MEGA ALERT: The YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO in Cornwall

After the remnants of hurricane Gonzalo hit the west of Britain earlier in the week, it was inevitable that we would receive a few transatlantic treats to keep us birders occupied. As I sat there in the office on Thursday, the battery on my pager was nearly drained within one afternoon. The day before, a FORSTER'S TERN had passed Pendeen Watch in Cornwall, one of Britain's prime sea-watching spots and a place I had been just a few days before. Scotland then hit back with a HERMIT THRUSH on North Uist. It was the day after though when it all finally started to kick off big time.

For starters, a GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH was located on Barra, an Hebridean island that had already hosted a SCARLET TANAGER earlier in the month. The south-west of England then chipped in with a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO in Cornwall, only for the north to go one better with a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO on North Ronaldsay. It was all getting very exciting indeed. News then filtered through of a CHIMNEY SWIFT on the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles followed by the second GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH of the day in Orkney, again on North Ronaldsay.

My gaffer at work had already heard the wail of the MEGA alert several times that afternoon. At one stage he looked up at me with his eyebrows raised and quietly enquired whether I was going to be off the next day. There was certainly a strong possibility that I would be, I sheepishly replied.

YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO (first-winter) - Porthgwarra, Cornwall.
Photo by Pete Morris

With a backlog of work completed and my holiday approved, it was time to start making arrangements for the long trip down to Cornwall. After careful consideration I thought it best if we got on site for first light. It was a huge gamble to make the three hundred mile journey rather then wait for positive news and then head off, but what a stressful five hour car journey that would be. In any case, if there was no sign of the YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO we could still have a good mooch around and attempt to find our own American vagrant in one of the famous Cornish valleys.

After a few hours sleep, I picked up Martin Smyth at 1.30am and headed down to Worcestershire to meet up with Jase Oliver and Steve Allcott for the onward journey down the M5. Within a few hours we had hit Exeter Services. Predictably, there were other weary-eyed birders in situ, sipping away at over-priced coffee in order to stimulate their exhausted senses into staying awake for a few more hours. Amongst the group was the infamous Garry Bagnell who regaled us with tales of woe surrounding booked-up charter flights, younger twitching rivals and the heartbreak of loitering around Aberdeen airport in anticipation of a SIBERIAN THRUSH being relocated on Shetland. 

The YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO twitch at Porthgwarra.
Photo by Adam Archer

We finally arrived at the extreme south-western tip of England sometime around 6.30am. It was cool, dark and extremely quiet down in the cove of Porthgwarra, with a mist rolling in off the sea adding to the eerie atmosphere. With other dishevelled looking birders arriving on site and slowly climbing from their vehicles and stretching their tired limbs, it was reminiscent of a scene from the eighties horror classic 'The Fog'. As the light improved and the mist turned into rain though, it was time to make a move and do our best to relocate our target bird.

As all you experienced birders will know, the YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO is a bitter sweet species to see on this side of the Atlantic. It is a rarity that has never really been easy to successfully twitch, based on the fact that the majority of them probably expire within a few days of making landfall in Europe. The last bird that was truly 'twitchable' in Britain was fourteen years ago in the neighbouring valley of St Levan just a few miles east of Porthgwarra. Since then, there have been just five accepted records in Britain and tragically, three of those involve dead or dying birds.

With such statistics to dwell on whilst standing in the rain for a rarity to show, it is sometimes a struggle to remain positive. Personally for me though it was still a great privilege to be positioned in one of my favourite places in the whole world, breathing in the fresh sea air and watching Chough rising and tumbling above the grand cliff tops. Finally though, after a long ninety minute wait, a few excited whispers were heard to the right of where we were standing. I looked across to see a birder pointing towards the mass of willows just in front of where he was stood. Within seconds the whole crowd had descended upon those two excited fellows and after some scrabbled directions I caught my first glimpse of my first ever YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO in Britain. Against the odds it had survived through the night and even better still, it seemed to be in good health!

YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO (first-winter) - Porthgwarra, Cornwall.
Photo by Pete Morris

Initially this handsome bird was quiet elusive as it remained low down feeding amongst the dense vegetation. Eventually though, as the weather conditions improved it showed extremely well at times, often perched up in the same position for several minutes at a time. During the few hours we spent enjoying the bird, it was seen to catch and eat a few prey items including bush-crickets and caterpillars. At this rate it looked good for those birders who were unable to make the trip until the weekend. Other species of note included 6 Swallow passing through, a few Common Buzzard, a hunting Sparrowhawk, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a few European Stonechat.

As another dense carpet of fog rolled in, we then decided to head back to the car and plan our next move for the day. It was here that we celebrated with a dram of single malt whiskey courtesy of our fellow West Midland birders from Coventry and a hot pasty from the nearby cafe. It was yet another stunning rarity in a superb location with some top notch company to share the memorable moments with. It really does not get any better than this.

The notice board at the excellent  Porthgwarra cafe!
Photo by Adam Archer

Afterwards, we then made our way over to the north coast and the beautiful Nanquidno valley. Despite a thorough search of the area we could do no better than a male Blackcap, a single Chiffchaff, a few Goldcrest and a Grey Wagtail. On the way back up the A30 we made a quick detour over to Hayle where a juvenile LESSER YELLOWLEGS performed well as it fed in the company of the Common Redshank around Copperhouse Creek. Also in attendance were a few Little Egret, the odd Curlew and 7 Dunlin.

LESSER YELLOWLEGS (juvenile) - Hayle, Cornwall.
Photo by Adam Archer

It had been a great day all round, full of laughs, dramatic scenery, the odd decent bird and another step closer to my personal target of five hundred species before I snuff it..... like an unfortunate American cuckoo!

Shetland Trip 2014 - The Beginning!

Let me begin this blog by thanking that rotten bunch of ruffians, the CLAMS for taking pity on a poor, lonely ASBO and adopting me for this trip. As some of you will know I suffer from a rare birding behaviour disorder that leads me to occasionally take the p*ss and get up to the odd bit of mischief. I admit that I am not the easiest person to spend a week with..... just ask Nadia. I must also thank the 55.3% of Scottish folk who voted 'No' to independence. If the vote to quit Great Britain had been a 'Yes' then I would have flicked a non-victorious 'V sign' to them all and headed down to the Isles of Scilly instead.

Anyway, we touched down at Sumburgh airport just after 11.00am following a trouble free flight from Birmingham, via Aberdeen. As we disembarked and staggered across the runway it was a real struggle to stand up in the westerly gusts. You could almost smell that rare American vagrant in the air if you tipped you head back slightly and aimed your rictal bristles in the direction of the Atlantic Ocean.

As we had to wait for Gary Prescott to arrive later in the day, we decided to lob out the bins and do a bit of birding in the South Mainland rather than head straight up to our digs in Lerwick. The first port of call was the Sumburgh Farm area. The strong winds meant that any passerine with any sense would be laying low in what sheltered corner they could find. We did however find our first flock of 22 Twite feeding around Sumburgh Hotel and drinking from the puddles in the car park. This a species of finch well equipped for whatever weather conditions Shetland can throw at it.

In the pasture around the hotel, a Ruff was a nice surprise and a dozen Common Snipe were flushed. In a nearby stubble field there were 6 Lapwing, good numbers of Skylark and a scattering of Blackbirds and Meadow Pipits.

Twite - Sumburgh Hotel, Mainland, Shetland.
Photo by Adam Archer

We then made our way over to Grutness to scour the small mixed flock of waders along the beach. A juvenile Little Stint was nice to see amongst the 40 Dunlin, 10 Sanderling and 8 Turnstone. There was also a smart male White Wagtail feeding along the tideline together with a few Pied Wagtails and the odd Rock Pipit. The first Great Skuas of the trip were also spotted harassing Gannets feeding out in the bay.

The lads hecking out the waders at Grutness, Mainland, Shetland.
Photo by Adam Archer

We then received a call from 'The Biking Birder' to say he had arrived. Gary had flown in just hours after returning from a three month trek around Peru where he had seen some cracking South American speciality species, was robbed at gun point and had made acquaintances with the odd beautiful senorita or two.... the dirty, old rogue.

After bundling Gary into the back of our Kia 'birder carrier', and placing him in quarantine for a few minutes because he still smelt of Llamas, we arrived up at Channerwick. Some of the lads spotted the flicker of a Red-breasted Flycatcher in the large sycamore around the ruined cottage but due to the stiff breeze it failed to show well. The only other migrant of note was a male Blackcap and a single Northern Wheatear. It was even worse up at Sandwick with just a flock of 42 European Golden Plover for us to have scan through.

Before heading into Lerwick to find our accommodation we had a quick look around the Loch of Clickimin and the adjacent suburbs. With only a pair of Whooper Swan, a flock of Tufted Ducks and a few more Blackbirds to show for our troubles we decided to call it a day and head for shelter.

For all those of you who think Shetland is a stroll in the park and where Siberian vagrants drip from the bare branches of every stunted sycamore then think again..... welcome to a typical autumn day in Zetlandica.

Australia Trip - Day Six: Nourlangie Rock Region, Kakadu - Part One

Stone the crows, this was supposed to be a holiday! Once again it was a very early start this morning, but hey that is birding for you I suppose. After running the gauntlet of a flying fox frenzy outside our cabin, we packed the car at pace and sped off. During the hours of darkness in Jabiru you are likely to be splattered with an unwanted, 'fruit smoothie' if you dilly-dally whilst the giant bats are feeding.

We then headed south down the Kakadu Highway and made a turn off towards Burrunggui for our first hike of the day. The plan was to complete a six kilometre walk to Gubara and back before the heat got the better of us. As we negotiated the sandy track and found somewhere suitable to park the car we spied a Common Bronzewing feeding along the pathway. This became yet another target pigeon species we could tick off the trip list. Trust me, if you are not too keen on the Columbidae family (like me), then Australia will definitely change your opinion, I know mine did.

Taking a 'crocwise' approach heading into Gubara monsoon forest.
Photo by Nadia Shaikh

As the sun rose above the magnificent sandstone cliffs we followed the track at the base of them to a small area of monsoon forest. As this was the dry season there were only a small number of murky, inhospitable looking pools remaining but even these could harbour a crocodile or two. We needed to be extra vigilant. The problem is, when you are focussed on searching for birds, especially ones you have dreamt about seeing for as long as you can remember, then personal safety can foolishly take a back seat. Luckily, Nadia was on hand to rein me in a bit when I became a little too adventurous.

We had already spotted a few new birds like Helmeted Friarbird and White-lined Honeyeater during the stroll down, however the best was yet to come. With Nadia keeping well back from the dried up river bed and checking out the forest edges, I hiked ahead to to see what I could find. The first species I encountered was an Emerald Dove. Unfortunately it spooked all too easily and flew before I could attract Nadia's attention. 

Me doing my Tawny Frogmouth impression at Gubara.
Photo by Nadia Shaikh

Within seconds of me scanning through the darkness of the boulder strewn understory though, I picked up a another slight movement along the ground. Could it be another Emerald Dove? I thought to myself. I trained my binoculars on the area, remained as still as I could and waited patiently. Then after a short while out popped THE bird I had dreamed about seeing most since we first planned the trip, a RAINBOW PITTA. Despite the iridescent green of its back and wings, complete with an exquisite turquoise panel on the lesser and median coverts, this species blends in surprisingly well with its chosen habitat. As I tried to keep track of the bird, I beckoned over to Nadia to join me before I lost it. To her credit, she sprinted down the track as fast as her sandfly-bitten legs could carry her and after a short while the magnificent creature reappeared.

Rainbow Pitta (Pitta iris)
Photographed at East Point, Darwin, NT during October 2008.
Respectfully borrowed from 'Jas & John's Nature Photography'

We both enjoyed superb views through my scope as it hopped around the roots of the trees and flicked through the leaf litter looking for morsels to eat. It would occasionally freeze and listen for the sound of insects moving amongst the leaves, tilting its rusty crowned, black head to the side as it concentrated. Then when it had located an item of interest it would 'up-end', displaying the vibrant red coloration of its under tail coverts. It was one of those wonderful birding moments that we will both treasure for the rest of our days.

As the bird disappeared and with the temperature starting to soar it was time to make our way back. Along the track near the monsoon forest we encountered a pair of Northern Fantail and a couple of remarkable, little Mistletoebirds. As the habitat opened out a bit more we then connected with our first Black-faced Woodswallows associating with a small flock of Rainbow Bee-eaters. Both Helmeted Friarbirds and Silver-crowned Friarbirds were encountered as was the odd White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike. Near the sandstone escarpments we then spotted our first elusive Banded Fruit-Doves, a speciality of the region and several small groups of the noisy Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.  

Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus)
Gubara, Kakadu National Park, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

During a quick air-conditioning fix in the car we made a short drive around to the fantastically titled Anbangbang Billabong to see what we could find. This location was used during the filming of the famous 1986 movie 'Crocodile Dundee', however giant reptiles were not why we were here. This was one of those occasions when as a birder you just do not know where to look first. This relatively small stretch of water was packed full of feathered delights. Amongst the large number of Intermediate Egret, Straw-necked Ibis and Australian White Ibis there were smaller counts of both White-necked Heron and Pied Heron. 

Whilst admiring a couple of Royal Spoonbill though I was suddenly stopped in my tracks. Less than fifty yards away was our first Estuarine Crocodile, a pretty large three and a half metre long male. I casually mentioned my 'Saltie' sighting to Nadia who initially thought I was winding her up. It was funny to see her literally step back in shock as she located it in her bins. We would need to tread carefully whilst birding around the margins of this particular pool if we valued the use of our legs.

Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)
Anbangbang Billabong, Kakadu National Park, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

Wildfowl included 20 Magpie Goose, 4 Radjah Shelduck, 70 Wandering Whistling-Duck, 120 Plumed Whistling-Duck, 30 Green Pygmy Goose and a pair of Pacific Black Duck. There was also the odd Australasian Darter and a couple of Little Pied Cormorants in attendance as well as a few pairs of Comb-crested Jacana. Around the edges were plenty of Little Corella and Magpie-lark as well as the odd Willie Wagtail, Lemon-bellied Flycatcher and a female Leaden Flycatcher.

Magpie Geese (Anseranas semipalmata)
Anbangbang Billabong, Kakadu National Park, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

With the heat taking its toll and our water supply close to running dry, it was time to head back to our digs in Jabiru to cool off and relax around the pool for the afternoon. As we had enjoyed ourselves so much though we decided to return to back to the Nourlangie Rock area later in the afternoon. It had been a fantastic morning.

Anbangbang Billabong with Nawurlandja behind.
Kakadu National Park, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

Australia Trip - Day Five: Onwards to Kakadu National Park

After a superb few days in and around Darwin it was time for us all to go our separate ways. Nadia's parents left the apartment early to embark on their own outback adventure with a whistle-stop tour of all the main tourist sites whilst Brian, Caroline and little Erin were flying out to Sydney for a while before heading back home to Alabama.

One of the displays at the 'Window on the Wetlands' centre.
We were hoping to see ALL of the above over the next week.
Photo by Adam Archer

Following a few emotional goodbyes we headed out of the city and east along the Arnhem Highway for the three hour journey to Kakadu National Park. To break up the car ride, our first stop off was at the 'Window on the Wetlands' visitor centre perched upon Beatrice Hill. This imposing, contemporary lookout over the Adelaide River floodplain provided us with a handsome adult Brown Goshawk circling just overhead as well as a female Leaden Flycatcher and a small family group of White-throated Honeyeater.

We then continued onto Aurora Kakadu Resort for another brief stop to collect our permits. It was here that we connected with a large, noisy flock of Little Corella feeding along the roadside along with the odd Galah and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. We also spotted our first incredible looking Blue-faced Honeyeater around the trees near to the petrol pumps along with a pair of inquisitive Torresian Crows.

Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea)
A familiar sight around Jabiru and other populated areas.
Photo by Adam Archer

Before heading over to our camp site we had a quick look around the Bowali Visitor Centre just outside the township of Jabiru. Here we picked up some literature about the area and some useful maps in order  to plan our week ahead. It is a fantastic open plan structure inspired by an Aboriginal rock shelter and was well worth a visit to familiarise ourselves with the culture of the local Mirarr clan, the traditional occupiers of the area. It was also a good resource to find out more about the flora and fauna we had already seen since entering the park. 

Nadia jumping for joy at reaching Jabiru!
Photo by Adam Archer

We then headed over to Lakeview Park to pick up our keys for our 'bush bungalow'. To be honest it was a thousand times more luxurious and spacious than we were expecting with its flat-screen television, kitchenette and air-conditioned rooms. Nadia felt pretty guilty thinking that her mom and dad would be roughing it under canvas over the next few days..... so guilty in fact that she headed off to the cool bedroom, slipped beneath the crisp cotton sheets of the kingsize bed and went straight to sleep!

As the heat of the day subsided we made our way around to Jabiru Lake to see what we could find. Almost immediately we picked up one of the main targets of the trip, the ridiculous looking Comb-crested Jacana. Up to six birds were seen trotting around the lakeside vegetation with their over-sized feet as if they were walking on water. Other birds included White-bellied Sea Eagle, Black Kites by the dozen, a pair of Red-tailed Black Cockatoo and a small flock of Crimson Finch. New species included Willie Wagtail (cool bird, embarrassing name), Rufous-throated Honeyeater and a pair of Golden-headed Cisticola. 

Golden-headed Cisticola (Cisticola exilis)
Jabiru Lake, Kakadu National Park, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer 

Believe it or not though it was not the birds that got my blood pumping this particular evening, it was the mammals. As the sun dropped, thousands upon thousands of Black Flying Foxes awoke from their roost and filled the air. It was not only the sight of these amazing creatures that took my breath away but also the eerie sounds and the sweet, marijuana like smell that accompanied it. I felt like Bob Marley, stoned on the set of a 1970 Hammer Horror movie. I was hoping to 'jam in' on some more fantastic Australian wildlife in the morning...... get it?

Australia Trip - Day Four: Casuarina Coastal Reserve

Buffalo Creek, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

Following the success of the previous day we decided to head back over to Buffalo Creek for first light today. Once again, the boat ramp was jam-packed full of anglers eager to get their boats out onto the water. I would say that the chances of connecting with a Chestnut Rail at this particular location on a weekend is pretty slim to say the least. It is just far too busy.

A trio of Australian Pelicans (Pelecanus conspicillatus) at dawn.
Buffalo Creek, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, NT
Photo by Adam Archer

As the sun started to rise and the sand flies began to nibble we turned our attention to the beach and the ebbing tide. The creeks were heaving with Eastern Great Egrets, Intermediate Egrets and Little Egrets along with the odd Eastern Reef Heron or two. A dozen Australian Pelicans showed well just off shore but waders were in short supply with just the odd Masked Lapwing and a few Common Sandpipers. In the skies, the usual Black Kites were already on the wing interspersed with the odd Whistling Kite or two.

  

Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus)
Buffalo Creek, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, NT
Photo by Adam Archer

As more and more insects emerged, so did the birds that enjoyed scoffing them. There were decent numbers of both Tree Martin and White-breasted Woodswallow as well as the odd Rainbow Bee-eater crashing the party. Throughout the strip of coastal vegetation other species were on the move. Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Red-winged Parrots passed through whilst Spangled Drongos and Torresian Crows notified us of their presence. We picked up our first Broad-billed Flycatchers of the trip along with the odd Lemon-bellied Flycatcher. Another male Red-headed Honeyeater was spotted as were White-gaped Honeyeater and Brown Honeyeater. Another new species for our list was Green-backed Gerygone as they moved 'warbler like' through the trees feeding away as they went.

White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus)
Buffalo Creek, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, NT
Photo by Adam Archer

We then decided to take the short ride over to Lee Point to see if we could find a shy Beach Stone-curlew before the dog-walkers descended. Unfortunately none could be located but we did have a nice consolation in the form of 3 Sooty Oystercatchers. As with Buffalo Creek there were large numbers of Tree Martin passing through and several Rainbow Bee-eaters performed well. Around the car park there were plenty of Peaceful Dove and Bar-shouldered Dove. 

Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus)
Lee Point, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, NT
Photo by Adam Archer

During late morning we made our way over to the Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory near Darwin. Following an excellent late breakfast with Nadia's lovely family we made our way around to take a look at the exhibits. The highlight for me was 'Sweetheart', a stuffed five metre long, 750 kilogram Estuarine Crocodile who terrorised anglers in the Finniss River area of the Northern Territory during the 1970's. He was responsible for multiple attacks and had a particular dislike of outboard motors which he tended to chew off the end of boats. He was finally caught and accidentally drowned in 1979 after one of his raids went a bit too far. He pierced the aluminium hull of a fishing boat and sank it!

'Sweetheart' the monster 'saltwater crocodile''!
Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Nadia Shaikh

There was also a fantastic exhibition in honour of the underrated Welsh naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace, who along with the more well known Charles Darwin was responsible for bringing the theory of evolution through natural selection to the fore. Another item of great interest was the Cyclone Tracy exhibition that brought home the devastation caused when it hit Darwin on Christmas Eve 1974. This powerful tropical cyclone killed 71 people and destroyed more than 80% of all buildings in the city and caused over $837 million worth of damage at the time.

Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca)
Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

Swamp Tiger Butterfly (Danaus affinis)
Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

During the evening we decided to try for a Rufous Owl down at the George Brown Botanic Gardens. We had been gripped off by a gloating Belgian birder earlier in the day at Buffalo Creek. He had been lucky enough to see one attempt to take a Orange-footed Scrubfowl just before dusk a few evenings ago near the start of the Rainforest Loop. Unfortunately we failed to see or hear one but we did finally catch up with a few Little Friarbirds and Crimson Finches. 

The remainder of the evening was spent soaking up the atmosphere of the Mindil Beach Sunset Market with Nadia's brother, her sister-in-law and her niece, little baby Erin. A few souvenirs were purchased and some delicious Thai food was sampled before we headed back to the apartment to pack. Tomorrow we would be making our way east to Kakadu National Park for a week in the outback.

Nadia checks out the didgeridoos!
Mindil Beach Sunset Market, Darwin, NT.

Me, getting photo-bombed by Brian!
Mindil Beach Sunset Market, Darwin, NT.

Australia Trip - Day Three: Birding around Darwin & the Casuarina Coastal Reserve

Following the celebrations of the day before we decided to take it easy today and check out the fantastic birdlife around Darwin once more. Whilst the City obviously takes it's name from one of my ultimate heros, Charles Darwin, the famous naturalist never actually visited the area. It was instead named in honour of him by his friend and former shipmate John Clements Wickham following the third voyage made by HMS Beagle to Australia in 1839. Darwin himself actually visited Australia on the second expedition on board the same vessel during 1836. At this time he spend two months visiting Sydney, the inland settlement of Bathurst, Hobart Town on Tasmania and King George's Sound in Western Australia.

Ship Bell Chime - Darwin
Commissioned in 2009 to celebrate the birth of
Charles Darwin 200 years before in 1809.

We initially ventured down to the harbour area where we stumbled upon a Black Flying Fox roost. This species is one on the largest bats in the World and it was amazing to see them hanging around in one of the most populated areas of the city next to a busy road. Around the harbour a number of Masked Lapwing were seen as were a large gathering of White-breasted Woodswallow. Both Collared Kingfisher and Sacred Kingfisher were nice to see fishing along the shoreline and a couple of familiar Common Sandpiper were flushed from the rocks. Other species of note included 16 Little Black Cormorant, an adult Striated Heron and 2 Gull-billed Tern. Amongst the coastal vegetation a pair of Varied Triller were great to see along with a White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike and the odd Australasian Figbird. 

Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus)
Darwin Harbour, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

We then headed back to the digs for breakfast where we enjoyed both White-bellied Sea Eagle and a stunning adult Brahminy Kite from the comfort of the balcony as we munched our cereals. I then ventured out of town towards Casuarina Coastal Reserve whilst Nadia crawled back into bed. Her bridesmaid duties from the day before had obviously taken their toll.

To be honest by the time I got to Lee Point I was wishing that I had gone back to bed too. The late morning temperature was stifling, the heat haze was horrendous and to make matters worse the tide was way out. Around the corner at Buffalo Creek I was told by a local fisherman that a couple of large Estuarine Crocodiles had been spotted earlier that morning and to be careful if I was walking amongst the mangroves. Needless to say I heeded the advice and positioned myself just above the tideline to scan the vegetation. Amongst the darkness of the muddy mangroves I eventually spotted a superb male Red-headed Honeyeater and Northern Fantail zipped through. Overhead, Black Kites were numerous whilst the odd Whistling Kite, Brahminy Kite and White-bellied Sea Eagle also showed well in the hope that one of the anglers might throw them a fish or two.

I decided to head back into Darwin and convince Nadia to return with me later in the day when the tide would be in and the heat would not be so unbearable.

Black Kite (Milvus migrans affinis)
Buffalo Creek, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

As planned, we returned back to Buffalo Creek during the late afternoon. On our way we spotted a trio of Red-tailed Black Cockatoo flying east over Lee Point Road. This huge, noisy parrot is a sight to behold and probably has the most relaxed, graceful flight of any bird I have seen anywhere around the world. Along Buffalo Creek Road we spotted a White-bellied Sea Eagle perched up being mobbed by our first Torresian Crows. Around Buffalo Creek itself the tide was well in but this seemed to have attracted a wild bunch of drug-crazed beach bums. The Police were onsite to try and convince them that messing around at the edge of the creek may result in a lost limb or two but they continued anyway. Any white dude sporting dreadlocks deserves to be eaten by a crocodile though in my opinion!

Adult White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
Buffalo Creek Road, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

With all the drama down at the boat ramp there was no chance of us connecting with an elusive Chestnut Rail so we turned our attention to the beach. At first glance it all appeared rather quiet but a quick scan through the scope proved otherwise. There was a single Australian Pied Oystercatcher, 12 Masked Lapwing, 6 Pacific Golden Plover, a couple of Mongolian Plover, 4 Whimbrel and a scattering of Sanderling. The highlight however was a total of 16 Red-capped Plover, the Australian equivalent of our Kentish Plover over in Europe.

Roosting along a nearby sandbank were 28 Australian Pelican surrounded by 30 Gull-billed Tern, 7 Crested Tern, 14 Lesser Crested Tern, a single Caspian Tern and a number of Silver Gull. There were also large numbers of Intermediate Egret along with the odd Little Egret fishing in the shallows.

Nadia scanning for shorebirds near Buffalo Creek.
Photo by Adam Archer

Me enjoying my first ever Red-capped Plover.
Buffalo Creek, Casuarina Coastal Reserve.
Photo by Nadia Shaikh

On our return we stopped off at various points along Buffalo Creek Road where we saw our first Red-winged Parrot (male) of the trip along with the odd Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. Along Lee Point Road near the suburbs of Wanguri, Nadia spotted an Eastern Osprey perched up, whilst further along we encountered a large gathering of Galah (a parrot made famous in Britain by Alf Stewart of 'Home & Away' fame) feeding in a weedy field along with a few Straw-necked Ibis and a flock of Magpie-lark.

As dusk approached we made our way back to Darwin and headed to Woolworths (yes folks it still exists in Australia) to pick up some supplies. Even a usually mundane shopping trip in the middle of a city is a treat for any wildlife enthusiast down under though. A number of huge Black Flying Foxes were flapping around the car park and just over the road along Peel Street thousands of Red-collared Lorikeets were flying in to roost in a single tree. The sight of this many gaudy looking birds together was awesome if not a little deafening. A marvellous end to another fantastic day on the other side of the planet!  

Australia Trip - Day Two: Wedding Day in Darwin

Rainbow Bee-eaters (Merops ornatus)
George Brown Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

On the morning of Nadia's sister's wedding I decided to have an early start and head back down to the Botanic Gardens once again. On my way there I stopped off briefly nearby where I spotted a single Eastern Great Egret, a couple of Wood Sandpiper, numerous White-breasted Woodswallow and a pair of Spangled Drongo around the golf club lake. 

Following a fruitless search for a roosting Rufous Owl near the Wesleyan Church I decided to complete a circuit of the gardens and try and cover as many of the patchwork of habitats as possible before the temperature increased. There were large numbers of Rainbow Bee-eaters in evidence taking advantage of the early emerging insects around The Fountain. It was then on through the open Africa section where I was amazed to find a trio of Bush Stone-curlew resting on the sandy soil near Gilruth Avenue. Unlike our Eurasian Stone-curlew they were far from shy and and tolerated me taking a few photographs before I left them to rest in the shade.

Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius)
George Brown Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

Bush Stone-curlews (Burhinus grallarius)
George Brown Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

Also in this area I found an Australian Pipit feeding along the ground and a number of Yellow Orioles and Australasian Figbirds. There was also a Lemon-bellied Flycatcher taking advantage of the insects these larger birds were disturbing from the bush. There were also good numbers of White-gaped Honeyeater in evidence.

Yellow Oriole (Oriolus flavocinctus flavocinctus)
George Brown Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

Around the Heritage Lawn area there were a few Masked Lapwing and Orange-footed Scrubfowl as well as numerous Black Kites (or Fork-tailed Kites as the race affinis is sometimes called in Australia). There were also small mobile groups of Double-barred Finch flying around, their high-pitched nasal calls giving away their presence as they went about their business.

Black Kite (Milvus migrans affinis)
George Brown Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

Following a pretty quiet stroll around the Rainforest Loop where the only species of note were several calling Bar-shouldered Dove, I made my way back towards The Fountain area. The same immature Striated Heron was present again long with a pair of Forest Kingfisher, a Pied Imperial-Pigeon and a couple of White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike. 

Immature Striated Heron (Butorides striata)
George Brown Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

Back over near the Wesleyan Church I heard several Australasian Figbirds and White-gaped Honeyeaters making a din as they mobbed something high up in one of the tallest trees on site. Perhaps it was a species of tree snake or maybe it was one of the resident Rufous Owls. Whatever it was, I failed to catch a glimpse of the offender. Directly below the same tree a number of diminutive Peaceful Dove and larger Bar-shouldered Dove seemed to be attracted to the noise but all of them remained safely on the ground, keeping their distance.

Bar-shouldered Dove (Geopelia humeralis)
George Brown Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

Pied Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula bicolor)
George Brown Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

Peaceful Dove (Geopelia striata)
George Brown Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

George Brown Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

After a quick breakfast and with plenty of time before I had to slip into my suit, I decided to head down to The Waterfront. It was not long before I was watching a few more new species for the trip. An Australasian Darter showed well in the harbour and a number of Eastern Reef Heron were in evidence. Around Stokes Hill Wharf there was a small mixed flock of Silver Gull and Gull-billed Tern scavenging around the fishing boats and several Little Black Cormorant were present.

With the temperature now in the mid-thirties it was time to head back to the comfort of the air conditioned apartment and get myself ready for the wedding. During mid-afternoon we made our way over to Darwin's fantastic Catholic Cathedral where the happy couple tied the knot.  It was then onto the suburb of Nightcliff to celebrate the marriage at the reception dinner. It had been a fantastic day all round and I even managed to add Tree Martin to the trip list as the photographs were taken along the foreshore at dusk.

Siobhan the stunning bride and the Nadia the most
gorgeous bridesmaid ever, just before the wedding.
Photo by Naeem Shaikh

Wedding reception sunset at Nightcliff, Darwin.
Photo by Adam Archer

Australia Trip - Day One: Birding around Darwin City Centre

Darwin City Centre at dawn from our apartment block.
Photo by Adam Archer

Following a pretty smooth flight with Malaysian Airlines (avoiding Ukraine air space) via Kuala Lumpur we finally arrived at the 'Top End' of Australia during the early hours of the morning. Despite the rigours of spending nearly a full twenty four hours travelling from one end of the planet to the other I just could not get off to sleep. At first light I decided to set up my scope and scan the awakening City of Darwin from the lofty position of the twenty-fifth floor our our apartment complex.

Before any birds actually appeared I was surrounded by dozens of unfamiliar calls. Panic began to set in as I failed to recognise any of them. Birding abroad is often a very steep learning curve. Within a few minutes though I was watching several very familiar Black Kites descending on the city streets, circling and occasionally making a quick grab for any scraps of food leftover from the night before. I then spotted my first Magpie-larks of the trip, followed by a small group of Bar-shouldered Dove and a scattering of wonderful White-breasted Woodswallow. This was enough to solve any jet-lag and I could not wait to get down at ground level to find some extra new 'world ticks'.

Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles miles)
A familiar sight around Darwin's parks and open spaces.
Photo by Adam Archer

After breakfast we decided to take a quick stroll around the Liberty Square area before picking up our hire car. Almost immediately we were enjoying Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Straw-necked Ibis and Masked Lapwing all at point blank range, as well as many White-gaped Honeyeaters and a single Brown Honeyeater. Other urban dwellers included a pair of Forest Kingfisher, Pied Imperial-Pigeons, Australasian Figbirds and Double-barred Finches. Back at the apartment a Nankeen Kestrel flew through.

Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca neglecta)
A very common, easy to see species around Darwin.
Photo by Adam Archer

During the afternoon, Nadia met up with the rest of the bridesmaids and her soon-to-be-married sister for a relaxing session at a nearby health spa. This left me plenty of time to explore some more and hopefully acclimatise to the searing heat. The first stop was the George Brown Botanic Gardens on the outskirts of the City. Here I found Australian White Ibis, an immature Striated Heron, several Peaceful Dove and a Varied Triller amongst those species already seen earlier. It was here where I almost stepped on a King Brown snake whilst creeping around trying to photograph the Striated Heron. As it is a pretty venomous species I made a mental note to be a bit more careful throughout the remainder of the trip!

Fannie Bay looking south-west towards Darwin.
Photo by Adam Archer

With the temperature tipping 35c I left the botanic gardens and headed for the nearby coast where I hoped it would be a few degrees cooler. Keeping a careful lookout for Estuarine Crocodiles and Box Jellyfish I decided to take a quick paddle along the beach at Fannie Bay to cool off whilst watching a small flock of Silver Gull. Just inland from the Museum of the Northern Territory I was thrilled to find my first Rainbow Bee-eater of the trip, a species that was high up on our list of target birds. Luckliy Nadia also managed to catch up with a few during the afternoon whilst she lazed around in a pool sipping Champagne!

My first of many Rainbow Bee-eaters of the trip.
Fannie Bay, Darwin, NT.
Photo by Adam Archer

So the first day of 'urban birding' around Darwin was all pretty enjoyable albeit rather hot and sticky. It did however leave me hungry for more. We celebrated our arrival in Australia that evening at the local waterski club with some of Siobhan and Luke's wedding guests. The Barramundi and chips there were delicious and come highly recommended if you're ever passing by!