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Written by Phil & Sue Gregory
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We have a number of short tours which originate in Cairns. With half days around Cairns city sites, to full days up onto the Tablelands and even a few days accommodated trips away we have something for everyone. Please feel free to enquire about customising your trip to visit different sites or perhaps to give you the chance to see more of our native mammals, it may not cost you anymore. Below is a selection of the tours we can offer. Most of these tours are costed from Cairns and if you are already staying at Cassowary House a lower rate may apply. Please enquire about group rates.
Click on the titles to bring up more information about each one.
Cairns Half Day Birdwatching Tour
A half day exploring city sites. Locations will vary depending on the tide, weather and time of year. The shorebirds of the Esplanade including Far Eastern Curlew, Great Knot, Red-necked Stint, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Greater and Lesser Sand-Plovers and Grey-tailed Tattler are of special interest.
Southern Tablelands Full Day Birdwatching Tour
Visiting a wide range of habitats from lowland to mid altitude rainforest, from wetlands to dry country this tour offers you a great introduction to birding the Cairns/Atherton Tablelands area. This region has the largest avifauna in Australia and also some of its most spectacular birds including Cassowary, Brolga and Sarus Cranes, Wompoo Fruit-Dove and Bower's Shrike-thrush.
Daintree River Cruise and Mt Lewis Full Day Birdwatching Tour
For those who don't mind an early start this is a great way to see the best of of the Daintree birds. Mt Lewis is high altitude rain forest and has a number of birds which are not easy to see elsewhere. Some of the Far North Queensland endemics such as Chowchilla, Fernwren, Atherton Scrubwren, Pied Monarch, Mountain Thornbill Blue-faced Parrot-Finch and Golden and Tooth-billed Bowerbirds are all possible on Mt Lewis and the river can offer Little and Azure Kingfisher, Black Bittern and Salt-water Crocodiles..
Northern Tablelands Full Day Birdwatching Tour
After an early start in the rainforest this tour visits the drier areas around Mareeba and and further north. Wetlands and dry schlerophyll forest are major features of this tour. Cassowary, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Squatter Pigeon, Australian Bustard, Papuan Frogmouth, Noisy Pitta and Victoria's Riflebird
Breakfast With The Platypus Tour
Why not start the day watching platypus swimming in a Tablelands stream while eating your specially prepared picnic breakfast? Join us at our private platypus viewing spot and enjoy great views of these wonderful animals. Also included is an early morning rainforest guided walk.
Tablelands Wildlife Tour
Small group and individual trips from Cairns or Cassowary House with an emphasis on seeing the wildlife of the Cairns /Atherton Tablelands region in their natural habitats. Come with us to see some of the best of our areas wildlife. From lazy kangaroos to squabbling fruit bats, beautiful butterflies to lounging lizards and even the shy and iconic platypus. Our expert guides are knowledgeable and informative and are happy to share their love of this areas wildlife with you.
Spotlighting Tour
Small group and individual spotlighting trips from Cairns or Cassowary House on private land with restricted access. Tree kangaroos, a variety of possums, bandicoots, platypus and a variety of night birds are just a few of the possibilities.
The Tropical North 5 Day/4 Night Birdwatching Tour
For those with a little more time to spare this tour allows greater coverage of this fascinating area. A trip out to Michaelmas Cay where snorkeling and diving can be combined with birding and photography of the breeding colonies of terns and noddies is included in the package. This tour is fully accommodated.
Georgetown 3 Day/2 night Birdwatching Tour
On the other side of the Dividing Range Georgetown is officially Outback Australia. This fully accommodated tour allows you a tantalising glimpse of the birdlife away from the coastal strip. This is great area for finches including Black-throated, Masked and Zebra Finch and perhaps Pictorella Mannikin. Emu, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Red-winged Parrot, Squatter and Spinifex Pigeions, Common Bronzewing, Australian Bustard and Great Bowerbird are other notable species.
Cape York 4 Day/3 Night Birdwatching Tour: Bamaga
The area around Bamaga on the trip of Cape York has a a number of birds that cannot be seen elsewhere in Australia. The cost of this fully accommodated tour includes the flight to and from Bamaga. Special birds include Palm Cockatoo, Frill-necked Monarch, White-faced Robin, Magnificent Riflebird, Trumpet Manucode and Fawn-breasted Bowerbird,
Cape York 8 Day/7 night Birdwatching Tour: Iron Range
With a chance to visit a number of habitats on the way north and the option of flying back to Cairns at the end of the tour this fully accommodated tour is a great way to explore Cape York. We start the tour with a couple of nights at Lotusbird Lodge exploring the Lakefield National Park area where we will look for area specials including Red Goshawk, Golden-shouldered Parrot and Star Finch before driving on up to Iron Range itself. Like Bamaga this area is home to a number of very limited range specialities such as Palm Cockatoo, Magnificent Riflebird, Yellow-billed Kingfisher and Green-backed Honeyeater.
Lotusbird Lodge 4 Day/3 night Birdwatching Tour
A picturesque and comfortable lodge situated half way up Cape York, Lotusbird Lodge offers a comfortable venue for exploring this interesting area. With a variety of interesting habitats within easy reach including a beautiful lagoon just outside your cabin door this is a great place to spend a few days. Special birds include the extremely rare Golden-shouldered Parrot and Red Goshawk.
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Cairns/Kuranda Birding 
