Living and Birding Gratitude: Kangaroo Island ~ Part Two

It went from hot to howling and the winds were blowing a gale. That does not really make for easy birding! But we have had successes. We finally managed Rock Parrot on New Year’s Day. It was an interesting tick, but I am grateful!

Thanks to local info from Craig Wickham, we headed to Point Ellen Friday afternoon to search amongst the windswept (wind-slammed) scrubby, mallee heath west of the point. We went a couple of kilometers on the track with no luck (amazing wind) and headed back. We had returned about halfway when a lovely male Southern Emu-wren hopped about in a bush by the track. I was showing it to Lynn and it moved to another part of the same bush. As she was looking for it with her bins she said, “I’ve got parrots! With blue faces!” She was on two Rock Parrots under the bush with the Emu-wren. Then they flew. She got great looks and I only saw them flying away (I did not even get a photo of the Emu-wren). But I am very grateful to have seen them! Later on Saturday afternoon, we returned and I had another walk amongst the heath and saw them again. Although once again they were flying, I had much better views of these very cool parrots.

Where Rock Parrots live.

Another target on KI was the island subspecies of Glossy Black-cockatoo. Again with Craig’s suggestions, we went looking for them Saturday morning and found two pairs! I was lucky enough to get a few photos, then we left them be (we think they are looking for nest spots). I am very grateful to see these beautiful and endangered birds. They are currently my favorite cockatoo.

Ms Glossy Black-cockatoo (Kangaroo Island sub species)

Mr. Glossy Black-cockatoo

I slept late and Sunday morning began slowly with wind and occasional light rain. We packed up and headed to the areas to the northwest to once again look for the Elegant Parrots. We drove about the usual spots (corner of Playford and West End and a bit down the rough track to Borda Lighthouse) then to Gosse-Richie Rd. We were perhaps 5 kilometers down that road when a stunningly, glowingly, gorgeous little green and blue parrot flew up right beside Troopi then crossed in full view in front of us. Elegant! They are well named. We were thrilled and I am grateful! I wanted that bird. No photo of the parrot was possible, but this Shy Heathwren obliged. They are such cute little birds.

Shy Heathwren

Then we had one more bird here that we wanted on the year list, Purple-gaped Honeyeater. After consulting our books we drove down to Hanson Bay Rd. where we found three of these cool Honeyeaters. I am indeed grateful.

Purple-gaped Honeyeater (Craig said that the island sub species of this bird sometimes does not have an actual purple gape).

We drove to the east end of the island and had a wonderful visit with new friends, Anita and Paul Flynn last night (and a delicious dinner). Then we camped in Troopi on their site here in Antechamber Bay. We leave KI on the 11:30 ferry. It’s been a wonderful time and I am grateful and will see if I can get this posted. And lastly, here are a couple of Crescent Honeyeaters from the campsite.