DAY THREE
This morning we visited a
small dam near our overnight campsite and watched Budgerigars and Zebra Finches
coming in to drink. A Black-fronted Dotterel was also patrolling the edges.
After breakfast we drove
into Wolfe Creek Crater for a look. Created by a meteorite around 300,000 years
ago it is like a miniature Wilpena Pound. A rim all around the outside and when
you climb down it is relatively flat and full of vegetation as water collects
here during the wet season. It is dry at the moment.
Bird highlights here were
great scope views of a pair of Major Mitchell Cockatoos feeding on the nuts of
Eucalyptus terminalis. (Please excuse any spelling errors when I mention
anything botanical, not my strong suit I?m afraid!)
Both White-winged and
Red-backed Fairy-Wrens were present around the car park and seeing a male of
each species in the same bush was stunning.
We continued south to the
aboriginal community of Billiluna, where we saw several Little Corellas roosting
under a high water tower enjoying the shade. Just south of here we saw our first
of many Grey-headed Honeyeaters feeding on flowering Grevillea's and
Hakeas. Around 35 kms west of Balgo
a group of 12 Little Crows were seen by the roadside.
At Balgo we refuelled with
news that Mulan was out of diesel for two days, so we push on through Mulan,
travelling to the southwest to camp around Lake Gregory for 2 nights. As we
arrive at Lake Gregory just on dark several Brolga, Australian Bustards and
thousands of water birds were flying around. This wet our appetites for what the
morning would bring. Speaking of appetites, again dinner was a culinary
delight.
A relatively quiet days
birding, number of species wise, with only 32 seen.
Straw-necked Ibis
Whistling Kite
Brown
Falcon
Brolga
Australian Bustard
Black-fronted Dotterel
Masked Lapwing
Crested Pigeon
Little Corella
Major Mitchell Cockatoo
Budgerigar
Rainbow Bee-eater
Variegated Fairy-Wren
Red-backed Fairy-Wren
White-backed Fairy-Wren
Red-browed Pardalote
Yellow-throated Miner
Singing Honeyeater
Grey-headed Honeyeater
Yellow-tinted
Honeyeater
White-plumed Honeyeater
Brown Honeyeater
Willie Wagtail
Black-faced
Cuckoo-Shrike
Black-faced Woodswallow
Pied Butcherbird
Australian Magpie
Little Crow
Torresian Crow
Richards Pipit
Zebra Finch
Tree Martin
until Day 4
Dick Jenkin
DUNGOG NSW
