This
tour is designed to look at the endemic birds of the
Top End and the Kimberley, in particular to visit
the area of the Black Grasswren the easy way.
Previously
you had to drive into the Mitchell Plateau via the
slow-going, back-breaking Gibb River road and camp,
but now, in Kirrama tradition, we offer you great
birding in style and comfort ...flying right into
the Mitchell Plateau first with light aircraft and
then by helicopter. What a great way to combine a
scenic flight with unique birdwatching!
Day
1
The
tour starts officially at lunchtime in Darwin, but
if some guests are willing and present we'll go
birding in the morning. We visit places like East
Point and Lee Point, which usually offers a good
variety of waders.
The
mangroves close to town are great to look for mangrove
birds with a chance to see the Chestnut Rail. Some
of the lagoons close to town are also interesting.
Accommodation: Frontier Darwin Hotel
Day
2
We
depart Darwin in the morning via some birding spots
and arrive at midday at Pine Creek for lunch and
travel onwards to Katherine. Around Katherine are
several locations to search for Gouldian Finches
and Hooded Parrots. Other interesting birds, which
we frequently encounter on our walks, are Long-tailed
Finches, Masked Finches, Pallid Cuckoo, Horsfield's
Bronze-Cuckoo, a variety of Honeyeaters and Black-tailed
Treecreepers.
Accommodation: Knott's Crossing Resort
Day
3
Early
morning birding, and a visit to the Red Goshawk
site near Mataranka is planned. It is possible that
we visit Katherine Gorge in the afternoon. It's
a great place for close encounters with Great Bowerbirds
and Blue-winged Kookaburras, which are easily photographed.
A cruise into the Gorge is optional.
Accommodation: Knott's Crossing Resort
Day
4 + 5
We
drive to Mary River Roadhouse, which is just outside
Kakadu N.P., but closest to the area where White-throated
Grasswrens occur. As these birds have been very
difficult to find we'll try several times to locate
them. There are several places for the Grasswrens
and they require a certain amount of fitness, as
it is climbing over huge boulders or up the Escarpment.
Accommodation: Mary River Roadhouse
Day
6
Should
we have missed the Grasswrens we'll depart very
early and give it another try. Other birds in this
region are Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeons, Sandstone
Shrike-thrushes, Banded Fruit-doves and Northern
Rosellas.
Afterwards we drive to Cooinda and do some local
birding, looking for Black-tailed Treecreepers and
Partridge Pigeons amongst others.
At about
4.30 p.m. we go on the 'Yellow Waters' Cruise, which
at this time of the year is usually great for ducks,
egrets, and other waterbirds, plus we could encounter
the Little Kingfisher and Great-billed Heron.
Accommodation: Gagudju Cooinda Lodge
Day
7
This
morning we visit Nourlangie Rock. Highlights are,
apart from the Aboriginal rock art, Banded Fruit-Dove,
Sandstone Shrike-thrush, White-lined Honeyeater
and Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon.
We depart Cooinda and via some birding spots leave
Kakadu N.P. and return to Darwin.
Accommodation: Frontier Darwin
Day
8
Today
we look for missing birds if necessary like Rainbow
Pittas and Chestnut Rails. A visit
to the Leanyer Sewage plant is also planned, which
could show us uncommon birds like Little
Ringed Plover and Long-toed Stint. In 2008 we were
the first to discover the Eurasian Little
Grebe.
Accommodation: Frontier Darwin
Day
9
We
fly quite early from Darwin to Kununurra. After picking
up the hire vehicle we drive to our accommodation
and spend the rest of the day birding in the local
areas.
Accommodation: Country Club Resort, Kununurra
Day
10 - 12
Kununurra is famous for finches, and we aim to see
10 species of them here, mainly concentrating on Star
Finches, Pictorella Mannikins, Yellow-rumped Mannikins
and of course Gouldian Finches.
One
day we leave very early in the morning and do a birdwatching
cruise on Lake Argyle, and highlights are Yellow Chats,
White-quilled Rock-Pigeons, Sandstone Shrike-thrushes
and possibly Purple-crowned Fairy-Wrens plus a lot
of water birds.
Parry's
lagoon, which is a great spot for a wide variety of
birds, is another destination. Previously we counted
over 40 species of birds at this location, including
Oriental Plovers and Yellow Chats. Wyndham is close
by, and we visit there briefly the shore. In the afternoon
we go birdwatching in the local area around Kununurra
or you have the chance of an optional flight or tour.
A flight over the Bungle Bungles is very popular and
recommended.
The
best part of the tour is of course the flight to the
Mitchell Plateau. From the airstrip we fly with helicopters
almost right to the Black Grasswren spot, which has
several permanent populations. We spend most of the
morning birdwatching at the Mitchell Plateau and fly
back to Kununurra at about lunchtime. Highlights apart
from the Black Grasswren are the yellow-eyed form
of the Partridge Pigeon, Kimberley Honeyeater and
White-quilled Rock-Pigeon.
Accommodation: Country
Club Resort, Kununurra
Day
13
After the morning birdwatching the tour ends. You
have now the choice of returning to Darwin, stay in
Kununurra or maybe travel on to Broome.
****
All accommodation is air-conditioned *****
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