I was not planning on going to Red Hill Nature Reserve on this day, as we were travelling to Sydney on later that morning for an overnight stay. However, when I woke up, I could not help myself, I just wanted to go for a walk and I am glad I did. The weather was a bit overcast but it kept clearing throughout the walk. I saw my first Olive-backed Oriole on Red Hill. There was a group of White-winged Choughs cooperatively building a nest. A pair of Sacred Kingfishers revealed what may be their nest to me. Among all those sitings, the most incredible experience, even if it was heart-pounding, was being swooped by the Brown Goshawk, which you can see in the heading photograph. I really enjoyed the morning walk on Red Hill, I rushed home, excited as one thing, still with enough time to do the things I had to do before going to Sydney. I hope you enjoy the photos below from the day.
Starting in the south-west corner I saw this quiet Grey Butcherbird (Cracticus torquatus) again. This is a repeat observation at this location. I thought I had disturbed it as it flew off when I was close but it just flew to the ground. I think it may have been getting food but I could not see clearly. It then perched in a small tree not far from me before flying north to Red Hill itself.
The Grey Butcherbird possibly observing food, just before it flew to the ground
I then saw a Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) in a tree. I was not expecting that as I normally see Australian Wood Ducks in the trees of Red Hill. It appeared to be by itself, flying off after a little while.
A Pacific Black Duck in a tree
There were a group of three Australian Ravens (Corvus coronoides) on the ground towards the north-east aspect of the hill. There appeared to be two adults and a juvenile. The adults were foraging for food while the juvenile made imploring noises. the juvenile would also forage, possibly mimicking the actions of the adults. As I approached, the adults walked away but the juvenile was not certain, always lagging behind the adults, often as it tried to find food. In the photo you can see the juvenile’s bill is shorter than an adult bill and it has the slight discolouration on the side of the bill. Its plumage does not yet have the glossy sheen of the adult bird.
The juvenile Australian Raven assessing me
I started trying to track a Striated Pardalote I had heard, but somehow the call I was following turned into that of an Olive-backed Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus). It was high in a eucalyptus tree, calling out. It moved along the branches before taking to the wing to head west. I know the photograph is not the best but it was the only photo I had showing the whole bird.
The Olive-backed Oriole flying away
I had been told to keep an eye out for a White-winged Chough (Corcorax melanorhamphos) nest in this area. When I saw a group of six choughs in a tree I thought I had found it. What I had actually found was a group of choughs building a nest. I saw at least four different birds involved in building this nest. The photograph below shows an adult bird on the right and a juvenile bird on the left. The juvenile bird is also about to assist, which I captured in another photograph. Each bird would fly in with wet mud, mixed with vegetation in the end of its beak. It would deposit the muddy contribution on the foundation then alternate the side of its beak to pat the mud down. The bird would pat along one side of the nest then turn its beak around before coming back down that same side of the nest under construction. While I was looking at these choughs I reflected on how before I took up birding and bird photography as a hobby in June this year, 2018, I did not even know what a White-winged Chough was and now here I was being absolutely fascinated by them building a nest. This has already been a very rewarding journey.
An adult White-winged Chough, on the right, building a nest while a juvenile looks on
I saw, as well as heard, two Sacred Kingfishers (Todiramphus sanctus) flying east and west along the northern aspect of Red Hill. They were moving between the same trees for the most part. It was the first time I had seen a pair on Red Hill. I kept thinking I had lost them, as they always seemed to fly further away just as I had taken a few shots. Eventually, I noticed them perched beside a hole in a branch. One bird would fly to the hole, put half its body in, before flying away. I did not want to go closer to the hole to confirm what was in there although I believe it may have been for nesting. First one bird flew away, then the other but they did not go far. I had to leave before I saw if they returned.
One of the Sacred Kingfishers calling
One kingfisher is at the top left, possibly keeping an eye out, while the other is at the hole
I was finally able to track down a Striated Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus) after hearing it calling.
Striated Pardalote being shy
There was a juvenile Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) with an adult feeding on the ground. They were particularly interested in the small flowers in the photograph.
Juvenile Crimson Rosella enjoying some small flowers
I heard a number of Gang-gang Cockatoos (Callocephalon fimbriatum) around but I did not see any in trees until I saw a pair on the north slopes of Red Hill. I do not think they were planning to use the tree for nesting, as no hollows appeared suitable. The female seemed to be the most active, being on several parts of the tree.
Later on I took a photograph of ten Gang-gangs in a tree, and one Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. That is the largest gathering of Gang-gangs I have seen on Red Hill. There were three males and seven females.
The female of the pair of Gang-gang Cockatoos
The ten Gang-gangs, and one Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in a tree on Red Hill
This White-winged Triller (Lalage sueurii) flew in from the north high into some eucalyptus trees near the water tanks. It did not stay long, just perched on a branch then flew south to another tree to land on a branch, before flying off further south.
White-winged Triller high in a tree
I saw this Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris) nest before I saw the birds responsible. The nest appeared abandoned before two Weebills showed up. One was moving around the nest apparently adjusting the nest.
A Weebill at its nest
While I was photographing the Weebills I heard a call that I remembered was that of a Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus). After taking a few more shots of the Weebills I turned around to see where the Goshawk was. I saw it on a branch, which it took off from heading my way, flying very close to my head. I thought, what a marvellous experience that was, the Goshawk came close to my head as it was flying to a perch, hopefully looking for prey. It stayed on the branch, calling for a little while before taking off to fly once again in my direction. I thought that was a little odd. It then flew for a third time in my direction, this time swooping at me. I then realised; yes, a bit too slowly, it was swooping me because it probably thought I was too close to where it may have had a nest. I could, by this time, hear a second Goshawk calling from in a thicket of trees. Incidentally, the Goshawk was often perched above the Weebills nest but made no move at them. While it was calling at me, two Yellow-rumped Thornbills came towards the commotion. The Goshawk even looked directly at one of these avian rubber-neckers but made no move to target it. I decided I had better move, although I did try to get one more photograph. I saw it was on a branch and figured it would swoop me. I lined up my camera, with my finger on the auto focus waiting for it to launch. Unfortunately the sun was behind it and the trees really placed the bird in the shade. I was also not as good at lining up the bird as I should have been. The photo was not as good as I would have hoped but it still reminded me of that experience so I included it at the head of this post. I thought being swooped by an Australian Magpie while riding my bike was frightening but being repeatedly swooped by a Goshawk really impacted me. My heart truly was pounding as I walked away, with the Goshawk swooping me one last time for good measure. I walked backwards to the nearest path, keeping my eyes firmly on where this truly stunning bird was. I was still feeling euphoric when I arrived home over 20 minutes later, it really had been a special experience.
That look from the Brown Goshawk should have told me something
This was one of the two Yellow-rumped Thornbills (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa) who turned up to watch the Goshawk squawking at me. I would have thought these two small birds would have stayed away from a Goshawk. One experienced birder I raised this with thought the Goshawk would leave the thornbills alone, as the Goshawk would expend too much energy chasing them, yet not balance that loss of energy with what it would consume from the meat of the thornbill.
A Yellow-rumped Thornbill drawn to the noise of the squawking Goshawk
During the week I thought I heard the noise fo cicadas but with the recent late spring cold snap I thought we were still too early for cicadas. Walking along the suburban foot paths I saw this Redeye Cicada (Psaltoda moerens), stark proof the cicadas were already out. I guess this one was drying out after emerging from its underground stage, waiting to warm up so it could take off to look for a mate. I felt its life expectancy was not long given its black body was resting on a very light coloured square of concrete. When I walked back past this spot at the end of my time on Red Hill the insect was gone. Whether it had flown off to look for a partner or had become breakfast for the magpies in the street, I did not know.
A Redeye Cicada not making good use of its surroundings
On Red Hill itself I saw this tree which had two lots of European Honeybees (Apis mellifera) flying out from it. I was not sure if it was two separate groups or whether the holes, which were on the opposite sides of the tree, had a connecting internal space.