Date: Tuesday, 22 April, 2008 - Thursday, 24 April, 2008
Details: 3 day Trip by Steve and Mike Potter.
Day 1: We arose at 2.30am and departed on time at 3.00am.
First stop (other than to swap drivers) was the Lake Gilles CP on the Eyre Peninsula approx. 120km west from Pt Augusta. Here we visited 2 sites, the track on the eastern end of the park section south of the highway, and the track on the western end of the park section north of the highway, up to the lake itself. Dry as we expected for April in a drought! Highlights here were: Rufous Tree-creeper and Collared Sparrowhawk.
Next it was back to Iron Knob, a small town approx 70km west of Pt. Augusta. Here we were looking for the "myall" race of the Thick-billed Grasswren. We managed to find it after around 30 mins of searching on the road that leads north off the highway. Not great views but enough for an ID (hopping from bush to bush then flying for about 20 meters) so we were happy. Another highlight was a flock of Black-faced Wood Swallow.
Back to Pt. Augusta and to the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens. Here we stopped for a bit of lunch and picked up Chirruping Wedgebill, White-backed Swallow and around the info centre Zebra Finch and Mistletoebird.
We then forged on and headed to the Flinders Ranges NP and straight to Stokes Hill for a hunt for the Short-tailed Grasswren. This was unfortunately without success. So off to Brachina Gorge for a hunt for the Grey-fronted Honeyeater. Also unsuccessful.
Undeterred and buoyed with the prospect of more bounty further on we headed for the Leigh Creek pub for dinner and to get fuel. The Steak was awesome, the service station closed at 7?? 15 mins before we arrived! We decided to head out to Mt Lyndhurst Station and camp, then make a decision in the morning as to what we would do for the following day. A camp spot was hard to find in the dark but we eventually found a patch of dirt far enough away from the track and with some bushes around for protection.
A huge day. 3.00am to 9.30pm, over 1000km, and many new birds.
Day 2: Up at 6.00am
Mt Lyndhurst Station is an amazing place. Amazing because it is so dry and barren that the fact anything lives there is incredible. Here we visited 3 sites. The 2 gates site produced our only Chestnut-breasted Whiteface and also Rufous Fieldwren. The mine site produced no CB Whiteface but again Rufous Fieldwren. Also Cinnamon Quail-thrush (my top bird for the trip) and great views of the "modesta" race of the Thick-billed Grasswren. We then drove on to the next major creek at the 35km mark. Here we found little but did have excellent views of a Pallid Cuckoo.
At this point we decided not to head further up the track due to the petrol and the vehicle (small 2WD) situation so it was back to the Flinders Ranges. On the way back we stopped at Leigh Creek Caravan Park for a quick shower ($3), some petrol and we visited the Aroona Dam (Photo right), 6kms out, for lunch. A spectacular place! Then on to the Flinders. This time we took the Parachilna Gorge road to Blinman, then headed south to the next turn off and into Brachina Gorge. Here after another unsuccessful attempt to find the Grey-fronted Honeyeater, we set up camp for the night. After dinner consisting of more sandwiches we decided to hit the sack at 7pm! due to the fact it was cold and dark. By 7.30pm we were promptly asleep.
Day 3: 6.30am and 11 hours of sleep later.
Flinders Ranges NP. We birded around the Brachina Gorge campsite for a while again trying to locate the Grey-fronted Honeyeater. Again no success but we did manage a few other nice species such as Red-capped Robin, many Peaceful Dove and a Black-fronted Dotterel? We then broke camp after a bit of breakfast and headed again to Stokes Hill for another shot at the Short-tailed Grasswren. This time we tried a different tact. Instead of parking at the top and heading down the hill, we parked at the end of a small track that headed off right near the bottom of the hill. We then walked up into the gully. This time success! First 2 individuals then 3 together giving great views including sitting open in a bush for a few minutes. With this victory under our belt, we decided to have one last crack at the Grey-fronted Honeyeater. This time at Wilpena. We drove directly to the resort and parked at the end. We took the first track that headed west into the pound and after 10 mins and 200 meters we got our first views of the Grey-fronted Honeyeater, and great views they were.
Happy and content, we decided to make for home in time for dinner. The bonus was that on our return we happened across a Black Falcon circling over head for about 2-3 mins. All in all an amazing trip once again.
Total List:
Details: 3 day Trip by Steve and Mike Potter.
Day 1: We arose at 2.30am and departed on time at 3.00am.
First stop (other than to swap drivers) was the Lake Gilles CP on the Eyre Peninsula approx. 120km west from Pt Augusta. Here we visited 2 sites, the track on the eastern end of the park section south of the highway, and the track on the western end of the park section north of the highway, up to the lake itself. Dry as we expected for April in a drought! Highlights here were: Rufous Tree-creeper and Collared Sparrowhawk.
Next it was back to Iron Knob, a small town approx 70km west of Pt. Augusta. Here we were looking for the "myall" race of the Thick-billed Grasswren. We managed to find it after around 30 mins of searching on the road that leads north off the highway. Not great views but enough for an ID (hopping from bush to bush then flying for about 20 meters) so we were happy. Another highlight was a flock of Black-faced Wood Swallow.
Back to Pt. Augusta and to the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens. Here we stopped for a bit of lunch and picked up Chirruping Wedgebill, White-backed Swallow and around the info centre Zebra Finch and Mistletoebird.
We then forged on and headed to the Flinders Ranges NP and straight to Stokes Hill for a hunt for the Short-tailed Grasswren. This was unfortunately without success. So off to Brachina Gorge for a hunt for the Grey-fronted Honeyeater. Also unsuccessful.
Undeterred and buoyed with the prospect of more bounty further on we headed for the Leigh Creek pub for dinner and to get fuel. The Steak was awesome, the service station closed at 7?? 15 mins before we arrived! We decided to head out to Mt Lyndhurst Station and camp, then make a decision in the morning as to what we would do for the following day. A camp spot was hard to find in the dark but we eventually found a patch of dirt far enough away from the track and with some bushes around for protection.
A huge day. 3.00am to 9.30pm, over 1000km, and many new birds.
Day 2: Up at 6.00am
Mt Lyndhurst Station is an amazing place. Amazing because it is so dry and barren that the fact anything lives there is incredible. Here we visited 3 sites. The 2 gates site produced our only Chestnut-breasted Whiteface and also Rufous Fieldwren. The mine site produced no CB Whiteface but again Rufous Fieldwren. Also Cinnamon Quail-thrush (my top bird for the trip) and great views of the "modesta" race of the Thick-billed Grasswren. We then drove on to the next major creek at the 35km mark. Here we found little but did have excellent views of a Pallid Cuckoo.
At this point we decided not to head further up the track due to the petrol and the vehicle (small 2WD) situation so it was back to the Flinders Ranges. On the way back we stopped at Leigh Creek Caravan Park for a quick shower ($3), some petrol and we visited the Aroona Dam (Photo right), 6kms out, for lunch. A spectacular place! Then on to the Flinders. This time we took the Parachilna Gorge road to Blinman, then headed south to the next turn off and into Brachina Gorge. Here after another unsuccessful attempt to find the Grey-fronted Honeyeater, we set up camp for the night. After dinner consisting of more sandwiches we decided to hit the sack at 7pm! due to the fact it was cold and dark. By 7.30pm we were promptly asleep.
Day 3: 6.30am and 11 hours of sleep later.
Flinders Ranges NP. We birded around the Brachina Gorge campsite for a while again trying to locate the Grey-fronted Honeyeater. Again no success but we did manage a few other nice species such as Red-capped Robin, many Peaceful Dove and a Black-fronted Dotterel? We then broke camp after a bit of breakfast and headed again to Stokes Hill for another shot at the Short-tailed Grasswren. This time we tried a different tact. Instead of parking at the top and heading down the hill, we parked at the end of a small track that headed off right near the bottom of the hill. We then walked up into the gully. This time success! First 2 individuals then 3 together giving great views including sitting open in a bush for a few minutes. With this victory under our belt, we decided to have one last crack at the Grey-fronted Honeyeater. This time at Wilpena. We drove directly to the resort and parked at the end. We took the first track that headed west into the pound and after 10 mins and 200 meters we got our first views of the Grey-fronted Honeyeater, and great views they were.
Happy and content, we decided to make for home in time for dinner. The bonus was that on our return we happened across a Black Falcon circling over head for about 2-3 mins. All in all an amazing trip once again.
Total List:
- Emu
- Australian Wood Duck
- Little Pied Cormorant
- Australian White Ibis
- Whistling Kite
- Collared Sparrowhawk
- Wedge-tailed Eagle
- Black Falcon
- Nankeen Kestrel
- Eurasian Coot
- Pied Oystercatcher
- Sooty Oystercatcher
- Black-fronted Dotterel
- Masked Lapwing
- Silver Gull
- Rock Dove
- Spotted Turtle-Dove
- Common Bronzewing
- Crested Pigeon
- Peaceful Dove
- Galah
- Little Corella
- Australian Ringneck
- Mulga Parrot
- Elegant Parrot
- Pallid Cuckoo
- Spotted Nightjar
- Laughing Kookaburra
- Brown Treecreeper
- Rufous Treecreeper
- Variegated Fairy-wren
- White-winged Fairy-wren
- Short-tailed Grasswren
- Thick-billed Grasswren
- Striated Pardalote
- Rufous Fieldwren
- Weebill
- Inland Thornbill
- Southern Whiteface
- Chestnut-breasted Whiteface
- Red Wattlebird
- Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
- Noisy Miner
- Singing Honeyeater
- White-eared Honeyeater
- Yellow-plumed Honeyeater
- Grey-fronted Honeyeater
- White-plumed Honeyeater
- Red-capped Robin
- Hooded Robin
- White-browed Babbler
- Chirruping Wedgebill
- Cinnamon Quail-thrush
- Varied Sittella
- Rufous Whistler
- Grey Shrike-thrush
- Magpie-lark
- Willie Wagtail
- Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
- Black-faced Woodswallow
- Dusky Woodswallow
- Grey Butcherbird
- Australian Magpie
- Grey Currawong
- Australian Raven
- Little Crow
- White-winged Chough
- Australian Pipit
- House Sparrow
- Zebra Finch
- Mistletoebird
- White-backed Swallow
- Welcome Swallow
- Tree Martin
- Silvereye
- Common Starling
1 comment:
Hello Excellent Steve,
Am I reading this correctly? Are you bird watching? Actually? Really? Tan :-)
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