This was a nice day out. The first part was a visit to Oatley Park with Digi Dave. We had a good look around and saw some nice birds and lizards. Later, on the way home, I got a text from another friend Michael, who was at Sydney Park looking for a recently seen Powerful Owl, so as it was not far from my route home – I made a short visit.
Oatley Park
At Oatley Park, Digi Dave and myself first visited the lookouts. At the first one we bumped into David M who knows the park well. He gave us some advice for spotting some Sea Eagles. We saw two perched on a distant headland. Here is one –
Further in the park, at another of the lookout we spotted another raptor, an Osprey perched, again on the far side of a bay.
Near this lookout was a feeding group of birds. Here is a Rufous Fantail –
And a Brown Thornbill –
Above, a Grey Butcherbird was calling –
Down at the Lime Kiln Bay Wetlands, we watched some Dusky Moorhen chicks being fed.
It is interesting here that a juvenile Dusky Moorhen is helping with the feeding. Perhaps it is an older sibling?
And the usual Water Dragons were around –
In the trees above was an Australasian Figbird –
Along the track on the western side, we saw another feeding group that included this Rufous Whistler –
And with them was a flock of Variegated Fairywrens.
And now, some of the birds up at the top park. Laughing Kookaburras –
And a colourful Rainbow Lorikeet coming in to land.
After lunch, we walked along the track around the point. It was fairly quiet for birds while we were there. Here is a White-faced Heron hunting along the shore –
Sydney Park
Digi Dave dropped me off at Oatley Station, and I had received a text from Michael asking about some of the birds at Sydney Park. He was there looking for a Powerful Owl that had roosted there the day before. Looking at my apps, I saw I could get a bus there from Wolli Creek Station with a very short wait.
At Sydney Park, I soon found Michael and we wandered around looking up into trees (nest with good canopies) but fails to spot the Powerful Owl. It has probably moved on. But, we did spot a drey, and Michel saw a face looking down. It was a Ring-tailed Possum.
We then had a look around for Quails and Rails and whatever other bird may be around. We saw this Blue-tongued Skink enjoying the Sun.
We did spot the pair of Tawny Frogmouths –
We did not spot any Quails, but we did spot one Buff-banded Rail –
It was now time to head home. It had been a long but very enjoyable day.