Anbangbang Billabong

Visited: late dry season

Recommendation: At this time of year, the water has dried up to a small area in the centre of the wetland (see above photo). The concentration of birdlife was incredible with several species of heron and egret, darter, stork and cranes visible. Best of all, the birds were uncharacteristically tolerant and allowed me to walk towards them to get in photography range.

Anbangbang Billabong lies in the shadow of Burrunggui (Nourlangie Rock) within Kakadu National Park and is a good place to view a wide range of wildlife. Large numbers of waterfowl and wading birds inhabit the billabong and many wallabies can be found grazing around the water's edge. There is a walking trail around the circumference of Anbangbang Billabong with many picnic areas.

Lemon-bellied Flyrobin (Microeca flavigaster)

I visited the billabong once early in the morning and another time in the mid-afternoon. It is very exposed with the only shade being a slither of trees surrounding the picnic areas and walkway that you access from the car park. The other side has more bush but actually in the paddock, there was nothing. The water was very low, the grass churned up by the buffalo and particularly in the afternoon, the sun was brutal. While I could get reasonably near to the birds, it was hard going and I couldn't stay out there very long.

Retreating to the picnic tables I was joined by several Lemon-bellied Flyrobin who were busy feeding and singing. It was a pleasant, cooler environment.

As for the birds out on the water, the photos below speak for themselves and I have added a full list of the birds I recorded on the 2 occasions I visited.