I was able to join the Mudlarks on their monthly survey along the Cooks River. This month, the survey was the downstream loop. We saw some nice birds along the way.
From the Lang Street Footbridge, where the group meets at 7:30 am, we watched a Royal Spoonbill on the mudflat below –
Australasian Grebes
Striated Heron
Little Black Cormorant
Masked Lapwing
Little Pied Cormorant
Little Black Cormorants
Great Egret
Australasian Grebe
White-faced Heron
Chestnut Teal
We spotted a Hoary-headed Grebe from the footbridge that goes to the golf course. Grebes are are along the river, and Hoary-headed Grebes are rarer still.
At the Dibble Avenue Waterhole, we saw some Pacific Black Ducks and Eurasian Coots.
Welcome Swallow
Back near the Lang Street Bridge, at the end of the survey, we watched a group of Little Corellas having fun on the flag at the green on the golf course.
And some Galahs flew overhead –
As usual, we finished with morning tea and a chat at Ewen Park.
It was interesting to see the Grebes again. These are birds we don’t see all that often along the river, but have recently turned up on surveys along the Cooks River with the Mudlarks and also the Tempe Birdos.