Afternoon all, Now that I will be restricted to holidays during Victorian School Holidays we have booked a trip to the Eyre Peninsula for a week with a one-night stop at Port Augusta on the way over and three days near Clare over the Easter weekend. I have a copy of the new Thomas et al. and have had a look at Peter waanders website (http://www.sabirding.com/sites-index.htm) and will use these for the basis of some of the time (particularly around Lincoln NP). However, I am unlikely to get time to get to Lake Gillies CP or stop around Whyalla but can justify a day while at both Port Lincoln and Clare (and a few hours at Port Augusta) to go bird-watching. I don’t have any target species, but would be keen to catch up with any species that are not common around Mildura so any recent information would be good (for example I will be looking for Banded Stilts near Port Augusta. Targeted subspecies are as follows: Southern Emu-wren (parimeda) – Lincoln NP? Thick-billed (Western) Grasswren (myalli) – around Whyalla (for some reason I thought they might be at the Botanic Gardens at Port Augusta but appears not – I will try and visit anyway Chestnut-rumped Heathwren (pedleri/parkeri) – Is there anywhere around Clare where this species can be seen (otherwise might try the closest spot to Port Augusta) Western (Mallee) Whipbird (leucogaster) – Probably unlikely to be calling but I will try at Lincoln NP Bassian Thrush (halmaturina) – again anywhere around Clare?
Otherwise, general recomendations of good bird-watching (or family amusing) locations would be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Peter
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Southern Emu-wren can be found at Keldrie Bay CP (near Coffin Bay NP)
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Hi Peter,
I have just returned from that area (I’m compiling a trip report now)…
Western Grasswren (Amytornis textilis myall) is fairly easy at Wild Dog Hill (Whyalla CP), especially in low salt-bush habitat about 50m west of the hill. I also had several at Middleback (about 16km north of Whyalla on Iron Knob road, right near some abandoned railway carriages), including a couple running across the road. This was also a great area, with Slender-billed Thornbill (race iredalei), Crested Bellbird, Redthroat and Southern Whiteface all common. I don’t think you’ll get them at Port Augusta Arid Lands BT (although this is an excellent birding spot – heaps of Chirruping Wedgebill, Rufous Fieldwren, Elegant Parrot, Mulga Parrot etc).
Telowie Gorge (near Pt Germain) was good for Grey-fronted Honeyeater and Southern Scrub-robin (and Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby).
Chestnut-rumped Heathwren (Hylacola pyrrhopgia pedleri) – I had 2 at Alligator Gorge, Mt Remarkable NP (Wilmington) on the highest lookout track, about 100m from the car park.
Banded Stilt – I had a few at Port Gawler (near Cheetham Salt works).
Not sure about Bassian Thrush – Mt Lofty as Michael suggests is the best bet,
Cheers, Greg
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Hi Peter
the banded stilts are a certainty in lake at entrance to Pt Augusta. chestnut rumped heathwren I saw recently at Alligator Gorge in Mt Remarkable national park(27/1/2012) although this is the first time I have seen them there so travelling with limited time just to see them could be a long shot. Alligator gorge is near Wilmington. The old wilmington rd leaving Stirling north to Wilmington is a good spot for arid chenopod birds-redthroats, chirrupping wedgebills, blue and white wrens etc. I have seen rufous fieldwren up a track just the Pimba side of arid lands botanic gardens-that was some years ago, but no reason why they still shouldn’t be there.
Enjoy
Gary
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