Loja Wildlife, Granada Province, Spain.: North West of South Australia.

Saturday 25 June 2022

North West of South Australia.

Deeper into the out back with Deb and Ian.

Australia, Day Ten.

The edge of an early morning weather front.

We set off heading west out on local roads and tracks, the first stretch had a row of Stobie poles (power line pole made of two steel joists held apart by a slab of concrete, invented by Adelaide Electric Supply Company engineer James Cyril Stobie), on the poles we saw Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) and Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) and on wires between the poles we had a Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius).

Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius).

Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris).

Banded Whiteface (Aphelocephala nigricincta).

Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax).

Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis).

As we drove along the wider road we saw Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), Torresian Crow (Corvus orru), Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis), Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax), Banded Whiteface (Aphelocephala nigricincta), Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius), Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus), Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris), Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae), Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), Budgie's (Melopsittacus undulatus) and smll flock of Diamond Doves (Geopelia cuneata) some of which allowed me to get a few shots.

Banded Whiteface (Aphelocephala nigricincta).

Budgie's (Melopsittacus undulatus).

Paddy Melons (Cucumis myriocarpus).

Along this road before we turned off and went to a small pool we had another Red-backed Kingfisher, White-winged Fairywren (Malurus leucopterus), Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae), Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis) and hundreds of the inedible Paddy Melons (Cucumis myriocarpus).

Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris).

We reached the pool in a rocky area but it was quiet, we did have the first Weebills (Smicrornis brevirostris), White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata), 25 or so more Banded Whiteface, Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus), Crimson Chat (Epthianura tricolor) and Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen).

Mulga Parrots (Psephotus varius).

Mulga Parrot (Psephotus varius).

Grey-headed Honeyeater (Ptilotula keartlandi).

After a short way we turned off the main road / track onto a much more rustic route but it was stunning and we hit gold part of the way along when Deb picked up two distant but identifiable Grey Falcons (Falco hypoleucos) soaring over some woodland and interacting with a passing Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis).

Major Mitchell's Cockatoo (Lophochroa leadbeateri).

These birds were obviously a lifer for me but they were also the first Ian had seen and they informed me that they are said to be the rarest falcon species in the world so we were all rather excited after this fantastic encounter.

Australian Bustard (Ardeotis australis).

Australian Bustards (Ardeotis australis).

Along this track Deb again came good when she spotted a couple of the difficult to see Major Mitchell's Cockatoo's (Lophochroa leadbeateri), we stopped and walked out towards the tree where they were and soon found 13 birds perched, whilst we were a way off another group of birds came up and in towards the first group making all 34 birds fly off up the hill.

Desert Oaks (Allocasuarina decaisneana).

To be named.

We walked over to the original tree hoping that some might return and this worked well when a good part of the flock returned and gave us stunning views.

Dingo (Canis dingo) just above the camp.

Dingo (Canis dingo) just above the camp.

We continued on again and on our way to the camp site for the night we checked an area of rocks picking up a couple of Dusky Grasswrens (Amytornis purnelli) but they remained distant, we also had Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus), Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis), Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata), Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata), Grey-headed Honeyeater (Ptilotula keartlandi), Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis), Mulga Parrot (Psephotus varius) and more Banded Whitefaces.

Ian Preparining our room for the night.

Just before we made a stop at another abandoned Farm Ian came to a screeming halt on the track when he picked up 3 Australian Bustards (Ardeotis australis) in our way, they gave us stunning views and we saw 6 in total during the drive.

Ian and Deb enjoying a cuppa at the camp site after showing me some amazing birds in a special area.

At the farm we found Mulga Parrot, Little Button Quail(Turnix velox), Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum), Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis), White-winged Triller (Lalage tricolor) and a Grey-fronted Honeyeater (Ptilotula plumula).