A TRIP NORTH - April 2022
Broome Bird Observatory—18 to 21 April 2022
Drew Davison
I recently returned from six nights with my father in the Kimberley, three of which were spent at the Broome Bird Observatory. During my time at the BBO, I recorded a total of 120 species.
We arrived on a flight from Perth at around 10h00 on the 18 April, whereupon Assistant Warden Carolyn kindly drove us to the BBO. We unpacked our bags in ‘The Cottage’ (formerly ‘The Chalet’), and proceeded to the ‘Shadehouse’, a communal kitchen and dining facility with bird baths placed outside—also where the Bird Log takes place each night at 18h30. The usual species were present at the Shadehouse—Double-barred Finch, Yellow White-eye, Bar-shouldered Dove, amongst others. After a short time there, we proceeded to the viewing platform. Present were a single Terek Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, approximately 26 Lesser Crested Terns, and a White-throated Gerygone. * The afternoon was primarily spent back at the Shadehouse, where Great Bowerbirds, Rufous-throated Honeyeaters, and Peaceful Doves were seen. Migration watch commenced at 16h00, and we attended, recording a number of species migrating, including 217 Eurasian Whimbrel, 317 Black-tailed Godwit ssp. melanuroides, 170 Grey-tailed Tattler, and 73 Common Greenshank.
On 19 April, we began the day with a Mangrove Tour, led by Olivia, one of the two Wardens, with Carolyn assisting. We recorded 34 species in total, including Broad-billed Flycatcher, White-breasted Whistler, Mangrove Grey Fantail. Waders and terns present included Eurasian Whimbrel, Eastern Curlew, Ruddy Turnstone, the two knots, Little Tern, Gull-billed Tern ssp. affinis, Whiskered Tern, and Lesser Crested Tern. On the return drive to the BBO along the plains, around 20 Diamond Doves were on the side of the road, as well as two Black-necked Storks, and a light morph Brown Falcon.
Later that day, my father and I walked to Wader Beach, with a stop at Wader Spit also. This yielded a good number of shorebirds, including Australian Pied Oystercatcher, both Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers, Red-capped Plover, Eurasian Whimbrel, Eastern Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Great Knot, Red Knot, Curlew Sandpiper (a single individual in breeding plumage), Red-necked Stint, Terek Sandpiper, and Common Greenshank. Five species of terns—Little Tern, Gull-billed Tern ssp. affinis, Whiskered Tern, and Greater and Lesser Crested Terns—were present. That evening migration watch was attended, with a similar suite of shorebirds recorded, as well as seven White-winged Black Terns in the bay, in almost full breeding plumage. Interestingly, there were also 25 Torresian Crows flying east over the bay from no discernible origin.
On 20 April, we commenced the approximately 6.2-kilometre Malurus Trail at 06h00, leaving from the BBO, running along the fenceline of the Roebuck Plains Station, and returning to the BBO along the bay. The first species observed was Budgerigar, with 53 flying east over the observatory. This sight was to be repeated throughout the morning, with a further estimated 617 individuals flying in much the same direction. When we reached the plains, there was a Black-necked Stork and a number of Great and Little Egrets amongst the samphire (Tecticornia). A Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo was present but not vocal. A number of interesting pigeon-types flew towards the bay, leading me to suspect the presence of Flock Bronzewing in the area, a usually rare species in the Broome region. Three or so Blue-winged Kookaburras were harassed by a Brown Goshawk for an extended period, resulting in my obtaining an audio recording of three minutes’ length. As we had then finished the plains section of the trail, we proceeded along the bay. A number of Ruddy Turnstones were foraging on the flats, and a flock of Lesser Sand Plovers flew past. Not long after, seven Flock Bronzewings flew from the bay towards the plains past us, three of which were adult males. Photographs of the earlier individual flying towards the bay showed it to be a Flock Bronzewing also. Upon returning to the BBO, 82 Masked Woodswallows were flying east high above the observatory, calling. A further fifteen Budgerigars flew in the same direction not long after.
In the afternoon, we took part in the Bush and Plains Tour with Ben, a Warden. The highlights were White-winged Black Tern, Intermediate Egret ssp. plumifera, Eastern Cattle Egret, further Budgerigars, Golden-headed Cisticola, Black-faced Woodswallow, Brown Songlark, and Black-shouldered Kite. On the drive back to the BBO, three Little Buttonquails were on the track in front of the vehicle. An Australian Bustard was flying over the plains nearby.
On 21 April, we left the BBO at 05h00 with Ben and two other fellows. Not long after we left the driveway, a Spotted Nightjar was flushed from the side of the road as we drove past. Arriving at a spot along the Great Northern Highway on Roebuck Plains, three Pied Herons were observed, as were hundreds of Magpie Geese, Intermediate Egret ssp. plumifera, eight or so Black-tailed Nativehens, nine Australian Spotted Crakes, more than 350 Red-kneed Dotterels, and a Red-backed Kingfisher, amongst others. An hour at this one spot yielded 42 species. Afterwards, we drove back along the road towards the Roebuck Plains Roadhouse, where there were around 60 Wandering Whistling Ducks, including young, and further Magpie Geese, White-winged Black Terns, Whiskered Terns, and Budgerigars. Once we arrived back at the plains behind the BBO, our search for Yellow Chat was unsuccessful, though an Eastern Yellow Wagtail (too far to be certain, but likely ssp. tschutschensis), flew over. Australian Tern was also present with Gull-billed Tern ssp. affinis. Then to the Crab Creek Mangroves, where there were Dusky Gerygones giving unusual calls, and a Common Redshank associating with Common Greenshanks. The tide was coming in, and the waders were beginning to fly elsewhere, including the Common Redshank, mere minutes after we first saw it. A white trailing edge to the wing as it flew provided further confirmation that it was indeed that. After returning to the BBO, a further 154 or so Masked Woodswallows were seen flying east—and at much the same time as the flock the previous day. Ben thereafter kindly drove us into town where we hired a car and began the second part of our Kimberley trip.
The Broome Bird Observatory provided a great birding experience over the three nights that we were there, and I would highly recommend it to anyone considering a trip to the region, especially for birders. All of my sightings have been uploaded to eBird, for the perusal of those interested.
* Please note that species lists within this account are not exhaustive for each location—only the highlights are mentioned here.