Broome Roadtrip 11

Another visit whilst in Albany took me to the mudflats of Rushy Point at Little Grove across Princes Royal Harbour from Albany CBD. As it was low tide, I walked out a few hundred metres onto the mud to see what was about. Suddenly all the birds were up and swiftly disappeared. This usually means a raptor is about so I scanned the horizons and saw nothing. "A bit strange"' I thought. Scanned again. Nothing. Then about 60 seconds later a Peregrine Falcon came sailing past me about 20 metres away and 10 metres into the air. Wow. Just two pictures taken and only one decent image.

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

Next day I was off again heading eastwards and home but first stop was Two Peoples Bay and Cheynes Beach. Not much going on in the faunal world at TPB but the plants were going well.

Banded Lapwing, juvenile Vanellus tricolour

New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae

Purple-crowned Lorikeet Glossopsitta porphyrocephala

Further east along the coast just a short way is the skulking hotspot of the universe, Cheynes Beach. Home to the Noisy Scrub-bird (neither note nor pixel), the Western Bristlebird (seen fleetingly and well heard) and the Western Whipbird (seen at Stirling Ranges but not here). The best I could do was Sooty Oystercatcher.

Sooty Oystercatcher Haematapus fuliginosus

HBW -- Heyfield Wetlands and Glenmaggie Flora and Fauna Reserve

Eight birders gathered in coolish and cloudy weather at the Heyfield Wetlands. We spent two hours walking some of the various paths in this continuously improving environment before morning tea. Thirty-two species including Tree Martins, a high soaring Black-shouldered Kite and a Brown Goshawk with a prey item clutched in his/her talons. Lots of Rainbow Lorikeets but no Swift Parrots. Perhaps a tad early for them to be moving through here towards Tasmania.

After a look at the State Memorial for Timber Workers [and more Rainbows but no Swifties], we went on to the Glenmaggie Flora and Fauna Reserve where we walked in, across and back to the northern fence then back to the cars for lunch. The first part of our walk was almost bird-less. Don, Ted, Val and I used a great app to key out some fungi but once we reached the last leg, the bird action commenced. Varied Sitella, White-winged Chough, White-throated Treecreepers, Australian Ravens [definitively identified by calls using both Morcombe and Pizzey apps], Spotted and Striated Pardalotes, Golden Whistler and Scarlet and Eastern Yellow Robins. Only 17 species but class, pure class.

Enjoy the pics.

New Holland Honeyeater.
Gathering nesting material for an abode in the mistletoe.

Mr and Mrs Chestnut Teal

Mr and Mrs Australian Wood Duck.
Check out his hair style!

Lepista nuda
Great colour and three forks on the fungi app i.e. good eating.