The Big Budgie Hunt with Moses

Early this morning my youngest son, Moses, and I, headed out of the house before 5 am and headed down south along the Stuart Highway. The aim was to try to see the budgies I had seen a few weeks earlier, but this time with Moses.
The day started with a sensational sunrise:

The budgies were coming in dribs and drabs, but the first real surprise of the day was the Straw-necked Ibis:

followed soon after by a mystery bird Moses had seen. It turned out to be a female Black-tailed Native Hen:

Finally the Budgerigars started coming in larger and larger numbers. I was getting excited because I really thought Moses was going to get to see the same experience as I had had, our purpose for getting up so early. They were behaving very similarly, flying around in larger and larger groups, being harried by birds of prey, the water was about the same level, and then.... nothing happened. We aren't sure if they were drinking somewhere else, but even though we stayed there for 3 1/2 hours, the budgies didn't come down to drink. Here are some of the photos I took of them flying around and grouping on tree tops:

The birds of prey kept coming and going, flying through the budgies, scaring them out of the trees, and being recognised by the "spotters" who sent out the call as the BoP swooped in. Here are some photos of Brown Falcon, Little Eagle and Whistling Kites: