Hi All We’re wanting to visit the Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island. Problem is my husband is not a birdwatcher but is interested in nature and history. KI is easy as I have already birded there, but we know nothing about Flinders Ranges. Would love some advice about where to go that would interest him and I could sneak in some birding! Is Lake Eyre still an option and where is best place to see? We’re happy to hire a 4 wheel drive and drive ourselves or on the other hand are there any tours that can be recommended? Not much info on Google. We can go late April, May or June. When would be best time?
Please address any replies to my private email and many thanks in advance. Christine
Hi Christine
Tons of interesting places to go and of course the must see bird is the short tailed grasswren at stokes hill lookout and if you are that close go on to the chestnut breasted whiteface site out from lyndhurst. both of these spots can be difficult birding in that the birds may not be accommodating or take a bit of time to see-then again you can be lucky. At the chestnut breasted whiteface site there are tons of other good birds-cinnamon quail thrush and thick billed grasswren for example. If you or your husband are interested in rock art there are a number of sites in the flinders of very good rock art, that are publicly accessible. Yourumbulla caves near Hawker, sign posted on main road, Arkaroo rock between Hawker and Wilpena Pound also signposted from the road and engravings at Chambers gorge. If you intend to go to chambers gorge if you can get hold of a book by Graham(not sure of spelling) Medlin if will enhance your trip no end.
A good place to stay is Iga Warta and Aboriginal tourist camp between Nepabunna and Copley and they will be able to interpret the local environment from Aboriginal perspective and also provide access to the best paintings in my view in the Flinders, as well as introduce you to cultural stories and practices of the Adnaymathana people.
John Bransbury in his book on where to find birds in Australia described the status of birds in the flinders as “depauperate” and by this I think he meant that the Flinders didn’t have the diversity of birds that one would expect. certainly birds wont’ be jumping out at you but there are lots of good birds there. check the archives and any where to find birds guides you may have access to. For example I live at Wilmington and we have many interesting birds here locally, but some of them may take a bit of finding. Birds such as diamond firetail, chirruping wedgebill, redthroat, chestnut rumped heathwren, elegant parrot, Apostlebirds and so on. Because we have the ranges and the plains we have a mixture of dryland type birds and birds of wetter areas. The Flinders and within 40 kms of Wilmington we also have yellow footed rock wallaby a particularly beautiful rock wallaby.
So, there is lots to see and do. Email me if you want any more info.
Gary
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Hi Christine,
Have a look at Peter Waanders site < http://www.sabirding.com/sites.html as there seems to be lots of information there.
Sonja
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