birding-aus

Trip report - long and possibly dull - Outback SA and QLD

To: Birding-Aus Aus <>
Subject: Trip report - long and possibly dull - Outback SA and QLD
From: david taylor <>
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:59:46 +1000
Agree - I read every word with eager interest and prolonged envy! A great 
report!  cheers david Taylor

On 23/07/2010, at 7:50 PM, Chris Charles wrote:

> Dull?
> This is the most inspiring trip report of 2010, and there have been some very 
> good ones.
>
> What makes a good trip report?
> Probably plenty of birds to report is a really good start - tick.
> Reinforcement of travellers adage of 'Never Ask a Local- Ask another 
> Traveller' - tick.
> A bit of family involvement, even if they do smell - tick
> A passing reference to 5500km in 2 weeks & the slithery roads: the nostalgia 
> of past Redex Trials - tick
>
> Ticks all the boxes for me. Awesome.
> Great report Dave.
> Chris
>
> Chris Charles
> 0412 911 184
> 
> 33deg 47'30"S
> 151deg10'09"E
>
>
>
>
>
> On 23/07/2010, at 10:26 AM, Dave & Cath wrote:
>
>> Trip report, outback South Australia & Queensland July 5 - 19, 2010
>>
>>
>> Hi Birding-Aus Birdos
>>
>> I have just returned from an incredible two weeks in outback South Oz and
>> Queensland with my twitcher son Tait. We started in Adelaide in my faithful
>> old Paj, up the Birdsville Track, then on to Mt Isa, across to Kingfisher
>> Park via Normanton and Georgetown, then to Townsville, zigzagging across
>> inland Queensland and finally, down the Strzelecki Track and back to
>> Adelaide. All up 5500km. Best of all, incident free - apart from one
>> shredded tyre on the Strzelecki, a smashed windscreen near Georgetown and
>> smacking a roo in the middle of Queensland - other than that, incident free.
>>
>>
>> The main reason for the trip was to witness the transformation of the arid
>> zone by the two years of well above average rainfall and to pick up a few
>> niggling inland species which had so far proved hard to find. This year
>> would of course afford the best opportunity to see them with recruitment of
>> populations probable after the rains.
>>
>> Highlights for me were seeing five species of grasswren in three days and
>> the breathtaking abundance of life in the otherwise arid outback. I have to
>> say it was spectacular and worth the effort if you can do it.
>>
>> Day 1, July 5.
>>
>> We kicked off driving straight up to Mt Lyndhurst to visit the famous
>> Chestnut Breasted Whiteface sites at the two gates and rusty car. It was
>> bitterly cold and the sun was low in the sky by the time we started but
>> nevertheless still managed good sightings of Thick-billed Grasswrens, Rufous
>> Fieldwren, along with enormous parties of White-winged Fairywrens with up to
>> four or five fully coloured males in the group. Zebra Finches were also here
>> in numbers and were to be our constant companions everywhere we went in the
>> inland areas. No CBWF however.
>>
>> Day 2, July 6.
>>
>> After an easy night at the shearers quarters at Mt Lyndhurst we headed back
>> to the rusty car and put in a concerted effort on the CBWF. I have already
>> been to this location several times before but no cigar on the CBWF. We
>> searched high and low and wide all round the little rocky hills near the
>> mine and actually did locate a small party of CBWF but they were too far off
>> to identify with surety. We did see all the usual suspects, such as Cinnamon
>> Quail Thrush, Chirruping Wedgebills, Thick-billed Grasswrens, Little Crow,
>> Spiny Cheeked HE, Emu and the other common species but the Whiteface eluded
>> us.  I had read a report on the net concerning a survey of the CBFW which
>> indicated the best place to look was actually about 500 metres north of the
>> rusty car. Half-heartedly we poked around the low vegetation in the area and
>> as I followed a White-winged Fairywren stumbled upon a party of six or seven
>> CBWF which sat obliging on top of the acacia shrubs and we were able watch
>> them for some time. Brilliant. The relief was palpable and my life as a
>> South Oz birdo had gained new meaning and consequence - pathetic I know -
>> but what can you do?
>>
>> As we returned to the vehicle another group of similarly desperate souls
>> drove in, their anxious faces etched with the hours of wasted time spent
>> searching for these elusive birds. Fortunately as an experienced observer of
>> these rare birds I was able to magnanimously point them in the right
>> direction with a serene and detached benevolence. As they scampered off in
>> the direction of the CBWF stepping on the heads of Grasswrens and Quail
>> Thrush on the way I could only shake my head at the sad plight of the poor
>> unfortunate souls who, unlike my good self, had yet to attain the proper
>> kind of spiritual growth required to look upon such rare beauty.
>>
>> The serenity didn't last long however as we headed north up the Birdsville
>> track where we hoped to encounter the Eyrean Grasswren - another nemesis
>> bird which back in 2008 had me hopelessly running like a obsessed fool all
>> over the sparsely clad sand hills with no good outcome. The further north we
>> headed the more obvious the transformation of the country became. Enormous
>> temporary wetlands and flocks of budgies, cockatiel and finches became the
>> norm. We even saw Brolgas out of their normal range at Dulkaninna Station
>> near the HS.
>>
>> When we arrived at the swollen Cooper Creek we sat in the queue for the punt
>> for three hours. I assumed that all the traffic must be other birders out
>> and about to look for grasswrens like ourselves. But apparently most of them
>> were sailors or friends of sailors here for a regatta on the Cooper just
>> downstream. Anyway we spent the time birding around the river and backwaters
>> and observed shed-loads of Grey Teal, Hardhead Ducks, Coots, Swans, Native
>> Hens, Pelicans, Hoary-headed Grebe, Silver Gulls, Gull-billed Terns, and all
>> the usual bush birds as well.
>>
>> Day 3, July 7.
>>
>> Next morning we passed into the dune country and at the first decent lump
>> went for a quick scrounge to see if we could turn up a grasswren. The dunes
>> were in stunning form. The cane grass was green and vital and the other
>> plants all urgent with growth and colour. On the way over to the dune I was
>> fortunate to jag a small party of Banded Whiteface, a tick for me and a nice
>> bonus. No grasswrens here so we pressed on to Mungeranie Roadhouse.
>> Incidentally an excellent camping site with a permanent wetland and some
>> acacia trees for shelter. Nice.
>>
>> After a short rest we tooled around the wetland for awhile spotting plenty
>> of White-necked Heron, Rufus Night Heron, Great and Little Egret along with
>> the usual water birds you might expect. The dunes just south of the
>> roadhouse however were even more verdant. Around a kilometre south we
>> discovered a veritable wonderland of life. Swirling flocks of Budgies, and
>> Crimson and Orange Chats attended us everywhere. Again huge parties of
>> White-winged Wrens up to twenty strong were commonly encountered and Pied
>> HE, White-winged Trillers, Brown and Rufous Songlarks, Fairy and Tree
>> Martins, and Black-faced Woodswallow were also numerous. The plant life was
>> equally vivid with colour. Bit annoying really as it all served to divert
>> out attention from the task at hand of finding Eyrean Grasswrens. Came
>> across a fat happy dingo, doubtless full of fat unhappy birds. Anyway we did
>> eventually find a family of grasswren but they did the usual grasswren thing
>> and led us on a merry chase til they gave us the slip a hundred metres on.
>> No worry as we just kept walking and stumbled upon another party of
>> grasswrens which this time gave us sustained clear views. After that the
>> swirling clouds of pretty little birds seemed quite nice really. Ah. the
>> serenity. On the way back ended up seeing the first party of Eyrean
>> Grasswren again but they knew the game was up, so sat out in the open in
>> full sunlight without the smallest care in the world.
>>
>> Buoyed by our success we pressed on to our next conquest of seeing the
>> elusive Grey Grasswren. We figured that the lignum swamps common further up
>> the track would be in good shape and that the Grey Grasswren populations
>> might be in similarly good shape. Late on the third day we found our way to
>> a venue somewhere on the Goyder Lagoon, the exact location escapes me as I
>> write but whatever the case it was hard to believe we were a thousand
>> kilometres from the sea in the middle of a desert. The swamp was an oasis of
>> life brimming with all kinds of birds. Unbelievably we had hardly begun
>> walking when we found our first party of Greys not even in the lignum but in
>> the surrounding cane grass. It soon became apparent that the grasswren were
>> actually concentrated on the edge of the swamp and we even found them in
>> acacia shrubs surrounded by gibber at one point. All I had read and heard
>> about Grey Grasswren did not prepare me for this. In all we came across at
>> least four distinct parties of Grey Grasswrens and had continuous crippling
>> views of them. At one point I cornered one in a small shrub and eventually
>> pressed by face into the foliage and came eyeball to eyeball with the
>> stubborn creature. Too good to be true. Also saw Spotted Harrier, three
>> Flock Bronzewings and sixteen Inland Dotterel in the area too.
>>
>> Day 4, July 8.
>>
>> Next day we headed toward the border and found ourselves driving through
>> vast wetlands that stretched from horizon to horizon. All three species of
>> Ibis, Gull-billed terns, Royal and Yellow-billed Spoonbills, Pink-eared
>> Ducks, Red-necked Avocets, Red-kneed Dotterel, Black-Fronted Dotterel and
>> thousands of Australian Pratincole, and even more Black-tailed Native Hen
>> were all over the muddy margins. We also saw huge flocks of Flock
>> Bronzewings numbering thousands off in the distance. What is the collective
>> term for Flock Bronzewings I wonder? Seems ridiculously tautological saying:
>> "flock of Flock Bronzewings." Anyway people ought to be flocking to see
>> flocks of Flock Bronzewings I think.
>>
>> Immediately over the border we came across a group of Bustards walking
>> across the road and these were to be the first of many we would encounter
>> over the next two days. From here on the road became a slithering sliding
>> mess and the journey to Bedourie took us over three hours to traverse.
>> Nevertheless the roadside birding was spectacular. It was a strange thing to
>> see swamp harriers in plenty hawking over gibber plains. If the Swamp
>> Harriers could organise themselves they could take over the world under
>> current circumstances.
>>
>> The sand hills up near Bedourie were stunning and we would have liked to
>> have spent more time there but we wanted to be in Mt Isa the next day to
>> have a crack at the two grasswren species there. Too slushy underfoot to
>> camp so we had a comfortable night in the Bedourie pub before heading off to
>> Mt Isa.
>>
>> Day 5, July 9.
>>
>> Headed off toward Boulia. Nothing special to report along the road other
>> than the frequent sightings of Bustards, and another huge flock of Flock
>> Bronzewings near a bore. Can't imagine why they needed a bore to slake their
>> thirst. Also spied plenty of Red-backed Kingfishers and Spinifex Pigeons in
>> the region.
>>
>> We came across some enormous swarms of locusts in this region. Not the
>> plague locusts more common down south but some sort of bigger, car-denting,
>> monster version of the locust. Not one of these robots splattered on the
>> windscreen. They were just too big and solid.
>>
>> As we approached Mt Isa on the main road from Boulia in the middle afternoon
>> we stopped in at the well known Kalkadoon Grasswren site at Sybella Creek. A
>> top venue and reminiscent of the Kakadu sandstone plateau. No grasswrens
>> sighted here but did see some Red-winged Parrots, Grey-headed and
>> Grey-fronted Honeyeaters and Variegated Fairywren, Rainbowbirds, Striated
>> Pardalote and Red-backed Kingfisher. A little further down the road we
>> stopped in at Mica Creek and headed off to the right and up a very steep
>> gully to a peak looking out toward Mt Isa. We headed over the peak to try to
>> get back down to the main creek and unexpectedly flushed a Kalkadoon
>> Grasswren near the top of the hill. It sat obligingly in a tree giving us
>> good binocular vision and gave a loud alarm call before weaving back to the
>> valley floor where it joined the rest of its party. For the next hour we
>> stumbled along the rickety rubble on the ridiculously steep slopes and every
>> now and again one of the Kalkadoon Grasswrens would sit up just long enough
>> to let us see the essential features. This was stunt-birding at its best.
>> Nice; but life threatening.
>>
>> It was good to have the Kalkadoon under the belt so we could concentrate on
>> finding the Carpentarian Grasswren the next day. We found one of those
>> wonderful free camping sites so common in Queensland only a handful of
>> kilometres from the turnoff to the well known Carpentarian Grasswren site.
>>
>> Day 6, July 10.
>>
>> Next morning we broke camp early and headed off. Along the way we were
>> distracted by what looked like a Black-tailed Treecreeper but failed to find
>> it but flushed a Spinifexbird instead which was a nice bonus.  Using the
>> handheld GPS we soon pulled up at the famous site and set ourselves for a
>> gruelling day-long search based on the reports posted on Birding-Aus. We had
>> been spectacularly lucky with the grasswrens so far on this trip and surely
>> our luck would wear thin. Within minutes of trudging into the bush however
>> we heard the unmistakable call of a grasswren - behind us! Turning back to
>> near where the Paj was parked we soon discovered a party of Carpentarian
>> Grasswrens on the graded roadside which gave easy and sustained views.
>> Unbelievable! In fact of all the grasswrens these were the loudest and
>> easiest to follow. We stayed with them for some time as they slowly worked
>> back along the creek. Two other birders turned up while we were there and
>> Tait met them to direct them to where I was watching the birds. Makes you
>> realise how powerful the Birding-Aus information can be as 'Geoff from
>> Armidale' and his wife joined the fray sporting some serious camera gear.
>> Incidentally Geoff from Armidale if you did get a photo of the birds I would
>> love to get a copy of one of them.
>>
>> We left them to it and on the way back to the main highway stopped at
>> another likely looking venue where we saw Little Button Quail, Crested
>> Bellbird, Red-backed Fairywren, and another Spinifexbird. The rest of the
>> day was spent travelling til sunset almost to Normanton. Large groups of up
>> to twenty Apostlebirds were regularly seen on the way along with a bunch of
>> other tropical bush birds including an Olive-backed Oriole.
>>
>> Day 7, July 11.
>>
>> Next morning we dropped into Normanton where I Sarus a Crane. See what I did
>> there? Comedy gold. Incidentally Normanton has got to be the worst planned
>> town (apart from Canberra of course) in Australia. Random shops and petrol
>> outlets kilometres apart with no one shop having everything one might need.
>> Made us tour the town and maybe that is the plan. Another gruelling day of
>> driving with a quick stop in at Cumberland Dam where Magpie Geese, Jacanas,
>> Green Pygmy Geese, Yellow, Blue-faced  and Rufous-throated Honeyeater,
>> Plumed Whistling and Wandering Duck, Restless Flycatchers, Blue-winged
>> Kookaburras, and Double Barred Finches were to be had. Eventually we made it
>> to Atherton in the night.
>>
>> Day 8, July 12.
>>
>> We made any early start and decided to drop into Lake Eacham for a quick
>> look. In grassland just out of Atherton I finally had my first view of a
>> Buff-Banded Rail a bird I always assumed I would blunder into one day and
>> that day was this day. We also saw a couple of Tawney Grassbirds here.
>> Anyway after circumnavigating the lake we had added substantially to our
>> list. A Pied Monarch being the pick of the bunch and a tick for me.
>>
>> Afterward we headed up to Kingfisher Park. This was my first visit to the
>> park and it is a must-see for any serious birder. Hosts Keith and Lindsay
>> Fisher are very much in step with all the comings and goings of the local
>> wildlife and have the postal addresses and daily itinerary of many of the
>> hard-to-get tropical bird species. Keith put us onto the resident Papuan
>> Frogmouth. In comparison a Tawney Frogmouth looks like it is wearing a
>> bright orange safety vest. The spotlighting tour of the park that night was
>> fascinating and revealed not only nocturnal birds but mammals and reptiles
>> and frogs as well. We drove to the top of Mt Lewis that afternoon ever
>> hopeful of a Golden Bowerbird but it was cold and wet and generally dark up
>> top and we saw very little. Bower's Shrike Thrush was nice and a few other
>> bits and pieces more readily available at KFP.
>>
>> We were exhausted to be honest and realised we had pushed too hard and too
>> far to really take in the possibilities of the region and decided that a
>> full blown assault at another time might be a better idea. Nevertheless we
>> did what we could and decided to take a more laid back approach and simply
>> enjoy the time. Who could ever tire of looking at or listening to a
>> Yellow-breasted Boatbill?
>>
>> Day 9, July 13.
>>
>> Slept in. Needed some nuclear powered coffee to get going today but by
>> middle of the afternoon was rearing to go. Really wanted to see a Squatter
>> Pigeon and had hoped to pick them up on the way but missed them. Lindsay
>> told us of a small dam out in the dry woodland country up north just past Mt
>> Carbine where Squatter Pigeons are regularly seen. We staked out the dam in
>> the late afternoon and waited. A succession of interesting birds came in for
>> a drink including Pale-headed Rosellas, Galahs, Corellas, various
>> Honey-eaters, Double-barred Finches, Black-throated Finches, and most
>> curious of all the melanota subspecies of the Brown Treecreeper. No Squatter
>> Pigeons though.
>>
>> Day 10, July 14.
>> Early morning walk near KFP saw an adult Metallic Starling, apparently
>> unusual at this time of year. Broke camp and drove toward Ingham to visit
>> friends. Stopped off briefly in Cairns Botanic Gardens and picked up Black
>> Butcherbird, Drongo, Figbird and Yellow Oriole to name a few. Rolled into
>> Ingham and stayed with friends.
>>
>> Day 11, July 15
>>
>> Down to Townsville stopping in at Paluma on the way. Nice trip up the
>> mountain where we had heard that Golden Bowerbird might be had. We walked a
>> few of the tracks but again it was cold and quiet. In fact on one walk we
>> saw a total of three birds. Not three species - three birds. Very unusual.
>> King Parrots and White-cheeked Honeyeater common enough here.
>>
>> Once in Townsville decided to put a few kilometres between the coast and
>> ourselves and ended up camped near Winton. As a matter of interest the road
>> between Hughenden and Winton is not interesting. And watch out for the roos
>> there were loads of them here and all bent on bending your vehicle. One of
>> then attempted to suicide on the front of the Paj but fortunately slowed
>> down enough to only give it a spanking and lost a driving light.
>>
>> Day 12, July 16.
>>
>> Dropped into the Bladensburg National Park in the morning in an attempt to
>> find a Rufous-crowned Emu-wren. Beautiful place and we wandered through
>> hectares of likely looking Spinifex to no avail. The grass was swarming with
>> locusts which made birding almost impossible. Nevertheless a place I would
>> like to visit again sometime. There were however plenty of White-browed
>> Woodswallow, Jacky Winter, Spinifex Pigeon, Weebill and Inland Thornbill.
>>
>> The road south was closed due to heavy rain so we drove to Longreach then
>> down toward Jundah. Right on Sunset came across another of the free camping
>> sites which was one of the best camping sites I have ever had the pleasure
>> of staying in. Set atop a rocky bluff overlooking magnificent acacia
>> woodland interspersed with Spinifex and to top it off; a brilliant sunset.
>>
>> Day 13, July 17
>>
>> Bright and early I headed down into the woodland below for a bit of a squiz
>> and decided that I would take the pressure off and just enjoy the bush and
>> the familiar birds and sort of saunter around in a relaxed way. Naturally I
>> kind of hoped that I might stumble upon a stray grasswren or emu wren in the
>> Spinifex or perhaps a random Night Parrot or two. Nothing big, just wanted
>> to amuse myself is all. Eventually I stumbled into a loose coalition of a
>> dozen different species as you do in the arid bush. Red-capped Robins, Mulga
>> Parrots, Ringnecks, Singing Honey Eater, Hooded Robin, Rufous Whistler,
>> Crested Bllbird, Inland Thornbill, Weebill and best of all a party of
>> Chestnut Breasted Quail Thrush, an unexpected tick for me. Upon returning to
>> the camp I pointed Tait in the direction of the sighting and had breakfast
>> while he attempted to twitch the QTs.
>>
>> An hour later he returned but had not seen the QT but as a consolation
>> happened upon Hall's Babbler and Bourke's Parrot. Both these would be lifers
>> for me. Damn! There goes the serenity! Back down the hill and into the fray.
>> We wandered around for some time before finally coming across another
>> coalition of birds and I did see the Hall's Babblers which are really quite
>> distinct from the White-browed when seen in the flesh. But Tait dipped on
>> the CBQT and I on the Bourke's Parrot. Tait had been to Bowra the year
>> previous and said this venue was like Bowra only better. I have not been to
>> Bowra so cannot comment but that was his opinion. Happy to pass on location
>> details to anyone interested.
>>
>> Later that day we continued our journey through the Welford National Park
>> which was a mixed bag of red sand dunes and open woodland. It was brimming
>> with life like the other inland venues we had already visited and covered in
>> wild flowers and birds. We found more Hall's Babblers here and nearby Tawney
>> Crowed Babblers as well.
>>
>> Along the Diamantina road we happened upon a group of Chestnut Quail thrush
>> and late in the day I spotted some odd looking parrots landing in a tree.
>> They turned out to be Bourke's, five in all that flew down next to the road
>> to feed on the verge. No field guide or photo can do justice to the subtle
>> and delicate colours and nature of these exceptional birds. Really quite a
>> treat in the dying rays of last light.
>>
>> Day 13, July 18,
>> We wanted to get back into South Oz via Innamincka but were unsure of road
>> conditions as it was pretty obvious that a serious amount of rain had fallen
>> in the region. We headed hopefully into Eromanga where local intelligence
>> informed us that all the roads were almost certainly cut and that only death
>> and suffering awaited us followed by maniacal laughter.
>>
>> Oddly enough I have found that most residents of remote locations seem to
>> take some kind of perverse pleasure in passing on vastly exaggerated
>> prognostications on the probable hideous and disfiguring death you will soon
>> endure if you drive through, camp at, walk near, look at or even think about
>> any given locality best known to the resident population. I have found the
>> best source of information is the local caravan park. The grey nomad
>> subculture in particular is really very open and friendly and they are way
>> more than happy to help out. There are hundreds, probably even multiple
>> thousands of people out there in this particular group who carry state of
>> the art recovery gear, tyre repair paraphernalia, hospital grade first aid
>> kits and military standard communications devices who are driving around the
>> outback hoping, praying and searching for someone to use their stuff on. For
>> them lost, dying, desperate people in disastrous situations are the stuff of
>> dreams. Their entire existence is validated when they can finally use the
>> gear they have spent thousands of dollars to purchase. The day will come
>> when a fight will break out between rival good Samaritans - mark my words.
>> Anyway the news was good so we pressed on.
>>
>> At a river crossing we spied a small flock of Flock Bronzies drop to the
>> ground only a few hundred metres form the road. We really wanted to see them
>> up close so decided to walk out on the flood plain after them. The whole
>> place was alive with various birds and we were constantly flushing
>> Songlarks, Pipits, and unidentified Quail on the way. Eventually we flushed
>> the Flockies and watched weal about at close quarters.
>>
>> We made it to Innamincka by night fall after an obligatory visit to the site
>> of the 'Dig Tree.' Rereading the tragic story of Bourke and Wills was quite
>> incredible. How could you starve to death in a place like this? Freshwater
>> mussels, yabbies and fish in plenty. Bustards and other edible birds
>> everywhere and offers of help from the Aboriginal people. Speaking of birds
>> I have never seen so many Rufous Night Herons anywhere as we saw all along
>> the Cooper Creek.
>>
>> We had a miserable night in Innamincka mainly due to the boggy clay in the
>> camping area. Pretty sure I heard a Barking Owl calling which is a bit of a
>> rarity in South Oz. But to see it would have involved snorkelling through
>> mud.
>>
>> Day 14, July 19
>>
>> Camping is fun. But after two weeks it is not fun. We were planning on
>> camping down the Strez at Montecolina but we were covered in mud, unshaven,
>> mad hair and wild eyes. And by now Tait was beginning to stink. So we began
>> to warm to the idea of driving the full 1100 kms to Adealide in a single
>> day. 1100 doesn't sound like much but the track was pretty messed up and
>> rutted and in may parts covered by water. But the thought of a warm shower
>> and home cooked food gave us wings.
>>
>> Speaking of wings Tait really wanted to see a Letter Winged Kite and I knew
>> a site where Steve Potter and I had seen them in 2008. Steve had recently
>> revisited them there and they were still around. The country along the track
>> was similar to the Birdsville with vast wetlands and waterbirds in vast
>> numbers, the dunes were lush with vegetation and the gibber plains knee deep
>> in cover.
>>
>> We stopped in at the LWK site and it was pretty much as I remember it except
>> for the mud and vegetation. The kites were there however and after they flew
>> over and inspected us they settled down in their roosting tree, Plenty of
>> other raptors at this site as well, Black Kites, Brown falcon, Brown
>> Goshawk, Spotted Harrier and Nankeen Kestrel.
>>
>> Plenty of Banded Lapwing along the track and conspicuous in the absence were
>> the White-backed Swallow which are normally abundant here. Strange.
>>
>> Rest of the trip uneventful, just had to avoid being forced into a shelter
>> as a vagrant in Pt Augusta. All up 227 species. For me 17 new Aussie ticks
>> and some great memories. Do yourself a favour and get out there if you can.
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> David Kowalick
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Trip List
>> 1) Emu
>> 2) Australian Brush-turkey
>> 3) Orangefooted Scrubfowl
>> 4) Stubble Quail
>> 5) Magpie Goose
>> 6) Plumed Whistling-Duck
>> 7) Wandering Whistling-Duck
>> 8) Black Swan
>> 9) Radjah Shelduck
>> 10) Australian Wood Duck
>> 11) Green PygmyGoose
>> 12) Pacific Black Duck
>> 13) Grey Teal
>> 14) Pink-eared Duck
>> 15) Hardhead
>> 16) Australasian Grebe
>> 17) Hoaryheaded Grebe
>> 18) Darter
>> 19) Little Pied Cormorant
>> 20) Pied Cormorant
>> 21) Little Black Cormorant
>> 22) Great Cormorant
>> 23) Whitefaced Heron
>> 24) Little Egret
>> 25) White-necked Heron
>> 26) Great Egret
>> 27) Cattle Egret
>> 28) Striated Heron
>> 29) Nankeen Night Heron
>> 30) Glossy Ibis
>> 31) Australian White Ibis
>> 32) Strawnecked Ibis
>> 33) Royal Spoonbill
>> 34) Yellowbilled Spoonbill
>> 35) Blacknecked Stork
>> 36) Osprey
>> 37) Blackshouldered Kite
>> 38) Letterwinged Kite
>> 39) Black Kite
>> 40) Whistling Kite
>> 41) Brahminy Kite
>> 42) Whitebellied SeaEagle
>> 43) Spotted Harrier
>> 44) Marsh Harrier
>> 45) Brown Goshawk
>> 46) Wedgetailed Eagle
>> 47) Little Eagle
>> 48) Brown Falcon
>> 49) Nankeen Kestrel
>> 50) Sarus Crane*
>> 51) Brolga
>> 52) Buffbanded Rail*
>> 53) Purple Swamphen
>> 54) Dusky Moorhen
>> 55) Blacktailed Nativehen
>> 56) Eurasian Coot
>> 57) Australian Bustard
>> 58) Little Buttonquail
>> 59) Combcrested Jacana
>> 60) Bush Stone-curlew
>> 61) Blackwinged Stilt
>> 62) Rednecked Avocet
>> 63) Redcapped Plover
>> 64) Inland Dotterel
>> 65) Blackfronted Dotterel
>> 66) Redkneed Dotterel
>> 67) Banded Lapwing
>> 68) Masked Lapwing
>> 69) Australian Pratincole
>> 70) Silver Gull
>> 71) Gullbilled Tern
>> 72) Caspian Tern
>> 73) Roseate Tern
>> 74) Rock Dove
>> 75) Spotted TurtleDove
>> 76) Brown CuckooDove
>> 77) Emerald Dove
>> 78) Common Bronzewing
>> 79) Flock Bronzewing
>> 80) Crested Pigeon
>> 81) Spinifex Pigeon
>> 82) Diamond Dove
>> 83) Peaceful Dove
>> 84) Barshouldered Dove
>> 85) Wompoo FruitDove
>> 86) Topknot Pigeon
>> 87) Redtailed BlackCockatoo
>> 88) Galah
>> 89) Little Corella
>> 90) Sulphurcrested Cockatoo
>> 91) Cockatiel
>> 92) Rainbow Lorikeet
>> 93) Scalybreasted Lorikeet
>> 94) Varied Lorikeet
>> 95) Australian King-Parrot
>> 96) Redwinged Parrot
>> 97) Paleheaded Rosella
>> 98) Australian Ringneck
>> 99) Blue Bonnet
>> 100) Swift Parrot
>> 101) Redrumped Parrot
>> 102) Mulga Parrot
>> 103) Budgerigar
>> 104) Bourke's Parrot *
>> 105) Horsfield's BronzeCuckoo
>> 106) Shining BronzeCuckoo
>> 107) Southern Boobook
>> 108) Barn Owl
>> 109) Papuan Frogmouth*
>> 110) Spotted Nightjar
>> 111) Australian Owletnightjar
>> 112) Whiterumped Swiftlet
>> 113) Azure Kingfisher
>> 114) Laughing Kookaburra
>> 115) Bluewinged Kookaburra
>> 116) Forest Kingfisher
>> 117) Redbacked Kingfisher
>> 118) Sacred Kingfisher
>> 119) Rainbow Beeeater
>> 120) Whitethroated Treecreeper
>> 121) Brown Treecreeper
>> 122) Variegated Fairywren
>> 123) Whitewinged Fairywren
>> 124) Redbacked Fairywren
>> 125) Grey Grasswren*
>> 126) Carpentarian Grasswren*
>> 127) Eyrean Grasswren*
>> 128) Thickbilled Grasswren
>> 129) Kalkadoon Grasswren*
>> 130) Striated Pardalote
>> 131) Yellowthroated Scrubwren
>> 132) Atherton Scrubwren
>> 133) Largebilled Scrubwren
>> 134) Rufous Fieldwren
>> 135) Weebill
>> 136) Brown Gerygone
>> 137) Inland Thornbill
>> 138) Chestnutbreasted Whiteface*
>> 139) Banded Whiteface*
>> 140) Red Wattlebird
>> 141) Spinycheeked Honeyeater
>> 142) Silvercrowned Friarbird
>> 143) Little Friarbird
>> 144) Bluefaced Honeyeater
>> 145) Yellowthroated Miner
>> 146) Macleay's Honeyeater
>> 147) Lewin's Honeyeater
>> 148) Yellowspotted Honeyeater
>> 149) Graceful Honeyeater
>> 150) Bridled Honeyeater*
>> 151) Singing Honeyeater
>> 152) Yellow Honeyeater
>> 153) Greyheaded Honeyeater
>> 154) Greyfronted Honeyeater
>> 155) Whiteplumed Honeyeater
>> 156) Whitethroated Honeyeater
>> 157) Brown Honeyeater
>> 158) Whitecheeked Honeyeater
>> 159) Rufousthroated Honeyeater
>> 160) Pied Honeyeater
>> 161) Dusky Honeyeater
>> 162) Crimson Chat
>> 163) Orange Chat
>> 164) Whitefronted Chat
>> 165) Jacky Winter
>> 166) Redcapped Robin
>> 167) Hooded Robin
>> 168) Paleyellow Robin
>> 169) Greyheaded Robin
>> 170) Hall's Babbler*
>> 171) Chestnutcrowned Babbler
>> 172) Eastern Whipbird
>> 173) Chirruping Wedgebill
>> 174) Cinnamon Quailthrush
>> 175) Chestnutbreasted Quailthrush*
>> 176) Crested Bellbird
>> 177) Rufous Whistler
>> 178) Little Shrikethrush
>> 179) Bower's Shrikethrush*
>> 180) Grey Shrikethrush
>> 181) Yellowbreasted Boatbill
>> 182) Spectacled Monarch
>> 183) Pied Monarch*
>> 184) Restless Flycatcher
>> 185) Magpie-lark
>> 186) Rufous Fantail
>> 187) Grey Fantail
>> 188) Willie Wagtail
>> 189) Spangled Drongo
>> 190) Blackfaced Cuckooshrike
>> 191) Whitewinged Triller
>> 192) Yellow Oriole
>> 193) Olivebacked Oriole
>> 194) Figbird
>> 195) Whitebreasted Woodswallow
>> 196) Whitebrowed Woodswallow
>> 197) Blackfaced Woodswallow
>> 198) Black Butcherbird
>> 199) Pied Butcherbird
>> 200) Australian Magpie
>> 201) Pied Currawong
>> 202) Victoria's Riflebird
>> 203) Australian Raven
>> 204) Little Crow
>> 205) Torresian Crow
>> 206) Apostlebird
>> 207) Great Bowerbird
>> 208) Richard's Pipit
>> 209) House Sparrow
>> 210) Zebra Finch
>> 211) Double-barred Finch
>> 212) Blackthroated Finch*
>> 213) Crimson Finch
>> 214) Redbrowed Finch
>> 215) Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
>> 216) Mistletoebird
>> 217) Welcome Swallow
>> 218) Tree Martin
>> 219) Fairy Martin
>> 220) Tawny Grassbird
>> 221) Little Grassbird
>> 222) Spinifexbird*
>> 223) Rufous Songlark
>> 224) Brown Songlark
>> 225) Silvereye
>> 226) Metallic Starling
>> 227) Common Myna
>>
>>
>> * - ticks
>>
>>
>>
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David Taylor
Brisbane





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The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the birding-aus mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU