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.
Looks a very interesting place Tony and the varity of Terns is great. Do you get many waders around the shores? As you know the over wintering waders are building up here now,plus with all the wildfowl. Our bad weather spell is supposed to break on Wednesday with high pressure building, so after six weeks may get a good chance to get out and about. Thanks and keep the posts coming.
ReplyDeleteHi Monty. Yes, we get a lot of summer visitors, but they get pretty spread around as Australia is so large. In SA we get a lot of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers and Red-necked Stints from Siberia, and also Pacific Golden Plover and Bar-tailed Godwits from Alaska. Numbers will be building now to peak in late January.
ReplyDelete...as the temps are beginning to dip here, your warm summer sun is inviting! I love the huge expanse of white sand in that first shot--you're totally bringing back memories of my summer vacation on Hilton Head Island, SC! I love Caspian Terns...
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lovely beach to wander along Tony. Were you barefoot? Weird to think you're enjoying summer over there! (-: I love that courting tern shot particularly.
ReplyDeleteHi Kelly, I remember my first Caspian Tern. I was blown away that a tern could be as big as a Herring gull!! and don't they make a cool noise!!
ReplyDeleteHey Jenny. Yes, barefoot - Just shorts and sunscreen. It's a great beach, but lots of people too, so the birds get very apread out.
Wow, we get Caspian Terns up in North America. I'm always pleasantly suprised when I see familiar birds on the other side of the world.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve. They're pretty common over here too. They have been seen right through australia, including the outback!!
ReplyDelete