Long Reef Birds – 25 November 2021

I decided to make visit to Long Reef on the Northern Beaches. Usually when I visit this headland, I time it to coincide with a low tide and that allows me to walk out onto the rock platform and look for migratory birds. For this visit, the tide was high in the middle of the day, but I was hopeful of seeing the local Ospreys.

I did see two Ospreys late on my visit. They were distant and never got really close. But I did have a very good encounter with a pair of Nankeen Kestrels. The weather forecast was not the best with rain forecast, but it sounded like the worst of would be later in the day. I experienced some short periods of drizzle earlier on and left when it got heaver in the early afternoon.

When I arrived, I walked down to the rock platform. I could see a lot of distant Cormorants. Here is a Sooty Oystercatcher that flew past.

WhenI looked back up towards the lookout, I spotted a Nankeen Kestrel hovering as it hunted. I climbed back up to the top.

The Kestrel had caught a mouse which it ate before I spotted it on the crumbly cliffs.

I waited for it to take off, which it eventually did, but in direction away from me.

It then circled around a bit and then started hunting again.

These birds, like Black-shouldered Kites can hover as they scan the ground for prey.

It dived down and returned with a mouse.

There were two Kestrels on the cliffs. I think this is the second one.

The first one was eating its mouse.

It ate a small bit and then tried to eat the rest of the mouse in one go. It took a lot of effort, and it eventually succeeded.

Again – when it took off, it did so in a direction away from me. Does it always take off that way? No – because I had seen it there another time and missed photographing the take-off. That time it was towards me.

It did some nice fast flying, trailing a streamer of grass caught in a talon.

Then landed for a rest.

Then some more hunting.

Another rest break.

This time it has caught small lizard.

It goes to visit the second Kestrel.

And a Superb Fairy-wren appears for a change.

One of the Kestrels lands on a fence. Not a wise place to rest! A pesky Willie Wagtail arrives.

The Willie Wagtail must have a nest nearby. I harasses the Kestrel trying to drive it away. The Kestrel has no idea where the Willie Wagtail is.

The Kestrel gets the message and leaves.

Then some more hovering and hunting.

Meanwhile another player arrives. It is an Osprey.

It is approaching but gets waylaid. A Magpie attacks it and tries to drive it away.

A good peck on the tail feathers does the trick.

Perhaps the Osprey was embarrassed by this encounter. It starts to practise some defensive and attacking moves.

Now it is ready for anything.

I was hoping it would fly closer and start some fishing nearby. But again it got waylaid. This time by another Osprey.

They fly off together, but not in my direction.

One last Kestrel photo. It was now starting to rain more seriously so I walk back to the bus-stop.

I don’t think it will be too long before I make another visit.