The Birdsville Track is one of the more famous outback tracks in Australia. It was originally a stock route that was created as an alternative to the Strzlecki Track because it had more permenant water holes. Since the track runs through a series of deserts, these watering stations were a necessity for stock. Every 50 kilometers or so is a bore that is essentially a well dug down to the Artesian Basin where an enormous amount of pressurized water can be found. Since the water is under pressure it continuously flows to the surface and also is hot. Large pools allow the water to cool and stock and wildlife to drink it.
Most travellers on the Birdsville and other desert tracks, especially those interested in wildlife, travel from bore to bore. This was my plan as well and my destination for today was Mungerannie Station. At Mungerannie, the bore has spilled over and created a small wetland where hundreds of birds come in to roost. When Iarrived I found I was photographing ducks in the middle of a desert, quite a strange experience.
In the evening, Iwas amazed at the sheer number of Little Corellas and Galahs that came in to roost. As I sat down to read and work on the day's photos, the noise was deafening. I would guess that well over a thousand Corellas and probably half that many Galahs have descended onto the trees surrounding the wetland. My only hope is that by the time I am ready for bed they setlle down a bit and get quiet.
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