Broome Bird Observatory

I just had to get to the Broome Bird Observatory on this trip. I snuck out for a twilight visit on Thursday to case the joint even though I knew the tide wasn't right for close views of the visiting waders. The plan was to return the next day with complete knowledge of best viewing points etc.

While there however I was chatting with the Observatory manager who informed me that there was a spot available on a birding tour for the following day. Wow! Great!

Which tour?

The all-day Lakes Tour of Roebuck Plains. Hmmm - last day at Broome, spent away from the guys, will miss high tide at the observatory completely. Not so good. A tough choice.

Birders in Broome are not interested in the barbecue, they want the BBO!

An impressively cheeky bird hide within 2-3 metres of the bird bath. Almost too close for photos as the shutter noise could be heard by the visiting birds! This is a short walk from the observatory office

BBO Head office

BBO wader's beach. Roebuck Bay at mid-low tide (wrong time to see many waders close at hand)

Bet you won't see these camping rules anywhere else!

Anyway I decided to join the Roebuck Plains Lakes Tour and had no regrets. It was quite an experience. Theresa, our driver and guide, was a visiting Spanish ornithologist and naturalist who was a gun at identifying birds. The couple who had arranged the tour were from Sydney and had booked it looking for wildlife photography opportunities - I was seriously "out lensed"!

Most of the viewing was through scopes (provided). Kath & kids were relieved that I finally got to see Australian Bustard. I was anticipating seeing them roadside throughout our travels. My exclamations of "Come on ya little bustard!" were getting more desparate and frequent as we neared the end of our holiday.

So a few pictures follow showing the typical habitat and birds. I expect more bird related pictures and reports will follow at my other blog for all those interested (Ha ha).

A distant view of Australian bustard