WEDNESDAY (14/3) – Albany Area (including Two Peoples Bay)
As recommended by Frank O’Connor, I stayed at the Coraki Holiday Cottages, on
the north shore of Oyster Harbour and near the King River bridge (about 10 km
east of Albany). These cottages were probably the most roomy and comfortable
places to stay and ideal for a whole family. Some of the endemic birds were seen
here including Red-capped Parrot, several Western Rosellas and
Red-winged Wrens. Beside the Harbour was an Osprey
and 2 Grey Plovers.
Later in the afternoon, went for my first drive to Two Peoples Bay Nature
Reserve. The spectacular coastal scenery is worth the trip alone. In the heath
saw lots of bird activity with 3 Long-billed Black-cockatoos,
White-cheeked Honeyeaters, Western Spinebills and excellent views
of no less than 3 Western Bristlebirds at the Little Beach car park late
in the afternoon. Along the beach were Pacific Gulls. Also on the road
was a Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi)
THURSDAY (15/3) – Two Peoples Bay
This day was a bit wet and very windy which is often the case for this part
of WA, making the search for 2 of my target species, the Noisy Srcub-bird and
Western Whipbird a bit more difficult. Off the Sinker Reef trail near Mount
Gardiner, only briefly glimpsed a Western Whipbird and heard several
Scrub-birds call (probably atleast 20) with one or two of them calling right up
my feet but not revealing themselves. The Western Whipbird’s call is
ventriloquial, making it very hard to locate, even when very close. My tactic in
seeing the Scub-bird was to sit on a trail with the birds calling from both
sides and waiting for them to hopefully cross the trail. I did this for several
hours in different areas, and was that determined to see one of these elusive
things. The scrub-birds are very inquisitive and it can only take a matter of
minutes till they come right up to you with their very load calls. I was so
surprised how they were so close at times and that I could not even get a
fleeting glimpse of them. Actually at the time I thought they were "invisible".
However during the day I was very impressed to see a flock of 300 plus
Carnaby’s and Long-billed Black-cockatoos feeding on the pine trees on
the main road to the bay. In the coastal heath at Little Beach was an immature
Red-eared Firetail (like the adult but without the red ears) and great
views of 2 Rock Parrots feeding only a few metres in front of me in the
heath and on the track.
FRIDAY (16/3) – Two Peoples Bay ("Scrub Bird Day")
The weather cleared this morning, making the conditions to search for the
Scrub-bird much better than the previous day.
On my way in to the bay, 2 Southern Brown Bandicoots crossed the road
at 5 am!
Most of the day was spent in the Mt Gardiner area, sitting down and hopefully
waiting for a Scrub-bird to show itself. While waiting saw 3 adult Red-eared
Firetails feeding in a Casuarina, a White-breasted Robin and 2
Western Whipbirds. One of the Whipbirds was only a couple of metres in
front of me in full view, picking at a loose piece of bark from a mallee, being
more concerned with what it was doing than my presence.
By late afternoon after waiting for so long for the scrub bird, I was just
about to call it quits but decided to give it a try along the track between
Little Beach and the visitor’s centre which Frank mentioned to me is a place he
had seen them. Here it only took no more than 5 minutes to get excellent views
of a male Noisy Scrub-bird which slowly crossed and paused (at times to
preen) over the track on 5 occasions around me. I could clearly see its black
throat, white cheeks, rufous vent and fine barring on the upper-parts. I also
saw this bird climbing on a bush to sing very loudly in front of me and it was
deafening! What an afternoon experience!. Saw also a Western Bristlebird
nearby.
SATURDAY (17/3) – Porongurup and Stirling Ranges National Park
Felt like a nice bush walk in the Prongurups (about 40 km north-east of
Albany) this morning. Had a nice walk through some very tall Karri forest and
right up to Nancy’s Peak, which is one of the highest points in the Porongurups.
At the peak, had a great view of the surrounds where I could see Albany and the
Stirling Ranges. The 3 hour return (fairly steep) walk was well worth it.
En-route saw several White-breasted Robins, Red-winged Wrens and a
Red-eared Firetail feeding on the forest floor closeby. Also saw 2
South-western Crevice-skinks (Egernia napoleonis) sunning themselves on a
rock, a Red-legged Ctenotus (Ctenotus labillardieri) and a Four-toed
Skink (Hemiergis peronii).
At the Stirling Ranges National Park (about 80 km north-east of Albany),
walked along the Kanga trail (starting at the turn off to Bluff Knoll), which
passes through a mixture of habitats – mallee, heath, wandoo woodland and
patches of marri along a creek which borders an open paddock. The walk was good
value with a number of interesting birds – 8 Regent Parrots , atleast 5
Red-capped Parrots, several Western Rosellas, atleast 10
Elegant Parrots, 4 Scarlet and 2 Western Yellow Robins, a
party of 6 Varied Sittella (black-capped form), 2 Yellow-throated
Miners (Dusky form), both Tawny-crowned and Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters
and 3 Red-eared Firetails. Also heard a Western Whipbird and
Southern Emu-wrens and saw a Heath Monitor and Western Brush
Wallaby.
A brief spotlight around the cottage where I stayed in the Stirling Ranges
Retreat, produced 3 Southern Marbled Geckos in the ceiling and walls as
well as a shooting star in the back ground of a clear night sky.
SUNDAY (18/3) – Stirling Ranges National Park
Soon after dawn, I was on the Kanga trail again and went on a track off this
trail to a dam opposite the ranger’s house. The bush around the dam was
dominated by mallee with plenty of birdlife about. Both Elegant Parrots
(several) and Purple-crowned Lorikeets (6) were buzzing about. Drinking
at the dam was a Brush Bronzewing and several Red-capped Parrots.
In the mallee were 2 Southern Scrub-robins; 2 Western Whipbirds;
Inland Thornbills; Tawny-crowned, White-cheeked,
Yellow-plumed and Purple-gaped Honeyeaters and Spotted Pardalotes
(yellow-rumped form). A Wedge-tailed Eagle soared high above the
trail.
Around the rangers house were 6 Regent Parrots, 10 plus
Purple-crowned Lorikeets and a pair of Scarlet Robins. Across the
road from the ranger’s house, saw a pair of the rare Western Shrike-tit
with a dependant fledgling being fed by the female. Their call is very different
to the Eastern Crested Shrike-tit with a "poowar-poower". Also while observing
the Shrike-tits, a group of 6 Elegant Parrots flew in the same tree.
Around the Stirling Ranges Retreat was a pair of Rufous Treecreepers (the
male bird being very tame walking and feeding only half a metre from my foot),
several Western Yellow Robins and 20 more Elegant Parrots (mainly
young birds in this flock) being disturbed feeding from the
ground.
