AUSTRALIA: WESTERN AUSTRALIA, Stirling Range to Dryandra

Pallid Cuckoo

Oct 6: Our avian tour of Western Australia included ample time in Stirling Range National Park, encompassing the highest mountain range in the western part of the country.  We were staying in the Stirling Range Retreat, known for its interpretation, education and conservation-based mission, as well as warm hospitality and comfortable accommodations. Following breakfast in our cabins, we walked the lodge grounds and explored the entrance area to the National Park, just across the street.  We saw many of the same birds as yesterday, along with some new species and exciting experiences.  We watched a gregarious flock of Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters mob a Collared Sparrowhawk, and a Western Yellow Robin sitting on a nest. We ticked a new fairy-wren for the trip, Blue-breasted Fairywren, which is very similar in appearance to the Red-winged. A plain-looking Pallid Cuckoo posed on a branch, revealing striking barred features on the undertail and tail. Joy found a Rufous Songlark, which took the rest of the group several hours to get good looks.  The parrot family was well represented by Red-capped and Elegant Parrots, Carnaby’s and Baudin’s Black-Cockatoo, as well as Galahs and Purple-crowned Lorikeets. At the Bluff Knoll Cafe, we admired the Silver Princess Eucalyptus trees that were attracting Yellow-plumed Honeyeaters, while Yellow-rumped Thornbills picked amongst gravel.

Bluff Knoll

We drove into the Stirling Range National Park and up to the overlook of Bluff Knoll. Rugged peaks rise abruptly from the surrounding lowland landscape, most of which has been cleared for agriculture.  This south-western Australian park is internationally recognized as one of the world’s top 34 hotspots for biodiversity.  Comprised of exposed rock faces, such as Bluff Knoll, sheltered valleys and a mosaic of thickets and shrubs, the Stirling Range hosts a rich variety of species.

Slender Grass Tree

We admired the impressive vista from the overlook, then walked a ways down the paved path to admire the foliage, including the splendid, slender grass tree Kingia australis. Back in the car park, we enjoyed avian activity in the surrounding shrubs, with a half-dozen birds including a pair of Western Spinebills as well as Inland and Western Thornbills.

Western Spinebill, female

We left the Stirling Range by late morning, driving north through the ‘sheep and wheat’ belt part of the country. A roadside pond caught our attention with Australian Wood Duck and a pair of Chestnut Teals, possibly the same ones we saw yesterday afternoon.  Black-faced Woodswallows perched on roadside fences, and a pair of White-browed Babblers darted out of sight into the underbrush. We relocated them further down the road, feeding on the ground in a small wooded area, where we also got our first look at a Singing Honeyeater.

Wagin Great Ram

Having seen a few “Big Things” during our travels, such as the 20-foot high Granny Smith Apple at Donny Brook, we decided to stop in the town of Wagin, to admire the massive, so-called Great Ram sculpture, representing the town’s main industry of sheep farming.  We all agreed it was worth the stop to see such interesting local pop-art!  Moving on, Barry spotted Regent Parrots flying across the road, our 24th parrot species of the trip, to date.  We stopped and crossed some railroad tracks to watch a flock feeding amongst the grasses. Red-capped and Ring-necked Regent Parrots were also flying around in the same area.

Regent Parrot

As we neared our destination of Narrogin, patches of malle (multi-stem eucalyptus species) woodland survived amongst the vast, agricultural landscape.  Malle is the dominant vegetation of the dry regions from Western Australia across Southern Australia to Victoria.  It provides important habitat for endangered, cryptic Mallefowl, one of Australia’s three ‘mound-builders,’ and the one megapod we never saw.

After checking into our hotel, Marie and Joy joined Barry and I for a visit to the Dryandra Woodlands for an hour at the end of the day. The Dryandra Woodlands features wandoo and power-back wandoo plants, along with areas of heath as well as dryandra, jantree wattle and patches of casuarina vegetation. Walking was easy through this open woodland.

Echidna

We were greatly excited when an Echindna crossed the track in front of us. This chunky, ground-dwelling mammal walked slowly away from us, only to wedge itself against a log.  The creature did not move when we approached to examine it closer.  It had a small tubular snout and the top of its body is covered with spines that did not feel particularly sharp when I touched them.

Dryandra Woodlands

Parrots were common in these woodlands with Red-capped, Elegant and Ringneck Parrots. Spotted and Striated Pardalotes showed well, as did a few Weebills, Australia’s smallest bird, and less colorful than the pardalotes. A couple of Brown-headed Honeyeaters foraging in eucalyptus became our 36th species to date of this extensive bird family, and the only place that we would see them. We saw a Rufous Treecreeper on the ground, not surprising, since ants are their favorite food.  It jumped around in pursuit, landing on bare logs and low tree trunks.  We saw our second Scarlet Robin of the trip, though from a greater distance than previously. We watched Restless Flycatchers exhibiting their namesake behavior, actively foraging for insects, and enjoyed the beautiful liquid call of the rather drab Grey Shrikethrush.  A lovely way to cap-off another exciting day in Australia!
all photos © adrian binns