hattah kulkyne NP

mallee ringneck














grey backed butcherbird














apostlebird

i'm now back from my camping trip to hattah kulkyne NP, a massive patch of mallee scrub and lakes and stuff between mildura and melbourne. avian highlights were excellent views of mallee emu-wren and regent parrot and typically brief (i.e. shit) views of striated grasswren. other new birds were splendid fairy wren, gilberts whistler, crested bellbird, striped and yellow tufted honeyeaters. other more dubious highlights were being chased by a very stroppy emu with several cool stripey chicks, and turning the tables by chasing a kangaroo (dont ask why) and causing it to jump over a 7ft roo fence. camping was much less than comfortable in freezing overnight temperatures in a sleeping bag rated to +10degrees and on hard ground without a rollmat. that'll learn me not to travel light again.

apologies for really shit pics, the net cafe has no editing software at all, i cant even crop the pics!! and they have the cheek to call australia a civilised modern country, pah!
the fact that blogger doesnt seem t oallow me to post pics of rare birds (orange chat, mulga parrot, redthroat, regent parrot) doesnt help either.