A Wedgie on the stare, Chats, Brown Falcon and a gorgeous Central-netted Dragon

There is a young Wedge-tailed Eagle hanging around Papunya at the moment. It gave me a couple of parallel flybys then swung out and headed straight for me. With the reduction of distance due to the camera lens, even though it was still a fair distance away, I did find myself moving backwards. This was one of a few birds around today, but tomorrow may be quieter as a large dust and wind storm has blown through late today. Hopefully the weather will be a bit cooler as the temperature gauge in the car for outside read 50 degrees Celsius before the storm hit. The car was in the sun and out of the wind, but that is still just a bit warmer than I would prefer, and I'm sure the wildlife would agree.

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Brown Falcon

Crimson Chat

Orange Chat

Rufous Whistler

Central-netted Dragon

Fairy-wrens including a dust-up, an Orange Chat and a few others

Spent some time at the Alice Springs Sewage Ponds trying to chase Fairy-wrens and Chats. Quite happy with the range I managed.

White-winged Fairy-wren

Dad came out to watch the fight between the kids

Young male checking out the insects

Mum watches on as the young male and female have a dust-up

Splendid Fairy-wren was not amused

Variegated Fairy-wren kept to himself

This Orange Chat sat nicely on top of a bush

Black-tailed Native-hen

Fairy Martin

Orange Chats and Birds of Prey

Had an unexpected encounter with a small group of Orange Chats out at Kintore. My first sighting was of a female, and then a young male and a mature male. The last, with the photos below, came and sat on the perimeter fence of the Poo Ponds at Kintore almost right in front of me. I had this strange feeling he kept saying "where is he, where is he" as he looked from side to side. A Willie Wagtail prancing about on the roof of the work car behind me seemed to be chirping "he's behind you, he's behind you!" A lovely but brief experience.

Orange Chat

The Birds of Prey seemed plentiful this week. Quite often they had Willie Wagtails for company sitting on the perimeter fence. One of the shots below shows a Willie Wagtail pecking at the back feathers, then going in for a head butt!

The Papunya Poo Ponds was a nightmare for any smaller birds, with Brown Goshawk, Australian Hobby, Collared Sparrowhawk, Black Falcon and Whistling Kites all having a go, mainly at one of the hundreds of Zebra Finches.

Brown Falcon

Brown Falcon with Willie Wagtail

Hardheads over Kintore Hills

Nankeen Kestrel with 9 Willie Wagtails

Black-breasted Buzzard

Australian Hobby

Brown Goshawk

Collared Sparrowhawk

Whistling Kite

Masked Lapwing, Red-necked Avocet, Whistling Kite in flight Orange Chat. Little Grassbird and Black-winged Stilts

Took these photos recently. The Masked Lapwing has been referred to by some as the 24 hour bird, hear it all through the day and night and it looks vicious with those weapons on the wings:

Masked Lapwing in flight

Red-necked Avocet in flight

Whistling Kite in flight

Orange Chat

Little Grassbird

 

Black-winged Stilt immature

Black-winged Stilt - two beaks, 4 legs, 3 wings, 1 eye!

Tree Martins, Red-tailed Black Cockatoos, Chats, a plethora of bird photos from the Alice Springs Poo Ponds

There were Tree Martins everywhere, occasionally mixing with White-backed Swallows but I didn't see any Fairy Martins. Saw both Orange and Crimson Chats, Australian Spotted Crake, and Red-tailed Black Cockatoos along with a host of waders and water birds.

Alice Springs really is a wonderful place to go bird-watching.

Hope you enjoy the photos.

Tree Martins

Red-tailed Black Cockatoos

Australasian or Richard's Pipit 

Australian Spotted Crake

Black-tailed Native Hen

Crimson Chat

 Little Crow

Orange Chat

Pink-eared Ducks in flight

Purple Swamphen

Red-kneed Dotterel

 White-plumed Honeyeater