South to Port Macdonnel, South Australia.

Travelling to the South East of South Australia.

Australia, Day Two.

From my room at Eagle View.

I was up and sorted ready for breakfast in the farm at 07:00 after a brilliant Nights sleep, once we were packed Deb and I were off heading south to Port Macdonnel for a pelagic trip which was planned for Sunday, around the farm I started things off with Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans), Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus), Little Raven (Corvus mellori), New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae), Little Wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) and in a garden rock pile a couple of Australian Swamp Rat (Rattus lutreolus) another new species for me.

Australian Swamp Rat (Rattus lutreolus).

Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus).

On the way South we did some birding from the car as Deb drove, species seen included Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans), Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus), Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata), Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans), Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis), Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae), 125+ Black-tailed Nativehens (Tribonyx ventralis), European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris), Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis) and Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis).

Black-tailed Nativehens (Tribonyx ventralis).

Black-tailed Nativehens (Tribonyx ventralis).

As we passed near the town of Wellington we checked some flooded fields and found a small flock of Cape Barren Geese (Cereopsis novaehollandiae), Whiskered Terns (Chlidonias hybrida), Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae), Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) and Silver Gulls (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae).

Cape Barren Geese (Cereopsis novaehollandiae)

We continued on and added White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae), Brown Songlark (Cincloramphus cruralis), Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides), Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus), Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa), Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata), Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris), Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii), Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) and Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus).

Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea).

White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica).

White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica) and Great White Egret (Ardea alba).

Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris).

We reached the Murray River and crossed on one of the free ferries that run 24 hours a day, on the far side we stopped and checked an area of wetland and reeds finding Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra), Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus), Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia), Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus), Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae) x2, Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis), Little Grassbird (Poodytes gramineus), Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos) and then as we continued towards Martin's Wash pool area at Salt Creek we added Red-necked Avocet (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae), Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), Grey Currawong (Strepera versicolor), Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens), Australian Shelduck (Tadorna tadornoides) and Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea).

Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea).

Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea).

At the Wash Pool we stopped briefly to scan the main lake seeing Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) and Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) before continuing on South to the hide at Robe adding Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus), Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera), Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus), Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica), Great White Egret (Ardea alba), Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia) and best of all several White-necked Heron (Ardea pacifica) which were my first in SA.

Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) nests.

Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia).

Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia).

Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia).

At the hide over looking Fox Pool near Robe we had nice views of an Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea) and several species we had already seen.

Lake Mcintyre.

Musk Duck (Biziura lobata).

Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae).

Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus).

We moved on again and headed for lake Mcintyre which was a really good site and gave me my first bird lifer of the trip the Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa) as well as Hardhead (Aythya australis), Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa), Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis), Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla), Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa), Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis) and quiet a few Small Whites (Pieris rapae).

Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa).

Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra), Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa) and Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa).

Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra).

Shame, I fancied having a go.

We finished there and headed through Mount Gambia where I got some shots of a Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) before reaching Port Macdonnel where we stayed at the hotel and had a meal with the rest of the people who were going on the Pelagic.

Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor).

Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor).