Dungeness - in search of Striated Heron

Following a successful trip to Lucinda, we drove around the corner to Dungeness (see map) in search of the Striated Heron seen by the group who visited yesterday.

Striated Heron live and feed among mangroves so are usually difficult to see. The launching ramp and small jetty at the end of Dungeness Road provide good viewing access directly into the mangroves and it was not long before we found one of the elusive herons.

The usual view is through the tangle of mangrove roots and branches:

Striated Heron, Dungeness Qld

but, with some persistence, you can get good views of the bird.

Striated Heron, Dungeness Qld

An added bonus was the pair of White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike we found nesting in a tree in the picnic ground next to the boat ramp. Apparently unperturbed by the human activity below, the two birds took turns sitting on the nest.

White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Dungeness Qld