I spent a nice day at Sydney Olympic Park, but the day had an unusual start. I was intending to visit Nurragingy Reserve, and so caught a train to Doonside and walked down to the park gates and found it closed due to extreme weather. So I walked back to the station and got on a train back towards the city. On the way I thought about options and checked timetables. One option was Sydney Olympic Park, but I knew trains where not running to Concord West, but I could get a bus to the park from Strathfield.
So that was how I ended up at Sydney Olympic Park. I got off the bus near Lake Belvedere, so that was the first part of the park I visited.
Lake Belvedere is a busy place. Lots of birds such as Cormorants, Darters, Egrets and Ibis nest on the main island. So birds are constantly flying to and away from it to get nesting material or food for young. There is another island that is connected with a bridge and observation platform. It is a good place to set-up. Here are some photos –
Australasian Darters
Pied Cormorants
Royal Spoonbill
Superb Fairy-wren
Turtles
Then I turned my attention to he island I was on and noticed that there were a lit of nests. Some of them had baby birds.
I think these are Little Pied Cormorant chicks –
Not far away was another nest with larger Little Pied Cormorant chicks. A parent had just arrive and the chicks wanted to be fed.
It was quite amazing to watch.
And another nest also had three chicks. These were larger, and I thought they may have been Great Cormorant chicks.
Meanwhile, a Little Black Cormorant had caught something. I don’t know what it caught, but it discarded it soon after.
I then headed through the mangroves and to the Waterbird Refuge.
Here is a Great Egret –
A Royal Spoonbill and a Black Swan –
A Black Swan with cygnets –
Pied Stilts –
Superb Fairy-wrens
And a spider –
At the shipwreck lookout, I spotted this Australasian Darter.
I did not have to wait long for it to take off.
While I was having lunch, another Darter flew in.
I then headed to Wentworth Common. While I was walking around a raptor flew overhead. Perhaps a Brown Goshawk.
And here is an Australasian Grebe –
I then walked towards the Archery Centre. At Haslams Creek I saw this juvenile Striated Heron –
While I was walking up Woo -la-ra, I bumped into a visiting English birdwatcher and he joined me for the climb to the top. I was hoping for some more raptors. No. We did spot some Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes. Here is one –
I waited on the hill till my bus back to Burwood got close. As I was walking down, I saw this nice Golden-headed Cisticola.
