(photos: Rainbow Lorikeet, Darwin coast, Brolgas)
The alarm went off at five and up we got and had coffee, yogurt, and toast and set off at six. Drove north on Highway 1 to Edith Falls turnoff on the west side of Nitmiluk N. P. We continued on a few km. until we crossed a stream and turned off on a dirt road that paralleled the creek and stopped at a trash-strewed turn around and started seeing bird action right away. Mixed flocks of finches come down to billabongs only early in the morning and spend the rest of the day scattered and feeding. We saw Long-tailed and Crimson Finches and then finally saw the rare Gouldian Finch, a beautiful small bird with green back, yellow under parts, purple breast and a black or red face edged in turquoise. Quite a bird!
We spent about an hour there and then resumed driving north towards Darwin through rolling woodlands and microscopic towns. We reached the outskirts of Darwin about three and easily found our B&B, Feathers Sanctuary, north of downtown Darwin. Run by Peter and Suzanne, the B&B consists of their house and about five “huts” and several aviaries. The huts overlook a billabong full of ducks, Jabirus (Black-necked Storks), Brolgas (beautiful, amazingly graceful gray cranes with red heads) and other species. Some are wild, but most are rescue birds that the Park Service or individuals have brought them. Some birds in the aviaries are endangered species that Peter is breeding.
Our “hut” is a large elegant room with a metal roof and a large corrugated-metal enclosed, open-air bath area with palm fronds cascading over the metal walls. Our breakfast and wine and cheese are in the frig.
We had some cheese and crackers as we hadn’t stopped for lunch and were visited by the resident bustard, a three-foot high ostrich relative, which proceeded to pick up my hat and walk away with it! Definitely a unique place!
We cleaned up and set off for East Point, one of Darwin’s many costal parks and checked out some shore birds. Darwin has a twenty-foot tide so the waves are either lapping at your toes or the beach extends to infinity. It’s a lovely tropical paradise, probably like Miami 50 years ago.
We drove into downtown and found the Humanan Restaurant where Peter had made a reservation for us and had an exquisite Thai-Indian dinner. We split an appetizer sampler of oysters in cilantro/lime/chili, pork wrapped in rice paper, tandori chicken, and prawns. Then we split a red curry duck and finished up with black rice brulee. Great meal! Back to Feathers and collapsed.
No comments:
Post a Comment