Birding at Daintree

Chris, an expert bird guide and owner of Chris Dahlberg’s Specialised River Tours (Daintree Village, Queensland 4873, Australia; phone 07 4098 7997 or visit www.daintreeriver tours.com.au), was one of the reasons we chose to visit Daintree on our trip to Australia.

On our October visit, we rose early and caught the boat at the Daintree Village Jetty. (The 2-hour tour, Aus$55, or near US$42, leaves at 6:30 a.m. from Easter to Oct. 31 and at 6 a.m. Nov. 1-Jan. 31.) We immediately spotted a family of welcome swallows with their fledging young. Chris provided us with a list of all the birds we saw or heard during our cruise, including the orange-footed scrubfowl and laughing kookaburra.

The morning was cool and calm, the boat, comfortable, and the birds, abundant. An additional bonus was the absence of any troublesome insects!

The daytime weather was uncommonly hot for October (almost 100˚F). To maximize our chances of bird sightings and still be cooler, we took the ferry and drove north to explore the Daintree Rainforest Environment Center boardwalk and tower, the Jindalba Boardwalk and Cow Bay, with a stop at the Daintree Ice Cream Company. That night we dined at the Daintree Tea House Restaurant — a perfect ending to a full day.

MARILYN BROWN
Norman, OK