Visited: winter
Recommendation: You will be here because you are travelling through the area. Check local records to see if there is anything interesting about.
Birding at Marla was a great example of the power of citizen science to find great spots. I was staying at the caravan park attached to the roadhouse and had walked through the sandy areas to the side of it. I heard small bush birds singing but struggled to locate them. On Google Maps, I saw a large pond on the other side of the park and headed there, only to find out it was a sports oval!
I turned to eBird and checked local listings. An ephemeral pond was registered across the highway and the next morning, very early I headed out to find it. Although it was obviously drying up, it was attracting a decent number of birds.
Small groups of Crested Pigeons sat close to the water and cooed gently. They were reluctant to come down to drink while I was there.
Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes)
It is very common to see the Black-fronted Dotterel where ever water is present. They scurry around the edges looking for food in pairs or small groups. I was very pleased that this bird stood still enough for me to get its reflection.
Also present was the much larger and much less common Red-kneed Dotterel. I never know whether to be irritated or amused by the odd naming of birds and this one is typical. Not a red-knee in sight, instead it actually has pinkish legs.
Black-fronted Dotterel (Charadrius melanops)
Red-kneed Dotterel (Erythrogonys cinctus)
Scattered across the open area beyond the water was a family of White-winged Triller - 2 adults and 2 juveniles. Trillers are members of the cuckooshrike family and their buzzy call fits right in with them. This species is a common and widespread species in Australia. It is a medium-sized bird with a black head and upperparts, white wings, and a grey-brown underbelly. It is a skilled hunter and feeds on a variety of insects, including beetles, grasshoppers, and moths. Great to see it in action.
White-winged Triller (Lalage tricolor)
Juvenile birds are often tricky and I found myself looking at a rufous coloured shrikethrush. I knew it had to be a Grey Shrikethrush but its tones were so rich and red.
Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica)