Bellbird Tours Pty Ltd PO Box 2008, BERRI SA 5343 AUSTRALIA Ph. 1800-BIRDING Ph. +61409 763172 www.bellbirdtours.com [email protected]

Magic of the Mallee 4 day birding tour

Vast areas of semi-arid Australia were once covered in The Magic of the Mallee Tour travels through four of our the unique Mallee scrubland. Comprising a number of best mallee reserves in search of enigmatic such as multi-stemmed Eucalypt species with a varied Malleefowl, Striated , Mallee Emu-wren, understorey, much of this habitat has been lost to Chestnut Quail-thrush, Black-eared Miner and Red-lored agriculture. What remains is home to many rare, Whistler. It's a small group tour of like-minded people threatened, specialised and often hard-to-find (max. 8 participants, max. 4 per guide); all- inclusive, fully species. It’s a magical environment, where one could guided, departing from and returning to Adelaide, SA. The spend hours, if not days, exploring the spinifex- Magic of the Mallee Tour visits Little Desert, Wyperfeld covered sand dunes, listening to the wind in the and Hattah-Kulkyne National Parks in western Vic. and Casuarina (black oak/buloke) woods, watching the sun Ngarkat and Birdlife Australia’s Gluepot Reserve in SA. rise through veils of fog...

Tour starts & finishes: Adelaide, SA Leader: Steve Potter and/or Peter Waanders

Scheduled departure & return dates: • 27 – 30 November 2017 Trip reports and photos of previous tours: • 23 – 26 February 2018 http://www.bellbirdtours.com/reports

Questions? Contact BELLBIRD BIRDING TOURS : READ ON FOR:  Further tour details Freecall 1800-BIRDING  Daily itinerary email [email protected]  Booking information

Magic of the Mallee birding tour

Tour details

Tour starts & finishes: Adelaide, SA (see itinerary for details of pickup locations)

Scheduled departure and return dates: Tour commences after breakfast on 27 Nov 2017 / 23 Feb 2018 and finishes in the late afternoon of 30 Nov 2017 / 26 Feb 2018. See daily itinerary for further details.

Leader: Steve Potter and/or Peter Waanders.

Difficulty: Low/Medium/High/Excellent level of fitness required. The tour has a relaxed pace and walks are on mostly flat, often paved, surfaces, but may include some very short climbs. We generally walk slowly, with lots of stops. You can opt out of any challenging walks.

What to bring: Please travel light. Binoculars, camera, mobile phone, chargers, power adaptors (if you’re an international visitor), repellent, sunscreen, personal medications, travel umbrella, hat, water bottle, hand sanitizer. Sturdy footwear recommended. Scopes, super- telephoto lenses with tripods, and heavy suitcases are discouraged.

Clothing: Lightweight long pants, t-shirt and long-sleeved shirt, over the top of which you can wear layers that can be taken off as necessary, including a rain-proof jacket. Neat casual attire for dinners. Shorts and sandals or thongs (flip-flops) are acceptable for non-birding time.

Group size: Minimum 4, maximum 8 participants.

Cost: AU$1,999 per person including accommodation and all meals, based on double or twin- share occupancy. Single occupancy surcharge of $195. Not included: drinks, tips, personal ex- penses. Earlybird discount of $99 for bookings received up to 6 months before departure date. Return-client discount may apply.

Bookings: Online at http://www,bellbirdtours.com/bookings or please complete the booking form in the back of this brochure.

Magic of the Mallee birding tour ITINERARY

Day 1 (27 Nov / 23 Feb): You’ll be picked up early from your hotel in the Adelaide city centre or near the airport (please ensure you’ve had breakfast before departure). We’ll travel a short distance to the other side of the Adelaide Hills where we’ll have our first experience with mallee birding. In a small but bird-rich conservation reserve we’ll search for Shy Heathwren, Southern Scrubrobin and Australian (‘mallee’) Ringneck. We’ll then travel to Little Desert National Park, and spend the afternoon exploring this area. Along with Malleefowl, the sanctuary’s pristine Mallee-broombush habitat is home to a number of sought-after bird species. We’ll check in at our accommodation at the Little Desert Nature Lodge, set in natural bushland surrounds with the birdlife, emus and kangaroos literally at your doorstep. After a BBQ dinner we’ll take a night walk to see nocturnal wildlife including Sugar Glider, Brush-tailed Bettong, Bush-stone Curlew, Southern Boobook and Tawny Frogmouth. Overnight Little Desert Nature Lodge (motel with en-suite rooms, meals included: L, D).

Day 2 (28 Nov / 24 Feb): After an early-morning bird walk around the Nature Lodge we return for breakfast following which we continue exploring the park by vehicle. Tawny-crowned and Purple-gaped Honeyater, Blue-winged and Slender-billed Thornbill are amongst the enticing species we aim to find here. We’ll drive north through nearby Wyperfeld National Park where Malleefowl, White-browed Treecreeper, Gilbert’s Whistler, Chestnut Quail- thrush, Southern Scrubrobin, Red-capped Robin, White-browed Treecreeper and Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo await us. Some serious off-the-beaten track 4WD-ing lies ahead and at the end of the day we emerge from the northern side of the park and head to Ouyen, our destination for the night. Overnight Ouyen Hilltop Motel (motel with en-suite rooms, meals included: B, L, D).

Day 3 (29 Nov / 25 Feb): An early start today as we head to nearby Hattah- Kulkyne National Park for two mega-mallee-species: Striated Grasswren and Mallee Emu-wren. We’ve set aside the entire morning to search for them and no doubt will come across many other good birds, such as Chestnut Quail-thrush, Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo and others. After lunch by the we drive Malleefowl, Striated Grasswren, to Berri, looking for Blue Bonnet and Regent Parrot on the way. Overnight Berri Southern Scrubrobin, Scarlet- Hotel-Motel (motel with en-suite rooms, meals included: B, L, D). chested Parrot © P Waanders

Magic of the Mallee birding tour

Day 4 (30 Nov / 26 Feb): We’ll spend most of the day at Birdlife Australia’s Gluepot Reserve. The early morning hours are the best time for key species such as Red-lored Whistler and Black-eared Miner, Scarlet-chested Parrot (if present), Shy Heathwren, Southern Scrub-robin and more.

Later in the day when things quieten down we'll focus on other species such as Gilbert's Whistler, Chestnut Quail-thrush, Striped , White- browed Treecreeper, many of Gluepot's 8 species of Honeyeater, babblers, Splendid and Variegated Fairy-wrens and others. We will spend some time in a bird hide overlooking a watering through with chances of including Mulga Parrot, Regent Parrot and . Late in the afternoon we depart Gluepot and drive to Adelaide. Meals included are breakfast before departure and lunch in the field. You will be returned to a hotel of your choice, or the airport, around dinner time. Please don't book flights departing before 8pm this evening).

Pre- and post-tour options: We ca arrange your flights and/or accommodation if you wish - please tick the relevant box(es) on the booking form.

Price inclusions and exclusions:

Included: All meals commencing with lunch on Day 0 and finishing with lunch on Day 4, morning tea/coffee, some snacks, some fruit, some drinks, unlimited drinking water refills. Accommodation in private en-suite rooms. Transport using comfortable and reliable 4WD vehicle, expert guiding, any entry fees, taxes.

Excluded: Travel to & from departure and finish points, Pre- & post trip accommodation, any meals before lunch on Day 0, any meals after lunch on Day 4, drinks except where provided, personal expenses, tips, insurance.

Bookings: Please book online: http://www.bellbirdtours.com/bookings or complete the booking form in the back of this brochure.

Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Mallee Emu-wren, Black-eared Miner, Red- lored Whistler © P Waanders

Magic of the Mallee birding tour

Possible species list

Emu Purple Swamphen Sacred Kingfisher Musk Duck Australian Spotted Crake Rainbow Bee-eater Freckled Duck Black-tailed Native-hen Nankeen Kestrel Black Swan Dusky Moorhen Brown Falcon Australian Shelduck Eurasian Coot Australian Hobby Australian Wood Duck Little Button-quail Black Falcon Pink-eared Duck Painted Button-quail Peregrine Falcon Australasian Shoveler Black-winged Stilt Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Grey Teal Red-necked Avocet Galah Chestnut Teal Red-capped Plover Major Mitchell's Cockatoo Northern MallardI Black-fronted Dotterel Long-billed Corella Pacific Black Duck Red-kneed Dotterel Little Corella Hardhead Banded Lapwing Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Malleefowl Masked Lapwing Cockatiel Stubble Quail Common Sandpiper Rainbow Lorikeet Brown Quail Common Greenshank Musk Lorikeet Australasian Wood Sandpiper Purple-crowned Lorikeet Hoary-headed Grebe Red-necked Stint Regent Parrot Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Eastern Rosella Gull-billed Crimson (Adelaide) Rosella Straw-necked Ibis Caspian Tern Crimson (Yellow) Rosella Royal Spoonbill Whiskered Tern Australian (Mallee) Ringneck Yellow-billed Spoonbill Silver Gull Blue Bonnet (yellow-vented) White-necked Heron Rock DoveI Red-rumped Parrot Great Egret Spotted DoveI Mulga Parrot Intermediate Egret Common Bronzewing Blue-winged Parrot White-faced Heron Brush Bronzewing Elegant Parrot Little Egret Crested Pigeon Scarlet-chested Parrot Australian Pelican Peaceful Dove White-throated Treecreeper Little Pied Cormorant Horsfield's Bronze- White-browed Treecreeper Great Cormorant Black-eared Cuckoo Brown Treecreeper Little Black Cormorant Pallid Cuckoo Superb Fairy-wren Pied Cormorant Fan-tailed Cuckoo Splendid Fairy-wren Australasian Darter Eastern Barn Owl White-winged Fairy-wren Black-shouldered Kite Southern Boobook Variegated Fairy-wren Whistling Kite Tawny Frogmouth Mallee Emu-wren Black Kite Spotted Nightjar Striated Grasswren Brown Goshawk Australian Owlet-nightjar Eastern Spinebill Collared Sparrowhawk White-throated Needletail Pied Honeyeater Spotted Harrier Fork-tailed Swift Yellow-faced Honeyeater Swamp Harrier Laughing Kookaburra Singing Honeyeater Wedge-tailed Eagle Red-backed Kingfisher Purple-gaped Honeyeater Little Eagle

Magic of the Mallee birding tour

White-eared Honeyeater Striated Thornbill Restless Flycatcher Yellow-plumed Honeyeater Yellow-rumped Thornbill -lark White-plumed Honeyeater Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Blue-faced Honeyeater Slender-billed Thornbill Little Inland Thornbill Little Crow Noisy Miner Brown Thornbill White-winged Yellow-throated Miner Southern Whiteface Apostlebird Black-eared Miner White-browed Babbler Jacky Winter Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Chestnut-crowned Babbler Red-capped Robin Striped Honeyeater Chestnut Quail-thrush Hooded Robin White-breasted Woodswallow Southern Scrub-robin Little Wattlebird Masked Woodswallow Horsfield’s Bushlark White-fronted Chat White-browed Woodswallow Eurasian SkylarkI Black Honeyeater Dusky Woodswallow White-backed Swallow Tawny-crowned Honeyeater Grey Butcherbird Welcome Swallow Crescent Honeyeater Pied Butcherbird Fairy Martin New Holland Honeyeater Australian Magpie Tree Martin White-fronted Honeyeater Grey Currawong Australian Reed-Warbler Brown-headed Honeyeater Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Little Grassbird White-naped Honeyeater White-winged Triller Rufous Songlark Spotted Pardalote Varied Sittella Brown Songlark Striated Pardalote Crested Shrike-tit Silvereye White-browed Scrubwren Gilbert's Whistler Common StarlingI Shy Heathwren Red-lored Whistler Common BlackbirdI Redthroat Golden Whistler Mistletoebird Weebill Rufous Whistler House SparrowI Yellow Thornbill Grey Shrike-thrush Crested Bellbird Red-browed Finch Grey Fantail Diamond Firetail Australasian Pipit European Goldfinch

Bellbird Tours Pty Ltd PO Box 2008 BERRI SA 5343 AUSTRALIA Ph. 1800-BIRDING Ph. +61409 763172 www.bellbirdtours.com [email protected] ABN 40 159 352 002

Tour Booking Form

This form contains 3 pages. Please print out and complete each page, and sign where indicated. Scan and email, or send by postal mail, with payment (see last page) to the address above.

Tour details:

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Single Room / Double Room (2 people, 1 bed) / Twin Share (2 people, 2 beds) (Twin share cannot be guaranteed. A single occupancy will attract a surcharge.)

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- Domestic flights - International flights - Travel insurance - Pre and/or post tour hotel bookings

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Terms and Conditions: Please read the terms and conditions and the release of liability waiver (both can be found on http://www.bellbirdtours.com/terms-and-conditions), then sign below.

I/we agree to book this tour. I/we have read and understood, and accept the terms and conditions. I/we accept the release and waiver from liability.

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To secure a seat, a deposit of 20% of the tour price is required at the time of booking. Full payment is due 60 days prior to the departure date. Until full payment has been received, Bellbird Tours reserves the right to change the tour price (eg due to changing fuel prices).

Please tick which of the following payment options you will be using to pay the deposit:

Domestic electronic funds transfer: please send funds to the following bank account:  bank: Australia & New Zealand Bank (ANZ), 112 Rundle Mall, Adelaide SA 5000  account name: Bellbird Tours Pty Ltd  Branch No. (BSB) 015-140 Account No. 206136528 - Please use your surname as the booking reference.

Visa & Mastercard: through Pin Payments (an easy, secure online payment system). They charge us a fee of 1.75%, which unfortunately we have to pass on to you. Please contact us if you want to use this option, and we’ll email you a link to a secure payment page.

PayPal & other credit cards through PayPal: They charge us a fee of between 2.5-3.5% to receive your money, which unfortunately we have to pass on to you. Please contact us if you want to use this option, and we’ll email you a secure PayPal invoice.

International electronic funds transfer: please send funds in Australian Dollars (+ bank charges or AU$20 bank transaction fee, see notes below) to the following bank account:  international swift code: anzbau3m (no IBAN codes are used in Australia)  bank: Australia & New Zealand Bank (ANZ), 112 Rundle Mall, Adelaide SA 5000  account name: Bellbird Tours Pty Ltd  Branch No. (BSB) 015-140 Account No. 206136528 - If possible, please use your surname as the booking reference. - If you are required to provide our physical address, this is: 101 Chilton Road, Berri, SA 5343, Australia. - Please specify AU$ as the recipient’s currency, and the correct amount. Select the option for you to incur any charges at both ends; if no such option exists, please add AU$20 to cover the bank fee at the recipient’s end. Any discrepancy between the amount payable and amount received will be added to the final balance, or payable in cash at the start of the tour. Prices and fees are not negotiable.