Brown Falcon, Willie Wagtail and Sand Goanna in the Uluru/Kata Tjuta National Park

Alas I went to Kata Tjuta on a "too hot" day so the Valley of the Winds Walk was closed beyond the first lookout after 11 am, alas I was there in late afternoon. However, there was a chance to catch up with an old friend, the Brown Falcon (well of course I'm sure it is the same one as last year, it was brown, and sitting in a tree! :-) )ok so it was a different one, but similar location, and was a stunning model:

A mate of mine used to have a saying "Get that into ya!" (normally handing over an alcoholic drink) and if you refused he gave a look like the Falcon's in the photo below

It was a hot afternoon in the Centre and Yulara was no different. This Willie Wagtail decided to join me under one of the shade structures:

We were also joined under the shade structure by this sand goanna, who, unperturbed by neither me or the wagtail, proceeded to cover his midrift with sand only 6 or so metres from me:

Acrobatic White-plumed Honeyeaters

Walking around the sandhills at Yulara, Uluru in the background, lots of flowering plants and trees, surprisingly it was only the usual suspects of the bird world who made themselves known. White-backed Swallows collected twigs and leaves for their nest, Willie Wagtails fluttered and twittered away, Yellow-throated Miners continually fed on the flowering grevilleas, and the White-plumed Honeyeaters put on a wonderful display of acrobatics:

Docker River to Uluru

Started the day in the campground at Docker River. Once the only other group of campers left, I had the company of camels, dingoes and birds. Very peaceful and even though the birdlife wasn't spectacular in variety, the ones that were there kept me entertained.

Looking out from the campground towards the west early in the morning:

The campsite

Early sunshine in the grass tops:

This yellow-throated miner was keen for some morning tucker:

Get that into you!

I drove out from Docker River in the mid-afternoon and stopped at Lasseter's Cave Rest Stop. I'd love to show photos but the flies almost carried the camera away! Onwards to Kata Tjuta and Uluru.

Finally arrived at Kata Tjuta late in the afternoon after a slight issue with the exhaust and a clip that should have held it in place. A bit of handywork with a cut off data cable and the trusty gaffa tape and I was back on the bone-jarring road of corrugations.

So, at Kata Tjuta, I was desperate for the toilet more than anything, and stopped at the picnic tables and sunset viewing area. This delightful little Crested Bellbird hopped around not far from where I was sitting for a couple of minutes.

Satisfactorily relieved and refreshed, headed off towards Yulara, and stopped by the side of the road to take a few photos of Uluru. Was just getting my camera ready when this beautiful Crimson Chat was sitting in the middle of the road! I thought I'd missed the chance to see these on this trip so was pretty stoked it had chosen that part of the road to forage for insects.

The sun was setting rapidly and this little black-faced woodswallow seemed fairly content bathing in the last rays for the day:

and this singing honeyeater finally sat still long enough for a quick pose:

and when all is said and done, it is a beautiful rock at sunset!