WILL I EVER SEE A BLACK-EARED CATBIRD?

I have just returned from my fourth trip to Iron Range.  On this occasion (as on the last) I had just one aim:  to see a Black-eared Catbird.  Before I signed up for the trip, I asked about catbirds and was assured that there was a good chance of seeing one.  We spent three nights at Lockhart River, and in that time we heard three catbird calls.  Each was a single call.  None was repeated.  Looking back, I don't believe that there ever was a reasonable chance of seeing a catbird.

Iron Range is on the north of Cape York.  It is a long way from Melbourne.  To get there, I fly to Cairns, then fly in a Dash 8 to Lockhart River, which takes 1 hour 40 minutes from Cairns.

My first trip to Iron Range was in June 2008 with Klaus.  We saw Green-backed Honeyeaters, Eclectus and Red-cheeked Parrots.  Also the northern races of Double-eyed Fig-Parrots (male with red on his face) and Red-browed Finches (with brighter colours).  We saw a Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo at Cook's Hut and several Papuan Frogmouths (with red eyes) and Marbled Frogmouths (with orange eyes).  We stayed at a house in Portland Roads and came home one night to a Large-tailed Nightjar sitting on our driveway.  Klaus did a good job and we saw all the birds we'd hoped to see.  I thought I would never need to return to Iron Range.  

Quintell Beach

In September 2015, with Richard Baxter, I stopped briefly at Portland Roads on the way to Raine Island (to see the Herald Petrel).  Again, we admired Double-eyed Fig-Parrots at close quarters, but we had little time for birding and hurried to catch our boat.

Then came the catbird split and I had to return to Iron Range to see the Black-eared Catbird, now given full species status.  In July 2017, I visited with Phil Maher.  We had four nights at the Lockhart River cabins and saw 77 species of birds.  Alas! the Black-eared Catbird was not one of them.

After that, I did not want to go all the way to Iron Range and again miss out on my catbird.  Chook Crawford was running a tour in January 2018, arriving on Friday 12 January and leaving on Monday 15 January.  I quizzed him about catbirds and he said there was 'a good chance' of seeing one.

My cabin at Lockhart River

There were 14 of us on the tour, as well as Chook and his wife, Tracey.  I think 14 is too many for one guide with one scope.  Having said that, I believe everyone on the tour was quite satisfied with the birds we saw.  Everyone that is, except me!  We all saw Red-bellied Pittas, Northern Scrub-robins, Eclectus and Red-cheeked Parrots, Palm Cockatoos and White-streaked Honeyeaters.  And we had great views of Black-winged Monarchs.  For the first two days, I had vicarious pleasure in others getting life ticks.  Then, when I realized that I was not going to see my catbird, the pleasure waned.

Chook Crawford contemplating catbirds at Cook's Hut

We were lucky that it didn't rain, but the weather was hot and sticky and uncomfortable.  We did a lot of bush bashing for the pittas, something I never enjoy.  They were a good bunch of people and it was great to see some very beautiful birds.  However, I went to see a catbird and in this I failed dismally.

2018 is not starting off well for me.