This was a full day of bird photography in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney. On the day I visited a number of sites to see what the birds were doing. For the first two sites I was accompanied by Nature photographer Ken Griffiths.
We travelled up by B-line bus and hen walk out to the sea cliffs to see if a pair of Peregrine Falcons was active. It was. Both adults birds were around. I was able to get some good sequences of them taking off and in flight. Here is one taking off –
And some flying around –
One of the pair settled on a ledge.
And some Cormorants passed by a long way below –
Meanwhile, some more flying by one of the Peregrine Falcons –
And then another take-off sequence and short flight –
Then, it took-off again.
Nice! Then it landed at a different part of the cliffs. We waited to see if it would take-off again. It did.
Another nice sequence. But there would be more. It landed again, and soon took-off –
All of this took place in short span of time. We thought we had disturbed the Falcons too much as it was so left the area. Another bird photographed, Phillip, a friend who I had met in the area before had tuned up, and he gave Ken and myself a lift to the bus stop. We then caught a bus further along Pittwater Road and walked a short way to a sporting field to photograph a pair of Eastern Ospreys. As we approached, we could see one of the Ospreys perched on a crossbar under the nest.
We got closer and waited to see if it would take-off. It did-
It did a short flight and landed back on the nest. Then took-off again. This time it flew further away and was harassed by a Magpie.
Before it returned, ken noticed a Kestrel perched on a nearby box –
It flew away out of the area. Then the Osprey returned. It landed on the crossbeam, then some more short flying.
It was time to leave. Ken was catching bus back to town, but I had more time, so I then visited Long Reef. I was looking for small migratory birds, but could not spot any. I did see lots of Cormorants and some Crested Terns.
I then walked to Dee Why Lagoon. Some nice Fairywrens and an Osprey flew up the lagoon.
I then walked back to a bus stop for my trip home.