Lower Birdsville Track – and other parts of outback SA

Good to hear that Bob followed up on my report. I’ve spent much time out in the SA Outback this season and in addition to what I’ve already reported, would like to mention a few other highlights we’ve found across the SA outback including a couple of Grey Falcon nests, Letter-winged Kites nesting, a new Black-breasted Buzzrd nest, Thick-billed Grasswrens (whose numbers crashed in 2012) slowly recovering, Chestnut-breasted Whitefaces showing well again, and lots of other goodies. Rainfall has been patchy but that’s the nature of the area….! cheers Peter Cheers, Peter ——- Peter Waanders Bellbird Tours / Southern Birding Services / Australian Birding Store 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 Bellbird Tours: www.bellbirdtours.com Southern Birding Services: www.sabirding.com Birding Store: www.birdingstore.com.au Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Southern-Birding-Services/134270499971996 On Thu, Oct 8, 2015 at 5:43 PM, Bob & Trish Sothman < randtsothman@bigpond.com> wrote: > Last month Peter Waanders reported on birding-aus: “good rainfall in the > SA > outback including the Birdsville Track with some birds having bred”. There > has been negligible rain over the last 3 months at least along the lower > Birdsville Track which is certainly starting to dry out. However, the > birding is still excellent. > Despite the temperature still being 38C at 5:00 pm, strong winds all day > plus the most flies we have ever encountered, we recorded 70 species > between > Marree and Mungerannie on Tuesday 6th October. Highlights included 1,500 > Flock Bronzewing with many flocks from 45 km N of Marree all the way to > almost Mungerannie, 5,000 Budgerigar spread out all along the track, 2,000 > Orange Chats, 400 Crimson Chats, 40 Pied Honeyeaters (no Black), 10 Inland > Dotterel, 10 Australian Pratincole, 8 Cinnamon Quail-thrush, 4 Eyrean > Grasswren, 3 Gull-billed Tern, 2 Gibberbird, 1 Banded Whiteface. We also > saw what was a possible Grey Falcon but did not get enough on it for a > positive ID. The publican at Mungerannie said Grey Falcon was reported 2 > weeks ago so they could still be around. The dune country North of Mulka > shows evidence of receiving the most rainfall and currently has an amazing > density of birds with a lot of young birds evident – a wonderful sight. > Cheers, > Bob Sothman & Roly Lloyd > Adelaide > > >