Fremantle Birdwatching around paying closerattention canafford sightingsofsmaller Australian RingneckandAustralian Magpiewhilst can easilybeencountered suchasRed Wattlebird, various othershrubspecies.A number ofbushbirds Marri trees withBanksiaandGrass Trees amongst The vegetation consists ofmature Tuart, Jarrah and remnant patch of bushland in the City of Fremantle. Although relatively small,thisparkisthelargest 1. SirFrederick SamsonPark day out. recreational facilities, providing optionsfor afamily number ofbirdwatching locations alsohave excellent typical bushbird speciesoftheSwan Coastal Plain.A and remnant areas ofwoodland provide habitat for browed Scrubwren andWhite-cheeked Honeyeater coastal heath contains species such as White- sea bird speciessuchasshearwaters. The adjoining location in the metropolitan area to look for pelagic encountered, whilst North Mole offers one of the best coastal speciessuchasCrested Tern caneasilybe The coastline provides anumberofsites where picturesque locations ofthemetropolitan area. birdwatching opportunities in some of the most the CityofFremantle provides anumberofexcellent Nestled between the Swan River and Indian Ocean, and apicniclunch. ideal spot to bring the kids grassed areas make this an playground facilities and the Fremantle area, while for anarray ofbushbirds in is thebest location to look park givinggoodaccess. This Walking tracks dissect the Spotted Pardalote (seasonal). Striated Pardalote and species suchasWeebill, Red Wattlebird Australian Government’s State NRMProgram. This guidewas supported by funding from theWestern the fullrange ofbird guidesvisitthewebsite. There isalsoalibrary andbooksfor saleat theoffice. Toview projects, excursions, campouts,surveys andsocialactivities. activities andservices includingconservation andresearch BirdLife Western Australia membersare offered a variety of Enquiries to BirdLife Western Australia. All content issubjectto copyright ©. Bird GuideNo50ABJuly2016 Georgina Steytler, SusanTingay Ashford, JudyBlyth,LizFox, Pam Free, MichaelMorcombe, Paintings andphotographs by JohnAnderson,Robin T 08 9383 7749 9383 T 08 WA 6014 Floreat Drive, Lakes Perry 167 BirdLife Western Australia facebook.com/BirdLifeAustralia for Australia’s birds. future abright creating we are supporters, and volunteers of network Australia-wide an of commitment the and knowledge specialised our With habitats. their and birds native our for results conservation outstanding to achieving dedicated is Australia BirdLife 1901 since birds for voice Australia’s birdlife.org.au |w [email protected]
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Silver Gull. Photo: Pam Agar Fremantle Birdwatching around WE STERN AU ST RA LI A 2. Booyeembara Park An area of urbanised bushland with grassed areas and small artificial lakes. A number of playgrounds and open areas make this a nice location to bring the family for a picnic, along with some bird watching. Stands of grevilleas provide good habitat for honeyeaters, with White-cheeked Honeyeater common along with Brown and Singing Honeyeater and Silvereye. Parking can be found off Montreal Street with bitumen walk trails throughout the park.
3. Clontarf Hill Located adjacent to Clontarf Road, this small patch of vegetation includes some of Fremantle’s oldest growth Tuart trees, along with low coastal scrub. A walk trail ascends from the car park, culminating in an excellent view of the city of Fremantle and Cockburn Sound. While the Friends of Clontarf Hill Community Group is active in revegetating efforts, notable disturbance to vegetation and habitat exists, limiting the number of bird species likely to occur. Common species such as Willie Wagtail, Singing Honeyeater and Silvereye are likely to be encountered.
4. South Beach Located south of the Fremantle Sailing Club marina, access can be gained off Marine Terrace with ample parking, although the area becomes very busy in summer. The protected beach and grassed areas make this an attractive location to spend the day whilst completing some birdwatching. Typical common coastal bird species such as Crested Tern and occasional Caspian Tern can be seen whilst the coastal heath contains species such as White-browed Scrub-wren and White-cheeked Honeyeater. Look for 6. North Mole 7. Sandtrax, Port & Leighton Beach Osprey flying along the coastline. An excellent vantage point to observe coastal and sea Port Beach Road contains a number of car parks to bird species. Pied Cormorant, Crested and Fairy Tern easily access the picturesque beaches. Coastal bird 5. Bathers Beach can usually be seen. Look for Arctic Jaeger during species such as Crested Tern and Silver Gull can be A small beach located off Mews Road which is Autumn months chasing Silver Gulls as they try to seen along the beach. Shorebird species such as popular with swimmers during the warmer months. steal an easy feed. During winter storms North Mole Pied Oystercatcher, Red-capped Plover, Red-necked Within the coastal vegetation Singing Honeyeater provides a location to sea-watch pelagic species such Stint (summer) and Sanderling (summer) are also and Silvereye are common but keep a closer look as Wilson’s Storm- possible. In the adjacent coastal shrub White-browed out for Variegated Fairy-wrens. The beach often has Petrel, Australasian Scrubwren and Singing Honeyeater can be found and high human disturbance but common coastal species Gannet, Wedge-tailed look for Nankeen Kestrel hovering above. In recent such as Crested Tern and Silver Gull will be seen flying and Flesh-footed years a Fairy Tern breeding colony has established around. Look for Tree Martins and Welcome Swallows Shearwater, Brown itself adjacent to Rudderham Drive, just south of Port flying low and fast over the vegetation. In the nearby Skua and Giant Petrels. Beach. trees of Esplanade Reserve look for roosting Nankeen Red-necked Stint Night-Heron. Waterfowl Nankeen Kestrel Species List Brown Falcon Black Swan Australian Hobby Australian Shelduck Swamp Harrier Australasian Shoveler Pacific Black Duck Hardhead 8. Cantonment Hill Nankeen Kestrel Cantonment Hill, adjacent to Queen Victoria Street Seabird is a fascinating site, rich in both Aboriginal and Crake European history. One of the traditional names for Wilson’s Storm-Petrel the site is Walyarup, which translates to Sea-Eagle Slender-billed Prion Australian Spotted Crake nest by the indigenous Whadjuk people. The remnant Brown Skua vegetation is only small in size (approximately 4 Arctic Jaeger Shorebird hectares) and is relatively disturbed, although some Gannet, Cormorant, Pelican revegetation works have Australian Pied Oystercatcher been conducted in previous Black-winged Stilt years. A small number of Australasian Gannet Banded Stilt birds will be encountered Australasian Darter Grey Plover but should include Silvereye, Little Pied Cormorant Red-capped Plover Singing Honeyeater and Great Cormorant Banded Lapwing White-browed Scrub-wren. Little Black Cormorant Grey-tailed Tattler The real attraction to this Pied Cormorant Ruddy Turnstone site is the stunning views of Australian Pelican Sanderling Australian Pied Fremantle port and the Swan Oystercatcher River that are obtained once Pied Cormorant reaching the top of the hill.
9. North Fremantle Reserves Little Black The Swan River provides excellent habitat for a wide Cormorant Red-capped Plover range of waterbird species and provides an idyllic Great Cormorant birdwatching location. Look for Australasian Darter, Heron, Ibis Gull, Tern Pied, Little Pied, Little Black and Great Cormorants perched or swimming in the river. Crested, Caspian White-faced Heron and Fairy Terns can be seen flying overhead and Bridled Tern diving to catch small fish while shorebird species Nankeen Night-Heron Fairy Tern such as Pied Oystercatcher, Red-capped Plover, Red- Australian White Ibis Caspian Tern Crested Tern necked Stint (summer only) and Common Sandpiper Straw-necked Ibis Crested Tern (summer only) forage on Pacific Gull exposed shoreline areas. Nankeen Night-Heron Silver Gull The river can be accessed at Raptor various points along the bank and includes locations such Eastern Osprey as Prawn Bay, Harvey Beach Fairy Tern White-bellied Sea-Eagle and Rocky Bay. Whistling Kite Brown Goshawk Common Sandpiper Collared Sparrowhawk Caspian Tern
Eastern Osprey Pigeon, Dove Fairy-wren, Pardalote Cuckoo-shrike, Magpie, Butcherbird
Rock Dove Splendid Fairy-wren Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Laughing Dove Striated Pardalote Grey Butcherbird Spotted Dove Australian Magpie Common Bronzewing Grey Currawong
Crested Pigeon Spotted Dove
Striated Pardalote Thornbill & Allies Australian Magpie Weebill Corvid Western Gerygone
Rock Dove Laughing Dove Australian Raven Honeyeater Cockatoo, Parrot Pipit Western Spinebill Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Singing Honeyeater Australasian Pipit Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo Yellow-throated Miner Galah Western Wattlebird Long-billed Corella Red Wattlebird Mistletoebird Little Corella Brown Honeyeater Rainbow Lorikeet New Holland Honeyeater Mistletoebird Regent Parrot Australian Ringneck Australian Ringneck Singing Honeyeater Red-capped Parrot Swallow, Martin White-cheeked Honeyeater Welcome Swallow White-naped Honeyeater Fairy Martin Tree Martin
White-cheeked Honeyeater
Galah Red-capped Parrot Whistler, Shrike-thrush
Night Birds Rufous Whistler Welcome Swallow Grey Shrike-thrush Tree Martin Southern Boobook Magpie-lark, Fantail Reed-Warbler, Silvereye
Cuckoos, Kingfisher Magpie-lark Australian Reed-Warbler Grey Fantail Silvereye Shining Bronze-Cuckoo Willie Wagtail Laughing Kookaburra Sacred Kingfisher
Rainbow Bee-eater Willie Wagtail