Outback Birding
I set out from Cobar and stopped about 100 kilometers on the way to Wilcannia at the Lilyvale Rest Area. I did not have much hope of seeing much so I went for a walk before sunset and was suprised to see quite a few birds.
Lilyvale Rest Area.
This Common Bronzewing is in typical country for this bird.
Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera)
I finally got to see the pink crest on the top of this and a few other Spotted Bowerbirds. I was beginning to doubt myself. I keep thinking of them as Spotted Catbirds. Possibly because they are related to catbirds.
Spotted Bowerbird (Chlamydera maculata).
And I was quite surprised to see this Hooded Robin. There were a few young ones about as well.
Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata)
Baden Park
The next stop was Baden Park and it was similar country – dry and harsh. I did see some Yellow-rumped Thornbill along the road as well as a few Noisy Miner.
Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa)
I am not sure what this is. It could be a thornbill or it could be some kind of robin. I really have no idea. Cute, but. Edit: Thanks to Tim Dolby for the ID.
This is pretty right as you can plainly see the white eye and chestnut rump of this Chestnut-rumped Thorbill.
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza uropygialis)
Wilcannia.
Wilcannia is on the Darling River and has declined a lot over the years. I saw quite a few Black Kite and Whistling Kite soaring over the town and river. And I think I have never got a photo of a Red-tailed Black-cockatoo before. I just cannot remember. It is a female.
female Red-tailed Black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii)
Spring Hill
I walked up this dry creek at Spring Hill, about 130 kilometers east of Broken Hill. A few honeyeaters were around as well as some thornbills. More than I expected. I found a kangaroo digging into the dry creek bed near a reef and about half a meter down it had found water.
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis).
And some more Singing Honeyeaters.
Singing Honeyeater (Lichenostomus virescens)
Outback bird list
Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata)
Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera)
Singing Honeyeater (Lichenostomus virescens)
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis)
Spotted Bowerbird (Chlamydera maculata)
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza uropygialis)
Yellow-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa)
Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
Whistling Kite
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Red-tailed Black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii)
Australian Pelican
White Ibis
White-necked Heron