Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park
Tim Dolby
Often over-shadowed by Kakadu National Park, Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park is no less spectacular! Its gorges and rugged landscape, curved out by the Katherine River, are extremely beautiful. The area is great significance to the Jawoyn people, the custodians of Nitmiluk. During the Dry season, from April to October, the waters at Nitmiluk are ideal for swimming, something I do every time I visit! Nitmiluk is certainly one of the best places to go birdwatching in the Top End, with around 180 bird species recorded. It is also one of the best places in Australia to see Gouldian Finch and Hooded Parrot! Need I say more.
There are two main sections of the park: Leliyn (Edith Falls) in the north and Katherine Gorge in the south. Access to Leliyn is by turning off the Stuart Highway 42 km north of Katherine (48 km south of Pine Creek), with the falls a further 19 km down Jatbula Road. The park has really good camping facilities, so I camped for a couple of days at Edith Falls.
It is worth noting that Nitmiluk National Park is hot all year round, and there is not really any period when things are cool. Even in the Dry, temperatures soar in the high 30s. It can take a little getting used to, with most birdwatching taking place early in the morning and late in the afternoon. So, when visiting Nitmiluk, carry lots of water, find shade (permanent shade is always best), factor in plenty of rest stops, and take a swim.
Plants of Nitmiluk
Before we get to the birds, let’s talk a bit about the plants. Nitmiluk consists of the following habitat types: sandstone plateau heath, open woodlands, open forest, sandstone monsoon forest, and riverine. Each of these has its own collection of plants.
On the sandstone plateau, Scarlet Gum (Eucalyptus phoenicea), with bright red flowers, and Variable-barked Bloodwood (Corymbia dichromophloia) grow in areas where the soil is deep enough, and there is a range of Grevillea such as Fern-leafed Grevillea (Grevillea pteridifolia), Dryander’s Grevillea (Grevillea dryandri), and Turkey Bush (Calytrix exstipulata) scattered across the higher areas. The sandstone landscapes offer protection from fire and therefore for fire-sensitive species such as old-growth Curly Spinifex (Triodia bitextura) and Pityrodia pungens, the main food source for the spectacular Leichhardt’s Grasshopper at Nitmiluk. Leichhardt’s Grasshopper likes to stick to the same kind of food. At Keep River, they eat Pityrodia ternfolia; at Nitmiluk, they like Pityrodia pungens; and at Kakadu, their preference is for Pityrodia jamessii. In the genus of the the mint family, Pityrodia are gorgeous evergreen shrubs with a look somewhat similar to Eremophila.
The open woodlands in Nitmiluk are dominated by the Bloodwoods (Corymbia foelscheana, C. porrecta, and C. bleeseri), Salmon Gum (Eucalyptus tintinnans), Ironwood (Erythrophleum chlorostachys), Billygoat Plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana), and Green Plum (Buchanania obovata). The Salmon Gum is an important habitat tree, especially for the Gouldian Finch, and the tree they most often nest in. Annual Spear Grass (Sorghum spp.) is found in these areas, serving as food for the Gouldians.
The open forests are dominated by Darwin Stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta) and Woollybutt (E. miniata), and I noticed occasional patches of Arhnem Cypress Pine (Callitris intratropica). There are also Fern-leafed Grevillea (Grevillea pteridifolia) and Broad-leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca viridiflora), with occasional patches of Swamp Banksia (Banksia dentata).
There are occasional small patches of monsoon rainforest, particularly in sandstone gorges where they are protected from fire and have access to permanent water seeping through the sandstone. Monsoon rainforest trees tend to be tall and provide almost complete shade for ferns and flowering shrubs like the beautiful Native Lassiandra or Blue Tongue (Melastoma malabathricum). The rainforest canopy includes Native Apple (Syzygium gaertn) and Milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla).
A daytime roosting Barking Owl.
The sandstone plateau drains into the lowlands through watercourses such as Seventeen Mile Creek and the Katherine River. Along the creeks and rivers, there’s lush bands of riparian vegetation growing alongside them. There’s a nice example of this habitat type at Edith Falls. The species I noticed growing there included Chalky Apple (Syzygium forte), Leichhardt Tree (Nauclea orientalis), River Pandanus (Pandanus aquaticus), Northern Swamp Box (Lophostemon grandiflorus), Freshwater Mangrove (Barringtonia acutangula), Fishnet Vine (Flagellaria indica), native figs (Ficus spp.) and paperbarks (Melaleuca spp.), and the introduced Passionfruit (Passiflora foetida).
Agile Wallaby. The males must have the longest arms of any Kangaroo!
Animals of Nitmiluk
Just briefly, here’s a bit of a rundown of the animals that you might see at Nitmiluk. The main macropods you’ll see are Agile Wallaby, Euro, Antilopine Wallaroo, which were all fairly easy to see in the park. In the rocky escarpments you might find Black Wallaroo, Spectacled Hare-wallaby, Northern Nailtail Wallaby and Eastern Short-eared Rock-wallaby.
The Digul, or Northern Quoll, has disappeared from much of its former range in the Northern Territory; however, it does occur in very low numbers at Nitmiluk. It is considered endangered because of a serious population decline (at least 50% over the last 10 years), probably due to habitat degradation, the abundance of Cane Toads and introduced predators.
While there, in terms of mammal watching, you might also look for Sandstone False Antechinus (also known as the Sandstone Pseudantechinus), Common Planigale, Kakadu Dunnart, Red-cheeked Dunnart, possums such as Common Brushtail Possum, Rock Ringtail Possum, and Savanna Glider, as well as Short-beaked Echidna, Northern Brown Bandicoot, Rakali (Water Rat), Northern Short-tailed Mouse, Common Rock-at, Grassland Melomys, Delicate Mouse, and Western Chestnut Mouse. Now that’s quite a nice selection of native mammals.
Lemon-bellied (Flycatcher) Flyrobin
Birds of Nitmiluk
The first time I visited Nitmiluk, I was looking extremely forward to going birding there! This was for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it is probably the best place in the world to see the Gouldian Finch and Hooded Parrot, two highly sought-after and particularly beautiful birds. Secondly, given the heat of the day, reaching the high 30’s around 10 a.m., I could go for a swim in the large natural pools at Edith Falls any time I wanted. Indeed, while there, the order of the day was as follows: Get up. Go birdwatching. Go for a swim. Go birdwatching. During the heat of the day, go for a swim. Birdwatch under the shady trees in the campground. To cool down for the evening, go for another swim. You get the picture. What a wonderful way to spend the day! I highly recommend it. Especially when the bird you are birdwatching is the Gouldian Finch. So, where is the best place to go birdwatching in Nitmiluk?
Where the Ferguson River (really just a creek at this point) crosses Edith Falls Road, around 5 km from Stuart Highway (13.5 km from Edith Falls), is definitely the first place to go birdwatching. There is a circular roadside pull-in on the north side of the road. Bird-wise, the late dry season is the perfect time of year to birdwatch Nitmiluk. Late in the dry season, several small, isolated waterholes form along the creek just north of the road. As a general rule for finches, they have a habit of waking up and looking for food (grass seeds), and then, after about an hour, they have to head for water for a drink. As a result, early in the morning, masses of birds come to drink and wash at the waterholes. When I visit, I definitely make sure I am there at dawn each day.
Northern Rosella
The first time I visited there, the first birds to come into the waterholes were several Northern Rosella. Next is a nice selection of honeyeaters, including Bar-breasted, Banded, Rufous-throated and Rufous-banded. Then a couple of Hooded Parrot arrived! Very nice! A small bevy of Brown Quail walked down a small track to the pool. Next to come in were the finches! The first to arrive were Crimson Finch, who lived in the Pandanas beside the creek. Then mixed flocks of Masked and Long-tailed Finch. Then I noticed a large flock of birds swirling in the air, about 100 feet above me. For a moment, I thought they were Common Stirlings, as the birds were flying around in an acrobatic mass, like a murmuration of Starlings. Hang on! There aren’t any Starlings in the Northern Territory. That murmur of birds above me was a large flock of Gouldian Finch! Wow! Put simply, this was one of my most memorable birding moments! Over the next hour or so, the birds came in to drink, darting back and forth from a bush next to the pool. Once they had finished drinking, they headed south into the surrounding hills to feed. I followed them and birdwatched around the hills, occasionally finding myself surrounded by Gouldian Finch, often perched in small chattering groups in Salmon Gum.
Since that first visit, I have walk up and dawn the creek line, stopping where there are pool of water, there is a particularly good one around 400 m from the road. These also proved excellent for finches, so it is worth having a little bit of an explore.
Another spot I saw Gouldian Finch and Hooded Parrot was at the Ferguson River crossing, located on Stuart Hwy just north of the turn-off to Edith Falls. Scrambling down the ridge to where there was a large pool. Over the course of several hours, mixed flocks of finches, mostly Long-tailed and Masked Finch, but several Gouldian Finch, came into drink. Hooded Parrot also drank there, as did lots of other nice birds.
| A murmuration of Gouldian Finch! I had never seen anything like it! Put simply, seeing these was one of my most memorable moments! |
Birding around the Edith Falls campground is very pleasant. It is a bit like an oasis, with some very nice shade trees. The birds I have seen here include Northern Rosella, Red-winged Parrot, Silver-crowned Friarbird, White-throated Gerygone, Lemon-bellied Flyrobin, Shining and Paperbark Flycatcher, Arufura Shrike-thrush, Yellow Oriole, Australian Figbird, Pied and Silver-backed Butcherbird, Great Bowerbird, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, and Blue-winged Kookaburra. There was also a nice selection of honeyeaters such as Blue-faced (White-quilled), White-throated, White-gaped, Rufous-throated and Bar-breasted Honeyeater, and Silver-crowned Friarbird.
It is also worth birding along the Leliyn Trail, a 2.6-kilometer circuit that leads up to the Middle and Upper Pools. Some of the birds I saw along this walk included Cockatiel, Budgerigar, Little Woodswallow, Arufura Shrike-thrush, Northern Fantail, Banded and Bar-breasted Honeyeater, and Wedge-tailed Eagle.
Minimalist camping at the Leliyn (Edith Falls) campground.
White at Nitmiluk, head to Katherine Gorge. One place to stop is Donkey Camp Weir, a reliable place to see Great-billed Herons. The entrance to the weir is 10 km from Katherine, past the Kumbidgee Tea Rooms. I usually park at the pumping station and walk down the stream to the weir. I have flushed Black Bittern at the weir from a clump of River Pandan. Seeing it made me think of the first time I ever saw a Black Bittern. I was 17 and with my dad, and we saw a Black Bittern along Carnavon Gorge in central Queensland.
Heading to Katherine Gorge itself, you see many of the birds that occur at Edith Falls. Highlights there have included Nankeen Night-Heron, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Northern Rosella, Red-winged Parrot, Black-tailed Treecreeper, Striated Pardalote, Northern Fantail, Little Woodswallow, Blue-faced (White-quilled) Honeyeater, Crimson Long-tailed, and Masked Finch.
VICTORIA HWY
When visiting Nitmiluk, it is worth traveling west along the Victoria Highway. It’s a fascinating drive, typical of the outback in the Top Eand, with a pleasant range of features and habitats along the way.
While driving the Victoria Highway, I tend to stop and look at any flowering tree. At one spot, a Desert Bloodwood was flowering prolifically, and it proved a magnet for nectar-feeding birds. My list of species in this one tree was superb. Varied and Red-collared Lorikeet, Little Friarbird, Banded, Bar-breasted, Yellow-tinted, Rufous-throated, White-throated, White-gaped and Brown Honeyeater, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Varied Sittella (ssp. leucoptera, the ‘White-winged Sittella’) and, finally, Rufous Whistler. That’s a great collection of birds, and basically the full gambit of northern woodland honeyeaters! Stunning!
Nearby, at a large dam along the Victoria Highway, I saw the largest flock of Red-tailed Black Cockatoo I’ve ever seen. There must’ve been at least 1000 birds in one spot!
Varied Lorikeet feeding in a flowering Desert Bloodwood along the Victoria Hwy. Also in this tree, there was virtually every Top End species of honeyeater! Nice!
21 km west of Katherine, I usually stop at Chinaman Creek to look for Chestnut-backed Button-quail. They occur in the grassy savannah woodlands on the northern side of the highway, about 500 m west of Chinaman Creek (around here: -14.606594, 132.143024). Walk through the dry, taller spear grass (~ 1 m high). The late dry season is the perfect time to look for them. The grass is tinder-dry and consequently easy to walk through. My technique for searching is to walk through any tall grass, hoping to flush a bird. The first time I searched, it took about 30 minutes to flush an attractive female Chestnut-backed Button-quail. On another visit, it was much quicker—around 5 minutes! On that occasion, I must have flushed at least 10 individual birds!
Button-quail are a bit like Ground Parrots, flushing the bird is only half the job. The other half is hoping that it lands somewhere nearby so you can have a decent look! Then, perhaps, just perhaps, you might get a decent photo. Fortunately for me, once I had one bird land about 5 meters away, and I was able to walk around with the bird for around 5 minutes. In birding terms, it doesn’t get any better than that!
After Nitmiluk, I headed up to Jabiru in Kakadu National Park for a couple of weeks, running guided bird tours as part of Kakada Bird Week. But that’s another story!
Cheers,
Tim Dolby
Me, and my birding group (after visiting Nitmiluk), at Kakadu, as part of Kakadu Bird Week.
