Hi Kirri
I don't know if the spinifex is back at the top of gunlom but if is is,
with my "gotta work for things" attitude I searched the spinifex for an
hour or so. Nothing! I sat down for 5-10 minutes and white throated
grasswrens popped out.
Chestnut quilled rock pigeons are a great bird and are very common.
Gary
On 19 September 2012 22:30, Savannah Hardy <>wrote:
> Hi all....
> Just thought i'd share for those in the Kakadu/Gunlom N.T area, or
> thinking of going there soon.....
>
> On the weekend just gone ( Friday 14th - Sunday 16th September 2012), my
> little family and i and some friends camped at Koolpin Gorge (kakadu),
> accessed by applying and receiving a permit and key to a gate (only 40
> people allowed in there at one time). It was an amazing time
> camping/exploring and observing birds....SANDSTONE SHRIKE-THRUSH was seen
> both mornings and heard calling each morning and afternoon from the top of
> the sandstone rocky outcrops......BANDED HONEYEATERS being the most common
> honeyeater (many other birds there too), and the CHESTNUT-QUILLED
> ROCK-PIGEONS (a new bird for me) being very common in the early morning,
> feeding on the track leading from the camp area to the creek (8:30am). They
> pecked around in the sand, and at one point as i sat on the ground they
> (about 6 of them) came within arms reach of me....was amazing to observe
> them so close....its been a pigeon i've wanted to see for a long time...not
> necessarily colourful, but
> amazing to watch and finally observe.
>
> We headed across to Gunlom which is not far from Koolpin and had a swim at
> the top rock pools above the waterfall at Gunlom. You can walk up the
> escarpment which takes roughly 15-20 min if your not going slow.... and
> reach the top...great views. After a quick swim i headed off on a specific
> track i've read about that CAN be reliable for White Throated
> Grasswren....ALAS....i was not lucky this time....i've tryed very hard to
> view this species with no success, as have many others i'm sure....a rather
> shy bird.
> The dissapointment at not seeing the White throated grasswren was made
> easier as i walked back down the escarpment at 3:30pm in the afternoon and
> flushed a BANDED FRUIT-DOVE from halfway down the escarpment, hiding in the
> trees. It flew to the left of me and landed in some more trees to give me a
> good view through the binoculars...then it took off again. Was very
> excited as this was a bird i've wanted to see for many years too and was
> another new bird for me....
> On the way out of Gunlom at 4pm....as you leave the campground and travel
> 1km down the road, there were CHESTNUT-QUILLED ROCK-PIGEONS (x10) all over
> the road....couldn't believe my eyes, so many of them in one spot. Amazing
> how certain birds can be so hard to find at some times, then at other
> times, they can be very plentiful in certain locations...
> So there you go....Just thought i'd share my findings with you all, and
> hopefully some of you can get out there and check out these beautiful
> places to camp and view these amazing species...
>
> Kirri
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