Denmark Bird Group - Birding Sites around Denmark
Morley Beach
Not a beach for people, but a superb one for birds when the conditions (water levels) are right.
Best time of year: December to April (in the morning).
Birds: Migratory and Australian Shorebirds, notably Red-necked Stints, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Red-capped Plovers and Red-necked Avocets. Waterbirds: Black Swans and Grey Teal. Others: White-fronted Chats, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Swamp Harrier
Getting there: East of Denmark, turn-off South Coast Highway on to Morley Road, drive slowly through farm to Inlet. Try and stay close to the track (if passable) which goes up to the mouth of the Sleeman River.
Prawn Rock Channel and Wilson Inlet Mouth
Prawn Rock Channel, Island and sand / mud flats.
Best time of year: October to May
Birds: Migratory and Australian Shorebirds, Terns, Waterbirds and “Bush birds” (see “Bird Sanctuary”)
Getting there: from Denmark turn down Ocean Beach Road, turn left opposite Surfside Cottages / Big 4 Caravan Park. Park near the bridge and cross on to the island and follow the track to the Inlet on the other side of the Island
Wilson Head
Best time of year: After winter storms (southerly or southwesterly wind) for seabirds, especially Albatross. Spring / Summer for heathland birds
Birds: Seabirds in winter; Yellow-nosed Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, Australasian Gannet, shearwaters; bush birds Western Wattlebird, fairy-wrens, Southern Emu-wrens, Scrubwrens, Red-eared Firetail, Cuckoos, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Collared Sparrowhawk and Square-tailed Kite.
Also look out for our marine mammals: Dolphins, New Zealand Fur Seals, Migrating Humpback Whales (usually offshore) and if you are lucky, a Southern Right Whale in the bay or even off McGeary’s Rock (Winter / Spring)
Getting there: from Denmark turn down Ocean Beach Road, keep going until you reach the dirt road past the turn-off to the Surf Club / beach. Carry on and turn-off to Lions Lookout, MacGeary’s Rock or Black Holes.
Nenamup Inlet and Young’s Lake
Ironically, Nenamup is perhaps more like a lake, whereas Young’s Lake is more like an inlet.
Best time of year: Nenamup shorebirds December to May, Youngs similar, but for aggregations of grebes and Musk Duck August – September (??)
Birds: Nenamup; Avocets, Stilts, Red-necked Stints, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Greenshank, Shelduck, Shoveler; Youngs; Hoary-headed Grebes, Musk Duck, Spoonbills, Egrets.
Getting there: Youngs Lake; from Denmark, east along the South Coast Highway, turn-off along Lower Denmark Rd, then immediately right along Eden Road. Park just before the channel linking Youngs Lake with Nenamup. Follow the track west to Youngs Lake. Nenamup; easiest viewed by following the Lower Denmark Road through Youngs Siding and turn right down Lake Sadie Rd, Park just before the drainage channel at Shapland Rd and take the path on the eastern side of the channel down to Nenamup.
Crusoe Beach
Best time of year: Spring
Birds: Cormorants nest on the aptly-named “Bird Island” north of the fisherman’s “marina”, Pelicans in the water, herons, egrets, oystercatchers on the beach. “Bushbirds” in the fringing trees; Rosellas, Sacred Kingfisher, Fairy-wrens, Scrubwrens, Western Whistler, Thornbills, Silvereyes, Spinebills.
Getting there: from Denmark, east along the South Coast Highway, turn-off right along Crusoe Beach Road. Follow the road until it reaches a sharp left turn, park here and walk down to the beach. To reach Bird Island is tricky and needs some scrambling along the water’s edge past the “marina” (only for the “fit”).
Lights Beach
Best time of year: Spring
Birds: the area to the west of the carpark is better as the eastern beach is a dog exercise area, but you could still find Elegant Parrots, Carnaby’s Cockatoos, Rosellas and Ringneck Parrots in the dunes at the top of the beach. The western beach may have Hooded Plovers, Red-capped Plovers and Sooty Oystercatchers as well as Australian Pipits. Lookout for Kestrels hunting on the updraft from the dunes / sand cliffs. Parrots and Cockatoos can be found, often feeding on pelargonium (pink flowered weed). Fairy-wrens, Scrubwrens, Southern Emu-wrens, cuckoos, firetails can be found in the heathland and sometimes Ospreys and Sea Eagles patrol the coastline along with the Pacific Gulls.
Getting there: from Denmark, turn down Ocean Beach road, then right into Lights Road follow the road to the Lights Beach turn-off and on to the car park.
Mokare Walk and Denmark Rivermouth
Best time of year Spring – Summer
Birds: Mokare Walk; Fairy-wrens, Whistlers, Silvereyes, Firetails, Scrubwrens, Rosellas, Ringneck Parrots, Ibis, Herons, Egrets. Lookout for ospreys hunting in the river and also nesting. Rivermouth; Pelicans, cormorants nesting in the paperbarks, Darters, Stilts. Spoonbills, oystercatchers when the water level is low enough to expose the mud flats.
Getting there: follow Hollings Road to the Rivermouth Caravan Park turn-off, park just before the turn-off and cross the bridge to the Mokare walk, which heads back towards the town. For the Rivermouth turn left, pass the caravan park and park at the end of the road.
Mount Hallowell (Koorumdinup)
Best time of year: Spring – Summer
Birds: the Karri forest provides habitat for many birds, but unfortunately they can be difficult to spot and identify. Look out for or listen for White-browed Babblers, Rosellas, Ringneck and Red-capped Parrots, all of the Black Cockatoos, Purple-crowned Lorikeets (when the Karri is in flower – late summer). Smaller birds: White-breasted Robin, Scrubwrens, Red-winged Fairy-wren, Firetail, Honeyeaters (mainly New Holland and Gilbert’s), Western Whistler, Grey Shrike-thrush, Fantails, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Shining Bronze Cuckoo, Western Shriketit, Dusky Woodswallow, Spotted and Striated Pardalotes, larger birds: Brown Goshawk, Collared Sparrowhawk, Square-tailed Kite, Osprey, Frogmouth, Boobook Owl.
Getting there: from Denmark, turn down Ocean Beach Road, park on the right, just before the turn-off to Heather Road. Follow the Sheila Hill Trail / Bibbulmun track.
