Spring into Gluepot

What better way to escape the rain than head north to Gluepot Reserve and spend a day photographing birds?

It has rained all week in Adelaide yet Gluepot received less than 4mm, not even enough to settle the dust on the tracks.

An early start saw me arriving  at sunrise, approx. 5.45am. A chilly morning, first bird of the day being a Nightjar on the entrance track. It seems to wait for me every time I visit but in all these years still has not allowed me to manage a photo. I'm sure it gets great pleasure out of flying off just as I step out of the vehicle.

Today I was not looking for anything in particular, I just casually nosed about photographing what ever I happened to stumble across enjoying the sunny 27C day.

Here are a few photos from today.

Variegated Fairy-wren

 

 

 

 

 

Crimson Chat

 

Say cheese!

 

 

Female Gilbert's Whistler

 

Major Mitchell Cockatoo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are certain angles that birds should  not be photographed on! Hilarious!

 

 

 

Common Bronze-wing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White-winged Chough

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crested Bellbird with food

 

 

 

Crested Bellbird still carrying it's grub

 

 

If I bob down you wont be able to see me...

Hmmm are you still there?

 

 

 

 

 

What you looking at?

 

Bearded Dragon

Nullarbor Weekend

I've been wanting to get across the Nullarbor to tick the Nullarbor Quail-thrush ever since it was officially split by IOC. I just did not feel like driving for 3000 km in a weekend... So after talking to a friend who mentioned the idea of flying as far as Ceduna I immediately booked a return flight!

Saturday I checked in with REX airlines and was horrified to discover they WEIGH all hand luggage and are very strict. I had 9kg (camera, 2 lenses, laptop, ipad, binoculars, and iphone. They forced me to put some of these valuable and fragile items in my check-in luggage! Needless to say I was furious and anxious for the 90 min flight wondering if my treasures would survive unscathed...  thankfully they did.

I hired a car through Budget and collected it at the airport and drove straight to the Nullarbor Roadhouse. From Ceduna it is only 300km and an easy run.

 

 

 

 

Dingo

It took exactly 5 minutes to find the Quail-thrush but 4 hours to manage a photo. They are quite elusive and camera shy.

Nullarbor Quail-thrush

After my mission was complete I visited the Head of the Bight and got some excellent views of the Southern Right Whales with their calves and also of the glorious scenery. A stunning location and I did not mind paying the $18 entry fee as I was lucky enough to find a Common  Scaly-foot (legless lizard). These little beasties are very shy and will scurry off as soon as they know you are near.

Singing Honeyeater

 

Common Scaly-foot

 

 

 

Head of the Bight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southern Right Whale

 

 

 

I met a friendly couple who were on their way to WA and they invited me to join them for dinner. It was nice to have some company for a little while, people are friendly on roadtrips.The Nullarbor Roadhouse is fun, but very expensive and the room had a foul odour. With no flyscreens I was unable to open the window as the flies were terrible. However the staff are friendly and it is an experience not to be missed.

Australian Raven

 

 

White-winged Triller

 

 

 

 

Rufous Fieldwren

 

 

 

Nullarbor Quail-thrush

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome Swallow

 

Nullarbor Roadhouse

 

A quick visit to Fowler's Bay on the way back to Ceduna resulted in some nice waders in the Samphire and a Nullarbor Bearded Dragon.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

 

Curlew Sandpiper

 

Sharpie...

Banded Stilt

 

Nullarbor Bearded Dragon

Nullarbor Sunrise