Birding at Bremer Bay

I’ve just come back from a week at Bremer Bay, searching for starlings. It was part of a pest control project by the Agriculture Department, using volunteers from Birds Australia as the eyes on the ground (or rather in the skies). I’d never been to Bremer Bay and what a great place it is- see the photos. Lots of interesting bays and several rivers that offer paddling possibilities. The Bremer, the Gairdner and the Pallinup all beckoned me. They look negotiable for a few km from their mouths.

We saw a total of 133 bird species during the week (and luckily no starlings). For me, as a novice birder, it was a great experience. These “twitchers” can pick a bird by its call or its flight and it’s quite exciting to view a raptor high above or a tiny bush bird through binoculars. Watching the birds lift off from the water can result in a surprising display of colour.

We visited many swamps and wetlands on private property with an amazing range of vegetation. Sometimes it was lush and green, at other times we walked in a forest of dead trees. I only saw one snake, but it was a very thick and long tiger. And of course we came across it as we were walking down a track in our sandals chasing a brush pigeon.

I also made a quick trip into Fitzgerald National Park, with its Royal hakea. We visited the historic Quaalup Homestead, an interesting old stone homestead dating from the 1850’s and now owned by a German couple.

When we weren’t birding we had time to explore and socialise. The Birds WA people are very friendly and I can really recommend their trips. They are are very generous with their knowledge and the trips are a very economical way of getting to places you couldn’t otherwise. You learn heaps and have lots of fun at the same time. And get more ideas for future trips!

Click here for more photos of the trip