Wandering about my Barn Owl - Two lifers in two days

8th - 9th July 2013

On the 8th July my parents and I left my brother at home and headed out to Katoomba to see my mum's photograph in an exhibition touring Australia, currently on show at the Katoomba Cultural Centre. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo was the most numerous bird seen with a couple of Little Corella mixed in.
On the return journey we stopped at a site given to me by Jenny Stiles (THANK YOU!) to check out a Barn Owl, a lifer for me, at its day roost. Eastern Rosella and Straw-necked Ibis were numerous all over the site.

Straw-necked Ibis flock (about 1/4 of the whole flock)

A few Grey Fantail called from alongside the track as I approached the 'barn' to try to find the owl. I could see lots of poo and pellets on the ground underneath the roost and as I looked up, there is was! Hidden in the darkness under the roof in a little corner the Barn Owl sat hunched over, sleeping. Through the binoculars it was even harder to see weirdly as it was incredibly dark and looked as if the owl was in dense fog! At one point the owl woke up and chucked up a pellet after which it then realised I was watching it, so we had a little eye to eye before it closed its eyes again and went to sleep.

Just after throwing up a pellet

Different angle

Thank you so much Jenny, it was fabulous to see this owl so well!!!!!

At about one o'clock in the afternoon the next day I headed out to Maroubra (for a change) for a seawatch. I arrived and for about half an hour, I stared at the ocean, not a bird, whale or dolphin in sight. A Black Browed Albatross kept me interested as it made a relatively close pass and a couple of Fluttering Shearwaters flapped by.

What I originally considered a close in pass by a Black Browed Albatross

A few more Black Brows passed in the next hour or so but the real action started at around 3:30 when a seal (or sea lion) started splashing about around approximately 30m from the headland. It was evidently hunting and when I next saw it, it had moved further out, around 100m or so, and was lazing on its back eating a large hunk of meat - a smaller sea creature of sorts. Albatross could smell this and three black brows had already started circling the seal, with more coming in on the horizon.

Young Black Brow in close after the scent of the seal's kill

The numbers of Black Brows grew until there were 5 birds aorund the seal, doing circles skimming the waves really close in to the headland. The seal then disappeared and when the albatross felt that the seal was well gone they alighted in the water and began to feed on the left overs.

Four of the five Black Brows, 3 juveniles and 1 adult

The Black Brows continued feasting with the aid of some Silver Gulls on the scrounge. Out of nowhere a HUGE Wandering Albatross appeared, landed with quite a splash next to the food item in the process scaring the hell out of the nearby black brows and began nipping at the meat.

The Giant

I am unsure of exaclty which Wandering Albatross this is, but I am reasonably sure this is an Antipodean Albatross... I have no clue, but it isn't Royal! I took loads of photographs but couldn't get any with the clear upperwing as it was never facing away from me in the same pose as the image above and I barely saw it in flight, let alone get the opportunity to photograph it.

Some nice size comparison

Feeding Giant

The runway

Run run run!

BOING!

Still not quite flying :(

Sadly I lost the bird after it took flight and that was that! The adult Black Brow soon after took flight and came right in close to the headland presenting a nice photograph opportunity and a detailed study of the bird's underside.

Black Browed Albatross

A Giant Petrel which I think is most likely northen due to the beak colour - alas too pixelated to call - came past at a reasonably distance but was not at all interested in the food.

Northern Giant Petrel? Perhaps :-P

A White Fronted Tern and Kelp Gull  were also nice birds to see.

Kelp Gull

White Fronted Tern

White Fronted Tern barrel rolling

Overall is was a great two days of birding and I am much looking forward to the rest of this week as I will most definitely be out seawatching again!

Thanks for reading!