Mudlarks Bird Survey and More Cooks River Birds – 8 December 2020

I spent a nice morning on the Cooks River. It was an early start with the Mudlarks – for the monthly bird survey. This time we surveyed the birds downstream from the new Lang Street Bridge – down to the bridge across to the Golf Course, then back up past Wave Rock and back to Ewan Park for morning tea. After morning tea, I joined Valerie for a look at the local Tawny Frogmouths.

The survey went well. There are some of the birds we saw –

Galah

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

Musk Lorikeet

Pacific Koel – male

and here is a female Koel –

Willie Wagtails

Little Black Cormorant

 

Magpie Lark

Welcome Swallow

Topknot Pigeons

Rainbow Lorikeet

After the Mudlarks broke up, Valerie and myself walked upstream along the path towards the Boat Harbour. Along the way, we were surprised to find a single Tawny Frogmouth perched in a Casuarina.

And we were even more surprised to find five Tawny Frogmouths at the Boat Harbour – all perched pretty close together.

We know that the family had two chicks, and so there are the two parents and the two chicks. So where did the firth one come from? Perhaps a chick from a previous year that has returned?

In a tree nearby was this Grey Butcherbird –

And two Rainbow Lorikeets were exploring this hollow –

We didn’t expect to stay very long at the Boat Harbour. But then we noticed a Striated Heron hunting for food. The tide was fairly low, but not fully low – there was still most of the Boat Harbour covered in water.

The Striated Heron was fascinating to watch. We sat down in the shade and started watching. During our stay, it caught quite a few fish.

Sometimes when it caught a fish, it would swing itched wildly around – to and fro.

Some times it would take the fish to the mudflats before eating it.

Then a Pelican came in to land.

It then started fishing, but did not seem as successful as the Heron.

Back to the Striated Heron –

I assume that the Striated Heron was doing a lot of fishing to feed a chick. Meanwhile the Pelican was still at it –

This Australian White Ibis was also looking for food –

The Striated Heron was still busy –

It was time to head home for lunch. We had a last look at the Tawny Frogmouths. They were a bit more awake now.

The juveniles are so cute! Their father is on the left.

Here is the new one –

And I think this is the mother of the chicks. It has a damaged left eye.

We then headed back downstream. We had another look at the first Tawny Frogmouth we had sen. it too was awake.

Back on the other side near Younger Avenue. We could seen no change in the Tawny Frogmouth sitting on the nest. No sign of any chicks. I think it is unlikely this pair will have chicks this season. The same as the last two years – when one sat on a nest from September till nearly Christmas Day without any chicks being reared.

I looked around, but could not see the female. Perhaps that was the Tawny Frogmouth we had seen on the other side by itself?