St Kilda Saltfields

As summer approaches, it is time to start going to the local saltfields again.  This year, with less water across central Australia, I am hopeful of some good birding this summer.

There were small groups of waders everywhere, with both migrant and sedentary birds well represented.is shot shows (from the left) Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, and Banded Stilt.

This one is a group of Red-necked Stints and Red-capped Plovers.

White-headed Stilt was common.

As was Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

This Brown Thornbill was becoming increasingly alarmed by a Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo.

The Banded Stilt's were all swimming in deeper water.

Plenty of Whiskered Terns had returned, and were loafing in the shallows with some Red-necked Avocets.  The ever present White Ibis was always in sight, as were the Welcome Swallows.

Recent Birding

A short post from the last week or two.  Birding has been pretty quiet, but we did manage a quick visit to Broken Hill.  Amongst the birds we saw were Apostlebirds, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike and an Emu dad with his kids

We also stopped off at the Royal Flying Doctor Service base and enjoyed a visit to the hanger.

More recently I went to Moorundie Wildlife Park with the local bird group.  We saw plenty of birds, but only a few came close enough for a photo.  We chased around following this Southern Scrub-robin, and eventually everyone saw it well.  On the way back to the car I spotted this Splendid Fairywren.

Skywatch Friday

 

The RAAF Roulettes at Jamestown Airshow.

Jamestown Airshow

Last weekend I headed 2 1/2 hours north of Adelaide to the triennial airshow at Jamestown.  For a small country town, they put on a really good airshow.

The runway has recently been sealed, and this allowed for jets to be based her for the first time.   The show was opened by a fast pass of the L-39 Albatross.

This was followed by a pair of AT-6 Harvards and the inimitable Chris Sperou in his Pitts Special.

Another jet on display was the SIAI Marchetti S-211.  A big change in speed followed, with the DHC-1 Chipmunks of the "chipettes" doing their formation display.

Jamestown is really known for its warbirds, and this year was exceptional with two Curtis P-40s, a model F Warhawk, and a model P Kittyhawk, a Vultee B-13, the last airworthy Lockheed Hudson in the world, and two Aussie classics in the CA-18 Mustang and the CA-13 Boomerang.

The show was closed by the RAAF Roulettes, with their exhilarating display of close formation flying.