I joined the Mudlarks for their early ,morning bird survey along the Cooks River. This time the group surveyed upstream from the Lang St Bridge to the Boat Harbour, then across the river to Cup and Saucer Creek Wetlands, and back downstream on that side.
Here are some of the birds we saw –
Australasian Darter
This Magpie Lark has a beak full of mud to add to its nest.
At Ewen Park, a Tawny Frogmouth sitting on a nest.
Grey Butcherbird
Little Pied Cormorant
Little Black Cormorants
Australasian Figbird
Red Wattlebird
Magpie Lark on nest
Willie Wagtail
Magpie Lark with nesting material –
Australian Swamphen
Dusky Moorhen
Rainbow Lorikeets
And another Tawny Frogmouth sitting on a nest. This one at the Boat Harbour.
Rainbow Lorikeet
Little Pied Cormorant
A Dusky Moorhen at the Cup and Saucer Creek wetlands –
Australian Swamphen
and a chick –
Striated Heron hunting in the mangroves –
Little Pied Cormorant
The group then had morning tea at one of the picnic tables at Ewen Park.
After the survey, I joined Michael and Helen to look for more Tawny Frogmouths nearby.
We found one perched one, but could find one on a nest.
But nearby, we heard the raucous squeaks of a Channel-billed Cuckoo. We soon found the bird. It was perched near a Currawong nest. At least we think it was a Currawong nest as some Currawongs were swopping at the Cuckoo.
Then the Channel-billed Cuckoo went over to the nest and it grabbed an egg in its bill –
It ate the egg.
Then it moved away a short distance.
We did not see the Cuckoo lay a replacement egg in the nest while we were there.