Sunshine Coast Birds

Birding and other wildlife experiences from the Sunshine Coast and elsewhere in Australia - and from overseas - with scribblings about travel, environmental issues, kayaking, hiking and camping.

Tuesday 1 July 2014

Around Oz Part 11 : Darwin - Botanic Gardens, Holmes Jungle

Black Butcherbird
After arriving in Darwin and visiting a few favoured old haunts (see last post) we called in on the city's nicely laid out Botanic Gardens. A highlight here was a Black Butcherbird catching a fair-sized dragon in the tree tops and struggling to subdue it, though ultimately prevailing.

Black Butcherbird with dragon
Darwin CBD
We did a bit more touristy stuff around Mindil Beach, Fannie Bay and the CBD Esplanade area. I remain gobsmacked at the huge transition in the city since I lived here, or even since I last visited.

Mindil Beach

Radjah Shelduck
Radjah Shelduck is all over the place, even at sea.

Sunset Lee Point
 I've always been fond of Darwin sunsets. We enjoyed this one at Lee Point, just up the road from where we are camping.
Sunset Lee Point


I called in on another favourite old haunt - Holmes Jungle, a nice mixture of grassland, savannah and monsoon rainforest.

Golden-headed Cisticola
 I saw in the grassland Horsfield's Bushlark, Zitting Cisticola and Golden-headed Cisticola.

Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
 Plenty of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos about, always a joy.

Crimson Finch male
Lovely also to have plenty of Crimson Finches up close.

Crimson Finch female 

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