feather and flora

A frenzy of finches: NT birding tour review

We recently toured the Northern Territory with Luke Paterson (NT Bird Specialists). The marketing promised a finch frenzy – but Luke delivered so much more! This was a great value experience. Read on to find out more.

The “Finch Frenzy” tour is a serious investment, but having heard good things, we boarded our flights  to Darwin, donned our sunnies, and prepared for adventure. We gave ourselves two nights in Darwin before the tour – we don’t go there often, so we thought we might as well see what it was like these days.

It was August and Darwin was lovely – warm but mild with balmy evenings. We ventured down to the old wharf area for dinner and wow that is a lovely part of town. We’d probably stay down there next time. Nights markets were underway on the walk home.

A smiling woman holding a glass of wine at a restaurant table, with outdoor seating and a sunset backdrop featuring string lights and greenery.
A lively outdoor nighttime festival scene featuring people mingling under decorative lighting and lanterns, with a backdrop of bamboo structures and greenery.

We also hired a car for the day and ventured to Lee Point and Holmes Jungle Conservation Park – well worth it.

But back to the tour, we were collected from our hotel promptly in the early morning of day 1… Luke and his assistant John arrived in the seventeen seater four wheel drive air-conditioned tour vehicle. There were six guests – including us – so there was plenty of room to spread ourselves out, and luggage was consigned to the trailer.  We were all set for a week of adventure – around Darwin, out to Kakadu, and down through Katherine and out to Timber Creek. Surely some lifers awaited us (oh yeah!). ​​Our review is just going to cover the highlights, roughly in order…otherwise it could become a very long blog post.

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FOGG DAM

We have never seen so many waterbirds in one place! Recent rains meant everything was thriving – including the crocs we couldn’t see.

A walk into the mangrove area was a different experience – barking owls and a Pacific baza were our favourites. Take your insect repellent!

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HEADING EAST

first Our accommodation for the evening was the Bark Hut Inn – very comfortable cabins, and an excellent meal in the bistro. Highly recommended. But we were promptly back on the trail the next day. En route, birds!

A colorful parrot perched on a branch, stretching its wings against a clear blue sky.

A red-collared lorikeet in action

A bird with a red head and tail is perched on a thin branch against a clear blue sky.

A red-headed honeyeater – one of our target species – was seen on day 1.

A soaring bird of prey with a white head and brown wings against a clear blue sky.

The magnificent Brahmin kite.

A BIGGIE – KAKADU

Where to start? Ubirr, where we explored the rock art and sought out two birds who were not keen to appear – but then they did! The sandstone shrikethrush and the chestnut-quilled rock pigeon eventually played nice after much persistence from Luke. Red-backed fairy wrens were also playing along the main path.  And further along the track towards our accommodation – a rainbow pitta!

A colorful bird perched on a branch, surrounded by green leaves, with sunlight filtering through the foliage.
A bird perched on a rocky ledge against a clear blue sky.
A bird with mottled brown feathers standing on a rocky surface, with a shadowed background.

Off to bed rather early that night – we were tired after a full day of birding and travel, and a very early morning awaited us. We were off to the Yellow Waters dawn cruise.

YELLOW WATERS CRUISE
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We run out of superlatives when we start chatting about this one. We’ll just have to settle for “spectacular”, but that doesn’t really cut it. The big hits just kept coming.

A black bird perched on a branch against a clear blue sky.
A juvenile heron standing in shallow water amidst green grass and twigs.
A white bird perched on a wooden branch with a blue sky background.
A majestic eagle perched on a branch against a clear blue sky.
Close-up of an eagle with a sharp gaze against a clear blue sky.
A heron standing in shallow water with its mouth open, surrounded by lily pads and reflecting the early morning light.
A small bird standing on the ground among branches and green plants.
A bird with a black and white body stands on a large lily pad in a tranquil pond, with its wings spread wide, ready to take flight.
A small blue and white bird perched on a branch surrounded by green foliage.
A bird standing on a lily pad in a pond, reflecting in the water, with pink lotus flowers in the background.
A vibrant blue kingfisher perched on a branch, showcasing its striking colors and features.
A group of six birds in flight against a bright blue sky.
A great egret standing in shallow water, holding a small fish in its beak against a blurred blue background.
A bird of prey perched on a dry branch against a clear blue sky.

Every creature looked great – but not every one looked friendly.

A crocodile with its mouth open, resting on muddy ground near water, with plants and blurred birds in the background.

The Yellow Waters cruise really was a signature experience for us. Luke provided continuous bird spotting and identification, ensuring we didn’t miss a thing.

THE FRENZY PART – FINCHES!

Finches appeared and reappeared throughout the tour, and we were so pleased to see so many varieties, including, of course, the Big “G” (Gouldians), and more than once. It was heartening to see so many juveniles among them.

But while the Gouldians are mesmerising (and we certainly hope to see them again elsewhere), it’s important not to forget the beauty of the other finches.

A group of small birds perched on dry twigs against a clear blue sky.

Star finches

A small bird with reddish plumage perched on a branch surrounded by green foliage.

Crimson finch

A close-up of a small bird perched on a thin branch, surrounded by a soft, blurred background of golden grasses.

Double-barred finch

A close-up of a brown bird with a yellow beak and black and white wings, standing on the ground among dry grass and small stones.

Pictorella mannikin

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Chestnut-breasted mannikins

A small bird perched among tall grasses in a natural setting.

Yellow-rumped mannikin

A group of nine birds flying in formation against a clear blue sky.

Masked finches on the wing

TIMBER CREEK – COCKATIELS AND BUDGIES

We can’t resist these guys – budgies and cockatiels – and an early morning excursion meant we saw gazillions.

But we were just as blown away by the landscape on that leg of the journey – breathtaking!

Scenic view of a vibrant red rock formation at sunset, surrounded by green foliage and a clear sky.
A panoramic view of a lush green valley surrounded by rocky cliffs under a clear blue sky, with a river flowing through the landscape.
A scenic view of red rock formations surrounded by green trees and grass under a clear blue sky.
A serene river landscape featuring calm waters reflecting the blue sky, surrounded by lush greenery and reddish cliffs in the background.
OTHER RANDOM BITS OF MAGIC

We were thrilled to see the purple-crowned fairy wren.

Hooded parrots, finches and rainbow bee-eaters in the evening light at Pine Creek are pretty hard to beat.

A vibrant bird in flight with bright orange and turquoise plumage, set against a blurred background.
A colorful bird with turquoise and yellow plumage perched on a metal railing, set against a blurred natural background.
A vibrant green bird with a yellow throat sitting on a power line next to a brown and yellow bird against a clear blue sky.

However, varied lorikeets near Adelaide River come pretty close.

A green parrot perched on a branch, feeding on white flowers against a clear blue sky.
AND THE SECRET INGREDIENT

Okay, it’s no secret…Luke Paterson has earned his reputation as an outstanding bird and wildlife guide.

A smiling man wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a backpack, standing outdoors in a natural setting.

So, not only is he an expert birder and photographer, Luke’s running commentary covers indigenous history and culture, the Territory’s history since European exploration, and many other topics as raised by guests.

Also, this guy works tirelessly to make sure guests get every possible bird on the list. Of course, you never do get them all – the birds make that decision, but so often Luke just keeps going out and trying again to get that fabulous bird.

On our last day, when we were nearly spent, we made one last tour of the Botanical Gardens to get the rufous owl. We were nearly comatose at this stage, but yup, after several tries in the nooks and crannies, Luke got that bird for us.

To top it all off, he’s a hellavu nice guy and great company. This all adds up to an experience of great value for us, and one we’ll never forget. Thanks Luke.

Add to that the choices he has made with regard to meals and accommodation throughout the tour. No matter how remote, we felt well-fed and watered and comfortably accommodated throughout the tour.

A signature high value event for us – and to top that all off, we met fabulous fellow travellers along the way.

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