Dear All
Thanks for responses so far. Main gist - I got far too ambitious!!
Clearly I am probably going to have to do these trips in two halves. Maybe fly
to Mount Isa and do that area, perhaps up to Karumba and back in my 8 to 9
days. Or maybe go SE from Mount Isa and back again.
A separate trip over a similar time scale will have to be set up another time
to go to the South Australian/Corner Country area.
>From here on, any info on the actual birds and locations would be appreciated.
Thanks for the warnings!
Cheers
Tim
> From: > To: > CC:
> > Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] RFI Eastern
> Deserts/Eungella> Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2008 18:09:10 +1100> > Tim> > I have to
> agree with the previous comment - you are looking at extremely> long
> distances and/or slow roads on most days and will have virtually no> time for
> birding, even if you still had the energy.> > I would strongly suggest either
> adding 4 or 5 days to your timing or leave> out MT Isa / Lawn Hill for
> another trip. You will then enjoy the trip> rather than being totally
> frustrated and exhausted at the end.> > Bob Cook> Axedale VIC.> > >
> -----Original Message-----> From: >
> On Behalf Of Tim Jones> Sent:
> Sunday, 9 March 2008 4:32 PM> To: Rita & Ian; birding aus> Subject: RE:
> [Birding-Aus] RFI Eastern Deserts/Eungella> > Hi Ian,> > Thanks for the
> reply. As per the original email it would be for a 7-9 day> period in the
> second half of April. Actual, exact route will be totally> designed around
> where my targets birds are likely to be, and that depends on> the info I get!
> However, it's beginning to look something like this:> > Day 1 - travel across
> from Sydney> Night 1 - Mildura or somewhere around there.> Day 2 - Gluepot
> and environs.> Night 2 - Burra or Peterborough area> Day 3 - up to Lyndhurst
> area> Night 3 - Lyndhurst or Leigh Creek> Day 4 - Birdsville track> Night 4 -
> Birdsville> Day 5 - head to Mount Isa> Nights 5 and 6 - Mount Isa> Days 6 and
> 7 - Mount Isa and Lawn Hill birding> Night 7 - maybe Boulia or Bedouri> Night
> 8 - possibly Bowra Station/Eulo> > Actually, having thought a bit more about
> the costs and awkwardness of> travelling by plane and transferring stuff to
> hire vehicles etc., I am now> considering driving it from Sydney. I own a
> Toyota Prado (with a double tank> which costs me $250 to fill up, so I don't
> think I'll have any trouble with> range) and so it seems I could go via the
> mallee and SA and north from> there, which could give me the chance to at
> least try to pick up some of the> specialities en route, such as Black-eared
> Miner, Scarlet-chested Parrot,> Western Whipbird, Chestnut-breasted
> Whiteface, Thick-billed Grasswren etc..> > Maybe this will stretch it to 8 to
> 10 days, but I would miss out Eungella> and come back SE-wards to Sydney. > >
> Yes, precautions, precautions, precautions. I would definitely invest in a>
> sat phone and a second spare wheel and not rely on a mobile. Maybe I should>
> advertise for someone to come with me... but is it so bad to go solo if I>
> stay with main routes (i.e. I wouldn't go off road as such)?> > Any further
> thoughts appreciated.> > Best rgds> > Tim> > > > > From:
> > To: > Subject: Re:>
> [Birding-Aus] Eastern Deserts/Eungella> Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2008 10:01:11>
> +1000> > Tim> It sounds like a great trip you are planning with plenty of>
> exciting country > and birding, however I'm a little unsure of where you are>
> intending to > actually go, to help you here is some advice/suggestions.>
> Apologies in > advance if it is a case of teaching you how to suck eggs!> An>
> issue is solo travelling in remote locations; never a good idea in case > of>
> breakdowns or ill-health. Need to keep in mind the mobile phone coverage >>
> is very patchy - for example I've just driven back from Townsville to >>
> Yungaburra where I live via Greenvale, The Lynd, 40 Mile Scrub and Mt Garnet>
> > and there was no coverage most of the way. And this was with a new 3 G >>
> phone using Telstra. (The coastal route was flooded). I work with NRW and >>
> we have a regular call in process when we go remote so maybe you could >>
> organise such a thing with a known route? You also need ot know how to use >>
> a sat phone (as do I!0 and that the pin number is turned off. This is to >>
> ensure that incase you are unconscious your helpers can use the phone.>>
> Second thing is to double check the distances with regard to time it takes >>
> to travel anywhere - and also the range of your vehicle as there are large >>
> gaps between fuel stops.> That is a great range of birds on your wish list;>
> with the Purlpe crowned > fairy wren very easy around Lawn Hill and Gregory>
> River. Spinifexbird > around MT Isa (but I've tried twice and missed both>
> times!) Bob Forsyth > lives at Mt Isa and is in the phone book. He can give>
> you loal advice > however at the moment is heavily involved in local>
> history. There is a > fellow called Phil Venables who is curently at Mt Isa>
> and a vg birdo. Bob > would have his contact details. Phil will be able to>
> help with the Carp and > Kalkadoon Grasswren. I saw the KW around 10 years>
> ago on road from > Cloncurry to Duchess. So very old info there but>
> according to Phil and Bob > when I met with them last November the KG is>
> apparently easy to pick up > (which normally means I miss out!)! Adn Phil>
> has good sites for the Carp > Grasswren.> > Things like Halls Babblers ->
> around Winton south to Opalton. Maybe better > to go camping in places like>
> Bladensburg NP? Just south of Winton. Or stay > at Winton and travel down.>
> Straited Grassrens are apparently easy to pick > up around Larks Quarry NP.>>
> > I've seen Spotted Bowerbirds one before - when we had to stay in Clermont>
> > for two nights due to vehicular failure! They were in the local park.> >>
> I'm going on a trip for 4 nights with some friends from the tablelands to >>
> the Winton area in May, banking on the assumption that with the good rains >>
> there will be a population explosion and we'll be tripping up over Rufous >>
> crowned Emu wrens, Redthroats and Spinifexbirds. I can dream.> I'd be>
> interested to hear of any response you get, as we are going to > similiar>
> country. Sounds like a great trip and you should see some great > birds.> >>
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