The weather in Sydney recently has beeb quite wet, and it is nice to try and find a gap in the rain to spend some time outdoors. For a while, I had been wanting to head back to Long Reef on the Northern Beaches to see the migratory birds before they leave, and also the local raptors.
Ruddy Turnstone
The forecast for the afternoon looked a fair bit better than the morning forecast, and the tide was lowest around 2 pm, so I caught a bus to Collaroy and walked out to Long Reef.
From the lookout, I could not see any hovering raptors, so I scanned the rock platform and nearby slopes and trees. Again, no raptors. I then walked around the north side, to where I often see the Ospreys perching in the trees. Again no luck. So I sat on a dry boulder and had lunch, and also good place to be if anything turned up. I did see a Nankeen Kestrel fly past, but my camera was still packed away. That was the only one I saw.
I then headed out onto the rock platform. Here are some of the birds I saw –
Sooty Oystercatchers
Pied Cormorants
Grey-tailed Tattlers
Red-necked Stints
Ruddy Turnstones
Crested Terns
I next headed back up to the lookout.
Welcome Swallow
Then an Osprey cruised past. It did not hunt or circle around.
Walking back to the bus stop, here was one of a number of Pelicans at Fishermans Beach.
