Mainly birds of prey (July 2020)

Not unlike my previous post, the first couple of photos are not as per the title - but as always, be patient 😉.

The mild winters here also afford a plethora of nice days to be driving around and just be alert to what you might see by way of bird life. There are many back roads and farm roads and forest roads to explore. These are great too because there is seldom any traffic so it is easy to stop regularly and watch and listen, and to pull over and take photos as opportunities present. So it was on several days where drives were taken in July. The rewards were mostly, but not exclusively, birds of prey.

I begin with a white-headed pigeon, showing - even in the heavy shade - the subtle irridesence inhabiting it's deceptively dark grey wings feathers. This one was grazing by the side of the road which was a bit of a treat as they are most visible during and after rain on powerlines. This is followed by a curious young magpie enjoying learning to hunt in the grass and soaking up the bright sunshine. The very last photo of this post allows a clear contrast in the plummage of a more mature magpie - the much darker, shiny black and sharper white is evident.

This next series of shots were taken on different days but in a similar area ... on the way to Lennox Head along some back roads less travelled. While always a preference to photograph a bird in a natural environment, even on backroads our powerlines offer excellent vantage points for them to hunt from. So, they are often spotted in the "open" taking full advantage. I have identified each bird on a wire in the captions.

Grey goshawk

Same grey goshawk

A young nankeen kestrel

A black-shouldered kite

Co-existing with a brave blue-faced honeyeater

Alone again.

This next sequence begins with a more mature nankeen kestrel. This drive was through the cane fields and along the riverbank at Pimlico through to Wardell. Very picturesque. There is also a well patronised osprey nesting pole along this route, though nothing to share from that in this post.

Pleasingly, after the nankeen kestrel the settings return to more natural and less built environment 😊. The remaining photos feature two different black-shouldered kites in perches high in a pine tree, followed by a selection of flight sequences as they hovered very obligingly right next to the road over the fallow cane fields hunting. Not large predators, but with very effective weapons!

Another drive I make regularly is to the Broadwater National Park. There is a fantastic set of fire trails to walk north, south and west, as well as a wonderful lookout that you often have all to yourself. It has sweeping views over the National Park, a large sand dune and north and south along the coast to Ballina and Evans Head.

The first two photos below show three bar-shouldered doves perched on some branches near the lookout car park through the banksia trees. The excellent light shows off their under-stated palette splendidly. A bit of a treat to get such clear images and get so near without them taking flight. The third photo is a pied oyster catcher (the other half of the pair was lurking too) - I like the photo as it clearly shows the "footprints in the sand" 😐. Finally there is a flight sequence of the majestic white-bellied sea eagle taken from the look out during two different visits. Mid afternoon patience often allows you to get a view almost at eye-level as they cruise past along the ocean edge. Getting "the" shot remains another work in progress 😌 ... but sometimes it is even better just to watch and admire! Sadly the photos do no justice to just how large these magnficient creatures are - gracefully gliding in spite of their size nonetheless.

And finally, as noted at the beginning of the post, a more mature magpie gleaming in garden sunshine in all it's glory. Red soil ... what red soil??