Crab Creek (2)

For more photos of birds go to World Bird Wednesday.

With a variety of different habitats Crab Creek usually has a good variety of shorebirds. Different species of birds seem to prefer different places on the roost - although sometimes they are all mixed up together in one large flock. On days like that I assume they have been disturbed some time before I arrive to watch them. There are Brahminy Kites, Whistling Kites, and Ospreys nesting around the area and these birds always disturb the shorebirds if they fly too close overhead.
The mangroves lining the creek itself are used as a roost for Whimbrels. They usually prefer the trees between the third and fourth entrances into the roost.
At the northern end of the roost there are a number of Grey Mangroves. These trees have branches that are more open and while providing shelter for the Grey-tailed Tattlers also allow them clear views around to watch for predators - or humans that accidentally come too close in kayaks! The Grey-tailed Tattler I photographed the other day still had quite a lot of breeding plumage down its front.
Common Greenshanks are often found on a small sandbank at the northern end of the roost. If they are disturbed from there they usually fly to the north-eastern side of the roost where there is an open area of grass and saltmarsh plants and they have good clear views of anyone approaching. There are only small mangrove plants in this area which don't restrict the views.
Further down this side of the roost there is another clear area of grass and saltmarsh plants and this is the area preferred by the Eastern Curlews.
Godwits use the sandbanks closer to the water. They can also sometimes be found on the sandbanks right at the southern end of the roost. Red-capped Plovers, Red-necked Stints and Pacific Golden Plovers prefer areas of saltmarsh where the plants are just tall enough to give them some cover when they sit down to rest.
There are usually a couple of pairs of Pied Oystercatchers on the roost. One pair prefers the southern end and the other the northern sandbanks.
When I did a count of this area a couple of days ago I saw Whimbrels, Godwits, Eastern Curlews, Common Greenshanks, one Marsh Sandpiper, Grey-tailed Tattlers, Pacific Golden Plovers, Red Knot, Red-capped Plovers, Pied Oystercatchers, Little Egrets, White-faced Herons, and Masked Lapwings for a total of 394 birds.