Cheynes Beach

Visited: all year round

Recommendation: This is a must do for any serious wildlife enthusiast. Apart from the stunning scenery, there is the potential to see some very rare endemic birds.

I knew I wanted to visit Cheynes Beach. I had been there in 2016 briefly looking for the 3 regional endemics - the Western Whipbird, the Western Bristlebird and the Noisy Scrub-bird. I was with a Birdlife Australia volunteer who was desperate to see these very rare birds. I was just happy to be seeing birds. We didn't see any of the 3 and my guide was bitterly disappointed. 

Fast forward and I am back, a better photographer and birder. I arrived at the beautiful Cheynes Beach and headed straight up the hill alongside the coastline and into the bush. I was not too far in when I heard birds calling to each other on either side of the track. I already had the whipbird from Tozer's so I knew it must be one of the other 2. I waited patiently and the calling escalated. It was the Western Bristlebird and eventually he popped up and sang for me. Pretty special and 2 out of 3 so far!

If you look closely, you can see why it is called a bristlebird!

As I was making my way back to the van, I heard a huge thump coming from the coast. I looked and was amazed to see a whale close to the shore. Naturally, I went closer and spent some time following it and watching. Turns out it was a female with a calf (Southern Right Whale I think). It was incredible to see them interacting. The calf would roll over the top of the adult and try to jump out of the water. I shot a couple of dozen videos but it's not easy when you just don't know when or where they are going to surface (and I thought birds were tricky). This is my favourite video.

Around the caravan park were a small groups of Bronzewing. Cheynes Beach is the only place that I have photographed the Brush Bronzewing on every visit. I was surprised to see it associating with several Common Bronzewing. Another familiar face around the park was the Brown Quail. A pair of them would peek out of the scrub and if they thought no-one was looking, they would sneak out into the sunshine. 

Down on the beach and walking around the small headland to the lookout, there is plenty to see. Terns, gulls and oystercatchers rest on the rocks and sometimes cormorants join them. Osprey are frequent visitors and wheel overhead and looking out across the sea will often yield shearwater and gannets. 

Heading from the beach to the caravan park is always interesting. King's Skink lurk on the edges of the scrub and occasionally a Heath Monitor will stroll across the road. Always around, and usually mowing the lawn at the caravan park, are the wonderful and very curious Western Grey Kangaroo.

On another visit in summer, I stayed at the caravan park. It is a really nice place and out of season, it is reasonably priced. I was fortunate enough to get a site right on the outside of the park, next to the Arpenteur Nature Reserve. The staff were really helpful in the park and had lots of local information about the wildlife that they willingly shared. I had not heard any of the Big 3 so far here and so, I focused my attention on another local superstar - the Honey Possum. 

This tiny possum is little bigger than a mouse and constantly needs to feed on nectar. It moves around coastal heath land like this, just going from flowering tree to bush to shrub. It loves the banksia that grow here and I knew it would most likely be found on one. Because of their voracious appetite, they can be found at night and during the day. I made several excursions into the heath directly opposite the caravan park at dawn, late afternoon and after dark, each for several hours. It is hard going as the track is sand and rutted from the 4wd vehicles that use it. 

I was not surprised when I didn't find one, although disappointed. Other people have searched the area with thermal imaging equipment and given that there were thousands of banskia flowers, I knew I was up against it. Never mind, I'll try again another time. 

While I was looking for the possum, I did see some lovely birds. The New Holland Honeyeater was dominant and here in large numbers but I also saw several White-cheeked and Tawny-crowned Honeyeater. A highlight was a Western (or Golden) Whistler landing right in front of me with a large moth in its mouth. During a night excursion, I came across an Australian Boobook, which was so focused on whatever it was hunting that it let me get within a few metres of it. 

I left Cheynes feeling quite bouyed.