With wet weather forecast, I was keen to get out, but thought it best not to venture to far away, so decided to repeat the trip I did a week or so earlier. I first walked to Morton Park on Canterbury Road at Dulwich Hill to check out the nesting Tawny Frogmouths. I then caught a bus down Canterbury Road to the Cooks River, and walked downstream as far as Marrickville Golf Course before walking home. I did experience a little rain along the way.
At Morton Park, I soon located the Tawny Frogmouth nest, high a Casuarina Tree. It is very hard to get a good look, with binoculars or telephoto lens, but I could see no sigh of chicks.
On the Cooks River, I first visited the Close St Reserve, and I did spot a single roosting Tawny Frogmouth.
In earlier years, although not the past few years, I have seen a nest here, but despite a lot of looking, I could not see one.
At the Boat Harbour, I soon spotted a family of Tawny Frogmouths. Two chicks have now fledged, and look very healthy and curious.
This is a better angle –
I continued east along the path. At the bush regeneration area near Ford St, I could hear some Superb Fairy-wrens as I approached.
This one seems to be collecting nesting material –
And this male was doing some wooing –
The local bushcare group – the Mudcrabs planned to make this site, small bird friendly, when they replanted it, and their choice of plants has certainly worked.
I then heard the raucous calls of a pair of Channel-billed Cuckoos. Here is one of them –
It was being harassed by Noisy Miners.
I then checked the Tawny Frogmouth nest at Ewen Park. I soon located the nest –
And I then moved to a better spot. No sign of chicks. But I didn’t expect any. I think this is the same pair that nested close by last season, and on the far side of the river in previous years, and all the nests I had observed were unsuccessful. I had often seen the pair sitting on their nest – from September to near Christmas – and then giving up.
But then, wow! There was a chick. Very tiny –
And more obvious when it yawned.
I wonder if the adult (usually the male sits on the nest during the day) was so proud, it was showing me its chick? I would like to think so, but this was probably not the case. I think I was just lucky to see it sit up. I sure hope it survives, and any of its siblings.
I could not spot its mate.
At the Wardell Road bridge, I photographed some Fairy Martins –
I then went to Marrickville Golf Course to see if the pair of tawny Frogmouths that normally roost there were nesting. I this they are nesting, but not in that location.
Here is a Grey Butcherbird –
Rainbow Lorikeet
I walked home, with stop off at the Dibble Avenue Waterhole. I had seen Tawny Frogmouths roosting there in the past, but could not spot any this visit.
I did spot this Australasian Grebe –
