The first flush of dawn is lightening the Eastern Sky near Uluru. The desert appears amost flat to the horizon; the low sandhills providing almost no topographical relief. Uluru itself glows dully with the approaching dawn. The half light reveals a landscape of red sand, spinifex grasses and stunted bushes. Yet this seemingly inhospitable country is home to an extraordinary abundance of birdlife.

Across the sandhills, the desert is awakening; coming alive with birdsong. As our recording begins, much of what you hear comes from the varied calls of Crimson Chats. These tiny and spectacularly coloured birds are one of the most common in this arid country. Mostly their calls comprise of high twitters and little whistles (0.00 throughout), but they also have a very sweet multi-syllable song (1.16, 1.23, 1.29, 1.41...). Quite often the outback landscape is filled with their soft little calls, although you may not be aware of them because they are so delicate as to be almost subliminal. You can hear them at various times throughout this track.

Variegated Fairy-wrens are also common, and equally spectacularly coloured, little birds. They announce their territory with a silvery ripple or trilling reel (1.26, 1.46, 2.02...). Only the dominant male in each family group has the full irridescant blue plumage, the females being quite dapper and drab. We call them 'flying mice'; anyone who knows how a group of Fairy-wrens will flutter low from one bush to another with plump little bodies and long tails trailing, will understand why! Later you can hear their scratchy contact calls (between 5.30-6.30).

A pair of White-fronted Honeyeaters call from two bushes nearby. They are nomadic birds and feed on the desert grevillias which bloom here. They have a spectacular dawn song, comprising whips!, chips!, wheezy, metallic trills, and sounds that defy description, but would humble an electronic synthesizer, or perhaps 'R2D2' on high voltage! (3.02 on to about 3.50, when forground bird flies to a bush further away, and then it and another bird can be heard 'in duet'). And they are loud - up close they make your ears ring. They also have an evocative little 'dup', contact call (several around 2.56 - 3.00 as first bird flies in) which are heard here interspersed within their song.

White-browed Babblers have the most amusing calls; they grizzle and 'mieow' at each other as they move around (4.53, 5.08, 5.16, ... 5.42, 5.57, 6.18, ...), occasionally getting quite worked up. They are always found in family groups of a dozen or less birds, and their vocal antics act to keep the group together as they forage among low bushes. In the outback are also found Grey-crowned Babblers (hear them on 'Spirit of the Outback'), which mostly frequent rocky gorge or watercourse country; the White-browed's being more often open country birds.

The sun is beginning to rise above the horizon. Circling incessantly in the air above are dozens of Masked Woodswallows, giving their pleasant raspy 'chap!'s and sparrow-like calls on the wing (from around 7.30 to the end of the track, but omnipresent around 8.00-8.50). They form gregarious and noisy flocks, and alternate between aerial feeding, and perching in groups, often on the branches of a dead mulga bush. They are also known as Blue Martins, as they have a lovely blue-grey plummage, and their aerial behaviour resembles that of Martins or Swallows.

Pied Honeyeaters are also nomadic blossum feeders, and in our experience, are often found together with closely related Black Honeyeaters. Pied Honeyeaters have a soft and toneful little call; a succesion of 'morse code' like whistles (most prominently 9.34, 9.40, 9.45, 9.48, 9.52...). These are given from an exposed perch almost incessantly during the breeding season. Every few minutes the male embarks on a spectacular songflight, fluttering upwards and calling loudly, hovering around a hundred feet up in the air, before folding his wings and plummeting head first (still calling), to dive into another bush at the last minute.

There are many other species to be heard in the background of this track; a Willy Wagtail (repetatively at beginning 0.15, 0.20, 0.24, 0.28, 0.33...), Spiney-cheeked Honeyeaters (dawn song a soft, quick series of whistles notes, descending slightly; in background 0.26-0.30, 0.35-0.38, 0.42-0.46, 0.50-0.54 ...), Crested Bellbirds (1.39...heard better on next track), a Pied Butcherbird (tuneful melody way off in distance, from 2.19 - about 6.00), a Weebill (very subliminally 5.32, 5.40), Budgerigars; small flocks flying past (you can just hear their wing noise, 6.42-50) and a single bird taking off and flying after them (6.49-53), a White-winged Triller (repeated calls, noticably in middle distance 7.52-7.57, 8.09-8.16, ...), and lastly a Brown Songlark giving his twangy songflight (flying past from 9.06-9.30 and in bg 9.55-10.14, overhead 9.11-9.24).

Mulga woodlands are found throughout central Australia and are dominated by the, yes you guessed it, the mulga tree. It is a squat bush with blueish foliage, and often has a 'V' shape to it, a bit like an upturned umbrella. Mulga country is a haven for birdlife, and there is an extensive belt of Mulgas around the base of Uluru. This is the dawn chorus from these woodlands.

Crested Bellbirds are characteristic of the Outback, with their lovely bell-like calls (from beginning of track throughout, but prominently 0.27-0.48). Its interesting to note a similarity with the 'morse code' calls of Pied Honeyeaters, however the Bellbirds have a more full bodied tone to their voices, and the pattern of notes is always in the same rhythm. There is something else about Bellbird calls; when you hear them it is quite impossible to tell where the bird is actually calling from - they are quite ventriloqual. Their ringing tones seem to come from the landscape all around you. Notice also how they change the pitch of their calls; same pattern, different note.

I want to point out something which on first listening may sound quite un-natural; almost like a gunshot perhaps. It is actually a Western Bowerbird (0.06, 0.09, 0.11). Like all Bowerbirds they are accomplished mimics and all round vocal acrobats. Their repertoire of sounds can be quite astonishing, and on this occasion you can hear one in the middle distance creating a kind of explosive rasp. To hear more of the Western Bowerbird, have a listen to our 'Spirit of the Outback' CD; there he imitates a Brown Flacon and a Whistling Kite, as well as creating some more vocal pyrotechnics.

Also to be heard on this track is a diversity of Mulga woodland birdsong, including; a Pallid Cuckoo, sometimes called a brain-fever bird because of its habit of calling throughout the night in this repetative way (upward semitones 0.21-0.25, 0.39-0.42 ...), a Rufous Whistler, another vocal acrobat with a wonderful repertoire of silvery rippling songs and whipping 'eee-chap!' calls (throughout, ...closer at 4.10-12, 4.23, 4.28, 4.34, ...), Diamond Doves (0.49-0.51, 0.55, 0.59-1.01, 1.06 ... 3.53 ...), Zebra Finches ('Zzzzing' chatter from 0.56-1.55. 'zzat, zzat' calls, softly from around 6.00, closer by 7.00-8.00, flying away 8.09-8.14), the 'dup's of White-fronted Honeyeaters again (nearby at 1.09-1.12), the high whistles (noticably around 1.03-1.19) and song (6.39, 6.45) of Crimson Chats, a tiny Yellow-rumped Thornbill (6.19, 6.27 ... 7.26, 7.29), and a family of Variegated Fairy-wrens (3.46, 4.11-4.16). In the distance can be heard a White-winged Triller, Budgerigars, Rainbow Bee-eaters, Spiney-cheeked Honeyeaters, and in the far, far distance, a Grey-shrike Thrush.

It is now mid-morning, and from the Ironwood trees around the base of the rock comes the gentle song of cicadas. I'm not certain, but I believe what are hearing are Macrotristria hillieri, a small black cicada found only in central Australia.

Circling in the air between the trees are Rainbow Bee-eaters. Sometimes also called Rainbowbirds, they are spectacularly coloured with irridescent blues, greens, yellows and oranges. As they hawk for insects they give a pleasant trilling call (0.27, 0.36, 0.40... 0.47, 0.51...).

Also to be heard here are the 'chick-o-wee' calls of White-plumed Honeyeaters (eg; 0.13, 1.20, 3.01), a Little Woodswallow circling in the air above (upslurred 'zzat' 2.21, 3.25, 3.31, 3.36) and a Torresian Crow flies past (0.25-0.27). Also in the distance is a Grey-shrike Thrush (... 3.20...).

Desert Oaks are stately trees that are a distinctive part of the central Australian landscape. There are small stands in the vicinity of Uluru, and extensive woodlands of them as you drive between Uluru and Kings Canyon, or near the junction with the Sturt Highway. They are members of the cassuarina family, and their foliage hangs down in a graceful way that may remind one of willows. The outback winds create a wonderful sighing sound as they pass through the foliage of these trees, and standing amongst them one feels that the whole landscape is murmering and whispering.

When white explorers first began penetrating into Australia, they found many watercourses apparently running inland. This lead them to believe in and search for a fabulous inland sea. As we now know, they were mistaken, sometimes tragically so. But as you sit in the shade of the Desert Oaks, you can hear them sighing like some distant, lost ocean.

This track features some of the most delightful birdsong to be heard in Central Australia. Thornbills are a family of small birds that are found in a diversity of habitats from rainforest through to the most arid deserts. They are often seen in small flocks of a dozen or so, as with the animated group of Chestnut-rumped Thornbills heard here (sharp downwards whistles and chatter, around 1.28 through to about 3.50). By contrast, Yellow-rumped Thornbills are a more solitary species, often occuring in pairs - or at least they are in the outback. In more temperate environments they are usually found in small flocks as well. They have a pleasant tinkling twitter (0.13-0.15, 0.21, 0.30, 0.35 ...).

Gerygones (a Greek word meaning 'born of sound', and pronounced 'jer-Rig-o-nee', to rhyme with 'Persephone') are related to the Thornbills and like them are small plainly-plumaged birds. However, whilst their plumage is ordinary, their voices are gorgeous. Gerygones generally give a delicate, silvery, falling cadence of notes. It is the Western Gerygone you hear on this track (6.42-6.48, 7.00-7.07, 7.20-7.25, ...). The closely related White-throated Gerygone has a similar call, and can be heard on our 'Morning in the Australian Bush' album.

Australia is home to a family of Robins, either red (or pink), white, or yellow-breasted birds, which, although not related to European Robins, do look similar enough to have earned them the name. Of the red-breasted Robins, it is the male Red-capped Robin who has the most vivid plumage. This bird is the outback representative of this family, and is also distinguished by a remarkable call; telephones should sound as tuneful as this (... 4.48 - 6.24 ...). This recording features a few Robins calling at once, which is a rarity as they are often seen only in pairs. The effect of them all calling at once is lovely though.

Another feature of this track is the brief few calls of a pair of White-backed Swallows as they fly overhead with soft scratchy calls (approaching from 9.58, overhead around 9.13-9.17) . They are also outback birds, often found far from water. A Black-faced Woodswallow, similar in habits and call to the Masked Woodswallows heard on track one, but somewhat less in the habit of flocking than the Masked, is heard here too (from 9.02 - 9.42 ...).

Also to be heard in the background of this track are a Pink Cockatoo (0.46), Mulga Parrots (0.51, flying off by around 1.10), a Kestrel (plaintive trilling in distance 1.23 - 1.30, 1.32-1.43), causing alarm for a Grey Butcherbird (1.19), and a Ringneck Parrot (1.20 -1.26) , a Willy Wagtail (1.54, 2.37, ...3.58, 4.22, 4.28, 4.30 & 4.38), Galahs (2.13, , Crimson Chats (as always; they're hiding in the background of all the Thornbill chatter around 3.00-4.00, but with a song prominently at 9.47 and 9.51), and in the far distance, a Spiney-cheeked Honeyeater, Crested Bellbird, Rufous Whistler, and a White-winged Triller.

At the base of Uluru, at the head of a shallow gorge, lies the shady waterhole known as Mutijulu. It is a permanent source of water, and a haven for the local wildlife. After rains water flows off the rock, and continues to do so for many days, diminishing to a tiny trickle which is barely audable. This is what you hear on this recording.

In the background is a Grey-headed Honeyeater (2.28, 2.48, 3.02), and in the distance a Rufous Songlark (2.43, 3.05), both of which roost in the Ironwoods which are found in the shelter of the rock at this place.

Ikari Cave, sometimes known as Smiley Cave because it resembles a huge smiling mouth, is one of the massive erosion caves on the face of Uluru. It is on the South side, a few hundred metres to the East of Mutijulu. The cool shelter it provides is home to bats (some quiet, and very high frequency, calls around 2.09-2.11, 2.18-2.24, 2.48, 2.53, 3.30, and some louder ones around 3.54-3.57 and 4.30), crickets, and as heard here, dozens of Fairy Martins.

Fairy Martins are related to swallows; small aerial feeding birds who spend most of their day on the wing, circling and swooping in loose flocks. As they enter the cave where they nest and roost, their twittering calls reverberate off the rock walls (0.07, 0.18-0.23 and throughout).

If you listen closely (and especially with headphones) you can hear that one microphone is facing into the cave and captures the reverberation, the other is pointing out of the cave and you can hear the sounds of distant birsong coming up from the surrounding plains. This includes at the beginning, a Brown Falcon (0.01, 0.05, 0.08-0.11, 1.06, 1.08, 1.16, ...), then Brown Songlarks, a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike (0.45), Diamond Doves (throughout), Budgerigars, and the piping of a Red-backed Kingfisher.

As late afternoon comes to the rock, Uluru gradually deepens in colour, and by sunset lights up the most vivid fiery red. Close up to the rock, and the sheltered area of Kuntju Gorge is a good place to experience this, the colours dominate the senses. In many ways we think this is a more spectacular way of experiencing the sunset at Uluru than from a distance.

Crickets chirrup from the long grasses around the waterhole, and Yellow-throated Miners can be heard noisily and gregariously in the background (throughout, but approaching by around 2.24 - 2.39, with group calls around 3.11-3.14, 3.22-3.30, ...4.03-4.13). A Little Woodswallow circles high above (0.11, 0.15, 0.19, 0.21, 0.23, 0.27, 0.31 ...), following the contours of the rock wall.

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes are commonly seen around the base of the rock, and have a pleasant trilling song. Here a pair of them can be heard, one perched close by (0.40, 0.46, 0.51, ...1.30, 1.33, 1.39, ... 2.05 ...) and the other further away, before they both fly off (2.21).

The song of a Pied Butcherbird echoes warmly off the sheer walls of Kantju Gorge (3.00, 3.09, 3.17, ...). Pied Butcherbirds have the most serene and etherial of all Australian birdsong, and in the outback, you hear their purest dialect. Either in the vast open spaces of the plains, or echoing within narrow gorges and ravines, they are spectacular, and a feature of any inland experience. The opening and closing tracks of our 'Spirit of the Outback' album feature them recorded in the vast acoustic of Ormiston Gorge. You can also hear a juvenile bird softly in the foreground (2.38, 2.48, 2.57, 3.01).

Now we move to Kata Tjuta, also known as The Olgas, an awesome collection of ancient rock domes that emerge from the sandplains some 40km West of Uluru. Between the domes are narrow ravines and valleys, with eucalypts growing along mostly dry creek beds. This recording was made around the gorge known as the 'Valley of the Winds'.

High overhead the wind is blowing, roaring against the rock domes with a sound like that of distant surf. A pair of Kestrels are nesting on a ledge high up the rock wall, and their trilling cries are heard as they fly up to their nest (0.21-0.46, 1.00-1.02).

Birdsong echoes up and down the rocky ravines. The Grey Shrike-thrush is a beautiful songster, and here his voice is amplfied and softened by the Olgas (0.13, 0.54, 1.04, 1.12, 1.25... 3.15 & 3.26, 3.38, 3.47...).

Also heard are a Grey-headed Honeyeater (4.06), the steady booming of a Common Bronzewing Pigeon (2.35-3.37), and in the distance, a Mistletoebird (1.38, 1.45, 1.50, 1.55, 2.00-2.03, 2.08, ...), a Painted Finch as it flies by (2.30), and a pair of Budgerigars (around 2.30-2.46).

As darkness falls we return to Mutijulu. Crickets and katydids chirrup loudly in the warm evening air. The shady, moist environment around the waterhole encourages extensive areas of long grasses. From these, after rains, can be heard the tapping calls of Shoemaker Frogs. You can hear where this name comes from!

As darkness falls, we conclude with the gentle sounds of crickets at the base of Uluru.

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