SHOAL BAY TRIP
I'd met Tony's brother some time ago and when he told me they'd set up a
fishing operation on Shoal Bay just out of Darwin I jumped at the chance
to get out there and say hullo to them both, and to have a look around.
We left later than I wanted to (Michael had trouble waking up) and we got
to the turnoff on Howard Springs Road even later (Rowan needed to be
dropped off at his Saturday job). It took longer to travel the 14 kms to
the landing because of the eroded and partly flooded dirt road.
I thought the catch of the several crab pots Tony loaded in the dinghy
would go to supplement his income. I was wrong but more about that
later. Anyway we set off, laying crab pots as we travelled, until we
reached a tiny estuary reaching into the floodplains. At that time
little was calling apart from Rufous-banded Honeyeater, and the few
visible species were nothing an Australian twitcher would write home
about - lots of Sacred Kingfishers, a few Azure Kingfishers, Rainbow
Bee-eater, Shining Flycatcher and Whistling Kite. There were individual
Common Sandpipers and flocks of Terek Sandpipers, the latter perched
within the mangroves and along the estuary into the floodplains. Tony
didn't know what they were until I pointed out the field marks.
We stopped amid salt flats and Tony grabbed my castnet (yes, I did offer
to catch the bait!), and was off across the mud crouching low so the
mullet wouldn't see him (it's actually easier to catch them if you're at
the same level ie in the water, not always a good idea!). However he did
well, bringing half a dozen or so back to the dinghy and remaining
intact.
Meanwhile Michael and I were watching the birds - Pelican, Pied Heron,
Little and Great Egret, Aus. White Ibis, Whimbrel, Eastern Curlew, a few
Black-tailed Godwits and Masked Lapwings, plus the waders mentioned
before.
On the way back we passed many dinghies their owners wielding lures and
expensive fishing gear. Most were having no luck. Yet within minutes of
chucking in my baited K-mart special handline I had a barramundi hooked ,
although unfortunately couldn't land it. Sadly the only big hook I had
was the K-mart special and it was now straight (straight hook?). So we
forgot the fishing and motored back to the landing picking up the crab
pots along the way. 'Lousy birding' I said to Tony, 'and probably no
mudcrabs either' as we hauled in a half a dozen amid the sweet song of
Rufous-banded Honeyeaters and the odd Brown and Mangrove Golden Whistler.
Back at the landing I found who the crabs were for and visions of
steaming sweet white flesh assailed my brain. We left them waiting for
us at the landing and motored on to try to get into the area on the
seaward side of Holmes Jungle swamp,
Zipping in and out of the mangroves was fun, although I don't suppose it
would be for those not quick enough to dodge the branches.. The
vegetation here was mainly Grey Mangrove Avicennia marina which hung over
the little estuary like a continuous arch decorated with flood debris-
gerygone nests. Then we stopped for a listen. Mangrove Gerygone,
Lemon-bellied Flycatcher and Brown Whistler were singing their little
hearts out along with Little Bronze-Cuckoo. An adult White-bellied
Sea-eagle sat above contemplating us.
Seeing blue sky through the fringing vegetation Tony and I thought we'd
go for a stroll leaving Michael with the dinghy. We got to the
saltflats and strolled across the sedges trying to pinpoint exactly where
we were. 'Don't walk there,' I told Tony as one of his feet disappeared
calf-deep into the black ooze. Sometimes the mud can be quite deep.
Returning to the dinghy we spotted a flock of Royal Spoonbills and
flushed a Great-billed Heron.
Michael was sitting where we'd left him. 'I had visitors while you were
gone,' he said, 'a pair of Chestnut Rail.' They and Banded Land Rail
visit the landing each morning as well. Little Kingfisher suddenly flew
ahead of us as we returned, an azure and turquoise flash.
There is a large patch of pristine monsoon vine forest to one side of the
house containing a large shell midden and we went to have a look at it.
Lovely interesting plants abounded. Tony laughed when first I pointed
out Denhamia obscura once used as a contraceptive by Aboriginal women,
and then Canarium australisicum used for controlling bleeding after
childbirth. Many plants were flowering - the lovely pink,
crimson-throated Ipmoea abrupta, and the little white star-like
Jacquemontia paniculata. The lolly pink and black seeds of Giddy giddy
Abrus precatorus, and pods of Kurrajong Brachychiton diversifolius (gum
is great to chew and inner bark can be used for bandages) lay among the
shells. Plus lots of other fascinating vegetation. I'll go back in a
week or so to see what it's like early in the morning and perhaps catch
up with the nesting Black-necked Stork, the ospreys, Rainbow Pitta etc,
etc. Meanwhile I have to go - the crabs are ready to eat.
Denise
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