More Birds – Barton Park and The Cooks River – 1 December 2021

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Dave Noble

Barton Park was a good venue for some bird photography.

Here are some of the birds I saw, mainly at the Landing Lights Wetland – Continue reading →

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Some Birds at Sydney Park – 1 December 2021

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Dave Noble

I had a busy first day of Summer, visiting Sydney Park and then Barton Park and later walking home via the Cooks River. I will keep this post for Sydney Park only. I had some good photographic opportunities with the birds there.

Australian Reed Warbler

Here are some of the birds I saw – Continue reading →

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Long Reef Birds – 30 November 2021

Posted on December 6, 2021 by Dave Noble

I spent another part day at Long Reef photographing birds there. The weather was not the best, with some light showers, and then when heaver rain came, I left in the early afternoon.

I timed my visit for low tide – and this would allow me to look for migratory birds on the rock platform. When I arrived, I scanned the platform with binoculars and spotted an Osprey perched on a rock. It seemed to be eating a fish. I approached and paused about 20 metres away to take some photos. I did not want to disturb the bird in its feeding. Continue reading →

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Oatley Park – 29 November 2021

Posted on December 6, 2021 by Dave Noble

This visit to Oatley Park was organised and led by Gary Schoer for the National Parks Association of NSW. We spent a very pleasant time wandering around parts of the park in the morning, then headed to the Oatley Hotel for lunch. After lunch a few of us returned to the park for a visit to the lookouts.

Oatley Park is a very good bushland remnant in Sydney and isa good place to see birds and wild flowers. The group started off  at the Lime Kiln Bay Wetlands. We first looked for and found some of the resident Water Dragons. Continue reading →

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Nurragingy Reserve – 28 November 2021

Posted on December 6, 2021 by Dave Noble

I spent a nice day visiting Nurragingy Reserve at Doonside.

Eastern Spinebill

Compared to some of my other visits to this reserve, this one was relatively quiet. I like to see the resident Kingfishers, particularly the Azure Kingfishers, but on this visit I did not spot any. I did see one Sacred Kingfisher, and that was only for a short time. Continue reading →

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Birds at Sydney Olympic Park – 27 November 2021

Posted on November 30, 2021 by Dave Noble

I didn’t expect to go out again after the Greenway Bird Survey in the morning as the weather forecast was not good. On the survey we had experienced light rain – and that does not help bird photography. The light is poor and a lot less birds are around. But sitting at home, it seemed that the weather was improving, so I had an early lunch and caught a train to Concord West and was soon in The Bicentennial Park part of Sydney Olympic Park.

I had quite a good afternoon. I visited the Waterbird Refuge at Bicentennial Park and  then went to the nearby Wentworth Common, and had a quick trip to the Brickpit, and then headed back the same way. Continue reading →

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Greenway Bird Survey – 27 November 2021

Posted on November 30, 2021 by Dave Noble

Wet weather was forecast for Saturday morning, but nevertheless a group of us met at Waratah Mills Light Rail Station for the Greenway Bird Survey. We did have a bit of light rain most of the morning, but this did not stop is seeing some nice birds.

The highlight was recording a Rufous Fantail. Unfortunately I was not able to photograph it. Continue reading →

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Long Reef Birds – 25 November 2021

Posted on November 26, 2021 by Dave Noble

I decided to make visit to Long Reef on the Northern Beaches. Usually when I visit this headland, I time it to coincide with a low tide and that allows me to walk out onto the rock platform and look for migratory birds. For this visit, the tide was high in the middle of the day, but I was hopeful of seeing the local Ospreys.

I did see two Ospreys late on my visit. They were distant and never got really close. But I did have a very good encounter with a pair of Nankeen Kestrels. The weather forecast was not the best with rain forecast, but it sounded like the worst of would be later in the day. I experienced some short periods of drizzle earlier on and left when it got heaver in the early afternoon. Continue reading →

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Birds at Emu Green – 24 November 2021

Posted on November 26, 2021 by Dave Noble

I spent a nice day at Emu Green Reserve on the Nepean River at Emu Plains. There are always a lot of nice birds to look out for at this location, but I guess I was particularly interested in seeing raptors and Rainbow Bee-eaters. I saw quite a few raptors but I only saw a single Rainbow Bee-eater.

Black-shouldered Kites

The first raptors I saw were some Whistling Kites at their nest. I had seen their nest, both last year and also on my previous visit. I look out for it on the walk from Emu Plains Station to the reserve.  The nest is located high in a large tree within the grounds of the correctional centre, so you cannot get close to it. It looks like there were two juvenile birds and an adult. Continue reading →

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Malabar Headland 23 November 2021

Posted on November 23, 2021 by Dave Noble

On this visit to Malabar Headland, I was joined by Sue and then later also by Valerie. I had invited them out again to see the Peregrine Falcon family after our trip on the 16th November had been relatively quiet, and then the last trip, where I was just by myself, on the 19th November being very good. But as things turned out – on this trip we didn’t see any Peregrine Falcons.

We looked in all their usual ledges and perches and look for them flying but they seemed to be out of the area. We were restricted in which parts of Malabar headland we could visit however as a large part is closed due to trackwork. Eg – we could not walk from Boora Point to Magic Point. But despite the lack of Falcon sightings we still had an interesting trip. Continue reading →

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