Kimberley and Top End 07 Trip Report
Janet and I set off on 2/06/07 from Melbourne, for a 3 month trip to the
Kimberley and the Top End. Our aim was to 'mop-up' species and subspecies
missed on our trips of '01 to the Top End and '02 to WA, while keeping an
eye out for vagrants and over-wintering summer migrant species that were on
our wish-list.
Serious birding started near Alice Springs, then up the Tanami, stopping at
Newhaven and Lake Gregory. From Halls Creek we headed for Windjana Gorge
and then east along the Gibb River Rd. We spent 9 days at Charnley River
Station (formerly Beverley Springs) due to significant unseasonal rain
(99mm in 1.5 days and more 3 days later).
We then went north to Kalumburu and the Mitchell Plateau, with 2 stops at
Drysdale River, before continuing east to Kununurra, Timber Creek,
Katherine and then to Darwin, where we stayed for 10 days.
From Darwin we meandered southward taking in Kakadu, Katherine area, Roper
River area, Barkly Tableland, Davenport Ranges NP, Alice Springs, Mac Clark
CR, Oodnadatta Track, Strzelecki Track, Coongie Lakes, Gammon Ranges NP and
Adelaide. We arrived back in Melbourne on 30/8/07.
The weather was fine for the whole 3 months except for the rain in the
Kimberley. Road conditions were generally better than expected.
Temperatures were generally comfortable and insects weren't too bad except
for bush-flies south of Alice. We tried to visit the places that we had
bypassed on our previous trips.
280 species were seen. This is lower than other trips, however the focus
was on hunting the targets, and other sightings were generally incidental.
New Species Seen
Kite, Letter-winged 22 & 25/8 -
Strzelecki Track (see report of 29/08/07)
Button-quail, Chestnut-backed 3/7 -
Mitchell Plateau 0.5k n of Surveyors Pool turnoff
(also
seen at Chainman Creek, w of Katherine)
Target Subspecies Seen
Quail,
King colletti 22/7 -
Holmes Jungle (also seen South Alligator River
Floodplain
and Knuckeys Lagoon)
Egret, Little garzetta 27/7 -
Leanyer STP
Pigeon, Partridge blaauwi 5/7 -
Mitchell River Falls Campground
Owl, Masked kimberli 15/6 -
Windjana Gorge
Pitta, Rainbow johnstoneiana 3/7 -
Mitchell Plateau 4k n of Surveyors Pool turnoff
Treecreeper, White-browed supercilliosa 6/6 - Ilparpa
Rd, (1.8k e of Gap) Alice Springs
Honeyeater, Singing cooperi 17/7 -
Fergusson River
Honeyeater, White-plumed calconi 11/6 - Lake Gregory
Shrike-tit, Crested (Northern) whitei 3/8 -
Central Arnhem Rd, 8.6k from Stuart Hwy
Flycatcher, Shining tormenti 1/7 -
Marra Garra n of Kalumburu
Triller, Varied macrura 5/7 -
Lily Pond above Big Merton Falls
Targets looked for but not seen
Chat, Yellow tunneyi Harrison Dam
and Knuckeys Lagoon too wet due to a late
finishing
wet; South Alligator and Mary River Flood Plains
also
searched.
Cicadabird melvillensis not found
despite intensive searching of its NT & WA range
Other interesting Sightings
Bittern, Black 28/06/2007 Miners Pool on
Drysdale River Station
Goshawk, Grey 29/07/2007 Darwin
Goshawk, Red 5/08/2007 Mataranka
Kite, Square-tailed 13/07/2007 Keep River NP
Falcon, Grey (pair) 9/06/2007 Freshwater Bore
Tk, 7.1k e Homestead
Sandpiper, Wood 15/07/2007 Alice Springs STP
Sandpiper, Wood 27/07/2007 Leanyer STP
Plover, Little Ringed 27/07/2007 Leanyer STP
Dotterel, Inland 24/08/2007 28k w of Innamincka
Bronzewing, Flock 9/08/2007 Barkly Tableland
Dove, Emerald 3/07/2007 Mitchell Plateau
4k n of Surveyors Pool turnoff
Fruit-dove, Banded 1/08/2007 Gunlom, Kakadu NP
Fruit-dove, Rose-crowned 28/07/2007 Casuarina Coastal
Reserve, Darwin
Parrot, Bourkes 5/06/2007 5k east of Marla
Owl, Barn 9/06/2007 Newhaven
Campground (Not on N'haven List)
Fairywren, Purple-crowned 14/07/2007 Victoria River Boat Ramp
Gerygone, Green-backed 15/06/2007 Windjana Gorge
Thornbill, Slaty-backed 10/06/2007 Tanami Track,
(Vaughan Springs turnoff)
Whiteface, Banded 17/08/2007 Mac Clark CR
Shrike-thrush, Sandstone 15/06/2007 Windjana Gorge
Drongo, Spangled 3/07/2007 Mitchell Plateau
4k n of Surveyors Pool turnoff
Cuckoo-shrike, Ground 10/08/2007 Barkly Tableland
Finch, Painted 11/08/2007 Davenport Ranges NP
Finch, Gouldian 13/07/2007 Escarpment
Lookout s of Timber Creek Airfield
Finch, Gouldian 17/07/2007 50k nw of Katherine
Wish-list birds not seen
Princess Parrot (looked for at Newhaven)
Red-rumped Swallow
Pin-tailed Snipe. (One must maintain some optimism)
I averaged about 2 days searching per target. Some were easily found but
the Crested Shrike-tit owed me about 8 days (6 in the Kimberley and 2+ in
NT) and all avenues were exhausted for the 2 missed targets.
I saw and photographed 50 Butterfly species (26 were new for me and there
were 30 'out of range' sightings recorded). I also saw 3 mammals and
several reptiles that were new for me.
Thanks to the many friends and contacts who generously supplied information
on sites for my targets, particularly Niven McCrie, for his book and
personal advice, and Don Haddon and Ian May for advice on my new species
sites.
The Birdata website was a fantastic help in deciding where to concentrate
my searches.
I can provide particular details of some sightings to those who wish to
contact me directly.
Frank Pierce
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