More Birds at Nurragingy Reserve – 3 March 2025

Most recent visits to Nurragingy Reserve at Doonside and been very worthwhile – especially seeing the Pacific Bazas and the Sacred and Azure Kingfishers. But, just a week before, our visit had been relatively quiet. But that was hopefully an anomaly. Once again, Sue was keen to join me, and we ended up having a very interesting day.

When we arrived, I was just unpacking my camera, when a hare bounded in.

It seemed quite unafraid –

And then I spotted a bird foraging in the palms. It was a Blue-faced Honeyeater –

It had been a while since I had seen one of these at Nurragingy.

We looked in vain for Kingfishers. But we did spot a single Tawny Frogmouth –

Back near the ornamental ponds, we watched this Brush Turkey.

It was being harassed by Noisy Miners –

Nearby was a Laughing Kookaburra –

We then did a walk around the perimeter fire trail. Here are some of the birds we saw –

Noisy Friarbird

Superb Fairy-wren

Australasian Figbird

Red Wattlebird

Yellow-faced Honeyeater

Eastern Spinebills

Brown Thornbill

Back at the long pond, we bumped into Wayne, local Nature guru, again. He was watching an Azure Kingfisher –

Azure Kingfishers always seen to perch in the darkest areas of the darkest ponds, hiding under the vegetation, and are hard to photograph. To reduce noise, I had lowered my shutter speed to 1/100 second. OK for still birds, but not good for action –

The Azure Kingfisher would often fly down to catch small fish –

It would also fly across to the other side of the pond, or to the far end.

Wayne had also spotted three Tawny Frogmouths, perched near where we had seen a single one. He showed us where they were –

And here is the one we had spotted earlier –

On the high tension wire, a Dollarbird –

Another Laughing Kookaburra –

Back at the long pond, the Azure Kingfisher was back –

It has caught a small fish –

It now ejects some water –

Finished?

Not quite –

It looks up –

It looks a bit higher –

And then takes off –

But only to a higher perch –

It spots a fish –

I missed the dive, but got it leaving the water, with a fish.

Back on the perch –

It was amazing to have quality time watching this beautiful Azure Kingfisher patently hunting for fish.

Again – no Bazas, and no Sacred Kingfishers, but the Azure Kingfishers, Tawny Frogmouths and Blue-faced Honeyeater made up for that.