Hi all,
$350 return airfares Brisbane to Darwin helped to
facilitate a quick day season dash to Darwin and
Kakadu.
Only had 3 days up there but was happy
enough.
The weather is superb especially nights of about
20c but very dry
Highlights include;
Thanks for Niven McCrie's hospitality for a few
hours Sat morning .
Two sewerage ponds and most of the mangrove
birds....best being
a group of 3 Mangrove Robins performing in perfect
light.
Howard Springs great for Rainbow Pitta...saw 2
...The blue on the
wings is amazing...stacks of other birds including
a very confiding
Grey Whistler.
Sat arvo birded with a friend and surprisingly
dipped on Rufous Owl
in the Botanical Gardens...was there the day before
but maybe the
garden show on at the timed was their cue to
temporarily nick off.
Have seen them before there so no really too
bad.
Pine Creek....wow!....20 odd Hooded Parrots at the
water tower hill.
lots of Crimson , Long-tailed and a few Masked
Finches at various
spots including Manton but dipped on
Gouldians.
Warning ...don't eat sausage rolls at Maisey's
Place Cafe.
Waterfall Creek ,Kakadu....just missed Peter Fuller
(we both missed
the White-throated
Grasswren....bugger!)
But great views of the other Kakadu
specials...Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon,
White-lined Honey-eater, Banded Fruit-Dove,
Sandstone Shrike-thrush
as well as a Black-breasted Buzzard as we were
leaving....The caretaker
of the campground let us shower before a 4 hour
drive back to Darwin
to catch a plane to Brisbane at 1am this
morning...4 hr flight ,4hr drive back to
Bundaberg and now bed!
Cheers,
Bill
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