Day 82 of lockdown. Since the day before had been very good for bird encounters, I decided to do a repeat trip. So bay on the bike down to the Cooks River and then along to Barton Park.
I was hoping to see the Osprey and Black-shouldered Kite that I had seen the day before. But they did not make an appearance while I there. I did see the Osprey – but it was perched a very long way away.
On the way down to Barton Park, I spotted two Sacred Kingfishers. One was just downstream of Illawarra Road –
A Little Pied Cormorant was perched nearby drying its wings.
The second Sacred Kingfisher was at Cahill Park.
When I arrived at Barton Park, I went to the end of the Spring Street Canal, the place where I had observed the Osprey the previous day. While waiting to see if it would turn up, I photographed the Striated Heron –
The Striated Heron seems to have a very full crop.
Two Royal Spoonbills were working their way down the canal.
The Heron was still busy fishing.
When the Spoonbills encountered the Heron, all the birds were startled.
There was no sign of the Eastern Osprey, so I cycled around to the far side of Muddy Creek. There you can look right up the Cooks River. I spotted the Osprey perched a long way upstream near the airport.
Much closer was this Pelican –
Two Silver Gulls seemed to be plucking at the water. I think they must have found a school of small fish.
Soon, a lot more Gulls had joined in.
I then decided to head out to Botany Bay, right to the limit of my 5km exercise and recreation circle. I spotted two Bar-tailed Godwits.
The second one is not the bird in the background. That is a Red Knott. See later.
Here is a photo of the Red Knott –
Back to the Godwits –
I then cycled back to Barton Park and went to Landing Lights Wetland. Here are some of the Pied Stilts –
Then I noticed a Great Egret behind the pond. It was a long way off, but I could see it had caught a small snake.
The snake had wrapped itself around the Egret’s beak. The Egret seemed in a state of bother.
The Egret took to the air, and the snake let go.
When the Egret landed, it must have been too close to where the Pied Stilts were nesting, as some flew up angrily towards it.
Then a Brown Goshawk flew high overhead.
The Pied Stilts did not seem to notice.
I then left Barton Park thinking that the Osprey may have flown up the Cooks River. So I headed to Tempe Reserve, where I had my lunch. I did not spot the Osprey, but a Peregrine Falcon did fly over at high speed.
I then returned to Barton Park for another short visit. Here is a New Holland Honeyeater –
And a Pied Stilt.
I then cycled home. While the day had not been as good as the one before, I had still observed some interesting birds.