Honeyeaters of the Top End

Even though I didn't manage to see all of the available birds, I did manage to get some photos of the ones I did see.

After being confused about the White-gaped and the Dusky Honeyeater, this year I was lucky enough to see both at the same time, at very close range, and the size difference was very obvious. The coppery-brown colour of the Dusky can be stunning, and a lot quieter than the sometimes noisy White-gaped Honeyeater.

Dusky Honeyeater

Juvenile Dusky Honeyeater

White-gaped Honeyeater

Then there were the Rufous-throated Honeyeater and Rufous-banded  Honeyeater. 

Rufous-throated Honeyeater

Rufous-banded Honeyeater

and the Blue-faced Honeyeater

Juvenile Blue-faced Honeyeater

and the White-throated Honeyeater

Honeyeaters of the Top End NT

The boys and I counted a lot of Honeyeaters during our recent sojourn to Darwin, Litchfield and Kakadu. Here are some photos, I hope you enjoy.

Banded Honeyeaters

Bar-breasted Honeyeater

Blue-faced Honeyeaters

Brown Honeyeater

Dusky Honeyeater

Helmeted Friarbird

Little Friarbird

Rufous-banded Honeyeater

Rufous-throated Honeyeaters

Silver-crowned Friarbird

White-gaped Honeyeater

White-throated Honeyeater

Yellow-tinted Honeyeater

Bird photos from Gunlom - Kakadu National Park, Partridge Pigeon, Crimson Finch and others

The boys and I have just returned from a spectacular trip to Darwin, Batchelor, Mary River and Gunlom. We saw some amazing sights, had a lot of laughs, came very close to very large crocodiles, saw some huge Merton's Water Monitors and saw around 120 species of birds from Elliott to Darwin and all the places we visited in between.

Gunlom has been a family favourite spot for quite a number of years as there is a beautiful plunge pool that is salt-water croc free, and some more swimming holes up on top of the escarpment where the waterfall then plunges down to the plunge pool. Although the water wasn't cascading as it normally has in the past due to the short wet season in the north, it was still stunning. The plunge pool is surrounded by pandanas and figs, there is a small monsoon forest to walk through and the wildlife is up close and personal sometimes, snakes, lizards, dingoes, horses, the list goes on.

One of the birding excitement moments actually came as we were driving the car to leave Gunlom. There are a couple of unique species up on top of the escarpment, the White-throated Grasswren and the Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon. A helicopter had dropped some people on the top to see if they could find the grasswren as this hasn't been sighted in its normal locations. Thus, I didn't spot either of the two unique birds, but as we were heading out, in the early morning sun/shade on the road, some Partridge Pigeons were congregating. I haven't seen these birds before and they are quite stunning around the eye.

Partridge Pigeon

The Crimson Finches would visit near our van early in the morning and late in the afternoon. There was a Pandanas bush just next to our van and they flew from the grasses to the bush and back again. Some wonderful photo opportunities.

Crimson Finch

Aside from the above, there was a plethora of species around the camp site and nearby. Here is a sample.

Black Kite

Bush Stone-curlew

Little Woodswallow

Rainbow Lorikeets - Red-collared subspecies

Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

White-breasted Woodswallows

(these birds were amazing in their number, there were a number of tree branches stacked like the one below all at the same time)

Banded Honeyeater (a lifer for me)

Blue-winged Kookaburra

Golden-headed Cisticola

Rufous-throated Honeyeater

White-gaped Honeyeater

Rufous-throated Honeyeater

After discovering the wonders of Newcastle Waters near Elliott on my last trip a couple of weeks ago, I ventured up the 25 or so kilometres north to see what wonders I could find this time. The area had had a lot more rain and the flood plains were filling fast. I didn't park the car on the cause-way, instead leaving it well above the high water mark and I was glad I did.
Whilst wandering down the causeway, a ute came and parked right next to one of the drains that allowed water under the road. The locals got out and two of them promptly got into the water on the downstream side of the road next to the pipes, then commenced to pull fish out, they looked like a bream of some sort, and threw them on the road for the third person to then put onto a long stick. Soon the stick was full of fish and another stick was found. It was quite funny to watch the arms being withdrawn from the pipes and another fish flung up onto the road.
After being amused by this scene, I continued on with the bird watching. Alas no Brolgas this time, but lots of Black Kites, Whistling Kites, Egrets and Darters.
I had seen the Rufous-throated Honeyeater on my last visit but didn't get any decent photos, but this time, maybe because the waters were so high, they were right next to the road. Below is a sample of some of the better shots: