Day 97 of Lockdown. This was another very good day of bird watching and photography. I spent the morning at Sydney Park, then caught a bus down to Barton Park for an afternoon visit. I then walked back via the Cooks River.
On previous visits to Sydney Park I had been fortunate to observe the Rails – both Buff-banded Rails and Lewin’s Rails. I had recently heard that a pair of Buff-banded Rails had newly hatched chicks. I went hoping to observe them. I did! You can see one, out of focus, in the photo above, standing close to a parent as it forages.
I understand there are five chicks. I only saw two of them. Mostly they were hidden under the vegetation. In the photo below you can see two chicks behind the parent. they are standing very close together.
It was also interesting to watch the parent’s behaviour. Here you can see an Australian Swamphen watching the scene.
One of the Buff-banded Rails came out and then spread out its wings to make it look larger. It went slowly closer to the Swamphen.
All of a sudden, and far too fast for me to photograph, it flew up at the Swamphen. Both birds disappeared into the vegetation. The Rail emerged looking a little disheveled.
Then it resumed more food collecting for the chicks. Both of the parents would do this simultaneously. The chicks would remain well out of sight. Here, one returns with a worm.
And this one has a different worm.
Now a change of subject. There was a sudden loud clamour. A Channel-billed Cuckoo had arrived!
These birds are not too popular.
The Channel-billed Cuckoo seems to have an amazing ability to bend its neck for defensive purposes.
Back to the Buff-banded Rails.
More raising of feathers. Another skirmish?
Again it was the Swamphen. Food foraging could resume.
More clamour. The Channel-billed Cuckoo was back.
It finally left the area.
Nearby, a Blue-tongued Skink was basking in the warm sun.
And another skink. This one caught by one of the Rails.
A Noisy Miner came down to watch. For once it was not pesky.
The Rails did not react at the Noisy Miner or to a pair fo Dusky Moorhen that went past, nor to an Ibis. They only reacted to the Swamphen.
Here one of the Rails has some food.
It washes the food in the water before delivering it to the chicks.
Time to leave the Rails. The Pacific Black Duck family was in the main pond. Only one of the four chicks has survived. It seems to be doing well.
An Australasian Grebe looks on.
I always hear a lot of frog’s croaking, but rarely see them. Here is one –
I then went and found the Tawny Frogmouth. It was in its usual perch. I was joined by Harold, a local bird enthusiast, and we then looked for the nest.
The nest was spotted high in tree nearby.
Back to the main pond. Here is one of the Dusky Moorhen chicks and parent –
And these are Eurasian Coot chicks from the Island Pond.
Two turtles on the island.
More clamour of alarm calls. A Peregrine Falcon flies high overhead.
And one last look at the Rails.
I then traveled to Barton Park. Here is one of the Pied Stilts at the Landing Lights Wetland.
A Tawny Grassbird –
A Superb Fairy-wren –
Another Tawny Grassbird (or perhaps the same one) –
Back at the ponds, I was please to see a Black-fronted Dotterel. There appeared to be only one. I had earlier thought there could be some as the condones for them are better – the pond being now shallower.
I then walked back to Tempe via the Cooks River foreshore – including walking through Kogarah Golf Club and Cahill Park. I looked but could not spot the Osprey.
One last photo of a Pied Cormorant.
I then caught a bus home from Tempe.