Sunday, December 17, 2006

Malleefowl are a particulary stunning bird. They aren't brightly colored like many of the parrots, finches, and honeyeaters found in Australia, but there is something about them I particularly like. They remind me a lot of the grouse and prairie chickens of the American West, particulary the Sage Grouse which I have not ever seen. Anyway, this morning I was fortunate enough not only to get good views of this particular bird perched on his mound but also some great photos. The lighting wasn't perfect but I was pleased with what Igot. Ionly stayed about an hour as I wanted to minimize the disturbance to the bird as Iam always very cautious at nest sites.
The rest of the day was spent relaxing and under taking a massive cleaning and organizing of my car. Living in the back of a vehicle leads to an inevitable mess and it was time to work on that. By evening I spent a few minutes photographing the landscape of the local mallee and was very pleased with the results. Tomorrow I am going to photograph the Malleefowl again, this time at the other mound and then will figure out what to do from there. I have to be in Melbourne by Tuesday so I have an extra day to plan.
Progress Charts:
| Today | Observed | Photographed |
|---|---|---|
| Total Species | 15 | 2 |
| Endemic Species | 13 | 2 |
| Year to Date | Observed | Photographed |
|---|---|---|
| Total Species | 450 | 271 |
| Endemic Species | 209 | 140 |
