More local birds. I was originally intending to go further away – eg to Oatley Park, but there was trackwork effecting the railway line to Hurstville, so I decided to use bus transport and stay closer to home.
My first bus took me to Tempe where I visited the Tempe Wetlands and then Tempe Reserve. The wetlands were fairly quiet. These photos were taken in Tempe Reserve –
Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike
A Striated Heron flew past –
And a Great Cormorant flew the other way –
A White-faced Heron was hunting in he saltmarsh –
And here isa pair of Rainbow Lorikeets –
I then caught a bus to Barton Park, where I first visited Landing Lights Wetland. Here is a White-browed Scrubwren near the boardwalk –
There seemed to be rather a lot of White-faced Herons around. Many of them juveniles. At one time I counted six. Here one first lands on top of a tree –
But the heron is too heavy for the tree, so it moves.
It perches on post, but another heron flies in –
They argue for a spot.
A Brown Goshawk was in the area and flies off at speed –
Here are some Pied Stilts –
A White-faced Heron watches –
Some more come and go –
I next look for some smaller birds around the hinterland. Here is a Red-browed Finch –
And a Silvereye –
Back to the Pied Stilts –
Walking along the Spring Street Canal, I spot a distant Brown Goshawk –
And closer is a Superb Fairy-wren –
On the higher level, are a flock of Yellow-rumped Thornbills feeding on grass seeds.
And I spot one New Holland Honeyeater –
Back down at the wetlands, there are still plenty of White-faced Herons around –
I shed out the Cooks River, but no sign of the Osprey. After lunch, I caught a bus back to Tempe and this time started walking up the Cooks River. At Gumbramorra Creek, I first spot this Pied Cormorant –
But on the far side is this Striated Heron.
The tide is high, and it dives in after a fish. It fails to catch the fish and flies to the far side to dry off and resume its hunting.
It then flies off towards Waterworth Park.
Its place is soon taken by this Little Pied Cormorant –
Upstream, on the Cooks River a huge flock of Little Corellas takes to the air –
In Gough Whitlam Park, I spot this juvenile Brush Cuckoo. The first one I have seen I think. Thanks to Michael Crawley for the id.
And I looked for and located the resident pair of Tawny Frogmouths.
They were perched in different trees about 1 m apart.
Continuing upstream another White-faced Heron at the saltmarsh –
And then I checked the Striated Heron nest. No chicks to be seen. But I eventually spotted first one, then the second, now perched in the mangrove about a metre from the nest.
I then walked home via Marrickville Golf Course.