Hello Birders
I managed to expand a trip to Adelaide at Easter to include a 'little bird'
twitch.
My target species were Mallee Emu-wren, Short-tailed Grasswren,
Chestnut-breasted Whiteface and Myall subspecies of Thickbilled Grasswren.
Mallee Emu-wren- Overnight camped at Pink Lakes in the Murray Sunset NP. I
had good views of the MEW after two hours of morning walk through spinifex
on North side of Lake Crosbie.(Drive anti-clockwise around lake from
camping area until you come to spinifex on both sides of the road).
Other birds included Blue Bonnet, Mulga Parrot, White-browed Babbler,
Hooded Robin and Striped and Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters.
Short-tailed Grasswren- Leaving Adelaide at 3.30am on Good Friday, I tried
Warren Gorge but gave up after 3 hours because Easter campers in the area
were shooting at close proximity.
Tried Stokes Hill Lookout and got good views of one STGW after 6 hours (2.5
in afternoon and 3.5 the next morning). I saw the bird rather than heard it
and it only made a single low-key response to my squeaker as it moved away
after I had found it.
It was on a hillside with a small rocky outcrop and some grasstrees. The
spot, 31 27 24s 138 44 39e, is visible from the east side of the carpark,
31 27 30s 138 44 11e. It is 770 m from the carpark at a bearing of 68 e of n.
Other birds included Elegant Parrot, Red-capped Robin, Weebill and
Yellow-rumped Thornbill.
Chestnut-breasted Whiteface- I arrived at Mt. Lyndhurst at 4pm on Saturday.
Despite friends hearing and seeing a pair of CBW within minutes of arrival
two weeks earlier, I had to camp for two nights. I finally saw one after a
total of 12 character building hours of searching. Again I saw the bird
rather than heard it. My sighting was at 8.20am at 30 12 02s 138 36 08e
This is south east of the mine and well to the south of the creek.
Other birds included Mistletoebird, Rufous Fieldwren, Hooded Robin,
Chirruping Wedgebill, White-backed Swallow, Singing and Spiny-cheeked
Honeyeaters. I did not see the TBGW or the CQT but I was concentrating on
the CBW as I'd seen these others on previous trips.
I had previously established with the property owners, Mark and Anne
Scammell (ph 08 8675 7796), that they were happy for me to bird and camp at
the site.
Myall subspecies of Thickbilled Grasswren- I dipped on this one. After 4
hours at Whyalla Conservation Park and a couple more in the general area I
was committed to returning to Adelaide.
Although there were many birds active in the area there was no sight or
sound of the TBGW. Perhaps they are more active later in the year during
breeding. This is when previous sightings have been reported on Birding-Aus.
Other birds seen included Slender-billed, Chestnut-rumped and Inland
Thornbills, Crested Bellbird, Southern Whiteface, Variagated and
White-winged Fairywrens.
The weather was pleasant for the whole of the trip but the flies were
almost unbearable, especially at Mt.Lyndhurst.
All GPS readings are to WSG 84 datum.
Thanks to all who assisted with research information which, combined with
that on Birding-Aus, made this a successful twitch.
Frank Pierce
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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