Treasures of Windjana Gorge

We arrived at Windjana Gorge one late afternoon in August. These Black kite appeared as sentinels in the setting sun - probably just hanging and keeping an eye out for scraps ... or maybe ....  guarding something perhaps?!

 Not really, but the kids did enjoy pointing out these little treasures rustling in the scrub next morning!

Brown quail, Windjana Gorge, 14 August 2012 

The quail were seen adjacent to the camping area which is outside the actual gorge. We walked the gorge for about 2 hours (out and back) but it deserves much more time. I was torn to have to turn around as each bend in the gorge seemed to promise more interesting sights and varied habitat.

Little bronze-cuckoo amongst the trees lining the gorge. Lifer!

Below are Yellow-tinted honeyeater, a White-gaped honeyeater feeding and White-winged triller.

Brown falcon looking down on me

People may be aware that Windjana Gorge is probably best known for a different form of wildlife. This Black-fronted dotterel appears to be tip-toeing past such a beast!

These Freshwater crocodile are everywhere. They are harmless to humans unless disturbed.

We've covered birds and reptiles - bats represent the mammals today. Fishing is prohibited in the Gorge and barramundi can be seen swimming! 

Views within Windjana Gorge and one from the camping area "amenity" looking back at the cliff walls of the gorge entrance.

I would expect that spending a few days here would be very productive from the birding point of view! Here's the Eremaea list from our little visit. 

Bird on!

Double-barred finch - gorgeous at Geikie Gorge

Double-barred finch are the sort of bird which cannot help but look gorgeous. We enjoyed the company of this group of about 15-20 birds at Geikie Gorge in the Kimberley region of Western Australia in August this year.

That's going to ruffle a few feathers!

It knows it looks good!

A photo shoot can be thirsty work after all! In our 1.5 hours at Geikie we also saw Rainbow bee-eater, White-bellied sea-eagle and honeyeaters amongst others. You can see the full list here.

When visiting Geikie it is worth knowing that there are boat tours (departure times didn't sync with the hours we had allowed unfortunately).  We walked the 1.5 hour "Reef walk" which takes you along the gorge's eastern walls up the flood plain to where the gorge wall meets the river. A better option may be to combine a boat tour with the shorter loop walk which breaks off from the Reef walk and rises into the limestone ridges. You can find out more about Geikie Gorge here.

Rainbow bee-eater

Brown honeyeater

White-gaped honeyeater

Rufous-throated honeyeater demonstrating its identifying feature

Finally, a few shots showing the environs ...

and a few Red-tailed black cockatoos to boot!

 Bird on!

Jigal tree - bird magnet

I passed this tree on several occasions walking to a lookout at Katherine Gorge. Each time I passed it was being hammered by a number and variety of birds that impressed me no end. This was late July (the dry) and the tree had few leaves and had a red flower. I have only just tonight worked out that it is known as the Bauhinia or Jigal tree (Bauhinia cunninghamii). You can also read here about how the plant got its aboriginal derived name "mother-in-law tree".

Birds seen frequenting this one specimen included Red-winged parrot, Great bowerbird, Rufous-throated honeyeater, Brown honeyeater, White-gaped honeyeater, Yellow oriole and Paperbark flycatcher. For me many of these birds were lifers!

Red-winged parrot

Rufous-throated honeyeater

White-gaped honeyeater

Finally a few shots from a river cruise. This was a scenery and gorge experience, not a bird-watching exercise. However the site of something flying towards us - large, grey and like nothing I had ever seen before had me scrambling for the long lens....

The only shot I managed of this Great-billed heron was as it flew downstream along the gorge. 

Little black cormorant

White-faced heron unsure about the kayakers

Bird on!