“Rats’ Nest Island”

Greetings Everyone,

After seeing the Dugongs in Shark Bay it was time to drive back to the Perth area to prepare for our visit to Rottnest Island. We had a day to spare so decided to return to Yanchep National Park to search for the Rakali. This time we stayed right in the park so we could search before dawn. We walked along the shore of Loch McNess past the Wagardu Jetty to the far end. I noticed something swimming low in the water from the near shore to the reeds. It could only be a Rakali! Commonly known as water rats, a push was made in the 1990s to change to the aboriginal name Rakali to try to give this native rodent’s reputation a makeover. Unfortunately, it was before sunrise and Marc didn’t get a great photo.

Rakali Before Sunrise

On March 5 we took a ferry from Hilary’s Wharf to Rottnest Island just off the Western Australian coast from Perth. The island has become a major holiday destination but we visited mainly to see a Quokka, a small native marsupial. In fact, the island was given the name 't Eylandt 't Rottenest ("Rats' Nest Island") by Dutch captain Willem de Vlamingh who spent six days exploring the island in 1696, mistaking the quokkas for giant rats. Rottnest is undoubtedly the easiest place to see a Quokka although we had great luck in seeing them on the mainland. Here on Rottnest Island, they have become part of the tourist attraction where people flock to take a selfie with an adorable Quokka. There are commonly seen around the restaurants in Thomson Bay looking for a handout from tourists who feed them despite laws against it. As a result, the Quokkas around the homestead are unhealthy suffering from deficiencies and predisposed to disease and even death.

Quokkas

We were fortunate to have booked two nights at the historic Bathurst Lighthouse keepers cottage. The lighthouse keeper maintained the acetylene flame daily from 1900 when the lighthouse was built until 1920 when it was replaced by an acetylene flasher. The light was converted to electric operation in 1986 and continues to guide ships safely into Fremantle today.

Our Cottage

The next day we rode our bikes out to Cathedral Rocks to see Australian Sea Lions. The sea lions weren’t around but several male New Zealand Fur Seals were frolicking in the surf just below the viewpoint. 

New Zealand Fur Seal

On the bike ride back to Thomson Bay we were able to see Quokkas in a more natural setting. 

Quokka

Upon our return to Perth, we had built in a few contingency days at the end of our itinerary and decided to return to Cheynes Beach to give the Honey Possums one last try. This time we solicited help from a local photographer, Raeline, to help us find the elusive Honey Possum. We made the five and a half hour drive to Cheynes Beach and arranged to meet Raeline that evening for a “Honey Possum Tutorial”. She showed us all her usual spots where Honey Possums are often found and indicated that they are best seen in the early mornings or late afternoons. We had been searching in the right areas on our first visit but were looking mostly after dark. This time of year the Honey Possums are seen feeding on the blossoms of Birds-nest Banksia (Banksia baxteri). Sadly we didn’t find a Honey Possum but we did encounter a Grey Butcherbird that had just killed a New Holland Honeyeater. It was in the process of storing its meal in the fork of a branch to be consumed later. Although considered gruesome by some it is an ingenious adaptation.  

Grey Butcherbird

We were up before sunrise to survey the same route we did last night for Honey Possums. Using the information provided by Raeline we felt more positive. We were definitely looking in the right places at the right time but could we detect the drop-down motion that Raeline kept talking about? The answer was no. When Raeline caught up to us we still had yet to spot a Honey Possum nor had Raeline. Time was quickly running out. Once the sun is up and it gets too hot, the possums go to sleep. Lucky for us it was a cloudy day. Suddenly, Raeline quietly states “I’ve got one.” I got a brief glimpse and Marc missed it entirely. Bummer, had we come this close only to miss it after all? Raeline said “give it a minute” and sure enough, the Honey Possum reappeared. No wonder they were so difficult to find. Male honey possums weigh just 7 to 11 g (0.25 to 0.39 oz), and females weigh 8 to 16 g (0.28 to 0.56 oz); about half the weight of a mouse. Their body length ranges from 6.5 to 9 cm (2.6 to 3.5 in)! This time we both got good views and Marc was able to get a photo! 

Honey Possum

“Mission Honey Impossumable” (see earlier post with the same title) had become mission accomplished! What a wonderful way to end an incredible two-month journey in Western Australia. A big thanks goes to Raeline for finding us a Honey Possum! We look forward to our next visit to Western Australia. There’s still so much to see and do!

We hope all is well with everyone.

Peggy and Marc

      Western Australia Mammal List: January 13 - March 11, 2019

No.	Species	Scientific Name	Notes
1	Western Grey Kangaroo	Macropus fuliginosus	JF, Dry, Boy, Per, SR, BB, CB, TP, Bus, Yan
2	Southern Brown Bandicoot (Quenda)	Isoodon obesulus	TT, JF, Kar, BM, CB
3	Black Rat *	Rattus rattus	TT
4	Woylie (Brush Tailed Bettong)	Bettongia penicillata	Kar, BM, Dry, Per
5	Common Brushtail Possum	Trichosurus vulpecula	Kar, BM, Dry, Per, SR, Bus, BD
6	Tammar Wallaby	Macropus eugenii	Kar, Dry, Per
7	Short-beaked Echidna	Tachyglossus aculeatus	Dry, FP
8	Boodie (Burrowing  Bettong)	Bettongia lesueur	BM
9	Greater Bilby	Macrotis lagotis	BM
10	Mala (Rufous Hare- Wallaby)	Lagorchestes hirsutus	BM
11	European Rabbit *	Oryctolagus cuniculus	Dry, SR, CB, TP, EP, Bus, FP
12	Chuditch (Western Quoll)	Dasyurus geoffroii	Dry, Per
13	Numbat	Myrmecobius fasciatus	Dry, Boy, Per
14	Western Ringtail Possum	Pseudocheirus occidentalis	Per, TP, Bus, BD
15	Western Brush (Black- Gloved) Wallaby	Macropus irma	Per, SR
16	Quokka	Setonix brachyurus	SR, TP, RI
17	Red Fox *	Vulpes vulpes	SR, Yan
18	Orca	Orcinus orca	BB
19	Australian Sea Lion	Neophoca cinerea	BB
20	Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin	Tursiops aduncus	KB, MM
21	Koala	Phascolarctos cinereus	Yan
22	Black-footed (or Flanked) Rock Wallaby	Petrogale lateralis	MC
23	Dugong	Dugong dugon	MM
24	Domestic Cat (feral) *	Felis catus	FP
25	Mouse	sp.?	FP
26	Common Wallaroo (Euro)	Macropus robustus erubescens	FP
27	Rakali	Hydromys chrysogaster	Yan
28	New Zealand Fur Seal	Arctocephalus forsteri	RI
29	Honey Possum	Tarsipes rostratus	CB
30	Yellow-footed Antechinus	Antechinus flavipes	CB (glimpse)
31	Bat	sp.?
32	Red-tailed Phascagole	Phascogale calura	Dry (glimpse)

       Key:

       TT = Treetops Cottage in Kalmunda

       JF = John Forest National Park

       Kar = Karakamia Sanctuary 

       Boy = Boyagin Nature Reserve

       Dry = Dryandra Woodland 

       BM = Barna Mia Sanctuary

       Per = Perup Nature Reserve

       SR = Sterling Range National Park

       BB = Bremer Bay

       CB = Cheynes Beach

       TP = Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve

       EP = Emu Point

       Bus = Brussells Bushland

       BD = Boranup Drive

       KB = Koombana Bay

       Yan = Yanchep National Park

       MC = Mt. Caroline Nature Reserve

       MM = Monkey Mia

       FP = Francois Peron National Park

       RI = Rottnest Island
       *  = animal introduced or not native

       

Animals in red are endangered or critically endangered. 

For the 108 bird species seen and photographed by Marc go to his list on iNaturalist:

Western Australia Bird List w/Photos

Our route map:

Mission Honey Impossumable!

Greetings Everyone,

After our wildly exciting visit to Bremer Bay to see Orcas, we headed west along the southern coast of Western Australia. Our next stop was Cheynes Beach, a small coastal settlement surrounded by Waychinicup National Park. We had read that Cheynes Beach is a great place to search for Honey Possums. These tiny marsupials feed exclusively on nectar and require a year-round supply. At Cheynes Beach different species of Banksia boom at different times of the year providing a constant amount of nectar. This time of year, the Bird’s Nest Banksia were in bloom and we spent the day scouting likely places to look for Honey Possum tonight. 

Cheynes Beach

As dusk approached, the Western Grey Kangaroos emerged to graze on the lawns around our cabin. One female had a very large joey in her pouch. He didn’t look very comfortable, time to strike out on your own!

Western Grey Kangaroo and Joey

After dark, we donned our headlamps and went off to search for Honey Possums. We had found two large groves of Banksia that looked particularly promising, but we scanned each bloom to no avail.

Bird's Nest Banksia in Bloom

The next morning we were up early to do a bit of birding. Cheynes Beach is a good spot for the extremely rare Noisy Scrub-bird. We didn’t find the Noisy Scrub-bird, but we did see some Rock Parrots. 

Rock Parrot

Sadly we only had one night here and continued west toward Emu Point. We made a stop at Little Beach in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, it was an idyllic spot with an isolated white sand beach. 

Little Beach

We arrived at Emu Cottage and settled in. Built around 60 years ago, it is one of the only original beach cottages in the area. 

That evening we drove back to Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve to look for nocturnal animals. We had read that the picnic area near the visitors center was a good place to find Quenda and Quokka. We arrived before dusk to stake out the territory in our car. Sure enough around 7:15 a Quokka emerged from the bushes. But when we got out of our vehicle to get a closer view it bounded off. We’d have to rethink our stakeout strategy. We walked to the visitors center spotting a Western Ringtail Possum and Motorbike Frogs on the road. When we got back to the picnic area, we found not one but three Quokkas! They appeared to be a female with two joeys, but Quokka give birth to only one young at a time. The youngsters scurried back into the bush, but mom remained long enough for Marc to get a photo.

Quokka

We drove up to Little Beach. As we were entering the parking lot, Marc said there was a Quenda on his side of the car. I couldn’t see it but told Marc to get a photo. Unfortunately, the flash scared it off, and I never saw the animal. Not expecting to see an animal in the parking lot, Marc had the wrong setting on his camera, and the photo was overexposed. When we returned to Emu Cottage, Marc put the image on his laptop. We couldn’t make out what the animal was, but it wasn’t a Quenda. Two Peoples Bay is home to Australia's most threatened mammal and one of the rarest animals in the world, the Gilbert’s Potoroo (Potorous gilbertii). This potoroo was thought to be extinct until the population at Two Peoples Bay was discovered in 1994. It is estimated that there are fewer than 40 individuals left in the wild. Could this mystery animal be a Gilbert’s Potoroo?!! Marc tried several software techniques to improve the quality of the photo. We’re leaning toward Quokka. What do you think?

Gilbert's Potoroo?

The following evening we returned to Two Peoples Bay to look for the Quokkas again. This time we conducted the stakeout from a bench in the picnic area. The Quokkas appeared very close by but behind us so Marc couldn’t swing around for a photo without frightening them off. Foiled again. We went for a walk and when we returned the Quokkas had re-emerged, and Marc was able to get a great photo of mom with her joey.

Quokkas

As we were returning to our vehicle, Marc spotted two Western Ringtail Possums in a tree next to the carpark. These critically endangered marsupials posed in the open for a terrific photo.

Western Ringtail Possums

We drove back to Little Beach hoping to get another view of the mystery animal, but the parking lot was empty.

The next day we explored nearby Torndirrup National Park. The draw here is the coastal scenery and some unusual rock formations. First, we went to the Natural Bridge Viewpoint. The bridge was formed over millions of years by the penetration of groundwater into the joints of the gneiss. The joints widened to eventually form blocks which fell into the sea completing the formation of The Natural Bridge.

Natural Bridge

We moved on to The Gap. A viewing platform had been built 40m above the Gap. A grated floor allowed you to look at the pounding surf below which gradually eroded away the granite in this location.

The Gap

We drove to the end of the road to the site of Albany’s Historic Whaling Station. The Cheynes Beach Whaling Company was the last whaling company to cease operations in Australia, closing in 1978. It’s a morbid place with the whale chasing ship, the Cheynes IV complete with its harpoon mounted on the front and the big oil tanks and boilers. A staggering total of 1136 Humpback Whales and 14,695 Sperm Whales were caught from the station between 1952 and 1978! Sadly, a few countries still conduct this barbaric practice.

Whaling Ship

I was more interested in seeing the 22 m (72-foot) Pygmy Blue Whale skeleton on display. The whale presumably died of natural causes in Princess Royal Harbour in 1973. The station was still operating so the whale was towed to the whaling station, flensed and buried with the intention that it be displayed in the future. It’s the only way to get a feel for how massive Pygmy Blue Whales are!

Pygmy Blue Whale Skeleton

That evening we decided to drive the hour back to Cheynes Beach to give the Honey Possums one more go. Scanning Banksia blossoms at night with a headlamp looking for a mouse-sized animal that disappears at the slightest disturbance may seem like a fruitless task, but we were willing to give it one last try. We arrived near dusk and waited for it to get dark before embarking on mission impossible. We scanned every Banksia bloom in the vicinity for eyeshine or the slightest movement but sadly come up empty-handed. We had to admit defeat and continue our journey to the west tomorrow.

We hope all is well with everyone.

Peggy and Marc

Our route map:

Yardup, Stepping Back in Time

Greetings Everyone,

After our success in finding a Numbat, it was time to continue our journey south to Stirling Range National Park. As we drew closer the rugged mountains of the range came into view. The park encompasses the only major mountain range in the southern half of Western Australia and protects many species of endemic plants. We had booked a cottage on a working sheep farm about 17 km north of the park.

Yardup Cottage

As we arrived, Ellen, one of the owners drove up. She gave us a tour of this enchanted cottage. As we entered, it was like stepping back in time. Yardup Cottage as it was named is around 100 years old! Ellen’s husband Richard’s parents and grandparents once lived in the cottage. Ellen was kind enough to let us share this photo of Yardup Cottage taken in 1925. On the veranda are Richard's grandmother Enid Milne and her sister Barbara Murray.

Yardup Cottage, 1925

It has been lovingly restored complete with antiques from the 1920s and 1930s.

Inside Yardup Cottage

From the front veranda, we had a view of the entire Stirling Range. It would be a fun place to spend a week.

View of Stirling Range from Yardup Cottage

The next day we set off to hike Bluff Knoll. At 3066-feet it is the highest peak in the range. We began the 2000-foot climb in the cool of the morning on a paved path.

The Trail to Bluff Knoll

The paved path ended and we entered the forest where stairs had been built on the steeper sections to prevent erosion. A Wedge-tailed Eagle soared overhead as we broke out of the forest and into bottlebrushes some still in bloom.

Bottlebrush Flowers

Like other parts of Western Australia, Phytophthora dieback disease has hit the Stirling Range hard. It’s caused by a microscopic water mold (Phytophthora cinnamomi) that dwells in the soil and kills plants by rotting their roots. It was probably introduced by early European settlers in the soil of plants they brought with them. I was surprised to learn that a water mold was causing such a problem in an arid region. Unfortunately, it can be spread from one area to another by vehicles and footwear. Near the top, we reached an area that was recovering from a fire caused by an escaped burn. All the Banksia were blackened. Clearly the endemic plants in this park face many challenges. 

Near the summit, a King’s Skink was partially hiding under some bushes.

King's Skink

We took in the sweeping views over the park to the west.

Peggy on the Summit of Bluff Knoll

On some summit rocks, a pile of South-western Crevice Skinks was trying to warm up in the morning sunshine.

South-western Crevice Skinks

Back at Yardup, I took a short walk marveling at the scope of the farm. It was a big operation with many outbuildings and heavy machinery. I couldn’t imagine the amount of work it takes to keep this place going. A man in a pickup drove up with his dog. It was Richard, Ellen’s husband. We chatted a bit. Yardup has been in his family for four generations (more than a century) starting with his great grandparents who came to Australia from Scotland. The farm now consists of 3500 hectares or 8650 acres on which crops like wheat, barley, canola, lupine, and oats are grown and 3800 Merino sheep are grazed! The sheep had already been sheared in January and we were between harvests so this was a quiet time at Yardup.

Driving into Yardup Farm

After dinner, we went for a night drive along the road to the Bluff Knoll carpark. We didn’t see much on the way up but on the return, Marc spotted what he thought was a quoll on his side of the car. When I leaned over, I saw that it wasn’t a quoll but a Quokka! I had read that Quokkas were sometimes found here but they are difficult to spot. Most people go to Rottnest Island off the coast from Perth where Quokka have become a big tourist attraction but mainland Quokka are not often seen.

Quokka near Bluff Knoll Carpark

The next day we decided to climb our second peak, Mt. Magog. It’s located deep in the park off the gravel Stirling Range Road. We had the summit to ourselves as we hiked 2km through a level section lined with yellow flowers and a few banksias still in bloom. Honeyeaters flitted about drinking nectar from the late-blooming flowers.

The Trail to Mt. Magog

The climbing began in earnest straight up a steep gully with loose rocks. I was moving slow, real slow, concentrating with each step. We reached the ridge with Mt. Magog looming above. The climbing moderated a bit before entering a rocky section that required a bit of scrambling. We had a few more scrambles before finally reaching the summit. We admired the view and took a bit of a break before heading back down.

View from Mt. Magog

We reached the steep section where the fun started. We had to climb down on loose rocks and scree without slipping and taking a tumble. Finally, we made it to the flat section, whew!

Descent from Mt. Magog

It was getting hot but a cool breeze kept us comfortable. We made it to the car and drove back to Yardup where farm-fresh eggs awaited us.

Fresh Eggs!

Another day, another peak. Our next objective was Mt. Trio. The morning clouds had cleared and it was another beautiful day. The first part of the hike was very steep until we got to the ridge. We reached the summit in just over an hour. It was vegetated so the views weren’t great. An area had been cleared just below the top so we sat there for views and a snack.

View from Mt. Trio

Back at Yardup Cottage, we had enough energy left to do laundry. There was a washing machine on the back veranda but we had to line dry our clothes. We used a baby carriage-like contraption to wheel our wet clothes out to the line!

Marc Hauling Wet Clothes

That night we did another drive along Bluff Knoll Road. The lower section was a good spot for Western Brush Wallaby. We finally caught one in the open where you can clearly make out the characteristic black gloves.  

Western Brush Wallaby

Further along the road, we saw our first Common Brushtail Possums in the park.

Common Brushtail Possum

The last peak we climbed in Stirling Range National Park was Mt. Hassell. A series of false summits finally led to the real one. 

Marc on the Summit of Mt. Hassell

On the way back down we noticed ripples in some of the rocks. We later read that the range was once covered by a shallow sea. After the sea receded, the layers of sediment were transformed into layers of rock by the pressure created by their own weight. 

Ripples in the Rocks

After spending one week in the area, it was time to move on. We had a great time climbing some of the peaks in Stirling Range National Park and seeing some of the park’s unique flora and fauna. Staying in Yardup Cottage was a real treat. Learning about the history of the farm was fascinating and staying in Yardup Cottage really brought it alive. A heartfelt thanks to Richard and Ellen for sharing their impressive farm with us!

We hope all is well with everyone.

Peggy and Marc

Our route map: