Check my birding map for specific location.
Barrabup Pool is a few kilometres north west of the little (and very nice) town of Nannup. It has been used as a recreational area for over 100 years since logging operations began. In early morning, still light it is gorgeous, surrounded by Marri trees and native bush. The campsite was a hundred metres up the hill behind the pool. It was small and very quiet.
Sitting next to the pool I tried to identify the calls of the numerous birds I could hear. Robins, fantails and fairywren hopped around on the ground while black cockatoo feasted on the blossoms in the canopy. It was a dream.
Then a Red-winged Fairywren appeared on the deck in front of me. These birds have been so shy and difficult to photograph since I have been seeing them in Western Australia. Here, they were all over the place and out in the open. A female buzzed around me and I could hear chicks crying for food. I stepped away so she felt safe to return to them. A fledgling chick hopped around my feet and it took me ages to get a photograph of it when it was far enough away. Dad followed it around offering advice. I am ticking off getting great shots of the species of fairywren and these little ones were amazing.
Red-winged Fairywren (Malurus elegans)
I could hear lots of Western Whistlers calling across the trees. It was like a chain as they answered each other. I have seen lots of females but no males. I thought I might stand a good chance here and it wasn't long before I spotted one. He sang for me as well.
Western Whistler (Pachycephala fuliginosa)
Late in the afternoon dozens and dozens of Red-tailed Black Cockatoo circled the pool and settled in the trees calling incessantly. These birds are the Forest subspecies and it was a delightful cacophony. Every morning I could see evidence of their activities strewn on the ground with twigs, leaves and discarded fruit.
Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii naso)
There were Grey Fantail everywhere and I loved watching them as they sat on the railings of the bridge dashing off to catch bugs before returning. I was trying to photograph one on the ground who was displaying his full tail when I saw it feeding a youngster. Baby fantail are always incredibly cute and as this one sat and waiting for more food I was able to photograph and video it.
Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa)
One afternoon I sat at the picnic table in the campsite and listened to the sounds of the forest. The pardalote were noisy in their activities - the striated in the leaves and the spotted poking around in the bark. Silvereye and thornbills came and went chattering in groups and higher up I could hear Rufous Treecreeper and Western Whistler with their repetitive calls.
Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus)
Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus)
A rustling behind me caught my attention and I turned to see a Scarlet Robin perched in the familiar robin like pose on a tree. I snapped away and then watched. The female, male and juvenile were working their way through the site feeding and chatting.
Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang)
On my last night, I moved down to the Workman's Pool campsite. The pool wasn't as nice as Barrabup Pool but as that was the domain of the Timber Plant Manager and this was left for the employees, it was to be as expected. But what it did have was a patch of protected grass in
the middle of the site. I suspected it might get some visitors and it did. The rosella and ringneck fed across the grass and were very tolerant of me. It was great to get clearer shots of the stunning rosella.
the middle of the site. I suspected it might get some visitors and it did. The rosella and ringneck fed across the grass and were very tolerant of me. It was great to get clearer shots of the stunning rosella.
Western Rosella (Patycercus icterotis)
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