Birds at Long Reef – 18 February 2024

It was time to head to Long Reef on the Northern Beaches again. I was on the lookout for Ospreys and other raptors, but with low tide – I also had the chance to look for migratory birds.

When I arrived, I soon spotted an Osprey. But it was flying out to sea. I watched it for a while but it did not come back in the same way.

So I ventured out on the rock platform and soon found plenty of migratory birds. There were dozens, or perhaps hundred of Red-necked Stints.

A Pied Cormorant flew past –

And here is a Grey-tailed Tattler –

Some more Red-necked Stints –

And back to the Grey-tailed Tattler –

Suddenly a lot of birds took to the air. Like this Sooty Oystercatcher –

A juvenile White-bellied Sea Eagle flew overhead.

It then flew back to the lookout area, where it met an Osprey.

The Osprey had a fish that the Sea Eagle wanted.

I am not sure what the outcome was. But the Osprey is flying away, and there is a fish or bit of fish falling near the Sea Eagle.

The Red-necked Stints were in the air –

A pair of White-faced Herons arrived on the headland.

Here is a Ruddy Turnstone –

And with the two Ruddy Turnstones is a Pacific Golden Plover – 

Pacific Golden Plover

Double banded Plover

Pacific Golden Plover

Red-necked Stint

Ruddy Turnstone

Crested Tern

I then headed up to the lookout area. A Nankeen Kestrel was hunting –

But then it landed on the cliffs, and sat in this spot for at least forty minutes.

When there Kestrel eventually took off, it flew out of the area.

And a Pelican cruised past –

Then an Osprey arrived.

And when I looked to see where it had gone – there were two Ospreys –

I went back down to the rock platform, but the Ospreys had vanished. I later saw a distant one with a fish –