This was an afternoon trip. I caught a train to Cheltenham, then walked down Devlins Creek to the Lane Cove River, then walked downstream to Browns Waterhole. I then walked up Terrys Creek and walked to Epping Station. I was looking for Powerful Owls and their owlets.
My friend Bob lives at Cheltenham, and he had recently spotted a family on Powerful Owls near his place and given me details of where he had seen them. So I knew roughly where to look. But these birds do move around a bit.
After a bit of effort, I eventually spotted an adult Powerful Owl perched in a tree.
More looking, and in another tree nearby, I spotted the second adult owl.
And a bit higher up in that tree was the owlet.
I was very happy to see these amazing birds.
I then continued down the fire road along Devlins Creek. Some more birds –
Golden Whistler
White-browed Scrubwren
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
And along the Lane Cove River, I spotted a Red Beard Orchid (Calochilus paludosus) –
Brown Thornbill
Brown Gerygone
Walking up Terrys Creek, I was on the lookout for more Powls.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
I went off the track at one spot, at a place where I had seen Powerful Owls roosting on previous trips, and there was one adult there.
I did some more looking but could not spot any others in that location.
Eastern Spinebill
And further upstream, I spotted three more Powerful Owls. An adult and two owlets perched on the one branch – high up and obscured by branches.
The owlets seem very curious.
At each site, I didn’t start too long. it’s not good to interrupt the sleep of these owls.
Hello,
I loved reading your blog about finding the owls. I lived in Epping for 25yrs and I never found them. Did you find them along Devlins creek? or Terry Creek. I’m so keen to try and go quietly observe them. many thanks for any help
The Powerful Owls can be hard to spot. Sometimes a bit of help can be very useful. Eg I have a friend that lives near the bush at Cheltenham – and he sometimes sees Powerful Owls and lets me know the locations (Devlins Creek). Other times I have spotted them myself by noticing their “whitewash” under where they roost – and then looking up. There are Powls along Terrys Creek – that often roost in the same place over the years. They can be hard to see from the track – and I have only spotted them because I have been off the track looking for fungi.