Trip Reports 2016
List of sightings and reports from recent tours
Best of Top End Birding August 4-11, 2016
Guide Mike Jarvis, guests - Maree and Helen, John and Kate, Marlee and Sue. Photos contributed by Maree Hanrahan
Best of Top End Birding July 14-21, 2016
Guide - Mike Jarvis, guests - Marg, Lesley, Rachel, Fiona, Clare and Brian. Photography – Marg Lacey
Highlights as expressed by guests
Day 1 Breakfast at East Point rotunda, birds coming to drink from leaking tap. Emerald Dove and Peaceful Doves at East Point. Little Kingfisher at East Point Mangrove Boardwalk. Over forty Hooded Parrots at Pine Creek. White -throated Honeyeaters. Dinner and accommodation at Pine Creek. 63 species seen.
Day 2 Breakfast at Fergusson River. This morning was 12 degrees and the Gouldians didn't arrive until 9:40am! Eventually we saw quite a few species. Saw Figbirds and Little Friarbirds at Katherine. Stopped for a few minutes at Brandy Bottle Creek and saw Apostlebirds, Azure Kingfisher, Cockatiels, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Darter, Great Egret and Pied Butcherbirds. Dinner and accommodation at Victoria River Roadhouse. 50 species seen today.
Day 3 Bush Breakfast at Dingo Springs, a very tranquil place with Star and Crimson Finches, Azure Kingfisher and Black-breasted Buzzard. Also a Grey Fantail. Stopped at the Bullita Access turnoff. Saw Star Finches, Chestnut-breasted Mannikins and breeding plumage male Red-backed Fairywren. Picnic lunch at Policeman’s Point. Saw a Weebill building its nest, flock of Varied Sittellas and a Johnstons Crocodile. Buff-sided Robin and Black Flying Foxes at Timber Creek. Dinner and accommodation at Timber Creek. 63 species seen.
Day 4 Bush breakfast at Bullita Access Road T/O. Temperature was 6 degrees but no wind so it didn't seem to be that cold. (Maximum for the day was 26.) Red-browed Pardalote showed well at the breakfast location, also Azure Kingfisher at its nest. There was a 'tree of life Lysiphyllum cunninghamii with 9 species in it - Varied Lorikeet, White-gaped Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Yellow-tinted Honeyeater, Black-faced Woodswallow, White-winged Triller, Banded Honeyeater, Little Friarbird, Peaceful Dove. Good view of a Common Bronzewing on the side of the highway near Katherine. Golden-headed Cisticola on the Bullita Access Road. Searched for the Purple-crowned Fairy near the Vic River Roadhouse, had a brief glimpse as one called then flew over us. 56 species seen.
Day 5 Bush breakfast at Nitmiluk after the Baruwei lookout walk. Discussed biology of Black Flying Fox, and Blue-winged Kookaburra on a gumtree. Red Goshawk in Kakadu. Yellow Water on the Balanda (private tour) - Comb-crested Jacanas with small chicks, Brolgas, Nankeen Night Herons, Pheasant Coucal, Bar-breasted Honeyeaters and Radjah Shelduck with ducklings. Dinner and accom at Jabiru. 83 species seen.
Day 6 Did the Burrunggui loop walk, viewed the rock art. Saw Northern Rosellas, Northern Fantails and a Mistletoebird. Claire found a Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon 300m away from Gunwarddehwarddeh lookout! Three metre Croc at Anbangbang Billabong with Little Corellas doing an alarm performance around it. Did the Ubirr circuit walk, saw rock art, great views, Sandstone Shrike-thrush and Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon. Fi especially appreciated the Thylacine painting. Brian skipped, hopped and jumped like a wallaby! Saw a Top End Fire-tailed Skink. Picnic lunch near Manngarre, below ficus with several Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves, Varied Trillers and Green Oriole. Five crocs seen in the East Alligator River. Partridge Pigeon on Ubirr Road. Rainbow Bee-eaters coming to roost near our camp. Family of Red-backed Fairywrens. Dinner and accom at Kakadu Lodge, Jabiru. 63 species seen.
Day 7 Left Jabiru at 5.45am, temp was 14 degrees. Bush breakfast with dawn chorus at first light at Mamukala with a setting full moon. Walked the 4 km loop walk, saw Brush Cuckoo, Mistletoebird, Pheasant Coucals, Pacific Baza, LTF, DBF and CF all nesting in one area on the track. Continued on to South Alligator River and saw lots of Lemon-bellied Flyrobins and a Black-breasted Buzzard, had lunch. Walked the Bird Billabong track to the bird hide. Saw Johnsons Crocs, Pelicans, Red-necked and Black-fronted Dotterels and a Dingo. Dinner and accom at Mary River Park. 82 species seen.
Day 8 Left Mary River Wilderness at 5.45am, temp was 16 degrees. The Marrakai was very moist, foggy and smoky. Had breakfast at the creek near the Margaret River. So dewy that few finches came in to drink. Fogg added an ethereal atmosphere to keep the photographers occupied. Had several Arafura Fantails at Margaret River and a Royal Spoonbill that came and landed close by. Had lunch at Fogg Dam, Arafura Fantail, Grey Whistler and Shining Flycatcher showed well. Saw several Brolgas, a Swamp Harrier and dozens of Crimson Finches. Rachel saw a Golden Tree Snake near the toilets. Saw a female Black-necked Stork come in and have a bath in the lagoon near Pandanus lookout.
Then we stopped by the magnetic termite mounds. Next we went to the Botanical Gardens and Laurie showed us where the Rufous Owl was roosting. Saw a Red-headed Honeyeater at Jingili Water Gardens and then checked in to the Club Tropical.
Dinner and accommodation at Club Tropical.
Total of 156 bird species seen on the trip.
Kakadu Naturalists' Tour July 1-5, 2016
Led by Ian Morris and Mike Jarvis, guests – Steve and Amy from the US and Judy and Elisabeth from Sydney. Most of the photos were taken by Ian Morris
Highlights as expressed by guests
Day 1 Darwin to Mary River
Bush breakfast on the Marrakai track. Gouldians at breakfast location. Varied Sittellas nesting, group feeding young ones. Many birds on the Margaret River. Picnic lunch at Adelaide River. Bird Billabong, good variety of waterbirds.
Accommodation and dinner at Mary River Park.
Day 2 Mary River to Kakadu
Loop walk at Mamukala through woodlands. Dwarf Green Tree Frog. Bush breakfast. Black-breasted Buzzard on Arnhem Highway. Mudskippers at Manngarre. Picnic lunch at Manngarre. Rock art and rock formations at Ubirr were very impressive great view from Nadab lookout, Carlia amax. Wilkin’s Rock Wallabies and Chestnut-quilled Rock-pigeons. Black Flying Foxes at Manngarre. 250 Rainbow Bee-eaters settling down to roost at Jabiru.
Delicious dinner and accommodation at Kakadu Lodge.
Day 3 Explore Kakadu
We spent most of the morning looking at and learning about the scenery and rock art on Burrunggui. Saw Banded Fruit-dove, Sandstone Helmeted Friarbird and had a glimpse of White-lined Honeyeater. Breakfast at Anbangbang Billabong, saw Partridge Pigeon on the way in. Went to Jim Jim Billabong, saw a fire raging with Kites, Brown Falcon and White-breasted Woodswallows. Lunch at the old Cooinda site on Jim Jim Creek. Went to the Warradjan Visitor Centre and then the Yellow Water cruise on the Balanda with Iwadja man Reuben. Dinner and accommodation at Jabiru.
Day 4 Kakadu to Pine Creek
Left Jabiru at 5am. Hooded Parrots at Pine Creek. Red Goshawk at Akoymarrwa. Breakfast at Gunlom then climb up to the infinity pool and beyond where some had a swim and we saw Sandstone Shrike-thrush, Banded Fruit-dove but no White-throated Grasswren. Picnic lunch at Gunlom, then saw Red Goshawk at the Gunlom turnoff. Cycas conferta, SBBB and YTM at Harriot Creek. Eighty plus Hooded Parrots at Pine Creek. Dinner and accommodation at the Lazy Lizard.
Day 5 Pine Creek to Darwin
We started off with a bush breakfast at Fergusson River and had beautiful sightings of Gouldian Finches and Northern Rosella coming to drink and other species. From there we followed a back track down to see the very rare Grevillea benthamiana which is restricted in its range to a small area near Pine Creek. We next stopped at the Bridge Creek Dam for lunch. Magnetic Termites on Stuart Highway. Compass check confirmed North-South access. Back to Darwin, birded around East Point.
Walk along Ferguson River to Cockatiel Pools very beautiful, saw a Pied Butcherbird family putting on some antics and serenading us at breakfast. Lunch spot at Bridge Creek Dam very stunning. Red-collared Lorikeets fussing around a hollow. Fringed Snowflake Lilly at Bridge Creek Dam, and Bar-breasted Honeyeater nest. Water and trees at every spot we stopped.
The tour finished with a group dinner at Club Tropical
Kakadu Naturalists' Tour June 23-27, 2016
Led by Mike Jarvis and Ian Morris. Guests – Margaret and Marian, Robin and Doug, Judy and Lynda.
Highlights as expressed by guests for each day.
Day 1 Darwin to Mary River
Bush breakfast on the Marrakai track. Gouldians at breakfast location. Black-necked Storks in flight. Black Bittern at Adelaide River Billabong. Partridge Pigeons, Square-tailed Kite on the Marrakai. Picnic lunch at Bird Billabong. Bamboo Walk at the Mary River Wilderness Retreat, birds everywhere, Pheasant Coucal, Spangled Drongos and Rufous Whistler.
Accommodation and dinner at Mary River Wilderness Retreat.
Night walk on Bamboo Walk.
Day 2 Mary River to Kakadu
Mamukala loop walk, Brown Quail, Masked Finches nesting on the ground near the path. Rufous-banded Honeyeater nest at the hide. Bush breakfast at Mamukala. Visited Bowali Visitor Centre. Picnic lunch at Jabiru Lake, Sacred Kingfisher and Comb-crested Jacana. Rock art and rock formations at Ubirr were very impressive. Wilkin’s Rock Wallabies and 6 Chestnut-quilled Rock-pigeons. Rainbow Pitta, Four o’clock Moth and Black Flying Foxes at Manngarre.
Delicious dinner and accommodation at Kakadu Lodge.
Day 3 Explore Kakadu
We spent most of the morning looking at and learning about the scenery and rock art on Burrunggui. Saw Banded Fruit-dove, Black Cockatoos eating Terminalia ferdinandia. Bush breakfast at Anbangbang. Lots of Magpie Geese, Plumed and Wandering Whistling-ducks, Comb-crested Jacanas and Royal Spoonbills. Picnic lunch at Warradjan, then we went to the Warradjan Cultural Centre, watched David Attenborough interview with Yorkie Billie. Yellow Water cruise on the Balanda. Back to Jabiru.
Day 4 Kakadu to Pine Creek
Hooded Parrots at Pine Creek. Red Goshawk at Akoymarrwa. Breakfast at Gungurul. Waterbugs at Waterfall at Gunlom and Wolf Spiders. Delightful, shaded, breezy and birdy bush breakfast at Gungurul. Cycas conferta, SBBB and YTM at Harriot Creek. Edith Falls Gouldian Finches and then Hooded Parrot. Dinner at the Lazy Lizard.
Day 5 Pine Creek to Darwin
We started off with a bush breakfast at Fergusson River and had beautiful sightings of Gouldian Finches coming to drink and many other species. Walk along Ferguson River to Cockatiel Pools very beautiful, saw a Pied Butcherbird family putting on some antics and serenading us at breakfast. From there we followed a back track down to see the very rare Grevillea benthamiana which is restricted in its range to a small area near Pine Creek. We next stopped at the Bridge Creek Dam where several waterbird species and a large Johnstone’s Crocodile were seen. Lunch spot at Bridge Creek Dam very stunning. Red-collared Lorikeets fussing around a hollow. Fringed Snowflake Lilly at Bridge Creek Dam, and Bar-breasted Honeyeater nest.
From there we continued on through Litchfield National Park, looked at termite mounds and spent some time at Wangi Falls. Back to Darwin.
Finished off with group dinner at Club Tropical Resort
Best of Top End Birding June 13-20, 2016
Guide Mike Jarvis, Guests - Brad and Rebecca from Perth, Rob and Janice from the UK, Michela and Antonina from Sydney.
Highlights:-
Day 1 Breakfast at Dudley Point, unusually windy. Distant views of a Rainbow Pitta in monsoon forest at East Point. Beach Stone-curlew. Collared Kingfisher and Broad-billed Flycatcher on the mangrove boardwalk. Lunch at McMinn's Lagoon, some water birds present. Red-backed Kingfisher at Pine Creek, bringing KF tally to 4 for the day. Hooded Parrots at Pine Creek. Dinner and accommodation at the Lazy Lizard, Pine Creek. 50 species seen
Day 2 Bush breakfast at Fergusson River. Gouldian, Masked, Long-tailed and Double-barred Finches came to drink. Walked down to the Cockatiel Pool. Lunch at Katherine Hot Springs, Pied Butcherbirds and Blue-faced Honeyeaters. Apostlebirds at Brandy Bottle Creek. Walked across the Vic River, stunning scenery, Archer Fish. Dinner at Vic River Roadhouse.
Day 3 Bush breakfast after VRR Escarpment Walk. Sunrise overburnt red hills and slopes. Silver-crowned Friarbirds and Weebills. Dingo Springs for morning tea/lunch. Great birds and location. Bullita access rd t/o - Stars, Gouldians, DBF, LTF, Masked, CBM, YRM, and Pictorellas! And butterflies. Timber Creek Buff-sided Robin, Johnsones Crocodile. Policeman's Point, YTH, Darter and immature female Collared Sparrowhawk. Gouldians, Black-tailed Treecreeper, Grey-fronted Honeyeater and Diamond Dove. Dinner and accommodation at Timber Creek Hotel. Barking Owl at Timber Creek.
Day 4 Bush breakfast on Bullita Road, Varied Sittellas, Jacky Winters, Cockatiels and Square-tailed Kite. Pacific Baza at Bullita access t/o. Lunch at the Vic boat ramp. Saw Blue-winged Kookaburras, Black Flying Foxes and Agile Wallabies at Nitmiluk. Dinner at Regent's Chinese Restaurant and accommodation Pine Tree at Katherine
Day 5 Bush breakfast at Edith Creek. Crimson Finches and Azure Kingfisher. Water liliies and Hooded Parrots at the water park, Pine Creek and Australasian Grebes and Black-winged Stilts at the sewerage ponds. Red Goshawk at Kakadu. Waradjan Cutural Centre and then the Yellow Waters Cruise. Beautiful sunset, lots of birds and some crocs. Great way to finish the day. Dinner and accommodation at Kakadu Lodge, Jabiru.
Day 6 Burrunggui Rock circuit walk. Rock art, Partridge Pigeon, Banded Fruit-dove, Sandstone Helmeted Friarbird and Northern Rosella. Bush breakfast at Anbangbang Billabong. Picnic lunch at Manngarre, Ubirr. Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove and Rainbow Pitta. Rock art at Ubirr. Nadab lookout (Croc Dundee) Sandstone Shrike-thrush nesting above the Crocodile Sisters rock art. Dinner and accommodation at Kakadu Lodge.
Day 7 Mamukala circuit walk. So many birds! Red-backed Fairywrens, Crimson Finches and Pheasant Coucals. Not much at the bird hide. Picnic lunch at Mary River Billabong. Drive along a 4wd track, saw Black-fronted Dotterell with chicks. Lovely boat trip up the Mary River, Johnstone's Crocodiles but no new birds. Antonina and Michela took the bird-watching buggy up the Bamboo Walk.Five Kookaburras in one tree and seven White-breasted Woodswallows cuddled up on on a branch. Swim, dinner and accommodation at Mary River Wilderness Retreat
Day 8 Bush breakfast at sunrise on the Marrakai. Black-breasted Buzzard and Wedge-tailed Eagles. Enjoyed Margaret River, sampled Blue Water Lilies and saw Black-necked Storks. Lunch, swim and icecream at Berry Springs. Grey Goshawk, Pied Imperial Pigeon, Red-headed Honeyeater and Figbird at Jingilli. Brahminy Kite at Buffalo Creek. Dinner and accommodation at Club Tropical. Total of 153 bird species seen.
