I spent a day at Gluepot over the weekend to catch up with some friends. Birds are scattered due to the water but it didn't matter, the peace and quiet there is always appealing. Leaving the hordes of people dotted along the river behind I could feel the peace increase behind each gate as I closed it along the road into Gluepot Reserve.
White-winged Chough, Grey and Pied Butcherbirds, Black-faced cuckoo-shrike, Gilberts and Red-lored Whistler, White-browed and masked Woodswallows were the first birds to great me.
Some other birds seen included Red-capped and Hooded Robin, Jacky Winter, Striated and Spotted Pardelotes, Australian Ravern, Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, Weebill, Tree Martins,White-fronted, Yellow-plumed, singing and Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, White-winged, Splendid and Variegated Fairy-wrens, Brown Treecreeper, Crested Bellbird and Mallee Ringnecks.
White-browed and Chestnut-crown Babblers, Southern Scrub-robin, Emu, a few Mulga Parrots made an appearance along with wood ducks feeding by the old Gluepot dam which still has water from the recent rains.
Chestnut Quail-thrush and common bronzewing were feeding at sunset along the side of the track.
We spent a bit of time looking at the water holes and found some other nice little beasties - mainly dragonflies and butterflies - and we met a few other birders visiting from interstate!
Here are a few photos from the day.
Tau Emerald
White-browed Woodswallow
Sand Goanna
Bearded Dragon
Blue Skimmer
These caterpillers were everywhere, literally dropping out of trees onto us as we walked in the mallee. I believe they are in the Geometridae (a True Looper) family, a Late Instar due to the reddy brown colouring and white spots, Pholodes sinistaria or Sinister Moth
Common Bluetail Damselfly
Red-capped Robin
Tau Emerald
Saltbush Blue
Bearded Dragon
