Track 1. Barking Owls

It is pre-dawn, on the edge of one of Kakadu's beautiful billabongs. Billabong is an aboriginal word refering to a body of permanent water, either a lake, or more commonly a section of old river bed isolated from the main flow. During the dry season and build up to the monsoonal wet, these billabongs are the only remaining water in a drying and increasingly fire prone landscape. As such they are a refuge for wildlife, and attract huge numbers of water birds.

Nocturnal insects can be heard in damp grasses near the water's edge, and a Willie Wagtail calls cheerily from trees on the far side. A Mapgie Goose glides overhead (0.22).

Every billabong seems to have a resident pair (at least) of Barking Owls. These small owls are very common in the tropical north, where they replace the closely related and more well-known Boobook Owl. If you are familair with the Boobook's disyllabic call, you can hear the similarity with the Barking Owl (0.34). These owls (an adult and Juvenile) are shown in the CD booklet. When we recorded this bird, I could see it silhouetted in the moonlight on an exposed branch over the water, bobbing its head with each call.

The rasping calls of a tiny Owlet-Nightjar, a widespread nightbird of our forests, can also be heard in the background (1.00, 1.03, 1.06)

Track 2. Magpie Geese flypast

While in Kakadu, we affectionately refered to flocks of Magpie Geese as 'The Vintage Car Rally' - we love their honking calls. They congregate in Kakadu in sometimes huge numbers, they are the most numerous of water birds during this time of year. Here a small group fly over head, calling on the wing before joining others of their number, settling noisily in the crown of a tree nearby. They are also pictured in the booklet.

Track 3. Plumed Whistling Duck with Flying Fox overhead

Plumed Whistling Ducks also congregate in large numbers during the dry, and we now become aware of an extensive flock which has been resting quietly by the water's edge in front of us. They have a distinctive high-toned "pee-a-wit" call (0.00...), as well as a pleasant twittery desending trill, heard quietly at (0.10).

A Grey-headed Flying Fox flies past overhead on leathery wings (0.04-0.20) on its way to its roost - amazing humming wingbeats. You can also hear one feeding in a tree overhead (0.01 & 0.19). Magpie Geese continue to call nearby (0.08) - you'll be hearing a lot more of them during this recording. Barking Owls continue in the background.

Track 4. Plumed Whistling Ducks take flight

Well, they've had enough of sitting quietly... the Whistling Ducks, along with several Magpie Geese take to the wing. Now you can hear why they are called Whistling Ducks - its not their call but the sound of wind through their stiff flight feathers that gives them their name. The sound of their quick wingbeats, along with animate twittery calls, makes a flock of Whistling Ducks on the wing an exhilarating experience.

They settle back on the water's edge, a large number of them close in front of us.

Track 5. Pelicans on the Water

We now become aware of a group of Pelicans, gliding gracefully on the still waters further out on the billabong. They have a wonderful gravelly deep grunting call, which is not often heard (0.01, 0.25, 0.31...). There is also a moment in the previous track when you can hear a Pelican throwing and clacking its bill in the air (T4:1.01-1.05).

Another common resident of the billabong can be heard here, an Intermediate Egret (front cover of CD booklet, and photo inside), grunting as it glides in to land (1.00-end of track and into T6). In the distance, the first group of Blue-winged Kookaburras begin calling for the morning (1.14...). The Flying Foxes are still in the tree overhead (0.57) and you can hear a few vocal sounds from them as well (0.38, 0.45, T6:0.14). Another lands (T6:0.16).

Track 6. Intermediate Egret

Now you can hear the Egret more clearly. The Whistling Ducks have remained right in front of us, shuffling their feathers, calling intermittently, and eventually...

Track 7. Magpie Geese and Whistling Ducks fly off to feed

This time its for real! At dawn large flocks of Magpie Geese take to the wing and move off to daytime feeding areas. Our flock of birds rise into the air with a deafening roar. The Whistling Ducks settle again, but some of the Magpie Geese have moved off.

Also to be heard; another family of Blue-winged Kookaburras in the distance (1. 42..., 2.00...), a different call from our Egret (2.08, 3.19), Corellas flying over the far side of the billabong (2.26), another Flying Fox going past (2.22-2.38), a distant Black Duck (3.56), and duetting Pied Butcherbirds (4.56, 5.12, 5.31, 5.37, 5.42...)

Track 8. Blue-winged Kookaburras

Now a nearby family of Kookaburras begin calling. Once again, their calls are closely related to those of the famous Laughing Kookaburra, however instead of chortling and "HA, HA, HA"ing as the Laughings do, Blue-wings "KRORP". The distinguished Australian ornithologist Graham Pizzey refers to this call as 'appalling'. Certainly I can understand that people would not find it as endearing as the more well-known Laughing Kookaburra. However it is an evocative sound, and characteristic of our tropical north.

Dawn comes to the billabong
(from this point on, the same birds can be heard at different points, sometimes in the foreground and others in the distance, so I shall not list everything audable, just the main songsters, which tend to be those indexed.)

Track 9. Last Magpie Geese depart

It is now a little later, and the first light of the coming sunrise reflects off still waters dotted with water lilies.

Flights of Magpie Geese fly off. In the foreground is a White-throated Honeyeater giving a scratchy peevish feeding call, interspersed with its song, a clear, double note whistle. Pied Butcherbird calls melodically and repeatedly in the background, and also to be heard are a Magpie Lark (around 0.30, 0.53, 1.05), a Friarbird (0.48, 1.11, 1.15)

Track 10. White-throated Honeyeater and Distant Pied Butcherbird

Now the Honeyeater and Butcherbird are heard with less background sound. Also a Darter (0.22 and louder 0.45), Whistling Kite (1.10) and Little Friarbird (0.32)

Track 11. Masked Lapwing

A Masked Lapwing takes flight over the water, calling as it does so. Masked Lapwings are the northern relatives of the more southern and eastern Spur-winged Lapwings, with a very similar call.

Track 12. Forest Kingfisher

This harsh grating call is from a Forest Kingfisher, perched above the water.

Track 13. Willie Wagtail

One of our most cheery sounding songbirds - you can hear this bird has a slightly different set of syllables in the song to dialects from elsewhere in Australia. A Lemon-bellied Flycatcher calls nearby (0.09, 0.21...), a Whistling Kite in the distance again (0.30), Darter (0.55, 1.12), Forest Kingfisher (1.04, 1.50), Green Pygmy Goose (1.20) and several Magpie Geese flying past and landing on the far side of the billabong (around 1.40).

Track 14. Azure Kingfisher

This tiny aquatic Kingfisher has a very high-pitched piping call (0.01-0.04, 0.11-12). There is also an Intermediate Egret grunting in the background (0.06), a Whistling Kite (0.16, 0.37), and a Darter (0.37). Bar-shouldered Doves can be heard softly in the background throughout (esp around 0.20-0.30).

Track 15. Green Pygmy Geese

Green Pygmy Geese, which have been floating on the water quietly feeding among the lillies, occasionally get feisty and chase each other in circles on the water, while giving their high, shrill calls.

Track 16. Whistling Kite

Whistling Kites are common on Kakadu's billabongs, and give their characteristic calls often while on the wing.

Track 17. Magpie Lark

The well-known call of the Magpie Lark (0.00-0.04), also with Darter (0.05) and Forest Kingfisher (0.20-0.27)

Track 18. Rainbow Bee-eaters

Perched on branches overhanging the water, Rainbow Bee-eaters call intermittently with their liquid "Tirrup" calls (0.00, 0.21, 0.37, 0.40...). Also a Lemon-bellied Flycatcher (0.04, 0.47...), the Egret continues grunting, a Darter (0.32), very distant Blue-winged Kookaburrras (0.44....).

Track 19. Distant White-bellied Sea Eagle

Sea Eagles are magnificent birds, resident of both coastal and fresh water areas. When they call it is often on the wing, and their cackling calls can be heard over great distances. Bee-eaters and Blue-winged Kookaburras (0.37....) continue calling, plus a Grey Whistler (melodic descending song 0.46, 1.04, 1.45...) and Lemon-bellied Flycatcher (...2.32, 2.43, 2.56...).

Track 20. Rufous-banded Honeyeaters

These Honeyeaters have lovely silvery calls, as they fly into a small tree in front of us (0.00-0.09, 0.37). Also a Green Pygmy Goose (0.20) and Forest Kingfisher (1.26)

Track 21. Red-tailed Black Cockatoos

A small group of these majestic Black Cockatoos fly past, giving their exhilarating calls all the while (0.00...). A Green Pygmy Goose splashes (0.39-42), Jacana (0.57), Rufous-banded Honeyeaters again (1.04... ), Bee-eater (1.22, 2.20), Peaceful Doves in background ("oo-le-goo" calls esp around 1.40), Whistling Kite (1.42).

Track 22. Jacana

The Comb-crested Jacana strides across water lily pads on long toes to distribute its weight. Its call is a light peevish twittering (0.00-0.08).

Track 23. Rajah Shelducks fly in

Rajah Shelducks are handsome birds (see booklet photo) with an unusual and characterful call, quite un-duck-like. Here a group fly in and alight on the far side of the waters (0.00-0.10). You can hear the Jacanas again (0.07, 0.22, 0.31...), an Azure Kingfisher (0.05), and a flight of Magpie Geese moving through (around 1.00).

Track 24. Darter

There are many Darters, or Snakebirds, around the billabong, perhaps sitting on sticks poking out of the water, or overhanging branches. They have one of the loudest and most distinctive calls on the billabong, and you know what they sound like by now, but here is one close by (0.00, 0.28...). Its interesting to hear them calling in groups, one will start, another will follow, and so on, up and down the billabong. A pair of Lemon-bellied Flycatchers is in the foreground (0.05, 0.12, 0.21...) and our Whistling kite again (0.41). The "Ooop-a-woop, Ooop-a-woop" call of a Bar-shouldered Dove in the background can be heard clearly (0.39, 0.45, 0.49...), contrasting with the "oo-le-goo" call of the smaller Peaceful Dove (0.53-58..., also "Crrrrr" at 0.46).

Track 25. Rajah Shelducks

Another group of Rajah Shelducks fly in, some alighting on the far side of the water amid much calling (0.20, 1.19), while one flies on down the billabong, calling as it goes (0.30...). The Bar-shouldered Doves can be heard well on this track (0.42-0.48...). Masked Lapwings take flight and call again (3.01-3.30). Also to be heard are a Forest Kingfisher (1.30), Whistling Kite (1.33), Azure Kingfisher (1.54-2.22... to around 2.44), Magpie Lark (2.10), Willie Wagtail (2.44), Green Pygmy Geese (2.54), plus Darters and Lemon-bellied Flycatchers throughout

Track 26. Lemon-bellied Flycatcher

Lemon-bellied Flycatchers are common in paperbark swamps around the top end, and their pleasant calls are a dominant part of the dawn chorus (0.00, 0.09, 0.21...). In the far distance you can just hear the descending series of booming calls from a Pheasant Coucal (0.18-0.24, 0.54-0.59). A small flock of Collared Lorikeets fly overhead (0.40-0.49), and Green Pygmy Geese are heard again (2.30...).

Track 27. Yellow Oriole

The call of the Yellow Oriole is characteristic of our tropical north, and it is a lovely mellow call (0.01, 0.07, 0.13...). A Peaceful Dove is heard clearly even more clearly here (0.07, 0.09, 0.12..., 2.41on...) and also the Bar-Shouldered Dove (1.40, 1.57-2.03, ). There are a few White-throated Honeyeaters nearby (0.30, 0.37-0.40), and the high-pitched "chip" of a Mistletoebird is heard (0.42) as it flies by. The piping call of a Honeyeater is heard at the end of this track (3.28). A group of Wandering Whistling Ducks approaches (2.05...)....

Track 28. Wandering Whistling Ducks

We have two species of Whistling Ducks in Australia, and both gather in huge numbers at Kakadu. We heard the Plumed earlier, and now a large flight of Wandering Whistling Ducks flies by, and you can hear they have a distinctively different call, which has a lovely trill in it.

Track 29. Magpie Geese

A squadron of Magpie Geese fly past, circle and come back again, their lovely brassy calls echoing off the trees around the billabong (0.00-0.30..1.14-1-50...) while an Intermediate Egret is heard grunting (0.42-0.50), and in the far distance the Pheasant Coucal again (0.59-1.06).

Track 30. White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike

The sharp spitting call of a White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike is heard as it flies overhead from one side of the billabong to the other (0.01...).

Track 31. Restless Flycatcher

Restless Flycatchers, famous for their 'scizzors grinding' call, also have a more Flycatcher-like liquid cheery call, "tchewie, tchewie, tchewie" (0.02, ...)

Morning in the Paperbark Forests

Track 32. Brown, White-gaped and Bar-breasted Honeyeaters

Members of the Honeyeater family abound in the Paperbark forests that surround wetlands in Australia's tropical north. Here a group can be heard feeding - the soft "Tup" calls come from Brown Honeyeaters (esp around 1.30), and the buzzy "tzzerp,tzzerp" calls throughout (some close ones at 2.45, and around 3.21-3.27, 3.35... ) are from Bar-breasted Honeyeaters. You can also hear White-gaped Honeyeaters (0.37-0.40, 2.35-2.40). In the background is a family of Grey-crowned Babblers (1.57, 2.14-2.23) and a Forest Kingfisher (2.49-3.02). Also to be heard; Mistletoebird (0.03, 0.05, 0.14, 0.16, 0.25...), pair of Pheasant Coucals (1.04-1.11), Restless Flycatcher (3.08-3.10), Bar-shouldered Dove (1.40)

Track 33. Shining Flycatcher

The Shining Flycatcher has a variety of exotic liquid and metallic calls - here it is giving a very characteristicly Flycatcher call (0.00, 0.23, 1.19, 1.28, 1.56...). Babblers call again (1.06...2.36...). Bar-shouldered Doves and various Honeyeaters throughout.

Track 34. Red-winged Fairy-wrens

A family of Red-winged Fairy-wrens move past in the grasses at the water's edge, giving their splintered high-pitched contact calls (0.00- around 1.00). There are many Bar-shouldered Doves (one more prominent from 1.34...), and Honeyeaters continue.

Track 35. Bar-shouldered Dove with distant Brush Cuckoo

OK, you should know what a Bar-shouldered Dove sounds like by now. Here are the mournful descending calls of Brush Cuckoo in the background as well (0.05-0.09).

Track 36. Red-Collared Lorikeet

Closely related to the picture postcard Rainbow Lorikeet, and with a very similar call (0.00.. ). A Peaceful Dove calls nearby (0.11-0.22).

Track 37. Jabiru flies overhead

The Jabiru, or Black-necked Stork, is Australia's only true Stork. They are heard only rarely (a clacking of bills or even rarer booming calls), and we never heard them in our time at Kakadu, but here one flies low overhead on massive wings.

Track 38. Forest Kingfisher

After the previous harsh 'churring' calls, finally a true Forest Kingfisher territorial song, a loud "kek, kek, kek".

Track 39. Mistletoebird

Here is the tiny Mistletoebird again, one of Australia's highest pitched and smallest songbirds (0.03, 0.17, 0.21, 0.35, 0.42, 0.51...)

Track 40. Grey Whistler

Like many in its family, the Grey Whistler has a beautiful call (0.02, 0.09...). It varies subtly in dialect from region to region, this one gives several 'echo' phrases on the end. You can hear this species' North Queensland regional song on our 'Walk in the Rainforest' album.

Track 41. Brown Honeyeaters

Brown Honeyeaters are in the foreground here as they feed and chatter amiably in trees overhead.

Track 42. White-throated Honeyeater

This beautiful piping call is actually the alarm call of the species.

Track 43. Red-winged Fairy-wrens return

Here the family of Red-winged Fairy-wrens work their way back along the grassy verge.

Track 44. Red-winged Parrot

A pair of spectacular Red-winged Parrots fly overhead, calling as they go.

Track 45. Grey-crowned Babblers

Grey-crowned Babblers, like others in the group, are very social and vocal, with wonderfully characterful calls.

Track 46. Little Friarbird

A Little Friarbird calls from a tree overhead (0.00-0.05), and Rufous-banded Honeyeaters call nearby (0.33-0.44).

We leave the billabong during the mid-morning. You can hear that the morning's activity is subsiding now, as the heat and humidity of the day begins to build up.