A pleasure, Mark. Happy New Year.
Denise
on 1/1/11 12:57 PM, Mark Stanley at wrote:
> I've just returned from a very pleasant birding trip to the Top End.
> The weather was fantastic - mostly cloudy, with refreshing breezes,
> the odd cooling shower, virtually no flies, few and not very troubling
> mossies. All in all I saw 154 species, 52 new for the year,12 lifers
> and an Aussie tick (Little Ringed Plover) making for a top notch trip.
> Accommodation was cheap on the Esplanade; I rented a Rav 4 equivalent
> for $320 for 5 days +mileage. It was easy to access frequent flyer
> flights so this made for a very economical break. I would highly
> recommend a visit in the wet. I'll need to return in the dry season
> especially for the Rufous Owl (last note in the Botanic Gardens Owl
> book was 24-Nov) and other night birds which I suspect might be easier
> to see in the dry season.
>
> Among the places I visited were:
>
> Darwin Botanic Gardens:
> - no owls but did see a Bar-breasted Honeyeater along with Dusky, the
> ubiquitous White-gaped, Brown and Rufous Banded Honeyeaters, a nesting
> Northern Fantail and Lemon-bellied Flycatcher.
>
> East Point Reserve:
> Great views of Rainbow Pittas; also Shining and Lemon-bellied
> Flycatchers, Grey Whistler, Emerald Dove in the monsoon woodland;
> Red-headed Honeyeater, Black Butcherbird & and Broad-billed Flycatcher
> in the mangroves;
> Bush Stone-curlew, Silver-crowned Friarbird, Crimson, Double-barred
> and Long-tailed Finches in the clearings;
> And a good range of waders on the high tide roost at the point.
>
> Buffalo Creek:
> Gulls, terns, waders, herons + Koel, Drongo, Green-backed Gerygone,
> Friarbirds but no Chestnut Rail.
>
> Mangroves off Tiger Brennan Drive:
> There is a path into the mangroves to access some power poles a few
> hundred m south of Stoddart Drive. Chestnut Rails - 2 or 3 were seen
> together in the middle of a downpour. I watched the rails from about
> 20 m as they cackled and probed around a little stream formed by the
> rainwater runoff diverted around the mound on which the poles were
> built. Mangrove Robins, Collared Kingfisher, Yellow White-eyes and
> Red-headed Honeyeaters were also there.
>
> Charles Darwin NP:
> Northern Rosellas, Little Shrikethrush (in the mangroves), heard
> Chestnut Rails there also but did not pursue them. Also heard but did
> not see Pale-vented Bush-hen in long grass formed by a stream entering
> the mangroves below the carpark.
>
> Leanyer STP
> A kind and friendly local :- ) offered to take me to Leanyer STP if I
> promised not to get out of the car, go swimming in the ponds or be
> eaten by a crocodile. Constrained by these unreasonable conditions, I
> did get to see 3 Little Ringed Plovers, one clearly a juvenile, one an
> adult and one possibly in between. Lots of Common Sandpipers, a few
> Hardheads and Australasian Grebes and many Pied Herons, WW Terns,
> Wandering Whistling Ducks, Rajah Shelducks and even a couple of Green
> Pygmy Geese.
>
> Homes Jungle:
> Good for Brown Quail, lots of Forest Kingfishers as well as Sacred and
> Blue-winged Kookaburra, a solitary Black Bittern in the "jungle",
> numerous Golden-headed but no Zitting Cisticolas, Leaden Flycatchers,
> Finches, Chestnut-breasted Mannikins and Pheasant Coucals.
>
> Howard Springs:
> Nankeen Night Heron, Azure Kingfisher and a probable Little Kingfisher
> zipped passed before I could bin it. Excellent views of a very
> approachable Rainbow Pitta. Also Little Shrikethush, Shining and
> Leaden Flycatcher, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove.
>
> Fogg Dam:
> Barking Owl, 8 Barn Owls on the road out, numerous Jacanas, and
> excellent viewing of the three white egret species from the viewing
> platform. This also provided excellent views of White-browed Crakes on
> all three evening I visited it. They seemed to start calling about an
> hour before sunset and then come out shortly after that to preen,
> bathe, walk around and generally get themselves observed. There must
> be 3 or 4 parties/family groups that can be heard/seen from the
> platform.
> On the road from Stuart Highway I saw a Peregrine, Black-shouldered
> Kite, Kestrel and Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos
>
> Pine Creek:
> Highlight of the trip would have to be turning off the main road for
> Pine Creek and the first bird I saw was a female Hooded Parrot on the
> powerlines. Jumping out of the car I was confronted with Varied
> Lorikeet infested flowering gums. While trying to get a clear view of
> the lorikeets, Banded Honeyeaters kept getting in the way. So 3 of the
> first 4 species I saw there were lifers! Masked Finches added to the
> previous finch species and Brush Cuckoo, Rufous-throated Honeyeater at
> the cemetary..
>
> Thanks to those who responded to my RFI. Apologies to those I did not
> manage to catch up with. Thanks to Tim Bawden who leant me his
> annotated version of McCrie and Watson's excellent Finding Birds in
> Darwin, Kakadu and the Top End. And a special mention to Denise for
> taking time out from her may other commitments to show me around
> Leanyer STP and preventing from being eaten by a croc.
>
> Annotated Trip List:
>
> Australasian Grebe STP's at Leanyer, Palmerston & Pine Creek
> Australian Pelican Buffalo Creek
> Little Black Cormorant Copperfield Dam, Pine Creek
> Great Cormorant Knuckley Lagoon
> Little Pied Cormorant Pine Creek STP
> Australian Darter Most wetlands
> Great Egret Fogg Dam
> Pied Heron Most wetlands
> Intermediate Egret Most wetlands
> White-faced Heron Pine Creek STP
> Little Egret Coast and wetlands
> Eastern Reef-egret East Point
> Cattle Egret Near Fogg Dam
> Green-backed Heron Most coastal sites
> Rufous Night-Heron Howard Springs
> Black Bittern Homes Jungle
> Black-necked Stork Various wetlands
> Australian White Ibis Very common
> Straw-necked Ibis Fogg Dam only
> Royal Spoonbill Widespread
> Magpie Goose Widespread
> Wandering Whistling-duc Widespread; all STPs
> Radjah Shelduck Widespread
> Green Pygmy-goose Widespread
> Hardhead Leanyer STP
> Osprey East Point
> Black-shouldered Kite Near Fogg Dam
> Black Kite Not very common
> Whistling Kite Very common
> Brahminy Kite Over mangroves
> White-bellied Fish-Eagle One over Darwin
> Australian Goshawk One on trip to Pine Creek
> Collared Sparrowhawk One near Copperfield Dam
> Wedge-tailed Eagle 3 occassions
> Australian Kestrel Near Fogg Dam
> Peregrine Falcon Near Fogg Dam
> Orange-footed Scrubfow Very common esp Botanic Gardens and East Point
> Brown Quail Homes Jungle
> Brolga South of Adealide River
> White-browed Crake Fogg Dam
> Chestnut Rail Darwin mangroves
> Pale-vented Bush-hen Heard at Charles Darwin NP in long grass
> formed by a stream entering the mangroves below the carpark.
> Purple Swamphen One at Pine Creek STP
> Comb-crested Jacana Abundant at Fogg Dam
> Australian Pied Oystercatcher East Point & Buffalo Creek
> Bush Thick-knee Many places
> Masked Lapwing Abundant; many nesting at Leanyer STP
> Pacific Golden-Plover East Point & Buffalo Creek
> Grey Plover East Point & Buffalo Creek
> Little Ringed Plover 3 at Leanyer STP
> Red-capped Plover Various coastal sites
> Lesser Sand Plover East Point
> Greater Sand Plover East Point
> Black-fronted Dotterel Pine Creek STP
> Bar-tailed Godwit East Point & Buffalo Creek
> Whimbrel East Point and elsewhere
> Far Eastern Curlew East Point
> Marsh Sandpiper Fogg dam
> Common Greenshank Knuckley Lagoon
> Terek sandpiper East Point
> Common Sandpiper East Point & STPs
> Grey-tailed Tattler East Point
> Ruddy Turnstone East Point & Buffalo Creek
> Great Knot East Point & Buffalo Creek
> Sanderling Buffalo Creek
> Red-necked Stint East Point
> Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Pine Creek STP
> Silver Gull Not very common
> Caspian Tern Buffalo Creek
> Great Crested Tern Buffalo Creek (Lesser Crested probably
> present but not followed up)
> White-winged Tern Fogg Dam and STP's
> Emerald Dove East Point
> Crested Pigeon Pine Creek township
> Peaceful Dove Very common
> Bar-shouldered Dove Abundant everywhere
> Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove East Point & Fogg Dam
> Torresian Imperial-Pigeon Abundant around Darwin
> Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Flock near Fogg Dam
> Galah Widespread
> Little Corella Abundant
> Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Common around Darwin
> Red-collared Lorikeet Very common. (Is this splitable from
> Rainbow Lorikeet? Sounds and looks different.)
> Varied Lorikeet Very common around Pine creek
> Northern Rosella Common at Pine Creek, less so around
> Darwin, Charles Darwin NP
> Hooded Parrot 20+ on road into Pine Creek
> Red-winged Parrot Common
> Brush Cuckoo Heard many places, seen well at Pine Creek
> Common Koel Heard many places, seen at Buffalo Creek
> Pheasant Coucal Common at Homes Jungle, and near Fogg Dam
> Pallid Cuckoo Heard Howard Sporings, seen Fogg dam
> Barn Owl Many along Anzac Rd to Fogg dam
> Barking Owl Heard from Fogg Dam viewing platform,
> seen on Dam wall
> Blue-winged Kookaburra Common
> Forest Kingfisher Very Common
> Collared Kingfisher Seen/heard at most mangroves
> Sacred Kingfisher About 10% of Forest Kingfishers
> Azure Kingfisher Pine Creek & Howard Springs
> Little Kingfisher Glimpse at Howard Springs
> Rainbow Bee-eater Very common
> Dollarbird Very Common
> Rainbow Pitta Very common at East Point; also
> Adealide River and Howard Springs
> Australian Bushlark Many grasslands eg Homes Jungle
> Black-faced Cuckooshrike Only around Pine Creek
> White-bellied Cuckooshrike Very common, including at Pine Creek
> Varied Triller Very common including in mangroves
> Northern Fantail Reasonably common around Darwin
> Willie Wagtail Widespread but not very common
> Leaden Flycatcher Widespread and common
> Broad-billed Flycatcher East Point mangroves
> Shining Flycatcher Widespread
> Restless Flycatcher Widespread
> Golden-headed Cisticola Very common in rank grass; no Zitting
> Cisticolas seen.
> Grey-crowned Babbler Widespread
> Grey Whistler Common especially East Point
> Rufous Whistler Away from Darwin
> Little Shrike-thrush Mangroves and forest near Darwin
> Grey Shrike-thrush Sporadic
> Mangrove Robin Seen at mangroves near Darwin
> Lemon-bellied Flyrobin Widespread and common
> Jacky-winter Pine Creek area
> Red-backed Fairy-wren Widespread
> Weebill Only at Pine Creek; much more
> yellow than southern birds.
> Large-billed Gerygone Palmerston STP
> Green-backed Gerygone Buffalo Creek and STPs
> Mistletoebird Darwin BG
> Striated Pardalote Pine Creek
> Australian Yellow White-eye Most mangroves
> White-gaped Honeyeater Very common
> Yellow-throated Miner Palmerston
> Bar-breasted Honeyeater One at Botanic Gardens
> Rufous-banded Honeyeater Very common
> Rufous-throated Honeyeater Pair at Pine Creek cemetary
> Dusky Myzomela Botanic Gardens
> Red-headed Myzomela Botanic Gardens & mangroves near Darwin
> Banded Honeyeater Commonest honeyeater in Pine Creek
> Brown Honeyeater Abundant
> White-throated Honeyeater Pairs at many locations
> Blue-faced honeyeater Especially common around Palmerston
> Helmeted Friarbird Reasonably common
> Silver-crowned Friarbird Very common around Darwin
> Little Friarbird Positive ID at pine Creek but
> suspected elsewhere
> Australasian Figbird Very common around Darwin
> Green Oriole Virtually all wooded locations
> Spangled Drongo Buffalo Creek and Howard Springs
> Magpielark Ubiquitous
> White-breasted Woodswallow Very widespread
> Black-faced Woodswallow Common away from Darwin, eg Fogg Dam, Pine Creek
> Black Butcherbird Charles Darwin NP & East Point mangroves
> Pied Butcherbird Widespread
> Great Bowerbird Widespread
> Torresian Crow Widespread
> Crimson Finch Commonest finch
> Double-barred Finch Common, often with Crimson Finches
> Masked Finch Homes Jungle, Adelaide River and Pine Creek
> Long-tailed Finch Reasonably common
> Chestnut-breasted Mannikin Common, often with Crimson Finches
>
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