My five years on the road celebration passed very quietly and I decided that it was time to put all the covid-related problems we have all experienced over the last two years behind me and start moving around the fabulous countryside again. I did toast my five year anniversary with a beer on the actual day and booked the car in for a service, so I was ready to face the open road before I left Darwin.
Daly River
So packing up and moving on from the Darwin region for the first time in ages, I headed out to Daly River, where I had last visited in July 2018. There are still plenty of crocs around, but because the water is warmer at this time of the year, they don’t have to sunbake on the banks of the river for hours on end.
Although you do still see them on the banks, this time they are more likely to be spotted floating lazily in the still green waters of the Daly River.
Thunder and Lightning
The Build-up is definitely here and we are now getting many cloudy days and have had some welcome rain showers and thunder storms. Sadly, the humidity has also increased significantly, making the days really uncomfortable unless there is a breeze for relief.
I am staying at the same place I did four years ago – Lee and Jenny’s Bush Camp – which is very quiet and peaceful. The camp is close to the river, with a sweeping view over a broad section of the Daly and happy hour is spent sitting up on the bank croc and bird watching with a beer in hand, waiting for the orange glow of sunset over the peaceful waters of the river. Provided we don’t get a massive thunder storm, that is.
Talk about a small world. It turns out Lee and Jenny both worked for the same company I did and was working for when I retired 5 years ago – although they had worked at different locations and some time earlier than I did, we were still able to reminisce.
So, while I am here contemplating crocs, birds and sunsets I am also consulting my trusty (easy-read) road atlas, considering where to head after I leave Daly River…
ABOVE: Tiny and colourful, Crimson Finches flit in and around the rivers edge in the light of the setting sun.
ABOVE: The Great-billed Heron is the largest heron in Australia and is considered ‘uncommon’, so I was pleased to see this one fishing on the banks of the Daly River one evening.
ABOVE: The male Rufous Whistler is marked by rather spectacular colours.
ABOVE: The female Rufous Whistler is subtler in colour, but still has beautiful markings, too.
ABOVE: The face of pure evil! Not many creatures on earth look on us as nothing more than just another meal… the saltwater crocodile is one of them!
ABOVE: Pretty much hidden by the green water (caused by mineral content, I believe), you can just make out how large this salty is, and a baby he is not – those of us watching him reckoned he is at least 4 metres long, so big enough to be a very real danger!
ABOVE: The Shining Flycatcher, with the sunlight reflecting off his feathers, more than lives up to his name!
ABOVE: The female Shining Flycatcher has remarkably different plumage to the male, but is certainly spectacular in her own right.
ABOVE: A pair of Rufous-banded Honeyeaters forage for a snack at sunset amongst the casuarina trees beside the river.
ABOVE: Driving down the road at dusk, I came across a herd of wild water buffalo.
It was almost dark and the beasts didn’t hang around, heading off into the scrub as I approached. Which is fine, as these big beasts are usually very grumpy and are known to charge vehicles (and doing substantial damage!!!)
So, while they scattered in the dark, I didn’t have time to contemplate the desired settings for my camera. I just grabbed some photos as best I could and while they aren’t fabulous, I was happy enough to snap some pictures!
