8 Day Northern Territory Bird Photography Workshop

We will spend the day visiting a variety of sites which may include Holmes Jungle, East Point, Lee Point and Buffalo Creek. Birds we’ll seek to photograph include Rainbow Pitta, Arafura Fantail, Northern Fantail, White-gaped Honeyeater, Forest Kingfisher, Silver-crowned Friarbird and Paperbark Flycatcher. In the mangroves at Buffalo Creek Red-headed Honeyeaters, Green-backed Gerygone, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher, Grey Whistler, Red winged Parrots and Common Sandpiper are found and the rarely seen Chestnut Rail.

Various seabirds and waders are also possible. We will visit the Botanical Gardens to look for Rufous and Barking Owls.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

With packed breakfast, we drive to Fogg Dam with its spectacular diversity of water birds including Comb-crested Jacanas, Black-necked Stork, Magpie Geese, Straw-necked and Glossy Ibis, Pied Heron, Plumed and Wandering Whistling Ducks, Green Pigmy Geese, Whiskered Tern, Caspian Tern and Brahminy Kite. Saltwater and Freshwater Crocodiles are also found here.

A boardwalk on the edge of the lake is a good place for Rainbow Pitta, Little Kingfisher, Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove, Shining Flycatcher, Little Bronze-Cuckoo, Rufous-banded Honeyeater and Broad-billed and Lemon-bellied Flycatcher

Along the Arnhem Highway we will keep an eye out for for Crimson, Long-tailed, Double-barred and, if we are very lucky, Gouldian Finches. A stop at Adelaide River could produce Mangrove Golden Whistlers and along the route Black-faced Woodswallow, Marsh and Spotted Harriers, Black-shouldered Kites, Nankeen Kestrels, Black-breasted Buzzard, Red-backed Kingfisher are among the possible species.

The first planned stop in World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park is Mamukala Wetlands where the numbers of water birds can be spectacular and there may be the possibility of seeing some species not seen at earlier sites.

In Kakadu,  we go to Jabiru to stay at the Anbinik Kakadu Resort, which is owned by a local Aboriginal corporation,  to check in to our accommodation. Time permitting, After dinner in Jabiru we look for Barking Owls.

Accommodation: Anbinik Resort for 3 nights.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

A private dawn cruise on the famous Yellow Waters Billabong is the perfect start to the day. The early flights of the waterbirds are a great spectacle. After breakfast at Cooinda spend time photographing   the wildlife close to Cooinda. Back in Jabiru we visit the Bowali Visitors centre then have lunch. After a break in the middle of the day travel north to the Bardedjilidji walk and the art sites at Ubirr. Sunset at Ubirr is a Kakadu tradition and a great way to finish the day. Birding highlights include species previously listed and  Long-tailed, Double-barred and Crimson Finches and many more. Amongst the sandstone outcrops two special locals are the Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon and Sandstone Shrike-thrush. Mammals seen here include Common Wallaroo, Agile Wallaby, Wilkins Rock Wallaby and Sandstone Antechinus. At nearby Cahills Crossing, the causeway across the East Alligator River to Arnhemland, Saltwater Crocodiles are commonly seen in big numbers.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Have an early start to get to Burrungkuy and Angbangbang Billabong when the birds are most active. Another highlight there would be seeing, and photographing, the Black Wallaroos that are endemic to the Arnhemland Plateau. This is a good location for the locally endemic Banded Fruit-Dove, White-lined Honeyeater, plus Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon and Partridge Pigeon. In the afternoon we will explore any areas where the birds are active.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

Travelling further south through Kakadu towards Pine Creek provides the opportunity to look for two of Australia’s rarest raptors, the Grey Falcon, which has almost mythical status because it is so elusive, and the Red Goshawk. Brown Goshawks, Australian Hobby, Black-breasted Buzzard, Whistling Kites, Collared Sparrowhawk and Black and Brown Falcons are also found in this area. Masked Finches, Weebills, Black-tailed Treecreepers, Brown Quail, Brush Cuckoo, Black-eared Cuckoo and Variegated Fairy-wren are all possible at random roadside stops. The little town of Pine Creek where we stay the night is a good location for Hooded Parrot, Varied Lorikeet, Cockatiel, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Northern Rosella, Red-collared Lorikeet, Diamond Dove, Striated Pardalote, Magpie Lark, Crested Pigeon, Black-chinned, Blue-faced and White-throated Honeyeater, Crested Shrike-tit, Owlet Nightjar and sometimes Gouldian Finches.
The nearby sewage treatment plant is home to Australian Pratincole, Black-fronted Plover, Black-winged Stilt and Grey Teal whilst Chestnut-backed Buttonquail have been seen at the nearby
cemetery.

Accommodation: the Pine Creek Railway Resort for 2 nights.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

A very early start will be necessary today to go to the Edith Falls area to be ready for dawn at a location where beautiful Gouldian Finches and a many other species come for a morning drink. Red-winged Parrots, Hooded Parrots, Cockatiels, Rufous Whistlers, Black-tailed Treecreepers and Long-tailed and Crimson Finches are regular visitors to the waterhole. Just down the road is Edith Falls, a good spot for lunch and wildlife such as Merton’s Water Monitor, Golden Orb Spider & Agile Wallaby birds.

Drive south to Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park for a photo shoot around the nationalpark grounds, visitor centre for wildlife such as Agile Wallaby, Black Flying Fox and Firetail Skink, and head up to the lookout for stunning scenery/landscapes before heading back to Pine Creek for the night.

Breakfast and dinner included.

An early start to have another visit to Edith Creek to look for Finches and other species then travel back to Darwin via Adelaide River where the Silver-backed Butcherbird is often seen near the beautiful war cemetery. This beautiful bird is only found in the Top End and Kimberley regions. The tour will conclude this afternoon when returning to your accommodation in Darwin.

Accommodation: 1 night at the Mercure Darwin Airport Resort

Breakfast and dinner included.