More Birds at Barton Park – 15 July 2022

This was a full day spent at Barton Park, and I was fortunate to see good range of birds including a Sacred Kingfisher, a Jacky Winter, a Buff-banded Rail, an Osprey and a Swamp Harrier.

First, was a Welcome Swallow –

The Landing Lights Wetland we again very quiet. Nearby a Great Egret was hunting –

Silvereye

Australian Reed Warbler

Superb Fairy-wrens

Sacred Kingfisher

Brown Honeyeater

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

Great Egret 

Jacky Winter

Willie Wagtail

Here it is just about to grab an insect –

Red-browed Finch

Osprey

The Osprey sent several hours perched on the mast of one of the boats in Muddy Creek. At one time there were seven bird photographers watching it waiting for it to take off. I first saw it at 11:13 am. Amongst the other bird photographers were Danielle and Sam who I had met at other locations.

A Striated Heron flew past –

Back to the Osprey. It seemed very content to sit perched in the warm sun.

Wing stretching. Was it about to fly? No.

A Brown Goshawk flew past –

The Osprey watched it –

The Brown Goshawk flew around a bit more on the opposite side –

I was ready when the Osprey eventually took off. It was close to 1pm.

Nearby on the cycleway near the Spring St Canal, I spotted a foraging Buff-banded Rail.

I had probably seen this Rail on an earlier trip, but it had disappeared into the undergrowth before I could get my camera pointed at it. This time I was more successful. It even stayed around when cyclists went past.

Back at Muddy Creek, a Caspian Tern flew past.

At about 2pm I noticed the Osprey was back on the same mast. This time it looked wet.

I thought it must have been hunting for fish and been unsuccessful. Perhaps it would take-off soon and hunt nearby? I stayed in that area.

Close by, in the Spring St Canal, the Striated Heron was hunting –

A few other birds nearby, a Red Browed Finch –

Chestnut Teal

New Holland Honeyeater

The Osprey was still perched on the mast and again looked quite settled. I visited the old sporting fields and spotted a distant Swamp Harrier –

Back to the Osprey, it was again looking very settled. It was now 3:37 pm.

I finished my visit by photographing a pair of Grey Fantails hunting for insects.

Other bird watchers had seen the Grey Goshawk, but there seemed to be no sign of the Nankeen Kestrel.