TRIP REPORT: ’S TOP END – CUSTOM TRIP

DATES: 5-10 OCTOBER 2011

GUIDE AND PHOTOS: NICK LESEBERG

From the outset I knew this trip was going to be a challenge; with such a short amount of time, so many , and such a large area to cover, it was always going to be tough to fit everything in. Luckily though, it was one of those trips where the birds just fall into place. Nearly everywhere we stopped the birds leapt out at us, and with plenty of rain early in the year followed by a long dry spell, conditions were set for the perfect Top End birding trip.

The birding highlights were frequent, and it’s difficult to narrow them down. In the end we couldn’t decide on a top spot, with the result a hard fought battle between a gorgeous pair of Rainbow Pittas, an extremely rare Red Goshawk standing guard over its chick in the nest, and that avian icon of the Northern Territory, the incomparable Gouldian Finch. Throw in with all the fantastic birds the impressive Victoria River escarpments, the clouds of wildlife on the Yellow Water billabong and the gorgeous sunrises over Arnhem Land, it was easy to see why the Top End is one of my favourite places to go birding in Australia.

The beautiful Victoria River Escarpment, just some of the Top End’s impressive scenery. www.tropicalbirding.com Page 1 of 21

Day 1: Wednesday, 5 th October 2011 – Arrival in Darwin.

After a late afternoon meeting at the airport in Darwin we had just a couple of hours to fill, so it was off to Knuckey’s Lagoon, a fantastic wetland not far from the city. While we would see most of the birds here again, there were a couple of waders we needed to connect with before pressing on the next day.

With the wet season yet to arrive, and a long dry season behind them, most of the ephemeral waterholes in the area have dried up by this time of the year. That leaves just a few of the deeper lagoons such as Knuckey’s with any water, and they attract literally thousands of birds. The most obvious are the Magpie Geese , large black and white waterfowl whose constant coming and going is accompanied by raucous honking. Other common ducks around the edge included Plumed and Wandering Whistling-Ducks , a few pairs of Radjah Shelducks , plus the gorgeous little Green Pygmy-Goose .

A steady stream of Pied Herons departs Knuckey Lagoon at dusk, leaving the Magpie Geese and whistling-ducks behind for the night. On the muddy edges there were quite a few waders foraging, with Sharp-tailed Sandpipers the most common, but careful examination soon had two of our targets in the ‘scope, both Wood and Marsh Sandpipers . Each year they are regular migrants to Australia, but not always easy to pick up. In the nearby paddocks a couple of Australian Pratincoles were running around, while another of our targets put in a brief appearance as a small flock of Little Curlews circled overhead. Before calling it quits we managed to add one last to our list, as a shy White-browed Crake poked its head out of the nearby reedbed.

With the list off to a good start, we headed home for the day as Torresian Imperial-Pigeons passed overhead and Whistling Kites lazily wheeled on the last of the light breeze. Dinner and a beer down at Stokes Hill Wharf is a Darwin culinary experience not to be missed, so to celebrate the start of our trip, we enjoyed laksas and stir-fries while watching the sun set over Darwin Harbour.

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Day 2: Thursday, 6th October 2011 – Darwin to Mary River via Pine Creek.

Our first full day saw us heading out to Buffalo Creek at dawn, in an effort to pick up a few local specialties. First cab off the rank was a Large-tailed Nightjar which started calling from the gloomy light of the monsoon forest, and after a little chasing finally gave good views as it perched briefly overhead. We moved on to the creek itself, where watching the muddy edges for Chestnut Rail also allowed us to pick up a few other good birds; flocks of Red- winged flew over, while several Grey-tailed Tattlers foraged on the opposite bank. A Little Bronze-Cuckoo called but couldn’t be enticed into the open, then an Azure Kingfisher darted by, soon followed by its smaller and rarer cousin, a Little Kingfisher . These were only brief views, and we were left wanting better later on.

With no rails coming out we returned to the monsoon forest, getting some good birds right along the edge. A beautiful male Red-headed was seen easily, while a small party of Australian Yellow White-eyes passed by. A diminutive Green-backed Gerygone was pished out, while a Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove called from the canopy but frustratingly couldn’t be found. Green Orioles gurgled from the forest and we soon had one in the ‘scope, but while concentrating on this bird we nearly missed a Rainbow Pitta skipping quickly across the trail. Not to worry, we would get better looks later. With time getting on we tried the creek one last time, hearing a pair of Chestnut Rails giving their braying call from deep in the mangroves, but they remained well hidden.

Moving on to nearby Lee Point, the birds kept coming. The treat here was a large flock of gorgeous Rainbow Lorikeets which were enjoying the water spraying from a sprinkler head. We also picked up a small group of the dainty Varied Lorikeet feeding quietly in the nearby trees. There were a few more additions to our list of , with White-throated , Rufous-banded , White- gaped and Brown Honeyeaters all finding their way into our bins. A cute little Arafura Fantail also paid a visit, while a Grey Whistler foraged quietly in the edge of the forest. A rattling trill alerted us to a pair of deep blue Forest Kingfishers that looked to be preparing a nest in a nearby mound, while the nesting theme continued as we spied a pair of Long-tailed Finches moving The beautiful Varied Lorikeet is a blossom nomad that roams the Top End looking for back-and-forth to a ball of grass that was flowering eucalypts. slowly taking shape. www.tropicalbirding.com Page 3 of 21

Moving out to the beach we added a few more waders to our list, with both Lesser and Greater Sandplover , Red-capped Plover and a Beach Thick-knee foraging on the low tide. A few large groups of Great Knots , recently arrived from the northern hemisphere were still showing signs of breeding plumage, while Red-necked Stints and Bar-tailed Godwits were also common. A Brown Booby was spotted resting on the water, and amongst the terns loafing on the beach, one Lesser Crested was found amongst the Great Crested , Little and Gull-billed Terns .

Leaving Lee Point, we had one final stop to make in Darwin before we headed south. A quick visit to the Leanyer Sewage Ponds produced a couple of very good birds, with two Eastern Yellow Wagtails – a rare Australian migrant – being the highlight. In the mangroves around the edge of the ponds we were able to call in a pair of very confiding Mangrove Robins , while a female This very cute pair of Mangrove Robins looks to have Black-tailed Whistler was another been nest building – you can see the cobwebs on the good find. Having done well, it second bird’s bill. was time to move on, and we were soon on our way south, with only a stop at Adelaide River for a roadside Wedge-tailed before lunch.

After waiting for things to cool down a little, we spent the afternoon birding around Pine Creek. Our first stop was at Fergusson River, where a brief downpour sent us scurrying back to the car, before we were really able to get out and have a look around. After the rain passed things were fairly quiet, with a pair of Rainbow Bee-eaters showing well, and a party of Red-backed Fairywrens moving through the long grass. We got brief views of a pair of elusive Northern flying by, but better looks at a large group of majestic Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos which flew over then alighted nearby.

Moving back to Pine Creek we had one target bird, Hooded . Our first stop at Copperfield Dam didn’t produce any parrots, but we did pick up the sometimes difficult Bar- breasted Honeyeater . A Paperbark Flycatcher was another good bird, but the lack of parrots had us moving on, scaring a small party of Antilopine Wallaroos off the roadside on the way. Driving slowly around Pine Creek township soon had us onto a pair of female parrots which didn’t hang around, but following them soon lead us to the jackpot; we found a large flock of Hooded Parrots feeding in an open park, including a couple of sensational males. After soaking up one of the Top End’s best birds and one of its only true endemics,

www.tropicalbirding.com Page 4 of 21 we called it quits for the day and left for our accommodation at Mary River, right on the edge of .

We found this party of more than twenty Hooded Parrots feeding quietly in an open field near Pine Creek.

Day 3: Friday, 7 th October 2011 – Kakadu National Park.

Another early start had us in position at Plum Tree Creek, just in time to watch the sun rise over the escarpment. Things got off to a good start, as we unexpectedly flushed a pair of Tawny Frogmouths which sat up nicely for us. Moving up onto the escarpment a clatter of wings announced our first Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon , but unfortunately this shy bird didn’t hang around. We arrived at a lookout which gave us a beautiful vista over the rugged and rocky escarpment, and the first movement that caught our eye was a very nimble Short- eared Rock-Wallaby which bounded quickly out of sight. We soon had another rock-pigeon, and this one sat up nicely, allowing good views.

Wet season clouds gathering over the rugged sandstone escarpments of Plum Tree Creek. www.tropicalbirding.com Page 5 of 21

Some mellow piping calls echoing across a rocky gully had us on the lookout for that supreme songster, the Sandstone Shrike-Thrush . Not an exciting bird to look at, but surely one of the most beautiful to listen to, as its song echoes off the high stone walls it inhabits. One showed itself eventually, and was followed soon after by another sandstone specialty, a White-lined Honeyeater . Scanning the tops of the escarpment soon picked up our next mammal tick, with a pair of the very local Black Wallaroo found watching us intently from the cover of some eucalypts.

Moving down off the escarpment we returned to the road before continuing on to Waterfall Creek. Here we picked up Blue-winged Kookaburra around the campground, before taking the opportunity to have a swim in the picturesque plunge pool at the bottom of the escarpment. Feeling refreshed, we moved slowly back towards Mary River, stopping to bird along the road when things looked interesting. We picked up a perched Collared Sparrowhawk as well as Dusky and before making it back to Mary River for lunch.

After waiting for things to cool down, we set out for an afternoon trip to Nourlangie Rock, one of Kakadu National Park’s best publicly accessible Aboriginal rock art sites. It also happens to be the best place to find the rare Top End endemic, Black-banded Fruit-Dove. An unobtrusive bird, it can be quite difficult to find, often feeding quietly in the trees around the base of the escarpment. We wandered the trails and admired some of the ancient rock art as well as the beautiful Shining Oak-Blue butterflies which were fluttering around. We couldn’t find any fruit- doves, so moved up to a lookout where we would be able to watch more ground. Our reward was to admire a Peregrine Falcon cruising over the sheer cliffs, occasionally being harassed by a Little Woodswallow . Finally, just before we left in despair, a Black- banded Fruit-Dove arrived and stayed only This was one of a pair of gorgeous Rainbow long enough to be identified before rocketing Pittas that we watched right at our feet for off. With the fruit-dove in the bag we started an enjoyable ten minutes. to head back along the trails, running into a pair of Rainbow Pittas which put on quite a show as we watched them displaying to each other at close range. This spectacular bird was a great way to end the day, so with the sun slowly setting, we finished up for the day and headed home for a well-earned beer. www.tropicalbirding.com Page 6 of 21

Day 4: Saturday, 8th October 2011 – Kakadu National Park to Victoria River Crossing.

A highlight of any birding trip to the Northern Territory must be the morning cruise on Kakadu’s Yellow Water billabong. Much like an oxbow lake, or ‘cocha’ if you’ve birded South America, a billabong is an old section of river that has been sealed off by a change in the river’s direction. Yellow Water is a permanent billabong, which fills up during the wet season, and retains water throughout the year. The incredible numbers of birds attracted to this permanent waterhole in the late dry season are a sight to behold, not to mention the large numbers of Estuarine Crocodiles sunning themselves on the bank or cruising around the billabong like sinister submarines. It’s not just about the numbers though; there are also some very special birds to be found.

On our way to the jetty to board the boat we picked up our first new bird for the day, with a pair of Broad- billed Flycatchers foraging in the paperbarks. Cruising out onto the billabong it was not long before we spied our first Rufous Night-Heron , a young bird sheltering under a freshwater mangrove, intently watching the water for its breakfast. Soon after we picked up the first of This immature Black Bittern was unperturbed by what would be several Black our boat and just continued fishing, allowing some Bitterns , including one young bird great photos of a usually shy bird. which confused us momentarily.

As we entered a quiet arm of the billabong, a tiny blue gem rocketed up the bank before stopping and giving us fantastic views of a Little Kingfisher . It would be the first of six birds we would see during the morning. Another Azure Kingfisher stopped nearby allowing close comparison with its smaller cousin, while a pair of White-bellied Sea- were spotted in the top of a dead snag, standing like sentinels over One of six gorgeous Little Kingfishers we found the floodplain. perched quietly by the banks of the billabong.

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There were plenty of waterbirds around as well, with Great and Intermediate Egrets both common, along with Pied Herons and lily-trotting Comb-crested Jacanas . Several Australasian Darters were to be found sunning themselves on snags at the water’s edge, while a secretive Striated Heron was also seen quietly fishing in a pool. A pair of statesman- like Black-necked Storks was seen standing on a muddy bank, along with several Glossy Ibis , and they were also accompanied by a pair of tiny Black-fronted Dotterels , running around on the mud like dinky wind-up toys.

Estuarine Crocodiles, the world’s largest, are common and easy to see on the muddy banks of the billabong. Don’t worry, you’re very safe in the boat!

After a couple of hours on the water it was time for breakfast, with the buffet at the Yellow Waters lodge a much-anticipated part of the trip. We then got on our way, with a big drive ahead of us to get down to Katherine then across to Victoria River. Entering the dry country of the south-west Top End, we started to pick up a few different birds, with Diamond Dove and Weebill finding their way onto our list. We arrived in Victoria River with time to have a break before heading out for the afternoon to find a few of the local specialties.

Our first stop was in a section of long riverside grass, home of one of my favourite birds of the Top End, and it wasn’t long before we had a cracking male Purple-crowned Fairywren bouncing around our feet. Moving out to the river proper we saw an Agile Wallaby hopping down for an afternoon drink, accompanied by a few Little Corellas . We were also lucky to get great views of a magnificent Black-breasted Kite as it floated down the valley. Next stop was the Old Victoria River crossing, a hot spot for finches, and before long we had picked up a couple of flocks moving around. We soon nailed down a group that were sheltering beside the trail and sorted through the Chestnut-breasted Munias before finding one of the regional specialties, Yellow-rumped Munia . www.tropicalbirding.com Page 8 of 21

With the sun now well on its way down and the temperature starting to drop, we decided to commence our assault on the escarpment walk. It was a tough slog up the steep trail, and although we got great views of some Short-eared Rock- Wallabies , we unfortunately missed our target, the White-quilled Rock-Pigeon. We did get to soak up some magnificent views out over the Victoria River (see the front page photo), and watching the setting sun reflect off the red stone cliffs has to be one of the best ways to spend a late evening in the Top End. Either way, our exercise for the afternoon gave the beer that evening some well- This young Sho rt -eared Rock -Wallaby deserved extra flavour. peered at us curiously from the safety of his rocky ledge.

Day 5: Sunday, 9 th October 2011 – Victoria River Crossing to Katherine via Timber Creek.

Today was one of those brilliant days of birdwatching, when every bird you look for just seems to be sitting right in front of you. It started with fantastic views of a Barking near the river, before we got on the road down to Timber Creek. Our first stop was along the Buchanan Highway, one of my favourite spots to go birding in the Top End. As we drove slowly along the road we startled up a large flock of finches, which had us slamming on the anchors and jumping out of the car. We sorted through the Long-tailed and Masked Finches before eventually getting to our quarry, four gorgeous Gouldian Finches . As we waited quietly by the side of the road the birds slowly came back down to continue feeding, and we got to watch this fantastic mixed flock go about their business. We were then startled by the loud and melodic “prrrrp prrrp” of a party of Black-chinned Honeyeaters right behind us, turning around to get point blank views of this very handsome bird.

Continuing down the road we stopped in at a waterhole, which in the middle of all this dry country was an absolute hive of activity. There was a steady stream of Double-barred and Long-tailed Finches , along with Banded , Yellow-tinted and a few Rufous-throated Honeyeaters coming to drink. They were joined occasionally by coveys of Brown Quail , but the highlight was a party of ten Pictorella Long -tailed Finches had a good breeding Munias . A rare and elusive bird of dry season this year, and we found them in northern Australia, these munias can be very most places. difficult to find, but we had great views as www.tropicalbirding.com Page 9 of 21 they arrived suddenly and perched around the waterhole before descending to drink (I may have pumped my fist in the air at that!).

We dragged ourselves away from the waterhole to continue on to Timber Creek itself, where we drove through to the airfield. It didn’t take us long to find Oriental Plover out on the open grass, along with several Australasian Bushlarks . We carefully scrutinised the flocks of finches flying by, finding mostly Chestnut-breasted Munias along with a couple more Yellow-rumped Munias also. Then, a flash of red in one distant flock had us on edge. Luckily they came closer, with a party of Star Finches soon alighting on a nearby tree before dropping down to feed on the ground, our ninth of finch for the day!

Our roll continued as we moved up onto the nearby escarpment, picking up Black-tailed Treecreeper and Grey-fronted Honeyeater within minutes of getting out of the car, and the good luck continued as a large flock of Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos lumbered over, before perching and watching on noisily. A Red-backed Kingfisher was a welcome addition to the list, although we nearly missed it after it approached stealthily to a poor imitation of its call.

Moving back to town there was no rest, with plenty of birds still to find. In Timber Creek itself we soon had a stonking Buff-sided Robin perched right in front of us, then it was off to find Red-browed Pardalote. On the way we flushed a Spinifex Pigeon up off the side of the road, and were lucky to find it again before it scurried off into the long grass. The Spinifex Pigeon has to be one of my favourite Australian birds!

Moving on to our pardalote site, the wind had picked up, which would make it difficult to see this elusive canopy-dweller. It wasn’t long before we had a bird calling, but as soon as we spotted some movement, it stopped. We didn’t see it fly A very cool bird – Spinifex Pigeon. out of the tree, so examined the canopy carefully, but couldn’t find the little critter. After ten minutes of searching we were about to move on, when it popped out from behind some leaves right in front of us, giving a brief view before flying off. We couldn’t find it again, but Red-browed Pardalote was on the list. On that successful note our time at Timber Creek ended, and it was time to return to Katherine. The birding didn’t stop though, as we got Little Eagle and another Black-breasted Kite from the highway.

After arriving in Katherine and taking some time out, we headed south to Mataranka for the afternoon, our target one of Australia’s rarest birds, the Red Goshawk. On the way we www.tropicalbirding.com Page 10 of 21 picked up our first Yellow-throated Miners , Australasian Magpie (common down south but not so up here), and a party of Apostlebirds feeding by the roadside.

After arriving in Mataranka, we cautiously moved along a quiet road, hoping to spy the nest of our quarry. We were in luck as we soon spotted a magnificent Red Goshawk , perched on the edge of its nest and watching over a downy chick. When you find a bird like this you enjoy it, because you never know when you might see it again. We spent a fantastic half hour watching the adult bird sit quietly on the edge of the nest, while the One of the world’s rarest raptors, the superb Red adventurous chick flopped around the Goshawk, stands guard over its chick. nest, occasionally exercising its barely feathered wings. After soaking it up we returned to Katherine for a well-earned beer, celebrating one of my best days of birding for the year.

Day 6: Monday, 10 th October 2011 – Katherine to Darwin.

With the last day of the trip at hand, and still plenty of birds to get, it was off early again to bird some more grassy woodlands north of Katherine. It was a good morning as we got to pick up many birds we already had, but which are always welcome! A small flock of Hooded Parrots sat quietly preening in a tree, while a pair of Gouldian Finches was another good find. A few Diamond Doves were foraging along the trail, while

This dainty little Diamond Dove is Australia’s additions to the list were a party of smallest pigeon. Varied Sitellas and some overflying Cockatiels .

Continuing north we made another stop at Copperfield Dam, putting in a solid effort to try and find some buttonquail. After spending a solid hour searching the stony hillsides it looked like we were out of luck, when one final check of some last patches of long grass produced a single Chestnut-backed Buttonquail , which rocketed off down the hillside.

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Finally, as we headed out of Pine Creek we spotted an Australian Bustard flying over, but without it landing, we didn’t get much of a look.

A stop at Adelaide River was also productive, with good views again of Varied and Rainbow Lorikeets . A welcome new addition to the list was a dashing Silver-backed Butcherbird which showed well. Pressing on into Darwin we made a quick stop at the Nightcliff mangroves where we weren’t able to find a White-breasted Whistler, before retiring for a couple of hours to the hotel.

Our final assault for the trip saw us heading south to Palmerston sewage works, trying to add a few last mangrove species to our list. White-winged and Whiskered Terns were found hawking over the settling ponds, while Large-billed Gerygones foraged in the mangroves. We finally got reasonable views of The ‘red -collared’ form of the Rainbow a Little Bronze-Cuckoo after hearing several Lorikeet is common across the Top End. throughout the trip, and there were plenty of Red-headed Honeyeaters floating around. Unfortunately the hoped for Mangrove Fantail wouldn’t materialise, so we pressed on to our last stop, Howard Springs. The highlight here was another pair of Rainbow Pittas hopping around just outside the car. Unfortunately with dusk descending along with squadrons of mosquitoes, we didn’t spend much time outside the car, but still, the pittas were a fantastic way to end the trip.

And so, our whirlwind trip came to a close. We had crammed a lot of birds into the five-and- a-bit days, including some of Australia’s most sought after species, and at the same time we had been able to enjoy some of the spectacular scenery the Top End has to offer. Better still we had not left much behind, and knowing that we were following this trip up with the Eastern Australia set departure had allowed us to focus on those true Top End specialties. Our trip total of 208 species was quite impressive, and when combined with the birds we would go on to see in Eastern Australia would give us a total list of nearly 500 species!

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BIRD LIST

Taxonomy and nomenclature closely follow the latest Clements update. Parentheses denote an alternate name used by some checklists.

Total: 208 species, including three heard only (H) and one seen only by the leader (L).

DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS: Anatidae 1. Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata 2. Plumed Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna eytoni 3. Wandering Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna arcuata 4. Radjah Shelduck Tadorna radjah 5. Green Pygmy-goose Nettapus pulchellus 6. Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa 7. White-eyed Duck Aythya australis

MEGAPODES: Megapodiidae 8. Orange-footed Scrubfowl Megapodius reinwardt

PHEASANTS, GROUSE AND ALLIES: Phasianidae 9. Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora

GREBES: Podicipedidae 10. Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae

STORKS: Ciconiidae 11. Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus

BOOBIES AND GANNETS: Sulidae 12. Brown Booby Sula leucogaster

CORMORANTS AND SHAGS: Phalacrocoracidae 13. Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris 14. Little Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax melanoleucos

ANHINGAS: Anhingidae 15. Australasian Darter Anhinga melanogaster

HERONS, EGRETS AND BITTERNS: Ardeidae 16. Black Bittern Ixobrychus minutus 17. Pacific Heron Ardea pacifica 18. Great Egret Ardea alba 19. Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia 20. White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae 21. Little Egret Egretta garzetta 22. Pacific Reef-Heron Egretta sacra 23. Pied Heron Egretta picata www.tropicalbirding.com Page 13 of 21

24. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 25. Striated Heron Butorides striata 26. Rufous Night-Heron Nycticorax caledonicus

IBIS AND SPOONBILLS: Threskiornithidae 27. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 28. Australian Ibis Threskiornis molucca 29. Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis 30. Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia

OSPREY: Pandionidae 31. Osprey Pandion haliaetus

HAWKS, EAGLES AND KITES: Accipitridae 32. Black-breasted Kite Hamirostra melanosternon 33. Black Kite Milvus migrans 34. Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus 35. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus 36. White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster 37. Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus 38. Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus 39. Red Goshawk Erythrotriorchus radiatus 40. Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax 41. Little Eagle Aquila morphnoides

FALCONS AND CARACARAS: Falconidae 42. Australian Kestrel Falco cenchroides 43. Australian Hobby Falco longipennis 44. Brown Falcon Falco berigora 45. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

RAILS, GALLINULES AND COOTS: Rallidae 46. White-browed Crake Porzana cinerea 47. Chestnut Rail (H) Eulabeornis castanoventris 48. Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio

BUSTARDS: Otididae 49. Australian Bustard Ardeotis australis

THICK-KNEES: Burhinidae 50. Beach Thick-knee Burhinus magnirostris

PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS: Charadriidae 51. Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles 52. Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola 53. Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva 54. Lesser Sand-Plover Charadrius mongolus www.tropicalbirding.com Page 14 of 21

55. Greater Sand-Plover Charadrius leschenaultii 56. Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus 57. Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus 58. Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops

OYSTERCATCHERS: Haematopodidae 59. Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris

STILTS AND AVOCETS: Recurvirostridae 60. Pied Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus

JACANAS: Jacanidae 61. Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea

SANDPIPERS AND ALLIES: Scolopacidae 62. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 63. Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes 64. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 65. Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis 66. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola 67. Little Curlew Numenius minutus 68. Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus 69. Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis 70. Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica 71. Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres 72. Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris 73. Sanderling Calidris alba 74. Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis 75. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata

BUTTONQUAIL: Turnicidae 76. Chestnut-backed Buttonquail Turnix castanotus

PRATINCOLES AND COURSERS: Glareolidae 77. Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella

GULLS, TERNS AND SKIMMERS: Laridae 78. Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae 79. Little Tern Sternula albifrons 80. Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica 81. Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 82. White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus 83. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida 84. Great Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii 85. Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis

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PIGEONS AND DOVES: Columbidae 86. Common Bronzewing (L) Phaps chalcoptera 87. Crested Pigeon Geophaps lophotes 88. Spinifex Pigeon Geophaps plumifera 89. Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon Petrophassa rufipennis 90. Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata 91. Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida 92. Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis 93. Black-banded Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus alligator 94. Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove (H) Ptilinopus regina 95. Torresian Imperial-Pigeon Ducula spilorrhoa

COCKATOOS: Cacatuidae 96. Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii 97. Galah Eolophus roseicapilla 98. Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea 99. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita 100. Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus

PARROTS: Psittacidae 101. Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus 102. Varied Lorikeet Psitteuteles versicolor 103. Northern Platycercus venustus 104. Hooded Parrot Psephotus dissimilis 105. Red-winged Parrot Aprosmictus erythropterus

CUCKOOS: Cuculidae 106. Pallid Cuckoo Cuculus pallidus 107. Brush Cuckoo Cacomantis variolosus 108. Little Bronze-Cuckoo Chrysococcyx minutillus 109. Australian Koel Eudynamys cyanocephalus 110. Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae 111. Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianinus

OWLS: Strigidae 112. Barking Owl Ninox connivens

OWLET-NIGHTJARS: Aegothelidae 113. Australian Owlet-Nightjar (H) Aegotheles cristatus

FROGMOUTHS: Podargidae 114. Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides

NIGHTJARS AND ALLIES: Caprimulgidae 115. Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus

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KINGFISHERS: Alcedinidae 116. Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea 117. Little Kingfisher Alcedo pusilla 118. Blue-winged Kookaburra Dacelo leachii 119. Forest Kingfisher Todiramphus macleayii 120. Red-backed Kingfisher Todiramphus pyrrhopygius 121. Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus

BEE-EATERS: Meropidae 122. Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus

ROLLERS: Coraciidae 123. Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis

PITTAS: Pittidae 124. Rainbow Pitta Pitta iris

BOWERBIRDS: Ptilonorhynchidae 125. Great Bowerbird Chlamydera nuchalis

AUSTRALASIAN TREECREEPERS: Climacteridae 126. Black-tailed Treecreeper Climacteris melanurus

FAIRYWRENS: Maluridae 127. Red-backed Fairywren Malurus melanocephalus 128. Purple-crowned Fairywren Malurus coronatus

HONEYEATERS: Meliphagidae 129. White-lined Honeyeater albilineata 130. White-gaped Honeyeater unicolor 131. Yellow-tinted Honeyeater Lichenostomus flavescens 132. Grey-fronted Honeyeater Lichenostomus plumulus 133. Yellow-throated Miner flavigula 134. Bar-breasted Honeyeater Ramsayornis fasciatus 135. Rufous-banded Honeyeater Conopophila albogularis 136. Rufous-throated Honeyeater Conopophila rufogularis 137. Dusky Myzomela Myzomela obscura 138. Red-headed Myzomela Myzomela erythrocephala 139. Banded Honeyeater Cissomela pectoralis 140. indistincta 141. White-throated Honeyeater albogularis 142. Black-chinned Honeyeater Melithreptus gularis 143. Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis 144. Little Philemon citreogularis 145. Helmeted Friarbird Philemon buceroides 146. Silver-crowned Friarbird Philemon argenticeps

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PARDALOTES: Pardalotidae 147. Red-browed Pardalote Pardalotus rubricatus 148. Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus

THORNBILLS AND ALLIES: Acanthizidae 149. Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris 150. Green-backed Gerygone Gerygone chloronata 151. White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea 152. Large-billed Gerygone Gerygone magnirostris 153. Mangrove Gerygone Gerygone levigaster

PSEUDO-BABBLERS: Pomatostomidae 154. Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis

WOODSWALLOWS: Artamidae 155. White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus 156. Black-faced Woodswallow Artamus cinereus 157. Little Woodswallow Artamus minor

BELLMAGPIES AND ALLIES: Cracticidae 158. Silver-backed Butcherbird Cracticus argenteus 159. Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis 160. Black Butcherbird Cracticus quoyi 161. Australasian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen

CUCKOO-SHRIKES: Campephagidae 162. Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae 163. White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Coracina papuensis 164. White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor 165. Varied Triller Lalage leucomela

SITELLAS: Neosittidae 166. Varied Sittella Neositta chrysoptera

WHISTLERS AND ALLIES: Pachycephalidae 167. Grey Whistler Pachycephala simplex 168. Black-tailed Whistler Pachycephala melanura 169. Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris 170. Rufous Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla megarhyncha 171. Sandstone Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla woodwardi 172. Grey Shrike-Thrush Colluricincla harmonica

OLD WORLD ORIOLES: Oriolidae 173. Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus 174. Green Oriole Oriolus flavocinctus 175. Australian Figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti

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DRONGOS: Dicruridae 176. Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus

FANTAILS: Rhipiduridae 177. Northern Fantail Rhipidura rufiventris 178. Willie-wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys 179. Arafura Fantail Rhipidura dryas

MONARCH-FLYCATCHERS: Monarchidae 180. Magpie-lark cyanoleuca 181. Leaden Flycatcher rubecula 182. Broad-billed Flycatcher Myiagra ruficollis 183. Paperbark Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta 184. Shining Flycatcher Myiagra alecto

CROWS, JAYS AND MAGPIES: Corvidae 185. Torresian Crow Corvus orru

WHITE-WINGED CHOUGH AND APOSTLEBIRD: Corcoracidae 186. Apostlebird Struthidea cinerea

AUSTRALASIAN ROBINS: Petroicidae 187. Jacky-winter Microeca fascinans 188. Lemon-bellied Flycatcher Microeca flavigaster 189. Mangrove Robin Eopsaltria pulverulenta 190. Buff-sided Robin Poecilodryas cerviniventris

LARKS: Alaudidae 191. Australasian Bushlark Mirafra javanica

SWALLOWS: Hirundinidae 192. Fairy Martin Petrochelidon ariel 193. Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans

GRASSBIRDS AND ALLIES: Megaluridae 194. Tawny Grassbird Megalurus timoriensis 195. Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi

CISTICOLAS AND ALLIES: Cisticolidae 196. Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis

WHITE_EYES: Zosteropidae 197. Australian Yellow White-eye Zosterops luteus

FLOWERPECKERS: Dicaeidae 198. Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum

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WAGTAILS AND PIPITS: Moticillidae 199. Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis

WAXBILLS AND ALLIES: Estrildidae 200. Crimson Finch Neochmia phaeton 201. Star Finch Neochmia ruficauda 202. Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii 203. Masked Finch Poephila personata 204. Long-tailed Finch Poephila acuticauda 205. Gouldian Finch Erythrura gouldiae 206. Yellow-rumped Munia Lonchura flaviprymna 207. Chestnut-breasted Munia Lonchura castaneothorax 208. Pictorella Munia Heteromunia pectoralis

MAMMAL LIST Northern Brown Bandicoot Isoodon macrourus Agile Wallaby Macropus agilis Antilopine Wallaroo Macropus antilopinus Black Wallaroo Macropus bernardus Short-eared Rock-Wallaby Petrogale brachyotis Black Flying-fox Pteropus alecto Canis lupus dingo Water Buffalo Bubalus bubalis

REPTILE LIST Estuarine Crocodile Crocodylus porosus Blotched Snake-eyed Skink Cryptoblepharus megastictus Swamplands Lashtail Amphibolurus temporalis Frill-necked Dragon Chlamydosaurus kingii Ring-tailed Dragon Ctenophorus caudicinctus Green Tree Snake Dendrolaphis punctulatus

FROG LIST Green Tree Frog Litoria caerulea Roth’s Tree Frog Litoria rothii Rocket Frog Litoria nasuta

BUTTERFLY LIST Fuscous Swallowtail Papilio fuscus Scarlet Jezebel Delias argenthona Tailed Emperor Polyura sempronius Glasswing Acraea andromacha Chocolate Argus Junonia hedonia www.tropicalbirding.com Page 20 of 21

Blue Argus Junonia orithya Common Crow Euploea core Lesser Wanderer Danaus chrysippus Swamp Tiger Danaus affinis Shining Oak-Blue Arhopala micale

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