My last twitch of 2018 was a joyous success. This is the tale of that journey. I may wax more personal and whatnot toward the end, or more probably in the next blog entry. This part will be more of a trip report (maybe). But I write and let the words take me where they will… down new paths or old paths, dirt roads and sandy tracks with twists and turns and occasional dead ends. Then I stop and think, or not. Well, on to the twitch.
Lynn and I had just moved house. I was (am) buried in “doing stuff” as you would imagine. I had no plans, or time, to go off somewhere. Then Thursday arvo Robert Shore called from Parkes, NSW and mentioned a Citrine Wagtail had turned up in Whyalla, SA. I said that I wasn’t chasing birds right now. I was in the midst of settling into this house. So we chatted a bit. I wasn’t going to go for it. Nope. It was about 2200 kilometres round trip, about 28 “Troopi hours” (I drive about 94 kph. Not 110). I could not do it. No way. Just no.
I did it. But… I knew I had to leave quickly and get back fast. My buddy James Cornelious had called as well regarding the bird. He could be in Lara by 9 the next morning. We could make Murray Bridge, SA by early Friday evening and get to Whyalla the next day. It would be a dash.
This was kind of a big deal. I mean I haven't been over to Cocos/Christmas Islands like many of my friends. This species had only been seen in Australia four times…
Botany Bay, NSW on 1st July 1962
Goolwa, SA on 28th May 1987
Christmas Island on 5th May 2009
Mudgee, NSW on 24th August 2014
We rocked up at Murray Bridge had supper sandwiches and went to bed early. The next morning I was up at 3:30am and we were rolling before 5am. We reached the Wetlands at 10:05. I had spoken with David Harper the night before I left Lara and I had also been in contact with Eddy Smith, who had gotten the bird Friday evening. He also saw it again early Saturday morning. He said he would meet us there.
The hardest part of the drive was the last bit, knowing the bird was there. This rare bird was being seen at that moment, and we still had two hours to go. I may have pushed Troopi to 100 kph (she is fine with that, she just gets very thirsty). We arrived at the Whyalla Wetlands car park and met Eddy. He walked us over to the north pond. It was either James or Eddy (I do not recall) who spotted the bird on a little grassy island just in front of us. We had been there maybe two minutes. Sweet. Twelve hours of driving and we were on the bird in two minutes. Sometimes that is how it is.
We marvelled. We took photos. We rejoiced. We met other birders. We showed them the bird (It was a busy little bird). We watched it some more. Lifer High reigned. It was small, beautiful and quite a thrill. I am still in Lifer High as I write these words. It will reverberate through me for days. Yes, the dopamine of the twitch. Birding brain chemistry magic that some of us get. Here are some pictures of the object of our affection, beginning with that first look...
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| See how tiny they are? That's it to the right of the Pacific Black Duck. |
“The brain includes several distinct dopamine pathways, one of which plays a major role in the motivational component of reward-motivated behaviour.”
Yes, birding is the pursuit of that which is elusive, yet attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope. Our hopes had been realised. I do love me some reward-motivated behaviour! Joy!
Every birder has their own conception and appreciation of birding. Mine is complex and I will write more about that soon. I will just say it is not all about the fucking tick, that is merely a milestone, a marker. It gives my birding a path. It guides me to new areas, new experiences and new friends.
After we took a beaming Lifer Selfie, we left Whyalla by noon and were back in Murray Bridge about 6pm (I highly recommend the Golden Chain Murray Bridge Oval Motel). We had great night’s sleep and drove back to Lara the next day. We had done it all in 3 days. Team Troopi, James and I had once again done well. Here is our Lifer Selfie in Whyalla.
As I write this I am doing a Lifer Day. It is my own extension of Lifer Pie (read my book for the definition of Lifer Pie... Click here for my book), but nowadays, Lifers are harder to come by and I need more than a one treat reward. This sweet little bird was my 705th bird in Oz.
I write therefore I am. I share therefore it’s real. I love because that is why we’re here.
There will be more to come soon… I have a place to write!
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