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) Male.

Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) Female.

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 males 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 ot distant views of this hard to locate songster which can throw its call and sound as thouh it is much futher away or closer than it is.

Chiming Wedgebill (Psophodes occidentalis).

Crested Bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis) female.

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 (Haliastur sphenurus), Black-breasted Buzzard (Hamirostra melanosternon) and a nice sunset.

Birding around Coober Pedy, South Australia.

Bird Tracks around the out back town amounst the Opel Mines.

Australia, Day Seven.

 

Little Crow (Corvus bennetti) sat on top of the monument.

Deb and I headed out south of the town to the Hutchinson Monument area where we were hoping to find the uncommon Chestnut-breasted Whiteface (Aphelocephala pectoralis), on the way down we picked up Little Crow (Corvus bennetti), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) and after we parked and started to walk around the site we picked up Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) x30+, Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens) x6, Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) x15, a single Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) which will be called Budies from now on and a band of 20+ White-winged Fairywrens (Malurus leucopterus) including a stunning male which unfortunately stayed distant.

Purple-backed Fairywren (Malurus assimilis) female.

Purple-backed Fairywren (Malurus assimilis) female.

We circled around to some more distant break away (areas of collapsed banks), on the way we had another group of Fairywrens but this time they were Purple-backed (Malurus assimilis) along with Australasian Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae) and then we came across a group of three of the target Chestnut-breasted Whitefaces which performed nicely for us but kept their distance.

Chestnut-breasted Whiteface (Aphelocephala pectoralis).

Chestnut-breasted Whiteface (Aphelocephala pectoralis).

We watched these very smart birds before walking back towards the vehicle adding a Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) before heading to another spot a little further back up the road where we again walked around a similar looking area finding lots more Budgies x70+, Zebra Finches x 20, Little Crow x2, Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus ) x3, White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata) x2, Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) x2, White-winged Triller (Lalage tricolor) x1, Brown Songlark (Cincloramphus cruralis) x2 and Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus) x6.

Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus).

Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus).

Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens).

We returned to Coober Pedy for a coffee and then went for a drive and walk along the out flow from the sewage works where we added several new species including adult and immature Spotted Harriers (Circus assimilis) which we watched pass food in mid air.

Little Crow (Corvus bennetti).

Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus).

Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca).

Closer to the water we found Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) x2, Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides) x2, Crested Pigeon x2, Little Grassbird (Poodytes gramineus) x6, Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) x2, Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops) x5 and at least 3 Australian Spotted Crake (Porzana fluminea).

Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis) immature.

Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis) immature.

Black Kite (Milvus migrans).

We went up to a small seating area and raised view point seeing Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles), Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans) and behind us a Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) or Bin Chicken as Deb calls them.

Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops).

Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops).

Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles).

Australian Spotted Crake (Porzana fluminea).

Next we headed out on a road from the town searching for the difficult to find Gibber Chat (Ashbyia lovensis) and difficult it was but we eventually had a bird fly up off the roadside.

Gibber Chat (Ashbyia lovensis).

Gibber Chat (Ashbyia lovensis).

Even when we had found the bird it was difficult to keep on the the stony habitat where it just disappeared even though it was bright yellow on the breast and always stayed distant.

Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus).

White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula penicillata).

Australian Spotted Crake (Porzana fluminea).

In this area we also had views of Rufous Fieldwren (Calamanthus campestris) x3, more Budgies x15, Galah's (Eolophus roseicapilla) and my first Red Kangaroo (Osphranter rufus).

Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea).

Our last stop was back at the sewage works stream where we say all the same species but also added Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea) x2 and Grey Teal (Anas gracilis) x5.

Driving North to Coober Pedy, South Australia.

A long drive North for Deb with some good birding on the way.

Australia, Day Six.

 

Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides) male.

After dropping Molly and Maddie the dogs off at Deb's Mom's we started the long drive north to Coober Pedy way up in the top end of South Australia, as we went to and around Adelaide we saw my first Spotted Doves (Spilopelia chinensis) which were plentiful all the way through the suburbs along with Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) and Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula).

Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides).

Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides).

To the North of the city I saw three Hardhead (Aythya australis) ducks on a small flooded area and as we drove towards Ball Hill beach we add Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes), Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae), Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus), Little Raven (Corvus mellori), 30+ Sulphur-crested Cockatoo's (Cacatua galerita), Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys), Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus axillaris), Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata) and Black-faced Cuckooshrike (Coracina novaehollandiae).

Pied Cormorants (Phalacrocorax varius), Great Crested Terns (Thalasseus bergii) and Silver Gulls (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae).

Just before our lunch stop at Port Wakefield bakery we stopped off at Bald Hill Beach, on the drive into the site we had a very smart pair of  Nankeen Kestrels (Falco cenchroides), a Brown Falcon (Falco berigora) and Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens).

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia).

Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii).

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia), Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii) and Fairy Tern (Sternula nereis).

Once we were on the beach the species just kept coming, we had soon added Great Crested  (Thalasseus bergii) x50+, Caspian (Hydroprogne caspia) x15 and Fairy Terns (Sternula nereis) x3, Grey (Pluvialis squatarola) x1, Red-capped (Charadrius ruficapillus) x25 and Double-banded Plover (Charadrius bicinctus) x9, Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) x12, Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) x11, Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) x2, Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia), Great White (Ardea alba) and Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus) and a calling but unseen Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis).

Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae).

Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia), Great White (Ardea alba) and Little Egret (Egretta garzetta).

On the drive out of the site we saw White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) and White-fronted Chat (Epthianura albifrons) before having a coffee and a Cornish Pasty for lunch.

Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus) male.

Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus) female.

Double-banded Plover (Charadrius bicinctus).

Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis).

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia), Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii) and Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica).

We continued North picking up Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) and Black Kite (Milvus migrans) and at our next rest stop we picked up Black-faced Woodswallow (Artamus cinereus), Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) and a blue butterfly species which I still need to name but is possibly Southern Purple Azure (Ogyris genoveva).

Deb at Bald Hill Beach.

A Cornish Pasty ????? It tasted good.

Further north we made a brief stop at a flooded area which heald a few nice species including the stunning Black-fronted Dotterel (Elseyornis melanops), Pied Stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus), Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus), Grey Teal (Anas gracilis), Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus) and Black-tailed Nativehen (Tribonyx ventralis).

Butterfly species, possibly Southern Purple Azure (Ogyris genoveva).

On the way North.

Between this flood and Coober Pedy we had 4x Wedge-tailed Eagles (Aquila audax) and in town we added Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea) which were roosting in a tree in the car park of the place we went to eat after unpacking the 4x4.