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Alice Springs Trip Report 2

To: "birding-aus" <>
Subject: Alice Springs Trip Report 2
From: "Rod Gardner" <>
Date: 5 Dec 1997 16:10:54 +1100
The remainder of the Alice Springs Trip Report (annotated list):

47      Spotted Turtle Dove
several seen in western suburbs on 3.10, the 114th
and last species of the trip, spoilt what was almost a
feral free birding experience
48      Diamond Dove
common throughout
49      Common Bronzewing
1 at Kunoth Well, 26.9, 3 there on 29.9,
and 4 on 2.10
50      Crested Pigeon
common at Kunoth Well, 26/29.9
also in Alice Springs and in eastern part of W McDonnell Ranges,
plus 2 at Ormiston Gorge
51      Spinifex Pigeon
common in western part of W McDonnel Ranges,
maximum ca 25 at Ormiston Gorge
3 at Alice Springs Telegraph Station, 2.10
52      Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
1 from road out of Ormiston Gorge, 28.9
53      Pink Cockatoo
1 with Galahs at Kunoth Well, 29.9
54      Galah
common, especially in Alice Springs and at Kunoth Well
55      Little Corella
only birds were 3 together over Alice Springs Sewage Ponds, 30.9
56      Cockatiel
seen Kunoth Well, max 16 on 29.9
also Alice Springs airport, 26.9
 3 at Simpson's Gap, 27.9
32 at Alice Springs Telegraph Station, 2.10
57      Mulga Parrot
common at Kunoth Well and around Alice Springs,
but few seen  in W McDonnell Ranges
58      Western Ringneck
common in Alice Springs, ca 5 at Ormiston Gorge, 28.9
8 at Kunoth Well, 29.9
59      Bourke's Parrot
9 at Kunoth Well (3 pairs and a 3 group), 29.9,
 and 1 on there 2.10
60      Budgerigar
very common, esp. Kunoth Well, where ca 400 flock at well, 29.9
61      Sacred Kingfisher
1 at Ellery Creek, 28.9
62      Red-backed Kingfisher
1 at Ellery Creek, 28.9
1 at Alice Springs Telegraph Station, 2.10 and 3.10
63      Rainbow Bee-eater
2 at Woodland Walk, Simpson's Gap, 28.9
2 at Glen Helen Gorge, 29.9
2 from road near Ormiston Gorge
and 4 ca 50 kms west of Alice Springs, 29.9
5 at Alice Springs Telegraph Station, 2.10
64      White-browed Treecreeper
1 at Kunoth Well, 29.9
65      Splendid Blue Wren
several parties seen in W McDonnell Ranges, around
Alice Springs, and at Kunoth Well
66      White-winged Blue Wren
a male at Alice Springs Desert Park, 27.9
party at Alice Springs Sewage Ponds, 30.9
67      Rufous-crowned Emu-wren
1 in spinifex in small valley on way to the Pound,
plus one in the Pound, Ormiston Gorge
68      Dusky Grasswren
2 birds amongst tourists at Simpson's Gap waterhole, carrying food, 27.9
2 at Ormiston Gorge, same small valley as Rufous-crowned Emu-wren
69      Red-browed Pardalote
1 at Kunoth Well, 26.9
1 at the Pound, Ormiston Gorge, 29.9
70      Striated Pardalote
3 birds together in scrub ca 50 kms west of Alice Springs, 28.9,
and 1 at Alice Springs Telegraph Station, 3.10
71      Western Gerygone
Fairly common at Kunoth Well (3 on 26.9, 6 on 29.9, 11 on 2.10)
3 at Woodland Trail, Simpson's Gap, 27.9
3 in scrub ca. 50 km west of Alice Springs, 28.9
72      Inland Thornbill
1 in scrub ca 50 km west of Alice Springs, 28.9
2 at Kunoth Well on 29.9
3 at Alice Springs Telegraph Station were only sightings
73      Slaty-backed Thornbill
1 definite sighting at Kunoth Well on 29.9, where
back, head, underparts and rump all seen well. And
it sang. And it called.
74      Chestnut-rumped Thornbill
fairly common at Kunoth Well, 5 on 29.9, 13 on 29.9
3 at Woodland Trail, Simpson's Gap, 27.9
several at various roadside stops, W McDonnell Ranges
75      Yellow-rumped Thornbill
fairly common: 6 at Woodland Walk, Simpson's Gap, 27.9
15 at Kunoth Well, 29.9
11 at Alice Springs Telegraph Station, 2.10
76      Weebill
common around W McDonnell Ranges, max 10 at Ellery Creek
1 at Alice Springs Telegraph Station, 2.10
77      Southern Whiteface
common, particularly Kunoth Well, with ca 30 on 29.9
78      Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
seen at many localities, including airport, generally in low numbers,
no more than 2 birds seen in any one    locality
79      Yellow-throated Miner
common, several birds at most sites
80      Singing Honeyeater
fairly common, max 6 at Kunoth Well, 26.9
81      Grey-headed Honeyeater
very common in W McDonnell Ranges,
also in Alice Springs and along dry waterways
82      White-plumed Honeyeater
commer where taller trees found, ie. in Alice Springs and along dry waterways, 
by waterholes
83      Brown Honeyeater
common along watercourses, esp Woodland Trail, Simpson's Gap
84      Red-capped Robin
fairly common, max 7 at Kunoth Well, 29.9,
also several at roadside stops west of Alice Springs
85      Hooded Robin
common at Kunoth Well, 18 on 29.9
also seen at the Pound, Ormiston Gorge and at three
roadside stops along the W McDonnell Ranges
86      Grey-crowned Babbler
seen Simpson's Gap, Ormiston Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge
87      White-browed Babbler
a party at Kunoth Well, 26.9 and three parties there on 29.9,
plus a party on 2.10
two parties 50 km w of Alice Springs on 28.9
several parties at Alice Springs Telegraph Station
88      Crested Bellbird
2 at Kunoth Well on 26.9, 10 on 29.9
1 at Alice Springs Desert Park on 27.9
1 at Ormiston Gorge on 28.9
4 at Alice Springs Telegraph Station
89      Rufous Whistler
common: ca 20 at Kunoth Well on 29.9,
also at Alice Springs Desert Park, Simpson's Gap, Ellery Creek,
Alice Springs Telegraph Station and most casual roadside stops
90      Grey Shrike Thrush
singles at Simpson's Gap, the Pound, and in Alice Springs
91      Willie Wagtail
a few at most sites
92      Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
one or two birds seen at most sites, but not in mulga at Kunoth Well
93      White-winged Triller
one at Alice Springs Desert Park
94      Black-faced Woodswallow
seen frequently in all areas, max 11 at Kunoth Well, 29.9
95      Little Woodswallow
3 at Simpson's Gap, 27.9
5 at Glen Helen Gorge, 28.9
96      Pied Butcherbird
1 at Simpson's Gap, 27.9
1 at Alice Springs Sewage Ponds, 30.9
2 at Alice Springs Telegraph Station, 2.10 and 2 there on 3.10
97      Australian Magpie-lark
a few everywhere, particularly common at Alice Springs Sewage Ponds
98      Australian Magpie
a few everywhere
99      Australian Raven
not a focus of attention, but one heard north of Alice Springs
and one at Simpson's Gap
100     Little Crow
only definite records were of 3 at Alice Springs
Telegraph Station, 2.10, and one at Kunoth Well, 2.10
101     Torresian Crow
most crow calls heard were of this species
102     Western Bowerbird
2 at Woodland Trail, Simpson's Gap, 27.9
several at Ormiston Gorge
103     Australian Pipit
1 at Kunoth Well, 26.9 and on 29.9
1 at Ellery Creek, 28.9
4 at Alice Springs Sewage Ponds, 30.9
104     Singing Bushlark
2 at Alice Springs Sewage Ponds, 30.9
(I did not realise this was a rare bird here, so no field notes taken. 
Presumably migrants from the Top End that had drifted a bit far
west with the easterly winds)
105     Zebra Finch
the commonest bird everywhere (except Alice Springs Sewage Ponds
 and in town)
106     Painted Finch
ca 25 birds early morning at Simpson's Gorge, 27.9
1 Pound Trail, Ormiston Gorge, 28.9
2 at Glen Helen Gorge, 28.9
107     Mistletoebird
3 at Woodland Trail, Simpson's Gap, 27.9
1 at Ormiston Gap, 27.9 and 28.9
1 at Serpentine Gorge, 28.9
7 at Kunoth Well, 2.10 (when unsuccessfully
searching mistletoe infested trees for Grey Honeyeater)
108     Tree Martin
commonest swallow, seen all along McDonnell
Ranges, and ca 20 at Alice Springs Sewage Ponds
109     Fairy Martin
only definite record was of a few birds at Glen Helen Gorge
110     Australian Reed Warbler
several singing birds at Glen Helen Gorge
and Alice Springs Sewage Ponds
111     Brown Songlark
a male on 2.10 at Alice Springs Sewage Ponds
112     Rufous Songlark
2 at Alice Springs Telegraph Station, 2.10
and 1 there on 3.10
113     Spinifexbird
one seen well at Ellery Creek, 27.9,
and one at the Pound, Ormiston Gorge, 28.9
114     Little Grassbird
singing birds at Glen Helen Gorge, 28.9
and at Alice Springs Sewage Ponds, 30.9 and 2.10



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