Lets get serious, Elefromoz 2021 West Aus BY

[PeterHG]

On 9/4/2021 at 12:02 PM, elefromoz said:

before the 'europeans" fall about laughing at 700M being called a mountain,

We’re not laughing over here. Our highest ‘mountain’ is 300m and I don’t think anybody ever died climbing it. Well, you’d have to be very quick..;)

[shazdwn]

I too hope your head is recovering @elefromoz.  What a bugger but glad you could at least continue your trip.

 

I think you're correct with your female white-winged triller ID.  Funny how often you see the females but not a male to be found! 

[michael-ibk]

Let me join the well-wishing chorus, I hope you have recovered. Still a great trip. Even though it's partly concealed I love the Robin, very cute bird. 

[elefromoz]

Our next stop was Cheela Plains Station, you'd think on 188,000 hectares of land the birds would be numerous. Well they are, but also spread over such a vast area, with limited water sources. Also saw a lot of repeats. I got a couple of new ones though, flocks of Finches coming into a pool, actually a cattle watering hole.

 

132. Painted Finch   Cheela Plains Station.  4/8/21

 

 

133. Grey Crowned Babbler

They favoured the open pools with surrounding Gums

[Soukous]

some terrific additions there, and your commentary brings back happy memories of my own safaris through the Outback. Sadly in a moment of stupidity I managed to deletemy entire Australia folder - so I have to go back and do it all again

Hope the head is better.

[TonyQ]

I am just catching up with your wonderful additions - the birds and the scenery!

[elefromoz]

 

We drove the Rio Tinto access's road which runs parallel to the train track, 256 carriages loaded with ore passed every 15minutes, staggering. Lots of Raptors overhead, my only Black Kite for the trip

 

134. Black Kite.   Rio access road out of Tom Price.  8/8/21

 

Our next stop was Millstream Chichester NP

 

135. Star Finch 9/8/21. a lifer

 

 

136. Spinifexbird,   my EBC but a lifer along with the Finch, so I was happy

 

[elefromoz]

 

Millstream Chichester NP  10/8/21

137. Cockateil

 

138. Purple Backed Fairywren,  (the third of my Fairywrens for the year)    cute little Wrens at home in the thorny vegetation, this one the Male

 

 

I posted at #60 the lovely Male White winged Fairywren, this is the very "dull" female, sweet but very bland

 

and another repeat #68, Au Ringneck subspecies, much prettier than our local SW one I think

 

Skippy put in an appearance too but was in a hurry

[michael-ibk]

The Painted Finch is gorgeous!

[Peter Connan]

As is the fairywren!

[elefromoz]

Thanks everyone, I think I have passed my previous totals, if not, my next collection from the trip should get me there. Two weeks ago we had a thunderstorm, seemed very close overhead.  I was sitting at my computer in front of the window when suddenly there was a bright flash, a bit like someone had taken a flash photo right in front of me, at the same time a loud crack at the window, like someone had thrown a stone and hit the glass. To cut a long story short, a house 3 blocks away had been hit by lightening and that was what I was seeing and hearing. It took out 60+ modems in the surrounding streets and has taken all this time to rectify. So now to catch up.

Point Samson was our most northern point this trip. Its on the coast, a mix of rocky shoreline and Mangroves. Its hot, dry and wild...and the Seafood is excellent.

 

139. Bar Shouldered Dove. Port Samson  11/8/21

 

140. Striated Heron

 

141. Pacific Reef Heron

 

You never know who's going to turn up in the garden up here

 

 

 

 

[elefromoz]

142. Peaceful Dove. Cossack   13/8/21

 

143. Eastern Curlew.   a real surprise find

 

 

144. Collared Kingfisher.  Point Samson

 

Another bit of luck, not because its rare but just took me by surprise. We were walking along the footpath past houses when I saw a movement. This is such a big clumsy bird, it landed on the gatepost, caught a grasshopper and stumbled off into a bush, then flew away right in front of us.

145. Pheasant Coucal

 

 

someones always on the lookout for an easy meal

 

Another, wishful thinking

 

146. White Breasted Woodswallow

 

and nice to see our Rainbow Bee-eaters "up north" before they make the move my way south.

[elefromoz]

 

 

 

 

We took a drive out to the Port where the Ore is transferred from the transport trains for shipping. Wasn't expecting to see many Birds in such a busy, noisy place, but there's always a few surprises in store

147.  Black Necked Storks  13/8/21  outside Wickham, there's some samphire flats on the way to the Port

 

The Raptors were right at home here

148. Nankeen Kestrel

 

 

149. Brahminy Kite, beautiful Birds we don't get down my way

 

 

and already counted #105 White Bellied Sea Eagle

 

I got really excited thinking I had found a new bird

 

but no! Just a Magpielark that has been in the red dirt too long. This is what he should look like

[elefromoz]

I snapped this photo of some Egrets for no particular reason, when I got home and took a closer look, there sleeping at the lower branches

150. Royal Spoonbill  14/8/21 Miaree Pool

 

151. Diamond Dove  road to Nuntarra 14/8/21

 

152. Fairy Martin

 

153. Masked Woodswallow

 

Our next stop was Emu Creek Station, a nice campsite beside the waterhole, surely the birds will be in abundance in this oasis

 

well there was lots of repeats

Australian Hobby

 

a pair of Sacred Kingfishers

 

a couple of Whistling Kites

 

all very nice but I need some new Birds, finally

154. Blue Winged Kookaburra

 

I'm always amused by the confusion and trepidation in declaring which  "Thrush or Pipit" is being posted, I don't have a clue but as Im from Oz it doesn't matter, for me its the 'Goshawk or Sparrowhawk" dilemma. So with big breath, and quite prepared for the 'no sorry"...

155. Collared Sparrowhawk (wide eyed stare and skinny long legs)

[elefromoz]

Another surprise, we'd taken a wrong turn, very easy out here with roads and tracks in all directions. We pulled over eventually to see where the heck we were, when this caught my attention roadside. There was a little Woodswallow nearby which we think was feeding it.

156. a young Pallid Cuckoo 16/8/21 Lyndon Minnie Creek road

 

 

 

[elefromoz]

 

We had 2 nights in the Kennedy Ranges, a magical ancient landscape. New birds were thin on the ground though

157. Torresian Crow

 

So we just had to settle with some hikes

 

 

[elefromoz]

For 3 weeks I had been tortured by a particular Bird, wherever we drove its "chiming" 4 note call teasing me "did you get drunk", "did you get drunk". Every time we'd stop, thinking it was right there, Id leap out of the car only to find Id been tricked again by its voice throwing trick. "did you get drunk" , well it nearly drove me to drink.

Finally toward the end of the trip we pulled over to check a tyre (yes really), and there it was, and sitting pretty for me

 

158. Chiming Wedgebill. 18/8/21. Mullewa Canarvon Road

 

 

159. Emu 

 

160. Red Backed Kingfisher   17/8/21   Wooramel Station

 

 

The next bird Ive only seen twice, ever. Last year I foolishly mis-identified it as one of the common Kites, dismissing it til I saw my photo. Well, this year I've done its again, took  a quick snap of what I thought was a Goshawk, only to discover it was my "dream" Raptor

161. Spotted Harrier    third time lucky I hope,  next time it'll get the attention it deserves.

 

So that's a wrap for this trip. 49 new birds and 12 "lifers", pretty happy with that.  I'd love to head North again but the temperatures and humidity make it too challenging for us soft southerners. I wondered a while back if I'd make 150 for the year, so Im chuffed to have passed that milestone. We are still well and truly "locked in"  here in West Oz, no going east of our border,  so getting to 200 is nigh on impossible. Years end is still nearly 3 months away so who knows...

[Kitsafari]

Congrats on exceeding your 150! and so many lovely birds to get to 161. i wish we get fairywrens here, although I thought splendid fairywren should have won Australia Geographic's bird of the year 2021 instead of superb fairywren. but all fairywrens are just stunning. 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2021 by Kitsafari

[Galana]

A worthwhile trip and well done on the 150 too.

A cracking BeeEater shot.

[Kalaharikind]

One trip, 12 lifers, reaching 150 and going beyond that - what a trip! Well done!!

 

 

[PeterHG]

Great trip with so many new birds and lovers! Adding up to a very good number!

[Peter Connan]

A great total and some really cool birds! Well done.

[shazdwn]

On 10/9/2021 at 8:34 PM, Kitsafari said:

 I thought splendid fairywren should have won Australia Geographic's bird of the year 2021 instead of superb fairywren. but all fairywrens are just stunning. 

 

 

I was voting for the gouldian finch

[shazdwn]

Looks like a great trip, at least if you are locked in WA is a great place to be

[pedro maia]

It was greta to follow your trp and congrats on 150 with many nice birds!