Well, today I made my return to civilization, though only for about 18 hours. This morning I packed up and headed back west out of Iron Ranges National Park and back towards the Peninusla Developmental Road and eventually on to the town of Weipa. On my way out of the national park however, there was one bird I had to see, the White-streaked Honeyeater. This honeyeater is one of the few true endemics of the Cape York Peninsula and since my project is focused on endemic birds, well I simply couldn't miss it. After I left the park and got back into the dry areas to the west it was simply a matter of time beforeI found some flowering trees with honeyeaters in them and then, without too much difficulty, I saw several of the birds. For the next hour or so I wandered through the scrub with my camera but in the end I came up empty handed. I should have more opportunities in the coming days so hopefully I will end up with a photo. If not, that leaves me 0 for 2 for the Cape York endemics (1 for 3 if you split Frill-necked Monarch and Frilled Monarch, which some books do).
So now Iam in Weipa, a small mining town on the Gulf of Carpentaria. While Weipa may be a small town, it is the largest on the peninsula and was a good spot for me to refuel, resupply, and enjoy a hot shower. I even got to spend a few minutes watching the sun set into the Gulf and take a photograph of the mangrove lined rocky coast (above). Tomorrow morning will find me back on the road bright and early because I have a long day ahead of me. Tomorrow's drive may be over some of the most difficult terrain I will see all year, depending on the conditions. So far all the creek crossings I have had have gone smoothly but starting tomorrow there will definately be some ones that my guide book describes as "interesting," which personally I find a bit disturbing. I am a bit nervous about the drive but hopefully everything will go smoothly and tomorrow night will find me closer to the top and camping next to a beautiful waterfall.
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