Western Australia

birding extravaganza 9 days, June 2020

What to bring: Please travel light; Binoculars, camera,

insect repellent, sunscreen, hat. Sturdy footwear

recommended. Scopes and heavy suitcases are discouraged.

Clothing: Lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirt, over

the top of which you can wear layers that can be taken off as

necessary, including a thick jumper or wind-proof jacket.

Group size: Minimum & maximum 8 participants.

Cost: $14,199* per person including accommodation and all

meals, based on double or twin-share occupancy. Single supple-

ment of $1100. Not included: drinks, tips & personal expenses.

Bookings: Online at http://www,bellbirdtours.com/bookings or

please complete the booking form in the back of this brochure.

Only 8 seats available. There is high demand for this tour already.

Tour starts & ends: Essendon airport, Melbourne,

Vic.

Scheduled departure date: Tuesday 23 June 2020

Following two successful Air Safari birding tours by private

plane, we’re proud to offer the Western Australia Birding

Extravaganza from Perth to the Kimberley. Targeting all local

specialties, we’ll once again be using our own private

chartered aircraft for this trip. Visiting iconic birding

destinations such as Shark Bay, inland WA, the Pilbara, the

Kimberley (including Broome) and Mitchell Plateauthis

once-in-a lifetime tour is bound to boost your species list

significantly. We’ll be using our own private chartered

aircraft for this trip, while ground excursions will be

delivered by local bird guides in 4WD’s. This trip is a real

adventure (yet fully accommodated), taking us across the vast

expanse of the western Australian continent in comfort. Expect

to see over 200 species, including Western Quail-thrush,

Sandhill/Western/Pilbara/Black Grasswrens, Spinifex Pigeon, Grey

Grey & Kimberley Honeyeater, Chestnut-quilled Rock-pigeon,

Buff-sided Robin, Red-headed Honeyeater, many endemics and

a vast array of other exciting birds. While we may encounter

chilly mornings, during this time of year the weather is generally

quite pleasant. The accommodation is in comfortable en-suite

rooms and the rewards will be a great spread of Australia’s

western outback bird species!

Leader: Peter Waanders

Trip reports and photos of previous tours:

http://www.bellbirdtours.com/

*Price based on 8 participants; a surcharge will apply if

Western Australia 9-day birding extravaganza 2020

Departs: Melbourne’s Essendon Airport, Main Terminal on June 23, 2020

Cost: AUD 14,199 inc GST per person. Single accommodation surcharge: AUD 1100 inc GST. This price is

based on 8 participants. In the unlikely event that we receive less than 8 bookings, a surcharge will apply. In this case, you will be

given the option to either pay the extra or withdraw your booking.

Included:

- All private charter flights in our aircraft

- All ground transport in comfortable and reliable 4WD vehicles

- All accommodation on twin share basis, basic but comfortable motel or cabin

- All meals (continental breakfast (cooked on occasion), light lunch and a variety of 2 course

dinners)

- Expert guiding: the tour will be led by Peter Waanders and accompanied by local guides.

- Refillable sports drink bottle to reduce plastic water bottle use

Not included:

- Travel to & from departure and finish points, pre & post trip accommodation, any meals not

mentioned, any drinks, personal expenses, tips, insurance.

- Additional activities not included in the program

Bookings:

- Please complete the booking form in the back of this brochure. We can also arrange your

pre and post tour accommodation – please contact us for details.

Reports of previous tours:

- As this is a new tour, there are no trip reports available, however, we ran a very successful Great

Grasswren tour in 2016 using the same plane and another very successful Great Northern tour in

2018 using the same plane. We have been running Six and Nine Grasswren tours since 2006 and

their trip reports can be found here: http://www.bellbirdtours.com/reports/

http://www.bellbirdtours.com/reports/

Western Australia 9-day birding extravaganza 2020

ITINERARY

Day 1: Tuesday 23 June. Melbourne-Adelaide-Perth. Early morning

departure aboard our own comfortable, pressurized private airplane from

Melbourne to Pert (WA). If necessary, we stop in Adelaide to pick up

participants there. We’ll then fly over the Great Australian Bight providing

spectacular views. We’ll stop near here, at Forrest, in the middle of nowhere, for

lunch and to re-fuel. We arrive in Perth in time for dinner. Any Perth-based

participants can join us here. Accommodation: Country Comfort Motel

Belmont, Perth (en-suite motel room; meals; L, D).

Day 2: Wednesday 24 June. Perth – Cue. We’ll make an early departure

for our short flight to Cue in inland, outback Western Australia. spend the full

day birding the area between Cue and Mount Magnet, searching for Sandhill

Grasswren and Western Quail-thrush. Another drawcard here is Bourke’s Parrot

which we’ve seen on most prior visits. We’ll also spend time looking for other

good species of the area, including Redthroat, Western Bowerbird, Little

Woodswallow, Purple-backed Fairy-wren and Slaty-backed Thornbill.

Accommodation: Motel in Cue or Mt Magnet (en-suite motel rooms; meals: B,

L, D).

Day 3: Thursday 25 June. Cue-Shark Bay. After some more morning

birding we’ll take a short flight to Shark Bay. This World Heritage site is located

on the westernmost point of the Australian continent, and its coastal habitats

have a number of exceptional natural features, the most well-known of which

are its beds of stromatolites (colonies of microbial mats that form hard, dome-

shaped deposits which are said to be the oldest life forms on earth). The

beautiful remote scenery is home to a population of Western Grasswren which

will be the main target of our visit. There are also Purple-backed Fairy-wren,

Chiming Wedgebill and Rufous Fieldwren here. We’ll stay at the Monkey Mia

resort, right on the beach where Indo-pacific Dolphins regularly come in to

feed. Accommodation: Monkey Mia Resort, Shark Bay (en-suite hotel rooms;

meals: B, L, D).

Day 4: Friday 26 June. Shark Bay – Newman. Another chance of Western

Grasswren this morning, and after watching the dolphins come in to shore, we

take a 2-hr flight to Newman, located centrally in the Pilbara and surrounded by

millions of acres of spinifex and rocky outcrops. Today’s main target is the

Spinifex Pigeon, Australian

Pratincole, Birding, Black-breasted

Buzzard, Dusky Grasswren © P

Waanders

Western Australia 9-day birding extravaganza 2020

recently-split Pilbara Grasswren (was whitei ssp of Striated) in the rocky

spinifex-covered hills just outside the town. Other birds we may see today

include Spinifex Pigeon, Spinifexbird, Cockatiel, Budgerigar, Western

Gerygone, Major Mitchell Cockatoo and after we’ve located the grasswrens

we’ll commence the search for Grey Honeyeater, while we also stand a good

chance of Painted Finch, Grey-headed Honeyeater and Slaty-backed Thornbill.

Accommodation: Seasons Hotel, Newman (en-suite hotel rooms; meals: B,L,D).

Day 5: Saturday 27 June. Newman-Broome. If needed, another

chance for Pilbara Grasswren or any other birds desired but we’d like to make

an early departure to nearby bird hotspot Broome. We will visit the famous

Broome Bird Observatory we’ll explore famous Roebuck Bay and

neighbouring areas in search of waders (with chance of Asian Dowitcher,

Broadbilled Sandpiper and who knows: Common Redshank) and other

shorebirds, as well as Striated Heron, Eastern Reef Egret, White-breasted and

Mangrove Whistler, Broad-billed Flycatcher, Dusky Gerygone, Red-headed

Honeyeater, Yellow White-eye and many, many more excellent birds!

Accommodation: Kimberley Sands Resort, Broome (basic motel rooms with

shared facilities; meals: B, L, D).

Day 6: Sunday 28 June. Broome-Drysdale. We’ll bird the morning

around Broome and/or the Bird Observatory, then an exciting and scenic

flight over the Kimberley awaits us to reach Drysdale Station, centrally located

in the remote Kimberley. Arriving at Drysdale, we’ll check into our

accommodation and have lunch, then spend the afternoon birding the local

area. Species we may encounter here include Purple-crowned Fairy-wren,

Long-tailed and Crimson Finch, Northern Shrike-tit, Banded, Bar-breasted,

Yellow-tinted Honeyeater, Silver-crowned Friarbird and more.

Accommodation: Drysdale Station (basic motel rooms with shared facilities;

meals: B, L, D).

Painted Finch, Rufous-crowned Emu-

wren, © G Jones, Gouldian Finch © L

Ross

Western Australia 9-day birding extravaganza 2020

Day 7: Monday 29 June. We’ll spend the full day birding around laid-back Drysdale Station with further chances of Kimberley Honeyeater, as

well as other good birds such as Crested (Northern) Shrike-tit, Purple-

crowned Fairy-wren, Banded, Bar-breasted, Yellow-tinted Honeyeater

Honeyeater, Long-tailed and Crimson Finch, Silver-crowned Friarbird and

more. Accommodation: Drysdale Station (basic motel rooms with shared

facilities; meals: B, L, D).

Day 8: Tuesday 30 June. Today we’ll search for Black Grasswren. Our plane will take us to the Mitchell Falls airstrip (15min) from where we’ll be

helicoptered (15min) to the Mitchell Falls area, enjoying a stunning view of

the falls on the way. We’ll spend most of the day exploring the landscape

here, with its mix of tall grasses interspersed with huge boulders, and

spinifex-clad slopes. Having found the Black Grasswren, we’ll turn our focus

to other birds, such as Kimberley Honeyeater, Chestnut-quilled Rock Pigeon,

Partridge Pigeon, Buff-sided Robin and more. At the end of the day, we’ll hit

the skies again heading east to arrive in Kununurra in time for a well-earned

dinner. Accommodation: motel in Kununurra (en-suite motel rooms; meals:

B, L, D).

Day 9: Wednesday 1 July. Our final morning means an early start to go birding the swamps and lagoons and surrounding bush, around

Kununurra. We aim for birds including Black-necked Stork, Glossy Ibis, Green

Pygmy-goose, Wandering and Plumed whistling-duck, Grey-fronted, White-

throated & Yellow-tined Honeyeater, Silver-backed Butcherbird, Northern

Fantail, Paperbark Flycatcher, Red-collared Lorikeet and much more. And of

course there’s always a chance of Gouldian Finches and Yellow-rumped

Mannikins! Mid-morning we depart and fly to Uluru (Ayers Rock) of which

we’ll have fantastic views from the air. We land here, for lunch, and then

continue on to Adelaide to drop any SA-based passengers before reaching

our final destination, Essendon airport in Melbourne, at the end of the day.

(TOUR ENDS; meals: B, L).

White-quilled Rock Pigeon © P

Waanders, Rainbow Pitta © L Ross,

Australian Bustard © P Waanders

Western Australia 9-day birding extravaganza 2020

Uluru © P Waanders, Red-collared

Lorikeet © L Ross, Black Grasswren,

Black-necked Stork, Buff-sided Robin

© P Waanders

Western Australia 9-day birding extravaganza 2020

Western Australia 9-day birding extravaganza 2020

Emu

Orange-footed Scrubfowl

Brown Quail

Stubble Quail

King Quail

Plumed Wistling-duck

Wandering Whistling Duck

Raja Shelduck

Green Pygmy-goose

Magpie Goose

Musk Duck

Black Swan

Australian Shelduck

Radjah Shelduck

Australian Wood Duck

Pink-eared Duck

Australasian Shoveler

Grey Teal

Chestnut Teal

Pacific Black Duck

Hardhead

Australasian Grebe

Hoary-headed Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Rock Dove

Spotted Dove

Common Bronzewing

Spinifex Pigeon

Crested Pigeon

Squatter Pigeon

Chestnut-quilled Rock-pigeon

White-quilled Rock-pigeon

Pied Imperial-Pigeon

Diamond Dove

Peaceful Dove

Rose-crowned Fruit-dove

Bar-shouldered Dove

Emerald Dove

Torresian Imperial Pigeon

Banded Fruit-dove

Tawny Frogmouth

Spotted Nightjar

Australian Owlet-nightjar

Large-tailed Nightjar

Australasian Darter

Darter

Little Pied Cormorant

Great Cormorant

Little Black Cormorant

Pied Cormorant

Australian Pelican

Great Egret

Intermediate Egret

Cattle Egret

White-necked Heron

White-faced Heron

Great-billed Heron

Striated Heron

Pied Heron

Little Egret

Eastern Reef Egret

Nankeen Night-Heron

Black Bittern

Little Bittern

Black-necked Stork (Jabiru)

Glossy Ibis

Australian White Ibis

Straw-necked Ibis

Royal Spoonbill

Yellow-billed Spoonbill

Black-shouldered Kite

Whistling Kite

Black Kite

Brahminy Kite

Square-tailed Kite

Black-breasted Buzzard

Brown Goshawk

Grey Goshawk

Red Goshawk

Collared Sparrowhawk

Pacific Baza

Spotted Harrier

Swamp Harrier

Osprey

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Little Eagle

White-bellied Sea-Eagle

Brolga

Purple Swamphen

Baillon's Crake

Australian Spotted Crake

Spotless Crake

White-browed Crake

Buff-banded Rail

Black-tailed Native-hen

Dusky Moorhen

Eurasian Coot

Comb-crested Jacana

Australian Bustard

Pied Oystercatcher

Sooty Oystercatcher

Beach Stone-curlew

Bush Stone-curlew

Australian Painted Snipe

Eastern Curlew

Whimbrel

Bar-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-winged Stilt

Red-necked Avocet

Banded Stilt

Red-capped Plover

Greater Sand Plover

Grey Plover

Lesser Sand Plover

Pacific Golden Plover

Black-fronted Dotterel

Red-kneed Dotterel

Oriental Plover

Banded Lapwing

Masked Lapwing

Common Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpiper

Marsh Sandpiper

Terek Sandpiper

Common Greenshank

Ruddy Turnstone

Red-necked Stint

Sanderling

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Great Knot

Red Knot

Grey-tailed Tattler

Little Button-quail

Possible species list

Great Northern 12-day birding tour 2018

Red-backed Button-quail

Red-chested Button-quail

Chestnut-backed Button-quail

Australian Pratincole

Crested Tern

Gull-billed Tern

Caspian Tern

Whiskered Tern

White-winged Black Tern

Lesser Crested Tern

Silver Gull

Nankeen Kestrel

Brown Falcon

Australian Hobby

Grey Falcon

Black Falcon

Peregrine Falcon

Galah

Major Mitchell's Cockatoo

Long-billed Corella

Little Corella

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

Cockatiel

Rainbow Lorikeet

Red-collared Lorikeet

Varied Lorikeet

Purple-crowned Lorikeet

Regent Parrot

Eastern Rosella

Crimson Rosella (Adelaide,

Yellow)

Northern Rosella

Aust. Ringneck (Pt Lin-coln,

Mallee, Cloncurry)

Red-rumped Parrot

Budgerigar

Bourke's Parrot

Red-winged Parrot

Hooded Parrot

Pheasant Coucal

Koel

Brush Cuckoo

Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo

Fan-tailed Cuckoo

Channel-billed Cuckoo

Southern Boobook

Eastern Barn Owl

Barking Owl

Rufous Owl

Laughing Kookaburra

Blue-winged Kookaburra

Red-backed Kingfisher

Azure Kingfisher

Collared Kingfisher

Forest Kingfisher

Sacred Kingfisher

Little Kingfisher

Rainbow Bee-eater

Dollarbird

Rainbow Pitta

Western Bowerbird

Spotted Bowerbird

Great Bowerbird

Brown Treecreeper

Black-tailed Treecreeper

Superb Fairy-wren

Splendid Fairy-wren

White-winged Fairy-wren

Variegated Fairy-wren

Red-backed Fairy-wren

Purple-crowned Fairy-wren

Rufous-crowned Emu-wren

(Sandhill Grasswren)

Carpentarian Grasswren

Dusky Grasswren

Kalkadoon Grasswren

Black Grasswren

White-throated Grasswren

White-browed Scrubwren

Weebill

Western Gerygone

Large-billed Gerygone

White-throated Gerygone

Mangrove Gerygone

Yellow-rumped Thornbill

Slaty-backed Thornbill

Chestnut-rumped Thornbill

Buff-rumped Thornbill

Inland Thornbill

Southern Whiteface

Banded Whiteface

Spotted Pardalote

Red-browed Pardalote

Striated Pardalote

Pied Honeyeater

Singing Honeyeater

Grey-headed Honeyeater

Grey-fronted Honeyeater

Yellow-plumed Honeyeater

White-plumed Honeyeater

White-fronted Honeyeater

Blue-faced Honeyeater

Banded Honeyeater

Rufous-banded Honeyeater

Rufous-throated Honeyeater

White-gaped Honeyeater

Kimberley Honeyeater

White-lined Honeyeater

Little Friarbird

Helmeted Friarbird

Silver-crowned Friarbird

Noisy Miner

Yellow-throated Miner

Bar-breasted Honeyeater

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater

Red Wattlebird

Little Wattlebird

Crimson Chat

Orange Chat

White-fronted Chat

Yellow Chat

Black Honeyeater

Brown Honeyeater

Black-chinned Honeyeater

White-throated Honeyeater

Brown-headed Honeyeater

Dusky Honeyeater

Red-headed Honeyeater

White-lined Honeyeater

Yellow-tinted Honeyeater

White-browed Babbler

Chestnut-crowned Babbler

Grey-crowned Babbler

Cinnamon Quail-thrush

Chestnut Quail-thrush

Chiming Wedgebill

Chirruping Wedgebill

Varied Sittella

Ground Cuckoo-shrike

Possible species list

Great Northern 12-day birding tour 2018

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike

Cicadabird

White-winged Triller

Varied Triller

Crested Shrike-tit

Northern Shrike-tit

Gilbert's Whistler

Rufous Whistler

Grey Whistler

Mangrove Golden Whistler

White-breasted Whistler

Grey Shrike-thrush

Sandstone Shrike-thrush

Little Shrike-thrush

Buff-sided Robin

Mangrove Robin

Figbird

Olive-backed Oriole

Green Oriole

Yellow Oriole

Spangled Drongo

Crested Bellbird

White-breasted Woodswallow

Masked Woodswallow

White-browed Woodswallow

Black-faced Woodswallow

Little Woodswallow

Dusky Woodswallow

Grey Butcherbird

Pied Butcherbird

Silver-backed Butcherbird

Black Butcherbird

Australian Magpie

Grey Fantail

Arafura Fantail

Mangrove Grey Fantail

Northern Fantail

Willie Wagtail

Australian Raven

Little Raven

Little Crow

Torresian Crow

Restless Flycatcher

Paperbark Flycatcher

Leaden Flycatcher

Shining Flycatcher

Broad-billed Flycatcher

Kimberley Flycatcher

Lemon-bellied Flycatcher

Magpie-lark

White-winged Chough

Apostlebird

Jacky Winter

Hooded Robin

Horsfield's Bushlark

Eurasian Skylark

Australian Reed-Warbler

Little Grassbird

Tawny Grassbird

Golden-headed Cisticola

Zitting Cisticola

Rufous Songlark

Brown Songlark

Spinifexbird

Silvereye

Yellow White-eye

White-backed Swallow

Welcome Swallow

Fairy Martin

Tree Martin

Common Blackbird

Common Starling

Mistletoebird

Zebra Finch

Painted Finch

Red-browed Finch

Crimson Finch

Star Finch

Masked Finch

Double-barred Finch

Long-tailed Finch

Gouldian Finch

Pictorella Mannikin

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin

Yellow-rumped Mannikin

House Sparrow

Australasian Pipit

European Goldfinch

Possible species list

Tour Booking Form

This form contains 3 pages. Please print out and complete each page, and sign where indicated. Scan and email, or send by postal mail, with payment (see last page) to the address above.

Tour details:

Name of tour___________________________________________________________________

Starting and Ending dates_________________________________________________________

Your details:

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Name(s)_______________________________________________________________________

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tick if you do not want to receive future updates, news and special offers from Bellbird Tours by email

(continued on next page)

Bellbird Tours Pty Ltd PO Box 2008

BERRI SA 5343 AUSTRALIA

Ph. 1800-BIRDING Ph. +61409 763172

www.bellbirdtours.com birds@bellbirdtours.com

ABN 40 159 352 002

Emergency Contact Name, relationship and telephone number (required field)

______________________________________________________________________________ Accommodation requirements (please circle):

Single Room (surcharge applies) / Double Room (2 people, 1 bed) / Twin Share (2 people, 2 beds) (If you are a solo traveller and want to share a room: we will try to team you up with another solo traveller, however this cannot be guaranteed. A single surcharge applies for single occupancy)

Medical conditions and dietary requirements:

Do you have any medical conditions (eg. disabilities, illnesses or allergies) that might restrict your full involvement in any aspect of the tour?

No / Yes

If Yes, please provide details: _____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________ If you have other special requirements (eg dietary requirements), please advise. While we cannot guarantee to accommodate them, we will make every attempt to do so.

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Optional extras:

Please indicate if you would like us to arrange any of the following (we’ll contact you to discuss):

- Domestic flights - International flights - Travel insurance - Pre and/or post tour hotel bookings

(continued on next page)

Terms and Conditions: Please read the terms and conditions and the release of liability waiver (both can be found on http://www.bellbirdtours.com/terms-and-conditions), then sign below.

I/we agree to book this tour. I/we have read and understood, and accept the terms and conditions. I/we accept the release and waiver from liability.

Signature 1: _______________________________ Signature 2: __________________________ Print Name 1: ______________________________ Name 2: ____________________________ Date:______________________________________Date: _______________________________ To secure a seat, a deposit of 20% of the tour price is required at the time of booking. Full payment is due 60 days prior to the departure date. Until full payment has been received, Bellbird Tours reserves the right to change the tour price (eg due to changing fuel prices). Please tick which of the following payment options you will be using to pay the deposit:

Domestic electronic funds transfer: please send funds to the following bank account:

• bank: Australia & New Zealand Bank (ANZ), 112 Rundle Mall, Adelaide SA 5000

• account name: Bellbird Tours Pty Ltd

• Branch No. (BSB) 015-140 Account No. 206136528 - Please use your surname as the booking reference.

Visa, Mastercard & American Express: through Pin Payments (an easy, secure online payment system). They charge us a fee of 2.95%, which unfortunately we have to pass on to you. Please contact us if you want to use this option, and we’ll email you a link to a secure payment page. PayPal & other credit cards through PayPal: They charge us a fee of between 2.5-3.5% to receive your money, which unfortunately we have to pass on to you. Please contact us if you want to use this option, and we’ll email you a secure PayPal invoice.

International electronic funds transfer: please send funds in Australian Dollars (+ bank charges or AU$20 bank transaction fee, see notes below) to the following bank account:

• international swift code: anzbau3m (no IBAN codes are used in Australia)

• bank: Australia & New Zealand Bank (ANZ), 112 Rundle Mall, Adelaide SA 5000

• account name: Bellbird Tours Pty Ltd

• Branch No. (BSB) 015-140 Account No. 206136528 - If possible, please use your surname as the booking reference. - If you are required to provide our physical address, this is: 101 Chilton Road, Berri, SA 5343,

Australia. - Please specify AU$ as the recipient’s currency, and the correct amount. Select the option for you to

incur any charges at both ends; if no such option exists, please add AU$20 to cover the bank fee at the recipient’s end. Any discrepancy between the amount payable and amount received will be added to the final balance, or payable in cash at the start of the tour. Prices and fees are not negotiable.

http://www.bellbirdtours.com/terms-and-conditions/http://www.bellbirdtours.com/terms-and-conditions