Around Oz Part 24 - Geraldton to Cervantes & the Pinnacles

Sunset Geraldton

After leaving the bird-rich mulga lands of central Western Australia (see last post) we arrived in the coastal city of Geraldton for a four-night stay at the Sunset Holiday Park, right on the beach.  We enjoyed some nice sunsets from here, and a chance to relax after the long drives. The change of habitat from mulga to the thick coastal scrub so typical of much of the south-west was quite rapid.

It didn’t take long to come to grips with birds like Pacific Gull and Red Wattlebird – that we do not have at home - for the first time on the trip, now at its half-way mark. 

Pacific Gull

Red Wattlebird

Lovely beaches extending north of Geraldton, with huge quantities of kelp washed ashore.

Beach north of Geraldton

A couple of Common Sandpipers were overwintering at the mouth of the Chapman River.

Common Sandpiper

After Geraldton, we travelled south along the Turquoise Coast, popping in on some decrepit fishing villages along the way. We ended up in the Pinnacles Caravan Park in the town of Cervantes for a three-night stay.  Western Gerygone was common about the town and a few Banded Lapwings were present on the sports oval.

Banded Lapwing

Near Cervantes is the ancient Lake Thetis, home to the odd stromatolites, a weird underwater life form that are descendants of some of the world's oldest living things. The surrounding Nambung National Park is flush with wildflowers of various kinds.

Stromatolites, Lake Thetis

Lake Thetis

Nambung National Park

I saw several Rufous Fieldwrens of the grey form, Western Fieldwren, which is a possible split, along with my first SW WA endemic - Blue-breasted Fairy-wren. It was nice to be visited by Chris Sanderson and Kat Cuskelly, who are living in Perth; they dropped in while on their way north for a bit of a holiday.

With Chris Sanderson

From Cervantes, we visited the wonderful Pinnacles in Nambung National Park. Thousands of limestone pillars up to 4m rise up in a desert-like area of sand amidst the otherwise lush vegetation of the surrounding coastal heathlands. They are quite something.

Looking across the Pinnacles and Nambung National Park to the ocean

Pinnacles, Glenn on right for size comparison

Pinnacles

A pair of charming White-backed Swallows appeared to be in residence, with the birds inspecting holes in limestone cliffs.

White-backed Swallow

White-backed Swallow nesting holes

White-backed Swallow

Around Oz Part 23 – WA Mulga Lands Ablaze with Wildflowers and Birds

Ground Cuckoo-shrike

After leaving the mining town of Newman (see last post) we travelled south and out of the Pilbara. We were moving into the vast mulga of central Western Australia, extending on this trip from south of Newman to beyond Yalgoo.

The first bird of interest was a male (recently split) Western Quail-Thrush by the road 50km north of Kumarina Roadhouse. I watched it briefly before the bird disappeared in gusty wind conditions; I was not to see the species again, despite trying several known sites.

Then, south of the roadhouse, we encountered a nice group of Ground Cuckoo-shrikes by the road.

Ground Cuckoo-shrike

We ended up camping in the bush by Nallan Lake, a beautiful spot 20km north of Cue, where we had our first camp fire of the trip. We also had our first Australian Shelducks of the trip, while Crested Bellbirds and Mulga Parrots were present.

Australian Shelduck

Camping at Lake Nallan

The next morning we checked out the road between Nallan Lake and Mount Magnet, stopping frequently at nice-looking spots. It was apparent there had been good rains recently as wildflowers in various shapes and forms were everywhere, looking fabulous.

Mulga in flower

At Lake Austin, 22km south of Cue, we had our first Peregrine Falcon of the trip. A couple of pairs of Black Honeyeaters were seeing flying into the distance, as was a party of 3 Orange Chats; I have been surprised at how flighty the birds are out here. Other birds in the mulga included Hooded Robin; White-browed and Grey-crowned Babblers;  and a White-fronted Honeyeater, also somewhat distant.

White-browed Babbler

At The Granites, an attractive spot 7km south of Mount Magnet, we had a party of about 10 Pied Honeyeaters.

Pied Honeyeater male

Pied Honeyeater female

In the mulga 10km south-west of Mount Magnet on the Geraldton road, no luck in finding Western Quail-Thrush at a spot supposedly good for them, but Chesnut-rumped Thornbills were nice.

Chesnut-rumped Thornbill

We stopped for the night in the caravan park in the township of Yalgoo. Nearby were more Pied Honeyeaters and a few Crimson Chats.

Crimson Chat

The next morning I checked out the mulga, with flowering shrubs in abundance, a short distance to the west of Yalgoo. White-fronted Honeyeater and Pied Honeyeater were very common. Both species were also found later further along the highway towards Geraldton.

White-fronted Honeyeater

White-fronted Honeyeater

Other birds here included Chiming Wedgebill, Crimson Chat again, Crested Bellbird, Variegated Fairy-wren and Rufous Songlark, also very common. A little further west were Inland Thornbill, Mulga Parrot, Red-capped Robin and Western Gerygone.

Crested Bellbird

Inland Thornbill

Red-capped Robin female

Around Oz Part 22 – Pilbara Grasswren at Newman

Pilbara Grasswren

After leaving the delightful Karijini National Park (see last post) we moved on to the bustling Pilbara town of Newman. Like the rest of the Pilbara we have travelled through, this place is alive with an abundance of personnel, vehicles and equipment from the mining industry.

We stayed in the Newman Caravan Park on the southern edge of town. This is the site that has been reliable for the past decade or so for the Pilbara Grasswren, split recently from the Striated Grasswren.

Grasswren site, Newman

As per previous reports, head for the far north-east corner of the caravan park. Proceed along the track (quite okay to drive if your vehicle has clearance) that continues in that direction for about 1km, to a distinctive point where five tracks converge.

Pilbara Grasswren

Pilbara Grasswren

Take the right track that follows a fence line. This track is between two ridges. I found the grasswrens on the ridge slope to the left of this track, about half-way up the slope, and about 150m from the five-track junction.

I searched fruitlessly for the birds over three hours on my first afternoon here. I checked out various ridges and slopes but the one above looked by far the best habitat, so that is where my focus was the next morning. I found the birds soon after sunrise, in a gully on the ridge slope.

The grasswrens were responsive to a tape of Striated Grasswren. I had three birds hopping about me; in time they were joined by a party of Variegated Fairy-wrens.

Other good birds were about. I saw an Australian Little Eagle and at least two Spinifexbirds.

Spinifexbird

Spinifexbird

Plumed Pigeons were also about along with good numbers of Painted Finch.

Painted Finch

Grey-headed Honeyeater was also quite common.

Grey-headed Honeyeater

Around Oz Part 21 – Karajina National Park, Pilbara

Karajina National Park

After leaving Cape Keraudren (see last post) we travelled south to the De Grey River, where we intended overnighting, but unseasonally heavy rain had turned the place into a quagmire.  A brief excursion turned up the distinctive buff-breasted Pilbara race of Blue-winged Kookaburra but not that of the Black-tailed Treecreeper.

Blue-winged Kookaburra - Pilbara race

We moved on to Karijina National Park - regarded as one of Australia’s finest reserves - in the Hamersley Range, for a three-night stay. We put up with a generator the first night as the only spot left was in a generator zone (this place is popular) but moved camp the next day to a generator-free area.  There are a series of camping areas, very nicely arranged and maintained.

Dale Gorge - Fortescue Falls

The change in weather over just 24 hours as we moved south and inland was quite radical. The balmy winter days of the tropics are over. We have returned to decidedly cold nights. 

After the rains, the desert woodland here, a mix of eucalypt and mulga with plenty of spinifex and tussock grass, is looking lush and vibrant - a stark contrast with the drought-stricken woodlands of western Queensland.

Karijina - good-looking woodlands

 Dale Gorge, near the camping ground, is typical of the marvellous gorges and escarpments that have given this national park its reputation. They are awe-inspiring; the pictures tell the story. We walked both the rim and bottom of the gorge.

Dale Gorge

Dale Gorge - pool reflections

Dale Gorge - Circular Pool

Dale Gorge

Dale Gorge - Fern Pool

 A small colony of Little Red Flying-Foxes was roosting in the gorge at the Fern Pool. Among them were a couple of Black Flying-Foxes.

Black Flying-Fox

With so many shrubs in flower, it was surprising there are not more nomadic desert honeyeaters about; just plenty of Singing, Spiny-cheeked and Brown Honeyeaters, and Yellow-throated Miners.

Singing Honeyeater

It was nice to find a group of Painted Finches on the Dale Gorge path. The red-bellied form of the Plumed Pigeon was also here.

Painted Finch

Plumed Pigeon (red-bellied race)

Other birds about included Western Gerygone, Western Bowerbird, Variegated Fairy-wren, Inland Thornbill and Red-capped Robin.

Red-capped Robin

A Ring-tailed Dragon Ctenophorus caudicinctus was found in the spinifex.

Ring-tailed Dragon

A bit of night-time dinner-making in the night bush.