Hi all....
Just thought i'd share for those in the Kakadu/Gunlom N.T area, or thinking of
going there soon.....
On the weekend just gone ( Friday 14th - Sunday 16th September 2012), my little
family and i and some friends camped at Koolpin Gorge (kakadu), accessed by
applying and receiving a permit and key to a gate (only 40 people allowed in
there at one time). It was an amazing time camping/exploring and observing
birds....SANDSTONE SHRIKE-THRUSH was seen both mornings and heard calling each
morning and afternoon from the top of the sandstone rocky outcrops......BANDED
HONEYEATERS being the most common honeyeater (many other birds there too), and
the CHESTNUT-QUILLED ROCK-PIGEONS (a new bird for me) being very common in the
early morning, feeding on the track leading from the camp area to the creek
(8:30am). They pecked around in the sand, and at one point as i sat on the
ground they (about 6 of them) came within arms reach of me....was amazing to
observe them so close....its been a pigeon i've wanted to see for a long
time...not necessarily colourful, but
amazing to watch and finally observe.
We headed across to Gunlom which is not far from Koolpin and had a swim at the
top rock pools above the waterfall at Gunlom. You can walk up the escarpment
which takes roughly 15-20 min if your not going slow.... and reach the
top...great views. After a quick swim i headed off on a specific track i've
read about that CAN be reliable for White Throated Grasswren....ALAS....i was
not lucky this time....i've tryed very hard to view this species with no
success, as have many others i'm sure....a rather shy bird.
The dissapointment at not seeing the White throated grasswren was made easier
as i walked back down the escarpment at 3:30pm in the afternoon and flushed a
BANDED FRUIT-DOVE from halfway down the escarpment, hiding in the trees. It
flew to the left of me and landed in some more trees to give me a good view
through the binoculars...then it took off again. Was very excited as this was
a bird i've wanted to see for many years too and was another new bird for me....
On the way out of Gunlom at 4pm....as you leave the campground and travel 1km
down the road, there were CHESTNUT-QUILLED ROCK-PIGEONS (x10) all over the
road....couldn't believe my eyes, so many of them in one spot. Amazing how
certain birds can be so hard to find at some times, then at other times, they
can be very plentiful in certain locations...
So there you go....Just thought i'd share my findings with you all, and
hopefully some of you can get out there and check out these beautiful places to
camp and view these amazing species...
Kirri
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