Australia’s Top End: Victoria River to Kakadu

ALTERATIONS TO THE ITINERARY
In this part of Australia there are multiple sites and the guide will decide which of these sites to visit based on up-to-date information, local knowledge of the area, and what has been seen or not seen by the group up until this point. Whatever the plan is, it will always be directed towards trying to see the maximum number of species. Specific sites visited will always be up to your guide, who will always endeavor to use the best plan possible to see the most species on the tour, weather or other unforeseen circumstances permitting of course. In short, while there is an itinerary in this document, other sites may be visited if they are more productive for the specialty species at the time. The same target birds will be involved each time, but in a dynamic environment like the Outback of Australia, productive sites vary greatly from year to year, and so new sites may be visited if needed, and replace some of the listed sites here if they are less productive at the time

Day 1: Arrival in Darwin. The tour starts at noon
After meeting for lunch in our Darwin hotel at noon, our first day in the Top End will see us visiting a number of easily accessible birding sites close to Darwin, packing in as many birds as possible before dark. We’ll begin in mangroves near Nightcliff where we will be searching for specialties of this habitat, like Mangrove Fantail, Mangrove Gerygone, Australian Yellow White-eye, Red-headed Myzomela, Black-tailed Whistler, and the rare and local White-breasted Whistler. After it starts to heat up we will head over to Buffalo Creek where we have a shot at the ridiculously loud Chestnut Rail, either feeding on the exposed mud or skulking in the mangroves. The beach that borders these mangrove stands often holds Great-billed Heron among a smattering of regular Aussie shorebirds, like Greater and Lesser Sandplovers, Great Knot, Terek Sandpiper, and Red-necked Stint. Late in the afternoon, we will check in on a local pair of Rufous Owls. We spend the first night in Darwin.

​Day 2: East Point and Fogg Dam to Katherine
Near dawn will see us at East Point hoping for Rainbow Pittas and Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves for company. Later we drive to one of the Top End’s premier wetlands, Fogg Dam. Around the dam itself, we’ll be thrilled with the site of thousands of wetland birds, including Magpie-Geese, Pied Herons, Green Pygmy-Geese, and maybe a Buff-banded Rail or White-browed Crake scurrying out of the reeds. In the monsoon forest, we have further chances at the Top End’s sexiest bird (if needed): the Technicolor Rainbow Pitta. Later, we head southwards to Pine Creek, stopping off at this old gold mining area for the opalescent Hooded Parrot. We overnight in Katherine.

Day 3: Katherine to Timber Creek
Today we’ll drive to Timber Creek for a two-night stay, but not before spending time at dawn around a local waterhole for our first shot at the stunning Gouldian Finch, as well as Long-tailed and Masked Finches too. En-route to Timber Creek there will be chances for more specialties, like Buff-sided Robin and the gorgeous Purple-crowned Fairywren. Two nights will be spent in a motel in the tiny Outback town of Timber Creek.

​Day 4: Timber Creek
This town is in the heart of finch country; up to nine species can be found in this area, with the key species being the local Yellow-rumped Mannikin and Star Finch in particular. There will also be chances at Black-tailed Treecreeper, and Bar-breasted and Yellow-tinted Honeyeaters there too, all northern specialties. The small local airfield also sometimes hosts the scarce Oriental Plover, feeding in company with the local Agile Wallabies or more flocks of finches that could also include Zebra and Double-barred Finches, and Chestnut-breasted Mannikin. A second night will be spent in Timber Creek.

Day 5: Timber Creek to Top Springs
An early start will be required to search for the local White-quilled Rock-Pigeon on a nearby escarpment, before we head south to Top Springs, keeping an eye on the skies for Black-breasted Buzzard and the hulking Wedge-tailed Eagle en-route. Along the way, we will also stop in at a wetland area that often hosts a myriad waterbirds, including Brolga (an endemic Australian crane species), Magpie-Goose, Radjah Shelduck and Australian Darter. We will arrive at Top Springs in time for an afternoon search for the rare Gray Falcon and unpredictable Ground Cuckooshrike, as well as Australian Bustard and Australian Pratincole. One night will be spent in a small motel within remote Top Springs, in the heart of Australia’s Outback.

Day 6: Top Springs to Pine Creek
After some further time around Top Springs in the morning, which might yield new species like the striking Spinifex Pigeon, Banded Honeyeater and the “Golden-backed” form of Black-chinned Honeyeater (a likely split), Varied Lorikeet, and Paperbark Flycatcher; we’ll head back north to the edge of Kakadu National Park. In the afternoon, we will concentrate, once more, around the tiny town of Pine Creek, where Hooded Parrots will be the main focus, should we still be missing them following our earlier search there, but can also spend time looking for other Outback species like Red-winged Parrot, Cockatiel, and Broad-billed Flycatcher. A single night will be spent in Pine Creek.

Day 7: To the Kakadu area
We’ll need an early morning start to get up to a spinifex escarpment before the day heats up, and have our best shot at Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon and Partridge Pigeon. In the afternoon, we shall head north to a lodge near Kakadu National Park, stopping for more specialties along the way, such as Silver-backed Butcherbird and Northern Rosella. While Great Bowerbirds are common in the Top End, and are sure to have been seen by then, we will stop off at a fascinatingly decorated bower for the species, if needed. We bird near Kakadu and we will take a leisurely boat trip into the Yellow Waters billabong that is brilliant for birds, like kingfishers and waterbirds. Some of our main target species will be Azure, Sacred, and Little Kingfishers (the latter difficult elsewhere in Australia), 3 species of ibis, Black-necked Stork, Plumed Whistling-Duck, Nankeen Night-Heron, Pied Heron, Comb-crested Jacana, and one of the most revered Aussie animals, the menacing Saltwater Crocodile. The night will be spent near Kakadu.

Day 8: The areas around Kakadu NP to Darwin
Today we head into the heart of Aboriginal country near Kakadu. We will stop in many hotspots surrounding the park. There are a number of local specialties; the beautiful Black-banded Fruit-Dove inhabits the monsoon forest surrounding the base, as does Black Wallaroo, while Sandstone Shrike-thrushes and White-lined Honeyeaters may be found on the rock itself. After a morning in the park, we shall head back to Darwin, and check some mangroves for habitat specialists like Mangrove Fantail and Black-tailed and White-breasted Whistlers if needed, and also check a local park for the massive Rufous Owl if we missed it on the first day. The final night will be spent where it all began, back in Darwin.

Day 9: Departure from Darwin
Due to flight schedules, there is no birding on this day, so you are free to depart when you wish. Breakfast on this day (if you do not depart before it is available), is the final meal of the tour.

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Trip Considerations

PACE: Moderate. This is a fast-paced trip that tries to maximize the number of sites covered and therefore birds seen. Breakfasts are typically packed and taken in the field at around 5:00am-5: 30am each day. There may also be a packed lunch on one or two days. As there are many long drives on this tour to get to the well separated Outback sites, there is limited downtime at hotels in the middle of the day, as this time is usually downtime in the vehicle, with birding stops along the way too. There are drives of between three and five hours on six of the days, although these are drives where some of the birding is planned along the way, and passes through excellent bird habitat, so they are done with plentiful stops.

​PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: Moderate. Most of the birding is done from flat or slightly inclined roads or dirt tracks, and there are no high elevations on this tour. There is one optional walk we may take up the Victoria River Escarpment, which involves a climb of around 300m or so (1000ft). This walk is difficult as the heat makes it so, even though it is not long (around 1.5 miles/3km). For those who do not wish to do this, they can rest at a nearby roadhouse, until the group returns later in the morning.

CLIMATE: Hot and usually dry (except in Darwin, where it will be very humid too), with little rain expected. The high temperatures in Darwin at this time of year, are 84 Fahrenheit/29 Celsius, with humidity usually in excess of 80%.  In the interior, the climate is drier, but with average high temperatures reaching 96F/36C  (this is the average – it is not unusual for it to be even hotter if a heat wave comes through). This tour does not cover any high elevation sites. There is one optional walk we may take up the Victoria River Escarpment, which involves a climb of around 300m or so (1000ft).

​ACCOMMODATION: Moderate to very good. In Darwin we use a modern, business-style, hotel, although in the remote parts of the Outback (e.g. Timber Creek and Top Springs), we will be using simple Australian motels. These are similar in style to American motels, but generally have smaller rooms, although all places have private bathrooms, full-time hot water, and 24-hour electricity.

​PHOTOGRAPHY: This is a birding tour, with that being the main focus. That said, we do encourage people to take photos on our tours, and in many birding groups people carry cameras. There are no feeder sites on this tour, and so any photography is opportunistic, although many Australian birds are quite approachable and photogenic, especially around sprinklers and waterholes in the dry Outback, where birds like finches and parrots may be within photographic range.

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Other Information

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

A valid passport is required for entry into Australia. It should be valid for at least six months past the time of your scheduled return.  An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is required for citizens of the USA, Canada, the UK, South Africa, and most Western European countries.

In order to get the ETA, please download the official app from the Apple App Store https://apps.apple.com/au/app/australianeta/id1527982364 or Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.gov.homeaffairs.eta&hl=en_AU&gl=US

For further information on this process, please see this government website: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/electronic-travel-authority-601

PLEASE NOTE: The Australian Government has changed the entry requirements in recent years and has undergone further very recent changes to their system, and so we advise doing this well in advance of the tour in case they request any additional requirements.

As of July 2022, some older tour participants (over 75 years old) may need to undergo a health examination in order to enter Australia. Whether you need an examination of this kind is only revealed during the application process. Therefore, it is extremely important that all participants apply for entry long before the start of the tour, to ensure there is time to schedule a health examination if one is needed.

Please note that if you are traveling FROM an area where Yellow Fever is found the Australian government requires you to have a valid certificate for this, which must be presented to the authorities on arrival at immigration. This does not apply generally to most people; it is just something that you should be aware of if for some reason you are coming in from an area that this applies.

As of July 2022, some older tour participants (over 75 years old) may need to undergo a health examination in order to enter Australia. Whether you need an examination of this kind is only revealed during the application process. Therefore, it is extremely important that all participants apply for entry long before the start of the tour, to ensure there is time to schedule a health examination if one is needed.​​​

WHAT’S INCLUDED?: Accommodation from night of day 1 through to night of day 8; meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 9 (if you have an early flight on this day, you may miss the included breakfast); safe drinking water between meals; most hotels in Australia provide a kettle and tea and coffee; one soft drink is included per meal for lunch and dinner; Tropical Birding tour leader with scope and audio gear from the afternoon of day 1 to the night of day 8; transfer by taxi to the airports at the start and end of the tour; ground transport for the group to all sites in the itinerary in a suitable vehicle driven by the tour leader; one boat trip at Yellow Waters, Kakadu on the afternoon of day 7 (this is on a large, spacious official park boat, shared with other tourists); entrance fees to all birding sites mentioned in the itinerary; a printed and bound checklist to keep track of your sightings (given to you at the start of the tour – only electronic copies can be provided in advance).

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?: Optional tips to the Tropical Birding tour leader; international flights; excess baggage fees; snacks; additional drinks apart from those included; alcoholic beverages; travel insurance; excursions not included in the tour itinerary; extras in hotels such as laundry service, internet, minibar, room service, telephone calls, and personal items; medical fees; other items or services not specifically mentioned as being included.