They're Not All Lifers

They’re not all lifers. As we have been very fortunate lately in hitting our target birds, just birding itself sometimes gets forgotten in these blogs. But when we’re going after specific birds, we are looking at whatever else is around too. Yesterday we did some birding that produced no life birds, but we saw some very cool birds and did some enjoyable birding. I am sincerely grateful.

Les George had told us of a spot with watering stations on Charles Knife Rd. going into Cape Range NP where he had heard of Painted Finch showing up. We went there at sunrise and over the next couple of hours observed some sweet birds… Grey-headed Honeyeaters taking baths, Rainbow Bee-eaters hawking insects from the water, Variegated Fairy-wrens playing in the tangles, six Western Bowerbirds fussing like crazy, Singing and Brown Honeyeaters, but no Painted Finches.
 

One of the six Western Bowerbirds, noisy as.

Looking for finches 

Often seen but so beautiful, Rainbow Bee-eater

Variegated Fairy-wren

A wet Grey-headed Honeyeater

We spoke with a Parks employee who suggested the sewage ponds in Exmouth (we did not know there were sewage ponds in Exmouth and they turned out to be beside the caravan park!). We gave that a go and had tons of Zebbies and a few flocks of Star Finches, but again no Painted. We had Brown Quail in two spots as well as a Wood Sandpiper down in the pond enclosure, little Diamond Doves and five Whistling Kites. We enjoyed the birding so much that we decided to stay on another night here. I birded the ponds area in the evening, but did not find anything new. Although I did see many more Star Finches than we had in the morning.
   

Star Finches in the morning.

One of the Brown Quail 

Whistling Kite, I see so many of them, but not just overhead like this.

...or with the moon beside it.

Star Finches seem to glow red in the evening light.

We may have a look there again tomorrow before we head to… I don’t know yet… we will see… Wherever it is, I am grateful!


Birds. Peace. Love.

Fantail and Treecreeper Joy

Sunday morning began early, but not crazy early. We were down to the mangroves in pursuit of the Mangrove Grey Fantail by 7am. This time we had gone to an old “jetty groin” called Massey Bay Lookout Point. We rolled out to the end and began walking and birding back along the mangrove edge. On about the third stop, I had just said to Lynn that perhaps we should move in closer to the shoreline where there were more mangroves and then almost immediately I said, “There it is.” And it was too. A lovely, inquisitive, cute as, Mangrove Grey Fantail right in front of us. I was grateful and made his photo.
   

Mangrove Grey Fantail

I like this photo best of all of them. Just because I do.         

Mangrove Grey Fantail Lifer Selfie amongst the mangroves where we saw him.

Next up, I must mention that FB comes through again. Phil Lewis facebook-introduced us to Ross Jones and Carolyn Turnbull and we had a great time birding with them around Kirkalocka (see previous blogs). Knowing where we were headed next, Ross suggested we contact Les George when we got to Carnarvon. We did, but Les was on a bird count down in Shark Bay for the weekend. Well, Lynn and I did all right on our own (see the last blog) but were having no joy of the Black-tailed Treecreeper. It’s a bird of which Les has some good local knowledge. So when he said that he could bird with us Monday morning, we decided to stay an extra night here to go with him.

We decided on a 6am departure and Les arrived just past 5:30 (a man after my own heart. I tend to be notoriously early). But still we rolled out of here about 6. And by about 6:35 we were well east of Carnarvon mushing our way through the soft sand of the dry Gascoyne Riverbed with several billion flies (on each of us). Still, I was very grateful to be there.

Yes, the Gascoyne River... sometimes it is a river.

It doesn't really capture how many there are, but this should give you an idea. And she kept birding!

This bird was not an instant tick by any means. Even Les, who has yet to dip on the bird in that area out there began having his doubts. They just weren’t around. We had been trudging about for almost two hours. I thought perhaps the flies had eaten the treecreepers. Lynn, Les and I had spread out a bit and then… I thought I heard one to the east (yes me, it can happen). I shouted for my hearing-ear person and a few minutes later, Lynn said she thought she heard it to the east as well, but not close. We headed in that direction and soon we heard it distinctly. What a sweet sound that was. Then Lynn said, “There it is!” And it was. Man, was I grateful. Suddenly the flies were not annoying and all was joy. Such is “life bird high.” I am very grateful.
             

Black-tailed Treecreeper

Yes, the light was at a very bad angle for these, but I was very grateful for them regardless!

Les in the area where we finally found the bird.

Fly covered Lifer Selfie for Black-tailed Treecreeper

We had the best supper tonight that we’ve had in a while. Local seafood cooked to perfection. It was a ‘Lifer Pie level’ treat indeed (and better than the 600th bird dinner that had been a bit disappointing). But this made up for it! I am grateful! Tomorrow we head north (I think) so stay tuned. I truly do enjoy sharing the journey with y’all!


Birds. Peace. Love.

Six Hundred (And One) Australian Birds

I am writing this from a caravan park in Carnarvon, WA. It’s nice and it’s reasonable, especially with the stay 4 nights, pay for 3 special. So we are here for four nights (and I think we are adding another, more about that later).

     

Base camp.

Last Friday morning began about 4:30am and we were in Troopi heading for birding by 6am. We caught first light at Chinamans Pool to no avail (or I should say, nothing new avail). Then we did a cursory stop by the sewage works (twas very quiet), so we blew that off and headed for the mangroves at the little boat harbour
     

We climbed down the rock-rubble seawall into the mangrove flats and began looking and listening. I personally own 3 good pairs of gum-boots, none of which are with me. So off I went into the mud in my hiking boots. They are Asolos, and good boots, but they too are beginning to come apart. I finally wore-out my old Bluntstones. They were the old, real, made-in-Oz ‘blunties’ but I flat-out wore them out… yep, holes in the soles. I loved those boots, but I think I will go with Redbacks next time. They’re still made in Oz and I reckon they are better quality now. Anyway, our feet got muddy and that’s ok.

Not bad at all.

The mud really was not bad at all (as most of us have experienced, mud can be really bad) and we birded our way around and into the mangroves. There didn’t seem to be much around and then a little flock of Silvereyes came through and then came by again giving a better look and no, they were NOT Silvereyes, they were Yellow White-eyes! Tick! I am very grateful. They were my 599th Aussie bird (not counting the Thornlie mystery Imperial Pigeon). Then in moments, I was on a pair of little grey (one might say “dusky”) gerygones. Yes! My Australian Life List had hit 600. I was and am, very grateful!

Yellow White-eye 

       

Dusky Gerygone- Australian Lifer 600 

(Of course, I think they are beautiful).

That evening we had a nice F&C celebration supper (Lynn had the prawns. I wish I had gotten the prawns). And I had an ice cream on a stick dessert treat as my “Lifer Pie.” I am so grateful.
       

I got the Large Size.

Saturday morning began early as well and Lynn and I got to Bibbawarra Bore just after first light in hopes of Star Finch. Nothing much was moving around (at least two Chiming Wedgebills were chatting, or rather, chiming). We birded around in the scrub and reeds along the water. Lynn was hearing birds (she is my hearing ear person) and then I saw two little birds in the brush and said, “Red faces!” Then they were gone. But Lynn heard more of them and guided us toward their sounds and soon we were watching at least a score of Star Finches flying about in the bushes. Tick! Six-hundred and one! They are stunning birds. I am so grateful! After Friday night, I will wait awhile on “lifer treat” food. We are birding new areas again and that can get out of hand.
   

Star Finch

Star Finches

   

Very hot water comes up out of the bore.

I love this shot of our shadows against the backdrop of the bore and its trough.

John Tongue has told me that I can get a badge for hitting the 600 mark, and that I can also get onto Tony Palliser’s, “Birders Totals” webpage. Just wow. That seems unreal to me. There is such an amazing group of birders on that page. I will be so grateful to be sort-of “amongst” them (at least on the same webpage). So grateful indeed...

Birds. Peace. Love.

Kirkalocka Part Two

Now I am a caravan park in Drummond Cove, WA on the shores of the Indian Ocean. I am sitting with coffee and computer at our camp table behind Troopi. There are five species (make that six) of honeyeater swarming about the flowering gums just a couple of meters above and beside me, so far so good on ‘fallout’. There’s a little flock of babblers bouncing about under the trees by the amenities block. This is good. I am grateful (it is hard to write, as I keep looking at the birds).

Where I am right now.

Okay, when last I left y’all, we were doing a big loop through the outback to the south east of Kirkalocka. We even saw some touristy stuff. The abandoned town site of Big Bell was bizarrely beautiful in a “Twilight Zone” kind of way. This is a town that “peaked” when I was only one year old. Then the mine closed in 1955 and it went down hill fast. Now there is almost nothing left of the whole town. The old Hotel ruins are still there, but for the most part it’s just concrete slabs and rubble. It was all very cool. I am glad we stopped there. Here are some photos.
     

The back side of the hotel ruins

So much nothing

This was the theatre.

We did a bit more birding here and there and I took some phone photos. It is beautiful. It can be hideously hot (it was warm whilst we were there, but nothing like it can be) and the flies will drive you mad, but there is no denying the rugged beauty of it all. I am grateful to have been out there.

This is actually the W. Quail-thrush ridge from yesterday's blog, but it fits in here as well.

A water tank on a station 

The Warne River with some water in it! There were even ducks.        

A Sand Goanna looking us over.

Then on Monday, we reluctantly bid our new friends farewell (for now, we will see them again) and headed north to bird near Cue. We had missed a decent view of the Chiming Wedgebill on Saturday and we needed to get it. Again, north of Cue we found our bird. It was not a cooperative photography subject, but experiencing the bird is what counts! I did manage a few very lame, but identifiable recording shots. I am very grateful!
 

Chiming Wedgebill, he chimed for us but was reluctant to pose.

On our drive over to the coast yesterday, we made several stops looking for the Grey Honeyeater, but no joy of that little bird. We will keep looking. Maybe Tom Price in a few days (how could we fail at Mt. Bruce?). We will see. I know it is a hard bird. As for now, I reckon we are here for another night. There is a Yellow-throated Miner trying to decide if it should land on my table and a tiny Brown Honeyeater going about its business no more than a meter from my face. Sweet! I am so grateful.


Birds. Peace. Love.