2011 Tour Narrative
New travelling companions, skilled and enthusiastic local guides intent on showing us the best their patches could offer and diverse habitats from those of the south were like a shot of caffeine into our systems. The wetlands around Adelaide offered spectacles of birds that we had not yet experienced in Australia including Musk Ducks and several other species of other waterfowl, thousands of Banded Stilts and other waders. And, none of us will ever forget watching Fairy Terns fly in from far-away due to the insightful idea of playing their call in the centre of the salt fields when we were convinced we were going to dip on this species. Inland Thornbills showed extremely well with the lack of the normal wind on the saltfields. Gluepot Reserve was a magical place indeed this year with none of the sticky mud that gives it the name and in 2010 closed the reserve the day of our visit and a lushness never experienced in our previous visits there. Our visit there will remain one of the indelible birding days of the Australian tour - a female Scarlet-chested Parrot (the first sighting of this species ever on a Sunbird tour) peering tranquilly from a nest hole (we remain in debt for the time spent scouting in order to provide this unique opportunity for us), a Striated Grasswren, a Southern Scrub-Robin singing and singing and Emus, a Tawny Frogmouth family with the male acting as sentry over his soon-to- fledge young, an Owlet-Nightjar peering out of his hole throughout our picnic lunch. And, our sighting of Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat that concluded a most successful South Australia experience.
Alice Springs provided a perfect base for visiting the Red Centre of Australia. Birds may be a bit more sparse here but the quality outweighs the quantity and with our local assistance, we were treated to some of the best that this area has to offer even though recent fires had affected some of the local bird populations. Our days were filled with sightings including a Western Bowerbird tending its bower, Diamond Doves, Painted Firetails, Spinifexbirds and the dusk sighting of Bourke’s Parrots and Common Bronzewings coming for a late evening drink. Our visit to the Alice Springs Sewage Ponds provided an opportunity to see large numbers of birds concentrated in a small area including the strange-looking Pink-eared Duck. And, we had picturesque and close encounters with Spinifex Pigeons and a very large Perentie.
Darwin was a sharp contrast to the Red Centre, both in climate and in bird diversity. We sweated a lot more and had to adjust from the open terrain of the desert to the closed forest areas that contained honeyeaters, drongos, and pittas. Prolific numbers of birds our first afternoon had us scrambling to keep up while still taking the time to enjoy the unexpected including two Beach Thick knees. Local reserves and wetland areas provided superb birding throughout our time in the Darwin area. We were able to enjoy scope views of the sought after Rufous Owls at a new site our local guide had recently discovered. And only a local would be willing to sweat during the hottest part of the day to stake out the daytime roost of the resident Barking Owls for us visiting birders to enjoy with minimal discomfort. Fruit-doves, honeyeaters, Rainbow Pitta, and other critters including Salt-water Crocodiles and a Frilled Lizard brought this Central Section of our Australia journey to a close as we once again bid adieu to some of our companions.
Thanks to all who joined us for all or part of this year’s tour to the unique continent of Australia for the superb birding and mammal experiences always on offer here. Your energy and enthusiasm during the trip and the assistance of our expert team of local leaders and friends who shared their passion and knowledge of their ‘patches’ with us during this year’s tour helped to make this one of our most successful ever.
Updated: March 2012