Out in the North West of South Australia.

A mornings birding with Deb and later with Ian as well.

Australia, Day Nine.

 

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora).

In the trees around the accommodation we started the list with a female Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii), Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris), White-plumed (Ptilotula penicillata) and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis).

Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis).

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora).

Ian headed out with us a short way before he had to go to work, our first stop was on a rocky hill side where we looked for but didn't find Dusky Grasswren (Amytornis purnelli), however we did get Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens), Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica), Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis) and Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris).

Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata).

Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata).

Splendid Fairywren (Malurus splendens) winter Male.

I and took us up the track he said would be good for us to explore and made sure we knew where we were going before heading to work.

Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) female.

Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) male.

Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) screeming at a Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus).

Deb and I headed out for several KM before we reached an abandoned farm, here we saw loads more Zebra Finches, Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata) and a very tame Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) which sat on a wire next to the vehicle for ages with some of its last meal still attached to its bill and guessing by their high numbers in the surrounding it may well have been one of the Zebra Finches.

Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum).

Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata).

Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata).

Diamond Doves (Geopelia cuneata).

In the same area we also saw Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus), Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata), Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus), Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis) and just after starting the drive back a distant Dingo which ran up into the rocks.

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora).

Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata).

Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus).

As we continued on South we had another pair of Brown Goshawks which ot mobbed by a Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), several Budgies (Melopsittacus undulatus), Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis), Inland (Acanthiza apicalis) and our only two Slaty-backed Thornbills (Acanthiza robustirostris), Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum), Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa) and more Singing Honeyeaters.

Banded Whiteface (Aphelocephala nigricincta).

Banded Whiteface (Aphelocephala nigricincta).

Southern Whiteface (Aphelocephala leucopsis).

We turned off the main track and went around a looping route, on the way round we added Splendid Fairywrens (Malurus splendens), Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius), Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae), White-browed Babbler (Pomatostomus superciliosus), female Red-capped Robin, Crimson Chats (Epthianura tricolor), several unexpected Banded Whitefaces (Aphelocephala nigricincta) and a small flock the commoner Southern Whiteface (Aphelocephala leucopsis).

Feral Camel (Camelus dromedarius).

Annual Yellowtop (Senecio gregorii).

Ruby Dock (Rumex vesicarius).

We made our way back to meet Ian later and he took us out to a very nice spot a few KMs away where we checked out the edge of a rocky hillside and valley seeing several feral Camels (Camelus dromedarius) on the way, almost straight away, once we parked we saw a species I had wanted to see when a flock of Spinifex Pigeons (Geophaps plumifera) flew up from the grass and unfortunately all to quickly up over the ridge and away.

The invasive Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) which is covering massive area's of central Australia.

Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius).

Spinifex Pigeons (Geophaps plumifera).

Sturt's Desert Rose (Gossypium sturtianum).

Plum Bush (Santalum lanceolatum).

In the same area we picked up Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae), Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius), White-plumed Honeyeater, as well as several plant species including Annual Yellowtop (Senecio gregorii), several Plum Bushes (Santalum lanceolatum) with some quite tasty fruit on it, Ruby Dock (Rumex vesicarius) and Sturt's Desert Rose (Gossypium sturtianum).

Deb and Ian, Good friends and guides in this magical area.

Loosing the sun in the Out Back.

Ian and I as the suns going down.

We tried to get better views of the Pigeons but they had disappeared so Ian took us to a very nice view point looking out over the beautiful landscape out in this stunning area before we headed back to our accommodation for a curry and a bit of sleep.

Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea) in the low sun at the end of another great day.