The Red Centre Bird Festival is happening this week and Alice Springs is alive with birds and birders. Activities are running all week. Yesterday morning I led a group of 25-30 people around the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, and we managed to see a variety of small bush birds. This morning there was a large contingent at the Alice Springs Poo Ponds, and tomorrow afternoon is an outing to Simpsons Gap. Thursday morning it is back to the Poo Ponds and then Friday morning another group at the Telegraph Station, followed by the start of the Twitchathon on Friday at 6 pm. My son Moses and I will be trying to crack the 100 bird mark for the 24 hours.
Moses and I went out to a place just south of the Alice Springs airport to check out the flocks of Busdgerigars. Estimation of numbers was between 500 and 1000 (I know that is a large gap but have you ever tried counting them?) We also saw some Banded Whiteface, as well as a close-up encounter with some Southern Whiteface who had a nest in the shrub we had pulled up next to, not to mention White-winged Fairy-wrens and White-winged Trillers, Cockatiels, Masked Woodswallows, Brown Falcon and a host of other birds. The Centre is drying out and the remaining water-holes and dams are starting to be frequented by Budgies in huge numbers, as well as Cockatiels in their hundreds.
Alas I am out at Nyirripi for the week, but this has its benefits as I also get to drive through Newhaven Station which is only 10 kms down the road. More Banded Whiteface, White-fronted Honeyeaters, Grey-headed Honeyeaters, Singing and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, Masked and Black-faced Woodswallows, Ground Cuckoo-shrikes, the list seems endless sometimes and the camera is constantly clicked.
I am really looking forward to getting back to town and starting the Twitchathon. When we went to see the budgerigar flock, we could have driven north instead. I had checked with another birder and he went north, and saw Bourke's Parrots by about 5:30 pm which meant the photos were stunning. A lot to look forward to and get excited about. That's not to mention some breaking news by John Young, the Night Parrot "re-discoverer" that will be revealed on Sunday night.
Even if you can't make it for the Bird Festival week, try to get to Alice Springs for a wonderful birding experience before it gets too hot.
And now for the photos:
Moses and I went out to a place just south of the Alice Springs airport to check out the flocks of Busdgerigars. Estimation of numbers was between 500 and 1000 (I know that is a large gap but have you ever tried counting them?) We also saw some Banded Whiteface, as well as a close-up encounter with some Southern Whiteface who had a nest in the shrub we had pulled up next to, not to mention White-winged Fairy-wrens and White-winged Trillers, Cockatiels, Masked Woodswallows, Brown Falcon and a host of other birds. The Centre is drying out and the remaining water-holes and dams are starting to be frequented by Budgies in huge numbers, as well as Cockatiels in their hundreds.
Alas I am out at Nyirripi for the week, but this has its benefits as I also get to drive through Newhaven Station which is only 10 kms down the road. More Banded Whiteface, White-fronted Honeyeaters, Grey-headed Honeyeaters, Singing and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters, Masked and Black-faced Woodswallows, Ground Cuckoo-shrikes, the list seems endless sometimes and the camera is constantly clicked.
I am really looking forward to getting back to town and starting the Twitchathon. When we went to see the budgerigar flock, we could have driven north instead. I had checked with another birder and he went north, and saw Bourke's Parrots by about 5:30 pm which meant the photos were stunning. A lot to look forward to and get excited about. That's not to mention some breaking news by John Young, the Night Parrot "re-discoverer" that will be revealed on Sunday night.
Even if you can't make it for the Bird Festival week, try to get to Alice Springs for a wonderful birding experience before it gets too hot.
And now for the photos:
Flock of Budgerigars, try counting that lot!
Black-breasted Buzzard, check out the feet!
Diamond Dove being given the eye by some Zebra Finches
Dragon
Grey-headed Honeyeater
Landscape near Nyirripi, NT
Rainbow Bee-eater
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Sand Goanna
Singing Honeyeater
Sunset near Nyirripi NT
Zebra Finch
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