Birdwatching in Robe

 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!