Birdwatching Around Kununurra
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
BIRDWATCHING AROUND KUNUNURRA BIRDWATCHING AROUND KUNUNURRA The Visitor Centre can provide town maps and all of Kununurra is 3,247 km north of Perth, in the East these sites are marked on it. Birdwatching Kimberley, with a tropical climate and distinct wet (Nov – March) and dry (April to Oct) seasons. It has an excellent variety of areas that are easily around accessible by 2WD with an exciting list of about 200 bird species including nine finches, many waterbirds, Star Finch Kununurra raptors, honeyeaters and summer migrants (late September to early April ie wet season), many of which are difficult to see elsewhere in WA. visitkununurra.com/images/Documents/ 2013_KVC_Phonebook_fold_out_map.pdf visitkununurra.com/contact-us/ Green kununurra-visitor-centre Pygmy-goose NB Bird species for the area are shown on a separate guide. See Kununurra Bird list Guide No 2B. Acknowledgements Illustrations / photographs John Baas, Georgina Steytler, J N Davies, Pam Agar, John Anderson, Chris Tate, Susan Tingay, Peter Marsack, Keith Lightbody, 1. Kimberleyland Waterfront Holiday Park, Frank O’Connor. Celebrity Tree Park and Lily Creek Lagoon Wendy & Michael. Kimberleyland and Celebrity Tree Park are next to Local information each other on the banks of Lily Creek Lagoon. Guide No 2A Revised Sept 2019 All content is subject to copyright ©. Kimberleyland has a rare finch aviary, with birds John Litherland Jacana by Comb-crested sourced from licensed breeders. Gouldian, Star & Queries to BirdLife Western Australia. BirdLife Western Painted Finch can be seen here if you can’t find them Australia members are offered a variety of activities and elsewhere. Kimberleyland prefers access to be for services including conservation and research .projects, guests, but are open to the public so long as they excursions, campouts, surveys and social activities. There check in at the office first. is also a library and books for sale at the office. To view the full range of bird guides visit the website. Celebrity Tree Park has a variety of trees and Australia’s voice for birds since 1901 grassed areas. Look around the edge of Lily Creek Lagoon and BirdLife Australia is dedicated to achieving outstanding across from the boat ramp for White-browed Crake, conservation results for our native birds and their habitats. With our specialised knowledge and the Green Pygmy-goose, Osprey, Comb-crested Jacana, commitment of an Australia-wide network of volunteers terns, waterbirds and White-breasted and supporters, we are creating a bright future for Woodswallow. In the reeds Australian Reed-Warbler Australia’s birds. is common, and you may find finches. Pheasant birdlife.org.au Coucal is also possible in dense ground cover around the water’s edge. BirdLife Western Australia 167 Perry Lakes Drive, Floreat WA 6014 T 08 9383 7749 | [email protected] birds are in our nature facebook.com/BirdLifeAustralia | @BirdlifeOz Western Australia ABN 75 149 124 774 2. Kununurra Lakeside Resort & Caravan Park 3. Discovery Holiday Park – Lake Kununurra 4. Lake Kununurra Golf Course Also on the edge of Lily Creek Lagoon, at On Lakeside Dr, off Victoria Hwy. Set on 10 acres of Golf courses offer a variety of habitats for birds 50 Casuarina Way, close to the town centre. bushland. including open grassy areas and residual trees. Birdwatchers (including non-residents) are welcome Check along the roadside and the lakeside Access is possible but please respect golfers and to enjoy the lake front and its associated birds. These vegetation for Yellow and Olive-backed Oriole, avoid club days: Thursday afternoon and Sundays. may include White-winged Triller, Peaceful Dove, White-gaped Honeyeater, Brush Cuckoo and Buff- Blue-faced Honeyeater, White-browed Robin and rails, egrets, ibis and herons. sided Robin. Check the ponds and irrigation channel Yellow Oriole can often be found near the clubhouse. for crakes, ducks and possibly Australian Little and Check the woodland and ponds around the golf Black Bitterns. course for finches, Black-tailed Treecreeper, Banded Honeyeater, Grey-crowned Babbler, Dollarbird and pardalotes. Grey-crowned White-winged Spotless Crake Babbler Triller (male) Wyndham Great Northern Highway Wyndham, Kununurra and Ord River Bird Watching Sites Wyndham 0 5 10 Scale 9 /// 13 11 ////////////////// Ord River /////////////////////// Parry Creek Road 12 ///////////////////////// 12 ///////////////////////// Parry Creek Road ///////////////////////// Ivanhoe Road Miramar /////////////////////// Kununurra National Ivanhoe Road ///////////////////// Hidden Valley Road ///////////////////8 Park ///////////////// /////////////// Great Northern Victoria Highway ///////////// Weaber PlainsBarrington Road Avenue Weaber Plains Road Gibb River Road Highway //////////// //////////// Kununurra //////////// ///////////// Lake Argyle Road 0 5 10 ///////////// 14 ///////////// Scale ////////////// 10 Victoria Highway Ord River //////////////// 2 Casuarina Way //////////////// Lake Argyle /////////// //////////Weaber Plains ////////// Victoria Highway //////// 1 /////// ///// Kununurra Golf Victoria Highway Millington Course See Enlarged Diversion Dam Drive // Map Packsaddle// Plains 4 Lakeview Drive ////// 5 To Northern /////// 6 Territory //// Lily Creek Lagoon 0 0.5 1 //// To Wyndham Ord River 3 7//// Packsaddle Road Scale //// ///// ///// /// //// 5. Diversion Dam - Lions Park 7. Packsaddle Plains 9. Hidden Valley Tourist Park Heading west from Kununurra, travel 1km after From Kununurra, drive west on Victoria Hwy. On Weaber Plains Rd. crossing the Diversion Dam then turn right into the Packsaddle Rd heads south about 0.5km further Residents here will have good access to Weaber information bay and follow the track down to the west of the Diversion Dam. Drive along the main Plains and be within walking distance of Mirama river. road and side roads. There are similar species to National Park - there is direct access to the national Check both sides of the dam. The following are Weaber Plains although there are more roadside park from the rear of the Tourist Park. possible sightings: Pied Heron, Comb-crested trees here. If you have a 4WD a side track to Parrots, doves, finches and raptors are all seen Jacana, White-browed Crake, cormorants, finches Packsaddle Springs is worthwhile for White-quilled regularly and Great Bowerbird has been reported and raptors. Look near the boat ramp for orioles, Rock-Pigeon, Variegated Fairy-wren, finches, Blue- within the grounds of the Tourist Park. kingfishers, White-breasted Woodswallow, faced Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Grey Non-residents may be able to arrange with the Mistletoebird, Brush Cuckoo and Eastern Koel. Butcherbird and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. managers to visit. Please call at the office. Please do not access private properties. Paperbark Flycatcher Double-barred Finch (previously Restless Flycatcher) 6. Swim Beach Park 8. Weaber Plains From Kununurra, head west on Victoria Hwy; after From Kununurra, drive north along Weaber Plains about 5km turn left into Millington Drive (approx. Rd into the irrigation areas. Drive along any of the 0.5km east of the Diversion Dam). roads. Look for Australian Bustard, Brolga and This is a crocodile-controlled area on the Upper Australian Pratincole in the ploughed fields; Golden- headed Cisticola, Horsfield’s Bushlark and finches in Ord River. There are change-rooms, toilets, showers White-necked Heron and BBQ. Birds might include Masked Lapwing, the roadside vegetation; woodswallows and raptors Paperback Flycatcher, Great Bowerbird, finches, on the power lines; mannikins and waterbirds along honeyeaters and parrots; maybe even a Channel- the irrigation channels and small swamps. At night 10. Water Treatment Plant billed Cuckoo. you may hear or see Southern Boobook or Tawny Access via Victoria Hwy, onto Ivanhoe Rd, then the Frogmouth. ponds are 500m on the left. Access to the site itself is restricted but sewage ponds are often a good place to see waterbirds. On a walk around the perimeter fences look for finches (perhaps Star Finch), ducks (including Radjah Shelduck) and other water birds (maybe Pied Heron), raptors and waders. In the wet season look in the surrounding scrub for Rufous Songlark and Red- Bar-breasted chested Button-quail. Honeyeater An arboretum located beside the ponds and may be Peaceful Dove worth investigating too. 12. Ivanhoe Crossing Drive north on Ivanhoe Rd; it changes name to Parry White-bellied Sea-Eagle Creek Rd near the end of the agricultural area. Wander down tracks to the right of the car park as well as looking at the crossing itself. Riverside vegetation may provide views of White- throated Gerygone, Northern Fantail and finches. Look in the irrigated fields for Magpie Goose, Cattle Egret, Brolga and ibis. Red-winged Parrot (male) Brolga 11. Mirama National Park (Hidden Valley) Well sign-posted; a 2km drive east of Kununurra, via 14. Lake Kununurra & Lake Argyle Barrington Ave and Hidden Valley Rd. A recommended excursion is a boat trip on Lake Accessible all year round but best during the dry Kununurra and Lake Argyle, a huge freshwater season (May – Oct). It also makes a pleasant early reservoir created in 1972. Make it known that you morning walk from town providing it is not too hot. are interested in birds. You should expect to see Several other walk trails access areas of interest, many waterbirds, some shorebirds (especially in the including a wheelchair accessible boardwalk on wet season), some terns, a good variety of raptors one. See https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/mirima