Out in the North West of South Australia*.

A mornings birding with Deb and later with Ian as well.

Australia, Day Nine.

Ebird List for Umuwa APY Lands (Restricted access).

 

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora).

In the trees around the accommodation we started the list with a ♀ Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii), Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris), White-plumed (Ptilotula penicillata) and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis).

Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis).

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora).

Ian headed out with us a short way before he had to go to work, our first stop was on a rocky hillside where we looked for but didn't find Dusky Grasswren (Amytornis purnelli), however we did get Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens), Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica), Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis) and Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris).

Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata).

Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata) 2x ♂ and 2x ♀.

Splendid Fairywren (Malurus splendens) winter ♂.

I and took us up the track he said would be good for us to explore and made sure we knew where we were going before heading to work.

Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) ♀.

Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) ♂.

Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris) screeming at a Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus).

Deb and I headed out for several KM before we reached an abandoned farm, here we saw loads more Zebra Finches, Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata) and a very tame Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) which sat on a wire next to the vehicle for ages with some of its last meal still attached to its bill and guessing by their high numbers in the surrounding it may well have been one of the Zebra Finches.

Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) ♂.

Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata).

Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata).

Diamond Doves (Geopelia cuneata).

In the same area we also saw Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus), Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata), Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus), Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis) and just after starting the drive back a distant Dingo (Canis dingo) which ran up into the rocks.

Brown Falcon (Falco berigora).

Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) ♂.

Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus).

As we continued on South we had another pair of Brown Goshawks which got mobbed by a Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), several Budgies (Melopsittacus undulatus), Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis), Inland (Acanthiza apicalis) and our only two Slaty-backed Thornbills (Acanthiza robustirostris), Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum), Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa) and more Singing Honeyeaters.

Banded Whiteface (Aphelocephala nigricincta).

Banded Whiteface (Aphelocephala nigricincta).

Southern Whiteface (Aphelocephala leucopsis).

We turned off the main track and went around a looping route, on the way round we added Splendid Fairywrens (Malurus splendens), Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius), Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae), White-browed Babbler (Pomatostomus superciliosus), female Red-capped Robin, Crimson Chats (Epthianura tricolor), several unexpected Banded Whitefaces (Aphelocephala nigricincta) and a small flock the commoner Southern Whiteface (Aphelocephala leucopsis).

Feral Camel (Camelus dromedarius).

Annual Yellowtop (Senecio gregorii).

Ruby Dock (Rumex vesicarius).

We made our way back to meet Ian later, he took us out to a very nice spot a few KMs away where we checked out the edge of a rocky hillside and valley seeing several feral Camels (Camelus dromedarius) on the way, almost straight away, once we parked we saw a species I had wanted to see when a flock of Spinifex Pigeons (Geophaps plumifera) flew up from the grass and unfortunately all to quickly up over the ridge and away.

The invasive Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) which is covering massive area's of central Australia.

Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius).

Spinifex Pigeons (Geophaps plumifera).

Sturt's Desert Rose (Gossypium sturtianum).

Plum Bush (Santalum lanceolatum).

In the same area we picked up Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae), Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius), White-plumed Honeyeater, as well as several plant species including Annual Yellowtop (Senecio gregorii), several Plum Bushes (Santalum lanceolatum) with some quite tasty fruit on it, Ruby Dock (Rumex vesicarius) and Sturt's Desert Rose (Gossypium sturtianum).

Deb and Ian, Good friends and guides in this magical area.

Losing the sun in the Outback.

Ian and I as the suns going down.

We tried to get better views of the Pigeons, they had disappeared, so Ian took us to a very nice view point looking out over the beautiful landscape out in this stunning area before we headed back to our accommodation for a curry and a bit of sleep.

Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea) in the low sun at the end of another great day.

Out North West, South Australia*.

Going out North West to meet up with Ian.

Australia, Day Eight.

 

Opal Mines to the North of Coober Pedy.

We were up and about quite early, as usual we had Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Little Crow (Corvus bennetti) and Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) around the accommodation before we left and as we headed North toward Marla loads of Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata), a couple of roadside Brown Songlarks (Cincloramphus cruralis), Little Corella's (Cacatua sanguinea), Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens), Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus), Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides), Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax), Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae), Brown Falcon (Falco berigora), Black (Milvus migrans) and Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus), Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) and several flocks of Budgies (Melopsittacus undulatus).

Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis).

Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis).

Torresian Crow (Corvus orru).

Torresian Crow (Corvus orru).

We spent a bit of time at the service area at Marla as we had phone signal sorting out a few bit and as we sat there we saw our first Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis) which were sat quietly up in the large trees as well as our first Torresian Crow (Corvus orru) which were identified on call.

Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes).

Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) ♀.

Other species seen during our coffee break included Galah's (Eolophus roseicapilla), Magpie-larks, Yellow-throated Miner (Manorina flavigula) and Crested Pigeon.

Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) ♂.

Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) ♀.

Once we had both sorted out our calls we took to one of the local tracks, on the first part we scanned some pools where we saw Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata)  and they were common all along the track, we drove out to the furthest point we were going to go to seeing a very smart Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) and checked out a small pool finding 4x Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata) and a single Grey Teal (Anas gracilis).

Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis) immature.

From the pool we did a walking loop up through the scrub and back to the road and into the scrub on the opposite side of the track, on the way we saw Singing, White-fronted (Purnella albifrons) and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis), Redthroat (Pyrrholaemus brunneus), Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza uropygialis), White-winged Triller (Lalage tricolor) x2 ♂ and at least 2 Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera).

Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata).

Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata).

Redthroat (Pyrrholaemus brunneus).

Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza uropygialis).

We drove part way along the track and stopped when Deb heard the call of the Chiming Wedgebill (Psophodes occidentalis) coming from some track side trees, after quite a search we got distant views of this hard to locate songster which can throw its call and sound as though it is much further away or closer than it is.

Chiming Wedgebill (Psophodes occidentalis).

Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis) ♀.

Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris) ♂.

In the same area we had bad views of a small group of passing Pied Honeyeaters (Certhionyx variegatus), Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis), Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris), Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii), Crimson Chat (Epthianura tricolor), Splendid Fairywren (Malurus splendens), Mulga Parrot (Psephotus varius) x2 and by a pool on the way back to the road North several Pink-eared Ducks (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) and a Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys).

Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus).

Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus).

We returned to the main road North and continued on a way before heading out West to meet Ian where we were staying for the next couple of nights, on the way we saw a single Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus), Black-breasted Buzzard (Hamirostra melanosternon) and a nice sunset.