Coober Pedy

Visited: winter and spring

Recommendation: I have had very good success at one spot in Coober Pedey. The other hotspots I researched were a bust. I would like to explore here further.

Coober Pedy is a town I have heard of. I know it to be the centre of opal mining and that Hamish and Andy once visited it. I wasn't sure really what to expect and was quite amazed as I drove closer to the town by the thousands of mounds of earth, between 2 and 5 metres I estimated, dotting the landscape. Every now and again there were large mine operations and there was just no doubt what the main industry is here. As I drove into town, to my surprise there were more mounds and machinery in gardens

The centre of town caused me much amusement with it's underground motels. I had recently watched the Flintstones movies and the area reminded me of Bedrock! I wondered which town was based on which. I couldn't decide whether to shop for opals or visit 'The Big Winch'. I settled for the sewage farm.

There are 2 sewage farms listed on eBird, another Coober Pedy oddity perhaps. I went to the one with the most recent listings (I couldn't find the other anyway, looked like it had been turned into a sports arena) and found the dog pound. I was sensing a pattern of weirdness in Coober Pedy. Anyway, opposite the pound was a long, thin stretch of water with lots of reeds. I could see swallows swooping along it and could hear the peep peep of dotterels so I knew it was worth a look.

I first found a white-backed Australasian Magpie. I shot it because I have only seen black-backed in the east. A southern Australia anomaly? On the wire above it was a female Red-capped Robin.

In the reeds I could hear fairywren and waited patiently for them to pop up. My luck was in as a male White-winged Fairywren sat up to sing. What an incredible bird. I had trouble processing this image because of the bright colours. I hope I have done it justice.

This area proved to be the best spot in Coober Pedey and while it might have looked a bit odd as I poked around in what looked very much like run-off, the birds kept me coming back. On my next visit, the flowering trees inside the perimeter of the treatment plant were full of honeyeaters. The Spiny-cheeked was as loud and gregarious as its plumage always suggests it should be. However, my eye was taken by the White-fronted which is one of the most unusual looking in the honeyeater family (even compared to the Spiny-cheeked!). 

The White-fronted Honeyeater's unique appearance is likely an adaptation to its arid environment. Its muted colors and patterns might help it blend in with the dry, scrubby landscapes it inhabits, providing protection from predators. Next, the shape of its bill and the placement of its eyes could help it regulate body temperature in the hot, Australian climate. The long, curved bill is undoubtedly ideal for reaching nectar from flowers, a primary food source in its habitat.

White-fronted Honeyeater (Purnella albifrons)