Category Archives: Birding

Birding trips I need to do

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In my ongoing attempt to see more of the birds of WA, I think trips to the following locations are in order:

  • Rottnest Island (seabirds, waders and odd introduced birds like the Indian Peafowl and the Common Pheasant);
  • Dryandra (bushbirds and hopefully some of the nocturnals);
  • Albany (seabirds and some of the SW rarities);
  • Broome (for reasons that should be obvious).

If anyone is interested in coming along (especially for Rottnest Island) send me a message.

List = List + 2

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Went on a Birds WA walk on Saturday and added two more birds to my life list:

  • Inland Thornbill (Acanthiza apicalis);
  • Grey Shrike-thrush (Colluricincla harmonica).

Both were seen in the Dell Forest in Kalamunda. Thanks to Maris Lauva for helping me find the Grey Shrike-thrush – it helps if someone knows it’s call.

Birding Target Groups

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There are a few groups of birds that I haven’t been very successful in seeing (and identifying).  The more obvious groups (parrots, finches, honey-eaters etc) are well covered in my list but the following are not:

  • Cuckoos (I have only seen two species);
  • Waders (especially migratory);
  • Penguins (a trip to Penguin Island was a failure);
  • Quail (and other small ground-based birds);
  • Some of the more difficult water birds (Crakes, Rails etc).
A pelagic trip earlier this year helped me out in the seabird category, now all I have to do is organise some excursions to see some of these.  Looking at the Birds WA Sightings page, now seems to be a good time for the cuckoos…

Mute Swans at Northam

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Last weekend we went for a drive to Northam. It was a nice day for a picnic and it allowed me to see the famed Mute (White) Swans. There were only two I could find and they were located in a pond separate from the Avon River that has been set up to help build up numbers.

Mute Swans are on the Australian list, but given that these two were in captivity (I assume they can’t fly over the 1.5 m fence) I can’t really count them.

First Pelagic

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Yesterday I survived my first pelagic birding trip. We departed from Hillarys Boat Harbour at just gone 0700 and returned just after 1500. As this was my first pelagic, pretty much any sea bird that turned up was going to be a first for me. Here is my list (all are firsts for me):

  • Australasian Gannet (Morus serrator);
  • Hutton’s Shearwater (Puffinus huttoni);
  • Soft-plumaged Petrel (Pterodroma mollis);
  • Yellow-nosed Albatross (Diomedea chlorohynchos);
  • Brown Skua (Catharacta skua);
  • Black-browed Albatross (Diomedea melanophris);
  • Cape Petrel (Daption capense);
  • Great Winged Petrel (Pterodroma macroptera);
  • Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus).

Overall the trip was good. The birds showed up as planned and I didn’t get sick. The sea wasn’t too rough and the weather held out (despite threatening to rain for most of the day). Experienced sea birders were quite happy to identify and discuss birds to complete novices like myself. I will post some photographs once I have had a chance to sort through them.

Thanks to Frank O’Connor and the rest of the people who helped organise the day!