Long Reef Headland on the Northern Beaches has been a very good venue for bird photography lately, so I decided on another trip there.
This time it was a bit quieter than other recent visits. It was a warm day and there was no sea breeze at first. So it was quite hot down on the lower level and very limited shade. Another bird photographer, Celine, was also there and she set up a small tarp and sheltered under that – a good thing to do.
When I arrived, around 11:30 am, I spotted a Nankeen Kestrel perched on the cliffs –
It soon took off –
At the lower level, the tide was high, with a peak in the middle of the day. Here is a Crested Tern with a small fish –
I thought it was going to eat the fish, but instead it flew off with it.
This White-faced Heron has caught a crab –
Some more Crested Terns –
And then a Sooty Oystercatcher flew past chasing a Pied Oystercatcher –
They flew off up the beach. Then the Sooty Oystercatcher returned –
And a bit later the Pied Oystercatcher –
A Peregrine Falcon was flying very high up –
It was not until close to 2 pm that we spotted an Osprey –
And then another pair of Ospreys arrived –
The birds seemed content to fly around rather than look for fish.
A Raven came out to harass this Osprey –
Two White-faced Herons were flying past –
By this time, one of the Ospreys was having a bath –
And this one was flying around –
Now all three were flying around –
And then joined by a fourth Osprey –
They did sone nice flying, but it was distant, and in poor light.
And the pesky Raven appeared again –
This Osprey flew past fairly close –
And I left, around 4 pm, via the beach on the north side. I spotted two Ospreys perched in the trees –
