The Big Year goes North Part 1: Adelaide to the NT Border.

This trip was the first of the year that we'd done up to the far north of the State. Up to this point in time we've birded most of the southern half of SA with a foray over to the far west and the Nullarbor but hadn't been any further north than Port Augusta. There are a lot of species out there specifically found in the northern deserts and if we're to achieve a Big Year total worthy of spending a year of our lives on, then we had to go up there in order to have a chance to see them.

We'd planned to break up the northern half of SA in to two manageable trips given the distances involved. The first we decided to do was right up to the NT border via Coober Pedy and Marla then down the Oodnadatta Track and back home. The second, scheduled for October, will be a two week trip that will take us up the Strzelecki Track to Innamincka and Birdsville, hopefully taking in Coongie Lakes then back down the Birdsville Track and home. As is the way of things the birds themselves dictate events and and best laid plans go asunder so a lot of flexibility has to be worked in to them as we go along. I'll break this blog up in to three posts for this trip report as it'll be pic heavy and rather long, so look out for the other two posts soon.

We were joined on this trip by Andy Walker, a York based UK professional Bird Guide for Birding Ecotours who we met a few years ago on a boardwalk in Taman Negara Malaysia while looking for Pittas and have become very good friends ever since. Between tours he likes to spend time with us once a year in his "Adelaide office" and we get him out and about to do some birding with us. An extra set of eyes is always useful!

So the Friday after work we were off straight away to Port Augusta to give us that head start for the following morning. Sue and I haven't birded much on the western side of the Lake Eyre basin and so there were a few potential State ticks for us as well as a few very specific species whose distributions bring them just over the border from the Northern Territory to look for. A hearty breakfast was enjoyed by all before driving out to our first stop at the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens at the base of the Stuart Highway just out of town. A week previously Black Honeyeaters were reported from here and you can sometimes see them in spring when the Eremophilas so prominent in the garden are in flower. It was a bit cool and breezy and after a good hour we came to the conclusion the birds had moved on. Not far from the car park we came across some Chirruping Wedgebills so Sue was finally able to tick them off her list after a couple of previous failed attempts. From there we headed up the highway towards Pimba and Glendambo and somewhere near Pimba we had our first flock of Budgerigars for the year fly across the road in front of us. Once we reached Bon Bon Station we noticed a small flock of Woodswallows that took to the air and found they were mostly Masked, a bird Sue still needed. There were other birds here too so we got out for a short walk. There were lots of Budgies flying back and forth and then we came across a small group of Crimson Chats foraging on the ground amongst the wild flowers with several fully coloured males.

The first Budgerigar of the Big Year

Growing amongst the understorey were several Sturt Desert Peas, South Australias floral emblem

South Australias State flower Sturt Desert Pea, photo by Andy Walker

With a couple of new birds on our list we carried on to a roadside rest area for lunch. This is a site that has had Chestnut-breasted Whiteface in the past but we couldn't locate any in the face of a stiff breeze so we carried on towards Coober Pedy and the famous William Hutchinson Memorial about 12km's south of town. A plaque commemorating the original discoverer of Opal in the region also marks the spot where Chestnut-breasted Whitefaces are reported quite frequently. I can just imagine Mr Hutchinson kicking Whitefaces out of the way as he tripped over a rock containing the precious stone all those years ago!!! We got there a bit late in the day and it was dull and overcast with quite a stiff breeze blowing and we again failed to locate any birds. Before giving up completely we drove over to the opposite side of the road and within minutes some movement caught my eye. A single Thick-billed Grasswren popped out from behind a low saltbush to peer at us in the car then popped back again. There were three birds in total and we got quite good looks at them before they moved off, although I missed the best photo opportunity.

The best pic I could manage of a Thick-billed Grasswren

We had a short walk here to see if we could get better looks at the Grasswrens but instead found a male  Cinnamon Quailthrush carrying food, another new species for the Big Year and the last of the Quailthrush species we're likely to see. As it was getting late we drove off into town to find our accommodation at the Underground Motel where we were staying for the night finishing the day with four Year ticks for me and six for Sue.

The next morning was quite cold and just outside the door was the first Little Crow of the trip, giving away his identity with his incessant nasally  "nark nark nark" calls. After breakfast we headed back down to the Memorial to have another look for the Whiteface. Despite the fact it was sunny it was still a bit windy when we arrived. We headed off from the parking area and split up a bit. There were several species flipping about with Zebra Finches and some more Masked Woodswallows and Red-capped Robins. I picked up some faint calls from up ahead of me and as I approached I saw a small bird foraging on the ground between clumps of low saltbush. As I watched another bird popped in to view and as the image crisped up in my Binoculars I realised it was a lovely pair of Chestnut-breasted Whitefaces, a bird I hadn't seen for quite some time.  I called the others over and we spent the next half an hour getting really good looks at them. A new bird for Andy.

Cryptically camouflaged this bird blends in perfectly to its chosen arid habitat 

Chestnut-breasted Whiteface in the early morning sun

After our success it was time to move off up the road towards Marla via a short detour out to the Breakaways where they filmed some of the movie Mad Max II. At the turnoff north of Coober Pedy we stopped to look at some small birds when Sue realised the entire left eye cup for her binoculars was missing!! We stripped the car looking for it and thought maybe it had fallen out when filling up with fuel back in town so we drove back to the service station to look but it was nowhere to be seen.

Disaster for Sue!!

Undeterred we headed back up to the Breakaways road. Crossing the gibber on the way out Sue spotted a bird we needed off to the side of the road despite the fact she was actually driving, not sure what Andy and I were doing!!! Inland Dotterel a single bird standing about 10m off the road with not a friend in sight. As it was this bird ended up being the only one we saw on the whole trip so well done Sue.

A lone Inland Dotterel stands sentinel over the gibber

The Breakaways an impressive desert landscape

Driving up towards Marla we stopped for lunch in another salubrious road side rest area complete with toilet paper blowing about in the wind. Why is it we can't provide better facilities at these rest areas? Other States seem to be able to get this right. This festering rubbish obviously doesn't deter the Little Crows and we were accompanied by a "murder of Crows" throughout lunch.

Tailgate lunch with attendant Little Crow

Little Crow eyeing off my lunch

We arrived in Marla late afternoon and after setting up our tents we opted for a walk directly opposite the Roadhouse and over near the train line. It was very quiet in the Mulga habitat and very dry under foot and we struggled to find much of note at all. Eventually we came across some birds over near a rail crossing adjacent to a "borrow pit" that had some wildflowers in it. A small flock of Crimson Chats gave us some photographic opportunities but apart from that we went back to our camping area feeling a bit underwhelmed. So during dinner that night we came up with a plan to drive out early on the Mintabie road to see what we could find.

Male Crimson Chat in the late afternoon sunshine

The next morning we drove out about 12km's towards Mintabie and managed to find a small dam that seemed to have some birds around so we pulled over to investigate. There was lots of activity with Mulga Parrots White-browed babblers Crested Bellbirds and several different Honeyeaters all being very busy and while watching them we heard the unmistakeable call of the Chiming Wedgebill. Two birds played hide and seek with us not giving up easy views at all but we did get tickable views in the end.

Distant view of a vocal Chiming Wedgebill

Happy with the fact we'd found some birds we opted to push our luck and drive further up the main highway towards the NT border. One of the things I was looking for was a decent Red Gum lined Creekline and we came across Indulkana Creek crossing that fitted the bill. Stopping here and going for a walk we were looking for particular species that like that sort of habitat, amongst other species. Away from the Highway Andy picked up a Red-backed Kingfisher at some distance sitting at the top of a dead tree, as they are prone to do, so we were able to add this bird to our year lists before it was seen off by a Pied Butcherbird. Of particular interest though was a single pair of Corvids that were calling from time to time along the creek. They were clearly not Little Crows whose call is very distinctive and they were certainly not Australian Ravens as their calls lacked the guttaral "death rattle" of that species. That left only one candidate and the key species we were looking for here, the Torresian Crow. This species occurs in small numbers across the far north west of SA and have a particular preference for tall trees along creek lines., We played a burst of call via playback and the two birds went absolutely nuts trying to find the apparent usurpers flying backwards and forwards constantly calling and confirming their identity. Not only a year tick but a State tick for me.

Torresian Crow at Indulkana Creek

From here we opted to drive right up to the NT border to have lunch and for an obligatory "selfie" at the border. On the way we passed a small puddle of water in a low lying area off the road that seemed a good spot to stake out later in the day.

The Big Year is taking us to all corners of the State

The afternoon we drove back towards Maryatt Creek in an effort to find some suitable habitat for another two of the key species we needed up here. Finding a small track heading west off the main highway north of the Maryatt we trundled down a short way before coming across some trees with some large tell tale ball shaped stick nests in them. We got out to investigate and as we neared the trees Andy heard the distinctive call of a Gerygone. A little in front of us he picked up one of two birds that turned out to be Western Gerygones, a difficult bird to find in SA but not the owner of the large nests!

One of two Western Gerygones on Mt Kavanagh Station

Some really nice parkland like habitat in this area with some heavily flowering Sennas and open grassy areas proved just the right combination for our next Big Year tick and State tick to boot. Driving back out towards the main highway we disturbed 4 Grey-crowned Babblers along the track but for a big bird they proved to be rather furtive by keeping their distance.

Grey-crowned Babblers keeping their distance

Sue and I enjoying our State tick..... photo by Andy Walker

After pulling out some really sort after birds we headed back towards Marla late in the afternoon. with one final stop..........that puddle of water we passed on the way up. Upon arrival there were already some Little Corellas in attendance. As we waited for the sun to move towards the western horizon we cracked a couple of celebratory beers.

Not much of a puddle but we had high hopes

 With the sun just starting to disappear behind the horizon a number of Common Bronzewings emerged from the surrounding scrub to come in for a drink, but it was another species we were hoping for. Famed for coming in to drink well after dark I heard the distinctive call of our target and in the light of the car headlights the unmistakeble shapes of several Bourkes Parrots materialised. Andy had earlier set his scope up trained on the waterhole and managed a couple of phone scoped pics for confirmation.

Several of the small number of Bourkes Parrots that came in to drink after dark

Happy with the days birding with several important targets under the belt we drove back to Marla in the dark. Dinner was taken in the Roadhouse washed down by a few frothies before heading off to bed. So I've added 13 year ticks so far on this trip and Sue 15 with more to come. A big day loomed for the morning as we head off down the Oodnadatta Track and that's where we'll pick up the story in the next post. See you then!!