A trip to Cape Leeuwin and Augusta

I went away for a couple of days to the south western corner of Western Australia. We stayed in the small town of Augusta, which hugs the southern bank of the Blackwood River, close to its mouth, where it flows into the Southern Ocean. Cape Leeuwin is 5km from Augusta and is the most south westerly point on the Australian mainland, where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet. The lighthouse at Cape Leeuwin is the tallest on mainland Australia. I have very fond memories of the area from childhood and would move to Augusta in a heartbeat.

I'll show a few photos of the area, before posting some of the birds I saw. First, a shot from our motel room, looking towards the mouth of the river, with the Southern Ocean in the distance.



This message was edited Aug 16, 2011 8:36 PM

We dropped our gear at the motel and headed straight for Cape Leeuwin.

Where the two oceans meet.

..

We climbed the lighthouse. (I'm still recovering). This was taken about half way up.

Indian Ocean on the left of the picture and the Southern Ocean on the right. It gets pretty wild and wooly down there.

This is the point where the two oceans meet.

Back in Augusta. Great Egret sitting on a boat on one of the many jetties. I couldn't take shots of it any more distant than this without becoming extremely wet. According to one of the local anglers, it's always there, waiting for a handout.


This message was edited Aug 16, 2011 1:41 PM

Pity the lighting wasn't better for this one. It would have been funny.

Pied Oystercatchers

Australian Pelican.

Fishing.

...

This is one of those "if only" shots.

Little Pied Cormorant.

Let's backtrack to the Pelicans.

---

Closer

I was thrilled to see a Pacific Gull. I have only ever seen one or maybe two, here in Perth. There were many youngsters down there as well.

It was sitting on top of a post which supported a gate across a little jetty. I had no idea how close I could get to it, so I squat-walked closer with each shot.

Closer...

.. and closer.

.. and closer still. It showed no fear whatsoever.

Last one of this beauty.

Juvenile Pacific Gull

I'm reasonably happy with this shot.

We headed towards the mouth of the river. Couldn't actually get to it following the route we took. It was late afternoon and the light was absolutely beautiful. Here are two really young Silver Gulls.

Off in the distance was a Great Egret. It was becoming increasingly nervous about a boat, which was heading its way, at speed, so it flew off.

Flying overhead.

I don't know if this was the same bird which landed just a little upriver.

A flock of Cormorants.

The light was fading, so I had to call it quits for the day.

Just lost a post. Will re-do it, but briefly.

The following morning down by the river. Splendid Fairy-wren - female.

These gorgeous, tiny little birds are quite literally everywhere. Hearing them is easy. Photographing them is a challenge.

Later that morning, we drove through the nearby Boranup Forest, a good-sized forest of Karri trees. This is a shot I took several months ago.

The dirt track through the forest.

The forest was rich with the sounds of many birds, lots of which I didn't recognize. I was later able to identify this one as a White-breasted Robin.

Second shot of the White-breasted Robin.

Grey Fantail

As with the Fairy-wrens, the Grey Fantail isn't cautious, merely elusive.

Forgot this one from Augusta. Silvereye.