Day 76 of lockdown. I decided to ride down to the Cooks River and then out to Barton Park and back. As usual, I was on the lookout for birds, so packed a camera.
I saw my first Sacred Kingfisher along the Cooks River near Illawarra Road.
I then headed to Gough Whitlam Park. I could hear an Oriole in a tree above, but could not get clear photo. An Australasian Figbird was more cooperative.
Then a quick, discrete look for the Striated Heron nest. All seems OK.
Next stop was Landing Lights Wetland at Barton Park. A Little Egret was active hunting for fish.
It was interesting to watch its “dance of death”.
I have seen Egrets do this before when hunting. They do short flights and flap their wings, often twirling around. I don’t know if they do this to provoke the fish into movement or to confuse the fish, but it seems to be more than just getting into a better position.
There were also the usual Pied Stilts.
I expect some of them to be nesting.
And wandering around I spotted some of these wasps that I have seen there before.
Hiding in the wattle – a Yellow Thornbill –
I looked around some of the other parts of Barton Park, and then decided to ride home. On the way, I bumped into Michael from the Greenway Birdos. he had spotted a Sacred Kingfisher near Illawarra Road. I stopped for some photos.
It then coughed up a pellet.
It seemed a real struggle to regurgitate the fairly small pellet. Perhaps there was more to come? The Kingfisher then did some strange gyrations.
Then all seemed OK.
Often, after coughing up a pellet, they soon resume their hunting for crabs. This one did and it provided some opportunities for flight photos.
But the Kingfisher took off away from me!
Another take-off away from me.
It then flew off. I decided to head back downstream as the tide was now lower. Perhaps more Kingfishers would be out? Perhaps the Osprey would be hunting?
No Osprey, but I did spot another Sacred Kingfisher. It was in the boat area near Tempe Reserve. I got a few shots of it flying.
It then flew back towards the Princes Highway side and landed.
Nice to see.
I then headed for home.