After Northam area I stopped at Badgingarra and did the Vern Westbrook Walk just outside of town.
spiky plant
At Cervantes I went and had a look at the stromatolites at Lake Thetis. Stromatolites are a living community. Bacteria in the top layers of sediment release oxygen to form sand bubbles on the surface, a crenulate mat.
Stromatolites
Caterpillar Army
I found a few caterpillar trails along the track around the lake.
Banksia
At Lake Indoon I found these banksias that looked like ice creams.
So many corellas
At Three Spings there were hundreds of Western Corella and they invaded the football field.
After Three Springs, I kept heading north and camped up the road from Morawa. In the late afternoon I managed to get some good shots of some Mulga Parrots feeding on some dumped wheat.
Mulga Parrot (Psephotus varius) male adult
The next stop was at Gutha Hall at an abandoned village. There were heaps of woodswallows but I am having trouble identifying exactly what they were.
From Jurien Bay, I ventured on to Green Head, then headed back inland to Lake Indoon. The lake is full of toxic algae and meningocal disease. And it stinks. There were quite a few waterbirds enjoying the stench, mainly White-headed Stilts and Red-capped Plovers.
Port Lincoln Parrot – Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius zonarius)
At a certain point as you go north you get full bred Port Lincoln Parrots, without a hint or red above the bill. The 28 Parrots seem to be confined to the very south west of West Australia but the intergrades are stretching from the Stirling Range nearly to Augusta.
Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis picatus)
I have only just starting seeing the western race picatus as I go north.
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
At Eneabba there was a massive flock of Carnaby’s Black-cockatoo. Maybe up to a hundred birds making the most horrendous racket with their squwarking.
Similarly there was a massive flock of Western Corella at Three Springs maybe more than a hundred making a similar racket. And alighting on the football field.
Western Corella (Cacatua pastinator derbyi)
Western Corella (Cacatua pastinator derbyi)
Northern Midlands bird list
White-headed Stilt (Himantopus Leucophalus)
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata)
Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus)
Australian Magpie
Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis picatus)
Australian Raven
Magpie-lark
Port Lincoln Parrot – Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius zonarius)
Willie Wagtail
Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans)
Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena carteri)
Carnaby’s Black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris)
Western Corella (Cacatua pastinator derbyi)
The western gouldii sub-species has a narrower white cheek and a black band separating cheek from the breast. I then toddled off to Phoebe’s Reserve and did the Vern Westbrook Walk but did not see many birds but came across this reptile, the likes of which I have never seen before.
snake or legless lizard ?
The next night I camped at the Drummond Reserve in Badgingarra National Park.
I cannot remember where I was last in my tourist rants. This is Blackwood River National Park – Sue’s Bridge Campground. A very nice camp by the side of the Blackwood River. It is just before you get to Augusta in the South-west.
Blackwood River gum root system
Keep going south from Augusta and you get to the end of Australia at Cape Leeuwin. You will be looking at the vastness of the Southern Ocean. Next stop Antarctica.
Cape Leeuwin
There was a weekend coming up so I headed for the hills to Blackwood River National Park again – this time I stayed at Chapman Pool campground. When it was safe to venture back to the coast I hotfooted it to Margaret River.
Margaret River
From there I did some shopping at Busselton and Bunbury and headed inland again to head north. I camped at the Wellington Dam near Collie and then kept heading east to Wagin.
Wagin – Big Sheep
Then I headed North and stopped at the Dryandra Woodland for a couple of nights.
My camp
There is a walk along an old railway line and here is the old bridge still intact.
Old Rail Bridge
And this is a dam for the old steam trains.
Congelin Dam
From there I kept going north past Northam and Moora and then headed west for the coast. I am now at Dandaragan luxuriating in hot showers and clean washed clothes.
Heading out from Northam, I found a camp about 40 kilometers from New Norcia. I am still going north but still inland. In a few days I should hit the coast.
After arriving at York, I went for a walk along the Avon River in the river park. There were heaps of Western Corella, the first I had seen thus far. A few water birds were swimming in the river but there were signs warning not to go in the water because it was toxic! yewwww.
Western Corella (Cacatua pastinator derbyi)
Western Corella (Cacatua pastinator derbyi)
The Western Corella has a very long upper mandible and the longest/highest crest. And no pink on the neck.
Hardhead (Aythya australis)
This is an adult male Hardhead. I have not seen one for ages.
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
And a very young Eurasian Coot chick. Already very big.
York bird list
Western Corella (Cacatua pastinator derbyi)
Hardhead (Aythya australis)
Grey Teal
Pacific Black Duck
Australasian Grebe
Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)
Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa)
White-faced Heron
Australian Wood Duck
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Crested Pigeon
Black Swan
Yellow-billed Spoonbill
Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus policephalus)
Great Egret
After Pingelly and Brookton, I kept heading north and stopped at a camp along the Avon River at Gwambygine Park. I think I am about one hundred kilometers east of Perth.
Red-capped Robin (Petroica goodenovii)
Western Gerygone (Gerygone fusca fusca)
Weebill (Smicornis brevirostris occidentalis)
Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum)
It has been a while since I saw a Mistletoebird. This is an adult male.
Dryandra Woodland is somewhere between Narrogin and Wandering in the Western Wheatbelt of Western Australia. It is a Proposed National Park. I had no idea of its existence. The lady at the tourist office in Narrogin told me about it, so off I went. The first night I spent at the Gnaala Mia campground, which is fairly new with a great camp kitchen with gas barbecues.
Rufous Treecreeper (Climacteris rufus)
These Rufous Treecreepers always seem to have around picnic areas and camping grounds when I have seen them.
Western Whistler (Pachycephala occidentalis)
This is a pretty noisy photo of a male Western Whistler but I do not see that many of these blokes.
The next morning I ventured on to the Congelin Dam and Campground. I went for a wander along the Congellin Siding Walk – This trail follows the old Pinjarra to Narrogin railway line constructed in 1925, known as the Hotham Valley Branch (Dwarda line).
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza uropygialis)
The white eye and chestnut rump make this not an Inland Thornbill.
Yellow-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula ornata )
I think this might be an adult non-breeding Yellow-plumed Honeyeater with the base of the lower mandible and gape being yellowish. Or it could be a juvenile. doh!
Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta indistincta)
Western Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria griseogularis)
Yesterday afternoon I went for another walk to the Congelin Dam from the camping area. The Grey Currawongs were making the most awful racket. I managed to get a few photos nevertheless.
Grey Currawong (Strepera versicolor plumbea)
Scarlet Robin (Petroica bodang campbelli)
Red-capped Parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius)
Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrocephalus)
Dryandra Woodland bird list
Rufous Treecreeper (Climacteris rufus)
New Holland Honeyeater
Western Whistler (Pachycephala occidentalis)
Restless Flycatcher
Australasian Grebe
Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta indistincta)
Yellow-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotula ornata )
Twenty-eight Parrot – Australian Ringneck
Australian Magpie
Red Wattlebird
Grey Fantail
Silvereye
Australian Raven
Grey Currawong (Strepera versicolor plumbea)
Western Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria griseogularis)
Chestnut-rumped Thornbill (Acanthiza uropygialis)
Red-capped Parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius)
Scarlet Robin (Petroica bodang campbelli)
Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrocephalus)
From the Wellington Dam, I hoofed it to Collie where I had a pizza for lunch! Then on to Wagin after camping out by the Collie River. All the lakes around Wagin were dry as dust so I headed north to Highbury where I camped for the night. In the morning I went for a walk along the railway line. After breakfast I kept on going north and walked around the Railway Dam at Narrogin.
Twenty-eight Parrot – Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius semitorquatus)
There are a few intergrade Port Lincoln Parrots around here too. I was quite surprised to see them this far west. Oh no, my book says they are pretty much this far west. doh!
