Hamelin Pool...south of Shark Bay

21-22 September 2012

Hamelin Pool is a shallow, highly saline bay (about 100km from Denham - Shark Bay) famous for the stromatolites found there.

The station stay was a welcome change….a few spacious sites – unpowered – surrounded by very rocky, harsh scrub

 

and a big lake… and at last there were lots of birds, and some great sightings! See Rob's bird report below.

 

The stromatolites were only 5km away, and were fascinating! They are World Heritage listed, and are found along the 75km coast of Hamelin Pool, with a jetty to assist viewing.

 

Formed by cyanobacteria, these structures have remained almost unchanged from the earliest life forms that were on earth 3.5 billion years ago!  …. before any plants or animals existed.

Stromatolites photosynthesise, like plants, and release oxygen into the atmosphere. So in that early time on earth, as the oxygen levels increased, it made other life forms possible.
Bill Bryson says in his book about Australia, (which we listened to on CD ty S & D!) he is profoundly grateful to them because without them he wouldn’t be here today!

Another interesting feature of the area is the Coquina limestone base, formed from tiny shells about 4000 years ago. It was once cut into blocks for use as a building material, but now it is protected from being quarried.

 

Good Birds at Last!

 

Hamelin Pool station stay surprisingly turned out to be a really good place for birds...the best so far on this trip.

There was a large bore-fed dam, covering about 20 acres, which provided a permanent habitat for water birds, including some interesting migratory waders.

 

In the day and a half we were there, I recorded 60 species.

Highlights were:

• Variegated Fairy Wren

 

• Splendid Fairy Wren

 

• White-winged Fairy Wren

 

• Chiming Wedgebills which surrounded our camp with their beautiful call... sounds like "Did you get drunk?" (Google the call if you are interested)
• A bevy of Brown Quail - several adults and about 4 young. The young birds hid under bushes and the adults were very reluctant to leave them, offering best-ever viewing of the species.
• Wood Sandpiper
• Little Grassbird...another bird with a distinctive, mournful call.

 

Altogether, a fascinating bird spot.