Our Tasmania birding tour begins in Hobart, Tasmania’s vibrant waterfront capital. We will meet for a welcome dinner and a briefing about the exciting birding ahead. Tasmania hosts twelve endemic bird species, and over the coming days we will visit several of the island’s most reliable locations to find them plus a host of other exciting species.
Overnight: Hobart

After breakfast we travel to Mount Field National Park, one of Tasmania’s best locations for forest birding and a key site for many of the island’s endemic species. Here we search towering eucalypt forests and cool temperate rainforest for a number of Tasmanian specialties including Scrubtit, Tasmanian Scrubwren, Tasmanian Thornbill, Strong-billed Honeyeater, Yellow-throated Honeyeater, Black Currawong, and Green Rosella. Open areas around the park may also produce Dusky Robin and Tasmanian Nativehen.

In the afternoon we return toward Hobart and continue south to Kettering, where we board the ferry to Bruny Island. The island is an important stronghold for several endemic birds and will be our base for the next two nights.
Overnight: Bruny Island

All twelve of Tasmania’s endemic species are found on Bruny: Tasmanian Native-hen, Green Rosella, Dusky Robin, Tasmanian Thornbill, Forty-spotted Pardalote, Tasmanian Scrubwren, Scrub-Tit, Yellow Wattlebird, Black Currawong, Strong-billed Honeyeater, Black-headed Honeyeater, and Yellow-throated Honeyeater.

We’ll spend the full day birding on the island targeting the endemics and the non-endemics that are more abundant on Tasmania than on the mainland, including Hooded Plover, Brush Bronzewing, Swift Parrot, Flame and Pink Robins, Crescent Honeyeater, and the Forest Raven, Tasmania’s only Corvid. Along the coast we should see Black-faced Cormorants Short-tailed Shearwaters, and other seabirds. We may also do some night spotlighting for marsupials including Bennett’s Wallaby, Tasmanian Pademelon, Long-nosed Potoroo, and Eastern Quoll. Overnights on Bruny Island.

After a final morning of birding on Bruny Island, we take the ferry back to mainland Tasmania and travel toward the spectacular Tasman Peninsula.

Along the way we may stop at productive sites such as Peter Murrell Conservation Area, where dry forests can hold honeyeaters and pardalotes and may produce Swift Parrot in season. Coastal areas along the South Arm Peninsula may also provide opportunities to observe Pacific Gull, Kelp Gull, and shorebirds.

By late afternoon we arrive at Eaglehawk Neck where we will check into our accommodation for the next 2 nights. After dinner we visit a nearby beach to look for Little Penguins returning from the sea to their burrows. We may also go spotlighting searching for nocturnal wildlife such as Tasmanian Pademelon, Bennett’s Wallaby, Common Brushtail Possum, and with luck Eastern Quoll or Common Wombat. Night birds may include Tawny Frogmouth and Southern Boobook. Overnight: Eaglehawk Neck

Today we embark on an exciting pelagic birding trip off the dramatic coastline of the Tasman Peninsula. These waters are among the most productive in Australia for seabirds.

On a typical outing we record five or more albatross species. The pelagic waters here also offer good opportunities for Cookilaria petrels, with species such as Cook’s, Pycroft’s, and Gould’s Petrels all possible. Other seabirds may include shearwaters, storm-petrels, diving petrels, and prions, along with the chance of encountering marine mammals.

In the evening we may visit a nearby beach to watch for Little Penguins returning to shore and possibly another spotlighting session in search of nocturnal wildlife. Overnight: Eaglehawk Neck

This morning we enjoy some final birding around the Tasman Peninsula, where forest edges and coastal habitats provide spectacular scenery and birding.

Later we return to Hobart where the afternoon is free to relax or explore the city. In the evening we will gather for a farewell dinner to celebrate the highlights of the tour. Overnight: Hobart