Driving South to Port Macdonnell, Pick Swamp and Port Macdonnell, South Australia.

A travelling day with some birding at the end.

Australia, Day Three.

The Waffle.

In the Garden before we set off South I picked up a few bits in the garden including Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) which were calling before dawn as usual, New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae), Little Raven (Corvus mellori), Galah's (Eolophus roseicapilla), Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) and both Little (Anthochaera chrysoptera) and Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata).

Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen).

Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen).

After dropping Molly and Maddie the dogs off at Deb's Mom's we started the drive down to Port Macdonnell, down on the border with Victoria State where we were going to be going out on a Pelagic birding trip tomorrow.

Australian Pelicans (Pelecanus conspicillatus).

In the garden and surroundings at Deb's Moms we saw Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Western Whistler (Pachycephala fuliginosa), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Blackbird (Turdus merula) and Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans).

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora).

On the way south between between Deb's and Coonalpyn we saw Grey Currawong (Strepera versicolor),  Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides), Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Black Kite (Milvus migrans), Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) and as we crossed the Murry River a flock of Australian Pelicans (Pelecanus conspicillatus) and several Silver Gulls (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae).

Beautiful Firetail (Stagonopleura bella).

Beautiful Firetail (Stagonopleura bella).

Beautiful Firetail (Stagonopleura bella).

We stopped on the edge of Coonalpyn for a coffee and a waffle, we both had the very nice one covered in Lemon Curd which tasted absolutly brilliant. We finished used the loos and went on but not before adding Yellow-throated Miner (Manorina flavigula) and Musk Lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna).

Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica).

During the second part of the drive down to the Port we added to the day list and my life list with Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), at least 6 Wedge-tailed Eagles (Aquila audax), Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans), Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyanopterus), Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae), a couple of largish flocks of Long-billed Corellas (Cacatua tenuirostris), a pair of Australian Shelduck (Tadorna tadornoides) and Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles).

Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus).

We reached Port Macdonnell but Deb wanted to take me to a spot a few KM further on at Pick Swamp, on the way I got brief views of Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) and Sooty Oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus) and just before we parked we saw good numbers of Magpie Geese (Anseranas semipalmata).

Blue-winged Parrot (Neophema chrysostoma).

At the Swamp we parked and had a walk, straight away we added Black Swans (Cygnus atratus) when we saw a good number on the many pools, as we walked on new species included Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis), Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica), Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla), 3x Blue-winged Parrot (Neophema chrysostoma), a distant Musk Duck (Biziura lobata) and several of the stunning Beautiful Firetail (Stagonopleura bella).

Black Swans (Cygnus atratus) as the sun was dropping low.

We also heard but didn't see Striated Fieldwren (Calamanthus fuliginosus) and Southern Emuwren (Stipiturus malachurus) and also had good numbers of Western Grey Kangaroo's (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) arond the whole area.

Sun set at Pick Swamp.

Later we walked back to the car hearing a Little Raven (Corvus mellori) before leaving and going to meet Sue and David at the accommodation for the night. Later we went to a place called Perriwinkles and had a very nice meal with most of the group who were going out on the boat in the morning.

Eagles View and nearby, South Australia.

My first day in Australia, which was mostly in Deb's or her Mom's Garden.

South Australia, Day Two.

The view from my room just after sun rise on my first morning.

After a great nights sleep I was up just before 07.00 to the amazing calls of a large flock of Australian Magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen) which were down in the valley just below the farm, a good start.

Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus).

Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus).

Before breakfast I spent a while out in front of my room and added New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae), Little (Anthochaera chrysoptera) and Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata), lots of the amazinly colourful Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus moluccanus), Superb Fairywrens (Malurus cyaneus) and the more familiar House Sparrow (Passer domesticus).

Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla).

New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae).

During breakfast which we had sat out on the Veranda we saw lots of Galah's (Eolophus roseicapilla), a couple of fly over Magpie-larks (Grallina cyanoleuca) and the first of many of the very variable Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans).

Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata).

Striated Thornbill (Acanthiza lineata).

Later whilst Deb fed the animals I had a bit of a wander finding Little Raven (Corvus mellori), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) and another couple of familiar species, Blackbird (Turdus merula) and Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris).

Frog Species.

Next we went to feed the animals at Renate's, Deb's Mom who is an amazing lady, as I had only just flown in both Deb and I kept out distance but we still managed to have a really nice chat, a coffee and some really good chocolate biscuit's as well as adding several new species to my list including Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata), Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis), Striated Thornbill (Acanthiza lineata), Western Whistler (Pachycephala fuliginosa), Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa), Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis) and on the way back to Deb's  a single Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), a couple of Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera) and several Western Grey Kangaroo's (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus).

Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes).

As soon as we were back Deb went up to Meadow's and I wandered around the patch a little more and again came up with a few new species including Red-browed Firetail (Neochmia temporalis), Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides), Grey Currawong (Strepera versicolor), Yellow-faced Honeyeater (Caligavis chrysops), 3x Musk Lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna) and down by the dam a flyby from a Monarch (Danaus plexippus) which was introdued many years ago.

Grey Currawong (Strepera versicolor).

I need a few things including an Australian SIM card so Deb kindly took me up to Mount Barker where we did a bit of shopping, on the way I saw White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae), Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) and lots of Feral Pigeons (Columba livia).

Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa).

After some lunch and a cake we did the required shopping and the headed back to the Farm to start getting things ready for heading south tomorrow, during this time I saw  and heard my first Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae).

Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus) winter Male.

Superb Fairywrens (Malurus cyaneus) Female on the left, male to the right.

Later Deb did us a very nice Curry before we packed the last bit before tomorrows drive South / east down toward the border with Victoria.

Travelling to Adelaide and the to Eagle View, South Australia.

The Big Adventure begins.

Australia, Day One, 15th and 16th June.

The ride for the first leg.

After saying goodbye to Becki, Ryan, Zach and Finn, Son Alan and I headed out from the Midlands through heavy traffic and almost costant roadworks and speed restritions down to terminal 4 at Heathrow, Having Alan take me down took a lot of stress out of the start of this long journey, Thanks Al.

He dropped me in loads of time and luckily I whizzed through baggage drop and security in less than 3/4 of an hour and setled down to wait for my first flight which was to Doha, we boarded on time but then sat on the tarmac for well over an hour before setting off and as I only had 1 hour 35 mnutes on the ground in Doha I was a tad stressed again.

Anyway we made up a little time but it was still very tight and I was sure I would not make the connection but when I got to the gate for the leg to Adelaide I found that this flight had also been delayed so I made it easily.

We boarded but by now we had clicked over to the 16th June and the next 13 and a bit hours went by quite well, watched movies and had several quite good meals and then we were there. As I had given good friend Deb who I was visiting the wrong time for my arrive I was through seurity and all the other bits far faster than expected but luckily Deb was already there waiting for me (she knew more about my flights than I did) thanks Deb.

We headed off to her and Ian's place which took us under an hour, on the way I had my first Australian bird species when we found a cracking Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook) sat in the middle of the road, Deb turned around to make sure it had shifted and was not going to get hit by any following cars but it had already gone.

During the drive Deb saw a Red Fox (Zorro / Vulpus vulpus) and I had my first Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) and a couple of Rabbits (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus).

We arrived and had a coffee and a good catch-up before I unpacked and hit the pit not quite as knackered as I had expected to be, looking forward to tomorrow.

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Hi All.

 

Off to Australia soon and still behind by a couple or so posts I will catch-up wth them as soon a time allows.