Australia: Best of the West With Naturalist Journeys & Caligo Ventures Naturalist Journeys, LLC / Caligo Ventures PO Box 16545 Portal, AZ 85632 PH: 520.558.1146 / 800.426.7781 Fax 650.471.7667www.naturalistjourneys.com / www.caligo.com [email protected]/ [email protected]September 8 – 22, 2017 866.900.1146 800.426.7781 520.558.1146 [email protected]www.naturalistjourneys.com or find us on Facebook at Naturalist Journeys, LLC
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Australia: Best of the West - Birding Tours · Fogg Dam is one of the top 100 birding locations in Australia and boasts over 230 species. With two trails/boardwalks and two viewing
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Australia: Best of the West With Naturalist Journeys & Caligo Ventures
Fri., Sept. 8 Arrival in Darwin, Australia Todayisarrivalday!PlantoarriveinDarwin,thecapitalcityofAustralia’sNorthernTerritory,bymid-day.OurrecommendedflightrouteisthroughMelbourne,—aflightthatlandsatdawn,thenconnectstoan8:00AMflighttoDarwin,arrivingat11:00AM.However,ifyouwishtoarriveinAustraliaearlytoexploreSydneyorotherareas,itiseasytogetaflighttoDarwintojointhegroupbymid-day.Tohelpusstayawakeandchangeourclocksaround,weenjoyarelaxingwelcomelunchaboardaDarwinHarborcruisewhilecatchingourfirstlooksatWhiskeredTern,BrownBooby,andWhite-belliedSea-Eagle.Wethenhavetheremainderofthedaytorestup andexplorethissmall,tropicalcity,whereweseeourfirstAustralianlandbirds.TheoutdoormarketinthesuburbofParapisafascinatingmixofatypicalAussiemarketinfusedwithaheavydoseofSoutheastAsianinfluence.Asmanyaretiredfromtravelandjustwantaquickbitebeforebed,dinnerisatyourleisureatthehoteltonight—roomservicemaybejustright!Accommodations:PalmsResort(L)Sat., Sept. 9 Darwin Area WegetanearlystartbirdingaroundtropicalDarwinanditsmonsoonalandmangroveforests,butfirst,aquickcheckforseabirdsfromEastPoint.Thenweareofftothenearbymangrove-linedsectionsofthebayinCharlesDarwinNationalPark.TheparkhasoverthirtyspeciesofmangroveandishometooneofDarwin’smostsought-afterbirds,thelargeChestnutRail,amangrovespecialistthatcanbeveryelusive.Thereareseveralothermangroveinhabitantswesearchfor,includingMangroveRobin,MangroveGreyFantail,Broad-billedandShiningFlycatchers,andMangroveGolden-whistler.AfterlunchwedrivetotheDarwinBotanicGardenstoexplorethefascinatingplantsthatarefoundinthisfarnorthsectionofthecountry,manyofwhichareendemic.Birdsthatwemayseeareprobablynewtomostofourgroupandinclude:Yellow(Australasian)Figbird,YellowOriole,Silver-crownedFriarbird,LittleFriarbird,Orange-footedScrubfowl,Red-tailedBlackCockatoo,Rainbow(Red-collared)Lorikeet,Blue-winged
Itinerary
Australia: Best of the West With Naturalist Journeys & Caligo Ventures
Kookaburra,Red-backedFairyWren,RainbowBee-eater,Red-headedHoneyeater,andDouble-barredFinch.BlackFlyingFoxeshaveacolonyinthegardensandwelookforthisinterestingfruiteatingbat.Accommodations:PalmsResort(B,L,D)Sun., Sept. 10 Kakadu National Park — Fogg Dam / Mamukala Billabong / East Alligator Area Afterbreakfast,westartourdrivetothesoutheastandKakaduNationalPark!FoggDamisoneofthetop100birdinglocationsinAustraliaandboastsover230species.Withtwotrails/boardwalksandtwoviewingplatforms,wegetstunninglooksatsomeofthearea’stropicalwaders.Todayalsoincludesastopattheworld-classMamukalaBillabong(wetlands)!Theshortwalktothebirdhide(blind)givesusanopportunitytofindandviewRed-backedFairywren,PaperbarkFlycatcher,Lemon-belliedFlyrobin,andgroupsofAgileWallaby.Fromtheshade-coveredhide,waterbirdssuchastheComb-crestedJacana,MagpieGoose,twospeciesofwhistling-ducksandRadjahShelduckshouldbeeasytoview. WithsomanydifferentareastobirdintheEastAlligatorarea,ournextstopsareyourguide’schoice(basedoninteractionswithlocalwildlifespecialists).ThiscouldincludetheRainforestWalklookingforRainbowPittaandSulphur-crestedCockatoo,ormaybetheBaradilijiTrack(throughsandstoneformations),anareathatBlackWallaroo,Mornbil(TorresStraitPigeon),andNgalarrangailarra(Short-beakedEchidna)callhome.TherearenumerousotherlocationsheretoexploreandviewJabiru,lookfortheendemicBrown-quilledPigeon,andtheever-presentAustralianCrocodile!OurfinalstopforthedayisatUbirr,oneofthetwomajorAboriginalrockartsitesinKakadu.Thewildlifepaintingsarejuststunning,andwetakealookforShort-earedRockWallabies,butourothergoalistoexperiencethetropicalsunsetovertheArnhemLandEscarpmentfromNadabLookout.Thisviewiswelldocumentedbyphotographersaroundtheworldandisawonderfulplacetofinishourday.Accommodations:JabiruCrocodileHotel(B,L,D)
Mon., Sept. 11 Kakadu National Park / Aboriginal Rock Art / Nourlangie / Yellow Water Billabong Wejustcan’tbethisclosetotheMamukalaBillabongwithoutonemorestoptoseeifanythingnewdroppedinsinceourlastvisit,soashortwalkbackouttothehideshouldgiveusalookatanynewcomers.
Australia: Best of the West With Naturalist Journeys & Caligo Ventures
Thismorningweconcentrateonfindingseveralrareandendemicbirdsthatcanonlybefoundinthisimmediatearea:NoisyScrub-bird,WesternWhipbird,andWesternBristlebird.Thelowheathvegetationisverythickandoffersdensecoverforthebirds,soviewscanoftenbefrustratinglyfleeting.Butwithtimeandpatiencewedohopetospotthem;themaintechniqueistowatchandwaitforabirdtopopoutandhopefullycrossaroadortrack.OftenseenhereareSootyOystercatcher,WesternWattlebird,BrushBronzewing,WesternSpinebill,NewHollandHoneyeater,Red-earedFiretail,andRed-wingedFairy-wren.WekeepaneyeoutonthebeachforPacificGull,White-belliedSea-eagle,andAustralasianGannet,andouttoseaforBrownSkuaandFlesh-footedShearwater.OurdayisspentonabaythatishometoSouthernRightandHumpbackWhalesduringthesouthernwinter;femalesbringtheircalvesheretogrowfatbeforetheirjourneysouthtomoresouthernwatersforsummer.Althoughlateintheseason,withlucksomestillremain.Duringtheafternoon,wedrivethebackroadsinthiscoastalstretchlookingforcarnivorousplantssuchastherareendemicAlbanyPitcherPlantandnumerousgrassorchids.Thisareaisshort(instature)eucalyptusscrubandhassomeotheruniqueplantsandcommunities.WevisitatpeaktimeforBanksiablooms—agenusendemictoAustraliawithsomeamazingflowers.SpottedPardalote,CrestedShriketit,andatleastfourspeciesoffairywrenarepresentwithinthesesandycorridors.Accommodations:CheynesBeachCaravanPark(B,L,D)Wed., Sept. 20 South Coast / Inland in Search of Parrots & Their Relatives Thismorningweheadwest,takinganinlanddetourforthetwoendemicBlackCockatoos:Carnaby’sandBaudin’s.WesternCorella,adistinctspeciesfromthemorecommoneasternbirdandthemorewidespreadRed-tailedBlackCockatoo,canalsobefound.Thetwoendemiccockatoosaretrickytoseparate,howevertheirvoicesareagreathelp.AlongwiththecockatooswehopetoseeRegentParrot,PortLincolnParrot,WesternRosella,Purple-crownedLorikeet,Gilbert’sHoneyeater,AustralasianRaven,andWesternGerygone.
Australia: Best of the West With Naturalist Journeys & Caligo Ventures
thenexttwonightsareinawell-locatedhotel,whichisaveryshortwalkfromshops,restaurants,andAdelaide’sbestattractions.AccommodationsinAdelaide(B,L,D)Mon., Sept. 25 Adelaide TodayyouarefreetoexploreAdelaide,asmallcitylocatedonthebanksoftheTorrensRiver.WedosuggestastopattheSouthAustralianMuseum,withitssuperbcollectionofAboriginalmaterial,thelargestinthecountry.ThesmallartgallerynextdoorhasartrangingfromtheearliestEnglishpaintersoftheAustralianlandscapetomodernartists.TheinterpretationofthecountrybyEnglishartistscomparedtothelaterreflectionsoftheactualAustralianlightandterrainisworthseeing.Tandanya,TheNationalAboriginalCulturalCentre,supportscurrentAboriginalartistsandcraftspeople,exhibitingtheirworkandassistingintheirdevelopment.AdelaideisatthegatewaytomanyofAustralia’sbestwinedistricts,anditisalsofamousforitsproduce,somakesureyoutakeadvantageofboth.Forthoseinterestedinwine,anoptionalcostday-tourthroughtheBarossaorAdelaideHillswinedistrictscanbearranged.Youmaywishtoaddonmoredays!AccommodationsinAdelaide(B)Tues., Sept. 26 Adelaide / Gateway City / Flights Home YouhaveanearlystartthismorningasyouflytoeitherSydneyorMelbourne,thenontoLosAngelesoryourhomecity.DuetotheDateline,yourecoverthedayyoulostonthewayout,arrivingbackintheUSearlythissameday.(B)
Plan Ahead! ProtectyourselfwithAllianzTravelInsurance.In2017,NaturalistJourneyswillpay50%ofyourcarbonoffsetfeeforairtravel. Cost of the Journey Thecostofthisjourneyis$6350DBL/$SGL—pleaseinquire,fromDarwin,Australia,departingPerth,Australia,basedondoubleoccupancy.Costofthepost-tourextensionis$1790DBL/$SGL—pleaseinquire.Ifyouwouldliketobookapre-triphotelinDarwin,wecanreserveoneforyou―pleaseletusknow.AllpricingiscalculatedontheexchangerateonGoogle.com.Ifasignificantshiftinthisrateoccurswewillneedtoadjusttourpricingaccordingly,uptothetimethatfinalpaymentismade.AsofJanuary9,2017:1USD=1.37AUDThetourcostsinclude:allaccommodations,mostmealsasspecifiedintheitinerary(B=breakfast,L=Lunch,D=dinner),professionalguideservices,ferryandboatday-tourfees,parkandprogramentrancefees,internalflights(maintouronly)andmiscellaneousprogramexpenses.Tourdoesnotinclude:round-triptransportationfromyourhomecitytoDarwin.Itdoesnotincludeoptionalactivitiesoritemsofapersonalnaturesuchaslaundry,luggageporterage,telephonecharges,maidgratuities,orbeveragesfromthebar.
Cost of the Journey
Australia: Best of the West With Naturalist Journeys & Caligo Ventures
Group Size Maximumof12,minimumof5persons.Tourandextensionpricesarebasedonagroupsizeof6persons,withfewerthan6,asmallgroupsurcharge(typically$100–$300)mayapply.