Travelling north up the Stuart Highway from Alice Springs is always high in expectation of encountering a Wedge-tailed Eagle or two. Today there were 7! All in the one group. I have actually seen this many once before when the boys and I were travelling to Darwin a few months ago and the boys were livid I didn't stop then. Understandable, but I had a pop-top van on the back and we were behind time as it was and had only just left Alice Springs on our trip.
So this time I did stop, just me and the work ute. As usual, I didn't see all of them to start with, just a lone bird on the side of the road in a tree. Slowed and then saw the three WTEs flying off the road kill into the trees beyond. Another two circled to the other side of the road. "1, 4, 6 and another in a tree beyond, that makes 7!" (funny how I talk to myself out loud in the car, but no-one knows right?)
So I sat and waited..... and waited .... and waited. Finally I got out of the car, then got back in and reversed a bit further away from the roadkill, and then got out of the car, camera in hand, scanning the sky for one of the WTEs. Had to wait.... ooohhhh ... 5 seconds, when the one below gave me a really good going over, 4 times circling above me. I have included a couple of the closer shots where, well, it got too close to get the whole bird.
So this time I did stop, just me and the work ute. As usual, I didn't see all of them to start with, just a lone bird on the side of the road in a tree. Slowed and then saw the three WTEs flying off the road kill into the trees beyond. Another two circled to the other side of the road. "1, 4, 6 and another in a tree beyond, that makes 7!" (funny how I talk to myself out loud in the car, but no-one knows right?)
So I sat and waited..... and waited .... and waited. Finally I got out of the car, then got back in and reversed a bit further away from the roadkill, and then got out of the car, camera in hand, scanning the sky for one of the WTEs. Had to wait.... ooohhhh ... 5 seconds, when the one below gave me a really good going over, 4 times circling above me. I have included a couple of the closer shots where, well, it got too close to get the whole bird.
Was stunned by the trousers on this one
and the ones that didn't quite fit in the frame, have scaled them down but not cropped:
The Whistling Kite was near the roadkill as well, a pair of them, and I enjoyed the "landing gear" appearing for some of these shots:
And finally some rain along the Plenty Highway. The roadside has been so dry and dusty, the most common sight has been a Willy Willy or Dust Devil, funnels of red dirt normally quite small, like a mini tornado. But the rains will hopefully hang around. One bonus was the plethora of kangaroos that had come to drink the much needed water that had pooled on the bitumen laid across creek crossings.
great photos Richard
ReplyDeleteThose flight shots are awe inspiring Richard - nice work!
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