BY 2024 - Herman and Kit's 7th (!what?!) year

[Kitsafari]

355. Willie-wagtail, Fogg Dam

 

This mischievous-looking wagtail, found only in Australia, is pretty unafraid of coming close to people. 

 

Edited August 22 by Kitsafari
fixes count number

[Kitsafari]

We drove more than 1.5hrs from Darwin city to reach Corroboree Billabong but the long drive was worth it. The last 2km of the drive was on unsealed roads but any 4W drive or Rav4 cars should be able to go through.  

The backwater lake is part of the Mary River Wetlands, which houses the largest concentration of saltwater crocodiles in the world, according to the corroboree Billabong website. For the 1.5-2hr cruise, the flat-bottomed boat brought us very close to the banks, and there were about 20+ people on board but because the boat was wide and had a lot of rows, we could spread out and have fairly decent views. I sat on the first row in front.

 

We saw both the Freshwater and the saltwater crocs - the former being a smaller, less aggressive reptile than its much bigger and fiercer-looking cousin. The freshwater croc has a narrower snout as well. 

 

 

 

There were about 4-5 saltwater crocs at various points of the cruise, a couple of which were really enormous. 

This birds seemed comfortable with this smaller one but the croc was smiling secretively.... 

 

 

 

and a real biggie that was so close and well hidden that I had problems getting that reptile into one frame.  

 

 

 

The lotus flowers and water lilies made for a very scenic backdrop to the birds. It was the only place we saw the brolga (albeit very far away) and got better views of the jabiru, which was plentiful there. 

 

 

356. Black-necked Stork, Corroboree/East Point/Fogg Dam

 

 

 

 

 

Juve

 

 

Fishing...

 

Edited August 22 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

357. Brolga, Corroboree Billabong

 

Found only in Australia, the pale grey crane has a red dewlap under its chin, grey legs and red bare skin on its head that does not extend down the neck. 

A very cropped shot. 

 

Edited August 22 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

358. Comb-crested Jacana, Fogg Dam/McMinns Lagoon

 

 

Edited August 22 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

359. Royal Spoonbill, Fogg Dam

 

One of two spoonbill species in Australia, this lifer species (for us) is distributed in the Australasian region. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 22 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

360. Wandering Whistling-Duck, Fogg Dam

 

Edited August 22 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

361. Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, East Point/Lee Point

Well-dstributed in Australia, this is a rather large bird that is often in a fairly big flock. But every time we saw it, it was either in flight or would fly away as soon as we walked closer. 

 

 

Edited August 22 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

362. Red-collared Lorikeet, Bicentennial Park/Rockshelf NightCliff

 

Looks similar to the rainbow lorikeet which is not found in northern Australia. 

 

 

 

Edited August 22 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

363. Rainbow Bee-eater, Bicentennial Park/East Point/ Lee Point

Because it's a lifer for us, because it is so pretty and colourful, the aptly named Rainbow Bee-eater is the last bird in the Darwin count. Distributed only in Australia and eastern Indonesian islands plus West Papua/PNG. 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 22 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

That is it, I think, for the Darwin trip. a total of 96 birds, although I had one or two which I gave up identifying. I guess it wasn't too bad a score for a short trip. The next count will be for Mongolia but that will take a long while - the number of LBJs is making it tough to ID. And I have not even started sieving through the photos. Plus I'm off again in four days' time to the Eastern Cape and Cape Town. 

 

 

[Peter Connan]

Congratulations on exceeding 300. Some really beautiful birds and photos.

 

Enjoy the Cape!

[Kitsafari]

Thank you @Peter Connan! I'm bringing my sister for her first safari - a trip that was cancelled in 2020 but revived with a shorter safari (3 days) and the rest in Cederberg and CPT. Hope to see some birds that will be new for me!

[xelas]

8 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

353. White-bellied Cuckooshrike, Bicentennial Park/ Botanical Gdns

 

 

8 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

303. White-breasted Woodswallow, Bicentennial Park/East Point

 

All beautiful photos and birds. But your counting is off; that is where a spreadsheet comes useful 

[TonyQ]

A wonderful collection of birds from the Darwin area.

The sociable Woodswallows are very cute indeed!

(I agree with @xelasabout the numbering )

Lots of beautiful photos, and interesting how many were close to Darwin itself.

[Zim Girl]

A beautiful set of birds from Australia. I also really liked the Woodswallows.

Have a great time in SA.  We enjoyed the Cederberg area a lot when we were there in 2019.

[Kitsafari]

4 hours ago, xelas said:

 

 

All beautiful photos and birds. But your counting is off; that is where a spreadsheet comes useful 

 

 

AArrghhh - that's why I failed mathematics every year in school.   and I had used a spreadsheet too! I'll edit the numbers. Thanks for alerting me. 

[PeterHG]

Really beautiful Australia collection! Have a great time in South Africa with your siste!

[Kitsafari]

Thanks @PeterHG @xelas @TonyQ@Zim Girl  - glad you all enjoyed the Oz birds. Herman and I just booked a short trip to Perth in mid-October to see his family, and of course, taking the opportunity for more Australian birds!

 

But meanwhile - yes so looking forward to South Africa! and hoping to see the wildflowers too.  

[michael-ibk]

Thanks for sharing your birds from Australia Kit - really enjoyed them. Is that the same Striated Heron as in Africa? Looks quite different. Off again? What a great year you are having - enjoy South Africa, I'm sure your sister will love it!

[Kitsafari]

my pleasure @michael-ibk

It should be the same striated heron species. It may be the colour that is throwing you off? this is a juvenile as mentioned. 

[Kitsafari]

Herman found another bird for the count. 

 

364. Helmeted Friarbird, East Point

I had mistaken a similar photo of mine for the Little Friarbird, which doesn't have a bump on its nosebridge. the eyes are also red in the Helmeted Friarbird while those in the Little Friarbird are black. 

 

 

[pedro maia]

I finally caught up here and wow! To many lovely birds from different places, your thread is the most colourfull by far.

 

Congrats on all those species and on the centuries.

 

I´m looking forward for all those LBJs!