Kakadu

Yellow Water

We spent the day driving north from Katherine, turned right at Pine Creek (after a fuel and birding stop) and headed east into Kakadu. Our first stop for a couple of nights was Cooinda Lodge close by to Yellow Water.

Kakadu Sign
...

For hundreds of kilometres, often on both sides of the road and as far as the eye can see, the country has been burnt in the annual dry season burn-off.

Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...

Yellow Water (Ngurrunggurrudjba) is a exentive wetlands at the juction of Jim Jim Creek and the South Alligator River. The landscape is classic Kakadu.

The next we were up way before dawn for the sunrise cruise on Yellow Water.

The sun was still rising when we cast off...
Soon Yellow Water turned a magical golden hue
Soon Yellow Water turned a magical golden hue...
Daylight arrived and revealed the wonder of yellow water
Daylight arrived and revealed the wonder...

The place is an absolute haven for a multitude of birds species and the size of the flocks of birds is staggering. But for the moment we will concentrate on the landscape and some other of it's inhabitants.

Yellow Water
The sunlight bring the landscape to life...
Yellow Water
...

Crocs!!!

Yellow Water
...

...

Yellow Water
All salties...
Yellow Water
Lurking...
Yellow Water
Checking the breakfast menu on the floating buffet...

Pigs or Buffalo?

Yellow Water
They over a kilometer away and they are monster pigs...

We never see any Buffalo but we can see where they were as recently as last night.

Yellow Water
Buffalo footprints...
Yellow Water
And the warning signs are frequent...

Alright before the bird people get cranky here is your lot...

Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...

The ground and the air is filled with thousands of whistling ducks..

Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...
Yellow Water
...