I had been hoping to make another visit to Nurragingy Reserve for a while but there had been railway trackwork or unsuitable weather. This day was not ideal – I had a late start after waiting at home for delivery to arrive, and it was forecast to be quite a hot day – and it is always hotter in the western suburbs.
So I didn’t arrive until after 11 am, but it turned out to be worthwhile trip. When I walked into the Reserve I could hear the alarm calls of some birds and looked up. I soon spotted a raptor. I think it was a Brown Goshawk.
It was then joined by second raptor and they both climbed higher in the thermals. A good start.
I looked around some of the ponds to see if I could spot any Azure Kingfishers and near one pool, I bumped into Johan, a fellow bird photographer. He had been watching a hole in tree that had been used in a previous season by a pair of Sacred Kingfishers as their nest. He thought he could see eyes inside the hole (using his camera and telephoto lens). I took a photo, but it was not till I got home that I confirmed that there do seem to be the eyes of a bird – probably a Sacred Kingfisher inside. It is likely to be sitting on eggs.
I then spotted a Sacred Kingfisher perched in tree not too far away.
I then walked along another pool, again looking for Azure Kingfishers, but with no luck. So I next set off around the perimeter fire road. Walking slowly, waiting at spots for birds to reveal themselves. This time, perhaps due to the heat, not many birds seemed to be around. Here is a Yellow-faced Honeyeater –
Walking back, I was near the ponds when I could hear some alarm calls. I looked up and spotted a raptor. I moved a bit and waited for a better view. It flew off to another perch, and now I could see it was a Pacific Baza.
It was being harassed by other birds, and it soon took-off again. But this time it was after some prey.
With talons outstretched it dived at somthing. Then it flew back with something.
When it perched, I could see it had an insect. It looks like a stick insect.
After inspecting its probe, it looked around. These birds are always very wary.
It looks around again, and then flies a short distance to another perch. It resumes its feeding.
It was great to see this bird. But a short time later, at one of the ponds, I spotted an Azure Kingfisher.
It took-off before I was really ready, but the camera coped quite well tracking the bird as it dived for a fish.
The fish must have moved as the Kingfisher starts to pull out of its dive.
It landed on a perch, but then flew off down the pool. I did spot it a few more times – but only got views of it filtered behind vegetation along the side of the pool.
These two sequences of photos made the trip worthwhile. Checking the times from when I first spotted the Baza until the Kingfisher finished its dive occupied only 14 minutes.
This Turtle was a lot slower –
The Sacred Kingfisher was back in its perch near the nest hole.
Back to looks for the Azure Kingfisher, all I photographed was this Water Dragon and some more Turtles.
My second walk around the perimeter trail was after lunch, and this was slightly better than the first. Here is another Yellow-faced Honeyeater. It is searching for lerps.
And an Olive-backed Oriole –
It was now getting really hot (34*C) and I wondered if the Oriole had its beak open to cool down. It was not calling.
And some more photos of the Sacred Kingfisher –
The heat was making it too unpleasant to be outdoors walking around, so I decided to head home. A few last photos of an Australian Raven. It too has its beak open.
