I joined the Tempe Birdos for their monthly bird survey. After morning tea, I cycled home via the Cooks River, to check the status of the three nesting pairs of Tawny Frogmouths. And then later, made a late afternoon visit to the river.
At Tempe, I joined the group surveying at the Wetlands. The highlight was spotting a Rufous Fantail. One of the members, Melissa heard its call and then pointed it out to us. Its the first one I have seen in the Tempe area.
Here are some of the other birds at the Wetlands. First a nesting Willie Wagtail.
And a Little Pied Cormorant was fishing in the middle pond.
Here is one of several Superb Fairy-wrens we saw –
A Red Wattlebird –
And another nectar eater –
The Birdos finish with morning tea at Tempe Reserve. After that I cycled home via the Cooks River. On the way I checked the status of the nesting pairs of Tawny Frogmouths.
Near Gough Whitlam Park – no change to the bird on the nest.
The bird did move a bit – which is sign it may be sitting on a chick.
At Younger Avenue – again no change.
The two chicks at the Boat Harbour seem to be doing well. I had heard that one of the chicks had fledged – but they were both at the nest when I visited.
Here is the female, perched nearby –
A Striated Heron was hunting on the far side of the river. Here it has caught a Dragonfly.
Up at the Cup and Saucer Creek Wetlands I saw a Turtle on the path.
I wodne if it was trying to find a way down to the river or perhaps looking for a place to bury some eggs?
Here is a Little Pied Cormorant in the Wetlands –
Later that day, after reading a comment on my blog, that mentioned that one of the Boat Harbour Tawny chicks had moved away from the nest, I made a second visit. On the way, I went past the Younger Avenue Tawny – it seemed a little restless.
And both chicks were back in the nest at the Boat Harbour.
I expect them to fledge some time between the 15th and the 25th of November based on the time the chicks were first seen.