I was on a drive yesterday, for work, out to the communities along the Gary Junction Highway. To cut a long story short, I didn’t end up picking up any passengers due to the sudden passing of a senior community member at the Haast’s Bluff community, so a number of people from surrounding communities were soon involved in sorry business.
What this effectively did was hand me a 16 ton 4wd with a 1600km fuel tank and the Western Desert as my playground, so this kid was in a very large candy shop. I thought I’d just take my time on the trip back to Alice and see what turned up.
With the large number of visiting birders coming through Alice at the moment I though it was worth pointing out a few things about this area.
If the events of “Parrotgate”, still leave a bad taste in the mouth and an empty spot on your life list, consider a drive out this way. A one day visit to Papunya is possible WITHOUT a permit, to visit the Papunya Tjupi Art Centre. So this gets you a good way down the Gary Junction Highway, well past the Haast’s Bluff turn off and only about 60kms short of the Mt Liebig Community. You never know what might pop up along the road. You can also stay on the Tanami rd which is sealed all the way to Tilmouth Well, and has some extraordinary birding at the moment. The Tilmouth Roadhouse is actually very well run, and has great facilities and good tucker. It is also adjacent to Napperby Creek and the Lake Lewis Saline System which is a desert birder’s Disneyland after the rains we’ve had.
For some reason, I always see birders around Kunoth Bore, which is only about 30kms from the Stuart Hwy, but no-one seems to go much further along the road. Yes – you’re a good chance to get Grey Honeyeaters around Kunoth Bore, but the Tanami Desert is a vast, swampy, flowering shrubbery of Acacia and Eremophila at the moment so heading a bit further is well worth it. In a 2wd you’ll get all the way to Tilmouth, but for the diversion along the Gary Junction Hwy you’d better have a 4wd. The graders are out at the moment but there are still a few dodgy bits The road is mostly dry now.
As the land along here is mostly pastoral property, there are numerous other bores and dams along the road – Cadney Bore, Hamburger, Comet, Ceilidh Hill and Mount Chapple are all on the way to Tilmouth and quite ‘chockers’. Of course, you don’t have to trespass to enjoy the birds that these water sources attract as they are all close to the road.
In the kilometres immediately following Kunoth there are some extensive swampy areas holding large flocks of White-faced and White-necked Heron, Straw-necked Ibis, and at least one flock of over one hundred Plumed Whistling-ducks. There’s a radio tower which is like a high-rise raptor condo with at least two active nests, Hobby and Brown Falcon. In every creekline there are large numbers of nesting raptors and there are massive open grasslands with plenty of Brown Quail and Little Button-quail. Both the harriers are seen in good numbers out this way at the moment and if you drive from Alice to Tilmouth and don’t see a Black-breasted Buzzard or three, then you’re just not trying.
I also saw a single Flock Bronzewing as reported on Birdline the other day, and I guess where there is one then more could be hot on his heels.
On the Gary Junction Hwy, I saw two Bustards in the middle of the road 2kms west of the turn off to M’bunghara community, and I found Grey Honeyeater (amongst hordes of other great bushbirds) at three different sites between Papunya and the Tanami road. So much unspoilt mulga habitat!
Both trips (Papunya and Tilmouth) are very achievable day trips leaving lots of time for birding stops.
Lastly, I have a wishlist of birds that I’d love visiting birders to keep an eye out for during this exceptional season up here. Unfortunately I can’t be everywhere but the more pairs of eyes out on the country the better. There’s a few historical instances of birds that sometimes get forgotten as they are marginal possibilities at best. However, if these are going to appear then this is the season for it so keep your eyes peeled for;
Plains Wanderer – lots of quails about, so you just never know. White-fronted Chat – Reported years ago down through the Karinga Saline system that roughly parallels the Lasseter Hwy Flock Bronzewing – be nice to see some big flocks down this way Bush Stone-curlew – Never an easy bird to locate in The Centre, but with creeks flowing we might get a few more Grey Currawong – check all your crows and magpies carefully Princess Parrot – could turn up ANYWHERE, remember we might not know as much about their preferred habitat as we think Night Parrot – again if there was ever a season that we might get some really good sightings, then this has got to be it
Best of luck and be sure to let me know how you go, or drop me a line while you’re in The Centre.
Chris Watson Alice Springs ===============================
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