Bird list
Broome to Melbourne.
November 2003
Herewith the bird list of 214 species from a trip from Broome to Melbourne, from November 1 – 14 inclusive. The trip started at the Broome Bird Observatory, continued with an excursion into the edge of the Kimberley and featured Melbourne Cup Day in Halls Creek with the sweltering denizens dressed to the nines and bedecked with fascinators. We drove down the surprisingly navigable Tanami Track to Alice Springs, went via Finke and Dalhousie Springs to the Oodnadatta Track, enjoyed a brief stop-over at Muloorina station at a dry Lake Eyre South, headed via Frome Downs to Menindee Lakes and then by Hattah-Kulkyne to Melbourne.
The following birds were seen and/or heard:
Scientific name English name
Dromaius novaehollandiae Emu
Oxyura australis Blue-billed Duck
Stictonetta naevosa Freckled Duck
Cygnus atratus Black Swan
Tadorna tadornoides Australian Shelduck
Chenonetta jubata Australian Wood Duck
Anas superciliosa Pacific Black Duck
Anas rhynchotis Australasian Shoveler
Anas gracilis Grey Teal
Malacorhynchus membranaceus Pink-eared Duck
Aythya australis Hardhead
Tachybaptus novaehollandiae Australasian Grebe
Poliocephalus poliocephalus Hoary-headed Grebe
Anhinga melanogaster Darter
Phalacrocorax melanoleucos Little Pied Cormorant
Phalacrocorax varius Pied Cormorant
Phalacrocorax sulcirostris Little Black Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo Great Cormorant
Pelecanus conspicillatus Australian Pelican
Egretta novaehollandiae White-faced Heron
Egretta garzetta Little Egret
Ardea pacifica White-necked Heron
Ardea sumatrana Great-billed Heron
Ardea alba Great Egret
Ardea intermedia Intermediate Egret
Nycticorax caledonicus Nankeen Night Heron
Threskiornis molucca Australian White Ibis
Threskiornis spinicollis Straw-necked Ibis
Platalea regia Royal Spoonbill
Platalea flavipes Yellow-billed Spoonbill
Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus Black-necked Stilt
Pandion haliaetus Osprey
Elanus axillaris Black-shouldered Kite
Hamirostra melanosternon Black-breasted Buzzard
Milvus migrans Black Kite
Haliastur sphenurus Whistling Kite
Haliastur indus Brahminy Kite
Haliaeetus leucogaster White-bellied Sea-Eagle
Circus approximans Swamp Harrier
Accipiter fasciatus Brown Goshawk
Accipiter cirrocephalus Collared Sparrowhawk
Aquila audax Wedge-tailed Eagle
Hieraaetus morphnoides Little Eagle
Falco berigora Brown Falcon
Falco longipennis Australian Hobby
Falco subniger Black Falcon
Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon
Falco cenchroides Nankeen Kestrel
Porzana tabuensis Spotless Crake
Porphyrio porphyrio Purple Swamphen
Gallinula tenebrosa Dusky Moorhen
Gallinula ventralis Black-tailed Native-hen
Fulica atra Eurasian Coot
Ardeotis australis Australian Bustard
Limosa lapponica Bar-tailed Godwit
Numenius minutus Little Curlew
Numenius phaeopus Whimbrel
Numenius madagascariensis Eastern Curlew
Tringa totanus Common Redshank
Tringa nebularia Common Greenshank
Tringa glareola Wood Sandpiper
Xenus cinereus Terek Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos Common Sandpiper
Heteroscelus brevipes Grey-tailed Tattler
Arenaria interpres Ruddy Turnstone
Calidris tenuirostris Great Knot
Calidris ruficollis Red-necked Stint
Calidris acuminata Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Calidris ferruginea Curlew Sandpiper
Limicola falcinellus Broad-billed Sandpiper
Phalaropus lobatus Red-necked Phalarope
Burhinus grallarius Bush Stone-curlew
Haematopus longirostris Pied Oystercatcher
Himantopus himantopus Black-winged Stilt
Recurvirostra novaehollandiae Red-necked Avocet
Pluvialis squatarola Grey Plover
Charadrius ruficapillus Red-capped Plover
Charadrius mongolus Lesser Sand Plover
Charadrius veredus Oriental Plover
Charadrius australis Inland Dotterel
Elseyornis melanops Black-fronted Dotterel
Erythrogonys cinctus Red-kneed Dotterel
Vanellus miles Masked Lapwing
Stiltia isabella Australian Pratincole
Larus novaehollandiae Silver Gull
Sterna nilotica Gull-billed Tern
Sterna bergii Crested Tern
Sterna nereis Fairy Tern
Chlidonias hybridus Whiskered Tern
Columba livia Rock Dove
Streptopelia chinensis Spotted Turtle-Dove
Phaps chalcoptera Common Bronzewing
Ocyphaps lophotes Crested Pigeon
Geopelia cuneata Diamond Dove
Geopelia striata Peaceful Dove
Geopelia humeralis Bar-shouldered Dove
Calyptorhynchus banksii Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo
Callocephalon fimbriatum Gang-gang Cockatoo
Cacatua roseicapilla Galah
Cacatua sanguinea Little Corella
Cacatua leadbeateri Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo
Cacatua galerita Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Nymphicus hollandicus Cockatiel
Trichoglossus haematodus Rainbow Lorikeet
Aprosmictus erythropterus Red-winged Parrot
Polytelis anthopeplus Regent Parrot
Platycercus elegans Crimson Rosella
Platycercus eximius Eastern Rosella
Barnardius zonarius Australian Ringneck
Northiella haematogaster Blue Bonnet
Psephotus haematonotus Red-rumped Parrot
Psephotus varius Mulga Parrot
Melopsittacus undulatus Budgerigar
Neophema elegans Elegant Parrot
Chrysococcyx basalis Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo
Centropus phasianinus Pheasant Coucal
Ninox connivens Barking Owl
Ninox novaeseelandiae Southern Boobook
Podargus strigoides Tawny Frogmouth
Dacelo novaeguineae Laughing Kookaburra
Dacelo leachii Blue-winged Kookaburra
Todiramphus pyrrhopygia Red-backed Kingfisher
Todiramphus sanctus Sacred Kingfisher
Merops ornatus Rainbow Bee-eater
Eurystomus orientalis Dollarbird
Climacteris picumnus Brown Treecreeper
Malurus cyaneus Superb Fairy-wren
Malurus lamberti Variegated Fairy-wren
Malurus leucopterus White-winged Fairy-wren
Malurus melanocephalus Red-backed Fairy-wren
Stipiturus ruficeps Rufous-crowned Emu-wren
Pardalotus rubricatus Red-browed Pardalote
Pardalotus striatus Striated Pardalote
Calamanthus campestris Rufous Fieldwren
Pyrrholaemus brunneus Redthroat
Smicrornis brevirostris Weebill
Acanthiza pusilla Brown Thornbill
Acanthiza apicalis Inland Thornbill
Acanthiza robustirostris Slaty-backed Thornbill
Acanthiza chrysorrhoa Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Anthochaera carnunculata Red Wattlebird
Acanthagenys rufogularis Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
Philemon argenticeps Silver-crowned Friarbird
Philemon corniculatus Noisy Friarbird
Philemon citreogularis Little Friarbird
Entomyzon cyanotis Blue-faced Honeyeater
Manorina melanocephala Noisy Miner
Manorina flavigula Yellow-throated Miner
Lichenostomus virescens Singing Honeyeater
Lichenostomus unicolor White-gaped Honeyeater
Lichenostomus leucotis White-eared Honeyeater
Lichenostomus ornatus Yellow-plumed Honeyeater
Lichenostomus plumulus Grey-fronted Honeyeater
Lichenostomus flavescens Yellow-tinted Honeyeater
Lichenostomus penicillatus White-plumed Honeyeater
Melithreptus albogularis White-throated Honeyeater
Lichmera indistincta Brown Honeyeater
Conopophila rufogularis Rufous-throated Honeyeater
Conopophila whitei Grey Honeyeater
Epthianura tricolor Crimson Chat
Epthianura aurifrons Orange Chat
Epthianura albifrons White-fronted Chat
Petroica goodenovii Red-capped Robin
Melanodryas cucullata Hooded Robin
Pomatostomus temporalis Grey-crowned Babbler
Pomatostomus superciliosus White-browed Babbler
Pomatostomus ruficeps Chestnut-crowned Babbler
Psophodes occidentalis Chiming Wedgebill
Cinclosoma castanotus Chestnut Quail-thrush
Cinclosoma cinnamomeum Cinnamon Quail-thrush
Oreoica gutturalis Crested Bellbird
Pachycephala rufiventris Rufous Whistler
Colluricincla harmonica Grey Shrike-thrush
Myiagra inquieta Restless Flycatcher
Grallina cyanoleuca Magpie-lark
Rhipidura fuliginosa Grey Fantail
Rhipidura leucophrys Willie Wagtail
Coracina novaehollandiae Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Coracina papuensis White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike
Lalage sueurii White-winged Triller
Oriolus sagittatus Olive-backed Oriole
Artamus leucorynchus White-breasted Woodswallow
Artamus personatus Masked Woodswallow
Artamus superciliosus White-browed Woodswallow
Artamus cinereus Black-faced Woodswallow
Artamus minor Little Woodswallow
Cracticus torquatus Grey Butcherbird
Cracticus nigrogularis Pied Butcherbird
Gymnorhina tibicen Australian Magpie
Corvus coronoides Australian Raven
Corvus mellori Little Raven
Corvus bennetti Little Crow
Corvus orru Torresian Crow
Corcorax melanorhamphos White-winged Chough
Struthidea cinerea Apostlebird
Chlamydera guttata Western Bowerbird
Chlamydera nuchalis Great Bowerbird
Anthus novaeseelandiae Richard’s Pipit
Passer domesticus House Sparrow
Taeniopygia guttata Zebra Finch
Taeniopygia bichenovii Double-barred Finch
Neochmia phaeton Crimson Finch
Dicaeum hirundinaceum Mistletoebird
Cheramoeca leucosternus White-backed Swallow
Hirundo rustica Barn Swallow
Hirundo neoxena Welcome Swallow
Hirundo nigricans Tree Martin
Hirundo ariel Fairy Martin
Acrocephalus stentoreus Clamorous Reed-Warbler
Megalurus gramineus Little Grassbird
Cincloramphus mathewsi Rufous Songlark
Cincloramphus cruralis Brown Songlark
Sturnus vulgaris Common Starling
Acridotheres tristis Common Myna
An absolute trip high-light, if an incident can be plucked from a entire highlighted trip, was one of those zen-like moments that I can always mentally recreate when I wish.
I was wading half-clad, waist deep in water on a hellishly hot day at Geike Gorge in the Kimberley. I was watching a Great Egret when an Osprey swooped down and spooked it. The Osprey settled just 20 m. in front of me, with a Dollarbird and a pair of Rainbowbirds in the background, flying around against a deep-blue sky. The soundscape was provided by about 50 Red-tailed black cockatoos creaking away in the Melaleucas behind me, with some Silver-crowned friarbirds providing the melody. I was thinking to myself that this was pretty good, when a charm of at least a hundred Double-banded finches swarmed in and took over the paperbarks. How could this be better, I asked myself? The answer was prompt. A group of Crimson finches, impossible to be more charming in their brilliant red and black resplendence, flew down to the water’s edge to take a nervous drink. It was at that stage that, if I was wearing trousers, I would have had to change them, for this was indeed the birdo’s cosmic mind fuck!