Quick resume of our birding in central Oz: Arrived Ayers Rock early evening and collected the hire cars for our Tropical Birding group for the next few days. Driving one each, we headed across the desert towards Mount Ebenezer with the most spectacular sunset over Ayers Rock in the rear-view mirror. As darkness fell, we dodged the kangaroos in the middle of the road and reached the roadhouse 2 hours later. Dawn on 14th and we were checking out the mulgar scrub near the highway but high winds made birding tough, though we had very close and engaging views of Variegated Fairy-Wren. Headed north to Alice Springs where we called in briefly at the landfill site and sewage works, plenty of birds here but distant views. Red-necked Avocets were the best. Then off to the airport to pick up Iain Campbell and the rest of the TB group. Another night drive took us out to Glen Helen, which in daylight proved to be a very attractive resort below a desert cliff with rare water running by. Birding in the West McDonnell Ranges on 15th we concentrated our efforts on Ormiston Gorge and the spinifex habitat. The undoubted highlight here was a very confiding Spinifexbird. We also enjoyed close up views of Western Bowerbirds. A short drive took us to a dry riverbed and the nest site of a pair of gorgeous Major Mitchell's (Pink) Cockatoos.A 4am start saw us once again dodging kangaroos on the road back to Alice, where we had arranged access to the sewage works for dawn. This time on the inside of the fence, the birding proved amazing. The settling pools were heaving with birds, not just waterfowl and waders - though great to work through flocks of those again - and we also added White-winged Fairy-Wren and Little Grassbird. Of course, we couldn't resist scanning through the waders where Sharp-tailed Sandpiper was the common bird. We also picked out a single Latham's Snipe, a good local record. Amongst the ducks, our favourite was undoubtedly the Pink-eared Duck - what a stunner with its striped flanks, pale eye and shoveller-like bill. Many thanks to Jim and Barbara for allowing us access to this brilliant site and taking the time out to accompany us around.Back in the car again, driving back towards Ebenezer and we have to pull over fast several times to catch up with raptors overhead, adding most of inland Australia's raptors !Bird species total: 3431, only 232 to go!Posted 16th October, Erldunda, on the Stuart Highway, central Australia