I started this morning set up in my chair and blind on the edge of the lagoon and had a very productive morning. Probably my favorite image was that of a Black-winged Stilt (above), also sometimes called a White-headed Stilt. I have seen these birds on many occasions but this was the first time I could actually point me lens at one. Other birds that I was able to photograph this morning included Red-kneed Dotterel, Black-fronted Dotterel, and a Baillon's Crake. I also figured out where I will set up tomorrow to photograph some of the Woodswallows that are coming in to drink.
In the afternoon, I joined a young man who is working on his PhD on the Hall's Babbler. We spent several hours checking a handful of nests and then taking measurements and data on the chicks that we found. It was a pleasure to spend some time in the Mulga with someone who knows a lot about the habitat as well as the birds that live there. I had never seen Hall's Babblers before and they were one of my target birds for this portion of the trip so it was great to see them.
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