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Headed into WA with great expectations, and excitement of
starting a new State list.Stayed at Kununurra for five nights with view to
checking-out many of the sites posted on Frank O'Conner's webpage. Started out
with driving along Ivanhoe Rd , checking-out the irrigation channels.Spied a
huge flock of Magpie Geese in an irrigated paddock (aren't they
all) on Mills Rd., watched one goose fighting-off two Wedge-tailed
Eagle on the ground, fully expected it to be killed, but despite having
an injured wing it put up stoic resistance and in the end the eagles seemed to
lose interest and the goose walked away.Our attention was then drawn to smaller
birds in the field which included Wood Sandpiper (6) ,
Pacific Plover, and Australian
Pratincole.These were the first of many Wood S'pipers we were to see in
the west.Pied, White-faced and White-necked Heron
were also present, along with Straw-necked
Ibis.
The next day we were off to Lake Argyle, taking the
tourist bus from the town.Had a brief ( 2 hr) boat trip on the lake, little bird
life, but did see Short-eared Rock Wallaby, Bottle-nosed Catfish,
and species of Archerfish. The highlight of the day
was the trip down the Ord Rv from the dam wall to Lake Kununura (55 km).I had
been given hope of a Black Bittern by the captain who said he
had seen one up a creek 2 days previously. I stationed myself at the back of the
boat with views of both sides , held-on (some parts of the ride were quite
fast), and hoped. Went-up one creek without success, then to the end of the
second creek (Spillway Creek).As the boat turned, I resigned myself to yet
another bittern-free attempt when my trusty spotter Maria saw a bird crouched on
an overhanging mel.branch close to the water.As I raised my binos she yelled"
Black Bittern" ( big tick) and I finally, at long last, had the
blighter in my view.The captain slowed the boat, looking almost as relieved and
excited as me, and we had good views for over a minute before the bird tired of
our attentions and flew upstream.The other (non-birding) passengers were a bit
bemused and bewildered by the excitement at the time, but a couple diseek me out
later to learn more about the strange goings-on.At last, the Great
Black Bittern Quest was over.
A day-trip to Wyndham the next day started with
an aborted drive down the Gibb River Rd to Emma Gorge, which was closed for
repairs (to the accomodation, we presume, not the gorge).Stopped at The Grotto
which proved very fruitful, with Spinifex Pigeon, Diamond and
Peaceful Dove easily seen, Brown Falcon
overhead, and heaps of Zebra Finch.Had morning tea at
Parry Creek Farm where the lagoon level was very low and very few waterbirds. We
did however get excellent views of a pair of Barking Owls
across the creek, and an adult White-browed Robin
which pleased me infinitely more than the juv. I had seen at Mary Rv a week or
so earlier.Marglu Lagoon was a much better prospect, with a hide with a
steel-grated floor which made telescope placement a tricky business.We scoped 39
species in under an hour, best of which were Wandering Whistling,
Pink-eared Duck, Radjah Shelduck, Green Pygmy-goose, 4 species of
Egret, all Ibis, Common Greenshank, Black-fronted
Dotterel.Searched the foreshore at Wyndham Port unsuccesfully for both
Whistlers, but did get Wood Sandpiper,Mangrove Gerygone, Yellow
White-eye. It was a surprise to see a small flock of Star Finch
flitting through the mangroves as well.A trip to the sewerage works
didn't produce anything of note.
The next day started with the (non-birding)
highlight of the whole trip, an early morning sea-plane flight from Lake
Kununurra, up the Ord Rv, over east side of Lake Argyle, the Ormand Range
and finally, the absolutely spectacular Bungle Bungle Ranges.Flew home over the
huge Argyle diamond mine, then over Lake Argyle again, dropping to 200m
and touching-down on the lake .Were able to clearly see the crocs and cormorants
and pelicans on the lake shore.Later that day after the heat had abated, again
drove around the irrigation areas north and west of the town.Remarkably, at the
3rd irrigation channel on Ivanhoe Rd ( the Thomas & Thomas site, now 13+
years on) found a pair of Yellow-rumped Mannikin (tick) .Also
got great views of Spotted Harrier, Black-breasted Buzzard and
Crimson Finch along Ivanhoe Rd.
Left Kununurra on the 15th, battling head winds all the way to
Fitzroy Crossing. Stopped for lunch at Mary Pool, about 105km west of Hall's
Creek where we saw Yellow-tinted and Brown Honeyeater,
Little Friarbird, Great Bowerbird and Red-tailed Black
Cockatoos. Spent time in the pool at Fitzroy Crossing Resort trying to
cool down, late afternoon walk along the river produced Barking Owl
(seen), Black-fronted Dotterel, Double-barred and
Star Finch, and White-breasted Woodswallow.The
heat put paid to our plans to spend more time in the central Kimberleys, so we
set our sights on Broome.
Russ Lamb, Maleny,SEQ
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