WOODLAND & WETLAND EXPERIENCE

Two Day, One Night Fully Accommodated Mary River Area

 

 

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• Route map for the Woodland and Wetland Tour. No 1 shows the location for our accommodation at Mary River Wliderness Retreat. (photo copyright Tourism NT)

  
  Two day, one night tour starting with the savannah woodland, floodplain and riparian habitats of the Marrakai track, 100 kilometres east of Darwin and then exploring walk tracks along the Mary River at Mary River Wilderness Retreat. The next day we do a cruise on Corroboree Billabong and then bird our way back to Darwin. Total distance covered - 300 kilometres. 
  
  
• Key species - Buff-sided Robin, Green-backed Gerygone, Broad-billed Flycatcher, Crimson Finch, Long-tailed Finch, Gouldian Finch, Northern Rosella, Red-winged Parrot, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Partridge Pigeon, Black-tailed Treecreeper and Varied Sittella. Black-breasted Buzzard, Spotted Harrier and Swamp Harrier. Pacific Baza, Barking Owl and Rufous Owl.
  
  
• Will this tour suit me? This is an easy tour, with some walks and some birding done close to the vehicle in short stop start . Groups are small, with a maximum of only six keen fellow naturalists. 

• Cost - $2185 private charter (twin share)

"We thoroughly enjoyed our tour. Mike is a knowledgeable and good humoured guide who knows the area and its birds and animals very well. We saw our target species and many, many more. The vehicle and accommodation were comfortable and appropriate. The meals were delicious including catering for special dietary needs. A well organised tour. We would not hesitate to use Experience the Wild again or to recommend them to any of our friends."

Harald and Julie
Brisbane
May 2015

 

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The Woodland and Wetland Experience provides a great opportunity to see birds more accessible during the dry season. 
We have an open booking for a couple doing this tour on June 6 and 7, 2016. Join this tour for only $695 per person (twin share).

Gouldian Finch on the Marrakai Track (photo copyright Mike Jarvis)

DAY 1

6.00am pick up from accommodation
Bush breakfast on the Marrakai track and then we continue to explore savannah woodland along the track. Our number one target is the rare and spectacularly beautiful Gouldian Finch. We explore some amazingly productive areas. Species we may see include Gouldian Finch, Long-tailed Finch, Masked Finch, Black-tailed Treecreeper, Diamond Dove, Channel-billed Cuckoo, Black-breasted Buzzard, Brown Goshawk, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Northern Rosella, Varied Lorikeet, Buff-sided Robin, Forest Kingfisher and Red-backed Kingfisher. We have lunch on the banks of the Adelaide River with likely sightings of Shining Flycatcher, Paperbark Flycatcher and Arafura Fantail.

Then we proceed to our accommodation at Mary River Park, where we have the opportunity to bird along some of the wildlife tracks along the river at the park. We have dinner at the restaurant and compare notes on sightings for the day. Often Barking Owl is seen on sundown here and heard through the night.

 

Auustralian Bustard (photo copyright Mike Jarvis)

DAY 2

Next morning we rise early and visit a nearby waterhole and have breakfast while watching the birds come for their early morning drink. Then we do a 4 kilometre (return) walk through bushland and floodplain to the Bird Billabong hide, with views of Magpie Geese, Intermediate Egret, Little Egret, Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Pied Heron, White-necked Heron, Royal Spoonbill, Little Black Cormorant, Black-fronted Dotterel, Black-necked Stork and often some Estuarine Crocodiles and many bush birds often including Rufous Whistler, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Gouldian Finch, Masked Finch, Double-barred Finch, Long-tailed Finch, Azure Kingfisher and Lemon-bellied Flyrobin.

We take in the fantastic Corroboree Wetlands Cruise, while watching crocs and waterfowl just metres away. This cruise includes a healthy lunch served on the vessel at a pleasant shady location along the waters edge.  

 

Then we visit either Fogg Dam or Howard Springs Nature Reserve, depending on the time remaining, target species left to be seen and conditions at the time, before returning you to your accommodation. 

• All tours require a reasonable level of mobility and moderate fitness
  • • Due to the Top End seasonal nature some habitat types may not be available for your tour, however we will visit locations for the best bird watching experience on the day