Monday 15th September
After a night at the Aurora Alice Springs we picked up our next camper
van.On the way south from the town we saw our first Western Ringnecks flying
across the road. We checked in at the McDonnell Range Tourist Park for a
couple of nights then, after lunch, drove to the Alice Springs Desert Park.
Here we quickly picked up two new birds, Splendid Fairy-wren &
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater. Variegated Fairy-wrens were also quite
conspicuous. We spent some time looking round the aviaries and displays. It
was fascinating seeing Crimson Chats, Chiming Wedgebills, Red-backed
Kingfishers etc - it made me wonder how frustrating it might turn out to be
if we didn't subsequently see any of them in the wild!
Tuesday 16th September
On an early walk behind the Tourist Park I found several Little Crows*. We
then headed for the Tanami Road and Kunoth Bore, to the north of Alice. It
was an interesting experience in a mid-sized van since the Tanami Road has
just a tarmac strip down the middle and has its share of roadtrains! The
Bore and well were fairly quite though I did manage to see my first Mulga
Parrots. Zebra Finches were plentiful here. At the junction with Hamilton
Downs Road I had a look round the scrub. With a bit of perseverance I found
a Slaty-backed Thornbill*. Spiny-cheeked, Singing & White-plumed Honeyeaters
were plentiful On the way back, the Tanami Road produced Australian
Pratincole and Black-faced Woodswallow.
Late morning we arrived at Alice Springs Telegraph Station Reserve, an
interesting place that's worth visiting. The most interesting bird was a
very tame Pied Butcherbird at the picnic tables. We then went on to the
Olive Pink Botanic Gardens, where we saw a our first Western Bowerbird,
attending its bower. Grey-crowned Babblers were easy to see here.
Late afternoon I went for another walk behind the McDonnell Range Tourist
Park. This turned out to be quite fortuitous since not only did I get good
views of a Black Falcon gliding along the ridge but I also found two new
birds - White-winged Fairy-wren (a stunning male) & Grey-headed Honeyeater.
There were also several Euros in the area. Grey-crowned Babblers were
nesting in a tree near our site.
Wednesday 17th September
We spent the morning driving to Yulara Resort. It was interesting to note
that the Banded Whiteface site north of Erldunda mentioned by Thomas &
Thomas appears to be inaccessible since there is a fence all along the road
here. At the Erldunda roadhouse there were a few Welcome Swallows (also seen
on the way back) - the only ones we saw in the Kimberley & NT. We had a
productive stop at a rest area on the Erldunda to Yulara road 7 kms east of
the turning to Kings Canyon. Here Chestnut-rumped Thornbills* & Southern
Whitefaces* were quite easy to see.
Late afternoon we had our first proper view of Uluru - quite amazing!
Thursday 18th September
We spent the morning at Uluru & the afternoon at Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). The
scenery was fabulous. It was pretty disappointing for birds. The commonest
birds were Singing, Grey-headed & White-plumed Honeyeaters. We also saw a
Ground Cuckoo-Shrike between Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
Friday 19th September
Back to Alice. Just after leaving Yulara we saw our first White-backed
Swallow. At the rest area near the Kings Canyon road, Chestnut-rumped
Thornbills & Southern Whitefaces were easy to find again (in the case of the
latter picked up by its trilled, almost bell-like, call). I managed to pick
up a tick - but one of the unpleasant, unwelcome, type!
We stayed at the McDonnell Range Tourist Park again.
Saturday 20th September
This day we had allocated to drive out to the West McDonnell Range. On the
way we stopped first at Simpson's Gap. There were a few White-plumed &
Grey-headed Honeyeaters and Zebra Finches but no Dusky Grasswrens, despite
much searching. The best sighting was of 7 Black-footed Rock-Wallabies
feeding almost at ground level.
Ellery Creek Big Hole was a beautiful spot. We had no luck in finding the
trail to the area where Dusky Grasswrens might be found - the trail markers
just stopped! There were a couple of Diamond Doves here and a Brown Falcon.
We had no luck with Rufous-crowned Emu-wrens.
Late morning we checked in at Glen Helen Lodge, where we were to spend the
night. After lunch we made the short drive to Ormiston Gorge. The most
notable bird here was a Spinifex Pigeon wandering past the visitor's kiosk!
Later in the afternoon, at Glen Helen, we walked to the gorge. On the way
back we saw another 4 Black-footed Rock-Wallabies (this time on the rocks).
Sunday 21st September
We went back to Ormiston Gorge and at 8.30 am started on the Gorge and Pound
Walk. Just after the climb from the main road we saw 4 more Black-footed
Rock-Wallabies just below us. It was a long hot walk - but the scenery was
spectacular! The best birding was around the dried-up river bed. On the walk
the best birds were a Red-browed Pardalote, Grey-fronted
Honeyeaters* (one seen at point blank range!) & 3 Hooded Robins. No luck
though with Grasswrens or Emu-wrens. Just as we were approaching the
visitor's kiosk we saw our first Inland Thornbill. We had lunch at a picnic
area - with Crested & Spinifex Pigeons, Yellow-throated Miners & Western
Bowerbirds for company!
On the way back to Alice we stopped again at Simpson's Gap. There were more
people here and fewer birds! A Grey-fronted Honeyeater was easy to see -
funny how you wait to see a bird then keep seeing it! We stayed again at
McDonnell Range Tourist Park.
Monday 22nd September
Our last day in the area. We spent the morning walking one of the trails at
the Alice Springs Telegraph Station Reserve but it was very hot. We found
out later that Alice had that day experienced a record September high of 39
degrees C! The most notable bird we saw was a Collared Sparrowhawk. I had
the interesting experience of being 'buzzed' by an Australian Magpie!
We spent the night at the Aurora Alice Springs. We ate at the Bluegrass
restaurant in town - apparently it has been voted one of the best
restaurants
in Australia. The food was brilliant - highly recommended!
To be continued
Robert Grimmond
Kent, UK
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