Top End Photography Tour Seven day's birding around Darwin, Kakadu, Katherine and Litchfield - August 14-20, 2016 Join us for a seven day six night Darwin, Mary River, Kakadu, Katherine and Litchfield total immersion in Top End birding and nature. Nature's Way is the description used for the triangular route from Darwin to Jabiru to Pine Creek and return to Darwin that takes you through the best of Kakadu National Park and then the tropical savannah woodland along Stuart Highway and back to Darwin. This itinerary is ideal for photography as it allows plenty of time in each location. We start with a day in the Darwin and Fogg Dam area and then the Mary River region. After two days in Kakadu we go to Katherine, Pine Creek and then return to Darwin via Litchfield National Park on day seven s return journey. This tour start with an early pick up from your accommodation in Darwin. Included are all touring costs, Kakadu National Park entry fees, breakfast, lunch and two course dinner. Accommodation is comfortable room with queen and single bed, ensuite and air-conditioning. Cold water, tea, coffee and snacks are available at any time. Also included is a Yellow Waters cruise at Cooinda. This tour is only available as a private charter. Maximum is 5 people. ITINERARY Pre-tour Accommodation The nights' accommodation at Palms City Resort before the start of the tour is included in the cost. DAY 1 - DARWIN to MARY RIVER Pick up from Darwin accommodation - 7.00am We start with visits to habitats rich in bird-life in and around Darwin. Within minutes of leaving the city, we visit monsoon forest in search of the endemic Rainbow Pitta, Rosecrowned Fruit-Dove, Varied Triller and Brown Whistler; then we go to a nearby rocky coastline in search of shorebirds, Sacred Kingfisher and Brahminy Kite. We take the boardwalk that goes right through the mangroves to the mudflats, with a pleasant landing that allows us to sit, listen and observe while various waders, Red-headed Honeyeaters, Broad-billed Flycatchers, Collared Kingfishers, and others come into sight. After visiting some savannah woodland habitat for Forest Kingfisher, Double-barred and Long-tailed Finch, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Spangled Drongo and others, we head out to the wetlands of Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve.
The 60 kilometre drive out to Fogg Dam gives us the opportunity to spot various raptors, kingfishers and the Blue-winged Kookaburra, as well as see a blend of savannah woodland and paperbark forest habitats. At Fogg Dam, the Pandanus lookout is a great place to eat our picnic lunch overlooking the floodplain. The spotting scope is set up and we pick out Magpie Geese, Intermediate Egret, Little Egret, Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Pied Heron, Royal Spoonbill, Little Black Cormorant, White-browed Crake, Black-necked Stork and sometimes Brolga from here. Whistling Kites and often a White-bellied Sea-eagle soar overhead. Crimson Finch, Rufous-banded Honeyeater, Lemon-bellied Flyrobin, Rose-crowned Fruit- Dove, Forest Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher and Paperbark Flycatcher are some of the species that occupy the bush on the edge of the floodplain and are often seen in the carpark area. Estuarine Crocodiles, Gilberts Dragon s, Yellow-spotted Monitors, Northern Long-necked Turtles and Common Tree Snakes may be seen here. Then we explore the Waterlilies walk which takes us along the fringe of wetland, through paperbark forest. We often see Rainbow Pitta, Brown Whistler, Arafura Fantail and Shining Flycatcher. We stop briefly at Adelaide River Bridge for Mangrove Golden Whistler and continue on to Corroboree Tavern. We have dinner at the Mary River Wilderness Retreat and compare notes on sightings for the day. Listen for Bush Stone-curlew, Tawny Frogmouth and Barking Owl at night. Accommodation is in a comfortable, air-conditioned Bush Bungalow at Mary River Wilderness Retreat. DAY 2 - EXPLORE MARY RIVER 6.30am Bush breakfast on the Marrakai track. We spend the morning exploring savannah woodland country down the Marrakai track. Our number one target is the rare and spectacularly beautiful Gouldian Finch. This track is amazingly productive for bird sightings all along the track. Species we may see in addition to Gouldian Finches are Masked, Long-tailed, Double-barred and Crimson Finches, Black-tailed Treecreeper, Varied Sitella, Diamond Dove, Channelbilled, Brush, Pallid and Little Bronze Cuckoos, Redbacked Fairy-wren, Northern Rosella, Varied Lorikeet, many raptor species including Black Falcon and Blackbreasted Buzzard, as well as many of the more common species. We have morning tea on the banks of the Margaret River where we usually get sightings of Buff-sided Robin, Shining and Paperbark Flycatchers and Arafura Fantail. Mammal species in the area are Agile Wallabies, Antilopine Wallaroos and Dingoes. Next we take the turn off to Bird Billabong in Mary River National Park, and do a 4 kilometre (return) walk through bushland and floodplain to the Bird Billabong hide, with views of Magpie Geese, Intermediate Egret, Little Egret, Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Pied Heron, White-necked Heron, Royal Spoonbill, Little Black Cormorant, Black-fronted Dotterel, Black-necked Stork and often some Estuarine Crocodiles and many bush birds, including Rufous Whistler, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Gouldian Finch, Masked Finch, Double-barred Finch, Long-tailed Finch, Azure Kingfisher and Lemon-bellied Flycatcher. Then we head back to our accommodation at Mary River Wilderness Retreat, where we have the opportunity to bird along some of the wildlife tracks at the park. We have dinner at the restaurant and compare notes on sightings for the day. Listen for Bush Stone-curlew, Tawny Frogmouth and Barking Owl at night. Accommodation is in a comfortable, air-conditioned, Bush Bungalow at Mary River Wilderness Retreat. DAY 3 - MARY RIVER to KAKADU 7.30am Bush breakfast at South Alligator River.
We leave early for Kakadu National Park, stopping at South Alligator River for breakfast and search for mangrove species, and then stop at the Mamukala bird hide. After a picnic lunch at Ubirr, we explore the Manngarre Monsoon Forest walk, Cahill s Crossing and Bardedjilidji Sandstone Escarpment walks, searching out some Kakadu escarpment endemics such as Chestnut-quilled Rock-pigeon and White-lined Honeyeater. Other species on our target list are Partridge Pigeon, Rainbow Pitta, Shining Flycatcher, Northern Fantail, Arafura Fantail, Little Red Flying Fox and Short-eared Rock Wallaby. We take in some spectacular ancient rock art and a magnificent view across the Nadab Floodplain. We leave Ubirr and head to our accommodation at Jabiru. Dinner and bird call at the resort and some nearby nightspotting for nocturnal species. Accommodation at Anbinik Resort, Jabiru DAY 4 - EXPLORE KAKADU After an early morning continental breakfast we head out to the Burrunggui rock and Anbangbang area (Nourlangie). Here there is more ancient Aboriginal rock art, and more endemic species such as Banded Fruit-dove, Sandstone Shrike-thrush, Sandstone Helmeted Friarbird and Black Wallaroo. Other species we will look for include Emerald Dove, Northern Rosella, Partridge Pigeon and Spangled Drongo. We have a picnic lunch at Anbangbang Billabong while scoping for wetland species then return to Cooinda Resort. Here we either take some time out to relax by the pool or visit the Warradjan Cultural Centre which offers an amazing insight into local Aboriginal culture and history. There is also a well stocked cultural and natural history bookstore and authentic souvenir shop. At 4.10pm we depart for the famous Yellow Waters cruise. From the comfort and safety of an open sided, covered vessel we are likely to see our four species of Egret -Great, Intermediate, Little and Cattle as well as Black-necked Stork, Brolga, Radjah Shelduck, Wandering and Plumed Whistling-ducks, Green Pygmygoose, Pied Heron, Nankeen Night-heron, Combcrested Jacana, Royal Spoonbill, Azure Kingfisher, Little Kingfisher, Buff-sided Robin as well as many large Estuarine Crocodiles. What is particularly amazing about this cruise, is that, because it runs four times a day, every day of the year, the birds and crocodiles are so accustomed to it that they continue on in their natural behaviour completely undisturbed by the presence of the boat. We pause on sunset and take a few minutes to absorb the splendour of the location as the sun dips below the horizon, often with hundreds of birds flying overhead to their night roosts. Then it s the short drive back to the resort to freshen up and have dinner. Dinner and bird call at Cooinda. Accommodation at Anbinik Resort, Jabiru DAY 5 - KAKADU to KATHERINE We have breakfast at 6.30am at the resort, then depart Jabiru via Kakadu Highway. We explore some more areas of southern Kakadu on the way out. The country changes and so do the bird sighting possibilities. We look out for Australian Bustard in flat open plains and stop at potential Gouldian Finch haunts. We have morning tea near the South Alligator River, on Kakadu Highway, continue on to Pine Creek, and
then head south to the Fergusson River and Edith Falls. Here there are some reliable areas for Gouldian Finch and Hooded Parrot! Other target species here are Banded Honeyeater, Bar-breasted Honeyeater, Rufous-throated Honeyeater, Budgerigar, Cockatiel, Red-winged Parrot, Varied Lorikeet, Great Bowerbird and Grey-crowned Babbler. We continue south to Katherine where we will have dinner and spend the night. Accommodation Katherine. DAY 6 - KATHERINE to PINE CREEK We have breakfast at 6.30am at our accommodation. We explore some areas west of Katherine for Hooded Parrot, White-throated Gerygone, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Rufous-throated Honeyeater, Blacktailed Treecreeper, Northern Crested Shrike-tit and Gouldian Finch. If the rare Red Goshawk is breeding we will go down to Mataranka to try to see it. We now head north to Pine Creek where we will have dinner and spend the night. There are some top spots to check out on the way, including areas we have already checked for Gouldians and Hooded Parrot. Also the sewerage ponds and cemetery near Pine Creek for Pink-eared Duck, Black-fronted Dotterell, Jacky Winter and various raptors. Dinner and accommodation at Pine Creek. DAY 7 - PINE CREEK to DARWIN Early breakfast, check out and head north towards Darwin. We stop for a coffee break at Bridge Creek waterhole and then the small historic township of Adelaide River. We enter Litchfield National Park, visiting and stop to look at some magnificent waterfalls and the wildlife in the area. Here we often find Dingo, Short-eared Rock Wallaby, Olive Python, Merton s Water Monitor, Spangled Drongo, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Great Bowerbird, Pheasant Coucal, Pied Butcherbird and Silver-backed Butcherbird. This is also one of the few locations where the amazing magnetic termite mounds are found. We head back to Darwin now via the back route which takes over the beautiful Finniss River. Both Estuarine and Johnston s Crocodiles are present here. If there is time we will visit Charles Darwin National Park which is a great site for Northern Rosella and Helmeted Friarbird. Also mangrove birds such as Mangrove Robin, Black Butcherbird, Red-headed Honeyeater, Yellow White-eye, Large-billed Gerygone and Varied Triller. Return to accommodation in Darwin Please Note: The above itinerary is based on the outcomes of many previous tours to the areas described. Each season is different and as various wildlife observing opportunities arise and depending on the preferences of the group, adjustments will be made. Inclusions - Two nights at Mary River Wilderness Retreat (queen bed and single), two nights accommodation at Anbinik Resort, Jabiru (various bedding configurations available), one nights accommodation at Katherine, Pine Creek, Yellow Waters Sunset Cruise, all meals,
Kakadu Park entry fees. Cold water, tea and coffee and refreshments available at all times. GST. Exclusions - Alcoholic drinks, purchases of a personal nature such as souvenirs, internet use, etc. Group Tour - Maximum five people, $3345 per person twin share, single supplement $525 Private Charter - $9325 (two people) For more information on this tour and to find out how to book please visit http://www.experiencethewild.com.au/?p=tours-7-day-top-end-wildlife