A short 4 day trip from the 19th to 22nd April with Frances Taylor and Clare Gifford was a knockout trip. We found Gouldian Finches on the first day drinking at a puddle on the Cape Leveque Road and then again at our campsite over the next two days with a total of 23 birds observed. It’s great to see this species doing well on the Peninsula. Rose-crowned Fruit Doves showed very well and mangrove birds like Shining Flycatcher and Mangrove Golden Whistler were very obliging. The northern end of the Dampier Peninsula has such a range of rich habitats in close proximity that it’s entirely possible to see Beach Stone Curlew one minute, Gouldian Finch and Chestnut-backed Button Quail the next. Talking of these spectacular Button-Quail—we saw them too!! On the raptor front, Square-tailed Kites were seen regularly, often floating over dense mangrove forest. Sea Eagles, Brahminy Kites and Ospreys are incredibly common up here, it easy to become blasé about these handsome birds of prey. Our trip total was over 120 species with some cracking views of some rare and difficult ones. Good luck Clare & Frances on future birding trips.

With Peter & Brenda Wilson and John and Audrey Threadgold both from the UK. This was to be an exciting trip, 13 days driving into the Walcott Inlet via Mt. Elizabeth with my customers flying out by light aircraft back to Broome. The trip entails driving through some of the most remote and beautiful country the Kimberley has to offer. We had some stunning birding on this trip including some real rarities in the Kimberley, Masked Owl at a roost site, several excellent views of Bush Hen, Black Grasswrens on numerous occasions, Pacific Baza. We also witnessed an extraordinary sight when a Blue-winged Kookaburra consumed with some difficulty a large Pale Field Rat Rattus tunnei a common native rodent that lives in the area. We also saw some good mammals including the quaint Monjon or Kimberley Rock Weasel. Northern Quolls invaded our camp on numerous occasions and we also saw Brown Bandicoots and Sugar Gliders. The Walcott Inlet and Munja Lagoon was crawling in birds. Some of the country had recently been burnt attracting large numbers of Australian Bustards, some of the highlights here were Yellow Chat, Oriental Plover and Broad-billed Sandplover, Star Finches and numerous very large salt water crocodiles. If you want an exciting tour in the Kimberley this is the tour to book—You’ll love it.