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Visited: spring
Recommendation: This is a wonderful area to explore. There are trails and lots of spots to access the water and the bird hide is great. Walk around and over the water or through sandy scrub and bush. Be prepared to spend the day!
The area of Esperance has lots of potential wildlife hotspots but I had visited the Woody Lake area of Esperance and was quite disappointed. I felt that the birds there were rather pedestrian for the area. I knew that the wattlebirds, honeyeaters etc should be very common. I decided to try Monjingup Lake. Anywhere that has bird hides is a good place to start. I knew it wouldn't be disappointed as the birds were zooming all over the place as I arrived. As soon as I got out of the van I could hear Fan-tailed Cuckoo calling. Another great sign.
I set off to find the cuckoo and didn't have far to go. I got very close to 2 in a pair of large gum trees but I had real trouble finding them. Eventually I spotted one and as neither of the birds moved I suspected they had hijacked a nest nearby and were keeping an eye on it. I found another pair close to the boardwalk with a third still calling in the background. I was so close that their shrill call hurt my ears but I just couldn't see any of them. With 4 sets of calls, I couldn't tell which was which. I got dizzy spinning around trying to find them. I gave up and moved on. I could hear them calling where ever I went, taunting me I'm sure. Bastard birds was my rather uncharitable thought!
I returned the next day and they took pity on me, sitting out long enough for me to get reasonable photos and even a video.
Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabeliformes)
The park and walking trails were relatively contained and small and I just looped around and around. There was a bird hide on the loop and I kept stopping by there too. The bad news was that it was overcast and quite cool but the wind whipped through the hide and made it very cold. The good news was that the wind and temperature meant no flies or mosquitos. I'll take that deal! The hide overlooked the lake and on first look it was very quiet. A dead tree was sticking out of the water right in front of the lookout and my first customer were some swallows. They zoomed about over the lake and then took a rest on the dead branches.
A swallow sat on a dead branch in front of me with a mouth full of bugs. I wondered why the juvenile wasn't coming to be fed. After realising there was a nest of expecting chicks right behind me, I left so the bird could come in and feed them.
Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena)
As I sat and tried to stay warm, waterbirds started to emerge. A pair of Pink-eared Ducks swam towards the hide and I got some shots right in front. Very attractive ducks but like most ducks, they don't really do very much.
Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus)
A little later on I saw some Musk Duck on the periphery of the lake and I kept returning to the hide to see if they came closer. On one visit, I saw the male skirting the side of the lake and coming towards the hide. This is when my notion of boring ducks was blown out of the water. First off, I heard it calling. A unique peeping sound. Then it started splashing its feet on the water as it called. Then its tail came up in a fan shaped. It slowly built up as the call got higher pitched and the tail came further out. I saw the female and knew he was displaying to her. She was trailing some way behind but heading slowly towards him. He got more and more excited and looked like he was just about to fold in half! Eventually she approached and swam around him as he displayed. Then, all of a sudden and from nowhere, he stopped, relaxed his body and simply swam away. She looked quite bemused. You can see this happen in the video. It was such a privilege to watch this amazing display. The reputation of ducks being exciting is restored.
Musk Duck (Biziura lobata)
The birds making the most commotion were the wattlebirds. I had seen plenty of Red Wattlebirds on my way here so I was really keen to get some shots of the Western Wattlebird. They are slightly smaller than their red cousins and darker overall. Both species were very active amongst the flowering banksia so it was a case of patience (for a change). There was a walking trail out into some scrub land where the path was lined with banksia and I thought that was my best chance. Eventually, I got one sitting right on top of a flower. It was magic.
Western Wattlebird (Anthochaera lunulata)
I heard the Western Whistler a number of times at the end of the boardwalk and on my third loop I found the female. Her plumage is dull compared to the male (who I never saw) but you can't tell me she isn't gorgeous!
Western Whistler (Pachycephala occidentalis)
There is an environmental centre at the lake and the small area around it had been cleared down to grass. 3 times, as I approached the area I saw a Red-capped Parrot. Unfortunately, I also flushed it each time. Grrrr. I followed it when possible and got one shot of it. Got to catch up with this guy again.
Red-capped Parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius)
The next time I visited the lake, I had similar success with different species. As soon as I got out of the van, I saw more Shingle-backed Lizards. This time, they were a pale blue. I have been amazed at the range of colours these Bobtail have. I had seen this colour a couple of times but hadn't managed to shoot them. Got them.
Shingle-backed Lizard (Tiliqua rugosa)
The next day I came after lunch and expected it to be very quiet, as places often are. In front of the hide I spotted a firetail. There were several around jumping between the safety of the trees and the long grass to feed. What a stunning little bird.
On another visit in autumn after a period of very dry weather, the lake was low but still attracted birds like the Yellow-billed Spoonbill who looked a little forlorn sitting above the water.
Red-eared Firetail (Stagonopleura oculata)
Yellow-billed Spoonbill (Platalea flavipes)
I walked down to the boardwalk with the noise of the wattlebirds cackling in the trees. Shining Bronze and Fan-tailed Cuckoo were both calling. It was all very loud but I couldn't actually see many birds. It was the same on the boardwalk through the paperbark swamp. I had heard a reed warbler the day before and wanted to get shots today. But it was a crake that I heard calling first. The vegetation was so thick I knew I wouldn't see it. Instead I spotted the reed warbler. Good start.
Australian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus australis)
Then it all went a bit mad. A Restless Flycatcher flew past, buzzing away, the honeyeaters started shrieking, a bronze cuckoo arrived above my head. I spotted movement in the water and saw a pair of courting Blue-billed Duck. And the wattlebirds were still cackling. Birding is often like that, you don't see much for ages and then suddenly, it all goes off. That excitement is why we love birding.
Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis)
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