Two Months of Lifers Down Under (3 Viewers)

delia todd · Feb 10, 2020

Thanks so much Lisa. Yeah... those striped ones are rather neat, aren't they.

EDIT:

Ken posted pictures of White-fronted Honeyeater in the Gallery this morning (27 February) and I then discovered that I'd completely omitted that one from my Gluepot list and report!!!!

So I've edited this post to add it in and keep things more-or-less all together in the correct place. So pic attached to this post.

delia todd · Feb 10, 2020

The last couple of birds from Gluepot were a juvenile Red Wattlebird and an Australian Raven; then I thought I'd show you an overall view from the hide. You need to have your eyes busy looking everywhere, the birds just seem to appear in the branches, and there was much flying to and fro.

Apparently Gluepot is well named; after rain, the road gets so sticky you can't drive on it. And there's 50k of it!!! We were lucky... that night it thundered down!! So we just got out in time LOL

The last picture is the ferry crossing over the Murray River to Waikerie.

Leaving Gluepot beside one of the gates, we found both a Willie-Wagtail and a Southern Whiteface.

Nora · Feb 10, 2020

Great photos again Delia......love the Striped Honeyeater, good for the avatar?
Sorry to hear about the snow LOL... we've got humid weather like the tropics, which is not usual for Melb and everything is green instead of brown!!!!! ..........Got a shot of my Freckled Ducks, thanks for reminding me!
Thanks for sharing your wonderful adventure!

delia todd · Feb 11, 2020

Hogwash Bend

2 November 2019

After a rather noisy night with thunder, we woke to a grey morning and wet ground! Thought I was in a new country:-O

The first picture shows the Murray River at Barmera where we'd spent the night. There's a Masked Lapwing under the rail if you look carefully.

We were now on our way to spend a little time at Hogwash Bend (what a lovely name!), this is back near Waikerie where we'd crossed the river the day before.

Driving down the road, we came across a party of Black-tailed Nativehens, but this was the best picture I got through the windscreen. Then within moments a Kangaroo hopped across the road. As you can see... no shadows as it was completely overcast (not cold though).

At the road end there's a camp site beside the river and a parking area.

We wandered round the woodland, first encountering a pair of Adelaide Rosellas, then a pretty Little Corella (quiet for once LOL).

delia todd · Feb 11, 2020

Continuing with our wander round the woodland we found a pair of Galahs then, oh joy, at last a Striated Pardalote. I'd got a picture of it on the front of my Aussie guide. My hosts had heard one singing in various places but this was my first sighting and therefore picture.

Due to the poor light it's not a great picture, but I'll take it LOL.

Then we had a Pied Butcherbird and a male White-winged Triller and the last of this batch is a yellow form of the Adelaide Rosella.

Lisa W · Feb 11, 2020

Congratulations on adding the Pardalote to your list.

KC Foggin · Feb 11, 2020

I so love those Galahs D. And congrats on your lifer Pardalote and your record proof

delia todd · Feb 12, 2020

The first image shows the woodland we were wandering through at Hogwash Bend, quite open but very tall trees (of course!)

So next we spotted a Whistling Kite soaring over our heads and managed a shot between the branches.

After this we headed down towards the campsite and the river bank.

On the opposite side were an Australasian Darter and some Maned Ducks with a Pacific Duck drifting with the current.

Then I found some pretty white flowers as we headed back to the car. Identified as Lantana, an invasive introduction.

Scridifer · Feb 12, 2020

Well done on the Pardalote Delia, looks a delicate little thing! Loved the Honeyeaters too, I think the Brown-headed pipped it for me!

Chris

delia todd · Feb 12, 2020

Thanks Chris.

Yeah, those Brown-headed's are really cute.

KC Foggin · Feb 12, 2020

Those wild flowers are lovely and I was not prepared to see a white Darter !!

delia todd · Feb 12, 2020

Mannum

We then headed down the river to the town of Mannum.

After finding a nice cafe for lunch we found our way back to the river where we were taking a boat trip.

While waiting for the boat to be prepared, saw some Eurasian Coot pecking around on the river bank and a Great Cormorant on a dead tree.

At last we were off. We'd only been out about 5 minutes when a boat started harassing us. They gave up in the end fortunately and then the action started.

We were at this point in view of what's called an Aboriginal Dugout Canoe tree, which you can see in the third picture with the long hole down it. flying around were some Black and Whistling Kites and Silver Gulls. Then moments later, there was a beautiful kite sitting on top of the tree.

Wonderful kite action.

Sorry if you're not a kite fan, as I'll be showing you some more pictures of them.

Nora · Feb 13, 2020

As many Kite photos Delia, love them and listening to their call, magic!
Can we tell KC that the white darter is the female or juvie, male has black neck with a red tinge, beautiful birds,
one of my favorites.
Thanks for sharing!

delia todd · Feb 13, 2020

Thanks Nora.

Indeed, I meant to explain just that to KC last night, but things got on top of me and I went to bed before doing it. Thanks for telling her yourself lass.

Larry Sweetland · Feb 13, 2020

delia todd said:
..... and Larry (brace yourself lad... that's going to kick off shortly LOL)+

I was fully braced

. Each time I read your update I'm rooting for you connecting with one of the birds we missed down under (and thus socking it to 'em), and we had three crucial misses that are possible at Gluepot (Black-eared Miner, Red-lored Whistler and Scarlet-chested Parrot). Bit of an unfair comparison though cos we spent 3 days camping there and still missed them. You came close back at Bowra with possible Hall's Babbler, and your trips not over yet.....

Loving the report and the pics :t:

delia todd · Feb 13, 2020

Thanks Larry. What were you missing - or aren't you saying?

delia todd · Feb 13, 2020

The crew threw some morsels out for the kites for around 5-10 minutes, which gave us plenty of opportunities to watch the kites and gulls.

Larry Sweetland · Feb 13, 2020

delia todd said:
Thanks Larry. What were you missing - or aren't you saying?

Black-eared Miner, Red-lored Whistler and Scarlet-chested Parrot were all possible at Gluepot, but we missed them. At least they were possible there10 years ago, hopefully they still occur there.

delia todd · Feb 13, 2020

Then we headed off slowly along the river, but the action didn't stop and there was still plenty of kite acrobatics to watch. And another Great Cormorant observing from a high perch.

peterday · Feb 14, 2020

Larry, those three birds you refer to are still seen at Gluepot but require some considerable walking to find them, plus some knowledge of the best places to look. We saw the Miner and the Whistler when we were there in 2015 but we were with a guide who knew where to go. With Delia we spent all our time in the bird hide.

Two Months of Lifers Down Under (3 Viewers)

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