Day 102 of Lockdown. I decided on another visit to Barton Park. I decided this time to travel to Baron Park by bus, and that would allow me to walk home via the Cooks River.
I saw a good selection of birds on the day. At the Landing Lights Wetland, I ran into Daniele. We saw a small flock of Galahs –
And here is a Golden-headed Cisticola flying high up to grab an insect.
And now it is perched and calling our loudly to mark out its territory.
Then Daniele spotted a Grey Goshawk perched on a pole.
As we approached it flew off –
Back at the pond, the Pied Stilts are still nesting.
I the went for a wander around Barton Park. Here is a New Holland Honeyeater –
And a Red-browed Finch –
And a Brown Honeyeater –
Back at the pond, an Ibis has was browsing a little close to one of the Stilt nests.
One of the Stilts encourages it to leave.
And the Ibis gets a kick up the backside.
The Pied Stilts often leave their nests for short periods.
Up at the top level I found a number of old Fairy Martin nests under the old stadium grandstand.
And some photos of Superb Fairy-wrens –
On the road to the point, I was fortunate to spot this beautiful Shining Bronze-Cuckoo –
I then looked up the Cooks River to see if I could spot the Osprey. I did see it, and then it flew downstream with its harassing Magpies.
It hen flew towards Barton Park, so I started walking back towards the Wetland. On the way I saw the Grey Goshawk again.
It flew up to the top level, and I walked up there. But it soon flew off again.
This time in ran into another raptor. It was a Nankeen Kestrel (on top) –
I lated found the Goshawk again, perched in a small tree.
It soon took off –
That was the last I saw of the Grey Goshawk, but I did get a distant view of a Brown Goshawk –
Back at the Landing Lights Wetland, the Pied Stilts were squabbling –
Then I spotted the Osprey hovering above Muddy Creek.
By the time I got there, it had left, so I went out to the Cooks River. I could see it perched on a distant pole near the airport.
I had lunch near the airport and watched it. It eventually took off and headed my way.
It circled around a bit then headed back towards its old perch. But it also had picked up a Raven.
The Raven drove it well into the airport.
On my way home, I looked out for Sacred Kingfishers. I didn’t spot any and I think they have all probably now gone to their summer homes.
I spotted this Little Pied Cormorant from the Tempe Bridge –
And I finally spotted the Tawny Frogmouth nest in Gough Whitlam Park.
Last year, this Tawny Frogmouth had nested in a fenced off area, a little upstream of the park. Now its nest was close to where it had nested in 2019.