Australia – The Explorers Way and a few extra bits. (1 Viewer)

[dandsblair]

Darwin – Botanic Garden and Museum area

Darwin – Botanic Garden and Museum area

Today was originally going to be a day with John Rawstone a birding pal from Darwin but he is an AFL referee and had to referee an away game yesterday and would be out of town all day, he had though given us some advice and changed his schedule so he could go out with us tomorrow morning even though it is a working day for him.

He told us that the Rufous Owl was nesting near the rainforest loop in a large fig tree hole, with at least one chick in the nest and one of the adults was usually to be found in the tree nearby, so that was where we were heading after giving the car back. On the walk up to the gardens we passed a golf course and a bit of the gardens called bird-song gully, we saw Rainbow Bee-eaters, Masked Plover and Grey Goshawk before the gardens, Blue-faced Honeyeaters, Black Kites, Pied Imperial Pigeon and White Ibis in the main area before we got to the rainforest loop and on the pond Black-necked Stork, Radjah Shelduck and Grey Teal.

Our strategy was to look for a likely nest hole in every fig tree, there were a few including some figs that didn’t look like a traditional fig – after an hour without success we split up – about 20 minutes later a family asked me “would you describe yourself as a medium height Scottish gentleman”, I said I suppose so, they said “well a lady over the other side of those trees is looking for you”. I did wonder why Sarah hadn’t just said a guy with a large camera and binoculars – anyway I ran back and Sarah had seen the Owl, it was partly hidden and just when she got me on it the bird flew. I thought to a different perch in the trees below the path but at least I had seen roughly where it had gone and a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo with an alarm call helped narrow it down further, the Rufous Owl was sitting there holding a possum which he had just taken and was delicately removing the fur, presumably to feed the chick.
We had the pleasure of watching the bird for an hour and showed a few other birders it but it showed no sign of taking the prey to the nest, so we never did validate the nest hole.

I asked one of the local guides what type of possum it was but she said it was a rat, later they admitted they always say this to spare the visitors on their guided tours any distress.

We did have a look at the possible roost for Barking Owl but we think these were scared off just a day or so ago as an employee said there was quite a disturbance under the tree where the owls had been.

We then walked along the coast to the museum and the boardwalk and small lake beyond it. The museum was interesting particularly the stuff on the 1974 Cyclone that completely wrecked Darwin and we did manage a few birds including a Mangrove Robin, that responded immediately to a my call, on the little boardwalk, John was really surprised that a bird was here but thought that probably no one had tried for it in these Mangroves and hence it responded better than birds a mile or two along the coast at East Point. We also added Forest Kingfisher, Silver Gull, Varied Lorikeet, Bar-shouldered Dove and Rainbow Lorikeet (this Northern species is split by some as Red-collared Lorikeet).

 

[dandsblair]

Darwin with a birdingpal

Darwin with a birdingpal

As I said earlier John had agreed to fit in a short trip before work – he picked us up at first light and we headed up to East Point. The first creature we saw were Agile Wallabies a quite large group, before we entered the mangroves, we heard Mangrove Robin but as we had seen one yesterday did not waste time trying to get looks of what can be a tricky bird, we quickly saw a number of Brown Honeyeaters which John had banded, also Dusky and Red-headed Honeyeater we then added Silvereye (Grey- backed), then Mangrove Gerygone, then three Kingfishers – Forest, Sacred and Collared in quick succession in the mangroves and woods nearby, that was quickly followed by Brown Goshawk, Brahminy Kite and Little Friarbird we then got the Ararufa Fantail which we had missed yesterday before heading into the monsoon forest to try for good views of Pitta and Doves, we quickly heard Rose-crowned Fruit Dove, I tried playing my call but John told me I was using the eastern rather than northern species, it was different but I’m sure the bird at Fogg Dam responded, in this case we need not have worried because the bird flew into a more open area of woodland and I managed much better photos, unfortunately we didn’t hear a Pitta so no chance to upgrade my photos of that.
Only other birds we added before we went back to the Botanic Garden was Varied Triller and Northern Fantail.

John had decided to postpone starting work for a bit longer so we headed to the Botanic Gardens together to search for Barking Owls – without success and had coffee together before he had to finally go and earn his wages.
We didn’t see a lot new for the day but did add Figbird, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Magpie Lark and Torresian Crow.

John gave us a couple of site options for later based on some birds we still needed – Tiwi near the Royal Darwin Hospital or Mangroves further north of where we were yesterday. There was also a site to twitch a Yellow Chat that had just turned up in the area (the Birdfinders group were heading there) but with only public transport that was not really a viable option for us.

We chose Tiwi and got the bus up there – we had three birds in mind and quickly saw Silver-backed Butcherbird, however the other two easy birds were proving tricky but then I saw a small group of Double-banded Finches and we finally got on a Crimson Finch but not very well. The last target of Red-backed Fairywren we just couldn’t find and we had to spend longer than we intended looking which meant we would not get back to the Botanic Gardens in time for Barking Owl before dark but at least we did finally get the Fairywren albeit with quite a bit of playback and even then the views were not ideal; but sods law while trying for the wrens the finches came out into the open and posed for a photo.

Our second bus back was cancelled so late return and straight to dinner with no owling in Darwin.

 

[MKinHK]

Terrific report a a wonderful portrait of the pitta.

The Rufous Owl is also a cracker - always wanted to see bih owl woth prey like that. Do you know if they typically hunt in daylight?

Cheers
Mike

 

[dandsblair]

Thanks Mike

Terrific report a a wonderful portrait of the pitta.

The Rufous Owl is also a cracker - always wanted to see bih owl woth prey like that. Do you know if they typically hunt in daylight?

Cheers
Mike

We were told that hunting during the day is very rare even when they have a chick to feed (this was around 11am), so we were very lucky to see this behaviour. We would have been happy with just seeing the owl in daylight

 

[dandsblair]

Darwin to Brisbane and Lamington

Darwin to Brisbane and Lamington

Lazy morning before pick up to Darwin Airport – only bird seen form Argus Hotel were Figbird, Rainbow Lorikeet and Pied (Torresian) Imperial Pigeon.

Fortunately all our arrangement go to plan and we arrive in Brisbane at 17.15 and have our luggage in our car hire by 18.00, we have two hours to get up the Lamington Park Road to O’Reilly’s Rainforest Lodge before the road closes, we make it despite stopping at the first roadwork lights for 10 minutes with about 15 minutes to spare, having taken the toll road to avoid the worst of the Brisbane traffic – good call.

We did have a contingency of staying the night in Canungra if we couldn’t make it and coming up for breakfast but we would have missed our morning birding walk as the road doesn’t open until 06.00. One family we saw had to do this and didn’t make it up until almost 8am.
The road closures are for repairs to put right the worst of the damage caused by Cyclone Debbie which caused over 70 areas of closure on the narrow winding mountain road.

Just before we got to the lodge we had a Brown Bandicoot run across the track in front of us.

We arrive in time for dinner and were lucky enough to see the Mountain Brushtail Possum come down to the fruit in the central area.

Return to O’Reilly’s

It is almost 9 years since we visited O’Reilly’s on that trip we had a full days guided birding with Glen Trelflo, a local legend who has worked here for nearly 40 years and knows many of the birds by name, seriously he calls them individually including one Whipbird we first saw 9 years ago.
Our early morning walk was with Glen and we were lucky there was only one other couple with us, so plenty of time for a catch up and to get some advice on what is around, we were particularly after the Lyrebird which we hadn’t properly seen last time, distant female claimed but we didn’t count it as we couldn’t get close enough to see it properly didn’t have a scope and the famous male George just didn’t show for us.

Before we got to reception there were a couple of White-browed Scrubwren coming close to our feet, obviously thinking they might be fed. Then when we stated the walk first up we had the birds that hang around the feeding area of O’Reilly’s for a free meal in the morning, 7 Regent Bowerbirds seem well, later in the day these birds couldn’t be seen as they were feeding on a fruiting tree deep in the forest, there were 4 King Parrots, 2 Satin Bowerbirds and 6 Crimson Rosella. Onto the track and we had a couple of young Eastern Whipbirds then the famous Mr Whippy, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Eastern Spinebill, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Eastern Yellow Robin and Pied Currawong with Brush Turkey’s in constant attendance we did check out two places for the Lyrebird but nothing this morning. We did though see the rarer of the two Pademelons (Red Legged).

After breakfast and through the day we walked a couple of trails for some of the speciality birds.
We did add some good views of Logrunner, got Paradise Riflebird (female) and did see two Noisy Pittas but they were not responding to calls and didn’t show very well, a guide said they are just coming back onto territories having wintered down the mountain, another pair of birders did hear a bird but didn’t see it. We spend most of the rest of the day looking for Lyrebirds but only added Grey Fantail, Bassian Thrush, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Grey Shrike-Thrush, Green Catbird and Large-billed Scrubwren before we got close to the villas where we added Topknot and Wonga Pigeon and Superb Fairywren.

As it got dark we added Red-necked Pademelon but despite trying for a Sooty Owl near the Wishing Tree, it was heard by one of the staff a few nights ago, we had no success.

In search of Albert’s Lyrebird

We walked around the staff quarters about 6 times, we were told it was OK to do so in daylight despite the keep out signs – as it was a favourite spot for a male Lyrebird, 4 times up and down on the track by the spa, plus near the campsite on the way to Python Rock a couple of times ( a female and youngster had been seen here) and most other trails including the Lyrebird lookout – the old males haunt; but nothing seen just the same birds as yesterday minus the Pitta plus a Brown Gerygone.

I can’t remember why we called back into our room to collect something but I said let’s go out again through the staff area, Sarah who hates breaking rules or going off a defined path was now fed up with me and was about to go the other way when I whispered he is here, and there he was on the earth bank next to the staff quarters, he didn’t seem spooked by our presence and we were able to work our way around to be right above him, he even responded to a short call by giving us a little of his display, he then broke cover and started scratching for insects in the yard and then played hide and seek with us under one of the stairs of a staff building. Result Albert’s Lyrebird seen and photographed. We decided to then go up to the mountain garden to see the plants and guess what we saw the same or another male showing so openly I was even able to video him on my phone.

No luck again with the Sooty Owl but we did see a Long-nosed Bandicoot and I saw a Dingo which Sarah missed as she went back to the room.

Last walk around O’Reilly’s and drive to Brisbane

It is easy to forget just how special some of the birds that are fairly easy at O’Reilly’s are, Satin and Regent Bowerbird are quite difficult away from here, King Parrot is always a good bird although we have seen it in a few places, Whipbird and Logrunner while gettable are not easy and the Scrubwrens and Robins that show openly here are skulkier elsewhere, so it was good to tick these birds off for another few years. These plus Lewin’s Honeyeater, Red-browed Finch, Bassian Thrush and Wonga Pigeon made up our bird list and we saw a Red-necked Pademelon.

Having taken on all the roadworks we were a bit late to Sharp Creek to try for the Duck-billed Platypus and although we heard a small splash when we walked the creek we didn’t see anything apart from a Water Dragon, birds down here included Dusky Moorhen, Pacific Black Duck, and Coot.

That was just about it for wildlife watching on this section of the trip, we did stop at Mount Coot-tha and the Botanic Gardens and had a couple of trip birds in Hardhead and Scaly-breasted Lorikeet but for the next couple of days we were just normal tourists up until our trip to New Caledonia.

 

[dandsblair]

Albert's Lyrebird

Couldn't not put a few photos of this cracker plus a couple of other ground dwelling birds

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Nice report - brings back memories of my own visit to that area five years ago.

By the way, in post #18 you have a picture labelled as a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin. Are you sure it isn't a female Gouldian Finch?

 

[dandsblair]

You are right- it is Gouldian

Nice report - brings back memories of my own visit to that area five years ago.

By the way, in post #18 you have a picture labelled as a Chestnut-breasted Mannikin. Are you sure it isn't a female Gouldian Finch?

Yes I spotted mistake after I posted it and couldn't edit, it is an immature Gouldian, we did see the Mannikin with clear black breast-band but I'm not sure I photographed it.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Wow, some very difficult birds there, notably Scarlet-chested Parrot, Grey Honeyeater, Letter-winged Kite and Grey Falcon, as well 2 more I missed that are probably just difficult, Sandhill Grasswren and Gibberbird. Well done you, well jel! Must go back for those ☺

 

[dandsblair]

Thanks Larry

Wow, some very difficult birds there, notably Scarlet-chested Parrot, Grey Honeyeater, Letter-winged Kite and Grey Falcon, as well 2 more I missed that are probably just difficult, Sandhill Grasswren and Gibberbird. Well done you, well jel! Must go back for those ☺

Thanks Larry

Yes I think we were quite lucky overall, sometime better to be a lucky birder than a good one but when talking to our birding pals they said fact that we drove over 2500KM along various tracks as well as the 3000K on quiet roads gave us a pretty good chance of some of these rarities but they were amazed we missed things like Inland Dotterel and Cinnamon Quail Thrush.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

.. but they were amazed we missed things like Inland Dotterel and Cinnamon Quail Thrush.

I felt lucky enough seeing those two!

 

[dandsblair]

New Caledonia (Part 1) In search of the Kagu

New Caledonia

We had 6 nights in Noumea with a hire car booked for 3 days and had arranged for a day’s guiding with Isabella from Caledonia Birds – an expensive day but New Caledonia is expensive and compared to other prices there we judged it to be good value.

Our direct flight from Brisbane arrived just before 23.00 and it was after midnight on Sunday before we arrived at Le Lagon Hotel in Noumea. We had the airport transfer, hotel and car hire booked through Noumea Discovery and they had the driver give me a card with some information on it when we landed. However, I only read it when we got up at around 07.30 – it turned out a lady was meeting us in reception at 8am to welcome us and a car was being delivered at 09.00 not 17.00 as arranged (an extra day free) – just time to get up meet the young lady – who basically told us what was about in the town, when the airport pick-up was and that Isabella was a really good guide when we mentioned we were going out with her tomorrow. Then just time to then grab some breakfast before I was called out to go through the car hire with another young girl, we had the car for an extra day, today and to just have the car back by 17.00 on Thursday, just leave the key with the hotel reception – much less formal than Avis.

Today we had planned to have a relaxing day by the beach but with a car, I thought we could check out where we were meeting Isabella, trying to find the supermarket car park from a GPS in the dark at 05.00 tomorrow might be tricky and we could then have a gentle introduction to some local birds. I picked a cycle / culture park in Tina from maps.me as being close to Mount Dore and the supermarket and not too far away from our hotel.

First we stopped at the supermarket to get some picnic making for the next two days and then we drove to Tina. Unfortunately the culture park is closed on a Monday and the cycle park was heaving but there is a walking track that has sign saying it has good birding and we didn’t do too bad for an introduction, first we had a Rufous Whistler in the car park, then our first endemic the New Caledonian (green-backed) White-eye, then a couple of tricky to see Honeyeaters which we finally coaxed out to add both Barred and Grey-eared Honeyeaters[ and then [Streaked Fantail in the mangrove area, then I heard and managed to call out a Melanesian (New Caledonian Golden) Whistler, as we came out into the open area a White-bellied Goshawk flew across giving us excellent views, that was pretty much it apart from Silver Gull, Pacific Swallow, Common Mynah and House Sparrow and a bird that got a way which was almost certainly the Friarbird before we gave up and retreated to the beach as were getting eaten to pieces by midges as we were in our shorts and tee-shirts with no insect repellent to hand.

Riviere Bleue – Blue River NP

We set the alarm early and got to Mount Dore car park around 5am. I was going to drive us to Blue River and then pick up Isabella’s car in the Park. She is one of only a handful of people who are authorised to drive in the national park, however her car which she leaves in the park was in need of servicing, so in the end I left my car in the supermarket car park and we went with Isabella in her small 4x4. On entering the park we walked over the bridge and she was able to drive across the river and meet us 10 minutes later in the area where she would normally be parked. Whistling Kites in the trees nearby.
She is not allowed to take car passengers on the crossing in our out the park.
We were also able to get into the park before it opens – as she has the access code to the barrier.

We did consider doing it all ourselves or doing two days with Isabella but decided that one full day trying to get most targets and then going out ourselves was sensible use of time and money.

I knew it was going to be a great day when just 1 KM up the entry road a Kagu emerged and ran alongside the road even allowing us a photo or two, Isabella said he shouldn’t be there, probably a young male trying to find a new territory. Just up this road we soon had good views of Barred and Grey-eared Honeyeater,a New Caledonia Friarbird was chasing smaller birds – I saw dozens of this bird I but didn’t get a decent photograph, it didn’t stop us getting a good look at a pair of New Caledonian Myzomela and a few White-eye. Isabella then heard an New Caledonian Parakeet and over the next 45 minutes we managed to get good views of this and the cracking Horned Parakeet, Isabella was trying to hurry us along as she had a spot for Crow Honeyeater but the bird only called for a short period around 8am, so we said OK lets go then we stopped for photos of the Parakeets and Streaked Fantail, but then a bird flew across, Sarah said it’s got red around the eye and in the face and we all got on the Crow Honeyeater as it was probably flying towards its display tree, we did later see the bird on the display tree, we saw it OK but could really have done with a closer view but Isabella said she has being trying for months to find somewhere more accessible to view the bird from.

We paused for breath and enjoyed a coffee before entering the forest to look for pigeons.

We had heard a probable Goliath Imperial Pigeon fly into the trees and could hear a Cloven-feathered Dove calling. We went way off the track and deep into the ferns to find and finally get acceptable views of the Cloven-feathered Dove and I even managed a reasonable photo or two, albeit with no feet in view. The massive Goliath Imperial Pigeon flew often and we got views but it took ages before I could even get a record shot.

Things had understandably started to slow down but we were still adding target birds quite regularly, next was Yellow-bellied Flyrobin, we then got better views of what Isabella called New Caledonian Golden Whistler but the guide still has it a sub-species of Melanesian Whistler and a last couple before lunch Striated Starling and Fan-tailed Gerygone.

Over lunch, that we had by the river near the Petroglyph rocks, Isabella called in a Southern Shrikebill, seen well albeit at the other site of the river. Myself and Isabella also saw a Red-throated Parrotfinch which Sarah missed at first but Isabella knew of some trees with cones that attracted the birds and sure enough we soon all were on this cracking red and green bird.

While Sarah was taking a group selfie by the river two Melanesian Cuckoo-Shrikes flew over, myself and Isabella are pointing at the birds and calling Cuckoo-Shrike as Sarah continues to take the selfies, she thought we were saying something akin to smile or cheese, no problem though as the birds landed in the tree and were still visible when she took the trouble to look.

Next up we caught up with the trickier New Caledonian Cuckoo Shrike, not brilliant views but certainly recognisable, it then took us ages to finally get a couple of Melanesian Flycatchers to come down out of the canopy for us to see them, we had just a couple of targets left and a little matter of trying to get better views and photographs of the Kagu, we were driving back towards the park entrance where the shuttle bus drops off people coming in top the park, when two Kagu came out onto the main track and then obligingly searched for worms in the scrub not far from the track, we also saw another male that held territory on the track near the Kagu lifecycle sign, so all really good and we added the Long-tailed Triller here too. We were only missing two target birds, the Crow and the Thicketbird and it was time to head back Isabella had to pick up her son from Nursery but she had given us a spot up Mount Dore for the crows and a place to try near Farino for the Thicketbird – so a pretty much perfect day.

When we got back to the car park we drove up behind Isabella to the place for the crows and she then headed to Tina to pick up her son, we then had great views of New Caledonian Crow, famous as being the first bird filmed using tools and I even managed a photograph of one using a small twig to get insects. We saw Isabella later in the Supermarket with her son and confirmed we got great views of the birds.

 

[birdboybowley]

How did you find the Melanesia fieldguide David? Always nice to hear from people who have used it in the actual field! I hope the passerine pics were on spec

 

[dandsblair]

Very good

How did you find the Melanesia fieldguide David? Always nice to hear from people who have used it in the actual field! I hope the passerine pics were on spec

I found plates really good. I did get used to the fact that passerines were split by location (5 plates for New Caledonia); where as birds of prey and pigeons etc were combined; after initially not liking the format I think it works pretty well in the field.
Only thing I found questionable was colour on Melanesian Whistler where caledonica male birds we saw were yellow/green on back and not as orange on the breast as the plate but certainly recognisable

 

[dandsblair]

New Caledonia (part2)

Mount Fughi – cascade trail

I had heard access to the mountain could be difficult, but we found a small kiosk, toilet and information building just up from the resort and the activity area. It cost just a couple of euros each to access the forest, you just had to tell the guy which trail we were walking, we chose the cascade rather than peak as he said it was better for birds.

Birding wasn’t as good as yesterday but we did get better views of Goliath Imperial Pigeon and New Caledonian Cuckoo Shrike, plus saw White-eye, Streaked Fantail, Melanesian Flycatcher, New Caledonian Crow, Melanesian Whistler, Myzomela, Shrikebill, Gerygone, Flyrobin, and another White-bellied Goshawk on the open area just before we crossed to the waterfall track, and a flight view of the Crow Honeyeater so had we not done so well yesterday a dozen targets would not have been bad. The waterfall itself was nice with a really good rock pool to cool off in.

We also saw Common Mynah, Spotted Dove, Silver Gull and House Sparrow.

Parc du Grande Forges (Grand Fern)

We had only one target bird but decided to stick with our plan and go to New Caledonia’s second best known birding site.
On the way we saw Whistling Kite and Swamp Harrier. On arrival at the Parc when we were parking up to pay a large black rail like bird appeared, it was a Purple Swamphen but the bird was almost entirely black, with no obvious purple in the head so more like the proposed Australasian rather than Black-backed sub-species which is mentioned in the Dutson guide for Caledonia. (I might get a tick later depending on take-up of recent NZ study into Swamphen taxonomy).

We walked the orange and yellow trails and immediately saw Red JungleFowl (an introduced population), then Coconut Lorikeet and some Glossy Swiftlets. Into the forest pigeons were calling everywhere and it didn’t take long to find Goliath Imperial Pigeon and a Metallic Pigeon however the Cloven-feathered which is the motto for this park gave us the run around and I just never managed to get a photo of this bird showing his fluffy white legs – despite a number of birds calling to each other and responding to my whistles and showing OKish. Over the course of the day we saw the White-eye, Myzomela, Melanesian Whistler and Flycatcher, Flyrobin, Grey-eared Honeyeater, Gerygone, Triller, Friarbird, Crow, Striated Starling and Fantail. We also added White-breasted Woodswallow and Grey Fantail but we didn’t find any Kagu or Parrotfinch.

We had left just a little time to try three places for the Thicketbird, the first place about a kilometre inside the Parc – offered no sign of the bird, the second place on the right hand side about 1.5KM outside the park, a scrubby area with some rocky hillside delivered the bird almost instantly. I played the call, a bird showed briefly in the thick scrub, I placed the speaker at the edge of the scrub and played the call again and the bird hopped out for a second or two, offering up an unmistakable view of the white supercilium. I tried again to get the bird out for a photograph but the bird had obviously done his showing off for the day, but happy enough I got back in the car and went to drive off, when Sarah said – “he is sitting at eye-level”, he was right by the passenger door giving her a great view, I tried to get out and creep around the car, as I couldn’t get the angle to photograph it from the car, but couldn’t see it as I crept round, I wasn’t in the line of sight through the bushes that Sarah had and when I got closer the bird just disappeared. Still I had reasonable views of New Caledonian Thicketbird a bird people often miss and Sarah had seen it point blank the last endemic target was in the bag a great result. Probably just as well I didn’t get great photos on this day as I somehow managed to lose the whole day’s images – when trying to transfer them from the chip to my laptop.

It was a little busy getting back to Noumea but it was no problem leaving the keys a little bit late at reception as the car wasn’t picked up until the following morning.

 

[birdboybowley]

I found plates really good. I did get used to the fact that passerines were split by location (5 plates for New Caledonia); where as birds of prey and pigeons etc were combined; after initially not liking the format I think it works pretty well in the field.
Only thing I found questionable was colour on Melanesian Whistler where caledonica male birds we saw were yellow/green on back and not as orange on the breast as the plate but certainly recognisable

Interesting thanks! Will have to go thru my specimen pics and see what the caledonicas labelled look like yr pic

 

[dandsblair]

The end

Last couple of days in Noumea and Brisbane

We didn’t do any dedicated birding, just hung around the beaches. The areas around Noumea and out to Isle du Canard are great for swimming and snorkelling, loads of fish and a turtle swam under me really close to shore.
Only birds we added to trip list were Red-vented Bulbul and Common Waxbill, common around the hotel and a Wandering Tattler on the rocks by Lemon Bay.

Summary

Considering this wasn’t really a birding trip we didn’t do too bad with a few of the rare nomads in Grey Falcon, Letter-winged Kite and Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo seen; I’m glad we saw the Grasswren at Uluru otherwise I think we would have thought this family were just figments of someone’s imagination. We did quite well for parrots and honeyeaters but really sorry we missed the Black and Banded Honeyeater and didn’t see any large flock of Budgies.
However, we hit all the main targets in the Darwin area, finally saw the Lyrebird at O’Reilly’s and cleaned up in New Caledonia so in birding terms we have to call it a very successful trip.

We also saw most main animal targets, Koala, two new Rock Wallabies, lots of Roos, Wallabies and Pademelons and a few lizards. Although we were probably too early for most lizards and snakes, it was still freezing overnight until we reached Katherine, hence having to see Sarah’s most wanted a Thorny Devil in the Desert Park at Alice.

We also enjoyed the open roads and the wonderful scenery.


Top 5 birds we decided are Kagu, Rufous Owl, Rainbow Pitta, Rose-crowned Fruit Dove and Albert's Lyrebird

 

[foresttwitcher]

Considering this wasn’t really a birding trip

Wow, great haul considering. Nice report.

 

[Eribari]

I posted Alice Springs after not before drive North to Tenant Creek and Katherine

i like, good photosB

 

[stuartvine]

Very enjoyable report