Greeted by a family of WW Fairy-wrens, a very friendly Grassland Pipit and a Grey Butcherbird. Went to the Centre to discover an Australian Kestrel sitting on a light post totally indifferent to my presence. Got to within 20 feet. Awesome! Mulga Parrots, Zebra Finches, three species of Honeyeaters, White-backed Swallows, and a very vocal Chirruping Wedgebill were the highlights of the first part of the trek. 20 species all up.
On to Lake Gilles! Arrived just after 11:00am pulling in to the park on the left near the main campsite adjacent to the road to the lake. A Red-capped Robin flew past as I pulled up. Got out my Morcombe app and played the Rufous Treecreeper call. They came from everywhere! I was dive-bombed!! Settled myself in and soon had them foraging at my feet. At one stage I was concerned that my sneaker was going to be in the same photo as the bird! Wonderful! This seemed such a success that I then played the Western Yellow Robin call. Two beautiful Robins responded, although they were less familiar than the Treecreepers. However they still posed long enough for my best photo yet of this relatively scarce bird for this part of Oz.
A very late lunch in Port Augusta preceded a pleasant drive home, accompanied by my music and then a steadily increasing number of other drivers heading back to the city at the end of the long weekend. A quick stop at Port Wakefield for a Chiko Roll, a Magnum Classic ice-cream and a long pee (I'm getting old!), and then home again just after dark. A great day! Well worth the drive - all six target species seen, the weather was beautiful although rather brisk at first, and the solitude was gold! I love birding!!
