Western Australia Day 4

A day spent with the family did provide a couple of birding opportunities with an afternoon visit to Burns Beach producing Australian Kestrel briefly on route near Joondalup Lake and a Whistling Kite above the shoreline at Burns Beach. Then while driving along Ocean Reef Drive I noted a large feeding flock of Western and Long-billed Corella's so an unscheduled stop was taken to grab a few shots. 

                                       Long-billed Corella (introduced to Perth area) note bill length.

                                        Western Corella (note short bill and lack of cut-throat)

                                                               Galah at Burns Beach

Western Australia Day 3

An early morning visit to Joondalup Lake provided the following species:-
Australasian Grebe, Black Swan, Australian Shelduck, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Shoveler, Grey Teal, Australian Wood Duck, Musk Duck, Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, White-faced Heron, Australian White Ibis, Straw-necked Ibis, Silver Gull, Black-shouldered Kite, Spotted Turtle-Dove, Galah, Rainbow Lorikeet, Laughing Kookaburra, Varied Sittella, Western Gerygone, Red Wattlebird, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Rufous Whistler, Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Australian Raven, Tree Martin.

                                                              Purple Swamphen

                                                           Black-shouldered Kite

                                                                 White-faced Egret

Then an afternoon visit to Kings Park, Perth provided the following additional species:-
Great Cormorant, Pied Cormorant, Australian Pelican, Crested Tern, Australian Ringneck, Welcome Swallow.

                                                                Australasian Grebe

                                                                 Australian Ringneck

                                                       Australian Wood Duck (female)

                                                        Australian Wood Duck (male)

Western Australia Day 2

A late afternoon visit to Mullaloo Beach produced 2 Silver Gull feeding on the shoreline while overhead a single Australian Pelican and several Tree Martin were observed briefly. Then onto Pinaroo Valley Memorial Park where a dozen or so Western Grey Kangaroo were noted feeding among the shrubs and lawns. In the canopy overhead Rainbow Lorikeets, Western Corellas, Red Wattlebirds and a noisy pair of Laughing Kookaburra were all noted. On the reed fringed ponds 3 Australian Wood Duck, 2 Pacific Black Duck a single Australasian Grebe and several Eurasian Coot were all seen while among the reeds a single Australian Clamorous Reed Warbler posed briefly. 

                                                                      Silver Gull

                                                         
                                                            Western Grey Kangaroo

                                                    Australian Wood Duck (male)

                                                  Australian Wood Duck (female)

                                                       Australian Clamorous Reed Warbler

                                                                 Pacific Black Duck

                                                                  Red Wattlebird

                                                                      Willie Wagtail

                                                                Rainbow Lorikeets

Wanneroo, Perth, Western Australia

After a good nights sleep after a late night arrival we headed off with Bella (my brothers dog) for a leisurely walk around Bembridge Park noting the following species:-
Australian Raven, Spotted Turtle Dove, Singing Honeyeater, Carnaby's (short-billed) Black Cockatoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Australian Magpie, Galah, Magpie-lark, Australian White Ibis, Willie Wagtail, Red Wattlebird.  

                                                               Australian Magpie

                                                                     
                                                                           Galah

                                                              Spotted Turtle Dove

                                                             Singing Honeyeater

                                                                    Magpie-lark

                                                                    Willie Wagtail

Singapore 26th/27th July

We arrived at Changi Airport, Singapore early evening and checked into the Crown Plaza Hotel before catching up on some well needed sleep. I woke early next morning and managed a spot of birding from the swimming pool area overlooking the metropolis below. House Crow, Olive-backed Sunbird, Common Myna and Black-Nest Swiftlet were all observed. Late morning we visited the Singapore Botanical Gardens where we encountered heavy rain on route but once there it brightened up enough for more birding with the following species noted:-
Javan Myna, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Purple-throated Sunbird, Olive-backed Sunbird, Oriental Magpie-Robin, White-breasted Waterhen, Asian Glossy Starling, Pacific Swallow, Long-tailed Parakeet, Spotted Dove, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Common Tailorbird, Laced Woodpecker, White-throated Kingfisher. Then on route back to our hotel I noted White-bellied Sea-Eagle soaring overhead, its wings held in a diagnostic V position.

                                                                  Javan Myna

                                                          Eurasian Tree Sparrow

                                                              Common Tailorbird

                                                                  Spotted Dove

                                                             Yellow-vented Bulbul   

                                                         White-throated Kingfisher

                                                        Olive-backed Sunbird (female)

 

Stockers Lake & Bury Lake

An afternoon conducting a wetland bird survey count provided the following species:-
Great-crested Grebe (15), Great Cormorant (7), Grey Heron (5), Little Egret (9), Mute Swan (20), Black Swan (1), Greylag Goose (9), Canada Goose (129), Domestic Greylag Goose (1), Mallard (25), Tufted Duck (43), Red Kite (1), Common Moorhen (3), Eurasian Coot (34), Black-headed Gull (28), Lesser Black-backed Gull (9), Common Tern (8), Stock Dove (3), Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Common Swift, Common Kingfisher (1), Green Woodpecker (1), Great-spotted Woodpecker (1), Barn Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay (1), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting (2).

                                                   Reed Bunting (male) with food for young. 

                                                         Gatekeeper on Bramble.

                                                      Large White on Great Willowherb.

Woodoaks Farm

It was a hot sunny afternoon as I made my way along the footpath passing the farm cottages heading towards the milking sheds and the old orchard. No sign of any Little Owls and I fear they may have perished during the severe winter. At the hay meadow 2 Red Kite put in a brief appearance while nearby a male Skylark sung out as it gained altitude before free falling towards the ground. The bank of the footpath heading up towards Ladywalk Wood was covered in flowers and these in turn were covered in Butterflies. Large White, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Large Skipper and Small Tortoiseshell were all noted, the latter far outnumbering any other species. Following the overgrown track along the new wooded area that was once set-aside I  noted 2 singing male Common Chiffchaff while Western Jackdaws could be heard from deep inside Ladywalk Wood. Eventually meeting the main footpath I headed back past the manure pile towards the milking sheds and the farm cottages.   

                                         
                                         Small Tortoiseshell feeding on Common Knapweed.

                                                                         Large Skipper.

Maple Lodge Nature Reserve

An afternoon at the reserve in glorious sunshine provided the following species of note:-
Little Grebe (3 inc a single immature), Great-crested Grebe (1), Gadwall (71 plus duck with 8 ducklings), Common Pochard (4 broods of young), Tufted Duck (4 broods of young), Common Moorhen (2 pairs with new broods of young), Red Kite (3), Common Kingfisher (1), Green Woodpecker (adult with juvenile in plantation).   
Butterflies:-
Large White, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Large Skipper. 

                                             Green Woodpecker (juvenile) at the plantation.

                                                               Small Tortoiseshell.

                                                              Speckled Wood.