Olwolgin Rest Area

Visited: spring

Recommendation: This free camp is a great place to search for local bush birds. It might be a tough search but I found it to be worth it.

Once I left the Nullarbor Roadhouse it really was into the wilds. Apart from the roadhouses dotted every couple of hundred kilometres, there is just nothing. I was still in high spirits as I departed into this wilderness. It seems that most people cross the Nullarbor as quickly as possible but I wanted to go a little slower. Firstly because I wanted to experience being out here and secondly because filling up with petrol every day filled me with budgetary horror! So I drove a couple of hundred kilometres a day and thankfully there were plenty of rest areas to choose from. These ranged from a layby right next to the road to more expansive areas in the bush. Olwolgin rest area is representative of one of those with views into the vast plain behind it. 

The next interesting bird I found was a group of 3-4 small thornbill like birds that I chased around for a good 30 minutes. They were interesting but wouldn't call so I really wasn't sure what they were. On looking at my photos I realised they were Redthroat, made all the more confusing as they didn't have red throats. Juveniles and females I concluded.

Redthroat (Pyrrholaemus brunneus)

I was sure that there were thornbill around at several of the rest areas and at another one, I found inland and yellow-rumped. 

After wandering around looking for more thornbill, I saw cuckooshrike swooping and diving and followed them to their nest. They didn't like me being there so I took my shots and moved on quickly.