I had planned to join Sue for a morning visit to Sydney Park to walk around and look for birds. But it was raining, and the rain looked like it was going to continue, so we called off our visit. But later in the afternoon, the weather improved markedly, so I made a visit by myself. And it turned out to be a very worthwhile visit.
Lewin’s Rail
The first birds I photographed were some of the Australasian Grebes –
The one above is an adult, and the one below a juvenile.
Buff-banded Rail
I had been photographing the Grebes, when I spotted a Buff-banded Rail foraging along the shore of the pond. I turned my lens towards it.
The Buff-banded Rail vanished into the vegetation, but then I noticed a smaller Rail land nearby and it too scurried into the vegetation. I waited to see if it would come out. My patience as rewarded.
Lewin’s Rail
I was very pleased to be able to observe this reclusive bird.
Back to the Buff-banded Rail –
When both Rails disappeared into the vegetation, I went to the Island Pond. Here is a juvenile Dusky Moorhen and a Turtle –
Some Dragonflies –
Back at the large pond, an Australasian Darter flew in –
Back to the Island Pond, more Turtles had appeared –
And the Dollarbird was also perched on a tree on the island.
I had been wanting to get some better flight shots, so waited with my camera.
Here is has caught an insect, but does the insect escape or is it rejected by the Dollarbird?
Another insect caught –
Meanwhile, the Australasian Darter lands in a precarious perch high in a Casuarina on the island.
the Noisy Miners don’t like the Darter!
Back down at the large pond, the Buff-banded Rail is having a bath –
This had been a very good visit, particularly observing the Lewin’s Rail. The last time I saw one at Sydney Park – it had been deceased.