Gavin Bieber on his recently completed first week of our Western Australia and Northern Territory tour

We spent the first week birding around Perth and the southwest corner of the country.  A wetland park in central Perth provided our first waterbirds, including a very approachable Australian Grebe, this fine drake Hardhead, cute Little Pied Cormorants and a roosting group of Tawny Frogmouth. 

Australian Grebe

Hardhead

Little Pied Cormorant

Tawny Frogmouth

The drier forests around Dryandra and the Stirling Ranges were very productive, with repeated views of the aptly named Splendid Fairy-Wren and a nice array of honeyeaters including the handsome White-cheeked.

Spendid Fairy-Wren

White-cheeked Honeyeater

The gorgeous coastline near Cheyne’s Beach was our backdrop for several days, where we enjoyed especially good views of Common Bronzewing, all three of the coastal heathlands infamous skulkers and some foraging Rock Parrots. 

Common Bronzewing

Rock Parrot

Leaving the temperate SW corner behind we then visited the heart of the country around Alice Springs.  This beautiful desert landscape was heavily gripped by drought and above average temperatures, but here we found an array of fantastic species such as this striking Red-backed Kingfisher, and a Western Bowerbird here seen in mid display at a bower in the botanical gardens

Red-backed Kingfisher

Western Bowerbird