Hello All
Several birders coming to the Top End head straight out of Darwin down
the Arnhem Highway. I guess they think they'll get most birds that
way. Then I receive a phone call saying that they missed out on this and
that bird, and asking me to provide guiding services when they return to
Darwin. Some who've asked me to guide in Kakadu have also planned their
trip that way often at the suggestion of travel agents and tourism
authorities who don't know one end of a bird from the other. Too often
then these visitors glimpse something that's common in Darwin, but rare
out of town, and want to spend an hour chasing it! Or they want to see
mangrove birds, difficult in Kakadu at the best of times!
I would suggest to first time Top End birders not interested in rock art
or beautiful scenery or big crocodiles that you spend a couple of days in
and around Darwin (including Fogg Dam) for here you will pick up more
easily most common birds and many of the mangrove specialists, and then
heading for Pine Creek. To the doubting Thomases - my backyard bird list
(I live 4 km from the CBD) totals 140, and the one for Leanyer sewage
ponds is twice that length. In fact one could make a case for declaring
the sewage ponds a national park on its birds alone (that would really
please the NT government!).
The Kakadu Bird list is not much longer than that for Darwin and its
environs, and the accommodation is a damn sight more expensive!
Regards
Denise
Denise Goodfellow (Lawungkurr Maralngurra)
Specialist Guide
Ph/fax 08 89818492
PO Box 39373
WINNELLIE NT 0821, AUSTRALIA
www.earthfoot.org
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08 89813922
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