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

Red Centre Adventure 4 day birding tour July 2019

The Red Centre around is host to a variety of Adventure visits the Eastern and Western MacDonnell Ranges, exciting species. Using Alice Springs as a base, this the sewage works, the Old Telegraph Station, the Tanami Road, comfortable 4-day tour takes daily trips out to different Kumoth Bore and the Deep Well Road. An optional extra 2 days areas targeting enigmatic such as Dusky , for Sandhill Grasswren is also offered, plus the opportunity to Rufous-crowned Emu-wren, Spinifexbird, Grey Honeyeater, seamlessly link with our subsequent Nine Grasswren tour. Read Western Bowerbird, Painted Finch and maybe even Grey on for full details! Falcon…! This is a small group tour of like-minded people (max. 8 participants); all-inclusive, fully guided, departing from and returning to Alice Springs. The Red Centre

Tour starts & finishes: Alice Springs, NT Price: AU$2,799 all-inclusive (discounts available). Scheduled departure & return dates: Leader: Peter Waanders and/or Mark Carter • 18 -20 July 2019 Uluru / Sandhill Grasswren extension Trip reports and photos of previous tours: • 21 -24 July 2019 Red Centre Adventure 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

We’re offering an optional 2-day trip 19-20 July to Uluru and to see Sandhill Grasswren, details below

Red Centre Adventure

Tour details

Tour starts & finishes: Alice Springs, NT

Scheduled departure and return dates: Tour commences with dinner on 20 July 2019. Please arrive in Alice Springs on or before 20 July. Tour finishes late afternoon on 24 July 2019. Please depart Alice Springs on 24 July (after 6pm) or the next day. You can include the Uluru / Sandhill Grasswren extension arriving on or before 18 July. See itinerary on next page for further details.

Leader: Mark Carter, our dedicated Alice Springs based bird and wildlife expert.

Difficulty: Low/Medium/High/Excellent level of fitness required. The tour has a relaxed pace and walks are on varying surfaces, from paved roads to uneven, rocky walking trails. 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 guest, insect repellent, sunscreen, personal medications, sun 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 jumper / sweater and a wind- and rain-proof jacket.

Group size: Minimum 4, maximum 8 participants.

Cost: AU$2,799 per person including accommodation and all meals, based on double or twin-share occupancy. Single occupancy surcharge of $290. Uluru/Sandhill extension an extra AU$2,299 per person (single sup. $180). Not included: drinks, tips, personal expenses. Earlybird discount $99 for bookings up to 6 months before departure. Return-client discount may apply.

Bookings: http://www.bellbirdtours.com/bookings or complete the booking form on the last 3 pages.

Red Centre Adventure

Uluru and Sandhill Grasswren extension

Extension Day 0: Thu 18th July ‘19. Make your own way to Alice Springs and check-in to the Mercure Springs Resort (included). Overnight Mercure Springs Resort, Alice Springs (Motel with en-suite rooms, meals not included).

Extension Day 1: Fri 19th July ‘19. We’ll collect you from your accommodation after an early breakfast and depart Alice Springs, birding at a comfortable pace at key spots en-route, planning to arrive at the first Sandhill Grasswren location mid-afternoon. We’ll bird until sunset then we’ll check in at our accommodation near Uluru where you can view the sunset on this magnificent rock. Afterwards we’ll enjoy a nice meal while watching the myriad of stars shining, more brilliantly here than anywhere you’ve been before. Accommodation: Uluru resort or similar (private en-suite rooms; meals included: B, L, D).

Extension Day 2: Sat 20th Jul ’19. Depart accommodation pre-dawn to get into position in prime Sandhill Grasswren habitat at dawn. Bird until lunchtime. We’ll have lunch back at base, after which it’s time to hit the road back to Alice Springs. Possibilities include: Chiming Wedgebill, Spinifex Pigeon, Banded Whiteface, Cinnamon Quail-thrush, Ground Cuckoo-shrike, Major Mitchell subspecies mollis and others. During the entire tour we also have a small chance of Scarlet-chested Parrot, Grey Honeyeater, other nomadic inland honeyeaters and Inland Dotterel. Dinner is back at our Alice Springs motel tonight where we’ll meet up with the main tour for introductions. Overnight Mercure Springs Resort, Alice Springs (Motel with en-suite rooms, meals included: B, L, D).

Left: Grey Honeyeater © P Waanders. Top-bottom: Dusky Grasswren © C Watson Pt Lincoln Ringneck, Red-browed Pardalote © P Waanders

Red Centre Adventure MAIN ITINERARY

Day 0: Sat 20 July ‘19. Tour participants will need to arrive in Alice Springs today and after you make your own way to our motel we’ll meet up for introductions and dinner. Overnight Mercure Springs Resort (Motel with en-suite rooms, meals included: D).

Day 1: Sun 21 July ‘19. We’ll head into the Eastern MacDonnell Ranges for our best chance at some of the tricky spinifex species. Prime targets are the tiny Rufous-crowned Emuwren, Spinifexbird, Crimson Chat, and Painted Finch. We’ll bird all the way into the picturesque Trephina Gorge for an easy walk to search for another local specialty: Dusky Grasswren. Other species we may find here include Australian Owlet-nightjar, Red-browed Pardalote, Western Bower- bird, and the gorgeous “Golden-backed” race of Black-chinned Honeyeater. We’ll have lunch in the famous Olive Pink Botanic Garden, with its resident Chiming Wedgebills, Grey- crowned Babblers, Western Bowerbirds and many honeyeaters. We’ll then visit Simpson’s Gap where we’ll take a gentle stroll to look for Slaty-backed Thornbill, Western Gerygone, Redthroat, another chance at seeing Dusky and Painted Finches and this is a common place to find Peregrine Falcon hunting Little Woodswallows above the cliffs. Black-footed Rock Wallabies often come down from the scree slopes to drink. On the drive back we may encounter Brown Quail and Spotted Nightjars. Overnight Mercure Springs Resort (Motel with en-suite rooms, meals included: B, L, D).

Day 2: Mon 22 July ‘19. We start with a visit to the Alice Springs Sewage Works and adjacent swamp. In a good morning of birding we can be assured of seeing over of 50 species, including Pink-eared and Freckled Duck, waders like Red- necked Avocet, Red-kneed Dotterel, all three ibis and all three grebe species, both spoonbills and occasionally Banded Stilt. White-winged Fairy-wrens are common and Black Falcon is often seen. After lunch at the historic Old Telegraph Station Reserve we’ll bird the mulga woodland along the Tanami Road keeping an eye out for raptors including Black-breasted Buzzard, Little Eagle and a chance of Grey Falcon. We’ll reach Kunoth Paddock to look for specialties like Banded Whiteface, Banded Lapwing, Chiming Wedgebill, Spotted Harrier and Australian Bustard while in the scrub we may find White-

Sandhill Grasswren © J Weigel Rufous-crowned Emu-wren © G Jones Western Bowerbird © C Watson

Red Centre Adventure browed Treecreeper, Grey Honeyeater and Slaty-backed Thornbill. This is one of the few sites in Australia where it is possible, with luck, to see all 6 Australian falcon species in one place. If there is water in the dam we will stake it out for sunset and should have a good chance at Major Mitchell’s Cockatoos and Bourke’s Parrot as they come in to drink. On the way back to Alice Springs we’ll spotlight for Dingo, Southern Boobook, Spotted Nightjar. Overnight Mercure Springs Resort (Motel with en-suite rooms, meals included: B, L, D).

Day 3: Tue 23 July ‘19. Today we are heading deep into the Western MacDonnell Ranges. At our first stop at the Ochre Pits the many flowering plants along the creek can attract a wealth of honeyeater species. Grey Honeyeater will be our target but we will also be looking for Black-chinned, Black, Grey-fronted and Pied Honeyeater. Next, at Glen Helen Gorge, we’ll take a short walk to view the stunning waterhole and bird back along the bed of the Finke River – which rarely flows, but pools of water often contain Spotless and Baillon’s Crake, and Nankeen Night-heron. Following a delicious pub lunch at the Glen Helen Homestead, we’ll bird one of the gems of the Western MacDonnell Ranges: Ormiston Gorge. Here we take a scenic walk with views of the gorge and good birds including Rufous-crowned Emu-wren, Painted Finch, Spinifex Pigeon and Dusky Grasswren. Overnight Mercure Springs Resort (Motel with en-suite rooms, meals: B, L, D).

Day 4: Wed 24 July ‘19. After an early breakfast we’ll head down the Deep Well Road with reliable sites for Rufous-crowned Emu-wren, Spinifexbird and Dusky Grass-wren. Also sometimes seen here are Crimson Chat, Cinnamon Quail-thrush, and Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. On the return drive to Alice Springs we will stop at another mulga woodland site for another chance at Bourke’s Parrot, Little Button- quail, Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, and Slaty-backed Thornbill. We’ll have lunch and the best coffee in town at the Irrante Café and then head south a bit to the magnificent Owen Springs Reserve, with its many different habitats and we will stop at several different sites to look for any species still missing from our list and we have a good chance of Australian Bustard. The tour ends with an afternoon tea and final bird list check. You will be returned to your accommodation of choice (not included in tour price) in Alice Springs, or the airport – please don’t book flights departing before 6pm this evening. Meals: B, L.

Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo © C Watson Grey Falcon © C Watson Painted Finch © G Jones

Red Centre Adventure Post-tour options:

If you wish to stay on in Alice Springs for one or more days after the tour, in the same motel that we’ve been using for the tour, we can book this for you and add the cost to your tour price – this way you can stay in the same room and don’t have to check out on the last day day.

Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the Olgas will not be visited during the Red Centre Adventure. For sightseers we can book you onto a day trip to visit these famous landmarks.

We can also arrange your flights, accommodation and insurance through our partnership with HelloWorld– please contact us for details.

Price inclusions and exlusions:

Included: All meals commencing with Dinner on Day 0 and finishing with Lunch on Day 4 (or Dinner on Day 2 of the extension), morning tea/coffee, some snacks, some fruit, some drinks, unlimited drinking water refills. Accommodation in private en-suite rooms the nights of Days 0-3 (nights of Days 1 and 2 of the extension are included for those joing the extension). Transport using comfortable and reliable vehicle, expert guiding, any entry fees, taxes.

Excluded: Travel to & from departure and finish points, Pre- & post trip accommodation, any meals before Dinner on Day 0, Dinner 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. We can also arrange your flights, accommodation and insurance through our partnership with HelloWorld– please contact us for details.

Reports of previous tours: Reports of our previosu Red Centre Adventures can be found on: http://www.bellbirdtours.com/reports/

Red Centre Adventure

Possible species list

Emu Swamp Harrier Diamond Dove Plumed Wistling-duck Wedge-tailed Eagle Peaceful Dove Freckled Duck Little Eagle Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo Black Swan Australian Bustard Black-eared Cuckoo Australian Wood Duck Purple Swamphen Pallid Cuckoo Pink-eared Duck Baillon's Crake Eastern Barn Owl Grey Teal Australian (Spotted) Crake Southern Boobook Chestnut Teal Spotless Crake Tawny Frogmouth Pacific Black Duck Buff-banded Rail Spotted Nightjar Australasian Shoveler Black-tailed Native-hen Australian Owlet-nightjar Hardhead Dusky Moorhen Pacific Swift Brown Quail Eurasian Coot Red-backed Kingfisher Stubble Quail Brolga Sacred Kingfisher Australasian Grebe Little Button-quail Rainbow Bee-eater Hoary-headed Grebe Red-chested Button-quail Nankeen Kestrel Great Crested Grebe Bush Stone-curlew Brown Falcon Glossy Ibis Black-winged Stilt Australian Hobby Australian White Ibis Red-necked Avocet Grey Falcon Straw-necked Ibis Banded Stilt Black Falcon Royal Spoonbill Red-capped Plover Peregrine Falcon Yellow-billed Spoonbill Inland Dotterel Galah Great Egret Black-fronted Dotterel Red-tailed Black Cockatoo Intermediate Egret Red-kneed Dotterel Major Mitchell's Cockatoo Eastern Cattle Egret Banded Lapwing Little Corella White-necked Heron Masked Lapwing Sulphur-crested Cockatoo White-faced Heron Common Sandpiper Cockatiel Nankeen Night-Heron Wood Sandpiper Rainbow Lorikeet Australian Pelican Common Greenshank Australian (Pt Lincoln) Little Pied Cormorant Red-necked Stint Ringneck Great Cormorant Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Mulga Parrot Little Black Cormorant Australian Pratincole Budgerigar Pied Cormorant Gull-billed Tern Bourke's Parrot Australasian Darter Caspian Tern Western Bowerbird Black-shouldered Kite White-winged Tern White-browed Treecreeper Letter-winged Kite Whiskered Tern Splendid Fairy-wren Whistling Kite Silver Gull White-winged Fairy-wren Black Kite Spotted DoveI Variegated Fairy-wren Black-breasted Buzzard Common Bronzewing Rufous-crowned Emu-wren Brown Goshawk Flock Bronzewing Dusky Grasswren Collared Sparrowhawk Spinifex Pigeon Pied Honeyeater Spotted Harrier Crested Pigeon Singing Honeyeater Grey-headed Honeyeater

Red Centre Adventure

Crested Bellbird Possible species list Grey Fantail Grey-fronted Honeyeater Willie Wagtail White-plumed Honeyeater Magpie-lark Banded Whiteface White-fronted Honeyeater Little Crow White-browed Babbler Yellow-throated Miner Torresian Crow Grey-crowned Babbler Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Jacky Winter Cinnamon Quail-thrush Grey Honeyeater Red-capped Robin Chiming Wedgebill Crimson Chat Hooded Robin Grey Butcherbird Orange Chat Horsfield's Bushlark Pied Butcherbird Black Honeyeater White-backed Swallow Australian Magpie Brown Honeyeater Welcome Swallow White-breasted Black-chinned Honeyeater Fairy Martin Woodswallow Red-browed Pardalote Tree Martin Masked Woodswallow Striated Pardalote Australian Reed-Warbler White-browed Woodswallow Redthroat Little Grassbird Black-faced Woodswallow Weebill Rufous Songlark Little Woodswallow Western Gerygone Brown Songlark Ground Cuckoo-shrike Yellow-rumped Thornbill Spinifexbird Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Slaty-backed Thornbill Mistletoebird White-winged Triller Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Zebra Finch Varied Sittella Inland Thornbill Painted Finch Rufous Whistler Southern Whiteface Australasian Pipit Grey Shrike-thrush

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

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