Fellow birders,
On Monday 30th June a group of birdwatchers went to the top of Gunlom
(formally UDP) Falls in Kakadu NP. One of our target birds was the
White-throated Grasswren. We located it around 11am on the right of the
creek past two pools. We walked only a short distance towards the hillside
and found a pair feeding young we presumed. Nobody actually saw the nest as
we kept away but the birds continued to go back and forward across the rocks
with food. The GPS co-ordinates are 13 25 45S 132 25 04E. Normal squeaking
wasn't as effective as the wooden Audobon squeaker which brought the bird to
the top of the rock for a pose to please us all.
Other good birds in the area were Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon, Banded
Fruit-dove, Northern Rosella, Black-tailed Treecreeper, and Little
Woodswallow. In the monsoon forest around the lake near the day visitor
area we all saw a Rainbow Pitta.
On both mornings we spent at Gunlom at around 5am I heard a Rufous Owl. On
the second morning I leapt out of bed and played the tape and we all had
good views of the bird above our tent. This was the only Rufous Owl seen on
our trip as the "reliable" bird in the Darwin Botanical Gardens was not home
when we called.
Also in the trees of the picnic area at dusk I found a Barking Owl with a
Sugar Glider in its talons.
Of all the places we visited in the Northern Territory, Gunlom was one of
our favourites.
Trevor Quested
Sydney, Australia
http://www.pbase.com/trevor_quested/galleries
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