|
G'day all
Went birding today around Numbulwar which
is on the coast between Roper Bar (Ngukurr) and Nhulunbuy in the
Northern Territory after recently moving up here from North-west
Queensland.
First stop, Numbulwar STP were over 50
Radjah Shelducks, Hardheads, Grey
Teal, Pacific Black Ducks and suprisingly
Pink-eared Ducks.
We got bogged on a salt pan as we were heading
towards some good mangroves where we saw plenty of active Red-headed
Honeyeaters getting ready to breed, Rufous-banded
Honeyeaters, White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike,
Yellow White-eyes, Azure Kingfisher,
Brahminy Kite, Broad-billed and Shining
Flycatcher and Torresian Crow (Richards
Pipits also on the saltpan). We managed to get out of the bog
and then took an old road to the Rose River Crossing (Policeman's Crossing)
and added Silver-crowned and Little Friarbird,
Striated Pardalote and good numbers of Singing
Honeyeaters feeding on the Fern-leaved Grevilleas (Grevillea
pteridifolia). These are the closest I've seen Singing Honeyeaters to the
coast (in coastal shrubland right behind mangroves). I was begining to
wonder that I hadnt seen many raptors when we spotted a Wedge-tailed
Eagle.
At Policemans Crossing there is a small patch of
riparian monsoon vine forest where there was a Lemon-bellied Flycatcher
but not much else other than the Northern Australian form of the
Blue-faced Honeyeater with their white underwings and
Great Bowerbirds (which are literally everywhere up
here). A few Little, Black-faced and
White-breasted Woodswallows were spotted nearby as were lots of
Tree Martins. After we went to Policeman's Crossing, we headed
back towards Numbulwar and headed into Wumadjbarr Homeland where we saw our
first Black-chinned Honeyeater (Golden-backed form) from around
Numbulwar (seen them plenty of times in North-west Queensland before) and a huge
mixed flock of Masked, Long-tailed and Double-barred
Finches. The Double-bars and Masked must have bred recently as
there was still juveniles of both species begging for food off their
parents. On the way out of Wumadjbarr we saw a Brown
Goshawk and shortly after a Swamp Harrier.
Before Numbulwar, there's a turn off up to
Nhulunbuy where we headed up and found a bush track out to Rocky Point (approx.
20k's North of Numbulwar). We set up for afternoon tea around a freshwater
billabong along this track, but were surprised with the lack of activity as it
was becomming quite late in the afternoon, it was overcast and there was a
strong easterly blowing in from the beach. We did manage to find some
movement from some shrubs where we spotted about 15 Crimson
Finches, lots of Brown and White-throated
Honeyeaters and a Bar-breasted and a
White-gaped Honeyeater.
On the way home we added Northern
Rosella and Black-tailed Treecreepers to our day's
list.
Numbulwar is interesting because the
surrounding region has been subject to limited atlas surveys, let
alone traversed by birders because the roads are pretty shocking and its in the
middle of Aboriginal Land. We've been surprised that theres a lot of
birds from drier regions such as Singing Bushlarks, Singing
Honeyeaters, Australian Bustards but also typical coastal and top-end
birds.
To top the day off I was welcomed home at dusk by
the strong "Choi-choi-choi-choi" of a Large-tailed Nightjar in
the bush at the back of our house.
Cheers
Marc
Numbulwar NT
| 