Mallee at Gluepot Reserve at Picnic Dam. abundant growth after good rainfall seasons has benefited the whole reserve.
After a month in Italy... lakes, quaint villages, mountains, Duomo’s (cathedrals), Sacra Monte (Sacred Mountain) heavenly risottos pizza and seafood... yummy... good as it was, what I needed more than anything was to sit under a gum tree, breathe the fresh scent of the bush and see the southern stars by night. So, after a visit to the grandkids and a quick mow of the lawns it was off to Gluepot. The last time I went to Gluepot was August 2009 when it was still in drought. And has it changed since then.
Mallee re-generating after the 2006 fires. A good spot for Rainbow Bee-eaters who can sit on the high dead branches watching for prey.
If you haven’t been to Gluepot then you need a good talking-to. Gluepot is just one part of a huge band of conservation mallee reserves that stretches from NSW around AWC Scotia, across the border into South Australia that includes Dangalii Conservation Park, Calperum Station, Taylorville Station to mention a few. It’s a must see!
Central Bearded Dragon on the road into Gluepot
Now if you are thinking that it’s too hot to go to Gluepot in November and December, then think again. The weather right up to Christmas does get hot, but between the hot days there are always fantastic days when the cooler air blown up from the southern ocean cools South Australia... and the days are longer too. It must be a secret because I was the only person camping on the reserve... how peaceful after the madding crowds of Milano.
A Rainbow Bee-eater taking advantage of the uninterupted view from the high perches available in the burnt areas from the 2006 fires.
Driving in from the Morgan Road what was most noticeable were the large number of Woodswallows. They were in good numbers throughout the whole reserve. They were flying overhead in large groups, feeding on the ground and congregating in large groups in trees. It seemed to start with that they were all Masked Woodswallows and were probably the most abundant, but there were still lots of White-browed and a few White-breasted.
A few of the seventy mostly juvenile Black-tailed Native Hen foraging around a flooded area at the Old Gluepot Dam.
To start with I headed west to the Old Gluepot Dams. Even though the dams on the reserve have been bulldozed the rains have filled the remaining hollows into ponds of varying sizes. At the Old Gluepot Dam there was a large number of mostly juvenile Black-tailed Native Hens, along with Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Grebes, Pink-eared Duck, a solitary Hardhead and a Coot. A White-necked and a White-faced Heron were also in attendance. Kangaroo Dam had Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Grebes, a few Black-tailed Native Hens and a Hardhead on its much smaller pond area.
Pink-eared Duck and a Coot... unusual visitors to Gluepot. At the Old Glue Dam.
By the end of the first day the winds had died away and the night was still and quiet. The next morning dawned clear, cool and not a breath of wind... I needed my jacket. I had camped at the Babbler camp site just east of the Visitors Centre. The sun was just appearing through the trees as I began the South Babbler walk. It was so utterly tranquil and lots of birds. The track starts in Casuarina, crosses a low sand dune and into mallee. Hooded and Red-capped Robins, Bell birds calling, Mulga and Ring-necked Parrots, Grey Currawong and a gorgeous male Splendid Fairy-wren.
A Masked Woodswallow, one of the many woodswallows seen all over Gluepot and surrounding areas. (Species corrected to Masked Woodswallow - thanks Helga)
Back to the camp... infused the air with the aroma of cooking bacon that I’d got from the Adelaide Central Market before I left, some free range eggs... gallus gallus and then the North Babbler Walk.
Brown-headed Honey-eater at the South Babbler Walk.
Broke camp after and Emu parade to see what I’d left lying around and headed for home via Picnic Dam, Kangaroo Dam and Old Gluepot Dam.
The absolutely fabulous Splendid Fairy-wren at South Babbler.
The White-breasted Heron was at Kangaroo Dam and the ducks, minus the Pink-eared were still at the Old Gluepot Dam.
Adult White-browed Woodswallow.
Well... after sitting under a gum tree, breathing the scents of the bush and gazing at the myriads of stars, not to mention a good selection of birds and particularly water birds my visit to Gluepot restored my inner being and helped overcome the jet-lag. But it still left me pondering why and how water birds would come to Gluepot when in reality there was not much water there. Black-tailed Native Hens numbers seem to have exploded everywhere you look. I even saw a couple down at my local beach a Seacliff foraging around a permanent spring that flows out of the base of the cliff. The puzzle continues...
A White-necked Heron at Kangaroo Dam at Gluepot. Another uncommon visitor.
The full species list and comments can be seen on http://www.eremaea.com/Lists.aspx?List=102950 and http://www.eremaea.com/Lists.aspx?List=103078
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