Mallee Birding with Ethan_03

The third day was north of Ouyen at Hattah and eastwards towards Annuello. A Black Falcon on the Old Calder Highway south of HAttah was a great start and then a Malleefowl was spotted on the road. It gave excellent views as it ambled off. A walk on open plain got us Orange Chat and Ethan managed to inveigle an Australian Owlet-nightjar out of a tree hollow but it scampered back in another on a different tree before we could see it properly. Next was a terrific view of a Mallee Emu-wren. I didn't take my camera with me on that particular walk so as to entice him out. And it worked. But there is a downside relating to the discussion we had in the car whilst travelling regarding birding, twitching, rabid twitching and Chuckles. More later.

On to Lake Mournpall by which time the wind had become ferocious so we moved back to Ouyen for lunch then a drive south along the railway line looking for White-backed Swallows, Rainbow Bee-eaters and Red-backed Kingfishers [only WbS to be seen] then on to Wemmen with its Regent Parrots, Little Friarbird, Red-rumped Parrots, Blue-faced Honeyeater and other delectables before ending the day at the Annuello FFR where we were able to see a female Gilbert's Whistler, Grey-crowned Babbler, great views of Mulga Parrots and Red-capped Robins, no Pied Honeyeaters and just "audio" of a Crested Bellbird. We finished the day at a tank west of Ouyen to successfully spotlight Spotted Nightjars.

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

Blue-faced Honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis

Yellow Rosella Platycercus elegans flaveolus The yellow race of the Crimson Rosella.

 Gilbert's Whistler Pachycephala inornata  female of the species.

Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis

Mulga Parrot  Psephotus varius

Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii male

Red-rumped Parrot Psephotus haematonotus male

White-browed Woodswallow Artamus superciliosus

White-winged Triller Lalage tricolour

Broome 2017 _ Wave The Waders Goodbye _ Day 04

Day 04

Birding at dawn anywhere is usually pretty good, especially on a calm morning. The BBO has a couple of paths through the bush to take. This morning I came across a small flock of Red-winged Parrots.

Red-winged Parrot Aprosmictus erythropterus
Male first image, female in other two.

The trip for today was out onto the flooded Roebuck Plains. Flooded enough that we didn't leave the safety of the tarmac of the Northern Highway.

Black-winged Stilt (White-headed Stilt) Himanoptus leucocephalus

Plumed Whistling-duck Dendrocygna eytoni
And one lone Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata on the left.

White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus Coming into breeding plumage

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus

Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus
Secondaries not bulging beyond trailing edge of wing. Plenty of tail behind feet. Tail rounded as the outer retrices on BG are shorter as they go out from the midline. Juvenile bird.

Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis

This, and the following two birds, were seen at the Roebuck Bay Roadhouse.

Pied Butcherbird Cracticus nigrogularis

Australian Magpie (Black-backed) Cracticus tibicen eylandtensis
This subspecies of magpie has white trousers and is found on Groote Eylandt in the NT and the Kimberley area.

Roebuck Bay
The view from the observation station [chairs on the cliff top!] towards dusk. The colours are just stunning. There is no way that any of my images do it any sort of justice. The first image is off to the left of our position looking directly down the light whereas the second is looking across the light to the southern end of the bay.

The reason that so many waders are here is the amount of food it produces aided by a variance of up to 10 metres between high and low tide. It is shellfish heaven -- both for birds and humans. These lads were crabbing. 

Here are some images of the main reason we were there. Watching and recording the species and numbers of birds heading off northward on their migration.

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola

Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica

Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis

Go South 13 -- Bowra Station, Cunnamulla

Honeyeater heaven.

Spiny-cheeked HE
Acanthagenys rufogularis

Noisy Friarbird Philemon corniculatus

Little Friarbird Philemon citreogularis

Blue-faced HE
Emtomyzon cyanotis

Yellow-throated Miner Manuring flavigula 

Singing HE
Lichenostomus virescens

White-Plumed HE
Lichenostomus penicillatus

Brown HE
Lichmera indistincta

Pied HE Certhionyx variegatus

Magic. Eyes peeled and be there!