Month: February 2017

24/12/11                         413k

My Nissan Patrol had died on me whilst towing a caravan in Sydney recently and I can’t afford to replace it, Colin and Lynn were very generous and let us borrow their Mercedes 4×4; it’s an automatic which I hate, but it was either that or no holiday, and I’m always in desperate need of a holiday! Bev had Avon stuff to deliver this morning and as usual it took us too long to pack, but eventually we were on our way at 11.40. Stopped for lunch at a very noisy Pykes Ck Reservoir reserve with all the usual watercraft buzzing around. Eventually stopped at the Stringybark walk in Little Desert.

25/12                             477k

Stopped at Kinimakatka and got a Spotted Harrier, then headed in to SA, stopped at Bordertown lake then north from Murray Bridge, and had lunch at Waterfall park S of Mannum. Stopped at Lake Moodie then Freeling rail and ended up at the Rocks Reserve E of Balaklava, bit ratty but a pleasant little creek, had a motorbike and a 4×4 come for short stays but we were alone for the night.

26/12                                 244k

Did a re-survey of Clinton CP at the top of the gulf then started down the Yorke Peninsula, stopped at Wills Ck CP, then Rouges Point, on to Oyster Point Stansbury, had a look at lakes near Edithburgh but there was no access to the ones we looked at around Lake Fowler, most looked too saline to be of any use for waders. Surveyed Troubridge hill reserve, then Point Gilbert and stopped at a nice spot in Sturt bay, I was able to back the caravan nearly on to the beach, which made it a bit windy with yesterday’s cool change still blowing itself out, we had the spot to ourselves again.

27/12                               173k

Stopped at Foul Hill lookout which really wasn’t that bad today then drove in to Innes NP, went to Cape Spencer, Deep Lake Innes NP and the walk to Royston Head, heard Western Whipbird and got Eastern Reef Egret, Rufous Fieldwren, Purple-gaped Honeyeater and Rock Parrot. $8 concession day entry fee. Had a look at Warrenben CP then Corny Point and stopped at Leven Beach CP at the end of the road right on the beach again, few people around, being on the north side with a southerly there was no rocking caravan and no wave sound to drown out the sound of the fridge.

28/12                                261k

The sea was glassy when we got up, checked Flaherty’s beach, then Minlaton lake with it’s bird hide wall, then up to Port Victoria bay at the head of the bay and on to Chinaman’s Wells for lunch under the trees, more dirt roads to get to Bird Islands CP, stopped short of the park as it looked too sandy. Headed inland to Mona ruins and camped on an abandoned railway line at Barunga gap. Some of the roads here have corrugations and the car occasionally beeps and cuts out on them, which is a bit disconcerting. We are also loosing lids from things in the fridge, mustard, pickles etc, the milk cartons also don’t like being jostled and spring a leak, so we’ll have to figure out a better way of carrying things in the fridge. After dark there is still quite a strong cool breeze.

29/12                               257k

The leaking milk carton was discarded and the milk transferred to my water container, but for some reason it went sour overnight (no more milk cartons, plastic bottles only from now on), so had to wait for breaky in Snowtown. All dry inland surveys today, stopped at Matin Rd Blythe through Clare to Sheepdip Rd Farrell Flat and stopped at Porter lagoon for lunch, a pink lake. Up to Burra and a look at Redbanks CP where we found a wet gully on the south end of the park, then N Burra Rd S of Douglas. Had a few surveys with little on it today, surveyed Florieton then got 4 Southern Whiteface and 2 Redthroat at Monument White dam CP. , Crossed the Murray at the Morgan ferry, and surveyed Morgan CP then tried to find a spot on the Murray to stop all the way to Blanchetown S where I’d had enough and propped ourselves just south of the town on a vacant block.

30/12                                      306k

Last night someone let off a fortune in fireworks with some mighty bangs, when it stopped I was just getting off to sleep when Bev started snoring. Noticed oil on the side of the car but all the fluid levels are okay, there was already a small oil leak. Looked at Brookfield CP SE corner where we got a Hooded Robin, down to Swan Reach and to Bakara CP for lunch where we got a good look at a Gilbert’s Whistler, Golding Rd W of Wunkar then to Loxton stopping at Milch’s landing, and down to Paruna and Pinnaroo sewerage  which was a disappointment. To Murraysville and south to the edge of the Big Desert SF 1 to camp. Got to 37 degrees and the fridge hasn’t coped, the ice cream has melted, and the cheese is going soft, drank my milk before it went off.

31/12

Home

Bird list from the trip. % pertains to the 47 surveys done. B is for breeding

• Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae 1 (2.13%)
• Black Swan Cygnus atratus 1 (2.13%)
• Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa 3 (6.38%) (B)
• Grey Teal Anas gracilis 7 (14.89%)
• Chestnut Teal Anas castanea 1 (2.13%)
• Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata 8 (17.02%)
• Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata 1 (2.13%)
• Stubble Quail Coturnix pectoralis 4 (8.51%)
• Brown Quail Synoicus ypsilophora 2 (4.26%)
• Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae 2 (4.26%)
• Rock Dove Columba livia 5 (10.64%)
• Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis 4 (8.51%)
• Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera 4 (8.51%)
• Brush Bronzewing Phaps elegans 3 (6.38%)
• Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes 20 (42.55%)
• Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida 4 (8.51%)
• Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides 1 (2.13%)
• Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus 2 (4.26%)
• Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio 1 (2.13%)
• Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa 1 (2.13%) (B)
• Black-tailed Native-hen Tribonyx ventralis 1 (2.13%)
• Eurasian Coot Fulica atra 2 (4.26%)
• Australian Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris 2 (4.26%)
• Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus 4 (8.51%)
• Banded Stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus 1 (2.13%)
• Black-winged Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus 1 (2.13%)
• Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus 5 (10.64%)
• Hooded Plover Thinornis cucullatus 1 (2.13%)
• Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops 2 (4.26%)
• Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles 9 (19.15%)
• Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis 1 (2.13%)
• Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata 1 (2.13%)
• Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis 6 (12.77%)
• Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 5 (10.64%)
• Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae 13 (27.66%)
• Pacific Gull Larus pacificus 9 (19.15%)
• Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 1 (2.13%)
• Fairy Tern Sternula nereis 2 (4.26%)
• Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 6 (12.77%)
• Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii 7 (14.89%)
• Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus 3 (6.38%)
• Nankeen Night-Heron Nycticorax caledonicus 1 (2.13%)
• White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica 1 (2.13%)
• Great Egret Ardea alba 4 (8.51%)
• White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae 7 (14.89%)
• Eastern Reef Egret Egretta sacra 1 (2.13%)
• Australian White Ibis Threskiornis moluccus 1 (2.13%)
• Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia 1 (2.13%)
• Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos 3 (6.38%)
• Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 4 (8.51%)
• Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris 4 (8.51%)
• Black-faced Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscescens 6 (12.77%)
• Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius 5 (10.64%)
• Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae 3 (6.38%)
• Osprey Pandion haliaetus 1 (2.13%)
• Black-shouldered Kite Elanus axillaris 2 (4.26%)
• Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax 1 (2.13%)
• Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis 4 (8.51%)
• Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus 4 (8.51%)
• Barn Owl Tyto alba 2 (4.26%)
• Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus 6 (12.77%)
• Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae 5 (10.64%)
• Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides 5 (10.64%)
• Australian Hobby Falco longipennis 2 (4.26%)
• Brown Falcon Falco berigora 2 (4.26%)
• Galah Eolophus roseicapilla 16 (34.04%)
• Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea 3 (6.38%)
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita 3 (6.38%)
• Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus 3 (6.38%)
• Mulga Parrot Psephotellus varius 1 (2.13%)
• Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans 7 (14.89%)
• Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius 2 (4.26%)
• Australian Ringneck Barnardius zonarius 2 (4.26%)
• Elegant Parrot Neophema elegans 1 (2.13%)
• Rock Parrot Neophema petrophila 1 (2.13%)
• Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna 2 (4.26%)
• Purple-crowned Lorikeet Glossopsitta porphyrocephala 1 (2.13%)
• White-throated Treecreeper Cormobates leucophaea 1 (2.13%)
• Brown Treecreeper Climacteris picumnus 5 (10.64%) (B)
• Variegated Fairy-wren Malurus lamberti 12 (25.53%)
• Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus 4 (8.51%)
• Splendid Fairy-wren Malurus splendens 2 (4.26%)
• White-winged Fairy-wren Malurus leucopterus 3 (6.38%)
• New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae 7 (14.89%)
• White-eared Honeyeater Nesoptilotis leucotis 3 (6.38%)
• Brown-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus brevirostris 1 (2.13%)
• White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons 1 (2.13%)
• Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthagenys rufogularis 14 (29.79%)
• Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata 8 (17.02%)
• Singing Honeyeater Gavicalis virescens 20 (42.55%) (B)
• Yellow-plumed Honeyeater Ptilotula ornata 2 (4.26%)
• White-plumed Honeyeater Ptilotula penicillata 12 (25.53%)
• White-fronted Honeyeater Purnella albifrons 1 (2.13%)
• Yellow-faced Honeyeater Caligavis chrysops 1 (2.13%)
• Purple-gaped Honeyeater Lichenostomus cratitius 2 (4.26%)
• Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala 5 (10.64%)
• Yellow-throated Miner Manorina flavigula 4 (8.51%)
• Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus 1 (2.13%)
• Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus 11 (23.40%)
• Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris 8 (17.02%)
• Redthroat Pyrrholaemus brunneus 1 (2.13%)
• Rufous Fieldwren Calamanthus campestris 3 (6.38%)
• White-browed Scrubwren Sericornis frontalis 6 (12.77%)
• Southern Whiteface Aphelocephala leucopsis 3 (6.38%)
• Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa 2 (4.26%)
• Inland Thornbill Acanthiza apicalis 3 (6.38%)
• Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla 2 (4.26%)
• Slender-billed Thornbill Acanthiza iredalei 1 (2.13%)
• Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza uropygialis 2 (4.26%)
• White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus 6 (12.77%)
• Chestnut-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus ruficeps 1 (2.13%)
• Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae 3 (6.38%)
• Gilbert’s Whistler Pachycephala inornata 1 (2.13%)
• Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris 2 (4.26%)
• Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis 1 (2.13%)
• Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica 11 (23.40%)
• Crested Bellbird Oreoica gutturalis 1 (2.13%)
• Western Whipbird Psophodes nigrogularis 1 (2.13%)
• Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor 5 (10.64%)
• Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen 24 (51.06%)
• Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis 3 (6.38%)
• Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus 9 (19.15%)
• Masked Woodswallow Artamus personatus 1 (2.13%)
• White-browed Woodswallow Artamus superciliosus 5 (10.64%)
• Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus 1 (2.13%) (B)
• Black-faced Woodswallow Artamus cinereus 2 (4.26%)
• Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys 24 (51.06%) (B)
• Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa 2 (4.26%)
• Little Raven Corvus mellori 9 (19.15%)
• Australian Raven Corvus coronoides 3 (6.38%)
• Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta 2 (4.26%)
• Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca 10 (21.28%) (B)
• White-winged Chough Corcorax melanorhamphos 2 (4.26%)
• Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii 1 (2.13%)
• Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans 1 (2.13%)
• Southern Scrub-robin Drymodes brunneopygia 1 (2.13%)
• Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata 2 (4.26%)
• Diamond Firetail Stagonopleura guttata 1 (2.13%)
• House Sparrow Passer domesticus 14 (29.79%) (B)
• Australasian Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae 2 (4.26%)
• European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis 1 (2.13%)
• Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis 5 (10.64%)
• Brown Songlark Cincloramphus cruralis 1 (2.13%)
• Little Grassbird Poodytes gramineus 1 (2.13%)
• Australian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus australis 4 (8.51%)
• White-backed Swallow Cheramoeca leucosterna 1 (2.13%)
• Fairy Martin Petrochelidon ariel 5 (10.64%)
• Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans 4 (8.51%)
• Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena 17 (36.17%)
• Silvereye Zosterops lateralis 9 (19.15%)
• Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris 12 (25.53%)
• Common Blackbird Turdus merula 6 (12.77%)
• Crow & Raven spp 3 (6.38%)

If you would like to contribute the the well being of this world, our world, your world, an easy and effective way to do it is to join a quality environmental group. There are many spread across the world all plugging away trying to make the world a better place for wildlife. We belong to Birdlife Australia, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC). You can donate your time and or money to these and many others knowing that the world will be a slightly better place because of your effort.