I spent a very full and interesting day in the Northern Beaches looking for and photographing birds. In some ways this was a repeat of my last trip – as I went to the same areas and saw many of the same birds.
Eastern Osprey
My aim was the photograph some of the resident raptors and also some of the migratory birds. Here are some of the raptors –
Peregrine Falcon
Eastern Osprey
I visited this site twice. There seems to be two rather large juveniles in the nest. One of them flew off early in the day.
Their nest is on top of a light pole in a sporting field.
One bird then flew off and returned with a stick.
It then flew off.
Then there was a visitor to the nest. It was not welcome.
When I returned later that afternoon, there was only one bird in the nest as far as I could see. It made two short flight.
The juvenile Osprey does not fly far, when it attracts the attention of a Magpie.
The Osprey returns to the nest.
Black-shouldered Kite
Nankeen Kestrel
This was quite distant.
And now for Migratory Birds.
Bar-tailed Godwit
Red-necked Stints
Red Knots
These may be Great Knots.
The second photo here shows the larger Knots at the back with two Stints, which are much smaller, on the left.
Ruddy Turnstone
Some of the other water birds –
Crested Terns
This one has caught a small fish.
And one flying low, close to the water.
White-faced Heron
Pied Cormorant
Royal Spoonbills
Australian Ibis
Some of the other birds –
Welcome Swallows
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Also – a pair of whales was reasonably close, a mother with a calf. The calf was doing a lot of tail slapping.
It had been a nice day out.
