Miaree Pools

Visited: late dry season

Recommendation: This is a great overnight free camp with access to the river and linking pools. A wide variety of wildlife can be found here and it is much more pleasant than staying in Karratha.

From the bridge over the road along the pools you can walk around half a kilometre and it is really lovely. There is a lot of vegetation, reeds, and muddy pools. The potential here is fantastic for a range of wildlife. The gum trees on the banks provide a good amount of shade so even on hot days, it is not too uncomfortable. 

On the water were the usual birds you might expect to see here - cormorants, ducks, swamphen and I heard a crake too. The Darter and swans were the only birds co-operating with me though. 

Near to the bridge the bushes are thick and grow close to the water. Within them, I found Star Finch and Painted Firetail. The finches were plentiful in number but neither species were very co-operative. Places like this, however, give good opportunities to eventually catch them out in the open. It was really good to see juveniles as well (photo on left).

Star Finch (Neochmia ruficauda) 

It was to my surprise that I saw a family of quail out in the open, moving to the water to drink. There were 2 adults and a juvenile (photo on the left) and, as usual, they were pretty skittish. I gave them a wide berth so they could get to the pools.

Brown Quail (Synoicus ypsilophorus) 

After a stunning sunset, a walk in the dark didn't produce too much but I did hear Barking Owls calling in the distance. The next morning was quieter than in the afternoon which was interesting. Honeyeaters, cuckooshrike and kookaburra took centre stage and a Long-nosed Dragon soaked up the early sunshine. This was a very nice stay and I look to return to try again for more wildlife.