Friday, 30 November. Sitting in Darwin airport, waiting for our flight back to Sydney, having just spent six fabulous days birding around Darwin and the Top End. We hired a camper van and drove the 650k ‘triangle’ between Darwin, Kakadu and Pine Creek, using the Niven McCrie site guide as ‘our bible’, with some excellent supplementary advice from Mick Roderick, Hunter Bird Observers Club. We did most of the main birding sites but were frustrated that a number of them were either closed or had restricted access because of increased croc and snake activity! We did manage to do the Yellow Waters dawn cruise and visit the traditional cultural site at Nuralangie Rocks (Burrunggui & Anbangbang). We saw around 150 species (we’re still sorting through the pictures to decide the id of about thirty!) and in the process topped 300 for the Australian leg of the tour.

First, a couple of scenic shots – Yellow Waters, taken on the dawn boat cruise

 

Traditional art work on the rocks at Anbangbang

 

one large rock sat on another…..

 

 

and a hungry crocodile…

 

 

Pink water lily – Yellow Waters

 

 

Due to imminent flight departure I’ll post the bird pictures tonight in a separate gallery. But as an appetiser, try this little beauty!

Azure Kingfisher…..with more to follow!