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Visited: late dry season
Recommendation: This gorge is spectacular with walks into the surrounding plains, the waterhole and other areas to explore. It has such a nice feel about it and there is so much wildlife to see that you need to stay several days.
What a gem of a place this campground is. Set in the stunning Ormiston Gorge and Waterhole, it is a private campsite with facilities and even a kiosk/cafe. I was laid low with a heavy cold so didn't go too far along any of the tracks but just staying with my van or walking around the social areas was rewarding enough.
The short walk to the waterhole saw lots of Yellow-throated Miner, Pied Butcherbirds, Zebra Finches and Port Lincoln Ringnecks. Up to 3 Whistling Kites circled the area and I did see a Collared Sparrowhawk flyover. At the waterhole at dawn and dusk were 5 Pacific Heron and a couple of Australasian Grebes.
Port Lincoln Ringneck Parrot (Barnardius zonarius zonarius)
Pacific Heron (Ardea pacifica)
Behind the campsite was a steep hill and each morning the Spinifex Pigeons would come running down in through the bush and then dart under the vehicles, all the while making their delicious coo-ing call. They are so attractive and entertaining and to see them so close was wonderful.
The exact reason why the Spinifex Pigeon has such a long crest is still debated. It is most prominent in males and is thought to play a role in attracting mates. During courtship displays, males will raise and fan their crests, creating a visually striking display that might impress females. This could be a way for males to signal their health, fitness, and breeding potential.
Spinifex Pigeon (Geophaps plumifera)
I regularly heard a Horsfield's Cuckoo calling. It wasn't listed on eBird so I had to chase it around a bit until I scrabbled up the hill and managed to photograph it. This was the first of my 2022 trip and I was even more pleased to be able to identify it by the call alone. I have been trying to learn the bird calls this year and it has been challenging to say the least.
Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo (Chrysoccyx basalis)
At the back of my van was a very small patch of open dirt before the scrub and everyday I got different visitors. The first day was the Hooded Robin as they hunted amongst the small trees. They looked at little unkempt, in moult I think. I have seen these robins in several places but have yet to hear them calling. Weird.
Next day was a succession of doves and pigeons. Diamond and Peaceful Doves wandered past and a Spinifex Pigeon sat helpfully on a split log for me.
Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata)
The third day a Western Bowerbird sat in a nearby tree and I waited with baited breath. I had still to get a shot of one out in the open. They are usually shy of people so I stayed very still in the back of the van until it decided to explore the ground around me, including sitting on the log and showing its pink crest. Magic.
Western Bowerbird (Chlamydera guttata)
Near the visitor's centre there were flowering trees which attracted the honeyeaters. Brown and White-plumed Honeyeater were most common but at times there were numbers of Spiny-cheeked and the occasional Singing. I loved watching the Spiny-cheeked in particular as they interacted.
The Ormiston Pound walk takes you to the east of the gorge and out through low hills to the plains. It is challenging but stunning. Your return through the gorge itself clambering over a kilometre of rocks and boulders. Best not to attempt it in the heat of the day. I found this walk to be the best place to find some more of the elusive animals of the area. My target were the Dusky Grasswren which had eluded me in the main areas of the gorge. It didn't take long to find them, initially in the grass covered hills, then out in the open and yet again in the gorge. These dumpy birds were just fabulous to watch as they bounced around the rocks and grass of the Pound.
Dusky Grasswren (Amytornis purnelli)
As soon as I left the rocky hills behind and entered the plain proper, I started seeing lizards. They were everywhere and with the bright sunlight, red earth and rocks, they made great subjects.
Slater's Ring-tailed Dragon (Ctenophorus slateri)
Long-nosed Dragon (Gowidon longirostris)
The walk takes you across and along the creek and dipping my feet and hat in the water helped cool me down. There is more vegetation here but little shade. Eventually, you turn back into the gorge and have to climb over and through the boulders. Regular rests proved fruitful with more dragons, more grasswren and these stunning Painted Firetails. As a species, they have quite variable plumage but can always be relied upon to brighten up your day.
Much clambering leads you back to the waterhole where I found some cormorants. These birds were unusually tolerant of me and allowed me to get close enough for these shots. A great way to finish an exhausting walk.
Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)
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