Tuesday, December 10, 2013

The Best Time of the Year

This is the time of year I like the best. The migratory shorebirds are here from the northern hemisphere and the tides are very high. Last Wednesday was the highest tide for the month - there will be one a little bit higher in early January and then they start to decrease again. With a very high tide like this the roost site at Mullens is full of water and what could be nicer than a large bay of water and almost no wind. Every direction I looked the reflections were perfect!

The tide was so high the water reached right up to the bush line where the entrance over the sand spit comes in.

The shorebirds were all roosting in the places they prefer and I got good record photos of Godwits, Great Knots, and Gull-billed Terns. It is always harder to get good close photos of the Eastern Curlews. These are the biggest shorebirds and they are the "flightiest"! However, this time they roosted just behind a little spit of sand where I could let the kayak float in close on the in-coming tide and they didn't feel threatened enough to fly off. The first photo shows the kind of vegetation which grows on the swampy land just beyond the high tide mark and the other photos are crops taken from the wider views.



Meanwhile, the tide was still coming in and I heard the small shorebirds fly over to the north. On these very high tides there is one sand-bank in that direction still left out of the water. I kayaked back over there and sure enough they were all there spread out along the edge of the water. I can get much closer to the birds when I drift in on the kayak. I think it might be because when I am sitting on the kayak I don't look so tall and threatening from the bird's eye view! There was also a pair of Pied Oystercatchers roosting with them.

This photo shows the difference in size between the Oystercatcher and a Red-capped Plover.

This photo is of Red-capped Plovers by themselves.

In this photo Red-necked Stints are roosting with the Red-capped Plovers.

There was one patch of color on the sand bank - this flowering Pigweed - which is a Portulaca Sps

For more scenery from around the world visit Our World Tuesday

and for more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.


32 comments:

  1. It certainly looks warmer there than here. ;) Although I am enjoying the birds that winter here from the Arctic, I admit to loving to bird in the spring when the birds are here to breed. The Red-necked Plovers are handsome birds!

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  2. I love that first photo. The oyster catchers look so big against the plover.

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  3. beautiful skies and reflections and a host of shorebirds. love those curlews!

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  4. Lucky you to be seeing the shorebirds. I love the first sky shot, it is a beautiful scene. The Curlews are big and I love the cute Red-capped Plovers. Awesome shots. Have a happy week!

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  5. Wow! Nature photography is exquisite ~ for OWT ~ thanks, carol, xxx

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  6. lovely closeups of the birds. It looks like a beautiful place for a stroll. Have a wonderful week.

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  7. Delightful bird captures .... they make my heart sing !

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  8. Beautiful pictures - especially the first one.

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  9. Glorious captures as always, Mick!! I, too, love the closeups of the birds and, yes, they make my heart sing as well!! Thank you for sharing!! Have a great week!

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  10. What lovely shots of all the birds. And that first sky shot is stunning!

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  11. Wow.. Look at those colors! Stunning pictures :)

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  12. Snap indeed Mick and the two do look so alike except that according to the scientists your Oysterctacher H. longirostris is different to our H. ostralegus! Lovely shots of the curlews, the stints and the Red-capped Plovers.

    I agree, a large expanse of water and shore, the sun and lots of waders - perfect.

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  13. Lovely reflective views and great close ups of your local birds.

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  14. Terrific reflections! Those curlews sure have long beaks! You'd think it would make flying a bit awkward!

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  15. Gorgeous shots! I just love the plovers.

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  16. Nothing I love better than "upside down" skies -- unless its a whole bunch of shore birds. I would be so happy there. That oystercatcher looks like a giant, but the plover doesn't seem to be concerned. And the curlews are so odd looking you just have to love them.

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  17. It's so beautiful there and the birds are lovely.

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  18. Beautiful images of your landscape... they set up the post and bird images wonderfully.

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  19. you certainly have some very lovely wetlands around where you live and the wonderful variety of waterbirds; just fabulous to get out and enjoy, and to photograph like you do Mick

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  20. Some terrific shots there Mick, particularly like the Curlews.
    All the best Gordon.

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  21. Mick!!! Awesome shots! The Plovers, as I have said before,are such incredibly beautiful birds. You have so many lovely birds in your area.

    I agree with you that there is nothing better than hanging around our patches and observing our familiar birds. While away from home, I found that I actually missed them. ......or was it the familiarity?:)

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  22. Picturesque lake with such lovely birds.

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  23. Excellent image shares and commentary!!! I especially enjoyed the birds, but the scenery is incredibly beautiful...I see why you say it's the best time of year.

    Anni @ I'd Rather B Birdin'
    and
    Hootin' Anni's

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  24. you got great shots of the shorebirds. I love to see them and your nature.

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  25. Hi MIck. great shots of Curlews. I also love the little waders. By the way, you were right about the fish. Thanks for pointing it out.

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  26. All your birds are just gorgeous! The oyster-catchers are so bright and the long beaks on the others are just amazing to see!

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  27. I always enjoy when you include the surroundings you experience. I feel like I could be in that kayak today. :) Wonderful captures of the birds! The sky reflections are lovely as well. It would appear you had a lovely day in which to pass the time.

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  28. Great set of pictures - I'm looking forward to my annual Wader Fest over the Christmas break.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  29. Pigweed! They are too pretty for a name like that.

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  30. Absolutely gorgeous reflection shots! Your images of the birds are wonderful! I hope one day to afford a lens that allows me to capture birds like you do.
    I haven't done any bird photography lately as I've been rather disillusioned by my inability to capture anything exciting.

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  31. Very nice shots indeed. A fine job. My personal favourite is the picture of the Red-capped Plovers, but all the photographs are quite wonderful.

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