A Regional Group of BirdLife WA since 2005 Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin

Issue 55 July 2019

Red-backed Kingfisher – Photographer Heather Thorning Southern roundabout, Margaret River Perimeter Road - July

CONTENTS Page Program 2 Editor’s Update 3 Hoodie Happenings 3 Cockatoo Capers 4 Excursion Report 5 Capes Osprey Watch 6-7 Cape to Cape Chatter 8-11 Bird Photo Gallery 11-12 Sightings 13 Birding beyond the Capes 14

Wherever you go there are birds to watch

RED-BACKED KINGFISHER

HARDY INLET

Photographs in this publication are the property of individual photographers or BirdLife Australia.

Permission is necessary to reproduce any photographs.

Cape to Cape Bird Group PROGRAM

Blackwood River from walk track alongside Victoria Parade, Augusta

Photo Roger Crabtree

Sunday 25 August Half-day excursion – Monti Road, Augusta Meet at 9.00am at Monti Road, a small gravel road, west of Caves Road, about 2km north of the Caves Road and Bussell Highway junction, near Augusta. Look for BirdLife sign. We have been given permission to park on a private property at the end of Monti Road. There is a mix of low Marri/Jarrah, some Karri, bush and paddocks. Bring morning tea and chair. After morning tea we will visit the Blackwood river-mouth.

Leader: Roger Crabtree

Interested in watching birds around the St. Alouarn Island group off Cape Leeuwin?

Register your interest for future trips aboard “Diversion” – Leeuwin Marine Charters

Monthly trips planned (Ensure you are on the list to receive further information)

cwilderone@yahoo.com.au

Black-browed Albatross, Augusta – Photo Christine Wilder

Past Issues Visit ‘birdlife western australia publications’ Go to ‘Regional Group Newsletters’ - ‘Capes’ Website – http://birdlife.org.au/locations/ birdlife-western-australia/publications-wa

Looking from Point Picquet whale watch platform to Gannet Rock

Photo Christine Wilder

● Cape to Cape BirdBlitz - 2019 ● The fifth BirdBlitz walk from Margaret Rivermouth car park south along the Cape to Cape Track was a section rarely visited by us. A BirdLife Birdata Workshop is planned in Margaret River. 2020 BirdBlitz – Hardy Inlet, Augusta Spit and Flinders Bay.

Sunday 1 September The sixth BirdBlitz walk – Cape Naturaliste

Meet at 9.00am at the lighthouse carpark for a walk along “Access for More” Trail – Leader: TBA

Morning tea at the lighthouse cottage

FOR YOUR DIARY – 22 September – 10am-2pm Brookfield Spring Garden Market

Join Christine on a walk around the gardens to talk about birds and plants

Similar to last year’s successful program This year at Yahava Koffeeworks (Doust Corner)

Andrews Retreat, Margaret River

Note: All the local excursions/campouts/meetings are for BirdLife Australia members and the general public. The leader will always be present at the meeting place and will decide whether or not to proceed. In the event of threatening weather, those planning to attend an excursion (particularly if travelling some distance) are welcome to check conditions with the leader prior to the excursion (use individual mobile contact if given).

Convenor – Christine Wilder cwilderone@yahoo.com.au Acting Deputy – Jennifer Hunt

St. Alouarn Island – Photo Roger Crabtree

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This is the time of year when we hopefully relax and take a break, with a high percentage of birders travelling elsewhere to soak up the sun. July is when my name appears here more than I prefer, but it is a good opportunity to thank everyone for providing me with great articles, up-to-date sightings and impressive photographs over the year, making it so easy to put this newsletter together. I am pleased to report there are now more than 700 subscribers via Mailchimp, and according to Rod my ‘computer guru’, I receive a higher than expected number of hits!!

I met Emma for the first time recently, who mentioned the dawn chorus sounded so much louder during July, and it was something I noticed in my west Margaret River garden. In contrast, the eclipse of the moon on 17 July meant total silence and no dawn chorus at all.

Embracing the weather in the capes during July, I ventured out with a few who hadn’t ‘left town’, and confirmed – “Wherever you go there ARE birds to watch”.

Birds weren’t too active along the Yalgardup Creek, when I spent a day with students and teachers from two Montessori Upper Primary classes, organised with Michelle Keppel (Nature Conservation MRR). We had heaps of fun and identified twelve species including Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos with a young one. The 2018/19 total is twenty four species.

Sunrise at the Blackwood River-mouth was impressive, with terns and cormorants settling on the sand bar from their roosts on the islands. The Little Black Cormorants were taking off from the jetties south of Flat Rock and flying in skeins up river.

Looking from the shelter of Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, the howling winds and huge swell unproductive for seabirds except for a lone Crested Tern (and overseas visitors) battling the wind.

A beach walk at Gnarabup with Shapelle McNee and Elegant Parrots and a pipit turned up at the Common.

The Margaret River was thundering over the fish ladder and the Barrett Street Weir, with a handful of birds there.

An afternoon with Jenny Kikeros, exploring Barrack Point, Ringbolt Bay, Dead Finish and Sarge Bay, resulted in Rock Parrots, but no Hooded Plovers (reported the week previous). A walk with SW Capes Wildflower Society from Meelup to Point Picquet and twenty one species seen including the ospreys at Meelup and three hours monitoring the osprey pair on the nest on Molloy Island (see Capes Osprey Watch).

I am so looking forward to a fabulous program for spring and summer and some exciting trips out to the islands to the south.

Christine Wilder

Hoodie Happenings and other shorebirds

Sanderlings at the beach – Photo Dean McFaull

If you see Hooded Plovers on any beach in the south west please check as two birds were released with leg flags: One bird has a yellow BA flag, one with a blue BA flag If you notice these two birds please report sightings to -

BirdLife WA at wa@birdlife.org.au or (08) 9383 7749 __________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Margaret River-mouth, 4/8/19 – Photo Christine Wilder

‘birdlife western australia bird guides’ Featuring local bird lists & birding sites

‘Busselton’ – Supported by City of Busselton ‘Augusta/Margaret River’ – Supported by

Shire of Augusta-Margaret River Check them out on the BirdLife WA web page

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Editor’s

Update

Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo, Sandpatches – Photo Ian Wiese

White-tailed Black-Cockatoos, west Margaret River

Photo Claire Timmons

White-tailed Black-Cockatoos, west Margaret River

Photo Claire Timmons

Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo, Sandpatches – Photo Ian Wiese

6 July Heard from the car park at the river-mouth lookout, Baudin’s Black-Cockatoos, with several birds begging constantly, well hidden in vegetation in Chaudiere Place, Augusta.

Christine Wilder

11 July 98 White-tailed Black-Cockatoos in Hereford Place, west Margaret River garden.

Jennifer Hunt

13 July Since my previous report of Baudin’s Black-Cockatoos, the numbers at our property in west Margaret River increased to a flock of around 40 and stayed around for days.

Peter St. Clair-Baker

27 July 8 Baudin’s Black-Cockatoos flying from Turner Caravan Park to East Augusta.

Christine Wilder

1 August In July there has been little in the way of seabirds in and around the northern cape. I went to Sandpatches (near Sugarloaf Rock) and just as I got ready to photograph the dolphins they disappeared, then the black-cockatoos surrounded me. At this time of the year I often see them in the coastal scrub.

Ian Wiese

Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, west Margaret River

Photo Claire Timmons 4

Cape to Cape Track

BirdBlitz 2019

From the lookout to the Margaret River – Photo Robert Pickard

BirdBlitz Walk – 4 August

Margaret River-mouth to lookout and circuit return

The weather was not looking promising and an impressive swell of more than four metres was pumping at Surfers Point. Many Australasian Gannets were seen out behind the sets, flying directly south and a glimpse was made of an unidentified albatross way out. There were only three of us on this stunning walk.

The first bird seen at the Margaret River-mouth was special – a Great Cormorant – not often seen along this coastline. Eleven Crested Terns were roosting on the sand and then around forty Galahs flew out over the ocean to the point. At that moment a pair of Eastern Ospreys glided in. One bird flew to collect some seaweed on the far bank and carried a small piece off towards the nest on the old Wallcliffe House turret, then the second bird did the same thing by flying along the low dune edge, collecting some vegetation and carrying it off in the same direction. Both these birds were travelling fast back to the nest.

We carried on up the Cape to Cape Track towards the first lookout when an Australian Hobby flew past at speed and a Nankeen Kestrel was seen hovering by the road. Further on we were able to look down on the osprey nest on the turret of the old Wallcliffe House where two ospreys were in the nest. We heard and saw Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-breasted Robin, Grey Fantail and Western Whistler and the best bird for the morning, a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, the first for this season. New Holland Honeyeaters were plentiful and there may have been a couple of White-cheeked Honeyeaters amongst them, but they wouldn’t show themselves.

We had a great morning with 24 species seen.

Christine Wilder

Silvereye – Photo Robert Pickard

Crested Terns roosting at the Margaret River-mouth

Photo Christine Wilder

BirdBlitz Count – South from Margaret River-mouth – 4 August * Seen at Margaret River-mouth Pacific Black Duck 2* Splendid Fairy-wren 2 Shining Bronze-Cuckoo 1 New Holland Honeyeater 10 Silver Gull 4* Red Wattlebird 4 Pacific Gull 2* Spotted Scrubwren 4 Crested Tern 11* Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike 2 Australasian Gannet 10 Western Whistler 1 Great Cormorant 1* Australian Magpie 3 Pied Cormorant 2* Grey Fantail 1 Eastern Osprey 2* Australian Raven 1* Nankeen Kestrel 1 White-breasted Robin 3 Australian Hobby 1 Welcome Swallow 2* Galah 40* + 2 along track Silvereye 3

White-faced Heron, Margaret River-mouth – Photo Peter St. Clair-Baker

First lookout towards Surfers Point – Photo Christine Wilder

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Capes Osprey Watch

Eastern Osprey, Hardy Inlet – Photo Dean McFaull

Old Wallcliffe House 24 July – Russell Pratt reported the ospreys again attempting to nest on one of the turrets of old Wallcliffe House, Margaret River. I haven’t been down to have a look.

Peter St. Clair-Baker Old Wallcliffe House 2 August – Stopped briefly at the lookout to check the nest and an osprey in it, then another osprey arrived.

Christine Wilder Siesta Park 28 July – Checked nest site in pine tree, with no activity.

Christine Wilder

Above – Molloy Island tower – Photos Christine Wilder

Right – Pair of ospreys in nest – old Wallcliffe House Photo Christine Wilder

Eastern Osprey, Gnarabup – Photo Keith Mann

Meelup 28 July – A South West Capes Wildflower Society walk was planned at Meelup and I got there at 1.30pm to check the osprey nest in the car park. These ospreys are not bothered by people in close proximity to their nest. One bird (female) was perched on a branch next to the nest, then another bird called from a distance (contact call) and the female nestled down into the nest. The male flew in and mating took place for a few seconds. The male then flew in a circle round the nest while the female remained tucked down. He then flew a short distance, broke off a stick (about one metre long) and returned. Mating took place again for a few seconds. I couldn’t quite make out what was happening for a couple of seconds, but saw him then give the stick to the female.

At the start of the walk I could hear an osprey calling from the nest. The group of 18 adults and 7 children were interested to know something about the birds and their nest.

Christine Wilder

Female Eastern Osprey at Meelup nest, 28/7/19 – Photo Christine Wilder

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25 May 2015

MOLLOY ISLAND I found some of my pics of the ospreys on Molloy Island from 2015 and 2016 – hope you like them. That photo of the osprey with a stick and a fish - turns out they were both in the same claw – it makes sense - an osprey would need a free claw to land safely.

Karl Northeast

7 July – an osprey was on the Telstra tower nest tonight. Dean McFaull

Just after 8am on 31 July, Christine Wilder and I arrived on Molloy Island to monitor the nest on top of the Telstra Tower situated next to the tennis courts. The tower is high and difficult to see into even with a spotting scope. Straight away we saw two ospreys present at the nest when they were shuffling round in it. One bird flew out and around the tower several times and then flew off. We presumed it was the female that remained, calling loudly from the nest. 9.20am the bird returned with a huge fish in its talons and was chased off by a raven before it could land. An Australian Magpie, an Australian Raven and a Red Wattlebird arrived together at the nest and proceeded to harass the osprey in the nest. The bird was calling and flew out with the magpie after it. The raven then flew into the nest. All species flew away. 9.35am one bird returned to settle back into the nest. 9.50am the other flew back with the fish. We saw one bird with the fish and the other roosting on one of the “turrets”. The bird with the fish, called out from the nest, then flew off, we presumed to feed elsewhere. 10.00am tea break at a nearby residence. 10.45am one bird perched on the railing then moved to one of the “turrets”. We left at 11.30am. Molloy Island is private and entry restricted.

Jennifer Hunt

2 September 2016

All photos this page taken by Karl Northeast

3 November 2015

6 April 2016

16 August 2016

25 August 2016

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Red-backed Kingfisher – Photo Keith Lightbody

Red-backed Kingfishers remain

6 July – One Red-backed Kingfisher in exactly the same spot near the roundabout and on 11 July two Red-backed Kingfishers in the same place.

Roger Crabtree

13 July – Attached are a few of my poor quality ID photos of the Red-backed Kingfisher – we only stopped briefly on our way to Augusta.

Keith Lightbody

13 July – I certainly was happy to sight the Red-backed Kingfisher at the roundabout at Bussell Highway, quite out of its territory. There are two there, so assume they may mate, as calling each other. One was sitting right near the road on a fence post and by the time we realised and got our cameras out, it had flown up on the street lamp. I didn’t do much better than Keith with shots, as quite late, but more an ID shot, to confirm it’s definitely a Red-backed Kingfisher.

Heather Thorning

20 July – I confirmed one Red-backed Kingfisher was roosting on the powerline in the same location.

Christine Wilder

23 July – Two unidentified kingfishers on the power pole where John Archibald Drive meets the perimeter road in Margaret River.

Cathy Sutherland

24 July – I checked along the verges for any sign of burrows without success.

Christine Wilder

Opinions, statements or views in this newsletter are those of the Editor or individual contributors and may not be those of BirdLife Australia. Every effort has been made to check the accuracy of content. If you notice any errors or inaccuracies please contact the Editor.

Red-backed Kingfisher – Photos Keith Lightbody

Garden birds active

13 July It's been a lovely couple of days with lots of birds around the house in west Margaret River – Australian Ringneck, Red-capped Parrot, Splendid Fairy-wren, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, New Holland and Brown Honeyeaters, Grey Fantail, Western Whistler, Spotted Scrubwren, Scarlet Robin, White-breasted Robin and Western Yellow Robin. I love the call of the Brown Honeyeater as it reminds me of summer at Trigg bushland.

Peter St. Clair-Baker

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Black-shouldered Kite – Photo Terry Scott

Black-shouldered Kite pair

Christine Wilder pointed out a pair of Black-shouldered Kites roosting regularly in a marri in Rapids Landing in Margaret River.

On 2 July while I was watching, one bird left its perch, returning only minutes later, to tear into a small rodent it caught, then shredded and scoffed it very quickly.

Terry Scott Black-shouldered Kites breed mid-year and this pair may have a nest nearby. Single kites are seen hovering from time to time along the south side of John Archibald Drive, Margaret River. Ed.

Raptor pursues duck

7 July On the way home from Augusta, riding my pushbike down Challis Road, I noticed this bird of prey swoop and chase what I thought were doves or wattlebirds. There were three birds in the flushed group and the bird of prey homed in on one. I had hoped they would fly my way, back over the road, so I could ID what species they were. The chase went for probably two kilometres and as I got closer and they flew from one side of the road and out over the paddocks and then out the other side, I saw that it was a White-bellied Sea-Eagle chasing an Australian Wood Duck. The last I saw they were flying towards town at a great rate of knots. It looked like the duck was tiring and it may have been a successful hunt. I didn't think the sea-eagle would go after such big prey.

Dean McFaull

BirdLife Australia’s ethical birding guidelines promote the welfare of birds and their environment, where observers are encouraged to practice minimum disturbance to nesting birds and birds in general, and be aware of the impact photography, camera flash and playing bird call apps can have on birds.

Update on whale and ‘stormies’

Flinders Bay – 18 June – Dean McFaull took video footage of a Humpback attracting Wilson’s Storm-Petrels (see last issue). Leonie McFaull updated this sighting, with reference to footage from Whale Watch Western Australia, of an injured Humpback surviving a Killer Whale attack during northern migration, with a large wound on its back causing an oil slick which may have attracted the storm-petrels.

Plaxy Barratt, WA Wetlands Project Co-ordinator (and pelagic expert) now based in our BirdLife WA Office, may be able to update us on this story in the next issue.

Christine Wilder Reference: whalewatchwesternaustralia.com – search archive – 18 June 2019

Birds of Molloy Island

Recently I had the chance to survey birds on Molloy Island, which is rare, as the island is private and entry restricted. On 31 July, whilst monitoring the Eastern Osprey nest on the Telstra tower, Jennifer Hunt and I conducted a bird survey at the site and at the ferry car park (island side).

In 2007 I escorted thirty BirdLife WA members to the island, at the invitation of Brian Combley, and groups of up to six observers completed a bird survey of the whole island, with a total of 38 species recorded. A reference to this survey is made on page 95 of Ian Abbott and Allan Will’s review.

More recently we recorded 23 species in two locations (some seen on the Blackwood River at the ferry crossing*).

Christine Wilder Bird List – Molloy Island – 31 July 2019

Pacific Black Duck 1* Musk Duck 1 (heard calling from the Lagoon) Hoary-headed Grebe 7* Common Bronzewing 2 Silver Gull 3* Crested Tern 2* White-faced Heron 1* Little Pied Cormorant 2* Eastern Osprey 2 Laughing Kookaburra 1 Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo 3 Australian Ringneck 4 Purple-crowned Lorikeet 30 Splendid Fairy-wren 1 Brown Honeyeater 3 Western Spinebill 2 Red Wattlebird 4 Spotted Scrubwren 1 Inland Thornbill 5 Australian Magpie 2 Grey Butcherbird 2 Australian Raven 2 Tree Martin 10

Reference: Abbott, I and A. Wills. (2016). Review and synthesis of knowledge of insular ecology, with emphasis on the islands of Western Australia. Conservation Science Western Australia. Vol. 11, pp 1-212.

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Red-necked Avocet and Banded Stilt – Photo Dean McFaull

Hardy Inlet, Blackwood River-mouth and

Flinders Bay Counts

It was October 2018 when Marcus Singor encouraged me to ask Dean McFaull to do systematic counts of the birdlife on Dean’s regular run south of Molloy Island to Turner in Augusta.

Since then, Dean, a keen bird photographer and dedicated surveyor, has been recording bird species on the mud islands up around ‘the sticks’ on the Hardy Inlet, discovering a number of shorebird species roosting and feeding in this area.

To complement Dean’s records, I commenced counts at the Blackwood river-mouth in March. My survey area is from a single point looking out to the sand bars, river-mouth, Dukes Head and East Augusta.

A third survey area along the ocean beach in Flinders Bay (including Deere Reef), to the river-mouth is being conducted by Jenny Kikeros on her regular walks.

Our records will hopefully contribute to an up-to-date picture of the birdlife using parts of the inlet and ocean beach. As usual, appreciation goes to our mentor Marcus, for providing us with useful information and keeping us all on track.

Christine Wilder

Further Reading: Brearley, A. 2005. Ernest Hodgkin’s Swanland. Estuaries and Coastal Lagoons of South-western Australia. University of Western Australia Press for Ernest Hodgkin Trust for Estuary Education and Research.

Brearley, A. 2013. Revisiting the Blackwood River and Hardy Inlet, 40 years of change. An environmental review of the Blackwood River estuary Western Australia 1974-2010. Ernest Hodgkin Trust for Estuary Education and Research.

Lane, J.A.K. 1976. The Birdlife of the Blackwood River Estuary: Environmental Study of the Blackwood River Estuary. A Report to the Estuarine and Marine Advisory Committee of the Environmental Protection Authority. Environmental Protection Authority, Western Australia, Estuarine and Marine Advisory Committee, Technical Report 7, 49 pages.

Knots – Photo Dean McFaull

Hardy Inlet Counts

I completed May and June bird counts on the Hardy Inlet and I am surprised how many Black Swans have still been around and pleased to see some waders still hanging about for winter.

The other day (beginning of July) the eight Common Greenshank were neat and mixing in amongst the Red-necked Avocet. There were three Banded Stilts that day also.

There have been high tides and not much mud for the last two weeks or so, therefore not able to see if the little waders are still around, and waiting for a low tide to hopefully find some remaining here.

Dean McFaull

White-bellied Sea-Eagle and Red-necked Avocets, Hardy Inlet Photos Dean McFaull

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Galahs foraging in the dried seaweed at the Blackwood river-mouth

Photo Christine Wilder

Red-necked Stint, White-faced Heron and Red-capped Plover – Photos Dean McFaull

Right – Pacific Gull, Augusta – Photo Heather Thorning

Tawny Frogmouths, Molloy Island – Photo Karl Northeast

Pacific Gull, Augusta – Photos Ian Wiese

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Southern Emu-wren – Photo Heather Thorning

Pacific Black Duck – Photo Roger Crabtree

Southern Emu-wren – Photo Heather Thorning

Red-winged Fairy-wren – Photo Heather Thorning

Common Bronzewing – Photo Roger Crabtree

Elegant Parrot – Photo Keith Mann

New Holland Honeyeater – Photo Roger Crabtree

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Cormorants

Little Pied Cormorant

– Photo Dean McFaull Little Pied Cormorants

– Photos Roger Crabtree Little Black Cormorant

– Photo Christine Wilder

10 July 2.30pm - Flat Rock, Augusta – a big mob of birds feeding between North Westbay and Thomas Island – Silver Gulls, Little Pied and Little Black Cormorants mostly, I guess several hundred birds all together. Photo Roger Crabtree.

● Sightings ● Thank you for sending articles, photos, unusual/interesting sightings from the capes region (or beyond) for inclusion in newsletters. All contributions are acknowledged. To ensure megabytes are kept to a minimum when attaching to emails, please send photos as jpeg (NOT MORE THAN 1MB EACH), maximum three photos each email or if large numbers of photographs send via Dropbox. DON’T EMBED photos/articles in email but send as attachment, articles preferably in Word. Confirm photographer.

Email to: cwilderone@yahoo.com.au Christine Wilder - Editor

Here are the reported sightings: Brush Bronzewing 1, flying across highway near Vlam Road, 31/7/19 – Jennifer Hunt and Christine Wilder Sooty Oystercatcher 22, Sarge Bay, 23/6/19 – Jenny Kikeros Red-capped Plover 5 pairs, Redgate Beach North, 30/7/19 – Rachel Kerr Hooded Plover 2 pairs, Redgate Beach North, 30/7/19 – Rachel Kerr Masked Lapwing 1, New River, Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Busselton, 26/7/19 – Terry Scott Silver Gull 100+, Sarge Bay, 23/6/19 – Jenny Kikeros Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross 3, Cape Leeuwin, 29/7/19 – Dave Muller 2, from Jet Adventures, Dunsborough (camera was in locker to avoid getting wet), 29/7/19 – Ian Wiese Nankeen Night-Heron 1, Sarge Bay, 23/6/19 – Jenny Kikeros 1, Ellis Street Jetty, Augusta, 30/7/19 – Jennifer Hunt and Christine Wilder White-necked Heron 1, paddock in Wallis Road, Witchcliffe, 8/7/19 – Christine Wilder 1, on farm wetland by Caves Road, just south of Old Karridale, 17/7/19 – Roger Crabtree Straw-necked Ibis >400 (with about ten Australian White Ibis) in paddocks both sides of Bussell Highway, near southern roundabout, Margaret River Perimeter Road, 6/7/19 – Christine Wilder Square-tailed Kite 1, calling above dune, Margaret River-mouth, 2/8/19 – Christine Wilder White-bellied Sea-Eagle 1, flying from Deere Street to East Augusta, 27/7/19 – Jenny Kikeros and Christine Wilder Sacred Kingfisher 1, West Bay Retreat Caravan Park Boat Ramp, 14/7/19 – Christine Wilder 1, Cnr Scott Road and Bussell Highway, Karridale, 27/7/19 – Christine Wilder Brown Falcon Pair displaying at Margaret River-mouth car park, 2/8/19 – Christine Wilder 1, on light pole, southern perimeter road roundabout, Margaret River, 5/8/19 – Christine Wilder Elegant Parrot 8, The Common, Gnarabup, 24/7/19 – Shapelle McNee and Christine Wilder 4, Southern Perimeter Road Roundabout, Margaret River, 31/7/19 – Jennifer Hunt and Christine Wilder Rock Parrot 3, Dead Finish, Cape Leeuwin, 27/7/19 – Jenny Kikeros and Christine Wilder Western Wattlebird 3, West Bay Retreat Caravan Park, 14/7/19 – Christine Wilder Varied Sittella 3, West Bay Retreat Caravan Park, 14/7/19 – Christine Wilder Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike 8, Margaret River-mouth, 2/8/19 – Christine Wilder Crested Shrike-tit 2, calling in the right of way to Yalgardup Reserve, west Margaret River, 30/7/19 – Jennifer Hunt Red-eared Firetail 2, seen in Hereford Place garden, west Margaret River, 15/7/19 – Jennifer Hunt 1, Todhunter Place garden, west Margaret River, 31/7/19 – Christine Wilder

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BIRDING BEYOND THE CAPES

Wherever you go there are birds to watch

White-breasted Woodswallows, Roebuck Bay – Photos Alan Burdett

Karijini and Cape Range We came back home mid-July, full of joy from the North after walking through some challenging gorges in Karijini – just loved it! The Cape Range National Park was amazing despite having some days with rains and storms. We spotted heaps of raptors, especially Wedge-tailed Eagles on the roadside while we were driving along. We managed to get a video of a Brown Falcon catching a snake and swallowing it!

Alfred Lau

Grey-tailed Tattler, Coral Bay – Photo Alfred Lau

Right – Laughing Dove, Dirk Hartog Island – Photo Robert Pickard Blue-winged Kookaburra, Far North Queensland

Photo Christine Wilder

Spinifex Pigeon (ssp ferruginea), Karijini National Park

Brown Quail, Cape Range National Park – Photos Alfred Lau

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