Tuesday 23rd September
We left Alice Springs early in the morning and had wonderful views of Uluru
and Kata Tjuta as we flew past. After an unscheduled refuelling stop at
Kalgoorlie, we landed at Perth late morning - to drizzle and temperature 15
degrees C, a drop of 24 degrees C from the previous day!. After picking up
our last van we checked in at the Perth International Tourist Park at
Forrestdale for the night. There were several Long-billed Corellas in the
trees around the Park.
Wednesday 24th September
An easy new bird first thing - Laughing Turtle-Dove* near the van! The
weather wasn't good as we headed south - steady rain. We stopped off at
Wungong Gorge. The rain initially eased then returned. In the dry spell I
managed to find a handsome male Red-Winged Fairy-wren* and two brown birds
in the creek opposite the car park. Spendid Fairy-wrens were common. Other
birds included Red Wattlebird and Scarlet Robin. By the time we'd stopped at
Bungendore Park the rain had also eased again. At the edge of the car park I
saw White-breasted Robin* and along the track a superb male Western
Spinebill*.
As the rain came down again we drove south down the Albany Highway. At
short stops by the Gleneagle Forest and the Gleneagle Rest Area we saw two
more White-breasted Robins. Still the rain came down! Along the Albany
Highway we saw a Grey Currawong*.
By the time we got to Narrogin the rain had eased off, though it was still
cold. We stopped for the night at the council caravan park. As luck had it,
opposite the caravan park is Foxes Lair Nature Reserve. I went for a walk
along the main track late in the afternoon. It proved to be a good spot -
Rufous Treecreeper, Inland Thornbill, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater*, Western
Spinebill and Varied Sitella* were all easy to see here.
Thursday 25th September
We spent much of the morning at Dryandra State Forest, mainly around the Old
Mill Dam and along the Wandoo Walk. Highlights here were Blue-breasted
Fairy-wren* (which took a while to find but was worth it in the end, with
great, close views of a pair), Yellow-plumed Honeyeater* (common) and
Brown-headed Honeyeater* (popping into view as I was looking at a
Blue-breasted Fairy-wren!). Other good birds were Rufous Treecreeper
(common) and Scarlet Robin. Later, along the Dryandra to Wickepin Road we
at last saw Australian Shelducks*, on a farm dam.
In the afternoon we went to Yillaminning Rock, which is about 18 kms east of
Narrogin on the road to Harrissmith (see the Birds Western Australia leaflet
for the Narrogin area). Along the access track we saw Western
Rosellas* and White-browed Babblers* within seconds of one another. Near the
rock was our first Elegant Parrot. Brown-headed Honeyeaters were in the same
area (curiously this was the only day we saw them on the trip).
Later afternoon I walked the track at Foxes Lair Nature Reserve again - a
somewhat different selection of birds this time, including Common Bronzewing
and Little Wattlebird* (the only sighting of the latter on the
trip).
Friday 26th September
We headed south from Narrogin towards Stirling Ranges. We saw nothing new on
the way, though we there was an Elegant Parrot just south of Parkeyering
Lake (south of Wagin). Late morning we checked in at the Stirling Range
Retreat for three nights. It was still cool and showery - so cool that we
had to buy fleeces to wear!
In the afternoon we took the Kanga Walk, from the Retreat into Stirling
Range National Park and back. Highlights were Emu (an adult with 3 chicks
and 2 adults in a field near the Retreat), Square-tailed Kite* (just south
of the Ranger's Dam), Brown Goshawk, Short-tailed Black-Cockatoo* (18 very
vocal & conspicuous birds at the Retreat), Western Rosella, Red-capped
Parrot*, Elegant Parrot, Rufous Treecreeper, Scarlet Robin and Varied
Sitella.
Saturday 27th September
A glorious, sunny day! I walked around the grounds of the Retreat at first
light. Purple-crowned Lorikeets* were quite conspicuous and easy to see.
Just south of the campground I had the good fortune to finally see a Western
Yellow Robin, which was collecting food. Shortly after I heard a booming
call that I thought at first was a Bronzewing - imagine my surprise and
delight to flush a Painted Button-Quail* and hear a second bird! Other
highlights included Short-billed Cockatoo, Western Rosella, Red-capped
Parrot, Rufous Treecreeper and Yellow-plumed Honeyeater (common).
Since the weather was good we decided to do the Ongarup Walk, in the
National Park. Best birds along this walk were a Little Eagle, Fan-tailed
Cuckoo, Western Thornbill*, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater (flycatching) and a
noisy, conspicuous group of Splendid Fairy-wrens (one male must have been
about 15 metres up a tree!).
We had pre-booked a Malleefowl trip from home so we left the
retreat at 5.00 pm with our trusty guide, Brian. Some 45 minutes later we
arrived at private property near Ongerup. We saw three mounds but no birds!
After leaving the patch of Mallee we luckily saw a distant Malleefowl*
foraging just inside a field and then another bird much further off. A
little later, just as we were driving back to the road we saw a much closer
bird. We had superb views from about 20 metres. The experience was one of
the highlights of the trip!
Sunday 28th September
A total contrast from the day before - overcast and light drizzle. I did an
early walk around the grounds of the Retreat and found six species of
parrot - including Regent Parrot* (a group of 5). After breakfast we decided
to drive south in the
hope of escaping the rain - to no avail. The Porongorups were equally damp
though they gave us the chance to visit a couple of wineries! At one winery,
Castle Rock, we were lucky to see 8+ Long-billed Cockatoos* nearby. I tried
to have a look round the Tree in the Rock Picnic Area but all I could find
before the rains returned was a Red-winged Fairy-wren.
Later in the afternoon, after the rain stopped, we walked to the Ranger's
Dam in Stirling
Range National Park. Unfortunately the rain soon returned so we didn't
manage to
see any Southern Scrub-Robins, Purple-gaped Honeyeaters or Southern
Emu-wrens.
Monday 29th September
I got up early again, this time for a final try along the track to the
Ranger's Dam. It may have been dry when I set off but within a few minutes
the drizzle had started and a bit later I heard thunder. Needless to say, I
didn't see much - certainly none of the target species. The rain accompanied
us all the way to Cheynes Beach Caravan Park, near Albany. It didn't stop
till well after dark - to say it was a disappointing, depressing, day would
understate the obvious! We did manage to see a few birds on the site from
our van, including a very drowned looking Brush Bronzewing*, a juvenile
Fan-tailed Cuckoo, attended by its White-browed Scrubwren foster parents,
Splendid and Red-winged Fairy-wrens. At one stage a brown Splendid
Fairy-wren was displaying to the windshield of our van!
Tuesday 30th September
The previous night we had debated whether to stay or cut our losses and head
north. We decided on one more night in the area so I got up at first light
to look for the special birds of the area. Luckily the rain was only
occasional and light but the wind was still a problem. Despite much patience
and perseverance, I managed only to hear Noisy Scrub-bird* and Western
Whipbird* (the former only feet away). Other interesting birds were Brush
Bronzewing (common around the caravan park), Red-capped Parrot, Fan-tailed
Cuckoo, Red-winged Fairy-wren, Western Spinebill, White-breasted Robin (3 in
the caravan park), Golden Whistler and Grey Currawong. I came across a
couple of lady birders from Perth - the only birders I had met all trip
apart from a couple of Brits at Alice and a European couple at Stirling
Range Retreat.
In the afternoon we drove to Two People's Bay. Here we discovered that the
track to Little Beach was closed. Unfortunately we didn't have time to walk
it. On the drive through Albany we saw several water birds at Oyster Harbour
and at least one Long-billed Black-Cockatoo in a field in the suburbs.
To be continued
Robert Grimmond
Kent, UK
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