I made two very interesting visits during the day to the Cooks River to look at the birdlife. The highlights of these visits were watching a Egret catching a lizard and then on the second visit seeing a Darter catching and then swallowing a fish.
When I arrived at the river, my aim was to see how the Tawny Frogmouth chicks were doing. I soon spotted them perched in a tree near their old nest, but I could only see both parents and one of the chicks. Photos of the chick were a bit difficult at first, but I went back to their tree an hour or so later, and the chick was awake then.
At the Boat Harbour – lots of Pelicans and Cormorants.
At the Cup and Saucer Creek Wetland, I could hear a Purple Swamphen calling frantically. It seemed to be looking for its chick. Other adults birds and at least three fairly large chicks turned up in response to the calling, but the adults still seemed very frantic. It stayed frantic all the time I was at the Wetlands. Perhaps it’s chick had wandered off a long way or been caught by a predator?
I spotted a nice Egret at the back of he lower pool of the Wetlands. It seemed to be skulking around in the reeds. I then saw why. It had caught a fair size lizard – a skink. It then took a bit of time to move the lizard in its beak so it could swallow it. Very interesting to watch.
And a Welcome Swallow near the bridge –
Back at the Boat Harbour, I then watched a group of Magpie Larks –
I went back later in the afternoon, and this time I encountered Jennifer, who lives near the river at the Dog Area. She had spotted the second Tawny Frogmouth chick. It was all alone and a few metres higher up the tree from the others –
I also saw a Darter fishing at the river. The last one I had seen had caught a rather large fish and it was interesting to watch it swim the fish to the shore and then swallow it. When I had finished at the Tawny Frogmouths I again saw the Darter – and it had caught a fish! It was on the far side of the river, so my photos of it are not too clear, but I think they are interesting. The Darter took the fish to the bank and then manoeuvred the fish to a head first position and swallowed it. Amazing to see.
And lastly, a Cormorant cruising past –
Great captures and cool blog! I initially noticed your “bird vs fish” shots. Wow that looks like a big fish caught and staring down the bird’s throat (do you know what kind?) here!
So in the end the anhinga (I believe a tan-throated female) really managed to gulp that entire thing down okay? Does the fish put up a good fight, if eaten, does the unlucky prey get swallowed wriggling as well?!