Reasonable weather was forecast – warm, but I was hoping for a sea breeze, so I decided to head back up to Long Reef to try and photograph the Ospreys and any other raptors that turned up.
When I arrived, I had a good look around for any Ospreys but could not spot any. The tide was on the way up, but still low enough to venture out onto the rock platform and look for migratory birds.
I didn’t have a very good look, as there was a fair bit of water over the rocks in places, but I did spot quite a few Ruddy Turnstones. Perhaps 20 of them.
And here is a Sooty Oystercatcher –
Back to the Ruddy Turnstones –
I then spotted an Osprey fly in. It was north of the headland, and seemed to be landing. So I left the rock platform and walked around the beach on the north side. I soon spotted the Osprey eating a nice fish.
Nearby was a Willie Wagtail –
Then I noticed the Willie Wagtail start harassing the much larger Osprey. The Osprey denied to leave!
The Osprey flew off and voided its bowels –
It looked around to see if the Willie Wagtail was following. It wasn’t – but the Osprey flew out of the area with the remains of its fish.
One of the Silver Gulls also had fish –
On my previous visit I had heard some Variegated Fairy-wrens in the Bitou Bush. I heard them again now -and decided to wait around to see if any appeared. One did –
I then moved out, back to the base of the headland. Would more Ospreys appear. One did!
It landed right out on the rocks, now cut off by the raising tide.
I was a bit surprised to see it perched near the other birds.
Sooty Oystercatchers
Crested Tern
The Osprey then took off. It looked like it was looking for fish.
It had dived down – but not after a fish, but rather to have a wash. They often do this after eating.
I was waiting for it to take off, when another Osprey flew past.
This one dived –
It didn’t get a fish, and kept looking.
Now another dive –
Again – no fish. It tried some more –
This time it pulled out of its dive.
It then flew out to sea.
Caspian Tern
White-faced Heron
Great Cormorants
Then the Osprey that had been washing, took off –
And it flew in the thermals above the headland, and was joined by a second Osprey.
Then there were three!
Two continued to flew around together and they flew out of sight. The third flew out to sea, but soon returned with a fish.
One of the other two returned and started looking for fish –
And it was joined by the second one –
This osprey did a token dive – pulling out pretty soon.
As well as the paragliders there were people flying toy planes.
The Osprey flew out of the area, with no luck in their fishing. But a Nankeen Kestrel had arrived. I climbed up to the lookout for ab better view –
It was hunting.
Here it has a small grasshopper –
The Kestrel would dive, sometimes pulling out.
Here it has another grasshopper or a cricket –
All of a sudden, The Kestrel vanished. An Osprey had appeared.
But as well as the Osprey, there was also a Black-shouldered Kite.
Then more Ospreys appeared. The Kite had left. I had been about to head home when two Ospreys flew past. Then I spotted two more, then another. Five Ospreys flying high over the headland.
As the Ospreys all flew off, I decided to start for home. It had been another good day.