Check my birding map for specific location.
On the road from Tennant Creek down to Alice Springs there are numerous rest areas where you can pull in for an overnight stop. At most of these are big, green water tanks with warnings not to drink from them. At the base of some are plastic containers with water in for the birds. Sometimes you only get Crested Pigeon (I say 'only' - surely a top 5 in the most beautiful pigeon category) and sometimes the area is humming. The most success I had at several of these stops was the Prowse Gap rest area. The Zebra Finches were already at the water in numbers as I arrived and with some carefully manouevering (reversing with the back door open is not really recommended), I positioned the van so that I could see the water containers from the back. Then I just sat for the rest of the day. It was wonderful. A Grey Shrikethrush was first to investigate me and stood outside the van looking at me. When that angle wasn't good enough, it flew onto a wooden post right next to me. There were several Hooded Robin around, a female and 2-3 males and in turn they too would sit on the posts making great portrait shots with the red dirt behind them. Sometimes they were too close and I couldn't shoot them with my big lens. Now that is a photographers dream problem. It was nice just to watch them and they were totally unconcerned about me.
I had already got the male Crested Bellbird at the Taylor Creek rest area, causing much amusement to a family as I chased it round the car park. At Prowse, it was the turn of the female. Rather drab and dirty looking, she hopped around to and from the water containers. My photos were not great as it was very gloomy, the gravel doesn't make a good background and she was not very pretty. However, great to see both the male and female birds.
Every now and again a honeyeater would swoop down and scatter the finches so they could drink or bathe. It has been a number of years since I have seen the Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater and I had forgotten how stunning it is. With a huge bright pink bill and white cheek plumes, it is very photogenic (female bellbird take note). The Singing Honeyeater was also around and made a big show of splashing around and then shaking. Wonderful to watch.
And the moral of the tale is to always look around. Most people have no clue that there are exotic and interesting birds and animals right under their feet!
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