Australian Ornithological Services P/L

Alice Springs birding tour 2018
21 April to 29 April 2018

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Pre-tour day
21 April 2018
Overnight: Alice Springs

Day 1
22 April 2018
We will start this tour by tackling the difficult skulkers first. We'll bird the spinifex- covered hills southeast of Alice for dusky grasswren, rufous-crowned emu-wren and spinifexbird and we'll endeavour to obtain good views of all three. If we have been successful in our skulker quest, we'll call in at the Alice Springs waste treatment ponds, which can be good for a variety of ducks and other waterfowl. Red-necked avocet and red-kneed dotterel and crake species are possible.
Overnight: Alice Springs

Day 2
23 April 2018
Our best chance for grey honeyeater, Australia's plainest and most difficult honeyeater, is in the mulga country northwest of Alice. Other rarities here include slate-backed thornbill and Bourke's parrot as well as a host of more common passerines — such as crested bellbird, hooded and red-capped robins, splendid fairywren and inland and chestnut-rumped thornbills. Further out in the open country we have a chance for banded lapwing and ground cuckoo-shrike. 

Overnight: Alice Springs

Day 3
24 April 2018
Alice Springs to Glen Helen Lodge

Heading out of Alice, we'll bird the West MacDonnell Ranges. We'll be on the lookout for western bowerbird, western ringneck, spiny-cheeked and grey-headed honeyeaters, white-browed and grey-crowned babblers, zebra finch, diamond dove, Major Mitchell's cockatoo and spinifex pigeon around geological wonders such as Simpson's Gap, Ellery Creek Big Hole and the Ochre Pits. 

Overnight: Glen Helen Lodge

Day 4


25 April 2018
Glen Helen to Alice Springs

We will visit the magnificent Ormiston Gorge and surrounding area this morning. Here we have another opportunity for those skulkers: dusky grasswren, rufous- crowned emuwren and spinifexbird. Also, we have our best chance for painted finch and spinifex pigeon. Pied and black honeyeaters are also a possibility in this area, as are budgerigars, white-browed and masked woodswallows; and as always, we'll be on the look out for grey falcon.
Overnight: Alice Springs

Day 5

26 April 2018
Alice Springs to Erldunda
Today we travel south of Alice to bird the more open mulga and saltbush country towards Erldunda. The annual rainfall drops as we head south and the country becomes more desert like. Our first stop may be in the acacia woodland not far from Alice where we have a chance for white-browed treecreeper. This could also be a backup spot for grey honeyeater if we have missed this elusive species on the Tanami Road. Further south in open saltbush country we have opportunities for banded whiteface and white-winged fairywren. If seasonal conditions are suitable nomadic species such as orange chat, inland dotteral and banded lapwing may also be present. In the acacia scrub closer to Erldunda we will start looking for the secretive chiming wedgebill. If it is dry it can take considerable effort to obtain satisfactory views of this rascal. Conversely, if there has been rain it may come easy. If night time temperatures are warm enough, we could spotlight tonight for some of the beautiful geckos that inhabit the sanddune country.
Overnight: Erldunda

Day 6
27 April 2018
Erldunda to Yulara
An early start as we have a long drive this morning. Our main target today is the recently split (from striated grasswren) sandhill grasswren Amytornis oweni. This delightful species inhabits the sanddune country in the vicinity of Yulara near Uluru. We will devote as much time as we have searching for this elusive and desirable species. Other species we may encounter, if seasonal conditions are favourable, include pied and black honeyeaters, crimson chat, masked woodswallow and budgerigar.
Overnight: Yulara

Day 7
28 April 2018
Yulara to Alice Springs
We make our way back to The Alice. Species to be on the lookout for today include Major Mitchell's cockatoo and red- tailed black-cockatoos. We will also have more time to look for nomadic species like pied and black honeyeaters, crimson chat, masked and black-faced woodswallows, budgerigar and white-winged triller. The black-capped form of varied sittella may also be encountered in the desert oak country. If daytime temperatures are high enough the delightful thorny devil may also be seen in the sanddune country.
Overnight: Alice Springs

Day 8
29 April 2018
Tour finishes after breakfast.

Tour cost: $4,770.00 AUD, single supplement: approx. $582 AUD.

Included in cost: accommodation from pre-tour (21 April) to and including the last night (28 April), meals from breakfast from first day (22 April) to breakfast on morning of 29 April; land transport, guiding and park entrance fees.

Tour leader: Philip Maher

Tour organiser: Patricia Maher

2017 checklist of species seen

2016 trip report