Bruny Island, Tasmania

7/12/2011

Given that it poured with rain the whole day we were on Bruny, we headed back for another look around. Getting off the ferry we turned left into Missionary Road towards Barnes Bay. In a stand of white gum, we heard Forty Spotted Pardalotes high in the trees. Dusky Woodswallows were perched on a dead tree, and there were good numbers of Black Headed Honeyeaters. At Dennes Point Crested Terns lined up on the rocks, a European Goldfinch was feeding young in a tree in the picnic area and an Australian Hobby watched over the beach.

On the Killora Road we stopped at a clump of trees where a number of honeyeaters were noisily foraging, and snapped a pic of a small olive bird that paused momentarily on a low branch – a Forty Spotted Pardalote. A little further on Black Currawongs were feasting on grubs in the roadside trees.

We went back to Mavista Reserve looking for the Pink Robin, without success, but came across a family of Striated Pardalote.

At Alonnah, we walked along the beach were we found the Hooded Plover at the tideline, a Yellow Wattlebird in the dune shrubs, and a Pallid Cuckoo on the powerlines.

We stayed overnight at the Captain Cook Memorial Caravan Park, where there were Swift Parrots in the park trees, Superb Fairywrens hopping around outside our cabin, and Tasmanian Thornbills in the creek-side shrubs. Brush Bronzewing wandered the walking track in front of us, Pacific and Kelp Gulls, Pied Oystercatchers and Masked Lapwings were on the beach, and Green Rosellas in the picnic area trees. At one point we were planning to watch the Fairy Penguin come ashore, but when we heard that that would not happen until well after ten when it was fully dark we went to Plan B, a quiet night recovering from the miles of hiking.

We checked out the rookery on The Neck early in the morning, great to see the paths they had taken to and from the sea. Two babies were visible huddling in their sand burrow.

On to Cape Bruny lighthouse, which was the finish point for the marathon last visit, so we avoided it. We had the place to ourselves this time, except for Welcome Swallows, New-Holland Honeyeaters, Superb Fairywren, White-faced Heron, Scarlet Robin, Dusky Robin, Common Bronzewing, Greenfinch and White-fronted Chat, bathing, hawking, and hanging about on the lawn.

At Jetty Beach we saw more of the honeyeaters, plus a Tasmanian Scrubwren and a Beautiful Firetail and an Echidna that was much less reluctant to be photographed that the birds seemed to be.