Afternoon all, I am heading to Iron Range later this month and may have an afternoon spare in Cooktown (depending how early we get away from Cairns). I have had a bit of a search on the internet and have found the BANQ site which has some good information. I have a couple of qestions I would be interested in anyones feedback on. Has anyone tried hiring a boat and looking for mangrove species and if so any luck? Otherwise has anyone been on a fishing tour and caiught fish? Interested in possibly heading up river and would interested in thoughts. If you have limited time around town where would you recommend birding – I have been to swamp on the edge of town and that has been quite good, but would be interested in anyone’s thoughts on good spots, particularly for tricky species like White-streaked HE (this one can be hard at Iron Range where we will be spending much time so it would be good to track it down early). Any tips or experiences of birding around Cooktown would be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Peter
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Hi Peter The mangroves of the lower Annan & Endeavour Rivers near Cooktown would be well worthwhile looking at in a small boat. I am not aware of the hire operators, but I’d imagine with a little research, one could be found in Cooktown pretty easily. I have had a bit of luck (but not much though) with some mangrove species on a couple of trips there, both by walking along these rivers on the landward side of the mangroves, but I suspect a boat would be far superior to this. I also have had a bit of luck upstream on the Endeavour River at the small village of Marton, which is only 15kms or so drive out of Cooktown, from memory. For White-streaked Honeyeater try any flowering banksia/paperbark/grevillia woodland around town. They are easier further out of town to the north, but it’s a fair way (over 80kms) for these sites & it seems you won’t have time for this. Another spot is the road into Archer Point if these species are flowering, this rd isn’t far south of Cooktown. In a ny case, the Tozer heaths on the road into Iron Range should have plenty of this species there – this is the best spot in my experience anywhere near Iron Range for them. There is a very good population there. Good luck. Cheers Martin CachardCairns0428 782 808
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