Just back from a successful twitch of the Eurasian Wigeon.
Les George had last seen the bird on Sunday 7th. He failed to find
it on Wednesday 10th and Saturday 13th. But I was
committed. Barbara Harvey from Sydney was coming over, and we were
going to look for the Franklin's Gull at Cervantes on the way. Even
if the wigeon had gone, we could look for reptiles and frogs ............
We left Perth at 05:30, stopped at Cervantes but were unsuccessful
with the Franklin's Gull. We got to Carnarvon at 16:15 and we had
time to look for an hour on Monday afternoon. Checked a couple of
places at Chinaman's Pool and then the sewage ponds. No go. Three
Australasian Shovelers at the sewage ponds is uncommon for Carnarvon.
Back there at 07:00. Looked at the down river end of Chinaman's Pool
with no luck, and then from the viewpoint closest to Marmion
Street. Four ducks (three Grey Teal) and a 'possible' flew past. So
back to the end again. Nothing. A couple of Australian Wood Ducks
and three Black-tailed Native-hen. We moved up river getting to the
river wherever we could. A couple of Banded Stilt. About 100 metres
from Angelo Street there is a track to the river. A bird flushed
from the near bank that didn't look right for a wood duck, but I
didn't get enough on it. It flew upstream. We looked along the
river and found lots of wood ducks, but no wigeon. We went back to
the down stream end again. Definitely a change over of birds (5 BT
Native-hens), but no wigeon. We went back to the viewpoint closest
to Angelo Street about 11:30. Nothing in the bins, but I scanned
with the scope anyway and then BINGO!! There it was swimming with a
group of coots. We moved closer but the bird had moved. We found it
again on a sand bank preening.
We returned in the afternoon and the bird was still in the area. We
observed it from 16:30 to 17:00 when we left.
Other good birds for Carnarvon were two Star Finch (twice) along the
river, a Baillon's Crake at the down stream end of Chinaman's Pool
and five Pacific Gulls at the end of Babbage Island.
We had another look for the Franklin's Gull at Cervantes on the way
back today. We spent nearly two hours making three passes along the
main places where there were gulls. On Monday we only found 30 to 40
Silver Gulls plus Pacific Gulls. Today we found about 92 Silver
Gulls and 6 Pacific Gulls but no sign of the Franklin's Gull. So
maybe the gull has moved on. But if you are passing by, then
probably worth a quick look. It would only take 20 to 30 minutes to
quickly check the sand spit at the south end, and the two jetties at
the north end.
PS : The reptiles and frogs were almost non existent. One Smooth
Knob-tailed Gecko (Nephrurus levis occidentalis) but a stunning
gecko. A Little Button-quail on the road was the only other
highlight spotlighting both evenings. A native mouse also ran across
the road, perhaps Sandy Inland Mouse.
_________________________________________________________________
Frank O'Connor Birding WA http://birdingwa.iinet.net.au
Phone : (08) 9386 5694 Email :
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