They call it “Busso” and “Bunno” for Bunbury. I laughed my head off when I first heard it on the radio. I travelled a bit north of the town to the Wonnerup Beach Trail where the inlet was full of blue-green algae. It stunk and it was black. OOh it was bad.
White-headed Stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus)
Grey Teal (Anas gracilis)
This Grey Teal was slurping up all the pond scum. yuk!
White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)
You can see all the saltbush beneath this White-faced Heron. Typical estuary plants.
I arrived in Margaret River in the morning late and the wind was still blowing off-shore, so I headed out to Surfer’s Point to get a few photos. There was a lot of guys out and it was a bit small for Margaret River. Not a great many good surfers out but I managed to get a few reasonable photos.
In the afternoon after I arrived in Augusta, I went out to the lighthouse hoping to see some sea-birds but there was nothing much. Just a few Sooty Oystercatchers on the rocks. doh!
Sooty Oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus)
I went bush for the weekend to escape the tourist hordes and went camping at Chapman Pool in Blackwood River National Park.
Twenty-eight Parrot – Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius semitorquatus)
I got a heap of photos to go through from Jerramungup to Denmark. Half of the things I did I cannot remember now. I visited the Malleefowl Center at Ongerup which was wonderful where I saw a couple of Malleefowl in captivity. I now know how rare they are. I camped at the Stirling Range Retreat for a couple of nights and then went down to the Porongurup Range National Park.
Split rock Tree
Mount Trio comprises three separate peaks linked together by a plateau. Montane thickets on the upper levels of the peaks put on a colourful display of wildflowers in spring and early summer.
From Albany I went east to Cheyne’s Beach which had a massive array of coastal heath country.
Cheyne’s Beach
Then west to Denmark, Parry’s Beach and here I am at Peaceful Bay. I do not do selfies very often, But I thought it was about time.
Peaceful Bay
I did a great tour at the Valley of the Giants just before Walpole.
Old Tingle Tree
Me in hole in huge Tingle tree
I was going to stay at the camp at Shannon but I was attacked by about five thousand March Flies, so I fled that horror. I stopped at Snake Gully and the Big Tree Grove to see all the big trees.
Grass Tree – Xanthorrhoea
This is a really old grass tree at Sid’s Campground at Northcliffe.
Big Brook Dam
This is the water supply for the town of Pemberton.
Gloucester Tree
A German couple from Frankfurt climbing the Gloucester tree at Pemberton.
I stopped off at Sue’s Bridge campground in Blackwood River National Park because it was about half-way between Pemberton and Augusta. At first I thought it might be a bit dead there but this morning it livened up a bit later on this morning. It was a bit overcast and cloudy early on so the birds must not have wanted to get out of bed.
Red-tailed Black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii naso) – male
I camped last night at the Arboretum at Big Brook Dam, near Pemberton in South-west Western Australia. In the afternoon I went for a walk along a trail but did not see much. In the morning I set off for the dam and walked along the edge for a while. The highlight was this Mardoo.
The Western Australia sub-species, leucogaster, is drabber than the nominate sub-species with a white belly. They occur in a broad spectrum of habitats from tropical to swampy to dry mulga country. Their diet consists mainly of insects as well as flowers, nectar, small birds and mice.
Twenty-eight Parrot – Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius semitorquatus)
Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans)
White-breasted Robin (Eopsaltria georgiana)
Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera)
German dude climbing the Gloucester Tree
The Gloucester Tree is an attraction on the 86 kilometer Karri Forest Explorer.
Fungus
This fluoro fungus was on the stump of an old tree that had been cut down. This is the real colour. I added no saturation to this photo.
Pemberton bird list
Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans)
Grey Fantail
Grey Currawong
Laughing Kookaburra
Pacific Black Duck
Grey Teal
Musk Duck
White-browed Scrubwren
Black Swan
Western Rosella
Eastern Osprey
White-breasted Robin (Eopsaltria georgiana)
Twenty-eight Parrot – Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius semitorquatus)
Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera)
After leaving Walpole, I camped at Crystal Springs for a couple of nights, recharging my batteries, doing nothing but read crime novels. I was going to camp at Shannon camp but there were millions of March Flies or Horseflies. It was just unbearable. Next stop was the Big Tree Grove. Not much there at all. The southern forests are a bit of a disappointment really. The only saving grace was the sight of another Baudin’s Black-cockatoo.
There were a lot of Purple-crowned Lorikeets in the high canopy at the Big Tree Grove, along with some Western Rosellas.
Gilbert’s Honeyeater (Melithreptus chlorospis)
This Gilbert’s Honeyeater was getting right into the nectar with this flower.
Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans)
I rolled into Northcliffe for lunch and then found my way to Sid’s Campground. Pretty cheap at five bucks a night, with shower and camp kitchen – top value. The horse flies are not so bad here either.
In the afternoon I went for a walk around the camp grounds. Not a great deal of bird activity at all. The South-west sub-species of the Australasian Swamphen, bellus, has an iridescent cobalt front.
I had to have a good hard look at this one. But the rufous vent, red eye, whitish lores, black bill and whitish eye-ring convinced me that it was a Grey Shrike-thrush and not a Western Whistler.
Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang campbelli)
Last but not least, this SW sub-species campbelli, were very lively around the campsite when I got back from my walk.
Southern Forests Bird List
Baudin’s Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus baudinii)
Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang campbelli)
White-browed Scrubwren
Western Rosella
Purple-crowned Lorikeet (Glossopsitta porphyrocephala)
Red Wattlebird
Gilbert’s Honeyeater (Melithreptus chlorospis)
Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans)
New Holland Honeyeater
Australian Magpie
Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus bellus)
Grey Shrike-thrush (Collurincla harmonica rufiventris)
After camping at the beach for a night, I kept heading west to the Valley of the Giants where I spotted a Baudin’s Black-Cockatoo. It was too dark but I could tell it was a Baudin’s because of the elongated upper mandible. But I hopefully will get a better photo as this is the first time I have run into any of them.
I had a swim yesterday at the beach. I needed a wash. The water was really nice and refreshing. I did all my photo processing at the library . In the afternoon found a couple of Osprey fishing at the river-mouth. At times they were hovering like kestrels.
Eastern Osprey (Pandion cristatus)
Eastern Osprey (Pandion cristatus)
Australian Shelduck (Tadorna tadornoides)
The males have dark heads and the females have a white ring around the eye.
Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans)
Then I went on the Mokare walk over the river but it was nothing. Late in the afternoon I headed to the Harewood Forest Walk. There were all these bit karri trees but no birds at all.
Western Whistler (Pachycephala occidentalis)
This morning I had a pastie and coffee at the Vienamese bakery. Then headed out along the inlet to Campbell Road and walked the trail along the waterfront for a kilometer or so. This is a male Western Whistler at long last.
Red-eared Firetail (Stagonopleura oculata)
This is a very young juvenile Red-eared Firetail, without the red ear, yellowish gape, and black bill.
Gilbert’s Honeyeater (Melithreptus chloropsis)
A Gilbert’s Honeyeater having a good old scratch. They are reasonably common over here in the west.
Galah and Little Corella
These buddies were digging big holes in the dirt looking for something to eat.
Denmark bird list
Eastern Osprey (Pandion cristatus)
Australian Shelduck (Tadorna tadornoides)
Australian White Ibis
Little Pied Cormorant
Black Swan
Australian Pelican
White-faced Heron
Great Egret
Yellow-billed Spoonbill
Gilbert’s Honeyeater (Melithreptus chloropsis)
Red Wattlebird
Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans)
Western Whistler (Pachycephala occidentalis)
Red-eared Firetail (Stagonopleura oculata)
Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)
Twenty-eight Parrot
Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla roseicapilla)
Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea sanguinea)
After leaving Albany and the big winds, I went west and tried to find a camp spot at Cozy Corner but it was all full up so I camped along the Hay River. In the morning I discovered the Denmark Wetlands and Boardwalk. The boardwalk was fantastic except there was no water. Another dry emphemeral wetland. So many water-holes have been dry.
Western Whistler (Pachycephala occidentalis)
I did happen to see the male, but the photos are really crap. doh! This is a juvenile or a female.
Red-capped Parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius)
This is a juvenile and an adult.
Twenty-eight Parrot – Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius semitorquatus)
This is a genuine 28, not one of your Port Lincoln hybrids.
Western Rosella (Platycercus icterotis)
Denmark Wetland bird list
Western Whistler (Pachycephala occidentalis)
Tree Martin
Red-eared Firetail (Stagonopleura oculata)
White-breasted Robin
Twenty-eight Parrot – Australian Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius semitorquatus)
Western Rosella (Platycercus icterotis)
Red-capped Parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius)
New Holland Honeyeater
Australian White Ibis
Gilbert’s Honeyeater
Willie Wagtail
Dusky Woodswallow
Sacred Kingfisher
