Position 12 54.3S 132 21.27E

Before we left Katherine this morning managed to get a shot of these doves (bar-shouldered dove, Geopelia humeralis) that have been visiting every day for a drink of water.  Lovely dark baring on some of the feathers.  My bird book says that breast is blue grey, whereas these all went to lightish pink at peripheral.

Just missed the bowing and fanning of tail feathers in this shot, but you can see the white tips to tail feathers.

Landscape is changing, lots more trees and those termite mounds are growing.

The grass is called spear grass and grows up to 3m tall.  In the windy season – now – it gets knocked flat down.

Entering Kakadu National Park.

After parking the van went to Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre.  OK but not allowed to take pictures so most of what we saw instantly forgotten.  We are staying at the Gagudju Lodge in Cooinda.  It is a short walk from Yellow Water billabong.  Unfortunately the walkway was closed as they still hadn’t removed the debris from the pathways after wet season.  Anyway we took car down to small boat ramp where there was also a small fishing pontoon, complete with egret.  Later learnt that there are 4 species of egret around here – the small, intermediate, great and cattle.  Not until you get them all together you can see the difference in size.  This is either the great or the intermediate egret. – it’s got a yellow beak!

We also spied drifting down the billabong ….. crocodile…

View down the boat ramp to the other side of yellow water.

Here’s Paul on the jetty that leads to boat trips.  Wire fences inspire one with confidence. 

The rufous (nankeen) night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus).  Unmistakable and pretty in an ugly sort of way.  It is nocturnal.  You can just about make out one of several long white plumes from the nape.  Colour hasn’t come out very well in the dusk light but lovely cinnamon colour back.

View across the wetlands from the un-gaged fishing pontoon.

Buffalo pooh.