Personalised Bird Watching and Wildlife Tours
with experienced professional naturalist
Jonathan Munro

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Cairns, Tablelands, Misty Mountains, Daintree and Great Barrier Reef Regions of Tropical North Queensland

Wild Watch offers the visitor an unparalleled opportunity to observe some of Tropical North Queensland’s unique wildlife in a diversity of habitats spanning elevations from coral cays within the Great Barrier Reef to highland tropical rainforest at over 1000 metres elevation. This exceptional diversity of environments encompasses lowland, upland and highland rainforests, tall wet sclerophyll forest, dry sclerophyll forest, savannah, extensive wetlands, arable lands, mangroves, mudflats, inter-tidal zone and coral reef.

Of particular interest are the World Heritage listed rainforests which are considered to be one of the most ecologically rich and evolutionary significant sites in the world. These restricted forests support a unique assemblage of flora and fauna, and contain the highest amounts of biological diversity and endemism within Australia. Fifty-four vertebrate species are unique to the region, including five endemic possums and two species of tree kangaroos. The charismatic platypus is found throughout most of the region’s freshwater wetlands.

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Bird Watching Tours

The Tropical North Queensland region is internationally recognized as a major destination for bird watchers from around the world. Over half of Australia's bird species have been recorded from the eleven distinct habitats which occur from the Great Barrier Reef to Highland Tropical Rainforest, and all within a 150 kilometre radius of Cairns! Twelve species are locally endemic to the region, mostly occurring in the highland rainforests of the Tablelands region and all are regularly recorded at Warrigal, our private highland rainforest preserve.

A 4-day tour visiting a variety of habitats at different elevations, usually averages about 200+ species; a single day 100+ species (full species list available).

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Nocturnal Wildlife Spotlighting Tours

These popular tours are conducted in a number of different habitats but primarily at Warrigal, our private highland rainforest preserve. Situated at 1000 metres elevation in the Misty Mountains, south-west of Cairns, the preserve adjoins a State Forest fauna sanctuary within the largest single tract of tropical rainforest remaining in Australia. Warrigal has been used as a scientific research/study site for arboreal mammals and is now recognized as having one of the largest concentrations of rare rainforest ringtail possums in Australia. With favourable weather conditions it is not unusual to observe forty to sixty animals or more in a 1.5 to 2 hours walk during an evening ‘spotlighting’ tour!

Species frequently seen while spotlighting include Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo, Lemuroid (including the rare White form), Herbert River, Green and Common Ringtails, Coppery Brushtail, Striped and Long-tailed Pygmy Possums, Rufous, Masked, Red Boobook and Lesser Sooty Owls, Chameleon and Northern Leaf-tailed Geckos, Pink-tongued Lizards, Swamp Wallabies, Red-legged Pademelons, Long-nosed and Northern Brown Bandicoots and many other species.

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Platypus Tour

Platypus are mainly nocturnal and crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) but can occasionally be observed during daylight hours. They are particularly active during winter and early spring when females feed frequently to build up fat reserves in preparation for breeding and egg laying.

Sensitive to sudden noise, vibrations and movements, this secretive animal usually disappears at the first sight or sound of disturbance. On our excursions, we regularly have excellent views of this shy and elusive animal and have often observed interesting interactions between individuals and with other species.

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Sunset Kangaroo Tour

Of the forty-nine species of kangaroos that are found throughout Australia, seventeen occur in Tropical North Queensland. Of these, 10 species are relatively common within the region and are frequently observed on our early morning and afternoon/evening tours. They include Eastern Grey Kangaroos, the red form of Common Wallaroo, Whiptail, Agile and Northern Swamp Wallabies, Mareeba Rock-wallaby and Rufous Bettong.

These species show a habitat preference for open eucalypt woodland and/or rocky outcrops. The rainforest species include Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo, Red-legged Pademelon and the primitive Musky Rat-kangaroo which exhibits characteristics of ancestral kangaroos and possums. These species range in size from about 500 grams to more than 60 kg.

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Wetlands and Waterbirds Tour

We offer the visitor the opportunity to explore a number of different wetland habitats around the North Queensland’s Cairns, Southern Tablelands and Gulf Savannah regions. These diverse tropical wetlands include ephemeral nymphae lagoons, billabongs, paperbark and feather palm swamps, flood plains, deep, permanent, artificial lagoons or tanks, crater lakes or maars, mangroves, mudflats and inter-tidal zone. The ephemeral wetlands often provide excellent viewing of flocks of waterbirds such as Black Swans, Whistling Ducks, Magpie Geese, Brolgas and Sarus Cranes, Black-necked Storks, Spoonbills, Herons, Ibis, Darters and Cormorants.

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Tropical Parrot Tour

This popular tour specializes in observing psittacines in their natural habitats. Twelve species occur within the Cairns and Tablelands region including Cockatoos, Brush-tongues, Long-tailed and Broad-tailed Parrots and the diminutive Fig Parrot. Most species are regularly observed on our tours.

 

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Warrigal Highland Rainforest Preserve

The preserve and surrounding World Heritage listed area are home to many rare and unique plants and animals, including 12 species of possums and Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo and a myriad of other species. Representatives of 11 of the world's 19 primitive plant families and a number of rare orchids also occur within the preserve.

In addition two hundred and thirty-five species of birds have been recorded including all the local endemics. Golden Bowerbirds, Rufous, Lesser Sooty and Red Boobook Owls have all nested on the preserve.

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We provide:

• Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation and/or airport.
• Swarovski AT80 HD Spotting scope and binoculars.
• Species lists.

We have the following:

• Queensland Dept.of Transport approved air conditioned vehicles.
• Operator Accreditation Certificate.
• Guide Accreditation.
• Queensland Dept of Transport (Commercial) Driver Authorization.
• Current First-aid Certificate.
• Permits for restricted areas.
• Full Public Liability Insurance.