Just two days left!
We began early, yet still later than a lot of the days this trip. A 5.30 start ensured we would be at Yellow Water by 6.45 for our cruise.
Although I was still tired and slept most of the way there, I woke up fully as we boarded the boat. As Ashwin had warned me to do, I had spoken to the guide beforehand to make sure they knew I was hoping to see Little Kingfisher and Great-billed Heron.
Even as we set off, it was clear that this would be completely different to the Lake Argyle cruise. The put-put tourist boat I had imagined for Lake Argyle was realised here.
The sunrise was stunning, a mix of brilliant yellow light, golden water (I can see how the place got its name) and mist, with a few swirling clouds in the sky.
Sunrise at Yellow Water
The golden mist made for some interesting photography with the Brolgas on the riverbank. I didn't realise until afterwards what I had captured on camera, which personally I think is the best image I have ever taken - and a moment that will never be repeated quite the same.
Definitely my best image from the trip - Brolga in the mist
Whilst perhaps not as nice as the one above, these two are also favourites of mine
We got underway, and during the next two hours, I proceeded to dip on both my targets. Although we saw almost all the feral mammal species in Kakadu (pig, wild horse, cow, buffalo), and we picked up Sharp-tailed Sandpiper for my year list, and saw several adorable baby Jacanas, there was little to be seen that was new for me.
Sharp-tailed Sandpipers
Fluffy baby Comb-crested Jacanas
Wild Horses
Buffalo
Wild Pig
Sea-eagle in the morning light
Just after bath-time!
That's not to say it wasn't brilliant though! Between keeping my eyes peeled for kingfishers and herons, I was able to absorb the majesty and vastness of the 4.5m-long, river-king crocodile, affectionately named 'waters', along with several other crocodiles, and I was finally able to observe Jabiru up close - and even got to see their greeting display, and take a sequence of shots depicting it. Almost sharp, anyway.
Male Jabiru
Female Jabiru - note the yellow eye, distinguishing her from the male
The 'greeting' display of Jabiru. Both birds walk towards each other, heads down, and then when they are close they rear up, spread and flap their wings, and call loudly. Stunning to watch.
A hunting Little Egret
Just before docking, I finally picked up on Lemon-bellied Flycatcher. Ashwin and Simon had been disbelieving that I hadn't already seen one, and Derek said last year they were everywhere. Well, not this year - but I saw them!
Azure Kingfisher
Australian Pratincole
Lemon-bellied Flycatcher
We docked at 8.45am, and went for the buffet breakfast provided with the tour. After which, we returned to the boat area with the plan of doing the 2km walk that's in that area.
We began the walk, but as it turns out, for some reason it had been shut off, and we could only travel the 600m or so to a small platform overlooking a pool in the creek. Disappointed, as I had thought I might have had a second shot at Little Kingfisher on that walk, we sat down in the shade for a while.
It quickly became clear that the area wasn't as lifeless as it appeared. A Leaden Flycatcher on the nest, Paperbark Flycatcher and a Northern Fantail occupied the paperbark trees. As I was watching the fantail, Derek said 'what's that?'. Turning, I focused my bins on a medium size, pale honeyeater with a moustache-like facial stripe, and scattered thick banding along its front.
Bar-Breasted Honeyeater! I was pretty damn happy with that - Ashwin had said to me at the beginning of the trip that if I got BBHE, he'd be majorly annoyed. And I enjoy few things more than annoying Ashwin (who is far better than me) with my sightings!
Bar-breasted Honeyeater
Exultant, we walked back. We were quickly waylaid by a fossicking pair of Shining Flycatchers, very close to the metal-grid walkway.
Male Shining Flycatcher
The cherry on the icing flew in then. And that's not a sentence anyone has ever written before, by the way. A Rufous Fantail that wasn't a Rufous Fantail landed next to the Shining Flycatcher. Arafura Fantail was on the list.
Arafura Fantail
We returned to camp, and I pretty much just swandived out the car door and into the pool, somehow connecting with my swimmers on the way. After a refreshing swim (but no lunch - we were all still full after that breakfast!) we lounged for a few hours, until we got bored and drove to Mamukala Wetland.
I would have preferred to take Ashwin's advice and return to Nourlangie for another go at Banded Fruit-dove and Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon, but Derek said he'd rather go to a new spot - and fair enough. So we went and walked several kilometres at Mamukala Wetland instead, enjoying the abundant birdlife.
Golden-headed Cisticola
Australian Hobby
Since then, I have done no birding, it has been too hot and humid. Sweat is pouring off me right now, and it's 9.30pm. We will leave Kakadu for Darwin tomorrow, and with our departure, all my hopes and dreams of Banded Fruit-dove, Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon, Partridge Pigeon (arghhh everyone else sees them there at the visitors centre, why couldn't I!?), Little Kingfisher and Great-billed Heron will disappear for this trip. However the stunning landscape, the White-lined Honeyeater, the Bar Breasted Honeyeater, the Brolga in the mist and the baby jacanas have entirely made up for any and all dips. Except Partridge Pigeon. Damn.
Tomorrow we will stop at Howard Springs, then Adelaide River Bridge, where I will hunt for Mangrove Robin and Mangrove Golden Whistler. And then Darwin itself, where I will spend Sunday morning birding with a pro, to find last minute lifers before my plane.
It was to be a mostly uneventful day. I had given up my hopes for Partridge Pigeon, but it still stung when Derek said he saw a cinnamon pigeon with a red eye patch run across the road while we were driving. I'd been asleep.
In the small settlement at Mary River, an Emerald Dove flew across the road, a lifer, but one I could get in Darwin. I kept my eyes open for a long time, but no Partridges appeared before me.
We stopped at Adelaide River Bridge, and I did what Ashwin had instructed me to do, pushing my way into the bushes on the riverside. Unlike him though, I didn't have lots of Mangrove Golden Whistler or a pair of White-browed Robins frolicking in front of me. None of either, actually. Two more lifers kaput. The only consolation was a nesting pair of Broad Billed Flycatcher, the pair of them together nicely dispelling all doubt of Leaden.
Broad Billed Flycatchers, nest building
Testing to see if it's ready yet!
Continuing the drive, our other stop was Fogg Dam. Not so much a dam really at the moment, because it's the end of the dry season. But plenty of birdlife, including Forest Kingfisher, Scrubfowl, heaps of Jacanas, and several small passerines I wasn't able to get views of, but I heard the calls of in the trees above. Very frustrating, as I didn't recognise the calls!
Forest Kingfishers - I'm a sucker for blue, so these guys were instant hits
Northern Fantail
We didnt see any Rainbow Pitta, which makes me uncomfortable. They're easier in Darwin according to Ashwin, but then partridge Pigeon is easy at the Bowali centre.
That's not to say there was no birdlife. Varied Trillers were all around us, and Grey Whistlers came up very close to check us out. Lifer #3 for the day. On the return walk, we could hear Rose Crowned Fruit Doves calling in the canopy, but to my frustration they remained invisible. A Brush-tailed Possum was nestled in the fork of a branch, right out in the open - risky behaviour in a site where Rufous Owls are recorded!.
Grey Whistler
An oddly exposed resting place for a Brush-tailed Possum, on the monsoon forest track at Fogg Dam
Eventually, we arrived back at our starting place in Palmerston and spent the afternoon packing up, before going out to dinner at the Sky City casino. The food was excellent, making up for the casino part, and we had a reasonably good view of the sunset.
Tomorrow morning I will be getting up early for the last time of my northern adventure, as local birding tour operator Mike Jarvis has very generously offered to pick me up at 6.30am for a guided birding tour of some birding locations around Darwin. Looking forward to it!
By 6am I was awake, and preparing to leave the house. At 6.20, I waited at the end of the driveway as Mike Jarvis pulled up in his black Experience the Wild 4wd.
As we departed, Mike told me that although he had been sure he had been running a tour today, there was actually no booking - so it would be just the two of us.
Our plan was to spend from 6.30 to 12.00 driving around, hitting sites in and near Darwin for a few target species, on a tour itinerary decided on by Mike. Our first stop was Palmerston Sewerage Works.
Palmerponds, as Mike called them, are not your average sewage works. They are not (or at least, are no longer) accessible by the public. A long walk around the fence was necessary to reach a mangrove area, and even when we reached it there was a fence in the way.
We spent over an hour there, ticking away. This sewage plant stunk, unlike many I've been to, and so when we left it was almost a relief. We had seen Large-billed Gerygone on the nest and Common Greenshank, both lifers, along with several trip ticks - and we had heard but not seen several other interesting species, including Yellow White-eye, Black Butcherbird and Mangrove Robin - all of them lifers, but heard only! I'll just HAVE to come back I suppose...
Large-billed Gerygone
A party of Common Sandpipers at the Palmerston Sewage Works
Gull-billed Tern, hanging around with the hundreds of Whiskered Terns over the ponds.
Common Greenshank (and a Radjah Shelduck behind)
A nice parting gift from the Palmerston poo-ponds - a flock of Varied Lorikeets, my second sighting for the trip.
After Palmerston, we headed to Howard Springs. Despite what Ashwin had said about a resident Little Kingfisher, my last hope for the species, Mike hadn't heard of it - and to back him up, we didn't see it.
We started off by walking to the right of the carpark (from a coming-in point of view) in the vague hope of seeing Rufous Owl. unfortunately, we didn't see it. So we walked up the path around the monsoon forest, and after a short while, we could hear the calls of the Rainbow Pitta to our right.
The Rainbow Pitta was a special target of mine. If I saw it, it would be my first ever Pitta species. I was almost disappointed - I'd have preferred to start with Red-chested or something, even Noisy, as from the field guide illustrations Rainbow looked pretty plain.
The Pitta stopped calling, and we sped up a little. Suddenly, a flash of black and blue caught my attention just a few centimetres off the path, behind a palm frond. I called out, and Mike spun around - he hadn't noticed it. The Pitta remained hidden for several seconds before hopping into full view.
I mentally abused myself for calling this bird plain. Illustrations and photographs do nothing for its actual beauty - the glossy, satin black with the gorgeous sky-blue shoulder patches, with the funny chestnut markings on the head, almost reminiscent of the purple on a Purple-crowed Fairy Wren, and the dark green of the back all blending together to form a perfect contrast.
Rainbow Pitta - one of the most stunning birds I've ever seen
The pitta stayed around, posing for photographs on the dark forest floor for several minutes, before hopping back out of view.
Feeling our morning had already been made, the call of a Little Shrike-thrush beckoned from up the path. We spent a lot of time peering into the forest, watching the fronds of the palm trees quiver under the weight of the perched LST, but he would not show - except very briefly as he flew. No photo. Could be worse, still got a tickable view!
Emerald Doves flew across the path a little further along, presenting the last really interesting bird for Howard Springs. My photo hit rate was disappointing, but then, a view is far more important than a photo to me.
A turtle, although I'm not sure what species, checking us out from beneath the bridge at Howard Springs
There was one final annoyance though - another bird that would not allow itself be viewed. As we walked to the car, Rose-crowned Fruit Doves began calling behind us. We searched, but the doves stayed hidden. Until next trip.
A brief stop at Knuckey Lagoon gave us the opportunity to do some Great/Intermediate Egret identification, although nothing new was present there - Brush Cuckoo called (what is it with all the calling and no seeing today!?!?!?) from the bushes to the side of the path.
It was getting late, and very hot. Our final stop for the day would be Lee Point, near Buffalo Creek. I had suggested Nightcliffe for the Oriental Plovers that had been seen there, but Mike said the tide was no good. We found plenty of waders at Lee Point, including several new ones among the usuals (new ones being Geater Sand Plover, Grey Plover, Grey Tailed Tattler; and the usuals being Red Capped Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Far Eastern Curlew and Whimbrel). Sadly, due to distance, backlighting and heat distortion, it was virtually impossible to get photographs.
After spending some time searching through the waders with the scope, we walked towards the mangrove area. Mike laughingly suggested we might tick off Chesnut Rail before we left. As soon as we arrived though, we could see that we were too late, and the tide was too far in.
Nevertheless, the mangroves produced a final gift. A male and two female Red-headed Honeyeaters provided tantalising but tickable views, and terrible photographs. Another bird that the field guides do no justice, the RHHE is an absolutely stunning bird, and I'm ecstatic that I was able to see a male in full colour.
A terrible photo of a male Red-headed Honeyeater, but it's all I was able to get.
Mike drove me back to Kylie's house, and departed. I packed, ate lunch, and we headed for the airport.
And now, after what is without question the biggest adventure I have ever been on, I am returned to my window seat on the Virgin Australia flight VA 1354 to Sydney. This plane doesn't have an entertainment system, so I can't tell you where exactly I am, how fast I'm going or how high up we are. I'm here, contemplating the choice between going to sleep and spending an agonising five minutes flicking through the endless ads for watches in the magazine. I think sleep will win out.
As I write this final sentence, it occurs to me I am yet to acknowledge and thank several people:
Kylie Burton for letting me stay during the two nights I was in Palmerston, and for taking me on a car-tour of Darwin on my last evening.
Mike Jarvis, for his generosity in taking me out to many sites for birding this morning and gaining me my final lifers for the trip. If you're ever in Darwin, make sure you look up his tours at http://www.experiencethewild.com.au/.
Mike Fidler, Sarah Pryke and the Save the Gouldian Fund for hosting this, the final count, without which I would have had no reason to travel to Wyndham this year.
Case and Ingrid Hulsebosch for providing us with sites, coordinates, and much information on birds and their movements in the areas ahead of us, and for providing good company between Lake Argyle and Halls Creek!
All the volunteers at the count, for making me welcome, sharing their knowledge and expertise, and for the great time chatting and counting.
The tour guides, Greg and Jamie from Lake Argyle and Yellow Water respectively, for providing great experiences on their boat tours.
And finally and perhaps most importantly, my parents for financing and allowing this trip!
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It's been fun writing these posts, now it's time to get up to date!
To be honest, the main reason I wrote these posts (and really anything on this blog) is so that other people can then use my experiences to aid themselves in their own birding trips.
Before I left for Darwin, I did extensive research online for site and sighting information - this is the sort of thing I was looking for, and at the time I didn't find very much. So I hope that, if anyone reading this is planning a trip up north, this series will be at least a little helpful :)
- Julian
A final tally of the bird species seen (in taxonomic order):
- Orange-footed Scrubfowl
- Brown Quail
- Wandering Whistling-duck
- Plumed Whistling-duck
- Magpie Goose
- Radjah Shelduck
- Green Pygmy-goose
- Hardhead
- Pacific Black Duck
- Pink-eared Duck
- Grey Teal
- Great-crested Grebe
- Hoary-headed Grebe
- Australasian Grebe
- Rock Dove
- Diamond Dove
- Peaceful Dove
- Bar-shouldered Dove
- Crested Pigeon
- Spinifex Pigeon
- White-quilled Rock Pigeon
- Pied Imperial Pigeon
- Emerald Dove
- Darter
- Great Cormorant
- Little-black Cormorant
- Pied Cormorant
- Little-pied Cormorant
- Jabiru
- Australian Pelican
- White-necked Heron
- White-faced Heron
- Pied Heron
- Cattle Egret
- Little Egret
- Intermediate Egret
- Great Egret
- Nankeen Night-heron
- Glossy Ibis
- Straw-necked Ibis
- Australian White Ibis
- Royal Spoonbill
- Yellow billed Spoonbill
- Black-shouldered Kite
- Black Kite
- Whistling Kite
- Black-breasted Buzzard
- Collared Sparrowhawk
- Brown Goshawk
- Brahminy Kite
- White-bellied Sea-eagle
- Wedge-tailed Eagle
- Spotted Harrier
- Brown Falcon
- Nankeen Kestrel
- Australian Hobby
- Brolga
- White-browed Crake
- Purple Swamphen
- Australian Bustard
- Bush-stone Curlew
- Black-winged Stilt
- Pacific Golden Plover
- Grey Plover
- Red-capped Plover
- Greater Sand-plover
- Red-kneed Dotterel
- Black-fronted Dotterel
- Masked Lapwing
- Comb-crested Jacana
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Eastern Curlew
- Whimbrel
- Marsh Sandpiper
- Wood Sandpiper
- Common Greenshank
- Grey-tailed Tattler
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
- Australian Pratincole
- Caspian Tern
- Gull billed Tern
- Whiskered Tern
- Silver Gull
- Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
- Galah
- Little Corella
- Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
- Red-collared Lorikeet
- Varied Lorikeet
- Red-winged Parrot
- Cockatiel
- Northern Rosella
- Hooded Parrot
- Budgerigar
- Pheasant Coucal
- Barking Owl
- Azure Kingfisher
- Blue-winged Kookaburra
- Forest Kingfisher
- Sacred Kingfisher
- Red-backed Kingfisher
- Rainbow Bee-eater
- Dollarbird
- Rainbow Pitta
- Great Bowerbird
- Variegated Fairy-wren
- Purple-crowned Fairy-wren
- Red-backed Fairy-wren
- Large-billed Gerygone
- Weebill
- Striated Pardalote
- White-gaped Honeyeater
- White-lined Honeyeater
- Singing Honeyeater
- Grey-fronted Honeyeater
- Yellow-tinted Honeyeater
- Bar-breasted Honeyeater
- Rufous-throated Honeyeater
- Rufous-banded Honeyeater
- Banded Honeyeater
- Dusky Honeyeater
- Red-headed Honeyeater
- Brown Honeyeater
- Black-chinned Honeyeater
- White-throated Honeyeater
- Blue-faced Honeyeater
- Little Friarbird
- Silver-crowned Friarbird
- Helmeted Friarbird
- Yellow-throated Miner
- Yellow Chat
- Grey-crowned Babbler
- Varied Sitella
- Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
- White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike
- White-winged Triller
- Varied Triller
- Grey Whistler
- Rufous Whistler
- Little Shrike-thrush
- Sandstone Shrike-thrush
- Olive-backed Oriole
- Green Oriole
- Australasian Figbird
- White-breasted Woodswallow
- Black-faced Woodswallow
- Little Woodswallow
- Grey Butcherbird
- Pied Butcherbird
- Torresian Crow
- Little Crow
- Arafura Fantail
- Willie Wagtail
- Grey Fantail
- Northern Fantail
- Broad-billed Flycatcher
- Leaden Flycatcher
- Shining Flycatcher
- Paperbark Flycatcher
- Magpie Lark
- Apostlebird
- Spangled Drongo
- Lemon-bellied Flycatcher
- Buff-sided Robin
- Australasian Pipit
- Horsfields Bushlark
- Golden-headed Cisticola
- Australian Reed-warbler
- Little Grassbird
- Welcome Swallow
- Tree Martin
- Fairy Martin
- Mistletoebird
- Double-barred Finch
- Masked Finch
- Long-tailed Finch
- Star Finch
- Crimson Finch
- Zebra Finch
- Gouldian Finch
- Yellow-rumped Mannikin
- Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
Heard Only:
- Brush Cuckoo
- Mangrove Robin
- Yellow White-eye
- Black Butcherbird
- Rose-Crowned Fruit-dove
