Wild Watch on the Daintree River

We were lucky enough recently to be invited out with Sauce on the Daintree River Wild Watch, and what an experience.

His knowledge of the region was overwhelming.

Sauce in his office

Imagine cruising through this world heritage lined river, with overhanging mangroves and rainforest, with the intoxicating scent of Ylang Ylang heavy in the air. And

If that's not enough, Sauce seems to know where every bird is, and expertly guides you to see it.

The amazing perfume from the Ylang Ylang Tree is heavy along the river

At one point he drifted the boat up to an overhanging tree, and points out a Papuan Frogmouth, almost impossible to see unless you know where to look.

We were expertly guided to this Papuan Frogmouth. We would never have seen him by ourselves given his camouflage

The next minute, he backs off on the throttle and drifts past an Azure Kingfisher bathing in the afternoon light.

Gliding past this beautiful Azure Kingfisher, as he bathed in the afternoon was a highlight

At one point we didn't know which way to look. There were Juvenile Cattle Egrets pirched in a nearby tree, Darters watching the water and waiting for a feed, Pied Cormorants alongside and Brown Backed Honey Eaters darting through the trees.

One of our first sightings was this Royal Spoonbill

Cormorants

Cattle Egret

His custom built craft is perfect for bird watching, with a quiet motor and spacious seating that allows everyone to get a good view. The seats even swivel 360 degrees.

The perfect craft for spotting wildlife

We saw dozens of different species of birds on this trip, and learnt more about this unique region in 2 hours than I thought possible. Sauce seems to be more than just a guide, he seems to be part of the river itself.

Masked Lapwing Plover

... and as we drifted down the river, at the mercy of the tide, all enjoyed one of our icecreams. We can't wait to go back again!

Sauce Enjoying some Floravilla Icecream

To find out more about Wild Watch on the Daintree River visit http://www.daintreeriverwildwatch.com.au