One fine morning in Narooma I decided to head out to photograph. It was the first time in a while that I had been able to get out with a camera. I didn’t have much time so I was not planning to go far. I decided to head straight for the tiny Lewis Island that sat just west of the road bridge over Wagonga Inlet. In approaching the foot-bridge to Lewis Island I saw a lone Pied Oystercatcher standing on one leg atop the white, wooden rail along the footbridge. To me, not only did the rail provided a firm base to rest my camera it also created an obvious leading line guiding the eye to the oystercatcher. I advanced slowly across the bridge, periodically stopping to take some shots, knowing that at some stage the oystercatcher would flee from me. It did not take long for the bird to decide I was too close. First its folded leg came down, then it took a few steps along the railing before it flapped its wings to fly a few metres to the sand on the island. I felt bad for disturbing the bird but glad it had not flown too far.
This is the second post in a series of five looking at different aspects of wildlife at Narooma. In this post I am covering the birds and other animals living on the land surrounding the inlet. I enjoyed my time seeing this wonderful animal life around Narooma nnd I hope that you enjoy the photographs below.
Narooma is an active breeding environment so us humans have to be mindful that our enjoyment of the beach and water does not inadvertently wipeout the next generation of shorebirds.
Safety sign warning of nesting shorebirds
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 100, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC])
There were numerous Crested Terns (Thalasseus bergii) around Narooma. It was great to see them flying along the inlet when I was out paddling. This one was happy beside a small lagoon behind Narooma Beach, the main beach at Narooma.
Crested Tern on a beach
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 125, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Cormorants were well represented in Narooma with Little Pied Cormorants (Microcarbo melanoleucos) finding good vantage points around the inlet. I would see them swimming in the clear water and there must have been a lot of prey for them. They will eat fish but also other underwater creatures like shrimps and prawns. While this species of cormorant has been reported in flocks on the coast, around Narooma I only saw them singly. They did not mind fishing in tidal flowing water and birds tended to keep to their own area. Often it was easy to find them because they, or a different individual from the species, returned to the same hunting ground each day.
Little Pied Cormorant
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
These two Great Cormorants (Phalacrocorax-carbo) found an isolated rock off the beach for preening; the white coloration on the rock showed they probably regularly rested there. This species of bird seemed to have a regular roosting spot in a tree above the Mill Bay Boardwalk where their droppings on the wooden boardwalk betrayed how often they were there, They were also often to be seen on top of the street lights along the wharf near the inlet entrance. These birds are strong swimmers and can dive for up to a minute. Although the water looks rough behind them they probably could still fish in there.
Great Cormorants on a rock
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/1250 SEC])
Paddling along Wagonga Inlet one morning I saw two Pied Oystercatchers (Haematopus longirostris) searching for food in the shallows. The sun was just creeping over the headland near the inlet’s mouth, lighting one side of the birds with golden morning rays. True to their name these birds use their impressive red beaks to pry open oysters, as well as to search out other small creatures in the shallows. Unfortunately, this species is listed as vulnerable in NSW and the country wide number of birds has probably dropped. I enjoy seeing these birds because of their amazing beaks and hopefully their numbers will improve.
Pied Oystercatcher caught in the the sun’s morning rays
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1600, 170mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
The other species of oystercatcher in Narooma is the Sooty Oystercatcher (Haematopus fuliginosus). This bird is all black but still with the magnificent, long red beak. It is the only black shore bird in Australia and is strictly coastal. Its beak, like that of the pied species is great for seeking out prey.
Sooty Oystercatcher
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
There were a number of White-faced Herons (Egretta novaehollandiae) along the inlet and this particular one had found a good prowling spot on top of an oyster lease. My kayak was able to drift in reasonably close to the bird, which may have been an immature one who was still making its mind up about the threat of kayaks. The bird eventually returned to its morning search for food. These birds like moist areas and can be found walking through low vegetation or on a floating, artificial surface. They eat a wide variety of food from fish to any small creature unfortunate enough to draw attention to itself.
White-faced Heron on an oyster lease
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 278mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
There were a number of Striated Herons (Butorides striata) in Narooma but further up the inlet, where they were walking along exposed muddy flats. This is a common bird although it is seen in greater densities north of Sydney, up through Queensland to Cape York. This may be because of the larger mangrove habitats there.
Striated Heron on a mudflat
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 2500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
A Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) would often hunt in the lagoon formed behind Lewis Island at low tide. In the early morning or late afternoon the white plumage almost shone against the darker water making the bird so easy to see. The water was shallow enough that the egret could walk between the shore and island with no problem.
Little Egret wading
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
There were, of course, many Silver Gulls (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) or seagulls in Narooma. This successful co-habiter with humans had plenty of food to choose from, both naturally and when people left food un-attended. This particular bird landed among a group of Solider Crabs on Lewis Island. Neither crab nor gull was quite certain about the other. The crabs were initially cautious but returned to the surface of the sand, going about their business as normal while facing the bird. The gull would wander towards the crabs but did not lunge at them. It appeared to be waiting for the right opportunity. I was poised on the footbridge to capture the moment of capture, and a couple of times it rushed at a crab but could not seem to work out a way to lift it, despite these crabs not having large claws. Eventually the gull gave up and flew off.
Silver Gull among Soldier Crabs
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 248mm, f/14 and 1/400 SEC])
Walking south along Bar Beach North I saw a small object move along the sand. It was a juvenile Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus) scurrying along. It was dodging people and even dogs, that fortunately did not try to chase it. The bird moved down to the water line and back up to the dry sand, all the time staying on the most crowded part of the beach. I only saw this single bird and I believed it was a juvenile because its colours were not fully developed.
Red-capped Plover immature on Bar Beach North with all the activity
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/14 and 1/640 SEC])
Without a doubt the bird that always made me stop and look was the White-bellied Sea-eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster). There was at least one pair of these large raptors that called the inlet home. I know there were two because on a couple of occasions I saw two distinctly white adults circling high in the sky. Sea-eagles form permanent pairs and this couple probably saw the inlet as their territory. They were active from the mouth of the inlet up to at least Punkally Creek. They used anything from a oyster lease sign to a high tree branch as a perch to watch for prey.
Early one morning, I saw the most glorious sight when an eagle swooped down from the crown of a tall Eucalyptus near Lewis Island then flew east low along the inlet towards the road bridge, before it gained some altitude, banked around the way it had come and caught a fish out of the water. It then flew west low over the water, with a seagull in pursuit at one stage. The eagle gained some height and continued up the inlet until some trees blocked my view. I was so thrilled to have seen an eagle actually hunting with my own eyes. I stood there beside my kayak at the edge of the inlet for probably ten minutes just processing the wonderful sight I had just seen hoping the bird or its partner would repeat the hunt. A large raptor hunting is a majestic vision and one that left me so excited that morning.
White-bellied Sea-eagle perched on an oyster lease sign
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 5000, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/500 SEC])
White-bellied Sea-eagle flying with a fish
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/800 SEC])
Out for my first walk with a camera at Narooma, it was appropriate that the first bird I photographed was an Australian Magpie (Cracticus tibicen). The bird was searching for food on the ground near Lewis Island. These birds were around Narooma but they weren’t as prevalent as they appeared in Canberra. Possibly because of the different environment there and competition from other birds for food.
Australian Magpie
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
One day, walking along the verge of a nature reserve behind houses I heard possibly a recently fledged Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) calling from the grass. The bird looked scared because of my sudden appearance so I took a few shots before moving off quickly. I was a bit worried because the bird was on the ground and not flying too well so it could have been vulnerable to ground predators. When I walked away I noticed that it hopped onto the lower branches of nearby tree and clumsily flew higher up from branch to branch. I didn’t notice any adult birds around but there were certainly a number of rosellas calling from nearby trees. When I saw this bird in January it was still in the breeding season and the nature reserve contained many large trees that increased the possibility for breeding hollows.
Crimson Rosella juvenile
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 1250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Plenty of Superb Fairy-wrens (Malurus cyaneus) inhabited Narooma, probably because of plentiful shrubs and understory growth where they could be protected from predators. Many houses also had lush shrubs in thick pockets that provided protected corridors for smaller birds to move through. Between a small wetland area and the beach north of the inlet several groups of fairy-wrens had established terrritories. I was able to capture a shot of a male when he flew to the top of a dried bit of vegetation. He didn't stay there too long before he dived back into the protection of nearby, thickly-vegetated shrubs.
Superb Fairy-wren male
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/9.0 and 1/400 SEC])
While we were in Narooma we drove south past Bermagui to have a lunch at the lovely Mimosa Vineyard. The vineyard was surround by forest and the restaurant was in a purpose built structure on a hill with a north facing aspect that took in the scenery to Gulaga. When we visited, the gardens around the restaurant were in full bloom with many red coloured flowers of different species. After a delicious meal I took some time for a slow wander around the plants to see what subjects I could find.
A beautiful Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) was enjoying the nectar from the red triangle tritomea. Even though the bird and the plant had evolved on different continents the spinebill’s beak appeared to be a perfect fit for getting into the flower. The bird moved quickly around the plant, thrusting its head up into the open flowers.
Eastern Spinebill on a tritomea
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 400mm, f/9.0 and 1/400 SEC])
A Little Wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera) was very interested in the flowers of the New Zealand Flax, flying between stems to get at the sweet goodness contained within the red blossoms. This bird is true to its name, being the smallest of Australia’s three wattlebird species.
Little Wattlebird on New Zealand Flax
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Apart from birds, another animal I photographed at the vineyard was a Bar-sided Skink (Concinnia tenuis). This skink appeared to be a thrill-seeker. It crawled out along the edge plank of wood on the high verandah of the restaurant during the meal. I am not sure any other diners noticed, except me, although a few people looked once squatted down on the veranda and pointed my zoom lens towards it. The skink crawled right to the end of the verandah, perching there with its head and neck straining out beyond the wood. The lizard seemed so obvious, so vulnerable. I kept expecting a bird to swoop down on it. The skink looked around, staring down for a while, although I have no idea why. The ground was a long way down and I am not sure the lizard would have voluntarily leapt to the ground. Eventually, it turned around and scurried back to where it had started from, a gap under the restaurant floor.
Bar-sided Skink edging out to the limit of the restaurant verandah
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 400mm, f/9.0 and 1/500 SEC])
Walking around the wetland behind Bar Beach North in Narooma a Common Bluetail Damselfly (Ischnura heterosticta) was flying between reeds in the water. The water was probably a little brackish because it might have caught the salt spray off the beach but this species is salt tolerant so it would not have been a problem for this damselfly.
Common Bluetail Damselfly
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
A Tiger Longicorn Beetle (Aridaeus thoracicus) was making its way through the grass beside Wagonga Inlet. The larvae will feed on dead wood, of which there seems to be a lot.
Tiger Longicorn Beetle
(Canon EOS 6D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 400mm, f/13 and 1/400 SEC])
Narooma did not not disappoint with bird life. The variety of habitats in that area meant that there were so many different types of birds. It was very relaxing to walk around and watch the birds go about their lives in a beautiful coast setting.
Thanks for reading this post and thanks also for looking at my photos. I hope you come back again to read more about some of the wonderful natural things that the south coast of New South Wales has on offer. All the best until the next post, A quiet house with a living garden - Beautiful Narooma Part 3, Summer 2022/23