March 16, 2012 Fri Day 36 Darwin

No rain first thing this morning, but crazy humidity and hot.  Couldn't stay outside for our morning coffee.
Good day to go on the Jumping Crocodile Cruise.  It poured while we waited.  But as soon as the tour started, the rain stopped and started as soon as the boat tour was done.  We have had this experience many many times.   

Spotted this yellow Prover.  Also known as Masked Lapwing. 

Only 10 people on the boat.  Great for Kodak moments. 

Didn't take long for the first crocodile to appear beside the boat waiting to be fed.
They were fed pork pieces. 

Nasty, mean looking critters. 

Huge birds called:  Raptors  A wide variety of raptors indigenous to Australia.  Some of the most spectacular birds found anywhere in the world:  eagles, falcons, goshawks, and harriers.   A raptor is a carnivorous bird with a hooked beak which kills its prey with powerful talons, or claws. In other words, a raptor is a bird of prey.  

His name is:  Stumpy.  His leg was bitten off.
He is 5.5 meters long and is 60 yrs old.  

The temperature of the croc eggs determines the sex of the crocodile. 
If the nest is below 30c exclusively female are produced.  At 31c a mix results,
and 32-33c gives mostly males. 

Crocs and Crocs. 

This little guy is named JP.  Only 6 mnths old.   

Four wagon road train. 

This was one of the last boat tours from here.
 The water is rising and they will have to move to higher ground. 
By the time we finished our one hour boat tour, the water had risen 6 inches. 
We used a plank to get off the boat. 

Next pit stop was: Windows of the Wetlands.  

Marcel is definitely not safe here. 

We were told this was a Northern Quoll, and are the size of a small cat.. Put there to kill the cane toads.  The toads were put there to kill the beetles that kill the cane. 
The toads have poisonous glands that kill the quoll if ingested.
    The spread of cane toads  into the Northern Territory is now resulting in the local extinctions of northern quoll populations. It is likely, given the scientific data becoming available from the Northern Territory, that the northern quoll in Queensland would have suffered a very high level of impact from the invasion of the cane toad over the past two decades and this impact is likely to be ongoing.

Also known as the Northern Native Cat

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This little lizard was no more than 2 inches long. 

Some kind of pigeon??

We found the best Big 4 campground yet in Darwin.  An exquisite garden.  Two swimming pools.
Lots of flowers and birds.  Could be our home till the 22nd.  

This pool we got very attached to.  A couple of times a day.
Would be awesome if we could have all our grandchildren with us right now.  
Miss you all...lots.