Heading for Marla, South Australia.

Continuing on our way East and South.

Australia, Day Fourteen.

 

Galah's (Eolophus roseicapilla).

Today we were leaving the Out Back proper and coming back East to spend the night in the small town of Marla, before we left camp we started the day with Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum), Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius), Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides), Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea) x3, Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), Torresian Crow (Corvus orru), Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus), Galah's (Eolophus roseicapilla), Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens) and Yellow-throated Miner (Manorina flavigula).

Painted Finch (Emblema pictum).

Painted Finch (Emblema pictum).

We headed out to a spot we had called at earlier in the trip but this time we walked much further up the valley to a set of water holes amongst the rocks, our main target here were the beautiful Painted Finch (Emblema pictum) and soon after we arrived at the watering holes a pair flew in for a drink giving us some very nice views.

Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica).

Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) Female.

Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) Male.

In the same area we also had Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata), Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica), Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae), Grey-headed (Ptilotula keartlandi) and White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata), Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa), Red-browed (Pardalotus rubricatus) and Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus), Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), a nosy pair of Dusky Grasswren (Amytornis purnelli) and a Monarch like butterfly which I still need to name.

Dusky Grasswren (Amytornis purnelli).

Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus).

Lesser Wanderer (Danaus chrysippus).

Lesser Wanderer (Danaus chrysippus).

We returned to the vehicle and hearded out East again to another area of the red cliffs and boulders, on the way we picked up Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis), Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata), Brown Falcon (Falco berigora), Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Budgie's (Melopsittacus undulatus) and at the rocks Mulga Parrots (Psephotus varius) x3, Crimson Chats (Epthianura tricolor), 3 more Black-shouldered Kite, Little Corella, Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus), Little Button Quail (Turnix velox) x2, Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius) and just as we were about to leave Deb jammed in with brief views of the fast and uncommon Black-footed Rock Wallabie (Petrogale lateralis).

Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata).

Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus).

Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus).

Blistered Grasshopper (Monistria pustulifera).

Solanum species possibly Western (Solanum coactiferum).

Again we moved on to a spot where we were looking for Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis) but we only managed to find a small flock of White-browed Babblers (Pomatostomus superciliosus) as well as Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii), Western Gerygone (Gerygone fusca), Inland Thornbill (Acanthiza apicalis), more Little Button Quail, a Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) and just a bit further along the track Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis), several Banded Whitefaces (Aphelocephala nigricincta) as well as my first chance of a picture of Red Kangaroo (Osphranter rufus).

Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla).

Western Gerygone (Gerygone fusca).

When we hit Tarmac again and headed South towards Marla we made a stop in an area of scrub near the road where Ian knew of a small patch of water, here we had our first brief but good views of a small group of 10 Bourke's Parrots (Neophema bourkii) which played very hard to get.

Corkwood, probably Long-leafed (Hakea suberea).

Red Kangaroo (Osphranter rufus).

Mulga Parrot (Psephotus varius).

In this area we also saw Mulga and Australian Ringneck and just down the road at a couple of roadside pools we added Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus), Grey Teal (Anas gracilis), Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata) and Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops) before we went to Marla for something to eat.