Monday, September 29, 2014

A Perfect Morning

I thought about penning a paean of praise - but then decided it was a bit "over the top" for a blog post! So instead I shall just explain that I was able to get out on my kayak for the first time in five months and it was a perfect morning. The tide was high enough to be interesting, it was sunny with just a few clouds, and there was no wind! What more could anyone want? (Maybe a few less sand-flies close in to the shore would be nice!)
This photo is looking south-east across the bay.
This photo is looking west back towards the parking lot and my car.

 There have apparently not been any huge winds or wild seas over the last few months because the mangroves were still in their usual places and the contours of the shoreline are unchanged. These mangroves are on the south side of the Mullens creek channel. They are Red Mangroves (Rhizophora stylosa). Red Mangroves have the usual tangled roots at the base but they also grow aerial roots from the higher branches. These aerial roots hang down just above the water and sometimes reach right into the water.

 As I came around the mangrove trees at this end of the channel a number of shorebirds started flying off and moving north. The tide was just beginning to cover the low sand and mud just south of this point and I think the birds decided they would move to higher ground. Of course, once one group flew the rest joined them. I counted 30 plus Whimbrels, a flock of about 150 mixed Curlews and Godwits, and about 30 Grey-tailed Tattlers. I have no way of knowing which of these shorebirds are newly arrived migrants and which have been here over the winter. I think possibly the Grey-tailed Tattlers have arrived recently as these numbers are close to what I usually see on this roost during the summer.
This tall old mangrove tree looks as if it might not survive any more big storms but for the present it often makes a good roost for Little Egrets.

As I paddled in closer one of the birds flew off to join other birds on the sand but one stayed and just watched me.

It seemed OK with me getting quite close until a Pied Oystercatcher that was hidden down in some bushes close by began making a warning cry. I did not go any closer because there might have been a nest in there somewhere - but the Little Egret had a good look all around for trouble.

When it only saw me in the kayak it settled down again.

For more scenery from around the world visit Our World Tuesday

and for more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.



31 comments:

  1. oh, good for you! i know you soaked it in!

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  2. It must have been a real thrill to be back out in the kayak and be able to get so close to the egret.

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  3. Lovely photography of nature from your kayak ~ Mother nature provides such beauty ~ Glad you had a good time ~ Great shots for OWT!

    Happy Day to you ^_^

    artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)

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  4. I am not sure if this is my first visit to you, but I am that the weather is why you had to take 5 months away from the Kayak and I am cleayly happy that you were able to get out on this beautiful morning. Your Egrets are gorgeous (like our Snow Egrets) and that you have so many birds around you is a blessing. I fully enjoyed this ride along your shoreline and couldn't agree with you more ... don't need any flies :) Thank you for this little venture and now that your spring and summer are arriving perhaps you will be able to do more kayaking :)

    Andrea @ From the Sol

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  5. the beauty is stunning here!

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  6. What a beautiful place. I hope I can visit one day.

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  7. What a pretty place to go kayaking.. I think the mangroves are cool, especially when they hold so many birds..Gorgeous Egrets. Great shots, thanks for sharing.. Have a happy new week!

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  8. Oh hooray hooray for Spring! Your pictures are praise to the season in themselves. So happy that your'e able to get back in that Kayak ... and so happy the birds were there for you. (I think the egret may have recognized you since he was so calm when he saw who it was!).

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  9. Beautiful blue skies and amazing birds!

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  10. It does look a perfect morning for cruising around those beautiful mangroves. I'm thinking that the Little Egret could easily be missed because of its colouration against the grey and white of the trees. Trust an Oystercatcher to sound off just when you don't want it to.

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  11. wonderful clarity & colours in these pics. and gorgeous captures of the elegant egret.

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  12. The bay is beautiful and I love the egret. I'm so happy you had a great day.

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  13. Great area and wonderful photos.

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  14. Love your area and it is great that you can get out on the water. Great Egret shots

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  15. Perfect conditions for a paddle and great views of the mangroves and the Little Egret. Hope you enjoy many more days like this.

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  16. Splendid Egret shots. Always nice to see them.

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  17. That does look like a perfect day for a paddle - and I know what you mean about the sand flies!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  18. What a beautiful bay! The mangroves are really neat. Lots of hiding places, nesting places and perching places - I'm sure the birds love them. Sounds like you have a great variety of birds there - your shots of the egret are wonderful!

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  19. I love kayaking! Just discovered it this year. These are stupendous shots.

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  20. Gorgeous water views Mick! I'd love to paddle around that area. Beautiful egret shots!

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  21. Beautiful early morning shots. Looks very calm.

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  22. sometimes I miss my kajak. Even if I did not have such interesting nature to paddle through. :)

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  23. Beautiful views from your kayak!

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  24. I share your joy in finally being ale to go out in your kayak. I used to kayak on the Murray river with it's lagoons when I was still able to do that and I really miss it.
    A wonderful feeling to be accepted by the Little Egret. Good for you!

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  25. Wonderful place to paddle a kayak! The mangroves remind me of our south Florida coastal estuaries. Mangroves are migrating north in response to the changing climate. If your Little Egret had "golden slippers" it could sub for our Snowy Egret.

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  26. I am so happy it did finally settle down, what a beauty!

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  27. Your superb images perfectly communicate your "paean of praise", Mick! Really happy you're able to get back out in the 'yak. It does look like a perfect morning for it! Would have loved to see that group of mixed shorebirds! We're just now seeing migrants of all sorts and the numbers should increase soon.

    Good to see the Egret didn't consider you a threat! Now if you could just convince that Oystercatcher....

    Hope your weekend continues to be great!

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  28. I´m pleased to hear you could go out kayaking. And I too, could do without sandflies. I was happy to see the Mangroves when I visited Queensland. It is great to see as we don´t have them. :)

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  29. When you said you had seen Song Thrush In New Zealnd I was astounded so Googled it - "Birds of the nominate subspecies were introduced to New Zealand and Australia by acclimatisation societies between 1860 and 1880, apparently for purely sentimental reasons." There you go you learn something new each day.

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