Austral ia

24 July – 1 August 2007

2 - 22 October 2007

Letter-winged Kite

Jon Hornbuckle jonhornbuckle at yahoo.com

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I made two very successful visits to Australia this year, seeing all the SW Australian endemics and

many of the outback specialities. I am greatly indebted to Lori Szucs, Margaret Cameron, John Cox

and Tom and Marie Tarrant for help, hospitality and friendship; Rob Morris and John Graff for

information; Dave Pitman for transport in the North; Nick Preston for help and excellent

companionship, and especially to Colin Rogers for a tremendous trip to the outback.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 24 - 31 July 2007

After this year’s tour of PNG, I visited southwest Australia with Nick Preston. Nick flew to Perth 2

days before me and birded Dryandra State Forest. I landed at Perth at 11 pm on July 24, Nick met

me and we birded together for the next 4 days; he then flew to Melbourne for Plains Wanderer

while I continued for 2 days on my own. We drove through the night to Cheynes Beach on the

south coast (5 hours) and spent a frustrating windy day trying unsuccessfully to see the big 3

(Scrub-bird, Whipbird, Bristlebird), especially a loudly-calling Noisy Scrub-bird. Did see Western

Corella, White-breasted Robin, Red-winged Fairy-wren and Western Spinebill.

Early next morning saw us at Two Peoples Bay, where a chance meeting with Rob Morris (whom I’d

previously met in Madagascar in 1995!) helped us see the Bristlebird on the road above Little Beach,

by staying out of sight in the car, and Rock Parrot on the coast. Also had Short-billed Black-

Cockatoo, Red-capped Parrot but no Red-eared Firetail. At Rob’s recommendation, we moved on to

Walpole and the next morning found the Firetail and scarce “Western” Crested Shrike-tit on the

walk from Rest Point camp site to Sandy Beach. As it was so windy, we drove to The Gap to sea-

watch, seeing a Square-tailed Kite en route, and were rewarded by good numbers of Yellow-nosed

Albatrosses and Australian Gannets along with a Great? Skua and a Little Shearwater for Nick. A

late afternoon return visit to Two Peoples Bay only gave a glimpse of a scrub-bird and the invisible

song of a whipbird for the first time. So the following morning it was back to Cheynes Beach where

at last we were able to have good views (from the car) of the scrub-bird, my last family, by enticing

it to cross the road twice. We then tracked down a pair of Western Whipbirds near the sandy

track past the camp-shop.

The rest of the day was spent driving back to Perth airport, with a long stop at Stirling Range

Retreat, mainly looking unsuccessfully for Southern Scrub-Robin. Parrots feeding on roadside grit

included many Port Lincoln Ringnecks and 2 Elegant Parrots. We spent the night in the airport car

park before Nick checked in for his flight and I drove to Dryandra Forest, arriving at 7 am. After

finding the 4 species I still needed (Rufous Treecreeper, Blue-breasted Fairy-wren, Western

Yellow Robin and Western Gerygone), mainly on the Ochre Trail, I drove to Narrogin to look for

Regent Parrot – no joy but I did see a distant fox-sized mammal which appeared to be a large cat

with a long up-turned tail like a Cheetah or Leopard! As I still needed Long-billed Black-Cockatoo

and Western Corella, I decided to return south to Cape Naturaliste, the only site where Rob had

seen the former. The weather was terrible, with heavy rain and gale-force winds, so the trip was

not a success, but checking the O’Connor website I discovered that both birds occurred near Perth.

On my last afternoon, I drove there and visited Lake Monger till dusk, a possible site for the

Corella according to the Thomases, but no more I think.

Early next morning saw me at Bungandore Park near Armadale where I soon had black cockatoos but

disappointingly they were Red-tailed. However, further searching did reveal the presence of a large

feeding flock of Long-billed, a little way up the road before the park, on the opposite side. After

photographing these, I headed north to Midland and up the Eastern Highway to Northam, arriving

at noon. This gave me about 90 mins to search for the now scarce Western Corella in the Avon

Valley along the road to Toodyay. After crossing the Katrine Bridge, and another, I spotted a sheep

farm with a large flock of flighty corellas. I got permission to drive to them – the farmer hoped I

had a gun to shoot them as they were a big nuisance he said – and was soon satisfied that many

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were indeed Western. After an hour’s watch, I drove to Perth airport, in 45 mins, and flew to

Sydney. Lori collected me and after a short night’s sleep, we drove to the Blue Mountains to look

for Spotted Quail-thrush, with an outside chance of Pilotbird and Glossy Black-Cockatoo. I was

happy with good views of the Q-T; Pilotbird was heard only briefly and there was no sign of the

Cocky, possibly because there were lots of tourists, it being a Sunday. In the evening I flew to Fiji,

via Brisbane, and was reunited with Nick and Lori for a trip round Fiji.

Site information is well-documented on Frank O’ Connor’s website http://members.iinet.net.au/~foconnor/ .

Richard and Sarah Thomas’s site-guide is also helpful.

Itinerary 25 July - Cheynes Beach; night at Albany Youth Hostel

26 July - Two Peoples Bay; drive to Walpole in eve, night at Walpole YH

27 July – Sandy Beach, Walpole; drive to The Gap via Giant Tingle Tree, then Two Peoples Bay; night

at Albany YH.

28 July - Cheynes Beach; drive to Stirling Range NP, including Bluff Knoll, then to Perth airport.

Night in car.

29 July – early drive to Dryandra State Forest – Ochre Trail 07.30-10.30; drive to Dunsborough via

Narrogin, night at YH.

30 July – Cape Naturaliste, Sugarloaf, Caves Road; drive to Perth pm, Monger Lake, night at YHA.

31 July – Wungong Dam and Bungandore Park, then Avon Valley (Northam – Toodyay); fly to Sydney

pm, night at Lori’s house.

1 Aug – Blue Mountains with Lori. Late flight to Brisbane and overnight to Fiji.

Highlights Australasian Gannet Morus serrator Up to 10 off the coast on the 3 days we did a bit of sea-watching. Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri 30 at The Gap and a few on the previous 2 days. Square-tailed Kite Lophoictinia isura 1 near Albany on 27

th and a probable near Cape Naturaliste on 30

th.

Purple-crowned Lorikeet Glossopsitta porphyrocephala 10 at Cheynes Beach. Red-capped Parrot Purpureicephalus spurius 2-3 most days with 10 near Dunsborough. Port Lincoln Parrot Barnardius zonarius

20+ Stirling Range NP, Dunsborough area and Dryandra Forest. Western Rosella Platycercus icterotis 2 or 3 Cheynes Beach and Walpole. Regent Parrot Polytelis anthopeplus 4 near Dunsborough.

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Elegant Parrot Neophema elegans

2 Stirling Range NP and 4 at Dryandra. Rock Parrot Neophema petrophila 2 on coast at Two Peoples Bay. Long-billed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus baudinii

75 at Bungandore Park. Short-billed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus latirostris 18 at Two Peoples Bay and 5 while travelling on 28

th.

Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii

20 at Bungandore Park. Western Corella Cacatua pastinator

A feeding flock of c.300 corellas in the Avon Valley c.10km on the Northam side of Toodyay

contained a lot of Westerns. Brush Bronzewing Phaps elegans 2 at Cheynes Beach. Rufous Treecreeper Climacteris rufa

3 at Dryandra Forest. Noisy Scrub-bird Atrichornis clamosus 1 at Cheynes Beach and 1 heard at Two Peoples Bay. Red-winged Fairy-wren Malurus elegans 2 at Cheynes Beach and 10 at Two Peoples Bay. Blue-breasted Fairy-wren Malurus pulcherrimus

4 at Dryandra Forest. Western Spinebill Acanthorhynchus superciliosus 1 or 2 daily. Little/Western Wattlebird Anthochaera lunulata 4 at Cheynes Beach. Note that this is a SW endemic, split from the more widely occurring form Brush Wattlebird A. chrysoptera and called Little by Clements and Western by HBW. Western Bristlebird Dasyornis longirostris 1 watched feeding at Two Peoples Bay. Western Thornbill Acanthiza inornata

At least 2 at Dryandra Forest. Western Gerygone Gerygone fusca

2 at Dryandra Forest. Scarlet Robin Petroica multicolor

Singles at Stirling Range NP and Dryandra. Western Yellow Robin Eopsaltria griseogularis

1 at Dryandra Forest and 1 heard at Bungandore Park. White-breasted Robin Eopsaltria georgiana 2 at Cheynes Beach and 4 in the Walpole area.

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White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus

12 at Sandy Beach, Walpole. Western Whipbird Psophodes nigrogularis 2 at Cheynes Beach and 1 heard at Two Peoples Bay. Crested Shrike-tit Falcunculus frontatus leucogaster

3 at Sandy Beach, Walpole, associating with White-browed Babblers.

Crested Bellbird Oreoica gutturalis 1 seen at Flinders NP. Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus

2 near Walpole, 20 in the Flinders, 6 at Dryandra and 10 at Cape Naturaliste. Red-eared Firetail Stagonopleura oculata

5 at Sandy Beach, Walpole.

Western Corella Australian Hobby

Long-billed Black-Cockatoo Crested Shrike-Tit

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 2 - 22 October 2007 Lori emailed me to say he had just been up the Strzelecki Track to see the known breeding Letter-

winged Kites – a far from annual event. As this was my most-wanted bird in Australia, I resolved to

go back there if I could. I already had an invitation from John Cox to join him on such a trip next

time he did it but he was unable to go this year due to missing a lot of work-time thanks to breaking

his ankles. However, he said his good friend Colin Rogers was willing to go if I could be in Adelaide

by early October. So I booked flights, with Royal Brunei, the cheapest at the time, which I’m happy

to recommend, as long as you don’t need alcohol during the flight. As Dave Pitman was taking a small

group to North Australia at that time, I was able to arrange to meet him in Darwin to try to see the

two key birds I had missed there on my visit in 2004 – Red Goshawk and Gouldian Finch – before

flying to Adelaide. As I couldn’t fly home direct from Adelaide, I booked my return from Brisbane

and Tom Tarrant generously offered to take me on a day trip for a few birds I still needed in that

part of the country.

All the arrangements worked well. I was able to see Red Gos and Gouldian Finch near Katherine and

all the outback and Mallee specialities I hoped for apart from Grey Falcon which was unaccountably

absent (though 2 imm. were seen on the Strzelecki later in the month). The trip with Colin was a truly

great experience as he was so knowledgeable about the region, its ecology and bird-life, and very

well equipped and prepared. We spent 12 nights camping in our swags, sometimes by a billabong,

invariably eating well, eg barbequed steak. I couldn’t have asked for more had I been paying

BirdQuest prices. We had virtually no rain, which was just as well because we could have been stuck

for days had it rained heavily, as it threatened on one occasion, but it was rather too windy on most

days. The highlight was the sight of 3 nesting pairs of Letter-winged Kites in a small patch of

Coolibah trees. Other goodies included a fine selection of chats including Yellow, Chestnut-breasted

Whiteface, 6 taxa of grass-wren and for Colin, 4 Painted Snipe and a single Oriental Plover. A day

at Gluepot Reserve with Peter Waanders was also rewarding for sightings of the very scarce Red-

lored Whistler and Black-eared Miner. Tom added the icing to the cake when we finally had good

views of Noisy Pitta at Mt Glorious (leaving only 2 to go now).

Itinerary 2 Oct – arrive Darwin 4.30 pm, bus to town, walk to coast & Botanical Gardens, meet Dave Pitman

and Rod Martins. Night at Banyan View Lodge.

3 Oct – collect Leslie and Gareth at airport, drive to Buffalo Creek, Nightcliff jetty, Palmerston

SF, Fiddlers Lagoon, Pine Creek, Edith Falls road and Katherine. Night at homestay.

4 Oct – Edith Falls road and nearby buttonquail site a.m., Mike Reid’s house, Mataranka Cabins &

Katherine bus terminal p.m; coach to Darwin 18.35-22.20.

5 Oct – Jetstar flight to Adelaide 03.00-06.30, met by Colin Rogers, visit Little Para wetland &

White’s Road with Colin and John Cox, then Dry Creek Saltfields. Drive to Whyalla via Port Augusta;

night at campsite.

6 Oct – Whyalla Conservation Park, drive to Iron Knob with stops to look for Thick-billed

Grasswren, then to Mt Lyndhurst to look for Chestnut-breasted Whiteface. Night at Lyndhurst

Station sheepshearers’ quarters.

7 Oct - Mt Lyndhurst, Strzelecki Track to Montecollino Bore; night at campsite.

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8 Oct – Bore area then L-w Kite site, drive to Strzelecki Crossing then up old Strzelecki Track;

camped wild.

9 Oct – drive to Innamincka Regional Reserve, then to Innaminka for shower, Caflyamurra waterhole

and back to Tooroopie waterhole where camped.

10 Oct – drive to Innamincka & N on Birdsville road to Cordillo Downs; camp at Cadelga billabong.

11 Oct – drive to Birdsville with stops, then S on “Inside” Track; camp at junction with main

Birdsville Track.

12 Oct – N on Birdsville Track to Pandiburra Bore for 2 hr, then had to return to scour creeks along

Inside Track for Grey Grasswren; S to Mungerannie, camp at homestay.

13 Oct – S to Marree, W along Oodnadatta Track for 75 km to Painted Finch site, then back to

Marree; night at campsite.

14 Oct – S to Lyndhurst then Hawker & on to Wilpena in the Flinders NP, long walk, drive to Stokes

Hill lookout & Appealinna Ruins road. Camp at Willow Springs Station.

15 Oct - Appealinna Ruins road, Stokes Hill lookout, Willow Springs camp for shower, then N to

Blinman and Mt Chambers; back to Wilpena via Stokes Hill. Camp at Wilpena.

16 Oct – 06.15-09.45 walk, drive to Hawker, Morgan & Pooginook Conservation Park near Wakerie;

camp wild.

17 Oct – 06.00-12.00 at Pooginook CP, pm around Wakerie; camp in the caravan park.

18 Oct – 04.30-12.30 Gluepot Reserve with Peter Waanders and Arjan Brenkman; drive to Hogwash

with Colin on Murray River, then to Adelaide 15.00-17.30. Night at Colin’s house.

19 Oct – Morialta CP a.m., pub lunch with Adelaide birders, p.m. at Colin’s.

20 Oct – 2 hr in Morialta CP, then to airport for 13.15-16.00 Virgin Blue flight to Brisbane; met by

Tom Tarrant, drive to his house in dayboro with stops.

21 Oct – day with Tom, mostly at Mt Mee & Mt Glorious; barbie with Tom, Marie and

Mike and Linda Lewis.

22 Oct – bird around Tom’s house 05.00-07.00 then travel to Brisbane airport. Fly home 13.30 –

06.30 on 23 Oct.

A recent good report on Surfbirds is Australia – Outback trip 18-26 Aug 2007 by Frank Rheindt.

My full species list is on a separate Xcel spread-sheet.

Highlights Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae

Small numbers throughout but at least 100 on the grasslands near Willow Springs. Hoary-headed Grebe Poliocephalus poliocephalus Only 2 at Wakerie.

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Great-billed Heron Ardea sumatrana

1 at Buffalo Creek. Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus

2 at Fiddlers Lagoon, Darwin. Plumed Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna eytoni 160 at waterhole 10km S of Innaminka. Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa

14 at Little Para wetland & White’s Road, Adelaide and a few near Wakerie. Frontatus Black-breasted Buzzard Hamirostra melanosternon

1 at Strzelecki Crossing. Letter-winged Kite Elanus scriptus

3 pairs N of Montecollino Bore. Swamp Harrier Circus approximans

2 near Birdsville and at Pandiburra Bore. Spotted Harrier Circus assimilis Up to 4 on 4 days in the outback. Red Goshawk Erythrotriorchis radiatus

A female standing on the nest, calling a lot, at Mataranka Cabins, with at least 1 partially downy

youngster. Australian Hobby Falco longipennis Surprisingly common with up to 3 most days and 5 on the afternoon of the 16

th.

Brown Falcon Falco berigora Up to 4 on most days in the outback, with much variation in plumage colour. Black Falcon Falco subniger

Singles S of Montecollino Bore and at Tooroopie waterhole, where it called a lot and visited a nest; a

pair with a nest at Innamincka Regional reserve were in the area where Grey Falcon used to be

found. Orange-footed Scrubfowl Megapodius reinwardt 6 at Darwin. Stubble Quail Coturnix pectoralis

A few in the outback, with 10 seen on 12th

, eg at Pandiburra Bore. Little Button-quail Turnix velox

2 at Montecollino Bore and 1 near Birdsville. Australian Bustard Ardeotis australis 1 south of Birdsville. Brolga Grus rubicunda

2 at Cadelga billabong. Chestnut Rail Eulabeornis castaneoventris

2 heard at Buffalo Creek (seen there by DP, RM previous evening at low tide). Black-tailed Native-hen Gallinula ventralis

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Locally common in wetlands throughout. Latham's Snipe Gallinago hardwickii 5 near Dayboro. Little Curlew Numenius minutus

3 at Fiddlers Lagoon, Darwin. Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris

2 at Buffalo Creek. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata

Numerous near Adelaide on 5th, 4 at Tooroopie waterhole S of Innaminka and 10 at Pandiburra Bore. Painted Snipe Rostratula australis

4 at Pandiburra Bore. Banded Stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus

Numerous at Dry Creek Saltfields, Adelaide. Red-necked Avocet Recurvirostra novaehollandiae

1 at Tooroopie waterhole, 5 Mungerannie camp and 400 at Wakerie. Oriental Plover Charadrius veredus

1 at a roadworks S of Mungerannie, a desolate area of dusty desert.

Inland Dotterel Peltohyas australis

Surprisingly common on Strzelecki Track with over 50 just S of Montecollino Bore and flocks of 10-15

further N. Banded Lapwing Vanellus tricolor Only 1, alarming near Wakerie. Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella

2 at Fiddlers Lagoon; widespread in the outback in small numbers except at Cordillo Downs where 100

were seen on 11th. Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica 6 at Palmerston SF and 20 at Cordillo Downs. Caspian Tern Sterna caspia

4 at Dry Creek Saltfields. Fairy Tern Sterna nereis

2 at Dry Creek Saltfields. Spinifex Pigeon Geophaps plumifera

1 in a creek N of Innaminka, well S of Cadelga billabong where Colin had seen it before. This time there

were none at Cadelga billabong. Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata Numerous in the outback Northern Rosella Platycercus venustus

10 at Pine Creek. Adelaide Rosella Platycercus adelaidae

10 at Morialta CP, Adelaide. This Clements split is considered to be just a form of Crimson Rosella

by Adelaide birders.

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Bluebonnet Northiella haematogaster

A few at Whyalla Conservation Park and Montecollino Bore, 2 in the Flinders. Regent Parrot Polytelis anthopeplus 10 at Hogwash near Wakerie. Mulga Parrot Psephotus varius

2 at Mt Lyndhurst and Wilpena, 6 at Gluepot.

Hooded Parrot Psephotus dissimilis 10 at Edith Falls road. Bourke’s Parrot Neosephotus bourkii

10 Cadelga billabong at first light. Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus

Common at a few sites along the Strzelecki Track, with 100s drinking at Tooroopie waterhole. Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea Locally abundant throughout the outback. Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus

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15 drinking at Tooroopie waterhole; many flocks in late afternoon on the grassy plains by the Inside

Track S of Birdsville – must have totalled at least 5000; 500 at Pandiburra Bore. Little Kingfisher Alcedo pusilla 1 at Palmerston SF. Red-backed Kingfisher Todiramphus pyrrhopygia

2 seen on both days in the Innamincka area, including 1 feeding its mate with a frog; one 75km W of

Marree. Pallid Cuckoo Cuculus pallidus At least 1 seen and another heard near Dayboro. Noisy Pitta Pitta versicolor 2 heard at Mt Mee fairly briefly but would not come in, then 1 heard at mid-day at Mt Glorious and did eventually respond to play-back, nearly hitting me on the head as it flew past, before hopping nearby on the ground in open woodland. Brown Treecreeper Climacteris picumnus

4 at Caflyamurra waterhole and 1 at Willow Springs. Black-tailed Treecreeper Climacteris melanura 2 near Edith Falls road. Red-backed Fairy-wren Malurus melanocephalus 2 near Dayboro. White-winged Fairy-wren Malurus leucopterus Fairly common in the outback. Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus 12 at Morialta CP, some of which were amazingly tame. Splendid Fairy-wren Malurus splendens

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2 at Whyalla Conservation Park.

Blue-breasted Fairy-wren Malurus pulcherrimus

2 at Whyalla Conservation Park Grey Grasswren Amytornis barbatus

1 or 2 in a creek by the Inner Birdsville Track some 80km north of the junction with the main Track. Striated Grasswren Amytornis striatus 2 at Gluepot. Short-tailed Grasswren Amytornis merrotsyi

4 at Stokes Hill, Wilpena included 2 youngsters. Eyrean Grasswren Amytornis goyderi

5 at Pandiburra Bore in late afternoon but none seen the following morning. Thick-billed Grasswren Amytornis textilis 1 western myall, a possible future split, near Iron Knob, and 3 modestus at Mt Lyndhurst in the creek near the iron wreck.

Red-browed Pardalote Pardalotus rubricatus

1 by the Strzelecki Track on 8th and 2 on 9th. Redthroat Pyrrholaemus brunneus

Singles at Whyalla Conservation Park and Wilpena. Rufous Fieldwren Calamanthus campestris

Singles at Whyalla Conservation Park and Mt Lyndhurst. Shy Heathwren Hylacola cauta

1 at Pooginook Conservation Park. Slender-billed Thornbill Acanthiza iredalei

6 at Dry Creek Saltfields. Chestnut-breasted Whiteface Aphelocephala pectoralis 4 at Mt Lyndhurst in the creek near the iron wreck. Banded Whiteface Aphelocephala nigricincta 1 near Innaminka on 9

th.

Yellow-throated Miner Manorina flavigula Very common throughout the South. Black-eared Miner Manorina melanotis A flock of c.15 miner at Gluepot was thought to hold c.6 full Black-eared, the rest being hybrids. This species seems doomed at Gluepot due to inter-breeding with Yellow-throated, so the only hope is in the translocation scheme in Victoria. Banded Honeyeater Certhionyx pectoralis A few near Katherine. Black Honeyeater Certhionyx niger

2 at the campsite by Strzelecki Track on 8th; 2 at a creek further N, S of Innamincka and 2 N of

Innaminka. Pied Honeyeater Certhionyx variegatus Slightly commoner than Black with up to 10, usually in association with Black.

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Grey-fronted Honeyeater Lichenostomus plumulus Searched for at length at Wilpena with play-back but 2 only seen by chance when coming to drink at the creek there. Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera 2 at Morialta CP. Crimson Chat Epthianura tricolor

Locally common on the Strzelecki Track and N of Innamincka. Orange Chat Epthianura aurifrons

Locally common on the Strzelecki and Birdsville Tracks. Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea

Only seen at Pandiburra Bore where there were at least 2 adult males and a few females and juvs.

This is the only known breeding site away from the far West and is threatened by national policy to

cap bore-holes. White-fronted Chat Epthianura albifrons

10 at Dry Creek Saltfields and a pair feeding young at Pooginook Conservation Park. Gibberbird Ashbyia lovensis

Only noted in 2 barren areas: 4 on Strzelecki Track S of Montecollino Bore and 6 on Cordillo Downs. Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata A pair at Gluepot. Mangrove Robin Eopsaltria pulverulenta 1 at Palmerston SF. Southern Scrub-robin Drymodes brunneopygia

A pair with food at Pooginook Conservation Park. Southern Logrunner Orthonyx temminckii 1 at Mt Glorious. Chestnut-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus ruficeps

10 at Tooroopie waterhole, 8 at Pooginook CP and a few elsewhere. Chiming Wedgebill Psophodes occidentalis

8 on Oodnadatta Track some 60km W of Marree. Chirruping Wedgebill Psophodes cristatus

4 at Mt Lyndhurst, 6 further N up Strzelecki Track and a few elsewhere. Chestnut Quail-thrush Cinclosoma castanotus 3 at Gluepot. Cinnamon Quail-thrush Cinclosoma cinnamomeum Up to 4 daily in the outback. Crested Shrike-tit Falcunculus frontatus frontatus 2 at Mt Mee. Red-lored Whistler Pachycephala rufogularis A single male at Gluepot. Gilbert's Whistler Pachycephala inornata A pair with food at Gluepot.

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White-breasted Whistler Pachycephala lanioides A female-type at Palmerston SF, thanks to a tip-off – an unexpected bonus bird. Masked Woodswallow Artamus personatus

Several on 3 days in the outback, 100 around Pooginook CP and Wakerie. White-browed Woodswallow Artamus superciliosus 4 at Gluepot. Black-faced Woodswallow Artamus cinereus Locally common in the outback. Mangrove Grey Fantail Rhipidura phasiana 1 at Palmerston SF. White-eared Monarch Monarcha leucotis 1 at Mt Mee. Russet-tailed Thrush Zoothera heinei Singles at Mt Mee and Mt Glorious. Yellow White-eye Zosterops luteus 20 at Palmerston SF. Brown Songlark Cincloramphus cruralis

At least 10 near Pandiburra Bore and a few elsewhere. Rufous Songlark Cincloramphus mathewsi Heard near Dayboro. Regent Bowerbird Sericulus chrysocephalus Single males at Mt Mee and Mt Glorious. Great Bowerbird Chlamydera nuchalis Common around Pine Creek, Katherine and Mataranka Cabins. Red-browed Finch Neochmia temporalis 1 at Morialta CP. Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata Locally abundant in the outback. Masked Finch Poephila personata 2 at Edith Falls road. Long-tailed Finch Poephila acuticauda Common at Edith Falls road. Gouldian Finch Erythrura gouldiae A flock of c.400 at 7am at Edith Falls road. It broke up into smaller flocks with many birds coming down to drink. Males of both colour forms were present and many young birds. None was seen the previous evening when other finches had come to drink (with Crimson Finch the most numerous).

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Brown Falcon – pale form Black Falcon

Chestnut Quail-thrush Cinnamon Quail-thrush

Freckled Ducks Spotted Harrier

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Flock Bronzewing Spinifex Pigeon

Wedge-tailed Eagle Red-backed Kingfishers

Superb Fairy-wren Gibberbird

Inland Dotterel Striated Grasswren