Hi Birders
We have recently returned from a three week trip starting in Sydney and
finishing in Alice Springs. We visited Western NSW including Tilpa, White
Cliffs, Tibooburra and Camerons Corner, then Broken Hill, Northern Flinders
Ranges, Lyndhurst, Maree, the Oodnadatta Track and Coober Pedy en route to
Alice. The first 14 days was with seven birders, a guide (Jim Valentine) and
a driver (Paul Hartmann) with Outback Track Tours. The last 5/6 days was
four birding friends all around the Alice Springs area. The following is a
summary of our experiences and I am happy to respond to anyone who would
like any more specific details.
Overall, we experienced the Outback wetter than any of us had ever seen,
with water everywhere and green growth abundant. The Centre was as
magnificently red as ever, but contrasted with lush, bright green grass and
wildflower growth. We saw many species having bred up and being in great
numbers, but also many usual arid environment species were either missing or
in very small numbers. Budgerigars and Cockatiels were almost everywhere,
but only one Major Mitchell sighting and Southern Whiteface and arid
environment Thornbill species were extremely scarce. Only three sightings
of a single Black Honeyeater and two of Pied Honeyeaters. Diamond Doves
were in huge numbers and Little Button-quail were numerous in suitable
grassland around Alice Springs. Crimson and Orange Chats were numerous at
several locations.
We asked ourselves whether the species accustomed to very dry conditions had
actually moved away from where the environment was now more lush to find
areas where less rain had fallen.
Day 1- Sydney to Nyngan: Highlight was close views of Glossy Black
Cockatoos in the Blue Mountains and a great morning birding around Nyngan
with our first sighting of around 60 - 80 Budgerigars.
Day 2 - Nyngan, via Cobar to Tilpa (on the Darling River). The Darling was
brimming and flowing strongly and we were told that the flood peak was still
a week away. Country already looking much refreshed from the water from the
North. Red-tailed Black Cockatoos along the river near our campsite. First
of many great views of Spotted Harrier. Nothing else very special, but
Zebra Finches, Emu, Cockatiels, Apostlebirds and Songlarks are always great
to see and announced our arrival in the "Outback". 78 species for the day.
Day 3 - Tilpa via Wilcannia to White Cliffs. Again, further into the
Outback was greeted with Blue Bonnet, Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, Singing
Honeyeater, Red-backed Kingfisher and Yellow-throated Miners.
Chestnut-crowned Babblers also near our Tilpa campsite. Only sighting of
Major Mitchell Cockatoo for the whole trip. Later in the day our first
sighting of Chirruping Wedgebill. 70 species for the day.
Day 4 - White Cliffs to Tibooburra. Stopped at Green Lake on the way and
started to see many Orange and Crimson Chats along with White-winged
Fairy-wren. Woodswallows starting to become abundant and we ended up seeing
all 6 species during the trip. Surprised by lack of waterbirds on the lake,
which had plenty of water. This continued throughout the trip, leading us
to suppose that all the ducks and other water birds were further into the
wetter areas that we could not get into (wings for the bus would have been
useful!). Sighting of Australian Pratincole just before Tibooburra. Spotted
Nightjar in Tibooburra that night.
Day 5 - Tibooburra to Camerons Corner and back. The trip itinerary was
supposed to go to Innamincka and Coongie Lakes but that whole area was still
flooded and road damaged and completely inaccessible (still is I think). We
made it 35kms past Camerons Corner and were successful in seeing Eyrean
Grasswren and a single Black Honeyeater. A real highlight was seeing a
small (35-40) flock of Flock Bronzewings on the way to Camerons Corner. The
whole area from Tibooburra had many, many areas of lying water and we also
saw Banded Lapwing, Black-winged Stilts, Avocets and Gull-billed and
Whiskered Terns. Ground Cuckoo-shrike was also a highlight with parents
feeding two juveniles. Also Inland Dotterel and Cinnamon Quail-thrush.
First confirmed Little Crow (aren't corvids fun to distinguish!!). 60
species for the day.
Day 6 - Tibooburra to Broken Hill. Revised itinerary was down and across to
the Flinders Ranges and then back up to Lyndhurst. First Australian Hobby
on this day took our raptor count to 12, but no Grey Falcon! Black-breasted
Buzzard later made it 13 for the trip.
Day 7 - Broken Hill to Rawnsley Park. A relatively quiet day, just getting
there, but morning birding at Broken Hill produced Redthroat and more
Chirruping Wedgebill behind the caravan park where we camped.
Day 8 - Rawnsley Park to Lyndhurst. Being in this area allowed us to target
Short-tailed Grasswren and we were successful in the morning, both at Stokes
Hill Lookout and also on a gentle slope to the South of the little creek
about 1 km South of the lookout (thanks to Paul, our non-birding driver who
was scouring the spinifex area with a scope while we checked out the nearby
Elegant Parrots). Further along we found Mulga Parrot and, surprisingly,
both Little and Dusky Woodswallows at the same spot.
Day 9 - Lyndhurst up Strezlecki Track and back. Mt Lyndhurst was the
target, but we had bus battery problems first up so started walking/birding
along the road just to fill in time. A beautiful Rufous Fieldwren obliged
by providing stunning views and the two keen photographers in the group had
great fun. We had two long stints, morning and afternoon, at Mt Lyndhurst
and by the end we had excellent views of Chestnut-breasted Whiteface and
views of Thick-billed Grasswren along with Rufous Fieldwren, and many more
Songlarks, Budgerigars and Crimson Chats. First sighting of Gibberbird
further along the track (another fun ID issue from female Orange Chat - but
behaviour is strikingly different).
Day 10 - Lyndhurst to Muloorina Station (c. 50kms North of Marree). Visited
the abandoned township of Farina, where we had intended to camp instead of
Lyndhurst, but its camping area was totally boggy. Good birding there with
close encounters with Wedge-tailed Eagle and Aust. Kestrel. Interesting was
the "out-of-range" sighting of Plumed Whistling Ducks on a small patch of
water between Farina and Marree. We now had seen Chirruping Wedgebill on 5
days and Cinnamon Quail-thrush on 3 days - these also were seen on the next
three days as well. Muloorina was a delightful camping site next to a large
reedy pool on the Frome River. Good birding there including sightings of
both Australian Reed-warbler and Little Grassbird as well as White-browed
Babbler nest building.
Day 11 - Muloorina to Coward Springs. Now up the Oodnadatta Track with a
stop off to see quite a lot of water in Lake Eyre South. This was from
local rains as waters from Coopers Creek had not even reached the southern
part of Lake Eyre North. Strange was a group of about 10 Emus
standing/sleeping not far from the water's edge but several hundred metres
out from any "solid" land where one would have though they should have been.
Our only sighting of Pelicans for the whole trip was a distant view of a
small group flying over the lake.
Day 12 - Coward Springs to Coober Pedy. A stop at an abandoned Old Ghan
stop, Beresford Bore, had a largish wetland and dam which produced Musk
Duck, Wood Duck, Grey Teal and Black Duck and several other bushland birds,
but nothing in the extensive muddy wetland area. Another sighting of Inland
Dotterel along the road today.
Day 13 - Coober Pedy to Alice Springs. We targeted two spots in particular
on this long driving day. The first was approx. 55 kms North of Marla where
we found Bourkes Parrot at a site where it had been recorded several years
earlier. This was one of very few spots where Southern Whiteface were seen.
Later, at the Thomas & Thomas site 21 kms North of Erldunda, Banded
Whiteface were very easily seen as soon as we stopped - in fact one person
spotted one on the fence before we even stopped. This was one of the better
raptor days with nine species seen, mostly from the bus, and including one
Grey Falcon "scare" as we started to see very pale Brown Falcons. When one
is soaring well above, the best tell-tale seems to be the ever present brown
"trousers" on the Brown Falcon.
Day 14 - West McDonnell Ranges. Final day we visited Alice Springs
Telegraph Station, Ochre Pits, Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen and Ellery
Big-hole. Successes were Grey-headed Honeyeater and Spinifex Pigeon and
another Black Honeyeater, but only one of the group got a fleeting glimpse
of Painted Finch and we missed out on Emu-wren, Grasswren and Red-browed
Pardalote. A magnificent group of around 30 Red-tailed Black Cockatoos
rising from the ground and wheeling overhead was a highlight.
This was the last day of the tour and the following summary is from the next
5 days with three people from the tour group and another friend who joined
us in Alice. We were Marlene Lyell, Russ Lamb, Steve McBride and yours
truly.
We visited the Sewerage Ponds (twice), Kunoth Well/Hamilton Downs Rd
(twice), Santa Teresa Rd (No. 1 best spot!), Olive Pink gardens, Telegraph
Station, Emily and Jessie Gaps and Trephina Gorge. Again, all around Alice
Springs was in wonderful lush condition. Without details, highlights we saw
included Rufous-crowned Emu-wren, Dusky Grasswren, Spinifexbird, Western
Bowerbird, Red-browed Pardalote, Little Button-quail, Black-breasted
Buzzard, Pied Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Plumed Whistling Duck,
Pink-eared Duck (breeding), Black-tailed Godwit, Channel-billed Cuckoo,
Mulga Parrot, Slaty-backed Thornbill, Inland Thornbill, Western Gerygone and
a magnificent Perentie Dragon. Diamond Doves, Cockatiels, Zebra Finches and
Budgerigars were abundant. Dips were Painted Finch, Grey Honeyeater,
Grey-fronted Honeyeater and, of course, Grey Falcon!
We added 13 additional species to the overall trip list we had started in
Sydney, making 167 on the tour and 180 overall.
For those interested, the link below is to some trip photos. More detailed
trip info available if requested.
http://picasaweb.google.com.au/BobBirdPics/Outback2010?feat=directlink
Finally, thanks to the several people who provided great information to us
both before the trip and historically from birding-aus archives.
Bob Cook
Axedale
Central VIC.
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