Birds on the Matilda

Magic day. At breakfast we were entertained by a noisy flock of Red-wing Parrots overhead, a quiet Spotted Bowerbird in the undergrowth and a bunch of Double-barred Finches in shrubs. As we drove north of Charleville there was not a lot of particular interest to stop and look at along the way but of course we made sure our coffee breaks were in spots potentially good for birdwatching. At one stop there were Jacky Winters, Red-capped Robins, Rufous Whistlers and a family of Painted Button-quail (and I heard them calling!) At another stop, a lake at Tambo, there was an amazing number and variety of birds - Restless Flycatcher, Striated Pardalote, Brolgas (they do look odd flying with their legs dangling), Great Egrets, Darters, White-necked Herons, White-faced Herons, Grey Teal, Pied Cormorants, Masked Lapwings, Eastern Swamphen, Hoary-headed Grebes. Again we saw numerous emus and at one spot near Blackall they were sharing their patch with two Australian Bustards.