Check my birding map for specific location.
Oh boy, what a surprise the tiny little campground at Hull Heads was. I only stayed there because it was cheap and on the way south. My experience here really does reflect my entire journey - challenging, exhilarating and full of surprises.
It was a howling gale when I arrived at this very small settlement, really knock your socks off windy and as I pulled into the campsite I could see large birds circling. I knew straight away they were frigatebirds (very distinctive shape) but I couldn't figure out what they were doing here. I have only ever seen them offshore. The campsite caretaker told me they come inland during bad weather to shelter. Well, it was bad weather and there were hundreds of them circling the area. I was amazed.
Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel)
I parked my van close to the boat ramp a little down river from the estuary mouth as it gave me a good view of the river, the island in the middle and towards the sea. It was the first time that I really used my van as a hide and I spent the bad weather sheltered there with the back door open and just watching and waiting.
And, my luck was in. For the first time ever, I saw a white morph Reef Heron and it appeared that the boat ramp and surrounding area were his territory. I watched it fish and wander about for days and could have stayed for days more. It paid no mind to me at all.
White Morph Pacific Reef Heron (Egretta sacra)
As the wind lessened, other birds reappeared. I watched a pair of Osprey educating a juvenile in the ways of hunting but they were too far away to photograph. White-bellied Sea Eagle would regularly fly past on their way to the island in the river and one morning I was lucky enough to see a juvenile.
Juvenile White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
The caretaker had told me about a large crocodile in the river and to be careful not to get too close to the water. There were also fisherman at the boat ramp a few times and it was the first time I had ever seen people acting nervously about a crocodile. Then I saw it.
Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus sacrius)
When I could, I walked down the river to the estuary mouth, being careful to stay away from the water of course. The beach bent around the river and in the sheltered side I found Red-capped Plover and Beach Stone Curlew. I was thrilled to see this Common Noddy as well. Not very elegant photography as I crawled on my stomach to get close to it but worth it.
Common Noddy (Anous stolidus)
Overall, I was so pleased to have been to Hull Heads. That is the joy of birding - you never quite know what you will see!
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