Birds at Barton Park – 3 August 2022

This was another day of bird photography at Barton Park. Like previous trips, I had one main aim – to get better  photographs of the Swamp Harrier, and also the long standing aim – to get photographs of the osprey diving and catching a fish. Its good to have aims, but in practice you need a lot of luck for them to be fulfilled – and also to put in a lot of hours. But also – even if you don’t succeed, the visit is always interesting. That was certainly the case this time.

I spent a lot of time walking around different parts of the park looking for birds. I first visited the Landing Lights Wetland. Here are two Royal Spoonbills –

There were quite a few Pied Stilts in the pond, but most seemed to be leaving.

A few adults remained.

A Little Black Cormorant was hunting in the Spring St Canal.

I then went up to the higher level near the old stadium. An Australasian Darter flew past –

And here is one of a pair of Galahs –

Back down near Muddy Creek, I photographed this Little Pied Cormorant taking off.

Here is a Great Egret –

Back at the wetlands, I watched this White-faced Heron hunting –

Back up at the higher level, I photographed some Red-browed Finches –

And a Superb Fairy-wren –

A Welcome Swallow –

Another Little Black Cormorant hunting in Muddy Creek –

Walking back towards the wetlands, I photographed this Grey Fantail –

An the same or another White-faced Heron at the wetlands –

I had lunch at the end of the Spring St Canal. The weather had been dull and overcast, but now the clouds had all gone, and it was warm and sunny.  Up at the higher level, I spotted the Grey Goshawk –

As I walked closer, it took off –

It landed somewhere near the grandstand of the old stadium. I walked around the back just as it was being chased away by some magpies.

It flew a long way off. I then concentrated on a Double-barred Finch –

Walking around a bit more, I saw the Great Egret perched high on a bush –

And here is a Yellow-rumped Thornbill in the old sporting fields –

I then ran into Biggles, a fellow bird photographer. hill we were talking, we spotted the Swamp Harrier. It was very distant.

Its a hard bird to get close to. I flew off before we could get closer. We walked in the direction it had flown, nut never saw it again.

Here is a Golden-headed Cisticola –

We did spot the Grey Goshawk however.

We followed it into the old sporting fields and saw it perched on a distant fence. But again, as we got closer it flew away.

Walking around  bit more we ddi spot a Brown Goshawk.

But we could not find it again.

I finished the day off at the wetlands, and again with the hunting White-faced Heron. This time there was some nice light.