Long Reef has been a very good venue recently for photographing Ospreys and sometimes Sea Eagles.
I arrived on the lookout around 11 am and soon walked down to the lower level. The tide was low, but now starting to go up. With binoculars, I spotted an Osprey perched on a tree on the north side of the headland. I walked towards it, and spotted a second Osprey perched a bit closer –
It then made a call and took off.
I then went over to the Osprey I had seen earlier.
And on another tree I saw a third Osprey –
I left the perched Ospreys and walked to to the point, and then onto the rock platform.
There are still some migratory birds there that are overwintering.
Grey-tailed Tattler
An Osprey flew over –
It perched on a rock. I walked closer.
A passing White-faced Heron –
I waited for the Osprey to take off. It did when a party of divers walked past.
Back to some migratory birds (and other birds) –
Red-necked Stint
Double-banded Plover
Crested Tern
Great Cormorant
Double-banded Plover
White-faced Heron
Red-necked Stints
Double-banded Plover
Crested Tern
Now some more raptors appeared.
White-bellied Sea Eagle
Osprey
Thos one was hunting for fish.
No luck with this dive.
It tried again –
Not successful.
It dives again –
It seems to pull out of its dive.
But had pulled out too late.
It has another go.
This Osprey is not having good run.
Meanwhile, so other bird photographers have arrived including Celine, Ramon and up on heights, Jimmy.
This dive it pulls out in time.
A juvenile White-bellied Sea Eagle appears.
And then, a bit later, an adult White-bellied Sea Eagle appears.
And finally, an Osprey flies past that has a fish.
It is a very dark fish.
Another of the Ospreys is still hunting.
Again, the dives are not successful.
The adult White-bellied Sea Eagle appears again.
It pulls something off its talons.
But White-bellied Sea Eagle are not popular with the Ospreys. An Osprey flies out and tries to drive the Eagle away.
The skirmish lasts a fair while. Then it all goes quiet. It starting to get late, so I head for home.