Showing posts with label Caspian Tern. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Caspian Tern. Show all posts

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Walking the Sandbar

Saturday was a lovely early summers day, with clear blue skies and a warm breeze. When the tide is particularly low, a sandbar shows off the main beach at Whyalla. Saturday was such a day so I took a walk out onto the sandbar for a couple of hours to see what I could find. I was hoping to see some waders (shorebirds) and maybe some Blue Swimmer Crabs. The walk out varies from dry sand to water to mid calf level, and always includes shoals of small fish darting here and there. I stood still and scanned back and forth until I finally saw one before it had seen me!! I think they may be a fish called Flathead. As i got onto the sandbar, I saw a small group of gulls and terns. Unfortunately there is nowhere to hide out there so it was impossible to get very close. This Caspian Tern kept moving away, so this cropped image is the best of a bad lot!! These courting Crested Terns were a little less timid (or maybe just more pre-occupied?) so I could get a little closer to them. There were also a few terns flying in and out all of the time. The beach is also popular with kiteboarders due to the vast expanse of shallow water. No Waders or crabs, but on the walk back to the beach, an immature Pacific Gull.