Melbourne to Timber Creek NT via Sturt NP, Ranken Rd, Barkly Stock Route, Buchanan Hwy 2020

20/3/2020 203km

This trip follows on from the end of the Antarctic trip, that has found me at the Royal Melbourne Hospital with the the all clear from the doctors as far as the Covid 19 virus that has the world of humans in its grip. We headed out of the city and up the Calder hwy, stopping at Mt Korong Reserve where we were greeted by a Gilbert’s Whistler, we had dinner and bed not long after, I was pretty tired.

21/3 444km

Finished the survey with 21sp at 8.45 and headed up the Calder Hwy, stopping at Walsh Arnold Rd Gulgoa for Bluebonnets. Lake Tyrell south was very quiet, with the place having become very popular with the tourists lately they are doing works here to try and keep them under check with no camping signs here now also. We had lunch at Nowingi Track Hattah NP where I got Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters, but couldn’t find any Mallee Emuwrens. Got all my washing from the Antarctic trip done in Mildura, and headed up the Silver City Hwy to Darling Anabranch stopping at 16.50, there was a large flock of 60 Major Mitchell’s Cockatoos that came in to feed on the paddymelons in the base of the dry river, initially I couldn’t get near them, but I sat quietly near a patch of their food, and they soon came down to feed, I then crawled slowly on hands and knees towards them, so that they didn’t see me as a threat, I got within a few metres of them getting some nice shots, and video. The heavy presence of flies persisted until near dark, as they went to bed we had dinner, and we followed them to bed not long after.

Click here for a video of the Major Mitchell’s Cockatoos feeding with a bit of a squabble at the end

22/3 434km

Up before dawn, had my breaky before I did my walk and came back with 16sp for the site, and headed off at 7.45. Up the road Popiltah Lake SW was dry and had Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike. Not far up the road Double dam is a supposedly fenced off area with no grazing, but the ever resourceful goats had got in, so it’s either not being monitored or policed properly. The goats were also in the nature reserve across the road, in fact they were seen with depressing regularity all day today. Popiltah Lake and rest area had the usual Apostlebirds, though only 5 so they are struggling too here it would seem. Silver City Hwy south had some Chestnut-rumped Thornbills as we moved out of the goat driven desertified country into some more intact woodland. Backwell Bore was back to poor despite a leaking tank, if there’s no food, there’s no life. We picked up fuel at an amazing 1.139cpl at the Metro servo in Broken Hill, then continued up the Silver City Hwy with still desiccated country around us. The Springs Tk Stephen’s Creek had a lone Crested Pigeon as we ate lunch. Then as we headed on north we noticed that there had been some rain recently, things were still poor until just north of Euriowie Ck, where the landscape now had a green tinge to it rather than brown. Fowlers Gap Tank was as full as I’ve ever seen it with 12sp, and just north at Gum Ck the mud level on the road, indicating the highest point of the recent flood was amazingly high, it must have been spectacular. From here north many of the creeks still had pools of water, but as we continued north the land lost its green tinge and we went back to 1 sp at 1.5km south of Coko Ck and zero birds at a grassland site 140km south of Tibooburra. At 17.15 we camped at Cobham Lake which was dry and only got 2sp by dark. I had a shave and cut my hair then had a wash using one cup of water, then sat and squashed flies at an astronomical rate, feeding them to the ants with a casual flick. Bed not long after dark.

23/3 391km

There were a few more birds to find on my morning stroll including a Chirruping Wedgebill, to end the survey with 7sp. Headed off at 7.50 and stopped at Silver City Hwy north where there were road works and a lone Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo. Milparinka Well only had a small pool in the bottom and 3sp with the first Variegated Fairywren. Picked up some fruit in Tibooburra and headed into the Sturt NP, first stop was South Myers Tank that had a few ducks with Freckled and Blue-billed, and 180 Zebra Finches, also of interest was a Pipit doing its roller coaster display. Mt King Tank was also abuzz with 14sp including 85 Budgerigars in small flocks. Lunch was taken at mark 4 Jump up Tk on Connia Ck, where a Red-browed Pardalote peeped away in the trees. Stubberfield Tank also had good species diversity but less birds than the other two tanks. Our last survey in the national park was in the Mulga woodland around Olive Downs camp where there we no birds. Into Queensland and stopped at my Eyre Development Rd site and got Banded Lapwing. Sullivan’s Tank had cattle in the pools created by the overflow of the tank recently, it was drying out with not as many birds as last time I was here, but still got 8sp, including Chestnut-crowned Babbler. North through pipeline north of Santos Station, and found that I couldn’t get to Knob Ck. We checked in with Orientos Station who confirmed that the road I usually take was closed due to damage from the recent rains and we were forced to take the alternative road, which turned out to be fortuitous as I found a site with lots of birds at Nochnora creekline, then further along a flock of Inland Dotterels foraging with a Gibberbird at Mithaminnie Range. We stopped just before dark at Orientos Rd junction where I found another Gibberbird and a Brown Songlark on the grassy plains.

25/3 456km

Up until today the winds have been from the south as we pushed north, keeping the temperatures cool with tops of a very pleasant 25C. Today the winds changed to northerlies, which meant a top of 36C and an increase in the humidity with a few storms in the avo in the distance. The first stop at crest and pit south of Mulgera Ck was birdless on the rocky hillside. Pudiapatchie Ck yard had a Black-tailed Native Hen in a scrape by the yard. T junction NW of lake Pure only had a White-winged Fairywren in the spinifex, Arrabury Station T junction was another open grassland and I managed to find a Budgerigar as it flew over. The recent rains have been widespread and we found greenery all day long. The other side of the greenery is the damage that the rains do to the road. The Planet-Arrabury Rd was the worst for washouts. All the floodways look like they had 1m of water depth as a maximum flow, and some of the bigger creeks had 2m depth, that’s an astonishing amount of water flowing down these usually dry watercourses. The washouts meant every floodway had to be taken slowly though only one needed 4wd as it still had water across the road and was muddy. All this water and greenery hasn’t yet had time to have the flow on effect for the birds, though there was an increase in insect life. So creek near Nulla Outstation only had 4sp. Bore and drain near Cuddapan has permanent water so had 7sp with nesting Zebra Finch. Tanbar Ck had a long pool and had 230 Budgerigars and the first White-winged Triller. At Mornay Ck east we found a Rufous Whistler and upon return to the car discovered a flat tyre, so in the heat of the afternoon changed it. The road west was closed at Ferrars Creek so there was no point going any further, we headed east and stopped at Carranya ephemeral wetlands for 15sp with Yellow-billed Spoonbill and White-necked Herons using the flooded area. Through Windorah and headed north to 15km north of Windorah for 8sp in the woodland with Bourke’s Parrot. We stopped at 37km north of Windorah and drove about 100m into the scrub to camp just before dark. The flies have been terrible all day, so my relax before dinner turned into another fly swatting episode.

25/3 460km

It was a hot sticky night with absolutely no breeze, but once I got myself to sleep I slept okay. In the pre-dawn gloom the flies were there to meet me, but as we headed north the sheer amount of them at each site dropped off as the land became drier. We used the Thomson Development Rd to get to Longreach, stopping at Gully at Goon Goon south of Stonehenge where there were a few birds and a Varied Eggfly butterfly that posed for me upside down in the woodland. Draught Horse Ck had 15sp. We put a bit of fuel in at Longreach since it’s cheaper at Winton, aren’t fuel apps wonderful! It was there that I had a message from my brother, when I rang him back he told me that father had died on Monday night and he was on his way to Melbourne to identify the body and make arrangements for the funeral which we won’t be going to. We went to the Thomson River boat ramp for lunch and added Blue-faced Honeyeater. My next site was in the middle of roadworks and was not doable so on to Dog Hole Ck which was hot and quiet but we got some Australian Pratincoles in the paddocks. Lorraine Rest area had 10sp and dam west of Dillcar had a Spinifex Pigeon and Hoary-headed Grebe. There were some froglets in the main dam, but I couldn’t get a photo of them. We camped at Long Waterhole Winton at 16.15 and I had 15sp by dark with Royal Spoonbill, Great Egret, White-necked Heron, Black-fronted Dotterel and Pelican as the waterbirds. There was a noisome racket not long before dark as the local hoons invaded the waterhole’s peace. Even though they went nowhere near the waterbirds they took off and departed the scene as soon as they heard the noise, perhaps a prior bad memory.

THE TYRANT IS DEAD 25/3/2020

The grown man can forgive

The frightened little child cannot

Nor the angry young man

The cruel tyrant is dead

There was no love

There was no repartee

There was no rapport

There was nothing

An impassive unimpressive

Pretense of a father

I can find no charity

Completely impassive to his death

No tear will be shed by me

The tyrant is dead

There was no love

The scars from his cruelty are deep

Only partially healed

And now he’s gone

I’m free from his burden

With no reconciliation

There’s now a dead end

The tyrant is dead

There was no love

There was no forgiveness

No mercy

No peace

There was no one I could turn to

The lonely little child

Unloved, unlovable

The tyrant is dead

There was no love

No child should be afraid to go home

No son should despise his father

I can still see his angry twisted face

As he tore me into little pieces

My mind my soul all frozen with fear

Day after day

Year after year

Like a cornered mouse

There was nowhere to run

No where to hide

So I hid within myself

The tyrant is dead

There was no love

Years of repression

Suppression

Oppression

Years of depression

Secession

Disaffection

It was my nineteenth year when I broke the yoke

Shattered the shackles

With the help of my good friends

I took my first steps towards self worth

So now I am an old man

The tyrant is dead

There was no love

But that doesn’t matter now

His power over me has long since waned

There now only remains the ghost

The ghost of a little child’s fear

Let the above poem be a warning to all you parents. Be kind to your children, love and cherish your children, you may only get one chance.

26/3 493km

Finished the survey with 23sp adding Little Grassbird and Horsefield’s Bronze Cuckoo to the list. Filled up the tanks at the Puma servo in Winton, it being the cheapest diesel in the region and headed for Myrall dam which had Singing Bushlark. Took the back road to Combo Waterhole through the open paddocks. Combo Rd near Bendemeer Station only had an Australian Pratincole, but the Combo Rd near Frensham turnoff had breeding Banded Lapwings in the fields around the dams here. Combo Waterhole had 70 Black Kites wheeling around the waterhole and we added Rufous-throated Honeyeater here. Rest stop west of Kynuna had a Stubble Quail. McKinley River McKinley was hot and dry for lunch, and 60km south of Cloncurry had had a small hot fire through it. Rail crossing east of Cloncurry was back to just hot and dry again. Chinaman Ck Dam added Varied Lorikeet. My intended stop at Clem Walton dam was closed due to the Chinese allowing people to eat wild mammals, thus catching a novel form of corona virus, and causing a pandemic, thanks guys. We drove on through Mount Isa and stopped at Mica Creek not long before dark.

27/3 142km

I searched the spinifex hills in the area but could find no Kalkadoon Grasswrens, left the area with 17sp at 8.25 and went into Mount Isa, first stop was shopping, then we tried to get the power inverter fixed, the plug into the cigarette lighter broke last night which means we can’t charge computers or camera batteries. It was 14.00 before we got it fixed, running around to 4 different places. In the meantime we filled up the water tank and the petrol tank. So off along the Barkly Hwy we went with signs saying that the border with Northern territory was closed ahead. First stop was Mt Gordon T junction for Hooded Robin, then Mt King Ck for Weebill and Striated Pardalote, both of which have been strangely absent from surveys. We camped at 16.20 at Burketown junction Barkly Hwy for 20sp before dark with about 2700 Budgerigars coming in to the fenced off dam across the road to drink and roost for the night, they came mainly in small flocks of 100-200 but there was one big flock of 1000.

28/3 481km

Last night as we were going to sleep we got our first night bird for the trip, don’t know why, possibly the habitats have been so bad for so long that they’ve all died out, or perhaps I’m just sleeping too deeply for them to wake me up like they usually do. We also heard the horrible machine gun rattle of a Cane Toad, so we got the good the bad and the ugly all in two species. Ended the survey with 27sp including Red-browed Pardalote and Crested Bellbird and we headed for the Northern Territory border. They let us through, with a few days to get to WA as Broome is our intended destination. So we’re another step closer. Telstra site Barkly Hwy had the Horsefield’s Bushlark as usual, Ranken Rd 3 had a lone Masked Woodswallow chirping away way up in the sky, there were probably others but I couldn’t spot any more. Bell Waterhole had no water dependent birds unless you want to count Masked Lapwing or Brolga which aren’t necessarily found at water, 16sp all up. Ranken Rd grid had a lone Brown Songlark with 8 Horsefield’s Bushlarks in the open fields that were thronging with flies. Ranken Rd 1 in the shrubs only had 2sp and the Connell’s Lagoon CP that doesn’t have a lagoon only had a lone Horsefield’s Bushlark. The Ranken road is little used so generally in good condition, care should be taken at floodways. Headed north up the Tablelands Hwy where at rest area 148km north of Barkly Hwy there was some odd behavior from a Torresian Crow pair. One was sitting on a nest as we arrived but vacated it for most of the survey, towards the end of the survey one arrived back at the nest but was seen to pick up food from the nest and swallow it, the other one came and joined it then settled down into the nest again, perhaps the food was not eaten by an unseen chick, or was it a dead chick? Ephemeral wetland 146km north of Barkly Hwy was dry, but with lush greenery as with the entire region, only 2sp. 181Km north of Barkly Homestread had a Spotted Harrier, the first for the trip. We headed west down the Barkly Stock Route and camped at mast Barkly Stock Route for the night. A local came down the track and told us we couldn’t camp here, when we explained what we were doing she said she’d contact the leaser of the land and let them decide whether to kick us on, no one came thankfully. I thought out in the open that the flies would be less and hopefully no mozzies, wrong on both counts.

29/3 508km

We were woken by the pleasant warbling of the Horsefiled’s Bushlarks, but the car looked like a spotty Dalmatian with all the flies plastered to the outside just waiting for us to emerge from the camper, surely enough as I got out they descended on me buzzing incessantly around my head making life miserable and photography impossible. Departed there at 7.25. Turkey Ck had pools with 10sp. Bore 3 Barkly Stock Route was the best site for the day with Brolga, Flock Bronzewing, Plumed Whistling Duck and Magpie Goose in the pools around the bore. Along the eastern part of the road we saw Bustard and Pratincole but neither put in an appearance on a survey. Bundara Ck had 70 noisy Little Corellas indignant at our imposition. Doug Walters Bore had 50 Diamond Doves fluttering around all over the place with their whispering wings. The Barkly Stock Route is a little used road so is generally in good condition, care should be taken at floodways. There are a number of accessible bores along the track and the grasslands were in good condition after the recent rains. At the Stuart Hwy we headed north stopping at 25km north of Elliot which had 7sp, lunch was taken here. The Buchanan Hwy was open so we headed west along it, stopping at Buchanan Hwy 1 for 9sp in the good woodland finding our first Banded Honeyeater. Buchanan Hwy 2 where we camped on the eventful 2017 trip had 7sp. Buchanan Hwy floodway was dry but I found lots of Diamond Doves and a pair of Long-tailed Finches, I followed the trail of doves and found a dam on the south side of the road down a grader scrape where they we all drinking in the 37C heat. We camped at 17.45 at Illawarra Ck and added Dollarbird, Bar-shouldered Dove, White-gaped Honeyeater, Black-chinned Honeyeater and Yellow-Tinted Honeyeater to the trip list before it got dark.

30/3 511

We had a Boobook Owl calling just before dawn closely followed by some Blue-winged Kookaburras, and a very considerate Koel, since they usually start their signature ear shattering KOEL call at about 2am, and keep it up incessantly until after dawn. We headed off with hopes of getting into WA in the afternoon. The first stop along the western section of the Buchanan Hwy was a dry Wilson Ck with only 4sp. Next was Victoria River Buchanan hwy which had a small flow over the causeway with a Great Egret standing guard and a Common Sandpiper patrolling the banks, 14sp all up. On to Lily Waterhole Gregory NP which had a Pheasant Coucal booming nearby. From there we drove to the end of the Buchanan Hwy which in the western section needs a lot more caution than the eastern with most floodways needing to be taken in lower gears and a generally rougher road that shouldn’t be hurried. We went into Timber Creek and topped up the main tank. There was a border patrol on the edge of town who advised us to ring up the WA border 150km down the track to make sure we’d get through. We were advised that if we could drive nonstop to Broome and we had a place to stay for our 14 day isolation we would be allowed through. We got to the border at about 17.00 and found there’s been a change of guard and the new crew wouldn’t let us through mainly because it was still not 14 days since my return from Antarctica. We had to return, we are now in limbo with nowhere to go, refugees in our own country. There is a war going on and humans are losing to a virus. We returned to Amanabidji Rd Saddle Ck to camp to ponder our fate. We don’t look like getting to our caravan in Broome any time soon.

31/3 100km

We drove back to Timber Creek where we were relieved to find that we couldn’t be kicked out of the Northern Territory, so we decided to check into the Timber Creek Hotel in one of their rooms to do a two week self isolation. It was a dull two weeks of playing computer games, watching TV and updating my Facebook page and website. At the end of the two weeks I approached the local council depot in the hope of finding some work, instead they offered Bev some work as an administration assistant, and the manager said if I’d do voluntary work they would supply a house free of charge, the down side was that my first assignment was to clean a very grotty house called the sinking house. We had moved into the caravan park which meant that we were nearly break even with our passive income as far as total expenses, but that same day we met some of the other council workers and Alan offered us a free cabin whilst I cleaned up the house. Talk about landing on your feet!

7/6

Up at dawn and after the murder of many mozzies that had invaded the house overnight I had a quick breakfast and headed south into Gregory NP that had only just reopened yesterday after being closed due to the COVID 19 outbreak. It took me an hour to get down to Limestone Gorge where a few people were camping, the billabong had good water as did the river and there were some Bloodwoods flowering attracting a lot of honeyeaters. A short drive further south is Bullita Campground which isn’t quite as nice as Limestone Gorge campground, but still a nice camp by the river which was still flowing. There are a number of interesting looking 4wd tracks in the park, but I didn’t have time to do any in one morning so I retraced my way back north stopping at floodway Bullita Rd and then hanging a right at the Victoria Highway to Dingo Springs Ck which still had water and a few finches. Back into Hickey’s Beach Timber Creek where I got the resident pair of Masked Finches and the first Gouldian Finches for the site, not bad having Gouldian Finches less than a kilometre from where you’re living.

More photos from floodway Bullita Tk

More Photos from Hickeys Beach Timber Creek

Some photographs from Timber Creek water tanks.

I’M NOT A RACIST BUT…           22/8/2020
 
Unconscious racial bias matters
Do I hear you think
I’m not a racist
But I don’t want them living next to me
Inclusion matters
Charles Floyd mattered
I’m not a racist
But I don’t like them sitting next to me on the bus
History matters
Rosa Parks mattered
I’m not a racist
But they are different aren’t they
Justice matters
Emmett Till mattered
I’m not a racist
But they’re not as smart are they
Amazing Grace matters
Barack Obama mattered
I’m not a racist but
They’re just not as responsible are they
Segregation mattered
Greenwood Tulsa mattered
I’ve shed so many tears for those coloured roses
Whether Jews or Arabs
Catholic or Protestant
Latino or Chinese
Black or white
We all bleed the same
We all have the right to be
People matter
David Dungay mattered
The difference between us is so small
So pick up the placard of the night
Because racial stereotyping matters
Trayon Martin mattered
Michael Brown mattered
So many funerals of black people
Killed by white people
Killed by white cops
America burning again
The world on fire
Oppression matters
Divisiveness is death
Forgiveness is forever
Hate creates irrationality
White supremacy is a fallacy
Enough is enough is enough
There are no illegal immigrants to this planet
Bigotry is illogical
Criminally pathological
Inanely bleating sheep
Blah blah baah
Spitting forth their drivel
Hateful invective
A pack of deranged dogs
Baying for blood at any cost
Hate for hate’s sake
Love matters
Tolerance matters
What the world needs now is oxytocin sweet oxytocin
 

Some pictures from Policeman Point 2 Timber Creek

Some pictures from Timber Creek Airstrip.

From further afield

11/6/2021 185km
Up at my usual 6.25, breakky and walked to work. Friday is business bin day which takes 2hrs to empty all the non residential bins in the Timber Creek area, the rest of the morning was spent slashing the roadsides in Timber Creek township with the tractor, which I’ve been doing for the last week and still have another week’s worth of work to go. After work walked back to the caravan at WIRIB Caravan Park where we are staying and packed the car, showered and headed off at 13.30 after printing off my G2G Pass to get me into WA on Monday. Headed west to Kennedy Ck for lunch. The area has had a roadside burn and the creek was dry so there wasn’t much activity in the mid afternoon, the highlight was a trio of Brown Falcons chasing each other around, I suspect a family group. It was 16.20 when I arrived at Cockatoo Lagoon in Keep River NP. I met up with Diane, the head ranger, and got the info on some areas to survey, cooked dinner as I slowly accumulated birds around Cockatoo Lagoon including breeding Wandering Whistling Ducks and some Hardhead. Bed not long after dark.

12/6 28km
Up before dawn with a painful 8 degrees, requiring a beanie, Ended the survey with 43sp the highlight this morning being a Hobby Falcon feeding on what looked like a Peaceful Dove that it had just caught and was ripping out its feathers, when I came back the same way 10min later it was finished. I headed up to Jarnem camp and walked out to the Policeman Waterhole on the Keep River, that Diane had given me permission to walk off the walking track to and got 32sp, there was a surprising lack of birds beside the waterhole as I followed the tracks that the destructive cattle push through the scrub, I eventually found a clearing that had active birds that included Northern Fantail, Shining Flycatcher, Leaden Flycatcher and Bar-breasted Honeyeater, I then returned to the camp for lunch and relaxed and accumulated birds all arvo getting 23sp with the occasional stroll around. I went for a walk after dinner and tried a bit of flash photography in the low light of dusk. As the mozzies came and got me again I retired soon after returning.

13/6 21km
My alarm this morning was the wonderfully cacophonous cackling of a pair of Blue-winged Kookaburras doing a duet, they were answered by a pair to the north and a pair to the south, which only spurred our pair to try even louder, by the time they’d finished it was starting to get light and I was up and at it, It was 9 degrees this morning, still beanie time. The highlight of my morning stroll was a pair of Northern Rosellas. I packed up and headed south to Jenemoom day walk where Diane had told me there was a swampy area south of the walking track, it was in fact a nearly 1km wide wetland with a good number of wetland species from egrets to ducks, there were cisticolas in the grass and raptors in the air, after I’d walked around it I went back to the walking track and up the gorge to the rock shelter and back, all that taking all morning. It was then the short drive to Goorrandalng camp. Just before the camp I saw that the creek had water in it, so after lunch I walked back to it and found a shady spot to sit and watched all the finches come in to drink, there were the usual Double-bars, but also Pictorellas, Crimsons, Long-tails and Gouldians. I spent a little while nodding off back at the car. At one of my more lucid moments I spotted a Grey Goshawk in the sky that was tearing into prey it had just caught, at the same time a Whistling Kite noted the same thing and quickly rose to harass the goshawk, it was all over in 30secs and the kite alighted with its booty. In the late arvo I went on the walk that leads from the campground, and wow! What a walk! It runs up underneath the towering sandstone cliffs with wonderful vistas up and down the valley, with White-quilled Rock Pigeons scooting about. The Sandstone Shrike-thushes though were not active, so I’ll have to try for them again in the morning. On the walk I met Ceri and her husband, and we got talking, and I managed to find them a White-quilled Rock Pigeon. when I got back to camp I was eating my dinner when Ceri tracked me down and asked if she could interview me for her radio station 2NVR, So I went over to their camp after I’d eaten dinner, and gave her a short interview. When I got back to my camp I found that my last lighter had died, and since I’m crossing into WA tomorrow I have to cook all my vegies for tomorrow night’s dinner, so I went back to them and asked sheepishly if I could borrow a lighter, instead they gave me one, cooked up my vegies and hit the sack.

14/6 86km
Up with the Pied Butcherbird this morning, breakkie and did the walk again, no Sandstone Shrike-thrushes again. Packed up and headed into Kununurra. They’ve really streamlined the border crossing now, I was only there for 5mins to do both the quarantine and police G2G pass check and I was on my way. Found Kununurra Toyota where my car was having a recall done on the particulate filter, it would end up taking until 15.00. I walked down to my survey site on Lily Creek Lagoon and got a family of Grey-crowned Babblers for the first time there. had lunch at the bakery, nice but nothing special, then whiled away my time until my car was ready. I tried to fill up with diesel at one of those card only places, but it wouldn’t accept my card, so I drove the 20min to Valentine Rockhole to camp. Last time I was here it was iffy to cross the flowing creek, this time there was only a waterhole under the rock cascade. It was dark at 18.00 when I heard a Bush Stone-curlew calling, a bird that was missing in the national park. Bed early.

14/6 313km

With the early sunset last night comes an early sunrise this morning, had my beakkie in the predawn and headed into Kununurra, my first job was to get the cheap fuel that had refused to work yesterday, I had no probs this morning, then I went around to the tyre place and waited for him to open up, I decided on the Dunlop Road Gripper, since I already had one and am not impressed with the way the Bridgestone Duelers are handling the weight of the vehicle, but at $400 each they are twice what I payed for the one I picked up in Geelong. I went back to my site on Lily Creek Lagoon and got some Chestnut-breasted Mannikins for the first time there, picked up the car and went to do the shopping at Coles. I had over $300 of groceries, but was surprised when I was informed that I’d gone over the limit on my eftpos card, so I rang up the bank and got it bumped up to cater for the expense, the supervisor was pleasantly conciliatory and after about 30min I was on my way. Had lunch at Lake Argyle 1 where the little enclosure was a good little wetland, then headed back to Timber Creek.

Photos from Giwining Rd floodway

photos from Gorrie Station Rd T junction

Photos from Edith Falls Rd 2km from Stuart hwy

photos from Dingo Springs Ck

Photos from Joe Ck picnic Gregory NP

Photos from Molly Spring Ngamoowalen NP

Photos from Camballin Rd west of Fitzoy Crossing

Photos from Cable Beach Broome

Photos from Cockatoo Lagoon Keep River NP

Bird list for the duration of the blog (% pertains to percentage of 235 surveys done during this time. B stands for breeding record)

• Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata 4 (1.70%)
• Plumed Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna eytoni 10 (4.26%)
• Wandering Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna arcuata 4 (1.70%) (B)
• Blue-billed Duck Oxyura australis 1 (0.43%)
• Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus 1 (0.43%)
• Radjah Shelduck Radjah radjah 4 (1.70%)
• Hardhead Aythya australis 3 (1.28%)
• Australasian Shoveler Spatula rhynchotis 1 (0.43%)
• Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa 6 (2.55%)
• Grey Teal Anas gracilis 6 (2.55%)
• Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa 1 (0.43%)
• Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata 3 (1.28%)
• Green Pygmy-goose Nettapus pulchellus 4 (1.70%)
• Stubble Quail Coturnix pectoralis 1 (0.43%)
• Brown Quail Synoicus ypsilophora 2 (0.85%)
• Australasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae 5 (2.13%)
• Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus 1 (0.43%)
• White-quilled Rock-Pigeon Petrophassa albipennis 3 (1.28%)
• Spinifex Pigeon Geophaps plumifera 4 (1.70%)
• Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera 9 (3.83%)
• Flock Bronzewing Phaps histrionica 1 (0.43%)
• Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes 35 (14.89%)
• Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata 49 (20.85%)
• Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida 143 (60.85%)
• Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis 83 (35.32%)
• Torresian Imperial-Pigeon Ducula spilorrhoa 1 (0.43%)
• Pheasant Coucal Centropus phasianinus 26 (11.06%)
• Eastern Koel Eudynamys orientalis 12 (5.11%)
• Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae 5 (2.13%)
• Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo Chalcites basalis 10 (4.26%) (B)
• Black-eared Cuckoo Chalcites osculans 1 (0.43%)
• Brush Cuckoo Cacomantis variolosus 13 (5.53%)
• Pallid Cuckoo Heteroscenes pallidus 3 (1.28%)
• Australian Bustard Ardeotis australis 1 (0.43%)
• Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides 1 (0.43%)
• Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus 4 (1.70%)
• Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus 1 (0.43%)
• Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio 5 (2.13%)
• Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa 1 (0.43%)
• Black-tailed Native-hen Tribonyx ventralis 1 (0.43%)
• Eurasian Coot Fulica atra 1 (0.43%)
• Brolga Antigone rubicunda 20 (8.51%) (B)
• Bush Stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius 6 (2.55%)
• Australian Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris 1 (0.43%)
• Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus 1 (0.43%)
• Black-winged Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus 3 (1.28%)
• Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva 1 (0.43%)
• Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus 1 (0.43%)
• Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii 2 (0.85%)
• Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus 1 (0.43%)
• Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops 11 (4.68%)
• Banded Lapwing Vanellus tricolor 2 (0.85%) (B)
• Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles 30 (12.77%) (B)
• Red-kneed Dotterel Erythrogonys cinctus 2 (0.85%)
• Inland Dotterel Charadrius australis 1 (0.43%)
• Comb-crested Jacana Irediparra gallinacea 5 (2.13%)
• Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 1 (0.43%)
• Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres 1 (0.43%)
• Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 3 (1.28%)
• Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 1 (0.43%)
• Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola 1 (0.43%)
• Red-backed Button-quail Turnix maculosus 1 (0.43%)
• Red-chested Button-quail Turnix pyrrhothorax 3 (1.28%)
• Little Button-quail Turnix velox 3 (1.28%)
• Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella 7 (2.98%)
• Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum 1 (0.43%)
• Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae 3 (1.28%)
• Little Tern Sternula albifrons 1 (0.43%)
• Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia 2 (0.85%)
• Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida 2 (0.85%)
• Common Tern Sterna hirundo 1 (0.43%)
• Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus 5 (2.13%)
• Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus 5 (2.13%)
• Black Bittern Ixobrychus flavicollis 2 (0.85%)
• Nankeen Night-Heron Nycticorax caledonicus 7 (2.98%)
• Striated Heron Butorides striata 1 (0.43%)
• Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 1 (0.43%)
• White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica 10 (4.26%)
• Great Egret Ardea alba 11 (4.68%)
• Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia 6 (2.55%)
• White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae 14 (5.96%)
• Little Egret Egretta garzetta 1 (0.43%)
• Australian White Ibis Threskiornis moluccus 8 (3.40%)
• Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis 14 (5.96%)
• Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platalea flavipes 1 (0.43%)
• Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia 1 (0.43%)
• Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 2 (0.85%)
• Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos 16 (6.81%)
• Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris 4 (1.70%)
• Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae 9 (3.83%)
• Black-breasted Buzzard Hamirostra melanosternon 2 (0.85%)
• Pacific Baza Aviceda subcristata 1 (0.43%)
• Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax 9 (3.83%) (B)
• Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis 2 (0.85%)
• Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandiae 4 (1.70%)
• Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus 12 (5.11%) (B)
• Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrocephalus 8 (3.40%)
• White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster 7 (2.98%)
• Whistling Kite Haliastur sphenurus 60 (25.53%) (B)
• Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus 1 (0.43%)
• Black Kite Milvus migrans 76 (32.34%)
• Barking Owl Ninox connivens 6 (2.55%)
• Southern Boobook Ninox boobook 9 (3.83%)
• Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus 61 (25.96%)
• Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis 18 (7.66%)
• Azure Kingfisher Ceyx azureus 7 (2.98%) (B)
• Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus 42 (17.87%) (B)
• Red-backed Kingfisher Todiramphus pyrrhopygius 1 (0.43%)
• Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae 1 (0.43%)
• Blue-winged Kookaburra Dacelo leachii 52 (22.13%)
• Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides 11 (4.68%)
• Australian Hobby Falco longipennis 2 (0.85%)
• Brown Falcon Falco berigora 18 (7.66%) (B)
• Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus 26 (11.06%)
• Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii 25 (10.64%)
• Galah Eolophus roseicapilla 60 (25.53%)
• Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo Cacatua leadbeateri 4 (1.70%)
• Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris 1 (0.43%)
• Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea 73 (31.06%)
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita 8 (3.40%)
• Red-winged Parrot Aprosmictus erythropterus 42 (17.87%) (B)
• Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus 2 (0.85%)
• Blue Bonnet Northiella haematogaster 4 (1.70%)
• Northern Rosella Platycercus venustus 3 (1.28%)
• Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius 2 (0.85%)
• Australian Ringneck Barnardius zonarius 2 (0.85%)
• Bourke’s Parrot Neopsephotus bourkii 2 (0.85%)
• Varied Lorikeet Psitteuteles versicolor 17 (7.23%)
• Red-collared Lorikeet Trichoglossus rubritorquis 42 (17.87%)
• Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus 23 (9.79%)
• Great Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus nuchalis 67 (28.51%)
• Black-tailed Treecreeper Climacteris melanurus 4 (1.70%)
• Purple-crowned Fairy-wren Malurus coronatus 6 (2.55%)
• Variegated Fairy-wren Malurus lamberti 7 (2.98%)
• Red-backed Fairy-wren Malurus melanocephalus 35 (14.89%)
• White-winged Fairy-wren Malurus leucopterus 5 (2.13%)
• Silver-crowned Friarbird Philemon argenticeps 24 (10.21%)
• Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis 64 (27.23%)
• Banded Honeyeater Cissomela pectoralis 21 (8.94%)
• Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta 90 (38.30%)
• Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis 19 (8.09%) (B)
• Black-chinned Honeyeater Melithreptus gularis 20 (8.51%)
• White-throated Honeyeater Melithreptus albogularis 25 (10.64%)
• Rufous-throated Honeyeater Conopophila rufogularis 52 (22.13%)
• Bar-breasted Honeyeater Ramsayornis fasciatus 3 (1.28%)
• Gibberbird Ashbyia lovensis 2 (0.85%)
• Crimson Chat Epthianura tricolor 2 (0.85%)
• White-gaped Honeyeater Stomiopera unicolor 49 (20.85%) (B)
• Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthagenys rufogularis 4 (1.70%)
• Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata 1 (0.43%)
• Singing Honeyeater Gavicalis virescens 17 (7.23%)
• Grey-headed Honeyeater Ptilotula keartlandi 3 (1.28%) (B)
• Yellow-plumed Honeyeater Ptilotula ornata 2 (0.85%)
• Grey-fronted Honeyeater Ptilotula plumula 7 (2.98%)
• Yellow-tinted Honeyeater Ptilotula flavescens 67 (28.51%)
• White-plumed Honeyeater Ptilotula penicillata 15 (6.38%) (B)
• Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala 1 (0.43%)
• Yellow-throated Miner Manorina flavigula 12 (5.11%)
• Red-browed Pardalote Pardalotus rubricatus 6 (2.55%)
• Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus 42 (17.87%)
• White-throated Gerygone Gerygone olivacea 2 (0.85%)
• Weebill Smicrornis brevirostris 39 (16.60%)
• Southern Whiteface Aphelocephala leucopsis 2 (0.85%)
• Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza uropygialis 2 (0.85%)
• Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis 27 (11.49%)
• White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus 1 (0.43%)
• Chestnut-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus ruficeps 3 (1.28%)
• Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera 2 (0.85%)
• Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae 47 (20.00%) (B)
• White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Coracina papuensis 38 (16.17%)
• White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor 37 (15.74%)
• Gilbert’s Whistler Pachycephala inornata 1 (0.43%)
• Rufous Whistler Pachycephala rufiventris 84 (35.74%)
• Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica 46 (19.57%)
• Sandstone Shrike-thrush Colluricincla woodwardi 2 (0.85%)
• Crested Shrike-tit Falcunculus frontatus 1 (0.43%)
• Crested Bellbird Oreoica gutturalis 5 (2.13%)
• Chirruping Wedgebill Psophodes cristatus 4 (1.70%)
• Australasian Figbird Sphecotheres vieilloti 2 (0.85%)
• Olive-backed Oriole Oriolus sagittatus 25 (10.64%)
• Yellow Oriole Oriolus flavocinctus 22 (9.36%)
• Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen 12 (5.11%)
• Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis 44 (18.72%)
• Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus 2 (0.85%)
• Masked Woodswallow Artamus personatus 9 (3.83%)
• White-browed Woodswallow Artamus superciliosus 1 (0.43%)
• Black-faced Woodswallow Artamus cinereus 32 (13.62%) (B)
• Little Woodswallow Artamus minor 7 (2.98%)
• White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus 24 (10.21%)
• Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus 1 (0.43%)
• Northern Fantail Rhipidura rufiventris 8 (3.40%)
• Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys 98 (41.70%)
• Torresian Crow Corvus orru 79 (33.62%) (B)
• Little Crow Corvus bennetti 2 (0.85%)
• Australian Raven Corvus coronoides 11 (4.68%)
• Leaden Flycatcher Myiagra rubecula 5 (2.13%)
• Shining Flycatcher Myiagra alecto 14 (5.96%) (B)
• Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta 65 (27.66%)
• Magpie-lark Grallina cyanoleuca 109 (46.38%)
• Apostlebird Struthidea cinerea 8 (3.40%)
• Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans 5 (2.13%)
• Buff-sided Robin Poecilodryas cerviniventris 15 (6.38%)
• Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata 2 (0.85%)
• Mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum 13 (5.53%)
• Yellow-rumped Mannikin Lonchura flaviprymna 2 (0.85%)
• Chestnut-breasted Mannikin Lonchura castaneothorax 5 (2.13%)
• Pictorella Mannikin Heteromunia pectoralis 5 (2.13%) (B)
• Crimson Finch Neochmia phaeton 36 (15.32%)
• Star Finch Neochmia ruficauda 15 (6.38%)
• Masked Finch Poephila personata 35 (14.89%)
• Long-tailed Finch Poephila acuticauda 27 (11.49%) (B)
• Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata 19 (8.09%) (B)
• Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii 63 (26.81%) (B)
• Gouldian Finch Chloebia gouldiae 15 (6.38%) (B)
• Australasian Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae 5 (2.13%) (B)
• Horsfield’s Bushlark Mirafra javanica 20 (8.51%)
• Golden-headed Cisticola Cisticola exilis 24 (10.21%)
• Brown Songlark Cincloramphus cruralis 6 (2.55%)
• Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi 14 (5.96%)
• Little Grassbird Poodytes gramineus 1 (0.43%)
• Australian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus australis 5 (2.13%)
• White-backed Swallow Cheramoeca leucosterna 1 (0.43%)
• Fairy Martin Petrochelidon ariel 8 (3.40%) (B)
• Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans 7 (2.98%)
• Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena 2 (0.85%)

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.