This was a day somewhat like the day before in that I visited two different places. But in many ways it was also quite different. I first headed to Eastwood and started walking down Terrys Creek – but got a bit washed out by rain, so headed home. Then after lunch, like the day before, I got a text message from local birder Michael. This time he was on the Hawthorne Canal and had spotted a Sacred Kingfisher. So I headed there in the late afternoon.
Terrys Creek
It had been raining in the Epping area, but I had been watching the rain radar and it looked like that by the time I could get up there, the rain would have passed over. This turned out to be correct, and I walked down from Eastwood Station to the start of the track and set off downstream. I was on the lookout for fungi and birds.
On my way, I noticed the creek rather swollen. It looks as high as it had the previous week when I had been along the upper section to photograph Eastwood Falls. That meant I would not be able to cross easily.
So I continued downstream, and at the first crossing point, not far below Eastwood Falls, I found it was very difficult to cross. I did not want to wade across the deep fast flowing stream. So I stayed on tracks on the true left bank till Epping Road and crossed to the true right on the road bridge.
White-browed Scrubwren
At the bridge, I bumped into Jenny and her husband, Rodney. They had been looking for Powerful Owls as well and fungi. Together we headed upstream, but we could not locate the Powerful Owl I had seen on my previous trip.
I then headed downstream. The fungi was relatively poor. By this time, it had started raining again, and I was not sure whether to call it quits or continue downstream. I decided to keep going downstream, but the rain got heavier. Where the track goes under the M2 I decided to return back the way I had come. I thought it unlikely I would be able to cross the Lane Cove River at Browns Waterhole. Also – the fungi I had been looking for was not out. If it had been I would have sat out the rain, under the M2, until the rain had eased.
Back at Epping Road, I left the track and caught a bus to Epping, then a train home.
As I said above, later that afternoon, I got a text message from Michael and soon found myself on the high trail headed for Hawthorne.
Hawthorne Canal
I left the station and crossed to the west bank and started walking downstream. I soon spotted two juvenile White-faced Herons. One was on the bank and the second, a rather strange looking one, was perched in a tree.
Further along, I spotted an Australasian Figbird.
Then I saw flash of blue. It was a Sacred Kingfisher. It had flown upstream past me. I walked closer to where it had perched.
I waited for it to take off.
Again, I saw where it perched and headed closer.
It moved slightly.
Then it flew further away and I could not see where it had gone. I walked upstream to see if I could spot it. Not this time.
One of the Herons was in the same place.
This time when I went back downstream, I spotted a female Australasian Figbird.
And I think this is a second one –
Then I bumped into Michael. He had been further upstream and was on his way home, But another friend, John arrived with his son Seby. Together we started looking for the Kingfisher. Eventually we spotted it.
It always seemed to stay on the far bank, which meant it was never real close, but it did make it easier to get flight photos when it took off.
By now the light was starting to get bad, so I headed to John’s house nearby for a welcome cup of tea.
This was a good Kingfisher encounter. It’s nice to see them on local waterways. And many thanks to Michael for the information.