See Wild Creatures in Unspoiled Places

Birdwatching and Nature Tours in Darwin and the Top End

Best of Top End Birding group watching target finch species near Timber Creek (photo copyright Marg Lacey)

Let us take you somewhere wild!

Learn about our amazing variety of unique birdlife, reptiles, mammals and invertebrates in monsoon forests, savannah woodlands, mangroves, wetlands and billabongs around Darwin and the Top End. Your tour with us will be like an immersion in your very own wildlife documentary where you are informed, enriched and enabled with close and intimate connections to the wildlife and bush.

We specialise in very small group, bird and nature watching tours. Your guide is Mike Jarvis, owner and operator of Experience the Wild, and on some tours joined by Ian Morris. We are passionate about the environment, local birdlife, wildlife and habitat as well as Indigenous culture and NT history and heritage.

Gouldian (female) and Long-tailed Finch (photo copyright Laurie Ross)

With a maximum of seven passengers, you are assured of a personalized experience as you travel in our luxury, airconditioned Land Rover Discovery.

Forget traffic jams, pollution and phones, revitalize and refresh in the Top End wilderness (photo copyright Mick Jerram)

Accreditations

Kakadu Tour Operator License
Parks and Wildlife NT Tour Operator License
Australian Tourism Accreditation Program
Certificate IV Tourism (Guiding) NT
Members of Wildlife Tourism Australia

Experience the Wild!

Bush breakfast at Anbangbang Billabong, 'Kakadu Nature's Way' tour (photo copyright Mike Jarvis)

The Northern Territory’s Top End features a mosaic of habitats offering an exceptional variety and density of birds.

A Top End birding experience starts with these treasure chest locations around Darwin and then ventures out to other areas such as Fogg Dam. There we see typical wetland and paperbark forest species.

Gouldian Finch on Bullita Road near Timber Creek (photo copyright Maree Hanrahan)

Learn about the significance of the landforms, wildlife and birds to the traditional owners of the country we are travelling through, and the conservation methods they have practiced for thousands of years. See evidence of several climate changes that have affected the territory habitats over the last few thousand years. And as we do this we constantly adding new bird sightings to our list!

Azure Kingfisher - Howard Springs (photo copyright Laurie Ross)

Do you have what it takes to be a Birdwatching Guide?

Our business is for sale! Please click here for more information.

Some Interesting Links..

Mike Jarvis and guests at a wilderness location in Kakadu (photo copyright Ian Morris)

See a news video by the ABC on bird watching in Kakadu.

You can find information about specific habitat, best time of year and where to find each Top End species here. Information on Top End endemic species and other target species for a Darwin visit can be found on this page. You can download our free printable taxonomic Top End Birdlist by clicking here Top End Birds Checklist

Bird Watching Tips!! Improve your skills and learn about the many and varied products that are available to help you be more proficient and have more fun out birding!

Click here to read our recent Newsletters

Is Birdwatching the Unlikeliest Craze for 2017? A fun (UK-centric) article about Listers/twitchers/birders plus a timeline of birdwatching that starts in Australia 40,000 years ago

Australian Raptors may be Playing with Fire IFL Science article on Bob Gosford's research into Black Kites and Brown Falcons starting fires

Observe Intently the Birds Article in the Awake! magazine about bird watching

Click here for Graham Brown's 'Bugbits' link for fascinating information on invertebrates.

Click here to learn about Top End weather and seasons.

New, up to date checklists!! Click here

Please go to our links page for Darwin information, tours, accommodation and bird watching info.

“Birding is hunting without killing, preying without punishing and collecting without clogging your home” Mark Obmascik
(Obmascik, M.,The Big Year, 1 New York, Free Press, 2004)

John and Marie Edith River Creek (photo copyright Mike Jarvis)

Photos

All photos on this website are taken by me or generously provided by my guests and local fellow birders. All photos are acknowledged and may not be copied without written permission.

All photos are taken in Top End habitats, in most cases right in the location being discussed.

If you are a previous guest of Experience the Wild and have any photos you would like to contribute, I would be grateful for their submission.

Special thanks to the following contributors: Ian Morris, Marg Lacey, Marie Holding, Peter McKenzie, Frank Taylor, Anthony Thompson, Rob and Caroline Gully, Andrew Fedoruk

Bird Photography Ethics

Most nature photographers are cognizant of the needs of birds and avoid causing any undue stress to their avian subjects. We don't use playback to bring birds closer and we keep a respectable distance from nests. There are photos of birds at the nest on this website. These are taken from a reasonable distance with the aid of powerful zoom lenses and in most cases, from an established pathway. Also, we don't chase or deliberately flush birds. Quietly stalking them will yield better results, but even this can be interpreted by birds as predatory behaviour. The most satisfying close encounters are had when birds move in to range of their own volition when we wait patiently in the one location. We never place food to bait birds to come in to range either. Local guides have the benefit of an intimate familiarity with local species and habitats and can set you up to get great results without resorting to any of these dubious practises. Guests are encouraged to speak up if they see any situation that could be detrimental to birds or the environment while on tour.

Please Click Here for Birdwatching Itineraries