Great Kayaking (2)

Four days after the kayaking I told about in my last post, I was sitting at my back window and watching the sun-rise when I realized that once again there was no wind. It looked like it could be another perfect day kayaking so I hurried around and got my gear together and loaded the kayak on the car. When I got down to Mullens it was perfect. The water was so still it almost had that oily look.I paddled out past the roost and took some photos across the bay. It is seldom this still.

Even under the mangroves the reflections were nearly perfect.

I stayed well out from the roost where I expected to find shorebirds and then sat sill on the kayak and let myself gradually drift in closer. When I do this the birds allow a much closer approach than if I paddle in with paddles flashing in the sunlight.

Of course the Pied Oystercatchers were there and reflected in the still water.

There were also lines of grey and white birds. Most looked like Grey-tailed Tattlers but when I looked at my photos later I could also see several Common Greenshanks.

I didn't get very close to these birds on the sand bank but I was pretty sure there were also Tattlers roosting in the mangroves so I slowly drifted along that way.

Most of the Tattlers had good amounts of breeding plumage and I would expect them to all leave for the northern hemisphere very soon.

The sky was very blue and the Little Egrets roosting high in the dead tree made a nice contrast. There was also a White-breasted Woodswallow roosting in the same tree but off to the right.

I could hear more of the Woodswallows close by so went looking for them in the mangroves off to the side. There were 5 or 6 other birds there - swooping off after insects. When they returned to the trees several of them perched close to each other as if they preferred snuggling together.

Several more photos of the Little Egrets made a great finish to my morning. 

For more scenery from around the world visit Our World Tuesday 

and for more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.