Birdsville Track 2022

It's that time of the year again when the northern areas of South Australia call to Lisa and I... The days start to get longer after a long winter and after months of dreaming, it was time to head up north birding and camping. 

This year we had decided to head up through Broken Hill, north along the Silver City Highway to Tibooburra, through the Sturt National Park to Cameron Corner, then down the Strzelecki Track and home. Well... that was our plan.  Right up until two days before we were to leave. Watching the weather I had been a little suss of a cold front moving through. Then this cold front dragged some tropical moisture down to join with it and release it's cargo right over Tibooburra and surrounds! 30mm fell and closed all the roads... Even the bitumen was closed! So yeah that threw a spanner in the works! What to do? Scanning the rainfall maps with about 24hrs before we were to leave we decided on a run up the Birdsville again instead. As only five millimetres had fallen in the region and one of the perks of being so mobile and self-sufficient are plans can be changed last minute. 

On the morning of departure we still had a fair amount to pack as it had rained consistently the night before and slowed us down. Eventually we got away, driving out through the rain (seems to be a common occurrence at the start of these trips lately!) Originally we had planned to camp at Clayton Wetlands just a little way up the track but with this late start plans were revised and we made for Farina. 

The drive was fairly uneventful with very dry conditions from Orroroo and all the way north past the western edge of the Flinders. It wasn't until we made it to Leigh Creek when conditions started to change. By the time we got to Lyndhurst it was heartening to see some lovely green growth over the gibber plains and it boded well for the what lay ahead. All the way through to Farina the country felt happy... birds were around and the thrill of being immersed in it was washing over us! Spirits were high. 

Not far from the Farina ruins we found a large group of Black Kites feeding on a rabbit. All flew as we drove past except one... it was enough for Lisa and I to pull the cameras out for the first time of the trip. 

Black Kite near the Farina ruins

Next we checked a couple of small dams we know of in the area. As we were walking up to the edge and admiring a Little Eagle as it flew low past I heard the tell tale "whistle" of Plumed Whistling Ducks! Peering over the edge we found a nice group of eight sitting on one of the dams. These beautiful waterfowl were quite a thrill being a new bird for Lisa to see. Lifer dance number one of the trip was performed and then we retired to camp. 

The next morning we spent a little more time getting some images of the ducks but then it was time to hit the road. 

Plumed Whistling Ducks near Farina

Starting along the actual Birdsville Track itself about an hour later we had made it around 18kms up the track when I noticed a big flock of little bird heads sticking up out of the grass on the gibber to the left of the car. Inland Dotterels! We pulled up but this 50 bird strong flock was quite timid and we had no chance in hell of closing the gap!

 

Next stop was at a spot not much further along where we often get Gibberbirds. It only took about a minute and we found Gibberbirds! Always a thrill as I never ever get sick of seeing these desert beauties! So whilst I was admiring my little yellow friends Lisa was scanning out further and found another group of Inland Dotterels! About a dozen this time. This group were much more approachable and Lisa managed some quite nice shots.

Our Gibberbird spot which produced a dozen Inland Dotterels this time as well.

Lisa in pursuit of Inland Dotterels

Lisa's Inland Dotterel image

Heading north again we made our way along the area west of Lake Harry where our trip nearly ended in a bang! As we made our way over a little crest right at the top and out of sight until the very last minute was a massive bulldust hole! We drove straight into it! Luckily nothing broke and no harm was done. Just a few choice words were emitted and some head scratching as to why a hole so big hadn't been flagged? Later we would learn from Phil up at the Mungerannie Pub that a couple of caravans had busted their axles in the exact same hole... gotta be so careful out on these outback roads!

Next stop was in the creek bed next to Clayton Station. As we exited the car we could hear birds everywhere! Cockateils, Budgerigars, Diamond Doves, Woodswallows etc... Even an immature Spotted Harrier was thermaling above us as we grabbed a few images of all the life within the Eucalypt-lined creek. 

Being close to the middle of the day we kept cruising northwards. The next station Dulkaninna was looking a little more dry than Clayton and as expected the birdlife was a little less as well. We kept moving on up the track as my plan was to camp north of Mungerannie. As we entered Ettadunna Station the conditions started pick back up and as did the birdlife. Orange Chats were everywhere whenever there was a few bushes or decent roadside vegetation and small Budgie flocks were buzzing about mostly along the small creeks. At around the 20km to Cooper Creek mark we had a bit of a set back though... Thump! A decent rock had smashed into our wheel arch. Within 20 seconds we were driving on a very flat tyre on the driver's side rear. After a good run we had now wrecked two tyres in two years on our outback track trips. Last year was a bummer but this year hurt more as we had only just put new rubber on the Prado. Luckily I always carry a spare casing on the roof for just such a problem. Unfortunately we still had about 100kms to go to get to Mungerannie where we could get the tyre put on the rim... so this stretch would be done with no spare! We were both a little nervous about this and drove extra slow to make sure we had no more issues. 

Crossing the Cooper Creek we entered the Nanterannie Sandhills and pulled up at our usual Eyrean Grasswren spot. The place was going off with birds everywhere! Eyrean Grasswrens, Crimson Chats, Pied Honeyeaters, Masked and White-browed Woodswallows, Budgerigars, Diamond Doves etc... by the bucket load! The sandhills were in great condition with lots of flowering and seeding plants and the life had certainly followed. 

Lisa had the next and probably her biggest highlight of the trip when we came across an immature Grey Falcon resting on a communications tower as is quite typical of them in this area. This was Lisa's first time seeing a Grey and it prompted the second lifer dance of the trip. 

Grey Falcon south of Mungerannie.

As we moved through Mulka Station the gibber plains were looking in great shape and we'd have liked to have been able to spend some more time here but the day was getting on and we still had to get to Mungerannie to get the tyre changed. 

Rolling into the pub to see if Phil could change the tyre we found him in the beer garden looking like it had already been a long day! Eventually he came out and changed the tyre and also showed us an air propelled beer can launcher he had made for the workers' kids the day before. They fired a can that went about 150m into the air! Only in Mungerannie! LOL

With only an hour or so left of light after the tyre was fixed and beer cans launched we decided to revise plans and stay in the Mungerannie campground. Once set up we headed out into the sandhills across the Derwent River and found 5 Eyrean Grasswrens in about 30mins. We made our way to the pub after dark and ended up having one too many drinks each sitting chatting with Phil for about three hours! When we got back to camp an Eastern Barn Owl was flying about the area screeching away. Lisa mimicked it and it came straight in and did about three laps around our camp. 

The next morning we took a little longer to get moving than should of been the case and after a bacon and egg roll from the pub we headed off north. Arriving at the turn off to Cowarie Station my original plan was to head north to the Goyder Lagoon and search for Grey Grasswrens for Lisa. As we got to the corner though something in my gut told me we should probably go out along the Cowarie road instead. Lisa said "trust your gut" so we decided to go west along the Cowarie road for the morning, have lunch out at the Warburton River and then head back and go north to Mira Mitta in afternoon in hope of seeing some Flock Bronzewings there late in the evening coming to drink. 

We drove about 20m up the Cowarie road when a pair of Cinnamon Quail-thrush crossed the road in front of us. We managed some nice shots of the male and then as we were watching him I heard the tell tale musical stylings of a Banded Whiteface. Playing a little playback had 8-10 of these cool little birds all around us. We were to see them in a few more places on this trip too. A bird which was one of my last outback SA track birds to find but now I find them easily! Always the way.

Cinnamon Quail-thrush in the early morning sun near Farina

Cinnamon Quail-thrush

Banded Whiteface

Fifteen kilometres down the road Lisa spotted a beautifully marked Dingo about 50m off the track. Never get sick of seeing these amazing apex predators. Having seen the more common sandy-coloured versions more often it was nice to see a variation. We took some photos as it trotted off warily. On the way back in the same sort of area later in the day we would see a herd of six feral Camels as well, most south I've seen them along the track.

A photo by Lisa of a beautifully coloured Dingo which was checking us out.

A bird I have been chasing for a few trips now is the Cowarie subspecies of the Thick-billed Grasswren. We tried a spot about 35kms along the track and found none but did flush a pair of Little button-quail which was a nice bonus! Then at a spot a bit further on we finally found a Grasswren! With harsh light in the middle of the day we were never going to get decent images but it was nice to tick the subspecies off as it was my fourth of the Thick-billed Grasswrens to get. It was also quite skittish so we will look forward to returning sometime for another look. 

Thick-billed Grasswren (Amytornis modestus cowarie)

Lunch out at Cowarie was lovely... the place is looking a little dry although there are birds everywhere as the Warburton creek is still flowing strongly from rains further north earlier in the year. 

Making our way back towards Mungerannie we checked the comm tower for Grey Falcon again but we had no luck either on the way out or the way back this time.

Turning north up the track for Mira Mitta bore we slowly got more disappointed the further north we went. The rains must have missed this area and it was very dry. The track was also rough... more rough than anything we'd found south of Mungerannie. Mira Mitta itself was good with plenty of waterbirds about but with the surrounding plains dead as I thought there was pretty much no hope of seeing any Flock Bronzewings here on this trip. So we decided to dash back to Mungerannie and catch the last hour of light in the dunes there. 

Red-backed Kingfisher at Mungerannie Pub

Again the Eyrean Grasswrens were in good numbers. This time I hit up an area a little further south and found a very confiding pair which gave some lovely views and photo opportunities in sweet light!

Eyrean Grasswren in the dunes south of Mungerannie Pub.

Waking up the next day at 5.30am was tough but we wanted to make up for the day before and be on the road at dawn. This was our last day and with a ten hour drive home in front of us we wanted to get a little early morning birding in on the way back down in the the better areas we had seen on the way up. 

The light was stunning when the sun rose and the forecast northerly had not yet risen as we made our way down through Mulka Station again. At one point I mentioned to Lisa that the gibber plain looked perfect for Flock Bronzewing as I had seen them on this type of habitat before so we pulled up to scan the plains. Got em! Scanning through the binoculars I found three Flockies on the wing, pointing them out to Lisa she saw them and saw them land about 200m away. We grabbed our gear and headed off after them. Not 50m out we ran into a pair of Gibberbirds! I wanted to photograph them because GIBBERBIRDS! LOL anyway Lisa dragged me away to chase the Flockies instead. Eventually we found the Bronzewings sunning on the gibber and tried to close the gap. Of course they were having none of it, but all good we saw and got some distant shots. We also found two more pairs of Gibberbirds without even trying whilst watching the Flockies! Such was the health of this Gibberplain at the time. Of course another lifer dance was performed by Lisa as these were new for her as well.

Flock Bronzewings on the gibber plains of Mulka Station

Gibberbirds were numerous on the healthy looking gibber plains of Mulka Station.

Moving south again we made our way back into the Nanterannie Sandhills with a plan of stopping for Eyrean Grasswrens. About halfway down to the spot we spied a Flock Bronzewing fly over the car and land on the ground just out of sight at the base of a dune. I said to Lisa there's a chance there might be water in there we should have a look. We made our way down through the bushes and shrubs to find a lovely waterhole with about 100 Flock Bronzewings sitting on a claypan beside the water! Amazing! The next hour was filled with Flockies flying in and out of the area and many birds circling then coming into to drink. Something you can never get sick of watching! Also coming in to the water were plenty of Budgies, Zebra Finches, Diamond Doves etc... and in  shrubs behind where we were sitting were Pied Honeyeaters, Chestnut-crowned Babblers, Crimson Chats and many others in big numbers! only thing against us was the time... but too bad we'd have to get home late!

Flock Bronzewings coming in to drink. 

Flock Bronzewing (male) 

We did have another crack at the Eyreans and found another two pairs but neither pairs wanted a photo taken so we left them to it and headed for home.

Another fantastic trip done... In one of our favourite parts of the world. 

Also Lisa and I would struggle to do a trip like this if it wasn't for my parents Denise and Ralph Steeles who come up and look after the menagerie of animals on our little farm. So a big thankyou to them it's so appreciated!

In two days' time I am heading back up so it will be interesting to see if anything has changed in that time? Stay tuned for another blog update to come...