I spent a pleasant day at Long Reef on the Northern Beaches. Quite a few interesting birds were around.
When I arrived, the tide was too high to walk out onto the rock platform, so I went down to the lower level and walked along the beach on the north side of the headland. A few Crested Terns were hunting for fish –
I had lunch and then went back up to the higher level. Near the lookout, I spotted a Nankeen Kestrel.
It did not stay for long.
A biplane with World War I markings flew over. It was the Red Baron’s.
A number of Welcome Swallows were flying overhead. But I noticed some of the birds were different. I assumed they were White-throated Needletails. But another visiting birdwatcher, Adrian, pointed out that it that they were more likely to be Forked-tailed Swifts. Looking at them in the photos shows that this was correct.
These two are flying towards a flying insect –
The Swifts were flying very fast, but they did come fairly close at times.
I then descended again to the rock platform. The tide was now low enough to allow this. I was watching the Terns, when I saw a lot of them suddenly take-off. So did these Sooty Oystercatchers.
I thought a raptor may be approaching. I looked up and spotted an Osprey.
It landed near a rock pool.
But then an Eastern Curlew flew past.
This is the first one I have seen at Long Reef, but they are not unknown there.
Back to the Osprey. I waited to see if it would take-off.
It did eventually, but flew away.
I had seen lot of Red-necked Stints flying about. I now moved close to some of them.
There seemed to be several hundred on the platform.
I spotted a few Grey-tailed Tattlers –
And a large flock of White-faced Herons circled around –
Some more migratory birds, this time a pair of Ruddy Turnstones –
Here is a Sooty Oystercatcher –
Another migratory bird – a Pacific Golden Plover –
And unusual for out on the rock platform, a Welcome Swallow –
So another good day out. It was nice to see a new birds – the Fork-tailed Swifts.