Hi birders,
Please see below a trip report from Kangaroo Island, based a trip I made there
last week. To see the report with pictures please visit my website at
http://tim-dolby.blogspot.com/. Tim Bawden visited KI the week before I did; so
his report makes an interesting comparison. Please don't hesitate to contact
me if you have any questions or recommendations. Cheefs, Tim Dolby
Kangaroo Island / January 2011
This report covers Kangaroo Island (KI) in South Australia, visited with family
during January 2011. Somehow I managed to convinced my family that KI was a
good place to visit over summer (following up on a recent trip to the Flinders
Range). The weather was perfect, the scenery wonderful, and the birds were
everywhere. Like me, they loved it.
January in KI is normally very hot , with temperatures regularly reaching 45
degrees. However this year by comparison has been extremely mild, averaging
around 30 degree. As a consequence it was a perfect time to visit the island,
so I jumped at the opportunity. KI is seven times the size of Singapore, and
owing to its isolation from the mainland it has retains more than half of its
old-growth vegetation. Perfect for the visiting birdwatcher - and the many
pristine beaches and stunning lookouts are perfect for a visiting family.
Accommodation
On KI we camped several nights, the first on the banks of Chapman River near
Antechamber Bay - a very pleasant river inlet, and an area abounding with
birdlife, such as Rainbow Lorikeet, Little Corella and Grey Currawong. We then
camped camped at Wheatons Beach on the southern edge of D'Estrees Bay, an area
with longs sandy beaches and reefs. After this we stayed at the Postmans Hut at
Flinders Chase National Park. A wonderful (small) sandstone cottage built in
the late 1800's, it has one-room with cooking facilities, a table, three beds
(one double, two single) - perfect for a family or couple (unfortunately no
showers). Immediately outside the cottage: during the day family groups of Cape
Barren Geese feed on the grassy areas surrounding the cottage; while at night
Southern Brown Bandicoot, Tammar Wallaby, Kangaroo Island Kangaroo and
Brush-tailed Possum fed on a fruiting Kangaroo Apple (Solanum laciniatum)
immediately in front of the Cottage, while Southern Boobook and Bush
Stone-curkew called in the distance. Wonderful stuff. Highly recommended.
Getting around
Ferry across to the island is very expensive. One of the locals told me it was
the most expensive ferry per km in the world. It cost us (with one car, two
adults and two kids) nearly $450! It is cheaper if you book online, and it's
worth booking your ticket well in advance, not only to avoid the shock of the
price, but it is also a very popular ferry, and you're not guaranteed a place
on the boat. That being said, if you haven't pre-booked, there is a stand-by
waiting area - and you can usually get onto the next available ferry. This is
what we did (typically not booking ahead), and while we waited (typically) I
managed to do a bit of birding around the Penneshaw port area - in the process
seeing Eastern Reef Egret, Fairy Penguin, Black-faced Cormorant and a pod of
Common Dolphin. Most of the roads on KI are unsealed and often corrugated -
except for the islands two main roads on the island (Playford Hwy and South
Coast Rd). Although you can get around in a 2WD, some form or 4WD is
recommended. We drove our new Xtrail (white, of course) perfect, not just in
term of handling the track, but also in terms of room for camping gear etc.
Flora
Western Whipbird inhabit the thick shrubland on the southern side of the island
dominated by Coastal White Mallee (Eucalyptus diversifolia - also known as Soap
Mallee), Dryland Tea-tree or Moonah (Melaleuca lanceolata), with low shrubs
such as Boobialla (Myoporum insulare) and Pigface (Carpobrotus rossii). In the
east, Kangaroo Island Narrow-Leaf Mallee is the main multi-trunked mallee. The
open woodland on the island are dominated by eucalypts such as Sugar Gum
(Eucalyptus cladocalyx), the main breeding tree for Glossy Black-Cockatoo,
South Australian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus leucoxylon ssp. leucoxylon), Cup Gum
(Eucalyptus cosmophylla) so named for the large sized gum nuts, compared with
other species, Brown Stringybark (Eucalyptus baxteri) and River Red Gum
((Eucalyptus camaldulensis). There is a wide variety of wattles on KI including
Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) and Swamp Wattle (Acacia retinodes ssp.
retinodes). Other small trees or large shrubs include the Drooping Sheoak
(Allocasuarina verticillata), the major food source for Glossy Black-Cockatoo,
Scarlet Bottlebrush (Callistemon macropunctatus), and the slow-growing Tate's
Grass tree (Xanthorrhea semiplana ssp. tateana). The Xanthorrhea on KI was some
of the most impressive I've seen - their wonderful round shape dominated the KI
landscape.
Background notes on the birds on Kangaroo Island
There were a few species that I was particularly targeting including cryptic
Western Whipbird, the endemic race of the Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Rock Parrot
and a range of local endemic subspecies. Kangaroo Island is Australia's third
largest island, after Tasmania and Melville Island in the NT. Like Melville Is,
because KI has been isolated from the mainland (for the last 10,000 years)
there is a high level of endemism at the subspecies level. Local race endemics
include: Grey Currawong (race halmaturina), Crimson Rosella (race melonoptera),
Glossy Black-Cockatoo (race halmaturinus), Crescent Honeyeater (race
halmaturina), New Holland Honeyeater (race campelli), Purple-gaped Honeyeater
(race cratitius) and Western Whipbird race lashmai). Also there are some
interesting introduced species - some Australian endemics but also introduced
birds. These include Gang Gang Cockatoo (introduced 1947 and 1956), Cape Barren
Goose (introduced between 1923 and 1935, although birds present independent of
this introduction), Laughing Kookaburra (introduced 1926, but possibly self
introduced), Australian Brush-Turkey (perhaps the most unusual introduction, in
1936 [they were also introduced in Victoria in the Brisbane Ranges]) and Indian
Peafowl (introduction date not known). While on the island I also recorded a
family of Wild Turkey. These may be a new to the island. The Kangaroo Island
Emu is extinct (by 1837), however in between 1927 and 1957 the mainland Emu was
introduced. All Emu seem to have gone except for a single bird at Flinders
Chase National Park. Crested Pigeon was also introduced in 1937, but didn't
take, perhaps surprisingly, because it's common 14km east on the mainland.
Similarly a number of common species found on mainland Australia are not found
on KI, including Red-rumped Parrot, Rufous Whistler, Weebill, Noisy Miner,
Singing, Yellow-faced and White-plumed Honeyeater, Mistletoebird, to name a
few. This situation reminds me of French Island in Victoria, where Superb
Fairy-wren is not found on the island, despite habitat conditions being
perfect. Don't tell anyone; I might introduce them myself! ; ) A few major
rarities have been recorded on the island including several beach-washed
Fiordland Penguin, Antarctic Tern seen off Cape de Couedic Sept 2006 and 2007,
Garganey at Murray Lagoon, and a possible Red-tailed Tropicbird. I wasn't
expecting to see any of these.
BIRDS SITES VISITED
Here are some of the areas I visited, and a summary of some of the interesting
birds seen on KI.
Penneshaw Port
As mentioned Little Penguin, and all the Cormorants (Black-faced, Great, Little
Black, Pied and Little Pied) were seen in the port of Penneshaw. There is also
a Little Penguin immediately the ferry terminal. Little Corella is common in
the town. On the ferry across I had fantastic views of an Arctic Jaeger,
classically chasing a Crested Tern.
Chapman River, Antechamber Bay
We camped beside the east side of the Chapman River, a really nice camping
spot. A number of the larger species were in abundance here, including Purple
Swamphen, Grey Currawong (race halmturina, much like ‘Black-winged Currawong'),
Little Corella, Rainbow Lorikeet (a bird that seem very different from the
Rainbows in Victoria, being small and having a very different call, and going
out of a limb, based on no more than simple observation, I'd suggested these
are a different subspecies.), Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Galah, Crimson
Rosella (slightly bigger and darker race melonoptera, looking more like the
nominate race elegans rather than the mainland fluerieuensis ), Grey
Shrike-thrush, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, and a large female Peregrine Falcon
came in several times, chasing Currawong and Corella for breakfast. Also a
single Indian Peafowl was seen running across the track near Lashar
Conservation Park at Antechamber Bay. Around the campsite several Heath Goanna
(also known as Rosenberg's Goanna) - up to 1.5 metres long - so keep your food
well stored. On the road into Antechamber Bay we just missed running over a
Black Tiger Snake. In bushland on came across 3 Wild Turkey along Three Chain
Rd. Recently Wild Turkey were also been seen in farmland near Western KI
Caravan Park (by Tim Bawden) and there are records from the Vivonne Bay and
Lathami Conservation Park, so perhaps this is the beginning of an established
wild population.
American River
Got onto 3 Glossy Black-Cockatoo (race halmaturinus, with a longer bill, and
nearly 2000 km from nearest population of Glossy Black-Cockatoo in Gippsland,
Vic and NSW) on the beginning of the Fish Cannery Walk Trail (which starts 1 km
north of the main shops), in a large Sugar Gum (l100 m on the leftside of the
track) immediately after the Scenic Walkway sign. Crescent Honeyeater (smaller
Mt Lofty Ranges race halmaturina with more prominent yellow on the wings),
Golden Whistler, Scarlet Robin were also seen here, and there were Pied
Oystercatcher on the waterfront. A few Common Greenshank were seen in American
River Aquatic Reserve. While entering American River we sang "American River,
stay away from me, American River, mama let me be.."
Wheatons Beach
We camped here one night, driving along D'Estrees Bay Rd; the first bird I saw
was an Osprey. On the beach was a pair of Hooded Plover and a single Eastern
Reef Egret. On the small reef at the south end of the beach, waders and terns
gathered, including a couple of Ruddy Turnstone, large numbers of Red-necked
Stint, Crested and Caspian Tern. Here also the odd Elegant Parrot (with their
distinctive golden belly) buzzed across the sky, usually high in the sky. Also
here were New Holland (race campelli, with a smaller bill and smaller wings),
Crescent and Purple-gaped (race cratitius, larger and darker) Honeyeater.
Postmans Hut
At Flinders Chase National Park we stayed several nights in the Postmans Hut.
As mentioned above, while there Cape Barren Geese fed on the grassy areas
surrounding the cottage. Other birds here include Beautiful Firetail, Scarlet
Robin, Crescent and Brown-headed Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill, Striated
Thornbill, Striated and Spotted (yellow-rumped race xanthopygus) Pardalote,
Dusky Woodswallow, and at night a few Bush Stone-Curlew and Southern Boobook
were heard. Also in the evenings Southern Brown Bandicoot, Tammar Wallaby,
Kangaroo Island (Western Grey) Kangaroo and Brush-tailed Possum fed on a
fruiting Kangaroo Apple (Solanum laciniatum) immediately in front of the
Cottage. Wonderful stuff! Does it get any better!?
Weir Cove and Cape Du Couedic
Weir Cove for me was the birding highlight of the trip. I was hoping to track
down Western Whipbird - a species I was yet to see (initially I was hoping to
track this down in sunny Victoria, but this seems unlikely) so drove along Cape
Du Couedic Rd to Admiral Arch carpark. It was early, pre-dawn'ish, and the only
things around were Tammar Wallaby and Kangaroo Island Kangaroo; most of the
birds were just awakening. At the lookout, I could see New Zealand Fur Seal and
a few Lion Seal, and a pod of Common Dolphin, as well as Crested Tern, Silver
Gull and the odd Pacific Gull, including a few brown immature birds, and flocks
of as well as flocks of Welcome Swallow and Tree Martin. The habitat at the
lookout seemed wrong for Western Whipbird, so I decided to try along Weir Cove,
with the unsealed track to the Cove 1 km before the Admiral Arch. I stopped at
the corner of the Weir Cove Track and Cape Du Couedic Rd, and had fantastic
views of Southern Emu-wren, Beautiful Firetail and Tawny-crowned Honeyeater. No
sign or sound of Western Whipbird so I drove to the Weir Cove carpark, and the
first bird I heard as I got out of the car was there was a small flock of Rock
Parrot, a bird which was surprisingly tame - and when flushed would simply move
20 or so metres and start feeding again. The next bird I heard was Western
Whipbird! This was race lashmari, with slightly bigger bill and more undulating
call than mainland birds. The birds were call from a ridgeline about 100 metres
from the carpark, so I headed north-west along the Weir Cove Hike, to a small
rise, and from here I could hear a pair of calling in the small valley on the
west side of the rise. The scrub here was fairly open, so I was able to
position myself near where the birds were calling. After an hour or so of
skulking through the scrub, I managed to get some excellent views of this
cryptic bird. Also here were Purple-gaped, Crescent and New Holland Honeyeater,
Southern Emu-wren, White-browed ('Spotted Scrubwren' race maculatus, with
streaking on the breast) Scrubwren, Rock Parrot, Brush Bronzewing, Tree Martin,
Welcome Swallow and a family of Little Raven followed my every move. Aside from
Weir Cove, the habitat along the southern end of Cape Du Couedic Rd was worth
investigating - although I did hear or see Western Whipbird (when I birded
there it was the middle of the day) - the roadside was a good place to see
honeyeaters such as Purple-gaped, Crescent, White-eared and Brown-headed
Honeyeater. Also in Flinders Chase National Park there were Shy Heathwren in
heathland on the Playford Hwy, just west of the intersection with West End Hwy.
On the roadside near here I also flushed a small dove, looking very much like a
Peaceful Dove, a bird that would be rare on KI, so interested to hear if anyone
else has seen this bird.
Mammals and reptiles on KI
. Western Grey Kangaroo race fuliginosus known as the 'Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo' - common over most of KI
. Tammar Wallaby - common at Cape Du Couedic, particularly earlu in the
morning.
. Southern Brown Bandicoot - feeding on Kangaroo Apple at the Postmans Hut,
Flinders Chase NP.
. Common Brushtail Possum - Postmans Cottage.
. New Zealand Fur Seal - a large colony (estimated at 30,000) at Cape Du
Couedic
. Australian Sea-lion - colony of 600 at Seal Bay, also several at Cape Du
Couedic
. Kangaroo Island Short-beaked Echidna race multiaculeatus, which is
smaller and paler, an unfortunate road-kill on Playford Hwy
. Koala - tame at Duck Lake.
. Common Dolphin - a pod at Penneshaw
. Black Tiger Snake
. Rosenberg's Heath Goanna.
Other areas visited on Kangaroo Island:
. Murray Lagoon; stopped briefly at the campsite, deciding against camping
here. Briefly visited the lagoon. There were Beautiful Firetail at the Timber
Creek crossing, as well as Black-winged Stilt and Swamp Harrier.
. Seal Bay: the area around the carpark is said to be good for Western
Whipbird. When I was there, there were literally hundreds of tourists, so
birding was limited. It is worth visiting, despite the cost, with Australia's
largest breeding colony of Lion Seals.
. Hanson Bay: visited Hanson Bay mainly to go for a swim with my two sons
(as I did at Browns Beach and Vivonne Bay), where a small flock of Gang Gang
Cockatoo flew across the road.
. Duck Lagoon: good birding. This was the only place I saw White-naped
Honeyeater and Yellow-billed Spoonbill, and there were plenty of Grey Teal,
Pacific Black Duck, Purple-crowned Lorikeet and Tree Martin. Also 3 Domestic
Geese.
. Also Browns Beach and Vivonne Bay, both good swimming beaches.
There were a few areas I didn't get to visit - such as Murray Lagoon, West Bay,
Cape Borda, and Stokes Bay - next time. What a brilliant place!
Goolwa Barrage and Beacon 19
Intrigued to see what the Coorong's looked like after all the rain travelling
down the Murray-Darling river system, on the way home from KI we detoured to
Goolwa to visit the Goolwa Barrage and Beacon 19. An excellent site for
shorebirds, a number of rarities recorded here including Ruff, Lewin's Rail,
and in May 1987 Australia's first recorded Citrine Wagtail was seen here. While
I was there (albeit briefly) there were a number of migratory waders here
including Sharp-tailed and Curlew Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Red-necked
Stint, a single Pacific Golden Plover, and resident waders such as Black-winged
Stilt and Red-necked Avocet, and there were also Caspian and Fairy Tern.
Cheers,
Tim Dolby
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