Last weekend we had a short break in Robe. I took the opportunity to do a little birdwatching.
On Saturday morning i took a short walk through the dunes looking for a Rufous Bristlebird which had been seen here the previous day. No luck, but as I walked down to West Beach I spotted a small plover feeding on the shoreline. It was a Hooded Plover, a critically endangered rare breeding bird in SA. It was unconcerned when I perched on a rock nearby and slowly came closer to give me some of the best photo's I've taken of this species.
I made a couple of trips to Fox Lake which has a very well designed hide. Fox Lake is well known as a great spot to see the cryptically camouflaged Latham's Snipe. I scanned the mud flats and quickly picked out Red-kneed Dotterel and Black-fronted Dotterel. Both very common shorebirds in SA.
Scanning again, I picked out a Latham's Snipe partially hidden in the vegetation, then another, and another until i counted eight birds. Unfortunately they are not as easy to photograph as a plover on the beach!
