I didn’t expect to go out again after the Greenway Bird Survey in the morning as the weather forecast was not good. On the survey we had experienced light rain – and that does not help bird photography. The light is poor and a lot less birds are around. But sitting at home, it seemed that the weather was improving, so I had an early lunch and caught a train to Concord West and was soon in The Bicentennial Park part of Sydney Olympic Park.
I had quite a good afternoon. I visited the Waterbird Refuge at Bicentennial Park and then went to the nearby Wentworth Common, and had a quick trip to the Brickpit, and then headed back the same way.
Here are some of the birds at the Waterbird Refuge –
Pied Stilts
There were plenty of Pied Stilt chicks.
Royal Spoonbill
Great Egret
Chestnut Teals
Red-necked Avocet
At the Shipwreck Lookout I saw this White-faced Heron –
At Wentworth Common, I saw a few Dusky Moorhen chicks and their parents.
An a group of Australian White Ibis were asking advantage of the soft ground after the rain to dig for worms.
While walking around the ring path at Wentworth Common, I spotted this Tawny Frogmouth on the ground.
It didn’t look too good and I wondered what to do. Some other park visitors arrived and we ended up calling Wires. They suggested capturing it and taking it to a local vet where it could be checked over and then collect by a Wires person. I found box in a nearby garbage bin and when I was attempting to entice the bird to go in the box it flew off to perch in a nearby tree. That seemed a better outcome.
Just after this I heard a commotion and saw a Peregrine Falcon fly past at speed. I was not able to get a photo but kept my eyes open. A little later I saw it again.
Then it was joined by a second one and they flew around together.
I think they are juveniles practising their flying.
Also at Wentworth Common – an Australasian Grebe –
And one of many Superb Fairy-wrens –
At the Brickpit, I again saw one of the Peregrine Falcons flash past.
Back at Wentworth Common, the Tawny Frogmouth now seemed to be asleep.
And one last bird, a Great Egret –
