Mungeraine, Birdsville Track, Pandiburra Bore, the Inside Track and back to Mungeraine, South Australia.

A cracking day in the Gibber again but a big dip in the wetlands.

Australia, Day Sixty Eight.

A Bus stop is a funny thought at Mungeraine, don't know who or where they acquired the sign from but it made me chuckle.

We were up and out fairy early seeing White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) around the Pub before we started a longish drive towards Birdsville.

Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus).

Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus).

We made a stop at a point where water from an open bore crosses the roadand we had several nice species including Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus), Red-necked Avocet (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae), Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles), Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops), Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae), Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus), Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) and Brown Songlark (Cincloramphus cruralis).

Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel).

Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel).

Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel).

Again we moved on North adding Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides), Black Kite (Milvus migrans), Cinnamon Quail-thrush (Cinclosoma cinnamomeum), Zebra Finch, Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata) and several passing Flock Bronzewings (Phaps histrionica).

My first view of an Australian Pratincole (Stiltia isabella) but this shots more to show the extent of the Gibber.

We turned off the main track onto a side track out to a wetland created by the uncapped Pandiburra bore, we were following directions from Dave and Sue and they said that once we get near we should be able to see the cloud of steam but we could not see it, eventually we found the bore but it had been sealed and what was a wetland was now unfortunately totally dry.

Black-tailed Nativehen (Tribonyx ventralis) or Turbo Chuck.

Black-tailed Nativehen (Tribonyx ventralis) or Turbo Chuck.

We still had a good check around the site where we had been hoping to find the very rear in SA Yellow Chat (Epthianura crocea) but as hard as we tried we could only find Orange (Epthianura aurifrons) and Crimson Chat (Epthianura tricolor) as well as Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis), Brown Songlark (Cincloramphus cruralis), Australasian Pipit, Red-capped Plover, Black and Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), Tree (Petrochelidon nigricans) and Fairy Martins (Petrochelidon ariel).

Brolga (Antigone rubicunda).

Brolga (Antigone rubicunda).

Brolga (Antigone rubicunda).

We returned to the Main track and started to retrace our way back, we reached the turning on to what is known as the inside track but due to flooding it was closed, we drove around the closed sign to see how far we could get, as we drove along the first stretch we found a group of brilliant looking Australian Pratincole's (Stiltia isabella) but they were either flying or quite distant.

Inland Dotterel (Peltohyas australis).

Inland Dotterel (Peltohyas australis).

Inland Dotterel (Peltohyas australis).

We reached an area of Lignum bushes where we met another birder who was trying to sound record the Grey Grasswrens (Amytornis barbatus) that are in the area, he had seen a couple of birds and kindly showed us the area but we were not so lucky and only found Black-tailed Nativehen (Tribonyx ventralis), Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus), Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans), Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops), Grey Teal, Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), Superb (Malurus cyaneus) and White-winged Fairywren (Malurus leucopterus), Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes), Little Grassbird (Poodytes gramineus), Australian Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica ssp macrotarsa), Crimson (Epthianura tricolor) and Orange Chat (Epthianura aurifrons) and a pair of very noisy Brolg'sa (Antigone rubicunda).

Australian Pratincole (Stiltia isabella).

Australian Pratincole (Stiltia isabella).

We checked out a different area later which meant some rather sticky deep wading through mud and we again missed the Grasswren's but did find Blue-winged Parrot (Neophema chrysostoma), Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus), White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata), Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) and Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa).

Phil and some of the mixers.

I liked this stuff, what ever it was mixed with!!!!!!

As we hadn't found the Grasswren we toyed with the idea of setting up the swags and trying again tomorrow but Deb checked the weather and it didn't look to good so we started the drive back to Mungeriane but didn't get far before we were having superb views of the Australian Pratincoles again and just a short way further along the same track we had more brilliant views but this time of some Inland Dotterels (Peltohyas australis).

We reached the pub and were soon having some food and a few beers, as the evening went on we started to chat with a couple of birders, Chris Steeles and Mike Warnes and the owner of the Pub Phil who was quite a Character.

As the night went on Phil bought out a drink I had not tried followed by another, I fully expected to have one hell of a bad head tomorrow but it would be worth it as we had a good evening in a really great place with good company. Its a great shame Phil has decided to move on and has sold the Pub as I am sure it will be changed and will loose it's strange charm but very pleased to have experienced it in it's full glory.