Living and Birding Gratitude: Plastic and Fantastic

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Plastic and Fantastic

I dearly do love Gluepot. We spent two nights there. We hit the area’s where we had heard to try for Red-lored Whistler early. Lynn, Robert and I were out amongst it before the dawn chorus began, but we neither saw nor heard any Red-lored… maybe on the way back through this winter? We will see. I had not had a lifer since the wonderful Greater Sooty Owl. I was getting ichy for that “lifer high.”

Before the dawn chorus out amongst it.

Home

You cannot tell me that this Chestnut-rumped Thornbill is not smiling.

Sand Goanna in the camp (over a meter long).

So, early Sunday morning (getting up around 4:00 or 4:30 is getting to be the norm) we headed from Waikerie to Adelaide. We hoped to pick up the Barbary Dove (African Collared Dove, Streptopelia roseogrisea) and with Kay Parkin's directions, we drove straight to the doves on a wire not far from the Esplanade. I know this is a bird that is considered a "plastic" (i.e. not a real Australian bird), but it lives here now and that makes it an Aussie lifer for both Lynn and me. So we had a nice Lifer Latte at the beach. It was fun to “people watch” there as well. This little kid was hilarious as he headed off on the beach. It was a very busy place, but fun. A wonderful morning and I am very grateful.

Barbary Doves working on their circus act.

Heading down the beach...

My girl and Troopi at the Esplanade right by the Kiosk.

We were almost to Port Germein, where we are camping for the night, when we got a call from Kay. I stopped to chat and she suggested we go back to Telowie Gorge (maybe 20-30 minutes drive). She reckoned we had an excellent chance at Grey-fronted Honeyeater. It was hot, early arvo (not ideal birding time), but we gave it a go. As we walked into the gorge, Lynn was saying, “I am not in birding mode. I am wearing a skirt and Crocs.” I was wearing Crocs as well, but Kay said the walk was easy and short.

Grey-fronted Honeyeater! Tick!

We were not much more than 200 meters in when we heard the call (it is distinctive, even for me) but as we were trying to get on it, a Wedge-tailed Eagle flew over and the bird went silent. And stayed silent. Then we spent well over an hour looking and listening up and down the gorge. And finally… there was that unmistakable call again! And two Grey-fronteds zoomed over us from one side of the gorge to the other. One perched on a dead snag well up on the hillside for a minute or so and I was able to get a few recording shots. I am very grateful. Lifer High… you are back again!

We had a lovely Lifer F and C supper from the food-truck across from the caravan park and an ice cream as Lifer Pie. Then as the sun went down over the flats of Spencer Gulf, I began the rough draft of this blog. I am very grateful.