Birds at Tempe, Barton Park and the Cooks River – 22 September 2021

Day 88 of lockdown. I decided a walk would be the best option for my daily exercise break. I travelled by bus to Tempe then walked down to the Tempe Wetlands. After that I continued around Tempe Reserve, across the Cooks River to Cahill Park, then followed the cycleway to Barton Park. On my return, I walked along the foreshore through Kogarah Golf Course to Cahill Park, then back along the Cooks River to home.

At Tempe Reserve I heard a Fan-tailed Cuckoo, and it was easy to locate.

I have heard quite a few Fan-tailed Cuckoo’s lately, but this is he first one I have photographed this season.

At Barton Park, I went first to Landing Lights Wetland. Here is a Royal Spoonbill –

And one of the Pied Stilts –

I then went out to the point to see if I could spot the Osprey. I ddi manage to see it – perched a long way upstream near the airport.

A few more birds from Barton Park. First a Superb Fairy-wren –

And a New Holland Honeyeater –

And a White-browed Scrubwren –

At the Scrub-wren location, I was talking to some other bird photographers, when I turned around and spotted the Osprey flying over Muddy Creek. We all made out way to a closer spot at the end of the Spring Street Canal.

The Osprey was looking down, hunting for fish, but it did not dive while we were watching it.

One last bird from Barton Park – a Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike –

Back at Cahill Park, I spotted the Osprey again. I was flying back downstream from the Alexandria Canal. It flew past – but not very close.

It flew into the airport somewhere.

Back near Gough Whitlam Park, I ran into Digi Dave, who was doing some bike exercise. We stopped and got a coffee from the cafe and he walked his bike back upstream with me. On the way we passed the local Spoonville –

It has expanded a lot in the last week or so.

One last set of birds, some Galahs –