I spent a morning at Tempe, wandering around the Tempe Wetlands and the wastelands nearby, then around Tempe Reserve, and back through the Wetlands before heading home for lunch.
It started off fairly quiet, but as the morning proceeded, more birds seemed to appear. This is often the case with bird photography. You need to be patient.
At Tempe Wetlands, I wandered around the ponds a few times but did not really see or hear too many birds. I did see some Superb Fairywrens –
And a Golden Whistler –
And I did photograph some of the Welcome Swallows –
I was worried that it may start raining a bit more seriously and I would have to seek shelter or go home. I had my umbrella out a few times. I then diverted to look at the wastelands above the water pipeline near Alexandria Canal. Here I saw a rather large flock of Silvereyes. Here are some of them –
The was also a Spotted Pardalote with them –
I then moved to Tempe Reserve. On the Alexandria Canal side I saw a small group of Red-rumped Parrots feeding in the grass.
I tried to get some photos of them flying but was not very successful. At one stage, a large number of them flew out of a tree, and settled near a wooden fence.
The number increased and they moved onto a road. Then they started squabbling. I noticed that they were a pack of males with one female present. Perhaps that was the reason they were fighting?
I moved onto the side of the Cooks River to look at a large gulp of Little Black Cormorants hunting for fish.
I then spotted a White-faced Heron feeding amongst the oysters in the low tide.
Near the Heron was a group of Silver Gulls. Hiding between the Gulls was a Little Egret. It too was hunting amongst the oysters for fish. And it was quite successful in the number it caught, if not in their size.
I then continued on my way. A Caspian Tern flew past.
On the Wolli Creek side, I surprised a Striated Heron. I did not see it until it flew off and then circled around and landed further along. I was able to get a nice sequence of shots of it flying –
It had landed not far away, but seemed to have vanished. These birds are hard to see when they stand very still. I eventually spotted it – it had started hunting again.
On the Road side of the river I spotted a Royal Spoonbill also feeding on the mudflats taking advantage of the low tides.
It was almost time to head home. I walked back to the busted via Tempe Wetlands. I saw a few birds, including this New Holland Honeyeater.
