My choice for an exercise venue was Nurragungy Reserve at Doonside. This tune out to be good – I travelled there on nearly empty trains and there was plenty of room for walking around without seeing too many other people once there.
I walked around the Reserve a number of times along the various trails. I paused a few times to photograph birds. At Nurragingy, on earlier trips I have looked out for Azure Kingfishers. I spotted one fairly soon after I arrived, but it soon flew off, and I didn’t see one at that pool again.
I later spotted a different Azure Kingfisher fishing in one of the other pools. It would perch on a branch, spend a bit pf time surveying the water, then either dive for prey, or fly to a different perch. I could keep it in sight for a fair while. If I lost it, then I would wait for a while hoping to detect a blue flash if it flew down the pool.
Looking at my photos later, showed it was one of a pair. The second one was probably the one I had seen earlier. It was perched in a hidden spot and not active.
Here are some more photos of the one I could photograph. They are difficult subjects, always perching at the darkest spots in an already gloomy location. And often surrounded by vegetation that blocks your view.
On my previous trip to Nurragingy, I had seen an Australasian Grebe sitting on eggs on a floating nest. It was nice to see the same Grebe pair now looking after four quite large chicks.
Some of the other birds at the pools. A Little Pied Cormorant –
And some Wood Ducks –
A Great Egret was hunting at one spot. It was interesting to watch it. You normally think of these birds having eyes on the side of their heads to aid their defence by helping them spot predators. But they can also look forward quite well to enable them to get 3D vision for helping them hunt for fish and other prey.
Unfortunately a toddler approached the Egret and threw a stick at it, so it flew away.
On the walk around the perimeter fire trail, which I did several times, I spotted a Crested Shrike-tit.
It was hunting for food –
It find a grub –
Some of the other birds in the bush section. A Grey Fantail –
And a Brown Thornbill –
The only raptor I spotted flew past at high speed. I think it may have been a Brown Goshawk.
It had been a pleasant visit and a good place to stretch the legs.
