Thinking About Birds

December 2025

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WA trip 7-15 December

Margaret and I flew to Perth then drove down to Narrogin where we stayed two nights and I visited Dryandra Woodland etc. Then we went to Busselton for a night, Albany for two nights (and I did a day trip to Cheynes Beach) and Pemberton for one night. We finished with two nights in Perth, for a mixture of family events and some birding.

7 December

Most of the day was taken up with travel - flight to Perth, collect off-site rental car, drive to Narrogin via a stop at Wandering cemetery. It was also quite a warm day in WA. The only birds I saw were roadside ones but these included Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo, Western Rosella, Australian Ringneck and Grey Currawong, so - off to a good start!

8 December

I went very early to the Dryandra Woodland National Park- seeing lots of Galahs, Australian Ringnecks and Red-capped Parrots roadside in Narrogin as I headed out. I spent all morning at Dryandra - visiting several sites starting with the Old Mill Dam and then places to the west of that. As usual I found plenty of Rufous Treecreepers including a begging youngster, also a tail-less Willie Wagtail which I suppose was a youngster. There were many Western Gerygones and Western Thornbills, plus Inland Thornbills, and I saw a couple of Western Rosellas too (a young bird and later, a female) and Western Wattlebirds. At a dam there were many honeyeater types coming in to drink - Yellow-plumed, Brown, Brown-headed and Gilbert’s Honeyeaters, and Red Wattlebirds. A highlight for me was a family group of Australian Boobooks - they flushed from in or near a hollow as I drew near it, and landed in nearby trees. There was an adult and three owlets. I also twice saw Elegant Parrots. Another highlight was a Numbat - I had two views of one scurrying around some fallen timber.

Late afternoon I went to Foxes Lair Reserve. Things were rather quiet there but I saw a pair of Red-capped Parrots, and a group of three Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos flew through. Also a Western Gerygone was nest-building very high in a tall gum tree.

9 December

I returned very early morning to Foxes Lair hoping it would be birdier than yesterday afternoon. It sure was, and I found 14 species compared with yesterday’s eight. Surprisingly there were only 5 species in common from my two visits. Highlights today included White-cheeked Honeyeater, Common Bronzewing, Brown Goshawk and Sacred Kingfisher. I also found the Railway Dam on my way back, which had Pacific Black Duck and White-faced Heron by the water, and Long-necked Turtles in it. From Narrogin we drove to Wagin, where we stopped for a while at the Giant Ram (which we first saw in 1991. There’s now a nice park associated with it, where I found an adult Australian Ringneck feeding a youngster and saw several Red Wattlebirds plus some more White-cheeked Honeyeaters.

We drove on quiet country backroads towards our lunch stop in Boyup Brook, with a detour into the Wild Horse Nature Reserve - the part of it on a lovely billabong. There were Splendid Fairywrens and Western Whistlers plus Rufous Whistlers, also a Sacred Kingfisher, and a pair of Purple-crowned Lorikeets whizzed through. Onwards then, via Boyanup, to Busselton with a stop at Malbup in the Tuart Forest National Park, another of my regular sites. I found several waterbirds there including Yellow-billed Spoonbills, Hoary-headed Grebes and Grey Teal. There also were a few Australian Shelducks around. Bush birds at Malbup included Western Gerygones, Yellow-rumped Thornbills and Splendid Fairywrens, all of which afforded great views. I also saw a Whistling Kite there.

10 December

I spent some time around Busselton early morning, with the highlight being to see a Banded Lapwing foraging in a front yard. I found Pink-eared Ducks and Australian Shelducks at a wetland on the northern side of town, with many other waterbirds. By the beach later were Australian Pied Cormorants (I saw one catch and swallow a fish) and many gulls, also a Greater Crested Tern and a Little Pied Cormorant.

We drove to Nannup, seeing Emus en route. At Nannup we stopped by the river at a wonderful park. I found four WA endemics there including two which were new for the trip - White-breasted Robin and Red-eared Firetail. Other species present included Dusky Woodswallow, Splendid Fairywren, Red Wattlebird and Tree Martin. From there we drove to Albany via Manjimup, Muir Highway and Mount Barker, with stops for birding at Lake Muir Observatory (I saw distant Black Swans, Australian Shelducks and White-faced Herons), Frankland River (for lunch: saw Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos and Splendid Fairywrens) and Ongerup Lagoon Nature Reserve (saw Western Spinebills and a Western Yellow Robin).

11 December

I left very early for Cheyne Beach, arriving at 6:30. I spent almost 5 hours there although almost one and a half hours of that involved trying to see a Noisy Scrub-bird. I was within 3m of it the entire time, but simply could not lay eyes upon it within a shrub that had really dense undergrowth. Eventually I managed a brief view as it slinked across a small patch of open ground.

Prior to that I had been listening to a Western Whipbird at almost the same spot, and I actually managed to see and photograph it. I’d had great birding all morning, seeing Western Spinebills, White-breasted Robin, male Red-winged Fairywren, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater and some Brush Bronzewings, plus copious numbers of New Holland Honeyeaters and White-cheeked Honeyeaters. Also I found Sooty Oystercatchers on the beach.

I had lunch at Lower King (Oyster Point) where I found Pied Oystercatchers and Caspian Terns, plus some other waterbirds, and a young Gilbert’s Honeyeater in the shrubbery (heavily outnumbered by the New Holland Honeyeaters).

12 December

From Albany we went to Denmark where I did a walk alongside the river and found some Red-winged Fairywrens plus I heard White-breasted Robins. Our next stop was the Valley of Giants where we spent a bit over an hour. The walks were excellent - well made and great signage. There were lots of people - and thus, I found hardly any birds. After lunch then at Walpole we drove to our accommodation on the outskirts of Pemberton - I saw a Scarlet Robin en route. My walk around the grounds turned up a large group of Purple-crowned Lorikeets - they were very active but they kept coming to a small hollow about 6m up in a tree. They seemed to be drinking from it. I took many photos although it was difficult to get a proper focus on them because of the constant movement. On my walk I also found Splendid Fairywrens, a Sacred Kingfisher, Yellow-rumped Thornbills and New Holland Honeyeaters.

Late in the day, there were male Splendid and Red-winged Fairywrens almost side by side on the lawn of our cabin, and while I was cooking at the BBQ a Baudin’s Black Cockatoo circled overhead for a while.

13 December

I walked around the property again in the early morning and also to the Gloucester Tree about 2km away (in the National Park). I found most of the birds from yesterday plus several White-breasted Robins. There were scores of Purple-crowned Lorikeets constantly buzzing around. I also found a Spotted Scrubwren, surprisingly my first for the trip. Once again there were Splendid Fairywrens and Red-winged Fairywrens together. No more birding today - instead there was a long drive to Perth on a very hot day.

14 December

I went to Lake Joondalup early morning and found the recommended viewing spot near the mountain bike circuits. I was watching for raptors, joined after a while by another birder, Arthur. We saw one or more of Swamp Harrier, Whistling Kite, Nankeen Kestrel and Wedge-tailed Eagle, and then finally and briefly (2-3 minutes) we had distant views of an Oriental Honey-buzzard. Arthur managed some proof photos. I was pleased to leave actually, because the place was crawling with ticks. From there I went to Lake Monger - but only briefly as there were hardly any ducks around apart from some Australian Shelducks - and then Herdsman’s Lake. Waterbirds were still in short supply but I did find some Great Crested Grebes, also Hardheads, Grey Teal and Pacific Black Ducks. By now it was another really hot day and so I called it quits.

6 December

I surveyed Ash Island in the morning, as part of the monthly HBOC waterbirds survey. There was an adult Brahminy Kite by the north channel of the river, and nearby two Ospreys were at the tower where there used to be a nest. I found four Far Eastern Curlews at the Milhams Pond/Phoenix Flats ponds, but the only additional shorebirds were two Pied Stilts at Swan Pond. It was a really hot day (nudging 42C at times) and it was quiet birding as a result - I only found 43 species for the morning.

4 December

I did my monthly surveys in the Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland. It was far quieter than when I was there in November - there were hardly any birds and the probablt highlight was some Eastern Yellow Robins.

3 December

I surveyed three of my sites in Brisbane Water National Park - one at Pearl Caves and then two in the Curra Swamp area. I heard a Brush Bronzewing and two Pheasant Coucals at the latter plus there were both Golden Whistlers and Rufous Whistlers. A eucalypt in blossom had many New Holland Honeyeaters and White-cheeked Honeyeaters. There was a calling Brown Cuckoo-Dove at the Pearl Caves site, and a reasonable list of mid- to large-sized birds - nothing small.

November 2025

25 November

I went to the Central Coast group's meeting in Tuggerah in the evening - the main event was a talk about birding in Costa Rica, which brought back fond memories from my trip to that country 20 months ago. Before the meeting I visited the Central Coast Wetlands in Wyong. I found 43 species there, a good tally for that site, with thehighlights including Fairy Martins, Brown Quails, Tawny Grassbirds and Golden-headed Cisiticolas. Also, I saw two Latham's Snipe, and heard a Pheasant Coucal.

21 November

I walked from Woy Woy to Blackwall anolnside Brisbane Water. The Black Swans are back - I counted 75 of them today. Other highlights included some White-breasted Woodswallows (they've been back for a while but I didn't see them the previous time) and three Pied Oystercatchers.

18 November

I did my surveys of the Warrah Trig section of Brisbane Water National Park. It was quiet (very much so!) but I had good views of two Brush Bronzewings plus heard three others, and there was a Rockwarbler at my final 2ha site. At Patonga afterwards, there were three Australian Brush-turkeys.

12-13 November

I called in at Central Coast Wetlands on my way to Newcastle for the HBOC meeting. There I saw a Latham’s Snipe, my first for the season, and also a Buff-banded Rail. To my surprise, as it’s been quite dry for months, there was still a lot of water and hence, no muddy margins for shorebirds. I had several close views of Tawny Grassbirds and also some Bell Miners down at about ground level.

The HBOC meeting’s main feature was a video about Masked Owls in southwest WA (also a short one about rodenticides) but they were able to turn it into a good interactive discussion afterwards.

Next morning I went first to Bulbul Crescent in Fletcher, for views over some of Hexham Swamp. There was another Latham’s Snipe, and some Sharp-tailed Ssndpipers - both species invisible until flushed by a Swamp Harrier. Grey Teals were the dominant duck but there were small numbers of various other types. From there I went to nearby Kau Ma Park. Three raptor species were on view when I arrived - Swamp Harrier, Brown Goshawk, Australian Hobby - and a Pacific Koel was flying about in the fringing trees. The highlight was a pair of Black-necked Storks, which were standing on an artificial structure put out in the swamp about 2 years ago specifically for them to nest on. My sighting today is the first time they’ve been recorded using it. There was a fire last weekend which damaged the tree they’ve been preferring.

Heading home, I stopped at the rainforest area at the Ourimbah RTA Reserve. Here I saw many great birds including Rufous Fantails, Golden Whistlers, Black-faced Monarchs and Yellow-throated Scrubwrens. I also saw a male Regent Bowerbird and a Large-billed Scrubwren. Two Varied Trillers were calling too, but I couldn’t track them down.

11 November

In the morning I surveyed two more of my sites in Brisbane Water National Park and then went around to the arboretum at Pearl Beach. I heard several Brush Bronzewings in the NP plus a couple of Pheasant Coucals - didn’t see any of that! At the arboretum I found a Satin Bowerbird bower - a male was very active at it and some females visited. I later saw a Regent Bowerbird - a female but I had a good view of it; it’s my first for the Woy Woy Peninsula. Not long after that I saw a furtive Superb Lyrebird - it began calling about ten minutes later ie no longer furtive!

8 November

In the morning I did the Ash Island survey, with Ross and James. We found 58 species, which is an impressive total for out there. There were four Far Eastern Curlews at Milhams Pond while at Swan Pond we had 5 Bar-tailed Godwits and eight Black-tailed Godwits. It took us quite a while to sort out species and numbers as they were buried within a roosting group of 200+ Pied Stilts. Eventually a White-bellied Sea Eagle disturbed the group, which gave us some better views. One pair of stilts had a nest with eggs. We saw about 20 Great Egrets - that’s down a lot on the October count though. Fish Fry Flats had too much water for there to be many birds (it was a very high tide) but we flushed a Little Heron there.

NPWS provided lunch for all the HBOC surveyors and then we all piled onto two boats for a river cruise. We went downstream to just beyond Stockton Bridge - where amazingly there was a Great Crested Grebe in the water plus a Brahminy Kite overhead. On the trip back we spent time drifting just off the dykes and checking out the shorebirds. As well as the Far Eastern Curlews and Common Greenshanks, both in moderate numbers, there was a Marsh Sandpiper and a Whimbrel. I recorded 25 species during the cruise but it was just as much about kicking back with fellow birders and chatting a lot.

6 November

I did my Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland sites in the morning. Unusually, there was a Black-faced Monarch present, plus I saw a pair of Lewin’s Honeyeaters together and at least three Eastern Yellow Robins were calling. One of those was in the burnt area as was a Black-faced Cuckooshrike. An Australian Brushturkey scampered off as soon as it saw me. There are two mounds but I believe only one is was active this year.

5 November

I surveyed three of my sites in Brisbane Water National Park - at Pearl Caves and then the Curra Swamp area. I heard three Brush Bronzewings at the latter and a Brown Cuckoo-Dove at the former. There also was an Olive-backed Oriole there.

4 November

Late morning I walked along Brisbane Water from Woy Woy to Blackwall. I found a Mistletoebird, which is certainly an uncommon bird for me locally. It initially was in a mangrove, which also is an unusual place for one to be. Once again I had a Long-billed Corella - just the one this time. And there was a pair of Pied Oystercatchers. Other birds of interest included a Black-faced Cuckooshrike (unusual for the area) and a couple of White-breasted Woodswallows.

October 2025

24 October

I surveyed two more sites in Brisbane Water National Park, and then the arboretum at Pearl Beach. I've finally caught up with the backlog after my extended bout of bronchitis in early October! The NP was very quiet, but the arboretum had plenty of birds including some Satin Bowerbirds hanging around a bower, Brown Gerygones, and a Brown Cuckoo Dove.

23 October

I walked from Woy Woy to Blackwall, alongside Brisbane Water. Maned Ducks were plentiful - I found 22 although that included a pair with 9 advanced youngsters. There were 3 Caspian Terns out on the sandbank along with all the Australian Pelicans, and overall I saw five Pied Oystercatchers (as 2 pairs plus a single). I found a single Long-billed Corella, then later, three more.

22 October

I did my surveys of the Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland. As usual it’s marginal for birds but I found 20 species overall including a Brown Thornbill and a Mistletoebird, also Australian Golden Whistler and Satin Bowerbird.

21 October

I did my surveys of the Warrah Trig section of Brisbane Water National Park. Several Brush Bronzewings were calling and I managed a nice view of one of them. I also came upon a pair of Glossy Black Cockatoos, quite close to the track. Honeyeaters were in short supply though. I finished up at Patonga, where I found five Australian Brushturkeys.