Black Grasswren Tour

This tour is designed to look at the endemic birds of the Top End and the Kimberley, in particular to visit the area of the Black Grasswren the easy way.

Previously you had to drive into the Mitchell Plateau via the slow-going, back-breaking Gibb River road and camp, but now, in Kirrama tradition, we offer you great birding in style and comfort ...flying right into the Mitchell Plateau first with light aircraft and then by helicopter. What a great way to combine a scenic flight with unique birdwatching!

Day 1 23.9. Accommodation: Frontier Darwin

The tour starts officially at lunchtime in Darwin, but if some guests are willing and present we’ll go birding in the morning. We visit places like East Point and Lee Point, which usually offers a good variety of waders. The mangroves close to town are great to look for mangrove birds with a chance to see the Chestnut Rail. Some of the lagoons close to town are also interesting.

Day 2 24.9. Accommodation: Knott’s Crossing Resort

We depart Darwin in the morning via some birding spots and arrive at midday at Pine Creek for lunch and travel onwards to Katherine. Around Katherine are several locations to search for the Gouldian Finches and Hooded Parrots. Other interesting birds, which we frequently encounter on our walks, are Long-tailed Finches, Masked Finches, Pallid Cuckoo, Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo, a variety of Honeyeaters and Black-tailed Treecreepers.

Day 3 25.9. Accommodation: Mary River Roadhouse

Early morning birding, and it is possible that we visit Katherine Gorge. It’s a great place for close encounters with Great Bowerbirds and Blue-winged Kookaburras, which are easily photographed. A cruise into the Gorge is optional.

We drive to Mary River Roadhouse, which is just outside Kakadu N.P.

In the afternoon we visit an area where White-throated Grasswrens occur.

Day 4 + 5 26. + 27.9. Accommodation: Gagudju Cooinda Lodge

We depart very early and drive north to Gunlom, where we search for the Northern Rosellas and White-throated Grasswrens. This is the second and main location for the Grasswrens; both places require fitness, as it is climbing over huge boulders or up the Escarpment.

Afterwards we drive to Cooinda and do some local birding, looking for Black-tailed Treecreepers and Partridge Pigeons amongst others.

The next morning we visit Nourlangie Rock. Highlights are, apart from the Aboriginal rock art, Banded Fruit-Dove, Sandstone Shrike-thrush, White-lined Honeyeater and Chestnut-quilled Rock-Pigeon.

At about 4.30 p.m. we go on the 'Yellow Waters' Cruise, which at this time of the year is usually great for ducks, egrets, and other waterbirds, plus we could encounter the Little Kingfisher and Great-billed Heron.

We depart Cooinda and via some birding spots leave Kakadu N.P. through the northern entry Station and drive via Fogg Dam towards Darwin. Fogg Dam is a famous spot for White-browed Crakes and other water birds, including monsoon rainforest birds like the endemic Rainbow Pitta. In Darwin we spend more time birding in the local area.

We fly quite early from Darwin to Kununurra. After picking up the hire vehicle we drive to our accommodation and spend the rest of the day birding in the local areas.

Kununurra is famous for finches, and we aim to see 10 species of them here, mainly concentrating on Star Finches, Pictorella Mannikins, Yellow-rumped Mannikins and of course Gouldian Finches.

On another day we leave very early in the morning and do a birdwatching cruise on Lake Argyle, and highlights are Yellow Chats, White-quilled Rock-Pigeons, Sandstone Shrike-thrushes and possibly Purple-crowned Fairy-Wrens plus a lot of water birds.

The best part of the tour is of course the flight to the Mitchell Plateau. From the airstrip we fly with helicopters almost right to the Black Grasswren spot, which has several permanent populations. We spend most of the morning birdwatching at the Mitchell Plateau and fly back to Kununurra at about lunchtime. Highlights apart from the Black Grasswren are the yellow-eyed form of the Partridge Pigeon, White lined Honeyeaters and White-quilled Rock-Pigeons.

Parry’s lagoon, which is a great spot for a wide variety of birds, is another destination. Previously we counted over 40 species of birds at this location, including Oriental Plovers and Yellow Chats. Wyndham is close by, and we visit there briefly the shore. In the afternoon we go birdwatching in the local area around Kununurra or you have the chance of an optional flight or tour. A flight over the Bungle Bungles is very popular and recommended.

After the morning birdwatching the tour ends. You have now the choice of returning to Darwin, stay in Kununurra or maybe travel on to Broome.

Note: The air fare of the flight Darwin - Kununurra - Darwin is not included. Please refer to the back page of the booking form for the options.

Black Grasswren Tour

Kirrama Wildlife Tours