Day 4 of lockdown. My exercise this day was a bike ride to Barton Park and back – along the Cooks River Cycleway. As usual I took a camera with me and grabbed a few photos of the birds I saw along the way.
My first stop was just downstream of Illawarra Road, when I was lucky to spot a Sacred Kingfisher perched in a tree just above the river. I have seen Kingfishers here before and they are usually very skittish – often flying off before I can get my camera ready. This one stayed in its perch and I was able to get some nice photos. It did move twice – but to nearby perches.
I keep riding all the way to Barton Park where I stopped for s rest. I scanned the Landing Lights Wetland for birds. It was pretty quiet. There were a few Pied Stilts.
There were also a few teals. But it then started raining, so I headed off and rode up to the higher level of Barton Park. The rain eased, and I grabbed a photos of a Yellow-rumped Thornbill feeding on the grass.
Heading back home, I cycled close to the airport, and on the bridge to Tempe Reserve I spotted a White-faced Heron –
It was perched on a dead bush, and then took off.
It flew up to a higher perch, but was then harassed by Noisy Miners to flew away.
Down on the Alexandria Canal, a Little Pied Cormorant was getting ready to take-off.
Along Tempe Reserve, I stopped to watch a few more Little Pied Cormorants fishing.
Then at the creek near Tempe Station, I spotted a Little Egret –
And a Great Egret was hunting for fish at the mouth of the creek.
A White-faced Heron was also looking around.
The Heron took off and flew past.
Then I cycled home.