I have just returned from a blissful trip that included a visit to Gluepot Reserve in South Australia. Oh how I love Gluepot Reserve!
I’m yet to count the list of birds seen on the trip but they included one lifer which was very exciting. I will share some beaut species in the coming weeks.
I did all the driving – I love driving – and took three of my beautiful family members on a trip that included Gluepot Reserve, Murray-Sunset National Park, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park and Terrick Terrick National Park. We had booked a campsite at Mungo but there had been quite a bit of rain and the road was closed. We ended up heading south instead and camped beside an incredible pink lake where we were visited by Blue Bonnet parrots. It was blissful. Maybe I’ll share them next week, or some of the gorgeous honeyeaters, or the comical Apostlebirds… I need sleep, I’m rambling.
Happy birding! Kim
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Oh, South Australia! Lucky you, Kim! I spent many happy childhood holidays, touring around lovely S.A. I do remember all the salt lakes there, too – and every time we drove past one on a stinking hot day, we all held our noses and groaned, because of the sulphurous, rotten egg pong! When they aren’t stinky, those salt lakes can be amazing to behold – especially at sunset. Thanks for the cheeky galah – I do adore them, even though Aussie farmers loathe them. One of my most thrilling birding experiences, was down at Queenscliffe, about 30 years ago. I sat down by the foreshore, to gaze at the sea, and suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge flock of chattering galahs flew down and surrounded me. There must have been about 300 of them. They were waddling along, pecking at the Norfolk Pine cones on the ground, cracking them open, and were curious about me, too – poking their beaks into my bag, and pecking at my sandals – cheeky buggers! Before me was a sea of pink feathers, with the sparkling blue sea as a backdrop. Glorious! Whenever I find myself in some dreary suburb, I close my eyes and recall that pink and blue afternoon by the sea – it’s a memory I cherish, and it never fails to cheer me up.
What an absolutely brilliant experience with the Galahs, Deirdre! I had a memorable experience with a single Sulphur-crested Cockatoo once, that I wrote about in ‘the bird that touched my heart’. There was no smell at all to the pink lakes we saw. I wonder if it’s time of year or some other variant…?
That sounds like a WONDERFUL trip – for you all. I am really, really looking forward to more photos. And adore our galahs – which are the colour of many of the dawns I see in my city.
I often think of Galahs as animated sunrises and sunsets as they wheel around, catching the low-angled rays – glorious.