This is the last of my posts from our recent trip out west into the Great Outback, and I’ve left the best to last. Like almost all my postings from this trip, this is a first sighting for me.

While I was wondering around on Mungo Lodge, on the outskirts of Lake Mungo, a beautiful, mournful whistle seemed to follow me. At first I thought a person was whistling. (There were other people taking photos in the area.)

Eventually, after ducking under the low branches of trees and taking plentiful photos and videos, I found the whistler: A Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater. Even then, I wasn’t sure, and asked for confirmation on r/AustralianBirds.

Here’s a Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater:

They’re distinctive-looking birds, with that pink line extending from the beak under the eye, a pale blue eye, and a cinnamon-yellow chest.

This video is a bit shaky, but shows one of the birds singing. The call that particularly struck me is the five-note, falling whistle, at 13 seconds into the video and then again at 25 seconds:

In the next video, it’s not as clear which birds are making the call, but there are some nice instances of the call itself, especially from 32 seconds into the video:

Another still shot of one of the birds:

Common name: Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
Scientific name: Acanthagenys rufogularis
Approximate length: 23-26 cm
Date spotted: 20-21 May 2024 (autumn)
Location: Mungo Lodge, Mungo National Park, New South Wales, Australia: 33°44’31.4″S 143°00’06.1″E