Australian Fishing Charters and Adventures

Arnhemland Final Birding Frontier

The Arnhemland Barramundi Nature Lodge now offers exclusive bird-watching and nature tours to the various habitats surrounding the lodge. In September 2005, renowned Australian bird-watching authority, Dick Eussen, was engaged to conduct a survey of the bird species within a 50 km radius of the Arnhemland Barramundi Nature Lodge.In four days, he recorded 196 species, including 67 species in a half-day excursion across the Tomkinson River floodplain and woodland fringe. Another 27 species were recorded along the tidal and freshwater section of the river the following morning. The seashore, Liverpool River tidal flats, Haularound and Entrance Islands, and tidal exposed reef, yielded 57 species. Migrating waders and terns made up the bulk of these sightings.

Other species (39) were recorded about the Arnhemland Barramundi Nature Lodge, Ankabadbirda billabong (Cadell River) woodlands, swamps, and pristine freshwater lagoons. Rare vagrants included Black-backed Wagtails, Asian Dowitcher and Ringed Plover, and Dick was particularly excited by three separate sightings of the extremely-rare Red Goshawk.

Together with previous documented recorded bird sightings in the area, Dick concluded that a minimum of 287 species occur in the Maningrida/Liverpool River region.

When to Visit: The best period for optimum-time bird watching and nature tours is during the dry season - June to September. This is based on access to the floodplains and billabongs (allowing for a drying out period after the wet season).

For migrating waders optimum times are during the March-April period and August to October. This of course means that birders must visit tidal seashores, Entrance and Haularound Islands, where the waders stop over. However, this is no problem as the lodge has comfortable sea-going boats for this purpose. Nesting birds can be avoided on Haularound Island by not intruding into the grassy nesting sites and making observations strictly from afar, or from the boat. This is in line with similar viewing practices done in the Great Barrier Reef National Park. Generally, the birds have finished nesting and feeding by September.

The Habitat The country is largely comprised of monsoon woodlands, with intermingling flood plains, billabongs (ox-bow lakes), swamps, and riverine habitats. During the monsoon season, it becomes a vast wetland - impossible to traverse. To the south is the Arnhem Land Escarpment, an imposing wall of sandstone over 500km in length and up to 300m high. The stone country (as the locals call it) has many fantastic gorges - the gateways of vast rivers that spill into the woodlands and plains below the sheer walls. Stone outcrops, called outliers, spill across the woodlands, and are true microenvironments of the escarpment.

The Liverpool River, which drains an area of 7,250 sq.km, has a tide that runs over 70-km inland until it pushed the freshwater reach back upon itself.The river is wide with muddy banks, the favourite haunt of mega-size Estuarine or Saltwater crocodiles. Over 20 species of mangroves line the riverbanks; while beyond the tidal forests; vast grassy flood plains extend to far horizons. The mangrove tidal forests of the Liverpool and Tomkinson Rivers are amongst the largest in the Northern Territory.Upstream, the Liverpool River winds through vast freshwater wetlands, where rare plants, like the Geebung palm (Corypha elata) and many others, occur.

The monsoon rainforests are wonderful places where palms, orchids, lianas, ferns, tall trees, and scrubs, are rich in colours and blossoms that attract hordes of honeyeaters and other birds.

This is well-watered country with many permanent billabongs and swamps in the monsoon woodlands, some with large patches of monsoon rainforest that occurs over much of this vast land, all combining, along with estuary, coastal and island habitats, in one of the most exiting birding destinations that has been offered in recent times to the word of birdwatching. The Arnhem Land Barramundi Nature Lodge overlooks the Tomkinson River, a unique system that is tidal almost to its source. It is not only home to many crocodiles, but the riverine forests, swamps, and tidal plains houses a myriad birds of many varieties. It is one of the few places in Australia where the Black-backed Wagtail has been seen, and where the rare Red Goshawk probably hunts it.?

When we say there are a lot of different species we are not talking turkey!!

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