MOST OF US have been there, you grab your hat and your bins and get out of the car and immediately the air is alive with bird song. You quickly realise that you’re surrounded by that rare level of diversity, abundance and activity which will stamp this occasion as a great birding day and this site as one which will be instantly promoted to your top five.

I thought that I’d begin this new look Bird Note with a list of my personal top five. Whenever and wherever I think of these locations, my imagination is immediately inundated with visions of extraordinary avian activity and I’m immersed in the ambience of the location in a profound way. It should come as no surprise that these locations can be good at any time, but invariably it was a seasonal, flowering event or presence of some particular resource in abundance that produced the amazing gatherings that put them at the top of my list. Sometimes, it’s not numbers as much as a gathering of rare or seldom seen birds but either way, a favourite site has something extraordinarily special about it. So, without further ado, here’s my “Top five”. . .

PUT TOGETHER a fantastic climate, breathtaking scenery and amazing multitudes of migratory waders and you’re going to have a top birding site for me. Make those multitudes flocks of 10 to 15 thousand birds, comprised of 15 to 20 species and good numbers of otherwise rare species, and you’ve got my favourite birding location in the world.

1. Richard’s Point – Roebuck Bay, Western Australia

The delights of Roebuck Bay and the scores of astounding habitat types in the region are many but if on any day I can be anywhere in the world it has to be Richard’s Point on Roebuck Bay. Here, you can sit back in the beautiful pindan scrub with scope and bins and take in the pure magnificence of massive wader roosts – 10 to 12 thousand – comprised of dozens of species and frequently some of the rarest and/or sought after waders which visit Australia.

As its name implies, the point juts into the bay. During high tides, this creates opportunities to view roosts on either side  and bask in the massive numbers and diversity on offer. Here’s what you can generally expect to encounter on Richard’s Point around October to April any year: Thousands of Bar-tailed Godwit, Great Knot and Greater Sand Plover. Also good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, Red Knot, Whimbrel, Pied Oystercatcher, Sooty Oystercatcher, Eastern Curlew, Common Greenshank, Ruddy Turnstone, Red-necked Stint, Grey Plover, Grey-tailed Tattler, Curlew Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Greater Sand Plover, Gull-billed Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Crested Tern, Whiskered Tern and Common Sandpiper. Now and again you can get good numbers of Broad-billed Sandpiper and at least a few Asian Dowitcher. I’ve had Common Redshank at Richard’s Point around June, when they tend to visit this part of the bay.

One of the great things about the bay is that between high tides – when the birds are roosting – you can visit dozens of other fabulous habitats which are bursting with beautiful and sought after species. The best times to visit are late September to late October and mid March to Mid April. Choose a week or so when then the tides are between 6 and 8 metres during daylight hours. The best way by far to access all of this is through Broome Bird Observatory. If you have family members who would rather experience other aspects of the western Kimberley, then try staying in town – contact Broome Visitor’s Centre. You can book tours through the Observatory or maybe try George Swann, who is a knowledgeable, experienced and nice guy.

Broome is an awesome place to bird any time of the year. However, like many of the best spots it really comes into its own on a seasonal basis. In the case of Broome, it’s when the waders are returning from migration and staging, prior to spreading across the continent for the Austral summer. The other top time is prior to migration when they’re in massive abundance, adding a festive mood to the entire bay with their display of glorious breeding plumage.

In other locations, diversity and abundance increases exponentially when a precious commodity is available and at my number two birding location that commodity is water.

2. Bladensburgh National Park

Situated just out of Winton on the edge of channel country in far west Queensland, Bladensburgh National Park has a nice diversity of bird life of the sort that you’d wish to encounter at any time. However, following good rains birds swarm into this area in massive numbers to breed. If you’re lucky enough to witness such an event, you’ll include Bladensburgh National Park in your top 5 too!

My post rain encounters in Bladensburgh NP have delivered breathtaking birding events. The mulga scrub is studded with eucalypts and is quite open, whilst the ground cover is fairly sparse for the most part. There’s some excellent waterways in the park which fill with birds post rain events, but for me, it was the bush that has stunned me each time. Here’s what to expect and in large numbers, mostly breeding at such times: White-breasted Woodswallow, White-browed Woodswallow, Masked Woodswallow, Little Woodswallow, Black-faced Woodswallow – we’re talking about the canopy of every low eucalypt being covered in these birds, all waving their tails, calling and occasionally darting out to catch an unfortunate passing insect. It’s an amazing display. But there’s way more in awesome numbers: Crested Bellbird,  Fairy Martin, Tree Martin, Mistletoebird, Zebra Finch, Apostlebird, Dimond Dove, Peaceful Dove, Galah, Little Corella, Rainbow Bee-eater, Variegated Fairy-wren, Inland Thornbill, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Weebill, Yellow-throated Miner, Singing Honeyeater, Grey-headed Honeyeater, White-plumed Honeyeater and Brown Honeyeater. In lesser numbers: Magpie-lark, Pied Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Spotted Bowerbird, Toressian Crow, Common Bronzewing, Crested Pigeon, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Red-winged Parrot, Cockatiel, Budgerigar, Eastern Ringneck, Striated Padalote, Western Gerygone,  Little Friarbird, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Black-chinned Honeyeater, White-fronted Honeyeater, Rufous Songlark, Hooded Robin, Grey-crowned Babbler, Varied Sitella, Jacky Winter, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Restless Flycatcher, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Fantail, White-winged Triller, Ground Cuckoo Shrike and Willie Wagtail.

Of course, there’s the raptors too: Wedge-tailed Eagle, Whistling Kite, Black Kite, Collared Sparrow Hawk, Brown Falcon, Brown Goshawk, Black-shouldered Kite – but expect almost anything when you visit.

If you got half this list of “good birds” on any day, you’d call it fantastic. I got this list in a couple of hours of wandering around this most amazing part of Australia following one rain event.

Bladensburgh National Park is easy to find, just ask a local for directions or follow the signs from Winton. I recommend that you stay in Matilda Country Caravan Park. It’s adjacent to the BP servo on the south side of town. They’re nice people, have a nice campground and cabins, bush poets, campfire singalongs and plenty of delightful Apostlebirds! 

3. Chiltern Forest

Chiltern forest is famous for diversity and abundance and it’s a well earned reputation. This is never more true than when flowering events are taking place and so once again you find yourself not knowing which way to turn. The honeyeaters are of a diversity and abundance which is hard to match anywhere, but there’s also an amazing variety of other goodies and all in a forest of considerable charm. The forest is mostly regenerated, as it was in the centre of a gold mining boom in the 1860’s. Still, there’s a number of habitats to explore and plenty of birds to be had even during the lean times.

I’ve visited Chiltern Forest three times and every time I left feeling exhilarated. Try this list for one visit in 2006: Whistling Kite, Collared Sparrowhawk, Brown Goshawk, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Black-fronted Dotterel, Red-kneed Dotterel, White-faced Heron, Great Egret, Hardhead, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Shoveller, Grey Teal, Chestnut Teal, Hoary-headed Grebe, Australasian Grebe, Glossy Ibis, Australian White Ibis, Masked Lapwing, Peaceful Dove, Common Bronzewing, Galah, Little Corella, Little Lorikeet, Yellow Rosella, Crimson Rosella, Eastern Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, Brown Treecreeper, Superb Fairy-wren, Striated Pardalote, White-browed Scrubwren, White-throated Gerygone, Brown Thornbill, Weebill, Yellow-rumped Thornbill and Striated Thornbill.

Honeyeaters are a major part of the show during flowering events: Red Wattlebird, Little Friarbird, Noisy Friarbird, White-eared Honeyeater, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, White-plumed Honeyeater, Black-chinned Honeyeater, Brown-headed Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, Jacky Winter, Scarlet Robin, Eastern Yellow Robin, Hooded Robin, White-browed Babbler, Crested Shrike-tit, Golden Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Restless Flycatcher, Willie Wagtail, Grey Fantail, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-winged Triller, White-breasted Woodswallow, Dusky Woodswallow, Grey Butcherbird, Australian Magpie, Magpie-lark, Pied Currawong, Australian Raven, White-winged Chough, Diamond Firetail, Red-browed Finch, Mistletoebird, Fairy Martin, Welcome Swallow and Silvereye.

A visit to Chiltern Forest at the right time of year can deliver some beaut birds, including the endangered Regent Honeyeater.

4. Fitzroy Crossing

I could go to Fitzroy Crossing any time of the year and enjoy fantastic birding. There’s some great specialities there like Buff-sided Robin and Ground Cuckoo-shrike, as well as some solid faves like Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens, Budgerigars and Star Finches. However, it’s in those freakish times when big flowering events take place that birds from all over pour into the region to enjoy the nectarian delights of eucalypt, melaleuca and more. Nearby Geikie Gorge is an added bonus for visitors to this fantastic location.

During my time in north west Australia, I visited Fitzroy Crossing on a number of occasions – enough so that I started to feel like a local. The place to stay is Fitzroy Crossing Lodge. It’s got camping and safari huts, with an excellent large amenities block. If you’re into it you can have air conned luxury accommodation, including swimming pools, bars and tennis courts, but if you stay in a room, you’ll miss out on the beautiful Barking Owls which haunt the campgrounds at night.

My favourite visit to Fitzroy Crossing was on Boxing Day, 2004. I went in search of Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens and got them, along with an awesome list, including: Star Finches, Double-barred Finches, massive numbers of Crimson Finches, Long-tailed Finches, Zebra Finches, Mistltoebird, Fairy Martin, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Plumed Whistling Duck, Black Swan, Hardhead, Grey Teal, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Straw-necked Ibis, Australian White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Black Kite, Whistling Kite, Brown Falcon, Brown Goshawk, Australian Bustard, Brown Quail, Common Sandpiper, Black-fronted Dotterel, Red-kneed Dotterel, Masked Lapwing, Peaceful Dove, Diamond Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Crested Pigeon, Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, Galah, Red-collared Lorikeet, Varied Lorikeet, Red-winged Parrot, Cockatiel, Budgerigar, Pallid Cuckoo, Brush Cuckoo, Barking Owl, Tawny Frogmouth, Fork-tailed Swift, Blue-winged Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, Variegated Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Striated Pardalote, Weebill, Little Friarbird, White-gaped Honeyeater, Singing Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Yellow-tinted Honeyeater, Rufous-throated Honeyeater, Jackie Winter, Buff-sided Robin, Grey-crowned Babbler, Varied Sitella, Rufous Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Restless Flycatcher, Willie Wagtail, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Ground Cuckoo-shrike, White-winged Triller, White-breasted Woodswallow, Black-faced Woodswallow, Pied Butcherbird, Magpie-lark, Australian Magpie, Great Bowerbird and Rufous Songlark.

Of course there are many other birds around Fitzroy Crossing which make their living in the tropical savannah woodlands, the open grassy flood plains and beyond. Additionally, you don’t have to travel much farther down the road from Fitzroy Crossing to experience Geikie Gorge. Geikie Gorge is an amazing location and one of a few, like Dorrigo NP and the Larapinta Trail on the Western MacDonnell Ranges which only just slipped out of my top 5.

ABUNDANCE is, of course, a relative thing. When a massive flowering event is taking place, a wetland receiving a seasonal influx of water or a mass gathering of insect life takes place, there’s bound to be a mass of predators or foragers turning up on the scene to take advantage of it. This of course implies that there is somewhat of a lack elsewhere. The top four sites rely on times of great abundance. My number five on the list is also about relative abundance but this site is not receiving abundance so much as the surrounding country is experiencing dire scarcity: the dwindling supply of water which comes with the end of the dry season . . . 

5. Cheese Tin Creek

In 2004 I was given a mud map of the Eastern Kimberley by a well travelled birding tour guide. I loved the name of the place and promised myself that I’d visit there someday, especially as I was promised Gouldian Finches, were I to do so. The opportunity arose in the end of 2005 when I was in the area with birding buddy Nic Bishop. Located south of Wyndham, just past the Cockburn Ranges – on the way to Kununurra you’ll find an insignificant dried up creek bed. It doesn’t seem much when you arrive, but once you find your way to the last remaining soaks on the riverbed, you’re in for a very rewarding time indeed.

We arrived before sunrise as per instructions and followed the map along a dry river bed – it must be dry, otherwise you’re in the wrong season to get anything out of this place. Water must be scarce. The Kimberley sunrise was gorgeous and welcome as we made our way through the early light along the creek bed comprised entirely of large pebbles. Variegated Fairy-wrens greeted us from the long grass on the river banks now and again as we battled along the big, black pebbles. After some time we began to wonder if we had not got things wrong and set out the wrong way from the get go, but we began to notice finches and large numbers of pigeons heading past us and we knew that it meant only one thing . . . water up ahead!

Eventually Nic and I arrived at the site and hid ourselves in the tall, red-gold grasses at the high side of the creek. It was an ideal perch from where we could look down onto the last remnant of the creek and witness a massive diversity and very good number of honeyeaters, pigeons, doves, finches and more as they each moved in and soaked up their morning quota of the scarce, life giving water. The trees on the bank adjacent to the soak were bristling with birds and as any top 5 birding sight must demand: we never knew where to look at any one time. We spent an hour or so transfixed as we recorded the following species: Great Bowerbird, Double-barred Finch, Masked Finch, Long-tailed Finch, Star Finch, Zebra Finch, Crimson Finch, Chestnut-breasted Mannikin, Pictorella Mannikin, but sadly no Gouldians. However, half the Australian Finch list in a few minutes at one tiny location kind of made up for it. We also observed: Dimond Dove, Peaceful Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Crested Pigeon, Budgerigar, Cockatiel, Red-winged Parrot. The honeyeaters were abundant and included Little Friarbird, Brown Honeyeater, Yellow-throated Miner, White-gaped Honeyeater, Singing Honeyeater, Grey-fronted Honeyeater, Yellow-tinted Honeyeater, Rufous-throated Honeyeater, Rufous-banded Honeyeater and Banded Honeyeater. That’s about as good as it gets.

I have a recollection of Brown Quail at this site, but can’t confirm it. I also recall Nic and I observing flocks and individual birds passing by, which I haven’t recorded here. The diversity was definitely good here but, being a small site it couldn’t hold the abundance of other sites which might have made this list. Despite this, if you ask me just about any day of the year where I’d like to be at sunrise and I’ll tell you quickly: “Cheese Tin Creek”.

The best way to get there is either by staying at Kununnurra and leaving very early in the morning or staying at Parry’s Creek Caravan Park, just south of Wyndham and heading south. I’ve got a slightly more high tech mud map, for those who might like to make their way to this fantastic site some day.

Well that’s my list. I’m looking forward to reading about a few of yours in the comments section below.

Until next time . . . happy birding!

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Birding by Ricki