Fogg Dam, one of my favourite places to visit in the Northern Territory

The Northern Territory has some exceptionally great places to view wildlife and it doesn’t really matter what time of the year you go, as there is always something to see and do. The only downside to going in the wet season (now) is that roads can be flooded and some areas can be closed due to the risk of crocodiles inhabiting the flood affected areas.

At Christmas, (pre monsoon this year  but after plenty of rain), Fogg Dam was predominantly my choice of locations to view birdlife. You never know what else you might see in the Territory, but the closest I got to seeing something that might have given me the fright of my life, was a a very large pile of buffalo dung, piled high on the dam wall. Where the culprit was, I never got to find out and I am very pleased I never came face to face with it.

I took a couple of walks around the perimeter of the dam on a couple of occasions, never even thinking that I might stumble across the buffalo but when I look back now, it was a big possibility. Not only the buffalo but also crocodiles. Signs tell visitors that the dam wall is closed to walkers however that doesn’t mean that you can’t drive across it. The waterlilies were beautiful in the early morning and they were simply begging me to get close to take their photos. Since coming home I have looked at videos on You Tube  taken at Fogg Dam and crocodiles do live there and have even been videoed basking in the sun on the wall. I shall not be so silly next visit in June.

Rainbow Bee-eaters

I am thinking this is a Whistling Kite but it could also be a Black Kite. Whichever it was, it was enjoying a meal of Magpie Goose. Magpie Geese are hunted in the Territory and I can only guess that this bird may have been injurd by a gun shot and has come down in the protected area of Fogg Dam. Very close to Fogg Dam is Harrison Dam a known hunting area of Magpie Geese.

Long Nosed Water-dragon

Not sure what this little cutie is but it was so friendly I thought it was going to fly in the car window.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw these Agile Wallabies just metres from where I photographed the previous bird that was contemplating flying home in the car with me.

A male Darter

Glossy Black Cockatoo

Nankeen Night Heron

Radjah Shelduck

Goanna

The Green Pygmy Goose

My favourite Kingfisher the Azure Kingfisher.

These tiny birds are very hard to see as they fly low and fast amongst the water lilies. There colour is nearly iridescent amongst the dead of the older waterlilies so when one does take a moment to stand still, they are easily seen.

The Forest Kingfisher

Crimson Finch darted amongst the long grasses and when startled would fly to the taller branches of the palm trees. When the danger had passed, the seeds in the grasses would draw them back.

A common sight in the Territory is a crocodile trap. Hearing that gate go down could be quite a frightening experience depending on where you are standing.

Comb-crested Jacana, one of my favourite birds in the Territory are found in tropical and subtropical freshwater wetlands, including lagoons, billabongs, swamps, lakes, rivers, sewage ponds and dams, providing there is adequate floating vegetation.

Magpie Goose

A Great Egret

Magpie Goose

Glossy Ibis

Whistling Ducks but I am unsure if they are Plumed or Wandering Whistling Ducks.

And the bird I searched to get close too, the Jabiru or Black necked Stork but only seen in the distance. The yellow eye of this Jabiru tells me it is a female.

A male Darter

We visited Corroboree Billabong in our son’s boat on an extremely hot day. Expecting to see a lot of croc’s in the Billabong situated in the Mary River which is said to have the highest density of crocodiles in the Northern Territory, we were very disappointed. My guess is midday in the heat of the Territory is not the best time to see any sort of wildlife or even birdlife for that matter.

A Pied Cormorant

Female Darter

And finally we did take a ride on the Adelaide River.

It wasn’t until we put the boat in the Adelaide River where the famous jumping crocodiles are located, that I soon learnt that croc’s tend to submerge themselves to the bottom of the deeper parts of the river or any area of water in extreme heat. We spent a couple of hours driving up the river in search of crocodiles in sweltering heat. Not only was the sweat dripping off us but it was also dripping off our grand-daughter who is only 13 months of age.  Again disappointed that there was no crocodiles, we all perked up a little when we saw a crocodile tourist boat, the only one operating at this time of the year. Seeing the boat we knew we would finally get to see some crocs. Not many but enough to get a photo or two.

As one crocodile approaches another, you can see how uneasy the other is becoming.

The following photos show the drama that was unfolding as mud was flying and jaws were snapping.

If you look closely in the next few photos you will see one crocodile close on the other terrified croc. Funny thing I never thought a crocodile could be terrified until this moment.

The Northern Territory is one of those places that has to be seen to be believed. This year since our trip at Christmas, the Territorians have had an extremely good monsoon. It has rained and rained for weeks, causing extensive flooding. To see the Territory like this would be something else, but really only visible by air, as roads gets closed and the extent of the water can only be seen from a helicopter of plane.

My next trip to the Northern Territory will be in the dry season of June and it cannot come soon enough.