Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (female)
Calyptorhynchus banksii
In case you missed it -
part 1 here
We spent the morning searching for photos and glimpses of Striated Grasswren and Rufous-crowned Emu-wren but succeeded only in the glimpses
So it was back in the trusty toyota and on to Lark Quarry.
I'm sure the dinosaur tracks are incredibly interesting when you aren't looking for birds and don't need to be 'nowhere' else but it was $14 we didn't need to spend this day.
So after brief searches for anything interesting (like Grey Falcon) we kept going.
From Lark Quarry we headed west toward Old Cork Station.
Old Cork Homestead (now in ruins) was originally ...
(actually just read the photo below - much easier)
Fatih, Henry, Dave
back into the vast gibber plains we headed south towards Diamantina NP.
Ground Cuckoo-shrike
Coracina maxima
A pair of Ground Cuckoo-shrikes demanded our attention although with their wariness coupled with terrible heat haze, getting an acceptable image was impossible.
'Jump-ups' started appearing out of the distant emptiness, at first floating above the haze soaked horizon
Spinifex Pigeon
Geophaps plumifera
Spinifex Pigeons sat camouflaged on the road in the afternoon sun
almost becoming ex-pigeons!
Red Kangaroo
Macropus rufus
I am a person who loves to plan
Ask my wife, but normally i am already planning the trip after the one i haven't been on yet!
One of the things that I loved about this trip was being able to let go of plans
Normally i would prefer to be at camp all set up before dark and not drive into the night
but not this time
this time if something grabbed us we stopped
if a magnificent Red Kangaroo sat long enough on the side of the road we would pull over and capture the moment
nowhere was rubbing off on me
Red Kangaroo
Macropus rufus
Me
(photograph courtesy Henry Cook)
i was even happy having people take photos of me!
And as the sun set again in its predictable but glorious moment, we savoured the surroundings and continued our venture into the night with the hope of reaching camp sometime before the coming dawn
Our first Inland Dotterels of the trip slowed the process of course although weren't very co-operative.
Australian Owlet-nightjar
Aegotheles cristatus
Even while driving into the campground at Gum Holes we were stopped by an obliging Owlet-nightjar that flew off the track and sat quietly in a tree in front of the car.
The grey nomads camped next to where we stopped were apprehensive of us at first but before long were learning about birds
and asking the usual questions expected of anyone when they see a 500mm lens for the first time
..."how far can you see with that?"...
"To the other side of the mountain" replied Fatih wisely
And finally
to bed.
Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (female)
Calyptorhynchus banksii
Day 5 : Diamantina Lakes National Park
We had been told by last nights nomads that there were a flock of Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos hanging around Gum Holes and sure enough a morning walk revealed the wonderful sight of a small group feeding in trees nearby.
the wind was making life difficult for them but provided some great photographic opportunities
their call is wonderful to behold and yet another symbol for me of being right in the middle of....
...well, you know.
Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (male)
Capytorhynchus banksii
Central Bearded Dragon
Pogona vitticeps
today was actually quite relaxing as we were actually camped at one spot for two consecutive nights. the only such luxury of the entire trip.
Fuel capacity and distance until we could next fill up in Bedourie in a couple of days time meant limited excursions
so we simply wandered around to the other camp ground to check out the larger waterhole
Central Bearded Dragon and some Budgies were welcome additions to the trip
Little Corella
cacatua sanguinea
Australian Bustard
Ardeotis australis
a stop in at the ranger station to chat to Chris (the ranger) was timely as he was thinking of offering hot showers in one of the outhouses to visitors
oh well, someone had to be the guinea pig!
mmm....shower.......
the old stockyards and surrounding gibber made for some nice photos to finish the day..
and as the sun set we held aloft our large lenses
... "I think he's compensating for something LOL" ....
for the last time that day
..until we saw another bird of course
then we got them out again and kept shooting
even if it was just another Owlet-nightjar.
Stay tuned for Part 3 - the Flock is coming...