It had been a while since I had been able to join the Mudlarks for their monthly bird survey along the Cooks River. The group meets at 7 am on the second Tuesday of the month, at the rickety bridge over the Cooks River at Lang Road.
While were meeting up, we noticed a lot of Welcome Swallows flying around near the bridge, and also high overhead there were some larger birds flying around too. They were White-throated Needletails.
This months surveys was in the downstream direction. So we crossed Wardell Road, and continue through the parklands. On the way we spotted a pair of Eastern Yellow Rosellas. I think these are the first I have seen along the River.
We also spotted a family group of Australian Figbirds –
A little further on, we saw a number of Black-faced Cuckooshrikes. Looking at the photos later shows they were after insects.
We then crossed the river on the bridge at the Golf Course. Recent floods had disputed a lot of rubbish in the mangroves. A lot of plastic, but at least very few plastic bottles.
Walking back upstream on the far side, we saw a juvenile Eastern Koel perched in a tree.
The recent floods had waterlogged a lot of the golf course, and this had brought out a lot of Ibis. They were after worms and insects.
There were a few birds at the pond in Dibble Avenue. Crossing Wardell Road, we saw the Eastern Yellow Rosellas again. This time two pairs.
And on the way to the picnic tables for morning tea, we heard then spotted the local Grey Butcherbird.
This was a very pleasant start to the day.
Glad you got the Eastern Rosellas – Was the only bird you didn’t have a photo of that I have seen along the River (you’ve got quite a few I haven’t spotted – or at least identified!), I have seen them about 5 times in the last 5 or so years, except for one period where there was clearly a pair with a young one around Younger Ave, which I saw 3-4 times over a month. So they are definitively around.