This was a cold, wet and very windy day. But it is easy to get talked into an outing to photograph birds. I had been talking to Micheal and he was keen on a trip to Malabar Headland. It was one of the rare Sundays the east side of the National Park was open, and with the prospect of a shooting festival all the next week, it sounded like a good plan to join him. But the weather had different ideas.
Earlier in the morning, looking at the weather radar, it looks like a band of rain was about to pass over. So we set off for Malabar. At the carpark, it was quite windy and a bit wet. But the rain soon eased. So we set off for Boora Point. When we got there, there was no sign of the Peregrine Falcons, and it also seemed to be far too windy for them to perch in their usual spots on the cliffs. But a short time later, we spotted one flying off and heading west along the cliffs.
So we started off in that direction, looking along the cliffs where we could, to see if had found a perch. We were lucky to spot it perched on the side of Dead Mans Gulch.
We got a few distant photos of it, and contemplated scrambling down the dyke to get closer views, but then it took off and flew back towards the nest area. We headed back that way, but saw no sign of it. We found a sheltered spot out of the wind and rain and had lunch.
After lunch we wandered along the cliffs again, going back as far as Dead Mans Gulch, but saw no Peregrines. Here are a few of the other birds –
New Holland Honeyeaters
Great Cormorant
We also saw some very distant sea birds. From their size they were likely to be Albatrosses.
Red Wattlebird
With more rain approaching, we decided to leave early.
On the way home, we stopped off at Barton Park to look for the Kestrel or Osprey. No sign of them.
Superb Fairy-wrens
Chestnut Teal
Striated Heron
Pelican
I think we had made the most of quite a wet day. Thanks to Michael for suggesting the trip and inviting me along, and for the lift there and back.