As I started in towards the shore over the sandbanks I saw another one trying to eat a crab. It was so intent on pecking at the crab and shaking it that I was able to get quite close before it even became aware of me.
Update on last week's post about the young Red-capped Plover: It has survived the week and I saw it with its parents again yesterday morning. They are still on the main beach and as the tide was in there was nowhere for them to run away except further along the beach. I detoured off into the bush so I could get past them without disturbing them too much and then took this photo with trees partly blocking my view.
For more bird photos visit the Bird Photography Weekly.
Love to watch Turnstones foraging along the tide line. If the weather is favourable next week I hope to get close to some. Have a good week Mick. FAB
ReplyDeleteHi Frank. Your comment sent me back to my shorebird books as I hadn't realized the Ruddy Turnstone was spread so widely across the world. Thanks for enlightening me! Hope you see some next week and also hope you can get some photos to post on your blog.
ReplyDeleteUsed to see them up in the north of Scotland too.
ReplyDeleteThe little Red-capped Plover seems to have grown a fair bit over the last week.
Hi Mosura, I had no idea that they were spread that far. Was it in the northern summer that you saw them?
ReplyDeleteI hope the little Red-cap Ploveer survives the week-end with all the people and dogs that use that beach.
Nice shots of the Ruddies Mick! I really like the in-flight shots and that second photo of the Turnstone with the crab looking at you, after finally being aware of your presence,is priceless.
ReplyDeleteThanks Larry.
ReplyDeleteG'day, I followed a link here from Tyto Tony's blog. I understand the attraction to the Ruddy Turnstones, they are a great little bird.
ReplyDeleteHi Mark, good to have you visit. The Turnstones are interesting and I hope to see more in the future.
ReplyDeleteHigher numbers in the (northern) winter with non breeders hanging around in the (northern) summer. I just uploaded a photo of one in (northern) summer plumage. (Click here to see photo)
ReplyDeleteI don't know what date I took that photo but it must have been summer. However I do remember being rather cold wading chest deep to get the photo. Mind you the North see tends to be pretty cold any time of year.
Alan
Cool shots of the Ruddy Turnstones. The Red Capped Plovers would be a new bird for me.
ReplyDeleteThe Turnstone picks are great and the one where the bird is staring at you like "stay away from my crab" is priceless!
ReplyDeleteGlad the little Plover survived this long and keeping my fingers crossed, it will survive to grow up!
Hi Mosura, thanks for the extra information which is very interesting. I heard from the people who keep the database of all flags that the first bird I saw with the flags had been flagged down in Bass strait - a very different summer climate from here :-) You photo is very interesting with quite different plumage from any I have seen here. Wading through water like that is heroic!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Eileen, such a great variety of birds are shown on this meme. It makes it very interesting.
Thanks for your comments Nicole, and I am hoping the little Red-capped Plover survived even yesterday when I heard there were at least 4 dogs (plus people) running loose on that bit of beach!
...would love to see one of those birds. Like the photo of him holding the crab!
ReplyDelete:(
ReplyDeleteHope all went well:(
Mine run loose most times too,but I keep an eye on the wildlife about (well, I have been a moron this summer too and my dogs spooked a swan family, but all went well and after that I kept a close eye on my surroundings)
but now have seen them again every time I have been out to Inskip
ReplyDeleteThe turnstones are stalking you!
But isn't that always the way --- things you hadn't seen before are suddenly all over the place!
Thanks Kelly.
ReplyDeleteHi again Nicole - I don't know yet how the week-end went for the little plover - and its a big area to try to check out. I get frustrated with untrained dogs. I posted about my dog back on the 6th June. http://sandystraitsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2009/06/early-morning-at-mullens.html
It definitely is possible to train your dog to respect the wildlife!
Hi Snail - it would be nice to be stalked by birds like that! However, I am only seeing Turnstones at Inskip. I have been spending more time out at Inskip this season and it is proving to be different from all the other shorebird roosts in the bay. The position right on the channel out to the sea makes a habitat that is different from further into the bay.
Hi Mick
ReplyDeleteMark Young showed me some Turnstones at his favourite reef site, Long Reef, in Sydney's Northern Beaches area.
Interesting to see them on sand, not rocks.
Cheers
Denis
Hi Denis, I went and had a look at Mark's blog the other day and the habitat is certainly different from up here. The books say that these birds prefer rocky areas so it will be interesting to see if any stay around at Inskip or if I am just seeing them as they pass through for points further south.
ReplyDeleteLove that in flight shot of Ruddy Turnstone. Can it swallow that big crab?
ReplyDeleteI recognise this bird from images but have not seen it. There are not many waders around where I live. But we can see them when they migrate.
ReplyDeleteHi Tabib, the bird appeared to be pecking the flesh out from the crab rather than swallowing it whole.
ReplyDeleteHi NatureFootsteps, there are lots of waders around here during the summer season and a few that over-winter here. This is after all a Ramsar listed wetlands.