The recent rains have created a few interesting conditions in the area west of Alice Springs. Nyirripi Community is roughly 450 kms to the west north west of Alice, and is only a small community with a population of around 250-300 people. There are 2 ways to come when travelling by road. The first is via the Tanami Rd to Yuendumu and then take 160 kms of dirt, or alternatively, take the Tanami Rd to the Mt Wedge turnoff and take 200 kms of dirt through Newhaven Station. After driving both ways, the Newhaven Rd is much less corrugated, but also less traffic which is great if you are bird-watching while driving, not so great if the car breaks down. Having said that, I didn't see a lot of birds along the track through Newhaven Station. Perhaps it was because it was the middle of the day and the lakes were a lot emptier last week. Since the rains, the lakes and waterholes should now all be pretty full. The rains have also made driving a little trickier, especially travelling from Alice Springs early last week. They are drying out now so conditions don't stay the same for long out here.
The raptors haven't been abundant, but there have been a number of different species. The Grey Falcon still eludes me, but it will happen one day. Driving along the Tanami Road and coming into Nyirripi, as well as around the Community and surrounds, I've seen Australian Hobby, Black Kite, Black-breasted Buzzard, Brown Falcon, Collared Sparrowhawk, Nankeen Kestrel, Wedge-tailed Eagle and Whistling Kite. Here are a few photos of the raptors:
Black-breasted Buzzard
Brown Falcon
Collared Sparrowhawk
Wedge-tailed Eagle
It hasn't just been the raptors though. There is a large variety of honeyeaters, bush birds, woodswallows, chats, and a couple of ever-present birds, namely the Willie Wagtails and Zebra Finches. Some of the more unusual sights or noises have been a group of 10 Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes, including a number of juveniles, a Channel-billed Cuckoo calling early yesterday morning just before sunrise, and only smallish groups of budgerigars. I was expecting the budgies to be flocking up by now but the largest group I have seen was only around 100.
Here are a few photos of some of those mentioned above:
Masked Woodswallow
Black-faced Woodswallow
Pied Honeyeater
Singing Honeyeater
Crimson Chat
Willie Wagtail
Red-backed Kingfisher
Zebra Finch
and then there is the scenery, dominated by Karku, the local "Uluru"
some of the tall grasses and large skies
the work car beside a claypan
a map of Alice Springs to Nyirripi
