I have been fortunate to get to the south-western tip of Western Australia a couple of times. A magnificent area for trees, rocks, sea and birds.

Lots of photos in this re-visit with less commentary, or you will need another glass.

The isolated Little Penguin was unsuccessfully trying to scale this rock for the whole 20 minutes we were there. No idea why, and success looked increasingly unlikely. The slideshow shows the unlikely journey.

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Both Carnaby’s and Baudin’s Black-Cockatoos are found only down in this small area in far south-west WA. First the Baudin’s with the elongated beak:

 

 

Then the Carnaby’s:

 

There are also Red-Tailed Black-Cockatoos:

This was the first sighting for me of the Bridled Tern.

 

 

Terns often mingle across sub-species so it can be hard often to distinguish them. This is a young Crested Tern.

Of course, there were millions of sea- and shore-birds. In order right to left, then down, we have a juvenile and adult Pacific Gull; ubiquitous White-Faced Heron; Australasian Darter (3 photos); Little-Black Cormorant; Pied Oystercatcher; and Great Cormorants.

 

High on a rock, rarely moving, and looking somewhat forlorn, was a Southern Fulmar, which would not normally be here at this time of the year, so perhaps lost and forlorn.

Below, from the top,we have a Hardhead (a bit out of its normal range); Australasian Grebes (breeding – male is left, fem right); Hoary-headed Grebe; Chestnut Teal; and Grey Teal.

This area is famous for its giant forests, and they certainly were impressive.

The rocks were impressive, whether in the water or out of it. First, in the water, with various exposures to feature the water too:

 

With the forests and proliferation of wildflowers, there is a wide variety of forest birds, a number of which were first sightings for me.

First, lots of Honeyeaters, with Brown, then White-cheeked, and lastly the New-Holland.

 

 

Although the Australian Ringneck Parrot is fairly wide-spread, this sub-species, namely semitorquatus, is only found in this small area. It is colloquially known as the Twenty-Eight after its call, although I noticed that the Twenty-Eight tag was applied to the species more indiscriminately.

Wherever you go in Australia, you can count on being welcomed by the Welcome Swallows, although again the sub-species Carteri is only found in south-western Western Australia. Looks like there are more on the way.

One of my favourite birds (although the group is large) is the Spinebill. Reasonably common in my garden is the Eastern Spinebill. This was the first sighting of the slightly different plumage of the Western Spinebill.

Another common bird in Eastern and Southern Australia, close to the coast, is the Silvereye. This sub-species Chloronotus is again only found in the south-west of WA.

Similarly, the Bilbali sub-species of the Australian Pipit, a bird found almost everywhere in Australia, is only found in this nook.

 

 

The wildflowers are also spectacular:

And almost finally, the pure quartz, rather than coral/shell sand with which we are more familiar, is remarkable. And treacherous.

And, finally, I love a good sign. We all know how hard it is to get it right. Tough luck though if it is through this closed at all times door that you need to make the emergency egress.

Michael Monaghan

Re-visited July 2020

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Today was the commemorative opening of the new native garden. Inspired by one of the most brilliant launches witnessed by humanity, a link to which is at the bottom of this article, it was held in three languages, with a suitably distanced crowd of one.

For those who missed the beginning, here’s a quick re-cap

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One hundred square metres of what was, before the drought of 2000, lawn – but was now at best grass, but mainly weeds – was to be dug up, and turned into 50 sq m of native garden and 50 sq m of re-sown lawn.

Workers, well the worker, had to meet the watchful and exacting standards of the future occupants, such as the young magpie and the grey butcher bird.

Various paths have had to be constructed, walls built, and stone wall gardens extended.

The plan didn’t allow for discovering a dodgy brothers storm water pipe running right through the middle of the proposed garden, sitting just 100 to 250 mm below the surface.

Taking a punt that the drain, like another one running from the other corner of the back garden, was put there when the houses were new, and there were no gardens to absorb the rainwater coming off the ridge behind, I decided to take it out. We will discover next time it pours if that was a good decision – otherwise I might need that punt I mentioned. I have checked I still have gumboots.

In a very good sign, some prospective tenants couldn’t even wait till the first plants went into the ground.

I watched a couple of young resident magpies attempt, but fail, to remove the colourful labels from some pots, resulting in several being tipped over.

Then, after frantic last minute activity by the worker, the time for the official opening arrived.

Being a good employer, and wanting to offer choices to the worker, I offered myself, the worker – read Lee v Lee’s Airfarming to understand the corporate veil – his pick. All I could find, though, was this spade. (boom boom)

The launch was conducted in English, French and German, as guided by the launch of the new postbox depicted in the attached documentary. Luckily, the Spanish Inquisition didn’t arrive, because I certainly wasn’t expecting it – well, of course, nobody does.

So now I have got only 20 sqm to dig up in the garden, and about 15 sqm to re-sow the last stretch of new lawn. Plus lots of bird attracting natives to be purchased and planted.

 

 

Make sure you watch the clip. One of the funniest things I have ever seen.

Michael Monaghan

July 2020

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Pretty quiet in winter at the Wetlands, but over a few trips have spotted some new and some rare appearances.

The Golden-headed Cisticola, one of the so-called Old World Warblers, is apparently at the edge of its range around here, but the high reeds and water suit it. This was the first time I had seen one, and as best I could tell, there seemed to be only one.

Another rare sighting, although you often hear them here, is the Little Grassbird. Rarer still for it to sit still long enough for a photo opportunity – and true to form this one didn’t quite.

 

The Red-Browed Finches are often around and are fairly unconcerned by human presence. They were certainly hoeing into the late autumn reed seeds.

Similarly, Superb Fairy-Wrens are common and tolerant.

Rare visitors right in the Wetlands are Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoos, which normally hang about in huge Casuarina Pine stands a kilometer or so away.

The colourful Red-Rumped Parrots are also common here. The male is much more colourful than the female, she more sedately stylish.

 

Black-Shouldered Kites frequent and nest here. This looks like one of the youngsters checking out his home.

Spotted Doves seem to be another of the birds moving in greater numbers into new territory after the bushfires along the eastern and south-eastern coasts. I have also seen them in my garden in Canberra for the first time, along with huge numbers (70 at a time)  of Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos and (30 at a time) of Rainbow Lorikeets. Not before this year have they been in this part of Canberra in anything like those numbers.

Also it is the first time in many years coming here I have seen WoodSwallows here. These are Black-Faced Woodswallows, quite cuddly looking and so they are in practice.

Quite common in the Wetlands are Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrikes, White-faced Herons,  White-Browed Scrubwrens and Straw-necked Ibis.

 

More first sightings anywhere for me were the Yellow-Rumped Thornbill:

The Brown Thornbill:

And the Yellow-faced Honeyeater:

So with a bit of patience, and time, the Wetlands always go from there’s nothing there to a nice collection.

June 2020

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