Little Kingfisher (Ceyx pusillus)

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Tara

The Little Kingfisher (Ceyx pusillus) is a small and rare kingfisher with a rich blue back and head and a snowy white breast. It has a heavy bill and has a short tail. They aren’t easy to find so I was really happy to see this one on the Yellow Waters Cruise.

They are found mostly on the island of New Guinea but also some small, scattered populations in Australia. Given the remoteness, your best bet is the Yellow Waters Cruise in Kakadu.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LITTLE KINGFISHERS

Wikipedia

Birdlife

Oz Animals

VIDEOS

Not many but Laurie Ross has some on YT.

Don’t blink or you will miss this one!

A beautiful bird ready for his close-up!

Yellow Waters Sunrise Cruise, Cooinda, Kakadu

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Tara

A Yellow Waters Sunrise Cruise is the perfect companion to the Sunset Cruise, especially if you book them together as I wrote about here. It will be an early wake-up call so you can get the shuttle to the dock but the sunrise is spectacular!

The birds gradually fly in……………… Nankeen Night Heron

Water Lilies

Royal Spoonbill

Radjah Shelduck

White-bellied Sea Eagle

Little Kingfisher

Black-necked Stork

Comb-crested Jacana

Crocodile

Azure Kingfisher

Our guide, Adam knew the birds a lot better than I did and it was with his help that I was able to log them all on eBird.

Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus)

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Tara

The Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) also commonly referred to as the Rufous Night Heron, and in Melanesia as Melabaob, is a medium-sized heron.

I can’t tell if this bird from Kakadu Yellow Waters is admiring himself or looking for food!

They have a large range in Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia, and throughout much of Australia except the arid inland. A small colony has also established near Wanganui, New Zealand.

LEARN MORE ABOUT NANKEEN NIGHT HERONS

Wikipedia

Birdlife

Birds in Backyards

Australian Bush Birds

VIDEOS

Go away and let me sleep!

Beautiful close-ups here!

Yellow Waters Sunset Cruise, Cooinda, Kakadu

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Tara

The best way to see LOTS of birds (and a few crocs) with no effort at all is to book a Sunset Cruise with Yellow Waters at Cooinda. It’s a short drive from the Kakadu Lodge Cooinda and they have a shuttle bus between the lodge and the boat dock. Not only do you see more birds but you avoid the crowds at the mid-day cruise who are day-tripping from Darwin!