Bird Watching in Royal National Park-Rainy Day Adventures

🌧️ Rainy Day Adventures Birdwatching in the Royal National Park – 66 Bird Species and a Pair of Powerful Owls! 15-05-2025

Wow—what an adventure we had this week in the Royal National Park! The skies were overcast, rain showers swept through, and we found ourselves bushwalking under umbrellas (with ponchos as well if needed). The day was a great reminder that magic happens when you step into nature—rain or shine.

Despite the wet weather, we saw 66 species of birds! Over the years, I’ve learned that no matter the weather, there are always incredible moments to experience. For the birds and other wildlife, this is home, watching how they adapt to the elements reveals a fascinating world of behaviour.

Some birds just get on with it in the rain, while others stay tucked away until the weather improves—and yesterday, we saw a bit of both. At our first stop, a majestic White-bellied Sea Eagle soared along the coast, gracefully gliding with a slight tilt from side to side—reminding me of the similar flying style to the African Bateleur Eagle. Unbothered by the approaching storm, it continued its patrol as we prepped our rain gear.

The sightings were spectacular: Azure Kingfishers, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos, Crimson Rosellas, Eastern Yellow Robins, Satin Bowerbirds, and flocks of migrating Silvereyes all adding colour and movement to the landscape. The air was alive with the antics of Red and Little Wattlebirds and New Holland Honeyeaters, all buzzing around the flowering Banksias like tiny fighter jets.

🌿 A Powerful Surprise

But it was our second stop that stole the show. At one of my regular birding lookouts, I scanned the canopy for Green Catbirds—and instead locked eyes with something much rarer, a pair of Powerful Owls!

The female watched me intently, her gaze firm as if to say, “You’ve seen us, now be on your way.” The male snoozed, ruffled and a bit damp from the weather, only briefly glancing down at me before tucking back into his feathers. We quietly admired their presence, took a few respectful photos, and with a huge feeling of excitement and happiness, moved on hoping they’ll return to roost here again.

🌧️ Rainy Rewards

Later, we watched flocks of Topknot Pigeons eyeing off the maturing fruit on the Cabbage Tree Palms, the Scarlet and Lewin’s Honeyeaters and Eastern Spinebills flying through the flowering trees and shrubs, spotted Yellow-throated scrubwrens bouncing along the ground and avoiding the puddles, while Eastern whipbird calls cracked around us. Then came one of my absolute highlights of the day: spotting a female Superb Lyrebird busily building her nest!

With Superb Lyrebirds, it’s the female alone who builds the nest—a dome-shaped structure made of sticks, which can be located on the ground, on rocks, inside tree stumps, tree ferns, or even in caves. She lines it with ferns, feathers, moss, and rootlets, creating a warm and camouflaged haven. Typically, she lays just one egg, which hatches after around 42 to 50 days. The chick stays in the nest for 6 to 10 weeks and is raised solely by the mother.

We watched this dedicated female as she darted back and forth collecting nesting materials then returning to her hidden nest. She was completely focused, preparing everything so that—if all goes well—her chick will be ready to forage by spring. She was unbothered by walkers on the track and made sure everyone knew she was coming, announcing her movements with a series of loud, repeated single calls. You could hear her before you saw her as she appeared from around a corner running towards you on the path!

What a privilege it was to witness such intimate and determined behaviour.

(Only a couple of blurry shots this time—we were caught up in the moment and the rain! Although we did get a little video footage)

After a well-earned lunch and a warm drink, we headed to a wetland area and were greeted by Royal Spoonbills (they always make me happy to see them), Chestnut and Grey Teals, Eastern Great Egrets, Australian Wood Ducks/Maned Duck, and some roosting Nankeen Night Herons. A couple of male Rusa Deer surprised us (and we surprised them!) with their impressive antlers in full display.

We made a quick beach detour and spotted Pied Oystercatchers and an Australian Pelican before heading to our final woodland trail.

🌟 One Last Target Bird

Still buzzing from the day, we ventured along a trail with some steep downward sections searching for one last gem: the Yellow-tufted Honeyeater. Along the way, we saw Red-browed Finches, White naped-honeyeaters, and a busy flock of Silvereyes. Then came the moment: a raspy call followed by a flash of yellow—two Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters with their striking yellow facial tufts! What a way to end the day.

☔ Why We Birdwatch—Rain or Shine

We could’ve looked at the forecast and stayed home. But instead, we embraced the puddles and occasional rain showers, and were rewarded with an unforgettable day of birdwatching, wildlife encounters, and rare sightings.

Nature never disappoints—and neither do the Royal National Park’s birding adventures.

Tour Details

·        Tour Type: Full Day Birdwatching Tours.   

·        Date: 15-05-25

·        Birdwatching Start Time: 7:30 AM

·        Birdwatching End Time: 5:30 PM

Birds Spotted

Here’s the full list of birds observed on this day’s tour:

Ducks

·        Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata)

·        Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa)

·        Grey Teal (Anas gracilis)

·        Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea)

Pigeons

·        Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)

·        Topknot Pigeon (Lopholaimus antarcticus)

Rails, Moorhens, Swamphens, & Coots

·        Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula tenebrosa)

·        Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)

·        Australasian Swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus)

Lapwings

·        Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles)

Gulls

·        Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae)

Cormorants & Darters

·        Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos)

·        Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

·        Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)

Herons, Ibis & Spoonbills

·        Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca)

·        Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia)

·        White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)

·        Great Egret (Ardea alba)

·        Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

·        Nankeen Night-Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus)   

Oystercatchers

·        Australian Pied Oysercatcher (Haematopus longirostris)

Pelicans

·        Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)

Kites & Falcons

·        White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) 

Kingfishers

·        Laughing Kookaburra (Menura novaehollandiae)

·        Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus)

Lyrebirds

·        Superb Lyrebird (Dacelo novaeguineae) 🏆 Tour Highlight!

Treecreepers

·        White-throated Treecreeper (Cormobates leucophaea)

Catbirds, Bowerbirds

·        Green Catbird (Ailuroedus crassirostris)

·        Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus)

Cockatoos & Parrots

·        Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Zanda funerea)

·        Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)

·        Australian King-Parrot (Alisterus scapularis)

·        Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans)

·        Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus)

Hawk-Owls

·        Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua) 🏆🏆🏆 Mega Tour Highlight!

Fairy-wrens

·        Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus)

·        Variegated Fairy-wren (Malurus lamberti)

 Honeyeaters

·        Scarlet Honeyeater (Myzomela sanguinolenta)

·        Lewin's Honeyeater (Meliphaga lewinii)

·        Yellow tufted Honeyeater (Caligavis chrysops)

·        Yellow-faced Honeyeater (Lichenstomus melanops) 🏆 Tour Highlight!

·        New Holland Honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae)

·        White-naped Honeyeater (Melithreptus albogularis)

·        Eastern Spinebill (Acanthorhychus tenuirostris)

·        Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala)

·        Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata)

·        Little Wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera)

·        Noisy Friarbird (Philemon corniculatus)

 Whipbirds.

·        Eastern Whipbird (Psophodes olivaceus)

 Scrubwrens, & Heathwrens.

·        White-browed Scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis)

·        Yellow-throated Scrubwren (Sericornis citregularis)

 Whistlers.

·        Golden Whistler (Pachycephala pectoralis)

Gerygones, Thornbills & Pardalotes

·        Brown Gerygone (Gerygone mouki)

·        Brown Thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla)

·        Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus)

Magpies & Currawongs

·        Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen)

·        Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina)

Fantails, & Flycatchers,

·        Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys)

·        Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa)

Ravens

·        Australian Raven (Corvus coronoides)

Robins

·        Eastern Yellow Robin (Eopsaltria australis)

·        Rose Robin (Petroica rosea)

Swallows, & Silvereyes

·        Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena)

·        Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)

Mynas

·        Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)

Estrildid Finches

·        Red-browed Finch (Firetail) (Neochmia temporalis)