I was hoping for better weather. The forecast was not the best – showers. And that was how it turned out. I had made my way to Barton Park again – after a recent very good trip. I ended up spending a fair bit of time, under shelter, sitting out rain – at various places in the park. But I also saw a fair range of birds. And many of the birds I saw were different to those I had seen on recent trips.
When I arrived I spotted Royal Spoonbill in the Spring St Canal. As I approached, it took off and flew away.
A Great Egret was sitting in a bush.
Superb Fairy-wrens
Brown Honeyeater
I spotted a pair of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos on the far side of Muddy Creek.
No sign of the Osprey. Here are two Little Black Cormorants and a Pied Cormorant –
I could hear some birds squabbling. It was a Magpie fighting another Magpie. Perhaps a territorial dispute?
Then I spotted a bird I had heard but not seen on recent trips. A Fan-tailed Cuckoo –
In the new wetland area near the end of the Spring St Canal, I saw several Great Egrets –
And one of the usual New Holland Honeyeaters –
I got a distant view of the Nankeen Kestrel, but it didn’t stay around.
Here is the Royal Spoonbill again –
And I had seen a White-necked Heron recently at Barton Park but had not go good photos.
Hunting nearby was one of the Great Egrets –
And a pair of them flew past.
In the old sporting fields, where I headed to sit out some rain, I saw a number of Yellow-rumped Thornbills feeding in the wet grass.
Amongst them were some Nutmeg Mannikins.
And some more of the Yellow-rumped Thornbills –
And there plenty of Red-browed Finches.
When the rain stopped, I headed towards the old stadium and spotted a Grey Goshawk perched on a light.
It flew off and I did not see it again. A Red-rumped Parrot flew past –
I had to retreat to the shelter at the back of the stadium to sit out some more rain. While I was waiting, a Swamp Harrier flew past.
Another Red-browed Finch –
I later spotted a Brown Goshawk. It was perched in a dead tree. It flew off before I could get close.
Here is a White-browed Scrubwren –
Some Welcome Swallows –
White-faced Heron
Great Egret
Red-browed Finch
And to finish, some photos of Welcome Swallows grabbing insects off the surface of the Cooks River.
