Rohan, I love the fact that the trip is a week or two later than usual - during
the week that had previously only been available to your 'research' trips.
Could be the motherlode for vagrants, though the spectacle of those amazing
seabird assemblages on the Ashmore breeding islands, and the verifiable lucky
dip for crazy-rare pelagic species that last year included Australia's first
Heinroth's Shearwater, is reason enough for me to dig even further into the
retirement fund. The chance to be one of the first birders to experience
Browse/Adele is just the icing on the cake. See you in Broome!
John Weigel
To: "" <>
Subject: Bonus day (and island) added to the Ashmore Reef Expedition
Oct/Nov 2015 (Advertisement of sorts)
From: Rohan Clarke <>
Date: Sun, 14 Jun 2015 09:16:00 +0000
Hi All,
As part of the Kimberley Birdwatching expedition to Ashmore Reef my
research group are covering the cost of an additional day of charter so
that we can recover one of our seabird tracking stations that's at Adele
Island. This means everyone gets an extra day and a landing at one of
the most significant seabird islands off the Kimberley coast at no extra
cost. In addition to the usual seabirds that nest at Adele Island, we've
recently discovered Lesser Noddy breeding there, occasionally record
Common Redshank on the northern tip of the island and have logged
several vagrant land birds including Oriental Reed Warbler and Grey
Wagtail.
This year's Ashmore trip was already shaping up to be special as the
plan is to do the usual voyage up to the reef (Swinhoe's and
Matsudaria's Storm-Petrels, Bulwers and Jouanin's Petrels amongst
others), landings at Ashmore Reef to search out seabirds (Red-footed,
Masked and Brown Booby, both Frigatebirds, both tropicbirds, all three
noddy species) and rarities before heading home via Browse Island. The
expeditions haven't been to Browse Island before (a tiny atoll about
150km off the Kimberley coast) but I've landed there a few times in
recent years. Whilst Ashmore has the best potential for vagrant land
birds our list for Browse is also impressive and includes Blue and White
Flycatcher (a male), Asian Brown Flycatcher (twice), Dark-sided
Flycatcher, Tiger Shrike (twice), Kamchatka Leaf Warbler, Pechora Pipit,
Island Monarch (twice) and Grey Wagtail (twice). The island's small size
(400 x 300m) means anything that is there is likely to be found whilst
we are ashore. The island also has a very interesting history. Once
considered the jewel in the crown of seabird islands in the nw it is now
largely devoid of seabirds but in its place is abundant evidence from
the guano collecting days; tiny rail carts, neatly stacked walls of
beach rock, old concrete footings and pads. As a bonus any birds on
Browse Island can be claimed on your Western Australian list :)
This extra day and a landing at Adele Island is likely to be a once-off
so if you are interested contact George Swann for more information
(0429706800) or to book you can contact Kimberley Expeditions via their
website.
http://www.kimberleyexpeditions.com.au/cruises/ashmore-reef-birdwatching-cruise/
Dates are 30 October to 7 November 2015. I understand there is a handful
of spaces left and that numbers are already sufficient to ensure it
proceeds. Leaders are George Swann, Mike Carter and myself.
Cheers,
Rohan
--
Rohan Clarke
www.wildlifeimages.com.au
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