Hazel & I went on a trip to Alice Springs on the 18th July 2008 to try and fill
in a few blanks on our lists, we left Adelaide on the 18th July
arriving in Alice on the 20th July Birding on the way from the car. We tried
the T & T Banded Whiteface site South & North of the spot for a period
and found not a one. Nor did we on the way back, or anywhere else around Alice.
The county is in a bad way with Spinifex very yellow (or already black).
We look in all known areas for Rufous-crowned Emu-wren and after two week, on
the fourth day of trying at the tyre in the post area we finally saw
3 perhaps 4 this was after a minimum of 15 hours walking through Spinifex.
Hazel was keen to see Painted Finch so we took the Ormiston Pound walk (only 4
hours) and found them & a few Spinifex Pigeons the only ones seen,
both species using a fast drying out pool of water. All the other species
reported to be in the pound were undetected by sight or sound.
We had found a single Grey Honeyeater in Serpentine Gorge around the area for
camping. We or course did not need this species but did see other birders
around Alice and advised them of location we went back there a few days later
and found 3 possible 4 individuals all mixed in with Brown & Spiny-cheeked H/E
which spent most of the time in an attempt to chase all smaller Honeyeaters
away from the blossum available, in fact some days later there were no Greys
and just a couple of Browns to be found there.
A Western Bowerbird at its Bower is doing well in the Olive Pink Bot Gardens
Car Park, Left hand side close to the Buildings.
We did find Dusky Grasswren at the Tyre in the pole site, being on the eastern
side of the road and to the lower northern spinifex area.
A trip out to Kunoth well DRY as were the Dams but Red-capped & Hooded Robins
were at least there (nothing else).
So between us we managed to add 2 sub species Emu & Western Gerygone. Hazel
ticks of Painted Finch and Emu-wren, which was my only real tick.
We did have some other delights of course 800 to 1000 Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo
on the approach into Alice and on the way back to Adelaide a flock of
30+ Bourkes Parrot. In all we saw 104 species/sub species and it was great to
to get away for 3 weeks on our own. Although we did manage to catch up with
Gary Wright and try to get more info on the state of the centre. Always good to
go to Alice but do not expect to much at this time of several years of drought.
Regard Trevor & Hazel
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