Margaret River Birding II : Cape Naturaliste National Park
When: February 2018 Weather: Cool to warm: 15-28C
Leica M240/summilux 35mm Nikon P900
After having birded in Dunsborough beach, I struck out slightly further afield to Halfmoon Bay, Sugarloaf Island (both of which didn’t yield many birds) and the lighthouse at Cape Naturaliste itself. Just a 15min drive or so from Dunsborough, at 630am, the air is crisp. The car park itself was a pretty good area…
Day break at the Regency Beach Resort
The lighthouse at Cape Naturaliste National Park
There are a few trails to go on once you get there; the visitor centre and cafe itself is not open at 630am so venture down the left side of the entrance and you get to the trails…where there is a fork, the right one takes you on the round the lighthouse walk and the left one takes you to the Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin 80km trek…. I set off on the long trek first just to check out the terrain…
start of the trail
Australian white eyes were the most commonly seen bird there, flitting in and out of the bushes
another one basking in the morning sun
New Holland Honeyeaters were also plentiful
magpie lark
and what a pleasant surprise to enocunter a kangaroo on the trail
And here a juvenile roo eyed me suspiciously
and then in the bushes, a flurry of activity and a pair of splendid fairy wrens, or blue wrens appeared….these could be either males in non-breeding plumage or females…
another view of the nondescript body with a brilliant blue tail
another pair of white eyes folicked around
On a different day when we went, we stayed at the carpark area of the lighthouse and actually had better sightings there than on the trails…
This grey parrot was spotted on the road to Cape Naturaliste National park
grey parrot taking flight
outside the toilet next to the carpark, whiteeyes were busy
and then a rusting of feathers in the trees beyond…
a lovely grey fantail was displaying
grey fantail
the splendid fairy wren appeared again
quite charming
and finally the brilliantly coloured male Splendid Fairy wren appeared…
The carpark area around the lighthouse was ultimately quite enjoyable and we had a great time birding there….recommended.
The Natural Traveller 