Travelling in the Outback is constantly throwing up unforgettable experiences. Many grey nomads are surprised at how often these experiences involve encounters with Australia’s incredible array of wildlife and birdlife. And then, of course – just occasionally – there are those special, unique moments when they may be lucky enough just to be in the right place at the right time to see something really, really special.
Wildlife photographer Steve Pearce considers himself privileged to have been at a secret waterhole in Central Australia to see a budgie murmuration with more than 8,000 birds swarming. Thousands of the green and yellow budgies apparently twisted and turned in a stunning acrobatic display.
“I was very lucky to be close around Alice Springs and be in the right place at the right time to catch something spectacular, budgie murmuration,” Mr Peace told the ABC. “This is only the second time I’ve seen them … they are remarkable and mesmerising and fantastic, as you could imagine.”
Mr Pearce said that although budgies are very green, when they move and are backlit by the sun, they become very dark.
“You’ll see these bright green, intense flashes of light ripple through this cloud of birds as they turn, and that bright green will turn to a very dark colour or even to maybe a black,” he said. “So it’s like a wave of colour moving through these birds that are flying through the sky as they change direction.”
Mr Pearce said the number of birds in the flock was hard to a gauge although he would estimate it at somewhere around 8,000 or 10,000.
7 Whales courting at the Great Australian Bight in WA 3 years ago, the noise they made and all the jumping wow, no fees in sight all for free, all at the right time & place
At Marble bar a couple of years ago at Chinaman Lagoon – Thousands of Corellas. Mesmerising sight.
Recently on Stradbroke Island Amity point park a mother Koala walked right upto me with her new born baby on her back allowing me to get some great photos.
Barkly station hosts budgies, from memory they were blue.
Live out there is so good .keep safe remember you only live once .enjoy
we were at ellendale lake W A some years ago and witnessed the same sight
It was a thrilling ezperience
Can anyone out there tell me where budgies are swarming.
I made a promise to a friend that if possible i would take him to this event if possible. He has terminal cancer and I need to know soonest where this is happening.
Thanks,
Mike.