MONDAY (19/3) – Cape Naturaliste via Lake Muir and Manjimup
Kept my eyes open for the Western Corellas while driving around Lake Muir and
initially had not much luck, so I decided to speak to one of the property owners
around the lake to find out if they had seen any Corellas recently. One owner
said to try around Mordalup or even better the Tonebridge, just north of Lake
Muir, where hundreds of Corellas feed in the paddocks. I drove to Mordalup and
picked the Kanangra Cattle Farm as a place to look. Soon after speaking to the
stud owner there, I heard the calls of Corellas and located a flock of about 40
Western Corellas on the farm.
Around Lake Muir and Mordalup were also Emus, many Long-billed,
Carnaby’s and Red-tailed Black-cockatoos as well as several of both
Western Yellow and Scarlet Robins.
Arrived at Cape Naturaliste late afternoon, to try and look out for
Red-tailed Tropicbirds at Sugarloaf Rock off Cape Naturaliste. Stayed there till
dark with no sign of the Tropicbirds. However, I did see some Australasian
Gannets, a few Fleshy-footed Shearwaters and an Arctic Jaeger
while briefly sea watching.
When arrived at the Dunsborough Lakes Caravan Park that evening, was greeted
by a tame Boobook Owl, perched quite low close to the boom gate. The
caravan park owner said that there were 3 tame Boobooks around the park,
attracted to mice, with the later feeding on the bird seed of their bird
aviary.
TUESDAY (20/3) – Cape Naturaliste and Rockingham area
Made another attempt in the early morning for the Tropicbirds, but first made
a stop at some ponds beside Dunsborough golf course, seeing a Greenshank,
3 Yellow-billed Spoonbills and 2 Musk Ducks.
While walking to Sugarloaf Rock from the car park, I quickly located a
Red-tailed Tropicbird at about 8 am, circling around the rock and over
its nesting site. Its mate soon joined this bird and both (in superb breeding
plumage) gave excellent viewing through the scope. One landed on the rock, but
out of sight, presumably to feed chicks. Saw also 2 Bottle-nosed Dolphins
near the rock.
Around the car park there, saw 4 Southern Emu-wrens and heard a
Brush Bronzewing.
After lunch at Rockingham (about 40 km south of Perth) took the ferry across
to Penguin Island (about 2 km off the coast). Here many seabirds including the
Fairy Penguins breed. Upon landing on the island I saw 2 Roseate Terns
amongst Crested Terns on the sand spit beside the jetty.
On the Island, heard a few Fairy Penguins but did not see any.
However, there were a hundred or so Bridled Terns (many young birds among
the adults with a juv. bird being fed by an adult under bushes), 2 fairly tame
Buff-banded Rails (around the picnic area) and several King Skinks
(Egernia kingii).
Back on the mainland, I observed through a scope a resting Australian Sea
lion, on a facing beach on Seal Island (just north of Penguin Island). It
woke up a bit and twisted it head as they often do.
WEDNESAY (21/3) – Perth Area
Met up with Frank O’Connor and visited few of the Lakes close to the city. We
visited Perry’s Lagoon (near the WA Birds Australia office), Herdsman and Monger
Lakes and saw a good variety of waterbirds.
At Herdsman Lake we saw a male Freckled Duck, a pair of Blue-billed
Ducks as well as Great-crested Grebes.
At Monger Lakes were 7 Spotless Crakes, a Pink-eared Duck and
several Australasian Shovelers.
After lunch, Frank and myself, looked for waders around the shores of Alfred
Cove and saw 10 Grey Plover, 100 plus Pied Oystercatchers and 13
Caspian Terns.
At Frank’s place (close by to Perth), we found 2 Skinks, a Two-toed
Skink (Hemiergis quadrileniata) and some Snake-eyed Skinks
(Cryptoblepharus plagiocephalus) on the brick
walls.
