The day started off a bit wet and windy, but by afternoon I was keen to head out, and visited a few local spots to see what birds I could find.
I first walked to Morton Park on Canterbury Road. There has been a nesting pair of Tawny Frogmouths here in recent years. Would they be breeding again. Local birdwatcher, Michael had told me they were, and it didn’t take too long to spot a nest. But it was very high up in a tree and it was obscured by branches and foliage from most angles. This is the best I could do –
I could not spot the other one of the pair.
I then caught a bus along Canterbury Road to Canterbury Station, and started walking along the Cooks River. I looked in a the trees at the Close St Reserve for a tawny Frogmouth nest – but could not spot one. I continued downstream.
At the Sugar Mill, I crossed over to the true right back and walked upstream to the Cup and Saucer Creek Wetland.
Australian Swamphen with chick –
Chestnut Teal
Then back downstream and back across the bridge to the Boat Harbour. I had earlier bumped into fellow bushwalker, Helen, and she had told me she saw a Darter. I said that I thought it was a Great Cormorant that I had seen when crossing the bridge the first time. Well there certainly was a Great Cormorant –
And Helen was right, There was an Australasian Darter –
Magpie Lark
And there was a Striated Heron hunting for fish in the Boat Harbour –
I watched it for about twenty minutes, but during that time it never lunged for a fish.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
And then I spotted a Tawny Frogmouth roosting on a tree.
And just above it was it’s mate on a nest –
I went around the other side and got a much better view. There seems to be two chicks.
This Magpie and Noisy Miner were having a stand-off –
On the far side of the river I spotted a Royal Spoonbill –
And here is two of many Little Black Cormorants –
And in Ewen Park – another Tawny Frogmouth nest –
Again, I could not spot the second Tawny Frogmouth.