Heading back towards Darwin we made our way to the Tumbling Waters Holiday Park which we had been advised was a possible site for Little Kingfisher, unfortunately this was one species that would elude us on this trip. However we did get great views of a well-known Rainbow Pitta that hangs around the Amenities Block there. Ebird List
Saturday saw us return to Lee Point to try to try and track-down some of our missing-species, we stayed there for the remainder of our NT visit (the first three days of August)
Exploring the Casuarina Coastal Reserve, things were a bit ‘quiet’ but we soon found most of the targets, and Mike got a very reasonable image of the Chestnut Rail after waiting and hiding in the mangroves at Buffalo Creek….and finally got good shots of Grey Whistler. Ebird List
Mike was still chasing White-browed Crake, so we headed back to McMinn’s Lagoon and met up with Magen Pettit and Braden McDonald, a young birder heading back to Brisbane in transit from Groote Eylandt. Mike finally succeeded in photographing his ‘target’, whilst the other three walked the perimeter of the lake and attempted to beat the ‘day-list’ count with 60 species. Ebird List
Our last main ‘challenge’ was to go back to the East Point-Coconut Grove area to search for the Mangrove Golden and White-breasted Whistler, again we enlisted our mate Peter Brown for his local-knowledge and although we managed to get ‘cracking-views’ of both species our photographic ‘efforts’ were not so great. Peter kindly offered us some pics of male White-breasted Whistler that he took a week earlier. Ebird List
Our Top End trip ended on Monday, just as the NT Chief-Minister was about to close the border with Queensland for a COVID ‘breach’ in Brisbane….which apparently involved ‘handbag-smuggling’. We had a few hours left in the morning so did a bit more ‘mangrove’ work, at Buffalo Creek and East Point before heading to the Airport.
White-quilled Honeyeater Lesser-crested Tern White-gaped Honeyeater Lemon-bellied Flycatcher
All up we saw about 207 species and got most of our ‘targets’ so we would both like to thank Marc Gardner, Mick Jerram for his hospitality, Peter Brown, Magen Pettit, (….and especially Peter Kyne for bearing with all my Ebird ‘strings’) Ian Reid for his encouragement following us and everyone-else who helped us out.
Top End July/Aug 2020 Location Summary 17/7: Buffalo Creek Shore (BCS) 17/7 - 18/7: Lee Point (LP) 18/7: Casuarina Coastal Reserve--Sandy Creek near Hospital (CCRSC) 18/7: East Point (EP) 18/7: Foreshore (Casuarina Rd, Nightcliff) (FCRN) 19/7: Holmes Jungle Nature Reserve (HJNR) 19/7: Leanyer Ponds (LeP) 20/7: Buffalo Creek Shore 20/7: Casuarina Coastal Reserve--Sandy Creek near Hospital 20/7: Mangroves near Orchard Rd (Coconut Grove) (MnORC) 20/7: Palmerston Golf Course (PGC) 21/7: Arnhem Highway, Lambells Lagoon, Northern Territory, AU (AHLLN) 21/7: Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve (FDCR) 21/7: Mary River National Park (MRNP) 21/7: McMinns Lagoon (ML) 21/7 - 22/7: Mary River Park (MRP) 22/7: Kakadu National Park--Mamukala Billabong (KNPMB) 22/7: Kakadu National Park--Bardedjilidji Sandstone Walk (KNPBS) 23/7: Kakadu National Park--Gubara (KNPG) 23/7: Kakadu National Park--Anbangbang Billabong (KNPAB) 23/7 - 24/7: Kakadu National Park--Nourlangie Rock (KNPNR) 24/7: Arnhem Highway/Oenpelli Road, Kakadu, Northern Territory, AU (AHORK) 24/7: Kakadu National Park--Cooinda (KNPC) 25/7: Kakadu National Park--Gerowie Creek Crossing (Kakadu Hwy) (KNPGC) 25/7: 275 Murnburlu Road, Cossack, Northern Territory, AU (-14.519, 132.198) (Restricted Access) (MRCNT) 25/7: Pine Creek (PC) 26/7: Central Arnhem Road, Beswick Creek, Northern Territory, AU (CARBC) 26/7: Katherine Wastewater Treatment Plant (KWTP) 26/7: Lansdowne, Northern Territory, AU (LNTA) 26/7: Victoria River Crossing Roadhouse (VRCR) 27/7: Keep River National Park--Gurrandalng Walk (KRNPG) 27/7: Snake Creek at 15 54S 129 47E (SCaSE) 27/7: Victoria Highway, Baines, Northern Territory, AU (VHBNT) 27/7: Victoria River Crossing--boat ramp (VRCbr) 28/7: Keep River National Park--Cockatoo Lagoon (KRNPC) 28/7: Keep River National Park--Gurrandalng Camp Ground (KeRNPG) 29/7: Victoria Hwy at Dingo Creek (VHaDC) 30/7: Katherine River--Miniata Park access (restricted access) (KRMPa) 31/7: Lee Point 31/7: McMinns Lagoon 2/8 - 3/8: Buffalo Creek (BC) Species Summary 1.Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata) ML 2.Plumed Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna eytoni) LeP 3.Wandering Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata) LeP 4.Radjah Shelduck (Radjah radjah) PGC 5.Green Pygmy-Goose (Nettapus pulchellus) PGC 6.Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) LeP 7.Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) LeP 8.Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) LeP 9.Hardhead (Aythya australis) LeP 10.Orange-footed Scrubfowl (Megapodius reinwardt) LP 11.Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae) LeP 12.Pacific Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps longirostris) BCS 13.Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera) MRCNT 14.Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) MRCNT 15.Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon(Petrophassa rufipennis)AHORK 16.White-quilled Rock-Pigeon (Petrophassa albipennis)KRNPG 17.Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata) MRCNT 18.Peaceful Dove (Geopelia placida) LP 19.Bar-shouldered Dove (Geopelia humeralis) BCS 20.Banded Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus alligator) KNPNR 21.Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus regina) CCRSC 22.Torresian Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula spilorrhoa) FCRN 23.Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) HJNR 24.Little Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus) LP 25.Pallid Cuckoo (Cacomantis pallidus) MRP 26.Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus) FDCR 27.Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) KNPG 28.Spotted Nightjar (Eurostopodus argus) KeRNPG 29.Large-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus) CCRSC 30.Chestnut Rail (Gallirallus castaneoventris) LP 31.Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) LeP 32.White-browed Crake (Amaurornis cinerea) ML 33.Brolga (Antigone rubicunda) HJNR 34.Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) LP 35.Beach Stone-curlew (Esacus magnirostris) BC 36.Pied Stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus) LeP 37.Australian Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris)BC 38.Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) BCS 39.Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva) BCS 40.Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) LP 41.Lesser Sand-Plover (Charadrius mongolus) BCS 42.Greater Sand-Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii) BCS 43.Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus) BCS 44.Red-kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus) KWTP 45.Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops) KNPAB 46.Comb-crested Jacana (Irediparra gallinacea) PGC 47.Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) LP 48.Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) LP 49.Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) BCS 50.Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris) BCS 51.Red Knot (Calidris canutus) BC 52.Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) BCS 53.Sanderling (Calidris alba) BCS 54.Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) FCRN 55.Grey-tailed Tattler (Tringa brevipes) BCS 56.Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) ML 57.Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) LeP 58.Australian Pratincole (Stiltia isabella) LeP 59.Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) BCS 60.Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) BCS 61.Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) BC 62.Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) LeP 63.Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii) BCS 64.Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) BC 65.Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) LeP 66.Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae) FCRN 67.Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos) PGC 68.Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) PGC 69.Pied Cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) BCS 70.Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) LeP 71.White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica) KeRNPG 72.Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana) KeRNPG 73.Great Egret (Ardea alba) LP 74.Intermediate Egret (Ardea intermedia) LeP 75.White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) KWTP 76.Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) LeP 77.Eastern Reef Egret (Egretta sacra) FCRN 78.Pied Heron (Egretta picata) HJNR 79.Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) KNPC 80.Striated Heron (Butorides striata) LP 81.Nankeen Night-Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) FDCR 82.Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) KRNPC 83.Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) CCRSC 84.Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) FCRN 85.Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia) KRNPC 86.Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) BCS 87.Black-breasted Buzzard (Hamirostra melanosternon) KNPMB 88.Square-tailed Kite (Lophoictinia isura) KNPMB 89.Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) FDCR 90.Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) CCRSC91.Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrocephalus) MnORC 92.Black Kite (Milvus migrans) BCS 93.Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus) LP 94.Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) BCS 95.White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) BCS 96.Rufous Owl (Ninox rufa) CCRSC 97.Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook) KeRNPG 98.Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus) CCRSC 99.Blue-winged Kookaburra (Dacelo leachii) LP 100.Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius) KWTP 101.Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii) LP 102.Torresian Kingfisher (Todiramphus sordidus) BCS 103.Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) HJNR 104.Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus) LP 105.Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis) EP 106.Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) CCRSC 107.Grey Falcon (Falco hypoleucos) VHBNT 108.Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) VRCbr 109.Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii) HJNR 110.Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) CCRSC 111.Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea) LP 112.Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) LP 113.Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) MRCNT 114.Red-winged Parrot (Aprosmictus erythropterus) BCS 115.Northern Rosella (Platycercus venustus) MRCNT 116.Hooded Parrot (Psephotus dissimilis) PC 117.Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) VHaDC 118.Varied Lorikeet (Psitteuteles versicolor) HJNR 119.Red-collared Lorikeet (Trichoglossus rubritorquis) CCRSC 120.Rainbow Pitta (Pitta iris) CCRSC 121.Great Bowerbird (Chlamydera nuchalis) LP 122.Black-tailed Treecreeper (Climacteris melanurus) MRNP 123.Purple-crowned Fairywren (Malurus coronatus) VRCR 124.Red-backed Fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) MRCNT 125.White-lined Honeyeater (Meliphaga albilineata) KNPG 126.White-gaped Honeyeater (Stomiopera unicolor) LP 127.Yellow-throated Miner (Manorina flavigula) CARBC 128.Yellow-tinted Honeyeater (Ptilotula flavescens) EP 129.Grey-fronted Honeyeater (Ptilotula plumula) MRCNT 130.Bar-breasted Honeyeater (Ramsayornis fasciatus) HJNR 131.Rufous-banded Honeyeater (Conopophila albogularis) LP 132.Rufous-throated Honeyeater(Conopophila rufogularis)KNPC 133.Dusky Honeyeater (Myzomela obscura) LP 134.Red-headed Honeyeater (Myzomela erythrocephala) BCS 135.Banded Honeyeater (Cissomela pectoralis) HJNR 136.Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta) LP 137.Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis) LP 138.White-throated Honeyeater (Melithreptus albogularis) LP 139.Black-chinned Honeyeater (Melithreptus gularis) CARBC 140.Little Friarbird (Philemon citreogularis) LP 141.Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides) LP 142.Silver-crowned Friarbird (Philemon argenticeps) CCRSC 143.Red-browed Pardalote (Pardalotus rubricatus) VRCbr 144.Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus) LP 145.Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris) HJNR 146.Green-backed Gerygone (Gerygone chloronota) LP 147.White-throated Gerygone (Gerygone olivacea) KRNPC 148.Large-billed Gerygone (Gerygone magnirostris) CCRSC 149.Mangrove Gerygone (Gerygone levigaster) LeP 150.Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis) HJNR 151.Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae) LeP 152.White-bellied Cuckooshrike (Coracina papuensis) LP 153.White-winged Triller (Lalage tricolor) HJNR 154.Varied Triller (Lalage leucomela) LP 155.Varied Sittella (Daphoenositta chrysoptera) MRCNT 156.Crested Shrike-tit (Falcunculus frontatus) CARBC 157.Sandstone Shrikethrush (Colluricincla woodwardi) KNPBS 158.Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica) KNPNR 159.Little Shrikethrush (Colluricincla megarhyncha) CCRSC 160.Mangrove Golden Whistler (Pachycephala melanura) MnORC 161.Grey Whistler (Pachycephala simplex) LP 162.Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) HJNR 163.White-breasted Whistler (Pachycephala lanioides) MnORC 164.Olive-backed Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus) CCRSC 165.Yellow Oriole (Oriolus flavocinctus) BCS 166.Australasian Figbird (Sphecotheres vieilloti) LP 167.White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus) BCS 168.Masked Woodswallow (Artamus personatus) MRP 169.White-browed Woodswallow (Artamus superciliosus) MRP 170.Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus) AHLLN 171.Little Woodswallow (Artamus minor) MRP 172.Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis) MRCNT 173.Black Butcherbird (Cracticus quoyi) CCRSC 174.Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris) BCS 175.Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) ML 176.Arafura Fantail (Rhipidura dryas) BCS 177.Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus bracteatus) LP 178.Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) LP 179.Leaden Flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula) LP 180.Broad-billed Flycatcher (Myiagra ruficollis) EP181.Paperbark Flycatcher (Myiagra nana) LeP 182.Shining Flycatcher (Myiagra alecto) CCRSC 183.Apostlebird (Struthidea cinerea) KRMPa 184.Torresian Crow (Corvus orru) LP 185.Jacky Winter (Microeca fascinans) CARBC 186.Lemon-bellied Flycatcher (Microeca flavigaster) LP 187.Mangrove Robin (Eopsaltria pulverulenta) MnORC 188.Buff-sided Robin (Poecilodryas cerviniventris) KNPGC 189.Australasian Bushlark (Mirafra javanica) MRCNT 190.Golden-headed Cisticola (Cisticola exilis) HJNR 191.Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis) FDCR 192.Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel) VHaDC 193.Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans) LeP 194.Yellow White-eye (Zosterops luteus) BCS 195.Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) LP 196.Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton) HJNR 197.Star Finch (Neochmia ruficauda) MRCNT 198.Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) SCaSE 199.Double-barred Finch (Taeniopygia bichenovii) LP 200.Masked Finch (Poephila personata) HJNR 201.Long-tailed Finch (Poephila acuticauda) HJNR 202.Gouldian Finch (Erythrura gouldiae) LNTA 203.Yellow-rumped Mannikin (Lonchura flaviprymna) SCaSE 204.Chestnut-breasted Mannikin(Lonchura castaneothorax)HJNR 205.Pictorella Mannikin (Heteromunia pectoralis) SCaSE 206.Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) KWTP 207.Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae) LeP