Gemtree (Harts Range, near Alice Springs, NT)

Hello again,

Mum asked me to forward her report from a recent trip.

Cheers

Mat

* * Mat & Cathy Gilfedder Wildlife photography pbase.com/gilfedder

Plenty of birds at Gemtree 24-25 March 2012

by Barb Gilfedder, President. Alice Springs Field Naturalists Club

Carmel and Cameron Chalmers invited the Alice Springs Field Naturalists out to Gemtree to look at the birds. This is a tourist spot/caravan and camp ground that I have always thought of as just for gem enthusiasts – a jump-off point to the Harts Range gem fields. It proved to be a lot more than that, and for me the highlight was definitely the three and a half kilometer nature walk.

Six of us left Alice early and were impressed with the number of raptors along the way – Brown Falcon, Whistling Kite, Wedge-tailed Eagle and Black-breasted Buzzard were all identified by their underwing patterns. Magpies, Black-faced Woodswallows, Zebra Finches and small flocks of Budgerigars were also seen.

At the 63Km mark from Alice Springs we pulled off to view Yambah Waterhole, the other side of the railway line. It was full of brown water, ruffled by a surprisingly cool breeze. A dark-coloured Bearded Dragon was on the edge not looking very happy, but I think it was probably still trying to warm up for the day. A few Hardheads, Grey Teal and Australasian Grebes floated near the opposite bank. A beautifully patterned Spotted Harrier delighted us by flying through at tree-top level (the trees aren’t very big). In the patch of Mulga where we parked the cars, Brown Honeyeater, Rufous Whistlers and a Willie Wagtail attracted us with their calls. Then we spotted a Grey Fantail twisting its way through the lower branches.

We stopped for lunch at a small roadside clearing. Flocks of Masked Wood swallows filled the air. Pied Butcherbird, Australian Ringnecks, and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater were added to the list. And more raptors – Nankeen Kestrel and Black-shouldered Kite put in an appearance.

Gemtree boasts a pretty dam opposite the reception building. This water attracts a range of birds coming in for drinks as well as the Farmyard Ducks. Carmel told us that a Nankeen Night-Heron and a Black Swan had both been temporary residents there recently. While we were there Cameron was concerned about the handsome Darter who was diving for his fish, but nice to see the Darter.

The dam is also the start of the Nature Walk. This winds around the property out of sight of the camp ground but never very far away from it, and has several escape routes back to the camp for walkers who become tired. The office lends out full-colour printed guides for the walk, brimming with photos and descriptions of different habitats and particular numbered plants, views and bird information. We were advised that if we kept walking, it would take about an hour to complete, but being Field Nats, it took us 2 ½ hours. There were certainly lots of things to see and hear as we wandered through a variety of habitats. Although there were areas that introduced Buffel Grass had invaded, there were also areas where native grasses and shrubs dominated. I particularly liked the Mulga forest where Splendid Fairy-wrens, Thornbills, Whistlers, Robins and Bellbirds kept us searching. Towards the end of the walk the track goes through a small creek. The birds in this area were amazing – lots of White-winged Trillers, Hooded Robins, Crimson Chats, Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo and I had great views of a Crested Bellbird, a bird which I so often hear but rarely see. There is a choice of paths near the end of the walk and we chose the low road along the sandy river bed. Flocks of Budgies were keeping busy high in the stately River Red Gums, while a Common Bronzewing fossicked in the sand.

As we came out of the creek, a pile of old logs in the shade made a welcome sitting point as we watched Cockatiels, Ringnecks, Mulga Parrots, Galahs and even a group of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos.

After dark the Boobook Owl was making his comforting call and we woke in the morning to the distinctive Spotted Nightjar’s call.

Jim and I moved on before lunch, heading east and then north to have a look at the new Mac and Rose Reserve on MacDonald Downs Station – destination for a future Field Naturalists trip. Later we went home via the Pinnacles Track, a very pretty alternative to the bitumen.

Many thanks to our fellow campers and to Carmel and Cameron Chalmers for making us feel so welcome.

63 bird species for the trip, 51 of these were at Gemtree, marked with +.

Carmel keeps a list of birds seen at Gemtree, over 100 of them, and is keen to add new sightings to it.

Birdlist for the trip

Australasian Darter +

Australasian Grebe

Grey Teal

Hardhead

Little Button-quail +

Brown Quail +

Black-shouldered Kite

Spotted Harrier +

Black Kite +

Black-breasted Buzzard

Whistling Kite

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Nankeen Kestrel

Brown Falcon +

Hobby

Southern Boobook (heard) +

Spotted Nightjar (heard) +

Diamond Dove +

Crested Pigeon +

Common Bronzewing +

Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo +

Galah +

Australian Ringneck +

Mulga Parrot +

Cockatiel +

Budgerigar +

Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo +

Rainbow Bee-eater +

Masked Woodswallow +

Black-faced Woodswallow +

Western Bowerbird +

Spendid Fairy-wren +

Chestnut-rumped Thornbill +

Yellow-rumped Thornbill +

Inland Thornbill +

Striated Pardalote +

Red-browed Pardalote +

Singing Honeyeater +

White-plumed Honeyeater +

Grey-fronted Honeyeater

Grey-headed Honeyeater

Yellow-throated Miner +

Crimson Chat +

Pied Honeyeater +

Brown Honeyeater +

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater +

White-browed Babbler +

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike +

White-winged Triller +

Rufous Whistler +

Grey Shrike-thrush +

Crested Bellbird +

Pied Butcherbird +

Australian Magpie +

Torresian Crow +

Little Crow +

Willie Wagtail +

Magpie Lark +

Grey Fantail

Hooded Robin +

Australasian Pipit +

Mistletoebird +

Zebra Finch ===============================

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