher
58 Spectacled Monarch
59 Rufous Whistler
60 Magpie-lark
61 Spangled Drongo
62 Olive-backed Oriole
63 Figbird
64 Great Bowerbird
65 Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
66 White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike
67 Varied Triller
68 Masked Woodswallow
69 Black-faced Woodswallow
70 Pied Butcherbird
71 Australian Magpie
72 Welcome Swallow
73 Double-barred Finch
74 Red-browed Finch
75 Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
76 Yellow-bellied Sunbird
77 Mistletoe Bird