Coober Pedy to Marla and Umuwa, South Australia.

Continuing on North West.

Australia, Day Seven.

Just after dawn.

We were up and about early so went to check the "Shitty stream" which is not as bad as it sounds, just the  out flow from the sewage works which attracts a good number of birds which today included Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus), Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis), Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops), Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea), Little Grassbird (Poodytes gramineus), Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae), Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata), Little Crow (Corvus bennetti), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) and Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena).

Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis).

After checking the town Common we went into town again for Fuel and some Breakfast before heading out on some tracks north until we rejoined the Stewart Highway, along the tracks we saw Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis), Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Budgies (Melopsittacus undulatus), Orange (Epthianura aurifrons) and Crimson Chat (Epthianura tricolor), White-winged Fairywren (Malurus leucopterus), a calling Cinnamon Quail-thrush (Cinclosoma cinnamomeum), Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus), male and female Gibber Chat (Ashbyia lovensis), Brown Falcon (Falco berigora), Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus), White-winged Triller (Lalage tricolor), several Pied Honeyeater (Certhionyx variegatus), Broad-leaf Parakeelya (Calandrinia balonensis) and Red Kangaroo (Osphranter rufus).

Orange Chat (Epthianura aurifrons) male.

White-winged Fairywren (Malurus leucopterus) female.

Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) male.

Just before we Pulled into Marla for some Lunch we checked out a small area of water where we picked up Black-fronted Dotterel, Budgies, Zebra Finch and a couple of stunning Bourke's Parrot (Neophema bourkii) which Graham very casually called as they flew in for a drink.

Opal test pits near Coober Pedy.

Ptilotus nobilis ???????????

Calandrinia remota.

Part of the Break Aways Conservation Park.

Break Aways Conservation Park.

Around the Marla Road House we saw Little Crow (Corvus bennetti), Yellow-throated Miner (Manorina flavigula) and Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla).

Bourke's Parrot (Neophema bourkii).

Bourke's Parrot (Neophema bourkii).

Bourke's Parrot (Neophema bourkii).

Pied Honeyeater (Certhionyx variegatus) female.

We continued on North to the point at which we turned into the restricted Access areas of the APY Lands, just before we got there we checked out a couple of Borrow-pit Pools where we found Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata), Grey Teal (Anas gracilis), Whistling Kite, Zebra Finches and a very nice unusual in the area White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica).

White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica).

Budgies (Melopsittacus undulatus).

Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus).

Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus).

Once we were on the tracks heading towards Umuwa we added Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), Mulga Parrot (Psephotus varius) and my first Rainbow Bee-eaters (Merops ornatus) for SA.

Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis).

Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius).

We made a stop in an area of Ironwood and Mulga scrub where we were looking for the difficult to see Grey-crowned Babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis) which Deb quickly found but it took a good while before we all managed to see them.

Calandrinia remota.

On our way to Umuwa.

Other species we saw there and on our way to Umuwa included White-winged Triller, Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius), Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata), Inland Thornbill (Acanthiza apicalis), Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris), Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii), White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata) and a couple of Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius).

Ian.

Deb and Graham just after the sun dropped.

We arrived in Umuwa just before dark and then settled into our digs for the night.