Brown Goshawk

Normally a bird of prey will stay away from me if I am camped by a water source. Rarely will they come and have a drink. This female Brown Goshawk was unusual because it flew around the small waterhole, saw me, perched across the other side, flew down then flew off, but returned not long after. And she gave me some lovely photos. How do I know it was a female? Because the male is a lot smaller and he came by about an hour later, but he did do the normal bird of prey behaviour and flew in then flew off.

Brown Goshawk

Quick Trip to Tennant Creek

I headed up the road for a short drive with a friend to Tennant Creek. Only 1200 or so kms in a day and a half. It was nice to feel a bit warmer!

Our targets were the species in the spinifex-laden hills around TC, and I learned a lot from my friend about habitats.

By far the most numerous were the Grey-fronted Honeyeaters. They were very curious. Weebills also would come close to check out the weirdos on the ground below. The Spinifex Pigeons were also there in numbers and if we sat quietly, they only seemed to notice us at the last second before they stumbled into us. Birds of prey were constantly circling, and Painted Finches could often be heard in small groups flying overhead. We saw a Ground Cuckoo-shrike on the way up the highway, and a few small flocks of Budgerigars and Zebra Finches. A very enjoyable day and a half.

Wedge-tailed Eagles soaring

Nankeen Kestrel flyby

Ground Cuckoo-shrike on the way up the highway

Grey-fronted Honeyeater by a soak

Spinifex Pigeons

A curious Weebill

Spinifex Pigeons

During my travels this week, I stopped off at a small creek crossing just north of Renner Springs. I had just passed a bloke riding his bike southwards on the Stuart Highway, have to be keen to do something like that. Just before the creek, a small flock of reddy-brown pigeon like birds flew from the creek side across to the rather dry looking other side. "Probably Spinnies" I thought to myself. As I passed the creek, I noticed a pair of Brolgas standing on the waters edge. I could also hear a Painted Finch or two nearby, so I decided to stop. I was fairly sure my chances for good photos of the Brolgas were slim. In the spot they were standing I would have to go across the "bridge", and with the cyclist approaching ... well, one crappy shot through trees was all I managed. To his credit, the cyclist apologised as he rode past. "No worries mate" I said, as I knew there would be other opportunities at some stage.

I was wondering whether or not to get back in the car when I heard the Painted Finch again. There it was, just sitting on top of a rock not far from me. I tried to bring the camera up slowly, but it flew off, in under cover. Oh well. I figured it would probably come back soon for another drink, hopefully with some mates, and decided to sit in the shade for a little while, watching the waters edge.

After 10 minutes of watching a Willie Wagtail dance above the small creek pool of water, I had pretty much decided to return to the car. Then some movement caught my eye. The Spinifex Pigeons had returned, probably 15 or so in total. They waddled across the sand, rocks and then finally down to the water for a drink. They really are a very colourful but unusual looking bird.

Spinifex Pigeon

Pheasant Coucal with frog, Australian Koel, Australian Bustard photos

On the way back to Alice Springs from Mataranka yesterday, I saw another 3 Pheasant Coucals. I think that made 10 for the Saturday and Sunday. Considering I'd only ever seen 1 bird on a few occasions previously, to see so many in quick succession was wonderful for me. The one in the photos below was just near the Todd Memorial on the Stuart Highway just south of Dunmurra. First photo is the bird with a frog, and the other 3 photos are to show the beautiful tail and wings. Alas it was overcast and rain/showers for most of the trip until below the Devils Marbles, but the rain cleared in certain spots for a few minutes and this was one.

Pheasant Coucal

Before I got to the Pheasant Coucal spot, I had stopped in at Stuart's Tree at Daly Waters for a break/coffee. As I drove back onto the road, I had my windows down. Again the drizzle had stopped. Before I got to the creek bridge, I heard the distinctive call of the Australian Koel. I had heard this on the podcast of Steve Abbott's "BirdBrain" series and was in no doubt it was the same call. After searching for a little while, I spotted one of the two birds calling high up in a dead tree.

Australian Koel

Continuing down the Stuart Highway, the clouds were beginning to get higher and the drizzle less frequent. Just before the Newcastle Creek bridge, I saw two Australian Bustards, or Bush Turkeys, about to cross the road in front of me. An adult and a juvenile, the juvenile was the more tentative, but as I had stopped for them, there was no problem crossing the road. I took some photos from inside the car, and quickly checked the camera to make sure I had the dials set correctly, then looked up, and they were gone. A chance encounter that was very brief. A bit further down the road I past another single adult that was in the ditch beside the road but I was almost level with it before it had put its head up. I have included a shot I took at the Alice Springs Desert Park recently that shows the throat shape of the Bustard I had just driven past.

Australian Bustard

 

Captive Bird from Alice Springs Desert Park

updated - possible Red Goshawk photos from between the Charles Todd Memorial Rest Stop and Dunmurra

I have updated this to possible as there are some opinions that suggest this is a Brown Goshawk juvenile. apologies for not checking thoroughly before this post was submitted. I await further moderation on the identity of this bird.

Richard


I had just left the Charles Todd Memorial on the Stuart Highway and travelled about 500 metres when I noticed three birds of prey sitting on the road. They were near some water running across the road so I was still gpoing quite slow. As I neared, predictably, all 3 birds flew off into some nearby trees. I decided to take some photos anyway and parked about where they had been but off the highway. Two I had picked as a Black Kite and a Whistling Kite.They had been constant roadside companions since I had left Alice Springs. The third though was much smaller, and a bit reddish so I assumed a Nankeen Kestrel, which in itself would have been unusual as I had only seen one for the whole day and that had been 500 + kms south.

As I clicked away, still sitting in the car, I could hear a large truck coming from the south. Not really concentrating on the bird anymore, I started the car to wind up the window. As I was doing that I realised it wasn't a Kestrel at all, and swung my head back around to look at the bird as the window went up and the truck zoomed past. My last vision was one of dismay as the bird took off just as the truck roared past, covering me and the car with spray but also obscuring where the bird (by now I suspected a Red Goshawk but wasn't sure) had flown. I searched the trees, skies, ground cover all to no avail for about 5 minutes until I gave up the hope of it returning. A very exciting, if brief encounter.

Red Goshawk

Bird photos from Docker River to Alice Springs

Saw some beautiful sights on the way back from Docker River.Among the best were these Major Mitchell (or also known as "Pink) Cockatoos

Major Mitchell Cockatoos

Staying on the cockatoo theme, here are some Red-tailed Black Cockatoos

some of the smaller birds included one of my best efforts with a White-fronted Honeyeater

and the Zebra Finches were their usual delightful selves around a puddle of water

and despite the lack of Wedge-tailed Eagles, the birds of prey were still enjoyable when they appeared.

Black-breasted Buzzard

and finally a Black Kite, fighting against the wind, hovered just above me

Black Kite