Australia – The Explorers Way and a few extra bits (August - Sept 18).
Driving the length of the Stuart Highway from South to North Coast with a few detours to Flinders Range, Uluru, Kings Canyon, etc. has been a long held ambition since I saw the Explorer’s Way described as “a journey into Australia’s Outback, a journey that takes you across a modern nation to the heart of an ancient land, linking Adelaide and Darwin. It’s an exciting trip of extreme contrasts; from the lush vineyards in the south, through a magnificent outback mountain range and a desert that is home to Australia’s most famous icon, to the superb National Parks of the northern tropics".
So after 4 days in Adelaide we did the Explorer’s Way and then flew from Darwin after a long week-end there, to Brisbane and had some time at Lamington NP before a week in New Caledonia – then back to Brisbane again then home.
The trip was not a dedicated birding or wildlife one but we allowed a few stops in good places and had arranged outings with BirdingPals in Alice Springs and Darwin and a days guided birding in New Caledonia. We used both Slater and Pizzey guides for Australia and used Birding SA website and Laurie Ross’s various guides for stopping point along the way with varying levels of success, for mammals we had Cronin’s guide. For New Caledonia we had the Guy Dutson birds of Melanesia ( e-version was poor to navigate so hard copy was obtained).
We are in the fortunate position that Sarah has managed to get a career break and I’ve decided not to take on any contracts for a period so we had the time to do things in a fairly relaxed fashion. I’ve heard of someone doing the Explorers Way in under two weeks, our trip was almost 6 weeks!!
If anyone is interested Sarah is doing a more general blog, which I’ll attach at the end.
Day 1 - arrived in Adelaide Sunday night after flight from Manchester to Adelaide via Dubai with Emirates.
We stayed at Adabaco Boutique Hotel – only about a mile from Botanic Garden, the Railway Station, Rundle St, etc. so ideally placed for walking – although there is a free circular bus route that takes you around the main squares if you want to be lazy. We walked; on Sarah’s app we were doing more than 25,000 steps daily
Adelaide Area
On our first morning, at first light we went to Rymill Park and then into the Botanic Gardens once it had opened. We have been in Australia before but not in South Australia, so we hoped for one or two new birds as well as a reminder of some species we had seen on previous visits.
In our full morning we saw Rainbow Lorikeet, Eastern Rosella, Australian Wood Duck, White Ibis, White-faced Heron before we got our first new bird Musk Lorikeet a pair seemed to be breeding in the park, we added Dusky Moorhen, Noisy Miner and Coot before entering the Gardens, in the flowering area we had nice views of Eastern Spinebill, New Holland Honeyeater. After that it was more common stuff like Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Galah, Pacific Black Duck, Crimson Rosella, Magpie Lark and a nice Australian Hobby.
Afternoon was spent doing Museums and general sightseeing.
Belair National Park
Sarah had wanted to see a Koala in South Australia (a separate sub-species I think to those seen in NSW/QLD) and some Kangaroos as well as birds; so after some research I had established Belair NP as the best place and we could reach it easily on public transport - a half hour train journey and then free on foot access to the park directly from Belair station. We bought day trip tickets AUS$10 each at Adelaide station – you can buy at the station or on the train. We were going to get lunch at the Old Govenors House but it was closed so we made do with Snickers bars and coffee from the Plant Nursery there. We did receive good gen from the guy at the Nursery, who recognised us as birders – he told us of a rare local bird in his car park.
On arrival at the station you walk straight into a trail. We saw Adelaide Rosella (split by many authorities from Crimson Rosella), Musk Lorikeet, Red-rumped Parrot before we saw some small Roos, we thought they could be Rock Wallabies but on closer inspection they were just young Western Grey Kangaroos, there were also Walleroos (euros), there were quite a few introduced birds Goldfinch, House Sparrow and Starling before Brown Thornbill and Red-browed Finch brought back an Australian feel. On the lake were Wood Duck, Coot and Pacific Black Duck and there were numerous Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and plenty of Galah, before we saw what looked liked a Black-eared Miner in the Mallee area (no white on tail and no yellow or white above the bill) I know these are in real decline and hybridising with Yellow-throated) so not sure if this was just unusual Yellow-throated or a Hybrid. I’ll need to look on e-bird and post to a few contacts.
On the waterfall hike we saw Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, three time the pair showed above the trees before Sarah finally saw them well.
There were also Yellow-rumped Thornbills, an unidentified Treecreeper, Laughing Kookaboo, Magpie Lark, Red Wattlebird, New Holland and Singing Honeyeaters before having failed to get any coffee at the Old Govenor House we headed to the Plant Nursery for coffee and a snack. We quickly saw Blue Fairy Wren, before when sitting on some fallen trees in the car park we spotted what the guy had told us was possible a Rose Robin, this winter visitor from further south is a real rarity, one guy from SA Birding (a volunteer from the Gluepot) we met said he had never seen this cracker so a real treat.
That was about it with everything else being repeat views but finally just after 4 when heading for the 16.30 train Sarah spotted a Koala in a tree, he was really being blown around as the wind strengthened and we were glad to see him become awake and get some good photographs before boarding our train in great spirits.
Glenelg
Our next day was not a birding one we took the tram along to Glenelg, typical tourist things like, Musuem, coastal walk, fish and chips on the beach, HMS Buffalo, Old Gum tree etc. but we did add a few birds in the area by the sand extraction on the beach, Pied and Black-faced Cormorant, (is this normal here despite being an island bird), Silver Gulls and in the gardens Magpie Lark, Rainbow Lorikeet, Adelaide Rosella and Noisy Miner.
Driving the length of the Stuart Highway from South to North Coast with a few detours to Flinders Range, Uluru, Kings Canyon, etc. has been a long held ambition since I saw the Explorer’s Way described as “a journey into Australia’s Outback, a journey that takes you across a modern nation to the heart of an ancient land, linking Adelaide and Darwin. It’s an exciting trip of extreme contrasts; from the lush vineyards in the south, through a magnificent outback mountain range and a desert that is home to Australia’s most famous icon, to the superb National Parks of the northern tropics".
So after 4 days in Adelaide we did the Explorer’s Way and then flew from Darwin after a long week-end there, to Brisbane and had some time at Lamington NP before a week in New Caledonia – then back to Brisbane again then home.
The trip was not a dedicated birding or wildlife one but we allowed a few stops in good places and had arranged outings with BirdingPals in Alice Springs and Darwin and a days guided birding in New Caledonia. We used both Slater and Pizzey guides for Australia and used Birding SA website and Laurie Ross’s various guides for stopping point along the way with varying levels of success, for mammals we had Cronin’s guide. For New Caledonia we had the Guy Dutson birds of Melanesia ( e-version was poor to navigate so hard copy was obtained).
We are in the fortunate position that Sarah has managed to get a career break and I’ve decided not to take on any contracts for a period so we had the time to do things in a fairly relaxed fashion. I’ve heard of someone doing the Explorers Way in under two weeks, our trip was almost 6 weeks!!
If anyone is interested Sarah is doing a more general blog, which I’ll attach at the end.
Day 1 - arrived in Adelaide Sunday night after flight from Manchester to Adelaide via Dubai with Emirates.
We stayed at Adabaco Boutique Hotel – only about a mile from Botanic Garden, the Railway Station, Rundle St, etc. so ideally placed for walking – although there is a free circular bus route that takes you around the main squares if you want to be lazy. We walked; on Sarah’s app we were doing more than 25,000 steps daily
Adelaide Area
On our first morning, at first light we went to Rymill Park and then into the Botanic Gardens once it had opened. We have been in Australia before but not in South Australia, so we hoped for one or two new birds as well as a reminder of some species we had seen on previous visits.
In our full morning we saw Rainbow Lorikeet, Eastern Rosella, Australian Wood Duck, White Ibis, White-faced Heron before we got our first new bird Musk Lorikeet a pair seemed to be breeding in the park, we added Dusky Moorhen, Noisy Miner and Coot before entering the Gardens, in the flowering area we had nice views of Eastern Spinebill, New Holland Honeyeater. After that it was more common stuff like Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Galah, Pacific Black Duck, Crimson Rosella, Magpie Lark and a nice Australian Hobby.
Afternoon was spent doing Museums and general sightseeing.
Belair National Park
Sarah had wanted to see a Koala in South Australia (a separate sub-species I think to those seen in NSW/QLD) and some Kangaroos as well as birds; so after some research I had established Belair NP as the best place and we could reach it easily on public transport - a half hour train journey and then free on foot access to the park directly from Belair station. We bought day trip tickets AUS$10 each at Adelaide station – you can buy at the station or on the train. We were going to get lunch at the Old Govenors House but it was closed so we made do with Snickers bars and coffee from the Plant Nursery there. We did receive good gen from the guy at the Nursery, who recognised us as birders – he told us of a rare local bird in his car park.
On arrival at the station you walk straight into a trail. We saw Adelaide Rosella (split by many authorities from Crimson Rosella), Musk Lorikeet, Red-rumped Parrot before we saw some small Roos, we thought they could be Rock Wallabies but on closer inspection they were just young Western Grey Kangaroos, there were also Walleroos (euros), there were quite a few introduced birds Goldfinch, House Sparrow and Starling before Brown Thornbill and Red-browed Finch brought back an Australian feel. On the lake were Wood Duck, Coot and Pacific Black Duck and there were numerous Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and plenty of Galah, before we saw what looked liked a Black-eared Miner in the Mallee area (no white on tail and no yellow or white above the bill) I know these are in real decline and hybridising with Yellow-throated) so not sure if this was just unusual Yellow-throated or a Hybrid. I’ll need to look on e-bird and post to a few contacts.
On the waterfall hike we saw Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, three time the pair showed above the trees before Sarah finally saw them well.
There were also Yellow-rumped Thornbills, an unidentified Treecreeper, Laughing Kookaboo, Magpie Lark, Red Wattlebird, New Holland and Singing Honeyeaters before having failed to get any coffee at the Old Govenor House we headed to the Plant Nursery for coffee and a snack. We quickly saw Blue Fairy Wren, before when sitting on some fallen trees in the car park we spotted what the guy had told us was possible a Rose Robin, this winter visitor from further south is a real rarity, one guy from SA Birding (a volunteer from the Gluepot) we met said he had never seen this cracker so a real treat.
That was about it with everything else being repeat views but finally just after 4 when heading for the 16.30 train Sarah spotted a Koala in a tree, he was really being blown around as the wind strengthened and we were glad to see him become awake and get some good photographs before boarding our train in great spirits.
Glenelg
Our next day was not a birding one we took the tram along to Glenelg, typical tourist things like, Musuem, coastal walk, fish and chips on the beach, HMS Buffalo, Old Gum tree etc. but we did add a few birds in the area by the sand extraction on the beach, Pied and Black-faced Cormorant, (is this normal here despite being an island bird), Silver Gulls and in the gardens Magpie Lark, Rainbow Lorikeet, Adelaide Rosella and Noisy Miner.