Hi all,
Well what a tumultuous few days it’s been here in SA! On Wednesday we drove
through the start of the hurricane that hit the state on the first day of
our SA Highlights tour to arrive in Lyndhurst with no electricity, no
running water and no communications. The pub still managed to provide us
with a candle-lit dinner during the state-wide power outage in South
Australia! Despite hurricane – strength winds and torrential downpours the
birding was amazing with Slender-billed Thornbill, Elegant Parrot,
Budgerigar, Chirruping Wedgebill, Rufous Fieldwren, Thick-billed Grasswren,
Crimson Chat, nesting Black-breasted Buzzard and Little Eagle and to top it
off, Inland Dotterel!
At present (Friday eve) there is still no electricity (and no mobile phone
coverage, no eftpos, no fuel, and little useful information) across large
parts of northern SA but we have arrived in Wilpena Pound which has their
own solar and generator-powered electricity supply and mobile phone signal
so we’re finally able to enjoy such luxuries as a hot shower, a heated
bedroom (frost forecast for tonight!) and phone and internet.
Wet weather has been pretty frequent across the southern parts of Australia
for a number of months now and it has led to amazing conditions in the
outback, not seen since the wet years of 2010-11. Despite road closures
on-and-off we’ve managed to access the key birding areas on our recent
tours and some of the highlights have been Grey Falcons, Letter-winged
Kites and Black-breasted Buzzards, all 3 species breeding; Inland Dotterel
with recently fledged young; small numbers of Flock Bronzewings, and
regular Australian Pratincoles, while Orange and Crimson Chats are almost
common and we’ve found breeding Gibberbirds. In terms of Grasswrens, their
numbers are steadily recovering (I hope this lasts! the last wet years
brought on a cat explosion) so we’ve enjoyed good and multiple sightings of
Eyrean, Thick-billed, Short-tailed and Western Grasswren, while access to
the Grey Grasswren sites remains problematic – they prefer lignum which is
currently flooded! What else? Budgies, Cinnamon Quail-thrush, Pied and
Black Honeyeater, Banded Whiteface and even the occasional
Chestnut-breasted Whiteface has put in an appearance..; and we’ve been
lucky enough to witness spectacular outback desert scenery with water
everywhere and wildflowers all around. Outback lakes including Lake Eyre
are filling.
Based on previous experience even if it stopped raining now (which it
won’t) the after-effects of these great conditions will be felt well into
summer. Who knows, if it’s going to be a wet-ish summer, we’ll be in for
another good year in 2017!
cheers,
Peter
——-
Peter Waanders
*Managing Director*
*Principal Guide*
Bellbird Tours
PO Box 2008, Berri SA 5343 Australia
Phone: 1800-BIRDING (free from landlines within Australia)
mob.: +61 (0)409 763172
sat.: +61 (0)424 212889
Email: birds@bellbirdtours.com
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