I decided to spend a couple of hours staking out one of the few remaining bores still operating -- Freshwater Bore. I gathered several tonnes of home comforts and settled down.
Two hours later my bird count was Diamond Dove 1, Coffee 3, Zebra Finch ∞+1. That was it. Not as successful as I had envisaged.
Then I went driving. Other birds seen included ....
Crested Bellbird Oreoica gutturalis
Pallid Cuckoo Cuculus pallidus
The owner of Newhaven was a bit of an environmentalist evidently and was an integral part of the [partly?] Federally-funded purchase of the property. There is one rock on the south side of the Home Range near to the original farmhouse and, now, campgrounds upon which he used to regularly climb to survey the surroundings.
Other birds seen in my last two days there included ...
Black-faced Woodswallow Artamus cinereus
Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta
Major Mitchell's [Pink] Cockatoo Cacatua leadbeateri
Red-capped Robin, male Petroica goodenovii
Red-capped Robin, female Petroica goodenovii
White-fronted Honeyeater Phylidonyris albifrons
Red-browed Pardalote Pardalotus rubricatus
Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus
Australian Bustard Ardeotis australis
Brown Falcon Falco berigora
Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata
My Newhaven list was 59 species in five days. Certainly not stellar but I had an excellent time. There were only two other campers, both of whom were waiting to start their volunteering and knew a fair bit about the place. The rangers/warden folks were very nice. The shower block and toilets were top-class, firewood was provided. Although 400 km from Alice Springs, I highly recommend it as a place to visit, both for birding and just being in a great environment.
No comments:
Post a Comment