Australia - Perth - Thomson's NR - Kogolup Lake - Day Count!

Kogolup Lake with its muddy margins and open water still has potential to pull in any passing shorebirds or waterfowl. I spent a day staking the lake out to see how many species of bird I could record taking counts and attempting pictures of species I did not recognize.

It was clear and sunny and I was grateful for some shade that the lakeside trees and bushes provided as the day progressed. I had one eye in the sky and another on the ground during my vigil as I didn’t want to miss flyovers or any snakes that had cared to join the watch!

I was caught out early on by a group of Carnaby’s Cockatoo that made a noisy entrance overhead and had departed by the time the camera was deployed. I had also bought the heavy artillery along (telescope) which gave me the appearance of a Christmas tree with its decorations as I made the walk to the lake. This had caused much amusement with counters during the Batumi Raptor Count in Georgia Europe last autumn. I did however only carry essentials and put everything to use during the count!

 

I have only visited this lake a few times but there was a growing list of species that frequented the lake. One species the Yellow-billed Spoonbill start off feeding/resting in the reed-bed and gradually migrate onto the open water as the sun rises.

A flock of Glossy Ibis made several attempts to land in the weed covered area in front of the reed-bed but gave the task up as a bad job departing together. A Straw Necked Ibis appeared on the lake rested on a post and then spent time circling the lake before departing.

Some species just took the briefest of looks and continued their journey over the lake. An Australasian Darter and a Pelican were noted.

Raptors were represented by Whistling Kite, Swamp Harrier and a couple of Collared Sparrowhawk who sparred with the Kite giving a good size comparison. The Australian Hobby appeared mid afternoon and was observed hawking insects low over the lake.

I finally secured some pictures of the Fairywren having missed opportunities on earlier visits.

I also photographed a passerine which may be a Jacky Winter the amount of white creating the eye-ring and combination of white and black in the tail has me questioning my id. The bird was otherwise behaving like a flycatcher sitting tight to the branches then with a burst of speed hawking insects returning to the same covered spot. - Western Gerygone has been suggested and fits the above!

Honeyeaters were also busy in the vicinity the noisiest being New Holland and less frequent Brown and Singing.

I will be visiting friends next week in WA interior with a few days in Perth before I return to England via Singapore. Where has the time gone!!

Day List provided by Wildlife Recorder as follows:-

Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)                                                      14

Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa)                                        7

Grey Teal (Anas gracilis)                                                             37

Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus)            12

Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae)                      1

Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)                           1

Great Egret (Australasian) (Ardea alba modesta)                    2

White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)                        1

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)                                                16

Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis)                              1

Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes)                              21

Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrocephalus)                     2

Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus)                                          3

Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus)                    10

Pied Stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus)                                    17

Common Bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera)                               2

Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)                          2

Australian Hobby (Falco longipennis)                                        1

Carnaby's Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris)        4

Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus)                       9

Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus)                                        4

Western Wattlebird (Anthochaera lunulata)                           2

Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata)                             1

Singing Honeyeater (Gavicalis virescens)                                 2

Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta)                                1

New Holland Honeyeater(Phylidonyris novaehollandiae)     5

Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris)                                                1

Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen)                                 1

Willie-wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys)                                       3

Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa)                                             2

Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides)                                      5

Jacky-winter (Microeca fascinans)                                             1 (To be confirmed from pictures)

Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena)                                      1

Fairy Martin (Petrochelidon ariel)                                              5

Silver-eye (Zosterops lateralis)                                                   1