Around the Great Australian Bight

[Soukous]

Around the Great Australian Bight

 

It’s not just about birds.

 

 

although there will be a few 

 

The Great Australian Bight is a large open bay, off the central and western portions of the southern coastline of mainland Australia.

There are two definitions for its extent—one by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and another by the Australian Hydrographic Service (AHS). The bight is generally considered part of the Indian Ocean, although the AHS classifies it as part of the Southern Ocean.

 

Because it suits my narrative I will use the IHO definition which broadly defines the northern boundary of the Great Australian Bight as the south coast of mainland Australia. The AHS defines it as a much smaller area.

 

Last year I visited the Broome Bird Observatory in Western Australia. I enjoyed it very much. The setup was (is) quite basic but Roebuck Bay, where the BBO is located is a terrific spot for migratory species.

While I was there someone mentioned that there is another observatory on the south coast, Eyre Bird Observatory (EBO).

Eyre Bird Observatory is probably not as well known and far less visited; indeed it took me a bit of searching to even find it on the map, but it had now become an itch that needed to be scratched.

 

EBO is much more remote than the Broome Observatory and so the first thing I had to do was make a plan to get there.

Closer study of the map revealed that there are National Parks pretty much all the way the south coast of Western Australia and the beginnings of a route began to take shape.

 

Of course no road trip in Australia would be the same without my buddy Pat, so I put the idea to him and, as it is an area that neither he nor I have ever visited before he was keen.

 

I would fly into Perth and then take a domestic flight down to Albany, whilst he would drive across from his home in Geelong and meet me there.

There were large portions of the trip that had not been finalised but at least we knew where we were going for the first couple of days. After that we’d play it by ear.

This was roughly the itinerary we intended to follow, although it would almost certainly change as we went.

 

08 Oct in the air – arrive Perth

1 09 Oct Perth to Albany – arrive 13:20 - Albany to Stirling Range NP

2 10 Oct Stirling Range NP

3 11 Oct Stirling Range NP to Fitzgerald River NP

4 12 Oct Fitzgerald River NP

5 13 Oct Fitzgerald River NP to Esperance

6 14 Oct Esperance to Cape Le Grand

7 15 Oct Cape Le Grand NP

8 16 Oct Cape Le Grand to Cape Arid NP

9 17 Oct Cape Arid to Eyre Bird Obs

10 18 Oct Eyre Bird Obs - full day

11 19 Oct Bush camp

12 20 Oct Fowlers Bay

13 21 Oct Fowlers Bay

14 22 Oct Ceduna to Geelong – Coorong NP, Bool Lagoon

15 23 Oct Ceduna to Geelong

16 24 Oct Geelong & surrounds

17 25 Oct Geelong & surrounds

18 26 Oct Geelong & surrounds

19 27 Oct Geelong & surrounds

20 28 Oct Geelong & surrounds

21 29 Oct Fly home

 

 

One thing that did become immediately apparent was that flight prices have increased dramatically since my visit in 2023.

In the end I chose to use a voucher I had with British Airways (for flights they cancelled in 2020). Although I booked with BA, through their website, my flights were with Qatar Airways, a code share partner.

I consider myself lucky. Qatar is a far superior airline to BA. More legroom and food that can actually be eaten.

 

So, 28 hours after leaving home I arrived in Perth, where I had booked an overnight before flying down to Albany.

For those interested in such details, I stayed at the Sanno Marracoonda Perth Airport Hotel. It was the cheapest I could find close to the airport and they provided a free shuttle service and breakfast. It was actually perfectly acceptable.

 

I managed to get to Perth airport way too early and learnt that the domestic terminal does not have much by way of facilities; a cafe & toilets pretty much sums them up.

 

The REX airlines plane was a small one ( a SAAB 340) so fitting my camera bag into the overhead locker was a squeeze. It was even harder getting it out again.

 

We landed on time and, although there was a baggage carousel it appeared to not be working as all the bags were brought in and dumped on the ground by hand.

 

Let the road trip begin.

 

First stop Stirling Range NP. Pat had done a bit of scouting on his way across and selected Mt Trio Bush Camp as the place we’d spend our first 2 nights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2023 by Soukous

[Soukous]

 

Stirling Range NP

 

Stirling Range National Park is home to the only major mountain range in the southern area of WA, rising to more than 1000m above sea level and creating a challenging and spectacular hiking experience. The Aboriginal name for the range, Koi Kyenunu-ruff, meaning ‘mist rolling around the mountains’ is a frequently seen occurrence.

In spring and early summer, the ranges come to life with an abundance of wildflowers and bird life which can be seen from the mountain hiking trails, lookouts and picnic areas scattered throughout the park.

 

Although I’d spent quite a bit of time trying to find out more about the various National Parks we’d be visiting, I hadn’t devoted a lot of time to what birdlife we might actually see.

Pat is a great travelling companion but birds are not really his thing, so our itinerary was not just about birds.

That said, there were 2 species a really hoped to see and photograph; Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo, which we might find in the Stirling Range and the Gang Gang Cockatoo, which Pat sees quite frequently on his farm outside Geelong.

 

The omens were good; as we were driving through Stirling Range to Mt Trio campground, we saw a pair of Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo flying overhead. We didn’t have a chance to stop and photograph them as they kept on going, through the trees and away, but at least we could confirm that they were in the area.

 

The camping area at Mt Trio was quite large with a few caravans and fewer tents. Even fewer people were sleeping out in swags, as we would be.

 

Some spectators gathered to watch us unpack our gear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a night under a canopy of stars and breakfast cooked in the camp kitchen, we set out to take a drive through the national park.

It started well enough, but no sooner were we in amongst the forest than the clouds gathered and the rain began to fall. So much for a scenic drive; we could barely see 100 metres from the various lookouts.

One thing I did learn though, was that the Merlin app is not that great in Australia. In the UK it is pretty capable at identifying bird calls. In Australia it is definitely not. It could not even mange the very common Red Wattlebird, instead identifying it as a Black Francolin, something that does not exist in Australia. Australia does not have Francolin or Spurfowl.

 

We were back in camp much sooner than expected to find that there had been no rain here. It gave me an opportunity to take a walk around to see what I could find.

 

The two most common birds around camp were the Red Wattlebird and the Twenty Eight. The Twenty Eight is a regional variation of the Australian Ringneck found in Western Australia.

 

 

Red Wattlebird

 

Twenty Eight

 

 

Regent Parrot

 

Australian Shelduck

 

There was not a huge variety of birdlife but, as it was springtime, the area close to camp had an abundance of wild flowers. I have not yet identified them as we never managed to be in a place with a bookshop on a day when shops were open. So, flowers without names for the time being.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We never did see the Carnaby's Cockatoo again, although we heard them in the trees one evening just after sunset. I was happy to have seen them, but disappointed not to have had a chance to photograph them.

 

Edited October 31, 2023 by Soukous

[offshorebirder]

You have been holding out on us,  @Soukous   :-)

 

But thank you for what promises to be one heck of a trip report.   Broome is on my bucket list - during the spring shorebird (Godwit) staging time.

 

[Soukous]

Bremer Bay & Fitzgerald River NP

 

On our way out of Stirling Range we stopped in quickly to look at the alternative accommodation, Stirling Range Retreat. It was immediately obvious why Pat preferred Mt Trio. SRR would have been totally unsuitable for us as the entire site seemed to be bare baked mud with a few cabins and places for caravans. Most unappealing.

 

The day began well, with blue skies and sunshine as we drove towards the coast. Several people had recommended Bremer Bay as a good place to visit, also good for birds.

Hmm. By the time we got to Bremer Bay the weather had changed and it was now grey and cloudy with a very cold wind. Bremer Bay would undoubtedly look better on a warm sunny day but right now it was like a ghost town. It took us a lot of searching to even find a place to grab a coffee.

We did see an Osprey, perched on a lamppost but the light was too poor for a photo.

 

With no reason to stay, we moved on into the Fitzgerald River NP; our route again made more colourful by abundant wild flowers.

 

After paying our park fees we continued to Point Ann, one of the best whale watching spots on the coast. The season had ended but it was still a lovely location.

 

 

Our campsite was a short distance from the whale watching area nestled among bushes. The system was simple, find a designated campsite then fill out a form and put it into an envelope with the payment. A$11 per night. There was a composting toilet and a gas BBQ for us to use.

 

We set up camp under the watchful eye of a Grey Butcherbird. (I say 'we set up camp' but actually all we did was throw our swags off the ute and take out the box of kitchen gear. I'll pop in some photos of our very basic 'camp' a little later on.)

 

 

 

A walk along the beach brought a few birds, but not many.

 

 

Red-capped Plover

 

 

Hooded Plover. The beach is a known nesting area for them.

 

The bushes around Point St Ann were in flower and so there was a lot of bird noise, however it appeared that apart from a couple of Willie Wagtails and a few Welcome Swallows, almost all the birds we saw were New Holland Honeyeaters. Indeed this species was the most prevalent all the way along the coast.

 

 

 

 

Willie Wagtail

 

New Holland Honeyeater

 

 

I did spot a couple of lizards. To my uneducated eye they looked very much like Mangrove Monitors (Varanus Indicus) but I am by no means certain.

 

 

 

The camp site was between the beach and St Mary Inlet. Which we explored in an attempt to escape the cold wind.

 

It was sheltered and much warmer, but we were set upon by flies. We soon learned that it was a trade off, we could either brave the cold wind, or be plagued by flies that were particularly adept at getting between my glasses and my eyes.

 

 

 

The night began with another sky full of stars but it was not long before the major drawback of sleeping in a swag was brought to our attention. It started raining.

 

Last year’s experience meant that we were forewarned and had some tarpaulins ready to make a simple shelter.

 

Although we had paid for 2 nights at the St Mary Inlet campsite, we decided to move to the other side of the park for our next night as Four Mile Beach had been recommended to us.

Of course we assumed that we would be able to pick a site and pay on arrival as we had at St Mary. Wrong.

Sites at Four Mile Beach must be booked and paid for online in advance.

It was a much bigger site and accessible on a tar road from Hopetoun and therefore much more in demand. There was no space for us, which didn’t trouble us much as we didn’t like the site at all.

After a short stop in Hopetoun for some excellent meat pies, we drove on towards Esperance.

[Soukous]

 

Esperance

 

We’d reached Esperance a bit earlier than planned but that didn’t matter. After all we had no real timetable, other than a booking at Eyre Bird Observatory for 17th & 18th.

 

After stopping in at the Visitor centre to collect some information and book a boat trip out to the Recherche Islands, we checked into the enticingly named Bathers Paradise.

It sounds great doesn’t it? Actually it is a caravan park that is a short distance from the beach that bears no resemblance at all to Paradise. Still, it was a place to lay out our swags and it was cheap.

 

The information we picked up at the Visitor Centre also meant we had to modify our plans a bit. Due to heavy rainfall, the road we had been planning to follow, through Cape Arid NP was closed, so we’d have to backtrack out onto the Eyre Highway to get to the bird observatory.

 

Before leaving UK I had found some useful information on birding sites close to Esperance (https://birdswa.com.au/BirdGuides/Esperance.pdf) which I wanted to check out and there was also the Great Ocean Drive (https://www.visitesperance.com/experiences/attractions/great-ocean-drive) a scenic 40km drive along the coast to check out.

 

yes, more flowers that I do not know the name of

 

 

 

Esperance is a nice clean town, with a large park type area along the shoreline. Surprisingly though, there are very few restaurants and coffee shops, and the coffee shops that are there close pretty early, while some seem to have random days for opening. The place we found for breakfast on our first morning, was not open the second day we were there.

 

The Great Ocean Drive took us to a succession of glorious sandy beaches and beautifully clear waters, while the birding sites that we looked at proved to be very disappointing, possibly because we chose to visit them after the Ocean Drive so it was the hot part of the day.

 

Helms Arboretum seemed to offer the most potential but although there were definitely lots of birds there they stayed away from the tracks in dense bush.

 

 

Brown Honeyeater

 

 

 

In the evening, we decided to take a break from our own cooking and visit the Lucky Bay Brewing Company, a short drive out of town.

As well as an amazing selection of craft beers (you’d like this place Nate), they also make very fine pizzas. The inside dining area had been booked for a private function that evening so we had to eat outside. If only it had been bit warmer.

 

Next day we headed down to the Taylor Street Jetty for our morning at sea. We’d be taking a look at the Recherche Archipelago which was supposed to be pretty good for wildlife.

 

The Archipelago of the Recherche, known locally as the Bay of Isles, is a group of 105 islands, and over 1200 "obstacles to shipping", off the south coast of Western Australia. The islands stretch 230 km from east to west and to 50 km off-shore encompassing an area of approximately 4,000 square kilometres.

 

As we were now out of holiday season, the boat only operated on one day each week, so it was full.

It soon became apparent that this was not a trip for photographers, as the captain did not have a clue about positioning his boat for the best photo opportunities. On more than one occasion I could not help noting just how much superior the trips operated by Mull Charters are.

 

We did see some wildlife, New Zealand Fur Seals and Australian Sea Lions, but I can only assume that most of their clients have little interest in birds.

 

 

 

 

 

Black-faced Cormorant

 

They did point out a few species, but ignored many more and their attempts to lure White-bellied Sea Eagles to pick up fish were very haphazard. Even though they knew that the eagles preferred to fly into the wind as they descend to the sea they managed to find positions that meant all we saw was the back of the eagle as it grabbed the fish. They also managed make sure we were shooting into the sun as well.

 

Nevertheless, we did see several Sea Eagles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and a few Cape Barren Goose – a first for me.

 

 

The crew had made a big deal about the fact that they often see porpoises and dolphins which will ride the boat’s bow wave. So when we did encounter some dolphins I expected that we might spend some time with them. Silly me.

Apparently it was more important that we hurried to a bay called Blue Haven so that they could serve us coffee and muffins and allow time for people to swim. FFS!

Esperance is surrounded by magnificent beaches and if people want to swim they can do it any time. Blue Haven is 15 minutes drive from the town and easily accessible. Call me a grumpy old man but, in my opinion, this was a complete waste time that could have been better spent looking at wildlife. Harumph.

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by Soukous

[shazdwn]

Really enjoying your report so far.  I will be moving to live in SW Western Australia in January so very interested in where you did (and didn't) find birds and other wildlife.  

[Tom Kellie]

14 hours ago, Soukous said:

I did spot a couple of lizards. To my uneducated eye they looked very much like Mangrove Monitors (Varanus Indicus) but I am by no means certain.

 

 

 

~ @Soukous:

 

Thank you for the commentary and images.

 

As ever, your photographs are inspiring. I especially appreciate the wildflower examples.

 

When I saw the image above, Egernia cunninghami came to mind.

 

But what do I know?

 

      Tom K.

 

 

[Soukous]

5 hours ago, Tom Kellie said:

When I saw the image above, Egernia cunninghami came to mind.

 

Undoubtedly similar Tom, but I do not think it is found in Western Australia

[Soukous]

6 hours ago, shazdwn said:

Really enjoying your report so far.  I will be moving to live in SW Western Australia in January so very interested in where you did (and didn't) find birds and other wildlife.  

 

Dangerous to let me know that Shaz. You may get a visit. 

[Soukous]

I liked Esperance, we both did, and would happily have stayed for a few more days – not at Bathers Paradise that’s for sure, but maybe in a cheap motel - and explored some of those recommended birding spots at various times of day, but the nature of a road trip is that you keep moving and so we bid Esperance farewell.

 

Our plan had been to spend the 3 nights on our way to EBO split between Cape Le Grand NP and Cape Arid NP, then driving along the beach from Cape Arid to Nyutsland Reserve where EBO is located. With the vast majority of Cape Arid NP inaccessible due to road closures, we modified our plan (again) and booked into Dunn’s Ecopark (with a name like that it was sure to be terrific)

I’d picked up a leaflet in the Esperance visitor centre and called them to make a booking.

 

Dunns Ecopark is a nature-based camping facility that offers an alternative to beachside camping, nestled amongst established blue gum trees, and surrounded by near-pristine bushland and wetlands.

Dunns is located within Robin Downs farm, situated approximately 40 km to the east of Esperance and adjoins the internationally acclaimed Cape Le Grand National Park.

Dunns provides 20 unpowered camp sites amongst established bluegum trees that offer great shade and shelter from the elements.

A camp kitchen, barbeque, picnic area, firepit and toilets are provided for guests.

 

From Dunn’s we could easily access Cape Le Grand NP and the small western section of Cape Arid NP that was open.

 

After disembarking from our ocean voyage we stopped to pick up supplies and headed out to Dunn’s.

It was exactly as described. Even better, they provided fire pits and allowed open fires. We were even told to help ourselves to the wood that was lying around amongst the Blue Gums.

There was a large dining area, a well-equipped kitchen, composting toilets and hot showers. It was well laid out and very well looked after.

All in all a welcome change from the more restrictive camp sites in the National Parks where they provided basic toilet facilities and gas barbecues, but did not allow fires. Understandable I guess, as not everyone can be trusted to behave responsibly but disappointing as nothing beats sitting around a fire on a cold evening. Without a fire we inevitably went to bed pretty early.

 

With a couple of hours of daylight remaining I decided to walk back up the track to a couple of ponds that we’d passed on the way in. In my mind it was only a few hundred metres, but it took much longer than expected and turned out to be almost 2km. It had seemed much shorter in the vehicle.

I did find a few birds though.

 

 

Yellow-throated Miner

 

Pied Stilt

 

 

 

 

Masked Lapwing

 

 

Hoary-headed Grebe

 

Straw-necked Ibis

 

Next morning we set out to explore the National Parks, and headed for Cape Arid.

 

The only area we could access in Cape Arid NP was the corner around Thomas River, which was actually one of the places we’d planned to stay. It looked like a great place too; the river flowing out onto a vast expanse of white sand.

 

 

 

 

Greater Crested Tern

 

 

It was around now that something else was becoming apparent. I’d researched all these National Parks and all of them claimed to have great birdlife. To put it politely, they may have been there but they were very elusive.

 

 

 

Pied Oystercatcher

 

We often heard birds but saw very few indeed due to the cool temperatures and strong winds which kept them hidden among the bushes. One of the reasons I took pictures of wild flowers was simply because there were no birds to photograph.

 

Also, the vegetation in the three coastal parks we visited was very similar. Very few substantial trees, just lots of bushes and scrub, so few places for birds to perch. Again a result of the persistent winds blowing in off the Southern Ocean.

 

We didn’t meet anyone else interested in birds. Almost everyone we met had come to the beaches for fishing and as we enjoyed the view about 10 4x4 vehicles came racing along the beach from where they’d spent a night fishing, making sure they got off the beach before high tide.

 

To be honest it was very frustrating. The landscapes were great, the beaches out of this world but, with few birds to distract us, and it being too cold to just laze around, it was becoming a bit repetitive.

From Thomas River we drove to Wharton’s Beach, which was also magnificent,

 

 

 

and then stopped in for a beer at the Condingup Tavern

 

The Condingup Tavern is situated in the south-east corner of Western Australia, only 20km from the Duke of Orleans Bay Caravan Park and the famous Wharton's Beach. A great stopping off point on the way to the beautiful coast camping at Membinup, Alexander Bay and Cape Arid National Park. It's also the perfect way to top off a day trip from Esperance or Cape Le Grand.

With a cafe, restaurant, bar and general store all under one roof, we offer a wide range of services and amenities, with the highest standard of service in each area.

 

It’s the only place in the area and draws in locals and visitors alike.

 

I’ve put a few pictures of wild flowers in this narrative, but what we saw and what I photographed was a mere fraction of what this part of Western Australia has to offer. Many of them, as I learned, occurring in just a small geographical area so that we’d see loads of them and then none at all. Consequently there were many that I missed because I didn’t take the opportunity when it presented itself.

 

One in particular took my attention, Banksia Speciosa.

Banksia speciosa, commonly known as the showy banksia, is a species of large shrub or small tree in the family Proteaceae. It is found on the south coast of Western Australia between Hopetoun and the Great Australian Bight, growing on white or grey sand in shrubland

 

The reason it stood out was because we could see several stages of its growth cycle, from the flowering spikes to the seed pods. It seemed that as the flower spike died it gradually died back until seed pods appeared on the same stem. As you’ll realise, I’m not a botanist.

 

 

 

 

 

It was grey and overcast when rose next morning and we decided that we’d pack up camp and drive part of the way towards Cocklebiddy and Eyre Bird Observatory. We could have stayed another night at Dunn’s and done the drive in one go, but it would have meant about 8 hours on the road. Two shorter drives seemed preferable.

We still had plenty of time to look at Lucky Bay. We’d been told it was beautiful. It probably was, but under a grey sky and in a stiff wind it didn’t appeal to us as Thomas River and Wharton Beach had done. This was in part due to the fact that the campsite there was huge and full of caravans.

It didn’t take us long to look at Lucky Bay, Thistle Cove and Hellfire Bay. They were all lovely but, as I said, we’d seen a lot of beaches.

 

Our route took us back into Esperance where we filled up with fuel – much cheaper than out on the Eyre Highway – then drove north towards Norseman and the Eyre Highway which runs 1675km eastwards across the Nullarbor Plain.

 

The Eyre Highway is signposted as A1, or National Highway 1 and is the main arterial link between western Australia and the eastern states, with the bulk of the traffic being vast road trains.

It’s a long, mostly straight, and very boring drive.

 

Norseman was once a thriving gold mining town, but today is a little more than a sprawling mess; very run down. I actually stayed in Norseman once, around 30 years ago on my first trans-Nullarbor drive. I had no desire to stay again.

 

We found a spot where we could camp a few kilometres before Balladonia, leaving us just a few hours drive next morning into Eyre Bird Observatory.

 

Now is as good a time as any to give you a glimpse of our camping setup.

 

 

That’s all it is. Two swags (bedrolls) laid out on tarpaulins, two chairs, sometimes a table and a grate to cook on.

You’ll probably find this hard to believe, but it is incredibly comfortable and I always sleep really well with a sky full of stars overhead.

 

Edited November 2, 2023 by Soukous

[offshorebirder]

Great photos @Soukous - especially the shorebird shots.    Thanks for the info on the brewery and restaurant - a sanctuary from some turbulence, eh?

 

[Tom Kellie]

11 hours ago, Soukous said:

 

Undoubtedly similar Tom, but I do not think it is found in Western Australia

 

~ @Soukous:

 

You know best!

 

Apologies for the feeble attempt to identify...

 

      Tom K.

[shazdwn]

20 hours ago, Soukous said:

 

Dangerous to let me know that Shaz. You may get a visit. 

Anytime 

[shazdwn]

On 11/1/2023 at 11:38 PM, Soukous said:

I did spot a couple of lizards. To my uneducated eye they looked very much like Mangrove Monitors (Varanus Indicus) but I am by no means certain.

 

 

 

I don't think your lizard is a monitor - both the neck and the tail are too stumpy for that.  I am no lizard expert but my best guess would be a shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa)

[Soukous]

2 hours ago, shazdwn said:

 

I don't think your lizard is a monitor - both the neck and the tail are too stumpy for that.  I am no lizard expert but my best guess would be a shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa)

 

I'm pretty sure it's not a Shingleback, we saw plenty of those on the road. This does actually have a long tail, it's just hidden behind the log.

[Soukous]

As mentioned, the Nullarbor is a long road and there really is not much to stop and see along the way.

 

All the names you see on the map – Balladonia, Cocklebiddy, Madura and Mundrabilla are just roadhouses. A fuel station, a basic motel – mostly for truck drivers - an area of flat ground where caravans & campervans can stay the night, a cafe of sorts (some OK, some dreadful) and that’s about it. Yalata and Penong are a bit more substantial, but not much.

Cocklebiddy just happens to be the closest roadhouse to where we are going.

 

 

 

We hit the road early. Once it is light the flies become a real nuisance and so it’s best to keep moving. 240km to Cocklebiddy, then another 20 or so before the turnoff to EBO

 

A rough corrugated track leads us to a parking area where those with caravans could un-hitch them and lock them before tackling the sandy track to the EBO.

 

The second part of the drive to EBO begins with a steep-ish descent down the escarpment to reach 10km or so of sandy track.

The protocol is to make radio contact with EBO before you start the descent; a) to let them know you are coming and b) so that they can warn you if anyone is coming in the other direction as there are few passing places and most people don’t want to stop in the soft sand.

 

There were 2 vehicles ahead of us and while we let some air out of our tyres they began the descent. At least that was their plan.

Just as we were setting out to follow them we herd on the radio that they had decided to turn back, worried about the soft sand.

Ridiculous. Firstly they were 2 vehicles and if one got stuck the other could assist. Secondly, and more importantly, they were driving Toyota HiLux 4x4 which should easily be able to handle the track. Seriously, what is the point of driving an expensive 4x4 if you are scared to use it off road?

 

The day had warmed up a bit and the sand was soft, but not really much of a problem. This part of the track was actually more comfortable to drive than the heavily corrugated first section. Roadside markers every kilometre indicated how much further we had to drive.

 

 

We’d arrived. For me at least, this is what this trip was about and I was very much looking forward to our stay.

 

 

Established in 1977 by BirdLife Australia, the Eyre Bird Observatory is Australia’s first bird observatory, providing a base for the study and enjoyment of the birds of the area.

Nestled between the arid Nullarbor Plain to the north and the coastal waters of the Great Australian Bight to the south, the Observatory is in one of the least populated places on the continent but home to over 240 species of birds – many of them rare and endangered.

Previously, the Observatory was the first Eyre Telegraph Station on the Intercolonial Telegraph Line. It is located near the site where explorer Edward John Eyre found water during his overland journey from Adelaide to Albany in 1841.

The beautiful limestone building now houses a museum along with accommodations for visitors looking to enjoy the natural landscape and bird life.

Throughout the year, Eyre Bird Observatory hosts a number of courses designed to attract the interest of naturalists and people with a growing sense of environmental consciousness.

The Observatory always welcomes day visitors as well as overnight guests year-round.

 

We’d booked in for 2 nights. We got lucky. When I’d originally enquired about staying back in July, they advised me that they were fully booked for the whole of October. In September, on the off chance, I enquired again and was told that a week long course had just been cancelled and they now had space for us, on the days we wanted as well.

 

Accommodation at EBO includes 3 meals a day and it seems we’d arrived just as they were having lunch. We were invited to join them. ‘Them’ being our hosts Nick & Rachel, and a couple heading back to Perth after picking up a new campervan in Queensland.

 

Bizarrely, at most campsites we visited there were people looking after the site who were designated as ‘hosts’. They appeared to do about as much ‘hosting’ as a car park attendant but that was what they were called. At EBO, Nick & Rachel were referred to as Caretakers, even though their hospitality was on a par with the very best guest houses.

It really was a terrific place to stay. Not only 3 meals a day but homemade scones mid morning and then nibbles mid afternoon as well. Breakfast and lunch were simple, largely self service affairs but for the evening meal Nick proved him self to be an excellent cook, providing wonderful roast meals and even ice cream for dessert.

 

Of course, one of the first questions I asked Nick & Rachel was what species we could expect to see here. The list of resident species was quite short to which could be added various migratory species at certain time of year. My heart sank a bit; please don’t let this be a waste of time.

 

Then Nick asked me “have you seen a Pink Cockatoo?”

“I don’t think so.” I replied.

 

“It’s the Major Mitchell, it’s being renamed.”

He went on to tell us that Major Mitchell had been a surveyor general of New South Wales in the 19th Century who had committed atrocities against the indigenous population.

 

This article explains it better than I can.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/commentisfree/2023/sep/16/pink-cockatoo-australian-bird-of-the-year-guardian-birdlife

 

Personally I prefer the name Red-top Cockatoo as it is the bright red crest that makes the (former) Major Mitchell so attractive.

 

To attract birds to the immediate vicinity a variety of bowls of water were laid out among the bushes on the north side of the Observatory and during the day these attracted a steady traffic of birds coming to drink. There isn’t really anywhere else they can get water.

 

Grey Currawong

 

Singing Honeyeater

 

Late in the afternoon I put a chair in the shade of one of the water tanks and sat to wait. After about half an hour watching Grey Currawongs, Bronzewings and Honeyeaters I was rewarded with a lot of squawking and the arrival of some cockatoos. For the next 45 minutes they came in waves, sometimes 4 or 5, sometimes 15. It was a real treat to see these beautiful birds so close. They were easily disturbed but soon returned.

 

 

At one point some weeks earlier they had counted 99 Major Mitchell / Pink Cockatoos around the water.

The reason they could be so sure is that apparently each bird will only come to drink once. So each wave of birds was different from the others. All you have to do is keep count.

 

 

Major Mitchell / Pink Cockatoo - the female has a red eye, the male a black eye

 

 

I took a lot of photos, so you'll have to indulge my excess here. (The curse of digital photography) I have just deleted somewhere close to 1000.

I was so engrossed in photographing these magnificent birds I almost missed the afternoon nibbles. Taken on the verandah, so we could keep watching.

 

Eventually they’d all had their drink and we could look elsewhere.

 

After a splendid dinner and excellent conversation we retired for the night.

 

Next morning we woke to bright blue skies and very little wind, and soon the first wave of cockatoos flew in. We estimated somewhere close to 110 birds that morning.

 

 

 

 

 

okay, okay. I'll stop.

 

Naturally, like everywhere else we’d been in WA, the flies were out in force too.

 

Once the drinking stations had quietened down, we decided to take a look at the beach. This involved a drive of just under 1km over the dunes.

And what a beach it was.

 

We drove for 14km in one direction and 5km in the other and didn’t see a soul.

 

The trick was to drive below the high tide mark so we didn’t risk crushing the Red-capped Plover nests under our tyres.

There was not a lot of birdlife on the beach, just the occasional solitary shorebird.

 

Great Knot

 

Red-necked Stint (I think)

 

Red-capped Plover

 

and a lone Cormorant out at sea

Australian Pied Cormorant

 

We even spotted a small group of dolphins – I think there were 6 of them - just rolling lazily in the still water about 20 metres from where we stood. Then we began to see rays (probably Stingrays) feeding in the shallows, some of them came as close as 1 metre. We counted about 30 of them.

 

It was a magic moment.

 

Back at the Observatory there was not much action at the water bowls but in the shade on the south side a small concrete bowl had a steady traffic of small birds: New Holland Honeyeaters, Singing Honeyeaters, Brown-headed Honeyeaters and Silvereyes, as well as a lot of bees.

 

Singing Honeyeater

 

Brown-headed Honeyeater

 

New Holland Honeyeater

 

Silvereye

 

Welcome Swallows were nesting in the eaves of the verandah and leaving their poo everywhere, much to Rachel's annoyance.

 

After lunch I took a walk, trying to find a good vantage point from which to photograph the cockatoos as they flew in to drink.

As it turned out I’d wasted my time.

The glorious weather we’d enjoyed in the morning had gone, replaced by grey skies and a chilly wind. The temperature had dropped by between 10-15 degrees.

The cockatoos did come, but they flew in very low over the bushes and did not linger to chatter as they had in the morning. I suppose expecting three perfect sessions in a row was being greedy.

 

Dinner was again a real feast.

 

I had planned to try and get some more photographs before we left in the morning but the weather was again grey and cool, so we didn’t linger.

 

Eyre Bird Observatory was wonderful. True I had not seen the variety of birds I had anticipated but the cockatoo sightings had been out of this world and the whole package; the location, the accommodation, the food, the hospitality had made it thoroughly enjoyable.

I’d love to return again one day. I just have to work out a way to do it without wasting days on tedious driving. It’s more than 7 hours drive (close to 700km) from Esperance, and almost as far from the eastern side.

 

9km from the observatory the road split and so instead of going back up the escarpment we drove east, past the ruins of an old sheep station and followed a loamy track that brought us to the back of the roadhouse at Madura, where we could re-inflate our tyres.

The area behind the roadhouse was littered with the remains of old vehicles. This far from 'civilization' I guess it is simpler just to dump things when they can no longer be used.

 

 

 

It doesn’t look like much on the map, but we then drove around 500km to Yalata and found a bush camp for the night.

Edited November 3, 2023 by Soukous

[TonyQ]

Those Cockatoos are really beautiful and I am glad you showed us a number of excellent photos of them. I don't think I have seen pictures of them before - they are stunning.

An interesting article on the change of the name - well justified in this case

[Zim Girl]

I agree.  What a delightful bird.  Love the last picture with all the red head feathers showing so well.

[janzin]

Wonderful photos of the Cockatoos! And everything else. What a fascinating trip.

[shazdwn]

10 hours ago, Soukous said:

 

I'm pretty sure it's not a Shingleback, we saw plenty of those on the road. This does actually have a long tail, it's just hidden behind the log.

Ahhh that explains it. The tail really had me stumped, but now I know there is more then I agree with your monitor id

[Caracal]

Thoroughly enjoying this report and your beautiful photos.

I think your lizard is Varanus rosenbergi.

[John M.]

3 hours ago, Caracal said:

Thoroughly enjoying this report and your beautiful photos.

I think your lizard is Varanus rosenbergi.

   

   Yes. Common name, Heath monitor.  One of the goanna species which are a delight to encounter in the bush.

 

   Wonderful photos, especially the birds.

Edited November 4, 2023 by John M.

[Soukous]

10 hours ago, Caracal said:

Thoroughly enjoying this report and your beautiful photos.

I think your lizard is Varanus rosenbergi.

 

You may well be correct, thank you. Although I have not yet managed to find any images of Varanus rosenbergi that show such distinctive markings as the 2 we saw.

[offshorebirder]

Well done on the Honeyeater - bee photo!

[John M.]

"As mentioned, the Nullarbor is a long road and there really is not much to stop and see along the way."

 

Did you check out the Nullarbor Links? --  world's longest golf course, par 72, 18 holes over nearly 1400km. I've found golf courses in the bush are often good for wildlife, though they did nothing for my handicap