While travelling across South Australia last Friday in temperatures in
excess of 40°C, we turned off the Eyre Highway around 1.30pm for a late
lunch. Noticing an interesting old building some distance from the road, we
drove over to see if we might find some shade. As we approached, we saw
dozens of birds crouching in crevices in the building?s foundations and
pressed against the under floor air vents. It was obvious that they were
seeking respite from the heat. A few of the larger birds that could reach
down to the water, were drinking from a 44 gallon drum against the
building?s wall. From the car we counted three Ground Cuckoo-shrikes, one
female Crimson Chat, one Yellow-plumed Honeyeater, three Spiny-cheeked
Honeyeaters, ten Singing Honeyeaters, two White-fronted Honeyeaters, five
Southern Whitefaces, one Yellow-rumped Thornbill, three Dusky Woodswallows,
two Willie Wagtails, one Budgerigar and approximately forty Australasian
Pipits. I carefully climbed from the car and set up my camera for record
shots of the Cuckoo-shrikes. After taking 50 or so shots, I tried to creep
closer. Many of the birds, including one of the Cuckoo-shrikes, flew off,
but others remained. Over an hour or more I crawled closer and closer,
continuing to take photos. I eventually reached the base of the building
myself. Initially most of the birds flew away from the side of the building
out into the sun, but as I sat motionless, they started to return. Over the
next three hours I eventually had all three Ground Cuckoo-shrikes sitting as
close as two metres from me (far too close to focus) and everything else
scattered around me in a very unconcerned manner. I took hundreds of
photos.
We discovered the old building is the Yantanabie School Hall, which operated
from 1918 to 1929. To our surprise we discovered it is now privately owned,
fortunately by a lady who is keen on preserving local history. If you are
travelling between Ceduna and Kimba on a very hot day, I would strongly
recommend you call in and see what birds are about.
John Barkla
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