North of Marla and then South to Coober Pedy, South Ausralia.

Mopping up on the Falcon species.

Australia, Day Fifteen.

 

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis).

Before we headed about 45 minutes south of Marla we saw Galah's (Eolophus roseicapilla), Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) and Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes).

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis).

Spear Bush (Pandorea doratoxlon).

On the way south we had views of Budgies (Melopsittacus undulatus), Black (Milvus migrans) and Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus), Brown Falcon (Falco berigora), Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata), Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae) and Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea).

Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii).

Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii).

Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii).

Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii).

We left the main road and drove out to the low range of hills we were going to be visiting looking for the rare Spinifexbird (Eremiornis carteri), on the drive to the start of the walk we saw Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) and Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca).

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora).

We got our kit together and walked along a good track up onto the top of the ridge, on the way up seeing Spiny-cheeked (Acanthagenys rufogularis) and Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens), Zebra Finch, Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis), Splendid Fairywren (Malurus splendens), Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus), a very smart and well behaved male Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii), Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata) and small numbers of the large and fast moving Euro / Common Wallaroo (Osphranter robustus).

Termite mound.

Eremohila species.

Large Green Pussytail (Ptilotus macrocephalus).

As hard as we searched we did not find the Spinifexbird so we dropped back down to the car adding Black-faced Cuckooshrike, White-fronted (Purnella albifrons) and White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata), Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) and Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum).

Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata).

Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes).

Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca).

Once back at the vehicle we went to the S**t Ponds near the village before we got back to the main road, here we picked up Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae), Grey Teal (Anas gracilis), Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus), both Australasian (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae) and Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus), Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans) and White-backed Swallow (Cheramoeca leucosterna).

Black Falcon (Falco subniger).

Black Falcon (Falco subniger).

Black Falcon (Falco subniger).

We headed back towards the main road seeing a really big flock of Budgies on the way, we then drove North past Marla to have a look for Black Falcon (Falco subniger) at the pools we had called at on the way south yesterday but today as soon as we arrived we saw the male Black Falcon in the trees on the far side of the pool and then had the female do several flybys trying to catch one of the many Zebra Finches coming down to drink. 

Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax).

Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes).

In the same area we also saw Brown Falcon's, Black Kite and a Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) before we headed bck to Marla, on the way Ged spotted a fantastic patch of the stunning Sturt's Desert Pea (Swainsona formosa) which is the floral emblem of South Australia.

Sturt's Desert Pea (Swainsona formosa).

Deb and Ian amongst the Sturt's Desert Pea (Swainsona formosa).

Sturt's Desert Pea (Swainsona formosa).

Just passed Marla we had a drive out on one of the tracks, on the way out to the point where we turned around wehad a flock of 6 Bourke's Parrots (Neophema bourkii) fly up from the track side and disappear into the distance as usual, Redthroat (Pyrrholaemus brunneus), White-fronted Honeyeater, Chiming Wedgebill (Psophodes occidentalis), Purple-backed Fairywren (Malurus assimilis) and Crimson Chat (Epthianura tricolor).

Pied Honeyeater (Certhionyx variegatus).

Pied Honeyeater (Certhionyx variegatus).

We turned around and on the way back Deb heard one of the main target birds that we had missed getting good views of out in the scrub so we stopped and we searched for and eventually had good views of a nice male Pied Honeyeater (Certhionyx variegatus).

Dingo (Canis dingo).

We continued on along the track back towards Marla, Ian then spotted two Dingo's (Canis dingo) come down the track, the one saw the car and scarppered into the scrub but the other continued for quite a way befor doing the same.

Dingo (Canis dingo).

Dingo (Canis dingo).

Later we returned to the road near Marla and went south to Coober Pedy where we had some food before turning in.