We haven't gone anywhere this past week due to the usual factors: dud weather and work commitments. Sorry about that. Here's a scorpion.
We have, however, been planning a new trip, and it will commence this afternoon as we drive once more 1000+km out west, this time to Bowra. Located just northwest of Cunnamulla, Bowra is another Australian Wildlife Conservancy property. Formerly owned by Birds Queensland, it protects 14000ha of sensitive bushland habitat in the Warrego-Paroo river catchments, including 14 different ecosystems ranging from coolibah woodland to scrubby grasslands. Unlike Scotia, this sanctuary has plenty of natural standing water including, it appears, a permanent billabong.
All of which means we should have plenty to see and plenty to document. Our central aim is to, once again, volunteer on some fauna surveys, which will involve all the usual trapping methods: trip cameras, pitfall, Elliot and harp trapping, bird surveys etc. It might be touch-and-go for herps as winter is upon us and stuff will be entering hibernation, but there are a few mammals around [the station lists Kultarrs as present and confirmed; do an image search if you wish to brighten up your day!], and lots of birds!
Most of the avifauna will be familiar to us from Scotia, but there are a few iconic species we can hope for, including a few we missed the last time we passed through: Chestnut Quail-thrush, Hall's Babbler, Painted Honeyeater and Blue-winged Parrot. We will, of course, be continuing our quest to find a Grey Falcon and a Letter-winged Kite, and I will be hoping to seal the deal with some glaring omissions from last time (see 11/11/10- Day 24), most notably Brolgas, Australasian Bustards and White-backed Swallows.
We will be gone from this afternoon till the following Sunday (17/4/10). This time we'll be journeying with our good mate Jesse, who had a brief overlap in time with us at Scotia; we'll be driving up in his four-wheeler. Here's hoping it will be a productive trip, and until then, happy hunting to everyone! Peace.
R & J (and J!)
