Thursday, 14 February 2019

Australia - SA - Yorke Peninsula - Delightful Dotterel!


The Yorke Peninsula was to be the next stop in my SA tour. This area had been recommended for Hooded Dotterel (Plover) and there was a chance of seeing Mallifowl that frequent the ruins of Inneston a former gypsum mining town in the 1900's.

Most of the Peninsula is farmland with Innes National Park at the tip which is a protected offering several camp sites for visitors. The Western Whipbird and other scrub birds frequent the heath but would they be any easier to locate.
The Hooded Dotterel prefers secluded beaches and there were plenty of options for this shorebird. I found a pair at the beach at the Cable Bay Campsite. The ruins were not as kind following extensive searches for the Mallifowl. I did manage a couple of glimpses of rufous tails but it was not enough for identification of any of the heath birds. 
I had a confirmed sighting of a White Browed Babbler a species I may have seen at Gluepot.
Family parties of Emu were roaming the area the younger birds seemed confused at the approaching truck along the tracks. The area has a low speed limit to minimilise the impact on the local wildlife.
I crossed paths with a snake but we passed each other without incident or any disturbance to either party!

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