Hello All,
My family and I have just started a long dreamt of, long service leave
holiday. We live on the south coast of Western Australia near the Fitzgerald
River National Park, halfway between Albany and Esperance, and plan to
travel along the Great Central Road to Alice then up to Mt. Isa across to
the east coast and return by heading south around coast. All together we
have 16 weeks to enjoy.
For me this is a long awaited opportunity to see the birds of the east
coast, I have not spent a lot of time in this part of Oz. It?s also an
opportunity for me to rival some of my mates bird lists. My list is
currently 525, about 40 species behind.
1st Oct 2004 Off we go. The first couple of days were spent ironing out a
few minor problems with the car and van, so I didn?t start recording birds
until Leonora (4/10/04). My list began while parked at the fuel station with
Rock Pigeon, Singing H/e, Crested Bellbird, Magpie-lark, Brown H/e, Fairy
Martin and Spiny-cheeked H/e, nothing spectacular but it meant my holiday
had started.
We took the to Uluru NP. My target species along the Great Central Road
were the unlikely Scarlet-chested Parrot, Princess Parrot, Letter-winged
Kite and the very very unlikely Night Parrot. Hence, not a lot of effort was
put into birding along this stretch, also the conditions for using the road
allowed only a few days to travel it, it was also very hot and I didn?t want
to stretch the families patience this early.
The country looked great, recent rains had kicked the bush into action the
grasses were seeding and many of the shrubs had flowers, there was still
water lying around which attracted birds. I managed to sneak a few birding
moments during lunch breaks and occasional ?pit? stops. Recording the more
common arid zone species such as Zebra Finch, Little Crow, Red-capped Robin,
Inland Thornbill, Red-backed Kingfisher, Grey Butcherbird, Rainbow
Bee-eater, Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, Yellow-throated Miner, Torresian Crow,
Budgerigar, Australian Ringneck, Black-faced Woodswallow, Nankeen Kestrel,
Australian Hobby, and Richards Pipit. I did get to see Ground
Cuckoo-shrikes, I don?t see these often and always get a thrill when I do.
Our first camp was about 100km south of Tjukayirla Roadhouse on a sand dune
covered with spinifex and Desert Oak. After a beautiful sunset and a few
cold beers, we went to sleep to the call of Southern Boobooks and an Owlet
Nightjar. I got up before the ?crack of a sparrows fart? in the morning and
added Pallid Cuckoo, Pied Butcherbird, Weebill, Striated Pardalote,
White-winged Triller and Mulga Parrot to the trip list. I had my first
heart murmur with a black and white raptor about 500m off the road. Too far
to see with bino?s I had to walk through the spinifex to get a closer look.
Naturally of course as I approached a good distance to view the bird, it
disappeared. I stood there scanning the treetops for ages before I got a
glimpse of the bird about another 500 metres away. Already committed, off I
go again, after 40 mins of stalking this bird I eventually got close enough
to see the underwing pattern and wrote Black-shouldered Kite down in the
note book. ?Bugger?, this is the most effort I?ve put into identifying this
species.
Back on the road, we made a quick stop at Tjukayirla Roadhouse and lifted an
eyebrow at the fuel price $1.50 / lt. ?SHHHIvers?. Pulling back onto the
highway I spotted an Australian Dotterel on the road shoulder another
attractive and not often seen species that I love to watch.
The rest of the day was spent driving, the road condition turned very bad,
we reached Warakurna (near Giles) late in the afternoon where we set-up
camp. I started a bird list White-plummed H/e, Horsefields Bronze Cuckoo,
Pink Cockatoo, Crested Pigeon and Rufous Whistler were some additions.
The next day was also mostly driving again, the road got even worse. At the
NT border I did my routine check under the car and van and noticed a broken
U bolt. We dribbled into Docker River in the hope of getting another U bolt,
no such luck but the locals were very helpful and directed us to a handyman
who knocked up a bolt that hopefully would get us to Alice Springs. A few
hours later we were back on the road, just out of Docker River I spotted a
Spotted Harrier.
Up early in the morning to do the rock. The kids were excited with a Dingo
near the camp. They have been excited with the wildlife seen so far which
includes Red Kangaroos, Camels, a Thorny Devil and Goannas.
All of us, including the car and van breathed a sigh of relief when we hit
the sealed road, Wow! 1100km of dirt road completed.
The rock was closed due to wind, so we did a few short walks around the base
and visited the new cultural centre with the kids. We dropped into the
sunset viewing area where I had seen Striated Grasswrens a few years
earlier. I couldn?t locate the grasswrens but still enjoyed the birding
seeing Black and Pied H/e both breeding, White-fronted H/e, Masked
Woodswallow, White-browed Babbler, White-winged and Variegated F/wren.
08/10/04 Today we arrived at Kings Canyon to do the Canyon Walk. All enjoyed
the walk and the interpretation on the way. Of the 14 birds recorded on the
walk Hooded Robin, Grey-headed H/e, Mistletoebird, and Little Woodswallow
added to the trip list.
TBC.
Peter Wilkins.
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