Last night we ventured to a long meant to do trip
to Fogg Dam NT at night.After experiencing one of those electrical storms that
only the Top End can produce we arrived at Fogg Dam. As it was only twilight
there was a few Great Egrets feeding where the dam wall overflowed, some Magpie
Geese foraging in the Spike Rush and a lone Jacana patrolling the Lotus
Lillies.Once it was dark we saw three Barking Owls along the dam wall, one was
sitting on the road and would let you walk right up to it before moving off.A
word of warning if wandering around Fogg Dam at night it does contain saltwater
cocodiles and we had plenty of time to study the one laying on the dam wall
ambushing prey washed across the road.
On the way out we saw a bush stone curlew on the
roadside, plus a barn owl patrolling along the paddocks which obliging sat on
the fence to give us plenty of time to study it in detail.This was a great event
as it was one of those important birds missing from my list.Unfortunately
further down the road we found another Barn Owl sitting by the roadside with a
broken wing, we managed to catch it with a blanket and it was picked up today by
wildlife rescue with a good chance of recovery.
Steve.
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