This started off a nice day weather wise – with some rain looming. When I checked the radar – the rain was out at sea and heading north, but during the day, it got quite cold and windy – so I did not stay as long as I had planned. The cold windy weather meant a lot of the smaller birds stayed hidden in their shelter.
White-bellied Sea Eagle
I caught a bus to Tempe, then while waiting for the next bus to the park, I looked for Kingfishers at Cahill Park – with no luck. All I photographed was a Darter (and a Cormorant) –
When I arrived at Barton Park, I looked up and saw three Pelicans flying high overhead –
And then a large flock of Little Black Cormorants flew over –
At the Landing Lights Wetland, when I was walking around the boardwalk, I heard some alarm calls and looked up and saw, what I though at first was an Osprey, flying past with a fish. It was being pursued by a Raven and some Magpies. When I looked at my photos, I could see it was a juvenile White-bellied Sea Eagle.
It circled around and flew off back towards Muddy Creek.
I then walked out to the Cooks River near the Swoos, and I could see the Sea Eagle and it harasses still flying around –
Then I saw another bird that also appeared to have fish. It was a distant Osprey –
It flew over to the airport – and was then joined by another Osprey.
Meanwhile the Sea Eagle flew past again –
The next photo shows the pair of Ospreys. One is perched on the light. Perhaps they are a nesting pair?
I then went into the old sporting fields and spotted the Nankeen Kestrel. It was perched on a light.
It soon flew off to another light.
It was very windy and the bird did not stay there long.
It flew down to a lower position. It was very difficult to get flight shots in the wind.
Again, it did not stay long and flew off towards the old stadium area. I did not see it again during my visit.
Next stop was the wetlands. Here are some Pied Stilts –
And a juvenile Striated Heron was hunting –
But it was very wary and soon flew off.
A White-faced Heron was hunting in the Spring St Canal –
The tide was now low, so I was not surprised to see a Striated Heron hunting near the end of the Spring St Canal. I stayed to watch it.
This one is usually OK with being watched.
While I watched, It only made one strike for a fish, and returned with nothing. Perhaps the water was a bit too choppy with the wind for it to see the fish easily?
One of the Ospreys flew high over the far side of Muddy Creek but didn’t not come close –
I went back to the Striated Heron.
When it flew off, I decided that it was too cold, so made my way home.