Eagle View and Cox's Scrub, South Australia.

A windy visit to Cox's and an afternoon at the Farm.

Australia, Day Fifty One.

Ebird List.

Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis).

Ian was off early with Renate to do a Market in Adelaide somewhere so after a slow start I headed down the road to Cox's Scrub, I arrived and the Car Park was empty so I guessed everyone else had looked at the weather report about the wind getting up.

Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis).

New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae).

New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae).

Anyway I had a walk around for an hour and a bit before the wind made birding difficult, in that time I only managed to find Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis), Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Elegant Parrot (Neophema elegans), Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus), Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans), Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus), New Holland (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) and Brown-headed Honeyeater (Melithreptus brevirostris), Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica), Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris), Dusky Woodswallow (Artamus cyanopterus), Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa), Little Raven (Corvus mellori), Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula), European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis).

Brown-headed Honeyeater (Melithreptus brevirostris).

As I walked I also saw Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus), Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus), Small White (Pieris rapae), Caper White (Belenois aurota) and 4 spikes of the beautiful Leopard Sun Orchid (Thelymitra benthamiana).

Elegant Parrot (Neophema elegans).

Elegant Parrot (Neophema elegans).

Elegant Parrot (Neophema elegans).

The wind was making things unpleasant so I headed back to the farm where I caught up with a bit on the Laptop and watched what went passed the window which included Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus), Little (Anthochaera chrysoptera) and Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata), Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans), Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and later on the way to get food from Meadows we caught up with the all important Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) and later we had a Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) from the terrace whilst eating.

Leopard Sun Orchid (Thelymitra benthamiana).

Leopard Sun Orchid (Thelymitra benthamiana).

Eagle View, South Australia.

Out on the farm.

Australia, Day Fifty.

Renate's Rose's.

I woke as usual to the fluting calls of the Australian Magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen) but that was soon mixed with the raucous cry's from the Little Ravens (Corvus mellori),  Sulphur-crested Cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) and Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus).

After breakfast Ian and I headed out to check on the cows on the far fields, on the way we picked up both Little (Anthochaera chrysoptera) and Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula), Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus), Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans), Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) and New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae).

The First Dam.

By the two dams Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata), Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa), Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae), Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa), Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra), Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos) and up on the top fields we saw Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae), Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) and one of the pair of  Wedge-tailed Eagles (Aquila audax) which came down from the pines to check us out.

Once we got back to the Farm we went over to Deb's Moms to check on things and to return her car which I had used to go to Laratinga yesterday, whilst there we saw European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) and Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica).

Ian and I shelling Broad Beans out on the Terrace.

We returned to Eagle View and got a bit of watering done and then picked and podded quite a few Broad Beans, whilst we were doing these tasks we saw Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae), White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis), Crescent Honeyeater (Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus), Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) and Grey Currawong (Strepera versicolor).

Other species seen were Small White (Pieris rapae) and Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus). 

We returned to Renate's and loaded up the pickup with stuff for the Market Renate and Ian were going to in the morning before returning to the Farm where we picked some Rubbarb and the took a large round bail of Silage down for the cows on the far fields, during this time I picked up Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis), Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa), White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae), White-naped Honeyeater (Melithreptus lunatus), Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrocephalus) before Ian got the BBQ going and we had some more Lamb Chops and a beer.

 

Eagle View and Laratinga Wetlands, South Australia.

Around the Farm and out to Mount Barker.

Australia, Day Forty Nine.

On the way in.

Today was pretty much spent around the Laratinga Wetlands near Mount Barker, I parked and walked in over the two bridges and passed the BBQ, seating areas and sheds which as usual were all clean and unvandalized up to the top main pool at the eastern end of the wetland.

Hardhead (Aythya australis).

Grey Teal (Anas gracilis).

Australian Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis), eclipse male.

Australian Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis), eclipse male.

Australian Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis), eclipse male.

Australian Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis), female left and eclipse male right.

I checked both pools from the bank between them and out on the boardwalk, species seen included Australian Shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis), Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa), Hardhead (Aythya australis), Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus), the first of a very good number of Australian Crakes (Porzana fluminea), Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis), Little Grassbird (Poodytes gramineus), Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans) and Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata).

Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata).

Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus).

Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa).

Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa).

Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea) male.

Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea) male.

Further around the larger pools I added Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa), Black Swan (Cygnus atratus), Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata), Grey (Anas gracilis) and Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea), Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae), Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra), Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa), Baillon's Crake (Zapornia pusilla), Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus), Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) and Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans).

Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus).

Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus).

Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus).

Around the smaller pools which were more reed covered there were Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus), Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae), Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus), Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera), Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata), Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus) and Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca). 

Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea).

Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea).

Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea).

Baillon's Crake (Zapornia pusilla).

Baillon's Crake (Zapornia pusilla).

Baillon's Crake (Zapornia pusilla).

Spotless Crake (Zapornia tabuensis).

Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis).

At the furthest point to the West of the reserve I sat and checked a small area of reeds and soon found the first of two Spotless Crakes (Zapornia tabuensis) and a very smart Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis).

Hardhead (Aythya australis).

Black Swan (Cygnus atratus).

Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus).

Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles).

New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae).

Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans).

Other species seen before I headed back to Eagle View were Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles), Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops), Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos), Australian Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae), Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) and Little Raven (Corvus mellori).

Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca).

Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis).

Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis).

Little Grassbird (Poodytes gramineus).

Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis).

 

Eagle View, Jupiter Creek, Adelaide and back to Eagle View, South Australia.

Knocking around locally in the cold wind.

Australia, Day Forty Eight.

Ian and I started the day by moving some of the Sheep from the very top Paddock down to the top roadside strip before Popping over to Deb's Mom's to check on the Alpaca's and the Rams there.

Whilst there we saw Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula), Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena), Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica), White-naped Honeyeater (Melithreptus lunatus), Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata), Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus), Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) and Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla).

We returned to Eagle View and whilst Ian did a few jobs I saw Little Raven (Corvus mellori), Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae), New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae), Little Wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera), Rainbow (Trichoglossus moluccanus) and Musk Lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna), Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) and White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae).

A little later we headed off to Adelaide City where Ian needed to get a few bits for the farm, on the way in we called in at Jupiter Creek Gold Diggins but we didn't find anything of interest but whilst there we had a chat with some guys from the CFS (County Fire Service) who were prepping the area for a burn to clear the undergrowth.

We continued on towards the City seeing Australian (Threskiornis molucca) and Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis), Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos), Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa), Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra), Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Australasian Grebe (Tachybaptus novaehollandiae), Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa), Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata), Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) and a Shingleback Lizard (Tiliqua rugosa).

In the city I only added Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala) and Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis) before we returned the Farm.

Back at the farm between the showers I saw Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), Grey Currawong (Strepera versicolor), White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis) and Crescent Honeyeater (Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus).

Eagle View, South Australia.

A day around the farm.

Australia, Day Forty Seven.

The Chef.

A rest day seeing the usual species and enjoying a really nice Lamb BBQ later.

The Lamb, from the Farm.