Wet Tropics migrant bird movements

for the past 7 days I have witnessed southward bound Spangled Drongos between Cairns and the Daintree River on migration. they are following the coastline.

what is remarkable is the sheer numbers of birds involved. most are seen between 6am-9:30am, and every time I look skyward at theses times on the coast I see them. on one occasion I counted 500 birds pass directly overhead in a 20 minute period. I would imagine there would have been tens of thousands making this trip.

has anyone else up this way witnessed this?

my first Dollarbirds for the coast this season were seen last evening, and my first Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfishers were heard this morning.

also of note, was a single Cicadabird of the southern race ‘tenuirostris’ heard this morning at Wonga Beach, obviously on-passage southbound. this race has a very different call to our local Cicadabird, and it occurs on passage on our humid coastline here only at this time of year, and in April/May when heading northbound.

cheers,

martin cachard,

solar whisper wildlife cruises, Daintree River,

& Trinity Beach