Central Australia offers such a wide variety of natural experiences. Recent rains have transformed the landscape into a lush, colourful, and sometimes dramatic experience. A short drive from Alice Springs can be rewarded by photos such as the one below from Rainbow Valley, 80 kms south of Alice Springs:
A little bit further away, about 460 kms north west of Alice Springs is Nyirripi Community. The nearby hill is known as Karku, or "Little Uluru". The recent rains have created small pools in the clay pans. Karku dominated the landscape, but the rains have created a lovely foreground:
Driving to Nyirripi can be via Yuendumu or Newhaven Conservation Reserve. Occasionally being in the car offers close-up encounters with reptiles. My most recent trip was one such occasion with this beautiful Stimpsons Python slowly meandering across the road through the Reserve:
Another wildlife experience was not so nice. Red Foxes are slowly making their way north through the NT, killing lots of native wildlife along the way. I don't like seeing dead animals of any sort really, but this sighting confirmed the foxes really are a threat to the native wildlife here in Central Australia. I saw this deceased fox on the Tanami Road:
The rains have dispersed the normally concentrated birds of Nyirripi away from the Sewage Ponds and across the lands. Strange little clay pan temporary pools of water are now home to a few birds. This scenario is being played out hundreds of times across Central Australia. I came across a pair of Grey Teals and a family of 4 Black-fronted Dotterels in two separate pools:
The Honeyeaters have started to breed and ready themselves for the onslaught of flowering that is destined to occur over the coming weeks and months. Virtually everywhere I stop the car now once away from the main living areas of Central Australia, the piping of both Pied and Black Honeyeaters can be heard. I do wonder why the Black Honeyeater is not called "Little Pied Honeyeater" or "Lesser Pied Honeyeater" in the same way other birds are named "Little .." or "Lesser .." of birds of similar species and appearance. As you will see from the photo, the Black Honeyeater is not totally black, but very much a "Pied" plumed bird.
A little bit further away, about 460 kms north west of Alice Springs is Nyirripi Community. The nearby hill is known as Karku, or "Little Uluru". The recent rains have created small pools in the clay pans. Karku dominated the landscape, but the rains have created a lovely foreground:
Driving to Nyirripi can be via Yuendumu or Newhaven Conservation Reserve. Occasionally being in the car offers close-up encounters with reptiles. My most recent trip was one such occasion with this beautiful Stimpsons Python slowly meandering across the road through the Reserve:
Another wildlife experience was not so nice. Red Foxes are slowly making their way north through the NT, killing lots of native wildlife along the way. I don't like seeing dead animals of any sort really, but this sighting confirmed the foxes really are a threat to the native wildlife here in Central Australia. I saw this deceased fox on the Tanami Road:
The rains have dispersed the normally concentrated birds of Nyirripi away from the Sewage Ponds and across the lands. Strange little clay pan temporary pools of water are now home to a few birds. This scenario is being played out hundreds of times across Central Australia. I came across a pair of Grey Teals and a family of 4 Black-fronted Dotterels in two separate pools:
The Honeyeaters have started to breed and ready themselves for the onslaught of flowering that is destined to occur over the coming weeks and months. Virtually everywhere I stop the car now once away from the main living areas of Central Australia, the piping of both Pied and Black Honeyeaters can be heard. I do wonder why the Black Honeyeater is not called "Little Pied Honeyeater" or "Lesser Pied Honeyeater" in the same way other birds are named "Little .." or "Lesser .." of birds of similar species and appearance. As you will see from the photo, the Black Honeyeater is not totally black, but very much a "Pied" plumed bird.
Pied Honeyeater
Black Honeyeater
Love the landscapes, Richard. I saw a single Black Honeyeater near Toowoomba a couple of years ago but failed with the camera. I believe it is a special bird of the inland.
ReplyDeleteCheers Russell. Yes, Black Honeyeaters are always nice to find and photograph. I think we are in for a bumper season with these as their piping is heard everywhere at the moment. Appreciate the comment about the landscapes too.
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