It seems pronounced (coonjee).
The Innamincka Trading Post should know!
And the Ranger!
It varies from "graded last year" to "a bit soft" via "clay that's been wet and rutted".
Even some corrugations.
It heads west at first, over a few dunes.
Then north between dunes.
Easy going really, 4th and 5th gear.
In the old days there was a way further north along a rabbit tracker's track.
Hoping for a camp site on the spit.
There is a booking system. We have a desert parks pass so no vehicle or camping charge. Just an invoice for $0. The nearest internet is Birdsville. It took longer to book than it does to set up our camp. There have only been a couple of other campers besides us. Now we are here we'd like to stay a bit longer than planned.
Later met the Ranger. Haven't got round to numbering the sites yet. And doesn't have a password so can't check our booking.
The system does seem a bit over the top and unnecessarily inconvenient.
We'll try to catch a better photo later ....
On speaking terms with the Brolgas.
On close examination this is a black faced wood swallow.
Less black than the masked wood swallow.
New growth a bright green.
The peas are peas in pods.
They flew a short distance.
Apparently a red kneed dotterel.
Water hens to us ...
A bird of some sort.
The water birds seem to be safe on the water or the edge.
This desirable self contained single roomed flat with all mod cons and attached wheels is situated on prime lakeside land with numerous recreational opportunities.
We prefer "lucky". We have a perfect mobile bird hide.
The lakes are a Ramsar listed Wetland.
Keen to wake us to enjoy the sunrise with them. A trifle raucous.
We thanked them profusely.
Once we'd got used to the idea of being awake at dawn.
During the day they occasionally take flight en masse.
Usually when bird of prey passes by.
But not yet to us.
If we open the door they casually swim gently away, keeping their distance, as waterbirds worldwide seem to do.
We are amused at the height difference in the four trees on the spit.
Presumably they started growing at different times as the spit extended.
We haven't previously been close enough to really see the colours.
In all the places we've traveled this is really the first time the markings and colours have been visible to us.
The slightly odd beaks have fine grooves.
Or perhaps just happens to land close to us, then proceeds to ignore us.
A yellow billed spoonbill to be more precise ...
A little different to the royal spoonbill which has a dark blue bill.
It waded ever closer to us.
Seemingly oblivious to our presence.
Along with an appropriate control system.
There seems to be coordination between taking a pace forward and moving the beak to the same side .... or was it the opposite side? I must watch more closely......
Definitely same side!
Endless motion. Occasionally breaking the rhythm to chase something. A sophisticated control system.
Which got closer than others, but is still shy.
Easy to recognise once we identified them at the Eyre Creek billabong.
They waddled out of the bush.
And proceeded to have a fight.
Most likely a black duck.
This bit of rock is not from around here.
The scallops and sharp edge suggest to us a human hand at work.
We'd expect some artefacts associated with the middens.
Just that we don't expect us to be the ones to find them.
Similar to Peter's find on the French Line its proud of the hard crust rather than in soft sand.
And, though we didn't try to open it, possibly the circular entrance of trap door spider's hole.
We must open one of the pods.
And down to lake level this time.
To follow the lake shore southwards.
This little fellow kept the prescribed distance away.
Just at the limit of the camera lens.
There's been one hopping around the truck but too fast for me.
They looked like they were there to discourage people driving on to the shore.
I was already on the shore. I don't recall walking backwards.
I was a bit surprised there may be a track.
There was.
An old one, right through the middle of this midden.
Maybe there were so many people here at mussel eating time they couldn't all fit in one place.
On the surface the middens are mussel shells and sand.
One can imagine also cooking duck for supper.
Perhaps from the nest I saw earlier on the spit.
There have been up to three chasing each other.
It must be fun learning to fly.
Clouds have arrived. High cloud as we had in the Simpson Desert.
The barometer says 1015 hPa (which is like mBar) and the weather forecast I hear snippets of at 05:30 each morning says there is a high pressure area moving slowly through Adelaide and Victoria.
I conclude rain is unlikely.
Did I mention radio reception is limited to the hours of darkness. And then its a bit iffy.
Its that time of the evening where birds can have fun.
Turned right (west) along the track which follows the southern shore.
Found the junction with the track we followed to the end of the spit.
There's a high spot in the dunes.
We are camped on the right just before the end of the spit. The four trees are visible.
It would be so easy to become lost in the dunes.
How better to end a fascinating day at the lake.