AUSTRALIA COMPREHENSIVE TARGET SPECIES CUSTOM TOUR TRIP REPORT 23 AUGUST – 1 OCTOBER 2019 By Andy Walker The Endangered (BirdLife International) Mallee Emu-wren has a tiny global range, and we had excellent views of a pair while birdwatching in Victoria. www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 2 | TRIP REPORT Australia, Aug-Oct 2019 Overview This 40-day custom birdwatching tour of Australia commenced in Adelaide, South Australia, on the 23rd of August 2019 and ended in Sydney, New South Wales, on the 1st of October 2019. The tour also visited the states and territories of Victoria, Northern Territory, and Queensland. A pelagic trip was taken off southern South Australia (Port MacDonnell). Unfortunately a planned pelagic trip off southern Queensland (Southport) was canceled due to illness. This custom birding tour route was South Australia (Adelaide to Port MacDonnell) - Victoria (circuit around the western section of the state) - New South Wales (a brief stop for parrots along the state border) -Victoria (remainder of the western circuit back to Melbourne) - Northern Territory (Alice Springs area) - Northern Territory (Darwin to Kakadu and back) - Queensland (circuit out of Brisbane) - New South Wales (circuit out of Sydney). Several areas visited on this tour feature in our Australia set departure tours (e.g. East Coast and Northern Territory tours). A list of target birds was provided for the tour (the clients’ third trip to Australia), and these became the focus of the tour route and birding, though new trip birds encountered were also enjoyed! A total of 421 bird species were seen (plus 5 species heard only), including many client target birds. This trip report highlights the key birds seen (either target species or other important/interesting species/subspecies), and a full species list is provided at the end of this report. Detailed Report Day 1, 23rd August 2019. Arrival in Adelaide Arrival in Adelaide, South Australia, and remainder of day at leisure. No birding. Day 2, 24th August 2019. Adelaide to Port MacDonnell A drive south from Adelaide to Port MacDonnell calling in at Tolderol Game Reserve and Coorong National Park. Target birds recorded: Rufous Bristlebird, Banded Lapwing, and Red-kneed Dotterel. Other notable species recorded: Crimson Rosella (the fleurieuensis subspecies known as Adelaide Rosella), Cape Barren Goose, and Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo. Day 3, 25th August 2019. Port MacDonnell pelagic trip All-day pelagic trip to the continental shelf off South Australia in rather rough sea conditions. Target birds recorded: Buller’s Albatross, Slender-billed Prion, and Black-faced Cormorant. Other notable species recorded: Blue Petrel (the first in 100 trips of this pelagic), Wandering Albatross, Antipodean Albatross (gibsoni subspecies), Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross, Shy Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, Campbell Albatross, Fairy Prion, Great-winged Petrel, White-faced Storm Petrel, Grey-backed Storm Petrel, White-fronted Tern, Hutton’s Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, and Musk Duck. www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 3 | TRIP REPORT Australia, Aug-Oct 2019 Buller’s Albatross was one of the first birds to arrive at the back of the boat! Slender-billed Prion was a bonus bird that arrived near the end of the boat trip. Day 4, 26th August 2019. Port MacDonnell to Little Desert National Park A drive from Port MacDonnell to Mount Gambier, into Victoria, and north to the Little Desert National Park, with brief stops at Drajurk State Forest and Brimboal State Forest along the way (as well as a couple of roadside stops along the Glenelg Highway near the border and near Jane Duff Memorial Park). www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 4 | TRIP REPORT Australia, Aug-Oct 2019 Target birds recorded: Chestnut-rumped Heathwren, White-eared Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, Mistletoebird, and Rufous Fieldwren. Other notable species recorded: Red-tailed Black Cockatoo (localized graptogyne subspecies), Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Crimson Rosella (elegans subspecies known as Crimson Rosella), Brolga, Wedge-tailed Eagle (displaying birds), Forest Raven, and Scarlet Robin. Rufous Fieldwren showed well as it sang from the top of some heath. We were pleased to find this rare and local subspecies of Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 5 | TRIP REPORT Australia, Aug-Oct 2019 Day 5, 27th August 2019. Little Desert National Park to Ouyen Morning birding at Little Desert National Park, then a drive to Ouyen, calling in at Timberoo. Target birds recorded: Slender-billed Thornbill (local hedleyi subspecies), Shy Heathwren, White-browed Treecreeper (affinis subspecies), Southern Scrub Robin, White-fronted Honeyeater, Banded Lapwing, and Eastern Bluebonnet. Other notable species recorded: Emu, Purple-backed Fairywren, Splendid Fairywren (melanotus subspecies), Masked Lapwing (novaehollandiae subspecies known as Black- shouldered Lapwing), White-browed Babbler, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Hooded Robin (cucullata subspecies), Jacky Winter, and Red-capped Robin. Shy Heathwren was not particularly shy as it hopped out in the open and showed well. Day 6, 28th August 2019. Hattah All day birding the Hattah area. Target birds recorded: Malleefowl, Mallee Emu-wren, Striated Grasswren (heard only), Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Mulga Parrot, Eastern Bluebonnet, Southern Whiteface, Crimson Chat, Chestnut Quail-thrush, Chestnut-crowned Babbler, and Crested Bellbird. Other notable species recorded: Peregrine Falcon (pair nesting on pylon), Little Eagle, Regent Parrot, Crimson Rosella (flaveolus subspecies known as Yellow Rosella), Rufous Whistler (rufiventris subspecies), White-winged Triller, and Apostlebird. www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 6 | TRIP REPORT Australia, Aug-Oct 2019 Malleefowl eventually gave good views as one crossed the road for us. Day 7, 29th August 2019. Ouyen to Deniliquin We moved from Ouyen to Cullens Lake and then to Deniliquin, New South Wales, for the night. Target birds recorded: Gilbert’s Whistler, Striated Grasswren (heard only), White-backed Swallow, Banded Lapwing, Red-kneed Dotterel, and Eastern Bluebonnet. Excellent views of nest-building White-backed Swallow were a real treat. www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 7 | TRIP REPORT Australia, Aug-Oct 2019 Other notable species recorded: Red-necked Avocet, Australasian Shoveler, Pink-eared Duck, Black-fronted Dotterel, Red-capped Plover, White-winged Fairywren, and Brown Songlark, Day 8, 30th August 2019. Deniliquin to Chiltern The Island Sanctuary was visited, followed by Murray Valley National Park. In the afternoon we drove back into Victoria, through the Warby Ranges, and ended at Chiltern. Target birds recorded: Superb Parrot, Turquoise Parrot, Speckled Warbler, and Mistletoebird. Other notable species recorded: Little Lorikeet, Long-billed Corella, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Western Gerygone, and Crested Shriketit (frontatus subspecies often called Eastern Shriketit). This Superb Parrot showed extremely well as it sat near its nest hole. Day 9, 31st August 2019. Chiltern to Melbourne The morning was spent around the Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park. Afternoon drive to Melbourne. Late-afternoon at Banyule Flats Reserve. www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 8 | TRIP REPORT Australia, Aug-Oct 2019 Target birds recorded: Powerful Owl, Speckled Warbler, and Turquoise Parrot. Other notable species recorded: Swift Parrot, Flame Robin, Eastern Yellow Robin, Red- capped Robin, and Scarlet Robin. Turquoise Parrot was very showy once located in its vast foraging range. At our final stop of the day we were rewarded with a pair of roosting Powerful Owls in the glorious evening sunshine. These owls are so huge! www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 9 | TRIP REPORT Australia, Aug-Oct 2019 Day 10, 1st September 2019. Dandenong Ranges and Werribee Morning in the mountains above Melbourne in a couple of sections of the Dandenong Ranges National Park. Afternoon at the Werribee Western Treatment Plant. Tour of Victoria ended. Target birds recorded: Red-browed Treecreeper, Rose Robin, Red-kneed Dotterel, Striated Fieldwren, and Fairy Tern. Other notable species recorded: Superb Lyrebird, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Crescent Honeyeater, Cape Barren Goose, Blue-winged Parrot, Australian Crake, and Zebra Finch. Fairy Tern was found roosting as the tide was coming in (phone-scoped). Day 11, 2nd September 2019. Rest day Non-birding day in Melbourne. Day 12, 3rd September 2019. Travel day Non-birding day. Flight between Melbourne and Alice Springs via Adelaide. Arrival in Northern Territory. Day 13, 4th September 2019. Alice Springs Morning and afternoon birding sessions in the Alice Springs Desert Park. Target birds recorded: Spinifex Pigeon, Western Bowerbird, Grey Honeyeater, Grey-headed Honeyeater, Black Honeyeater, and Mistletoebird. Other notable species recorded: Grey-crowned Babbler (rubeculus subspecies, sometimes referred to as Red-breasted Babbler), White-browed Babbler (centralis subspecies), and Splendid Fairywren (musgravi subspecies). www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 10 | TRIP REPORT Australia, Aug-Oct 2019 Spinifex Pigeon (leucogaster subspecies) walked right up to us and looked stunning in the early- morning sunlight. Western Bowerbird standing guard of a nearby bower Day 14, 5th September 2019. Alice Springs Olive Pink Botanic Garden, Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve, and Ilparpa Swamp Wildlife Protected Area. www.birdingecotours.com