Raptors of the Northern Beaches – 25 September 2018

After seeing the return of some migratory birds recently at Landing Lights Wetland and Bicentennial Park I wondered if there would be any on Long Reef Headland between Dee Why and Collaroy.

You can only visit the far part of Long Reef when the tide is low, and checking tide information this would happen in the mid afternoon on the day of my visit. Se before then, that would give me time to check out some of the raptors in the area.

I caught a B Line bus to the Northern beaches and got off at Manly Vale. I walked to a local park and looked for birds. There was a young Egret and a White-faced Heron nearby.

I then located an Osprey nest high in a sporting field light stand that I had seen last year. I could see one Osprey in the nest – it seemed to be arranging sticks.

I could then see another Osprey – whether it was an adult or a chick I could not tell.

There was some school sports going on in the field at the time so I decided to move off. I caught a bus further up the coast.

I then walked out to some cliffs on the lookout for the Peregrine Falcons I had seen on recent previous visits. I didn’t need to look too hard – one of the birds found me – and flew around in a big circle. It seemed to do this to everyone that was walking on the Coastal Path. It never got too close, but with the aid of  telephoto lens I could get some reasonable photos of it. I assume it is protecting its chicks.

I then continued along the path. In the distance I could see a hovering bird. The binoculars showed it was a Black Shouldered Kite. I was able to get some photos even though it was a long way off.

I then saw the Kite suddenly dive for the sea. I though it may be diving to catch a fish. My camera a was ready and I got a sequence of photos of its dive. But, later at home, when I downloaded the photos to my computer and looked at them carefully, I found that there was a second bird in them – one of the Peregrine Falcons. It was diving at the Kite and the Kite was trying its hardest to flee. The Falcon’s dive, called a “stoop”, is extremely fast and they hit the other bird with their talons to stun or knock it out.

The Falcon certainly hit the Kite. The Kite fell down, seemingly out of control, but later seems to recover. The Falcon then followed the Kite – and then I lost both birds.

A little while later I saw two Peregrine Falcons flying together.

And one flew past close by –

And then made another pass –

I then moved back to the nearby beach and started walking along a lagoon. Here I saw a White-headed Stilt.

And a Little Pied Cormorant was perched on a pole.

Another Little Pied Cormorant was swimming nearby, when it suddenly took and landed on the pole, causing the first one to flee.

I then headed to a park for lunch. While eating I was entertained by a few Superb Fairy-wrens.

On my previous visit, in this area, we had seen a Black-shouldered Kite.  Before I sat down for my lunch I had scanned the area for it – and it didn’t seem to be around. I thought it may have been the one hit by the Falcon earlier. But one time when I looked up, I saw a Black-shouldered Kite sitting on one of the same perches that I had seen the week before.

I quickly finished my lunch and walked a bit closer to it. It was sitting in a tree, not too high up. I patiently waited to see if it would take off. My patience was rewarded. It did take off and got a nice sequence of shots.

I then walked out to Long Reef Headland. On the way I photographed a Grey-browed Scrubwren and a Silvereye.

Looking back I could see the Kite hovering while it searched for food –

On the headland I saw a lot of Cormorants and Crested Teals.

I could see some smaller birds near them. I think they are two Red-necked Stints and a Ruddy Turnstone – migratory birds.

A few Cormorants flew past.

I was able to get a bit closer to the migratory birds. There were quite a few of them.

I am not sure of these identifications. Then some terns landed nearby and a whole flock of migratory birds took off –

I then continued walking around the headland. A paraglider was hovering overhead. High above him was a raptor –

There were more Cormorants and a Heron on the rocks.

I the ran into Phillip, another bird photographer that I had met earlier in the day. he was just photographing a Nankeen Kestrel perched nearby. He told me that a little while before there had been two of them – and it seems they had just mated.

We then saw three birds fly past, close together. They looked like Ospreys – but they were too quick for us to photograph. I just managed a photo of one of them –

The Kestrel also flew off.

Then a group of Galahs flew over.

Then the Ospreys returned. They were spread out now. I missed the first one and got a shot of the second.

The third one was being harassed by a Magpie.

I then walked to a bus stop and caught a bus back to the city.