Birds at the Cooks River, Botany Bay and Landing Lights Wetland – 7 March 2021

I spent a nice day riding my bike along the Cooks River and Botany Bay Cycleways and stopping to look for birds. I went as far as the Karen Point Shorebird Reserve and the nearby Shell Point, and then returned the same way.

My first stop was at the Boat Harbour. I spotted one pair of Tawny Frogmouths.

Across the other side of the river, I spotted a second pair near Younger Avenue.

I then continued down to Gough Whitlam Park, and had a brief look for birds, and then continued on to Barton Park. I scanned the Landing Lights Wetland to see what ws about, but I wanted to see the birds near Taren Point while the tide was low, so continued along Botany Bay and across the bridge to Taren Point Shorebird Reserve.

There, I saw some Crested Terns –

And there were a number of Bar-tailed Godwits.

And at least one Eastern Curlew.

At Shell Point, I could see some Grey-tailed Tattlers.

And there also some Pied Oystercatchers.

I waited there for some Bar-tailed Godwits to get closer.

It was interesting to with them hunt for small crustaceans in the sand.

This one carried its crab over to a pool and then washed it. Perhaps washing off sand?

Another one was also washing its prey.

The Grey-tailed Tattlers stayed a long way off

A Pelican cruised past –

Here is a Pied Oystercatcher out amongst the oysters.

Then this Eastern Curlew came closer –

This is the closest a Grey-tailed Tattler came –

On the way back, at one of the gaps in the mangroves, I saw this Striated Heron –

And back at Taren Point Shorebird Reserve an Eastern Curlew was strutting around.

And a pair of  Masked Lapwings flew past.

Along Botany Bay, I stopped off to observe some more Bar-tailed Godwits –

On the way home, I also stopped agin at Landing Lights Wetland. There were quite a few Pied Stilts –

And a White-faced Heron –