Non-passerines cont'd
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Four birds flushed from mangroves at New Beach on the 1st, and a couple near
the Monkey Mia visitors centre on the 3rd.
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
A number of individuals seen at New Beach on the 1st and 2nd, and at the
Murchison River estuary near Kalbarri on the 5th.
Grey-tailed Tattler Heteroscelus brevipes
A number of birds feeding on exposed sand flats at New Beach on the 5th.
Ruddy Turnstone Areneria interpres
A small flock present at the salt lakes on Rottnest Island on the 19th. Then
not seen until a single at New Beach on the 2nd. A couple near Denham on the
3rd, and present at Oyster Reef (5th) and on the beach south of Cervantes
on the 6th.
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris
About half a dozen birds were roosting between Denham and Little Lagoon on
the 3rd.
Sanderling Calidris alba
A single bird on the salt lakes at Rottnest on the 19th.
Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
A small flock at the wader roost near Denham on the 3rd.
Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris
First seen feeding near the road at the settlement on Rottnest Island on the
19th. A few individuals seen around the south west corner on the 22nd and
23rd, but proved commoner in the New Beach/Denham area. A pair was also seen
on the beach south of Cervantes on the 6th, to total eight days all up.
Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus
Common around the south west corner, being seen on four consecutive days
between Dunsborough and Albany, including Two People?s Bay. Also seen around
the cliffs near Kalbarri on the 5th and 6th.
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
A pair first seen at a farm dam near Tammin, East of Northam on the 30th.
Then seen at a number of swamps on the following tow days, including behind
Miaboolia Beach at Carnarvon. About 10 were also present at the swamp near
Greenough on the 6th.
Banded Stilt Cladorhynchus leucocephalus
A large flock (200+) on the salt lakes on Rottnest Island (19th)
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
Two birds seen in the Murchison River estuary at Kalbarri on the 5th, and a
single bird seen on a beach south of Cervantes the following day.
Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus
A few birds were present on the salt lakes on Rottnest Island on the 19th,
and otherwise seen only around the Little Lagoon near Denham on the 2nd and
3rd.
Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii
One individual seen at New Beach on the 1st and about a dozen at the wader
roost near Denham on the 3rd.
Black-fronted Dotterel Elseyornis melanops
Two birds seen at a creek crossing east of Eneabba (south of Dongara) on the
31st were the only ones seen.
Banded Lapwing Vanellus tricolor
At least four lapwings were present on the first fairway of the Rottnest
Island golf course on the 19th and a single bird flew over the road east of
Geraldton on the 31st.
Pacific Gull Larus pacificus
Common around the south west between Dunsborough and Two People?s Bay, but
also seen as far north as Geraldton and Kalbarri on a total of eight days.
Silver Gull Larus novaehollandiae
One of the commonest species for the trip, recorded on 20 days, usually near
the coast.
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia
Two birds were seen off Quaranup Road near Albany on the 25th. However
proved more common north of Perth, including Geraldton, Carnarvon and Denham
to be seen on seven days.
Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis
A number of birds were roosting with Crested and Caspian Terns south of the
visitors centre at Monkey Mia on the 3rd.
Crested Tern Sterna bergii
Commonest north of Perth (recorded on 14 days including eight straight from
the 31st), but also seen around the south west coast including Rottnest
Island on the 19th.
Rock Dove Columba livia
Often present in urban areas including Perth, Carnarvon and Denham, and seen
on 11 days.
Spotted Turtle-dove Stretopelia chinensis
The last species added to the trip list, though probably due to poor
observation. Seen at Lake Herdsman on the 7th, before another was seen the
next day, perched on powerlines in front of the house I had stayed at three
weeks earlier.
Laughing Turtle-dove Streptopelia senegalensis
Common in Perth, but also seen as far north as Northampton (on the 6th) and
as far east as Albany (26th), eventaully being recorded on 11 days.
Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata
Five were seen perched in a shrub near Hamelin Pools on the 2nd.
Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida
At least two were calling at the Murchison River crossing on the 4th.
Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
The most regularly recorded pigeon, with sightings on 13 days. First seen
near Pingelly on the 20th, then near Albany on the 25th. Then seen everyday
north from the wheatbelt, except for in the immediate area around Kalbarri
on the 5th.
Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera
Commonest in the south west, including Dryandra, coastal heath at Cape
Naturaliste, and at Stirling Ranges NP. Really only seen north of Perth at
Kalbarri NP on the 5th, and recorded on 11 days all up.
Brush Bronzewing Phaps elegans
A single female was seen (after much searching) on the road leading to
Fitzgerald River NP on the 29th. Another bird was seen on the road between
Cervantes and the Pinnacles on the 7th.
Red-tailed Black-cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii
Only observed on four occasions, with four seen quietly feeding in a tree in
Bungendore Park on the 20th, and two seen in a tree between Manjimup and
Lake Muir on the 24th. A small flock was seen near the Kalbarri turnoff on
the 1st, and two more were seen just down this road from the Highway on the
4th.
Long-billed Black-cockatoo Calyptorhynchus baudinii
I had recorded White-tailed Black-cockatoos on a previous trip to Perth
previously, but was not certain which species they were after the split, so
I was keen to track them down again. I had difficulty with birds flying,
though found habitat useful (virtually all Long-billeds were in Marri
forest) and thought I could tell the calls eventually (the Short-billed
being closest to the Yellow-tailed on the east coast).
A huge (200+) flock was seen at Wungong Dam on the 20th, and seen on three
consecutive days in the south west corner. The most northerly of the six
days sightings was just to the north of Northam.
Short-billed Black-cockatoo Calyptorhynchus latirostris
Seen on one less day than the previous species, with the first sightings of
a about 100 birds feeding in pine trees west of Albany on the 25th and was
common around Two People?s Bay. Seen just to the south of Geraldton on the
31st, and a large flock was also present at Yanchep NP.
*Western Corella Cacatua pastinator
Proved more widespread than expected. First seen about 200 metres along
Thompson?s Lane on the western side of Lake Muir on the 24th. Three distant
birds seen on the ground near Tammin appeared to be this species, and the
following day a number of flocks were seen through the wheat belt, including
at New Norcia. Three birds were also seen in a paddock to the east of
Cervantes on the 7th.
Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea
Only seen in Carnarvon township, on both the 1st and 2nd.
Galah Eulophus roseicapillus
Seen on sixteen days, absent really only from the moist south west corner,
and the Denham township area.
Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus
A small flock was seen just north of Wooramel Roadhouse on the 2nd and
another was seen near Kalbarri on the 5th.
Purple-crowned Lorikeet Glossopsitta porphyrocephala
Luckily I had seen these before, because the birds seen were all seen in
tall Karri trees which were in flower, and were virtually impossible to get
good views of. Around Pemberton on the 23rd they were seen at the
Bicentennial Tree and roadside to the north of town. A small flock was near
the picnic area in the Porongorups National Park on the 27th.
Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
The Perth feral population was seen on four days.
Australian Ringneck Barnardius zonarius
Seen on 16 days, though not north of the Murchison River crossing or in the
immediate Albany area.
*Elegant Parrot Neophema elegans
A number of birds were seen at both the Ochre Trail and Gura Road Junction
in Dryandra on the 23rd. Common in the unburnt mallee area in the Stirling
Ranges National Park, and a single bird seen flying over the road south east
of Wave Rock, brought the count to four days.
Rock Parrot Neophema petrophila
A pair was seen at the end of the track at Madfish Bay, in William Bay NP on
25th.
Western Rosella Platycercus icterotis
First seen at the Button-Quail site in Dryandra on the 23rd, and eventually
seen on six days, including Lake Muir, the Albany area and Stirling Ranges
NP. About six birds flew along the track for about 300 metres around the
summit of Nancy Peak on the 27th.
*Red-capped Parrot Purpureicephalus spurius
The first eight ticks on the 20th, a pair flying over the carpark at Wugong
Gorge. Proved common, though often very cryptic, being recorded on eight
days, the last being seen at the Fitzgerald River crossing on the 29th.
Particularly easy to see around Albany, where often seen perched on
powerlines on the edge of town.
Regent Parrot Polytelis anthopeplus
Only seen on three days, between the 28th and 30th, around the Stirling
Ranges area where it was quite common.
Pallid Cuckoo Cuculus pallidus
First seen calling from a television antenna in the township of Northam on
the 30th. Heard the following two days, and another seen near Geraldton on
the 6th.
Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
The commonest cuckoo, being recorded on 10 days, though only once outside
the south west corner. First heard at Wungong Dam on the 20th, and
particularly common in the Albany area.
Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo Chalcites basalis
Recorded on seven days, though only seen once, at Cape Naturaliste on the
22nd. Heard at various places including Wugong Dam, Stirling Range NP and on
the road towards Denham.
Shining Bronze-cuckoo Chalcites lucidus
Recorded on six days, all in the south west, with the only sighting being a
bird in Kings Park on the 18th.
Southern Boobook Ninox boobook
Heard both nights around Dryandra Village, and another called late on the
28th at Stirling Range retreat.
Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides
A single bird was spotlit on the ground in the paddock behind Dryandra
Village on the 20th. Another was found road killed near Jurien on the 6th.
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
This introduced species was common in the south west corner, being recorded
on the first 12 days. However, north of Perth they proved much scarcer, with
birds only being recorded on the 31st (just north of Northam) and the 7th
(Yanchep NP).
Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sanctus
One bird was seen perched on the tennis courts at Geordie Bay (Rottnest
Island) on the 19th. Another bird was possibly heard near the Old Mill Dam
at Dryandra on the 20th.
Red-backed Kingfisher Todiramphus pyrrhopygia
A single bird was seen perched on powerlines on the approach to Kalbarri on
the 5th.
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