Monday, October 22, 2012

Cockatoo Lagoon

This was a lunch stop-off in the Keep River National Park just off the Victoria Highway in Northern Territory. The lagoon is easily reached by car and there is an adjacent picnic area and information centre.

Cockatoo Lagoon - a stereotypical Aussie billabong scene!


Click on the picture of the information sign to read more but it starts as follows: 
"The water level of the lagoon varies markedly with the changing seasons but rarely dries completely"
Travelling from the east and heading west we are now starting to get into some serious boab country:


Red-backed fairy wrens. I am yet to see an adult male plumage!
I don't think I've ever had five fairy-wrens in shot before!
Spinifex pigeon
Royal spoonbill
Great egret

I recall watching a Royal spoonbill feeding closely behind a Great egret at Lake Yambuk in Victoria (see Teamwork at Lake Yambuk). The scene was repeated here at Cockatoo Lagoon. These are some 2850km apart as the spoonbill flies!

Here there are three spoonbills following the egret
Australasian grebe
Whistling kite


The Eremaea list for the session.


Bird on!

2 comments:

  1. loving the lagoon, and the fantastic spinifex pigeon; wonderful photographs

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  2. Beautiful spot for bird watching, Pete! There is so much variety you have here. That Spinfex Pigeon really is something!

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