High Tide Roost

This post is for World Bird Wednesday.

On the highest tides of the year when most of the shorebird roosts are underwater, there is one small sandbank where the small shorebirds fly in to roost. When we kayaked there this year we again found small shorebirds lining the edge of the water. There were Red-capped Plovers and Red-necked Stints roosting together. (All photos enlarge when clicked on)
This Red-capped Plover looked especially nice standing in among the Sea-purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum).
As usual I took lots of photos and then examined them carefully at home. In amongst the Red-necked Stints was one different bird. It took me a while to work out that it was a Lesser-sand Plover. These don't usually roost so closely with the Red-necked Stints but I guess any roost is better than none! (Red-necked Stint in front and Lesser-sand Plover behind.)

Double-banded Plovers

This post is for World Bird Wednesday.

I had no intentions of photographing more small shorebirds when I went out to Inskip Point the other morning but when there are literally hundreds of birds spread out on the sand in front of you it seems a shame to not get a few more photos. (Click on photos to enlarge.)
Most of the birds were Red-necked Stints showing even more red color around the face and neck than when I last photographed them a couple of weeks ago. They will leave on their northern migration soon. There were also some Red-capped Plovers in among them. The Red-capped Plovers stay in Australia all year. In this photo the birds are roosting down in a car track in the sand. There are 3 Red-capped Plovers in the rear.
As I took more photos I noticed a few other shorebirds roosting with the Red-capped Plovers and Red-necked Stints. Some of the flock moved out to the edge of the water as the tide fell and I followed trying to get some good photos of these other birds. They were Double-banded Plovers which are sometimes called Double-banded Dotterels (Charadrius bicinctus). These birds are different from all the other migratory shorebirds that visit Australia. They breed in the braided river channels in the south island of New Zealand. The winters are too severe for them to stay there all year so they fly over to the east coast of Australia for the winter. Then in early spring (the southern hemisphere season) they fly back to New Zealand again to breed there. I am told that there are also some birds that remain in New Zealand year round in places where the climate is not so severe. In the first photo there is a female Red-capped Plover in front and a Double-banded Plover behind.

Ready to Migrate?

When I was out at Mullens roost site the other day there were very few migratory waders left. Once the northern migration starts they seem to go very fast. However, down at the southern end of the roost there was a group of Red-capped Plovers (Charadrius ruficapillus). These little shorebirds are resident in Australia so can be found any time of the year. Even though they are quite common I enjoy photographing them because they always seem just as curious about me as I am about them. If I stand still they will usually come closer - and this makes for excellent photo opportunities. They were at the edge of the water and resting in among small salt marsh plants.
While I was photographing the whole group I saw that there was one that looked a little different color. Its head was tucked away under a wing so it was not easy to get a good photo. However, I waited and kept photographing and eventually it lifted its head and it was obvious it was a Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) in partial breeding plumage. So where was the rest of the flock? They may have been somewhere else on the roost where I could not see them but this was the only Stint I could see. Had it missed its mates and missed its opportunity to migrate? I wish I could find this bird again but the roost site is huge and these birds are tiny. Today there have been intermittent but heavy showers of rain. I really need some fine weather again!
Red-necked Stint on the left of the photo.
For more bird photos go to the Bird Photography Weekly.

Mullens in Sunshine

After so many gray days it's great to have bright sunny weather where I don't have to wonder how to compensate for dull light and haze in my photographs. Mullens always looks best with a high tide so I went out this morning hoping I could get some good photos of the shorebirds that have recently returned.
Unfortunately most of the birds were roosting on the far side of the bay and I only got a good look at them when something over there frightened them and they all flew up. However, after circling overhead a couple of times they settled down over there again.
The only birds on my side of the bay were Red-capped Plovers (Charadrius ruficapillus). These birds are here all year but I never get tired of watching and photographing them. They are so tiny and so curious and will often come closer to watch me while I am watching them! I was focusing in on the male on the right hand side of the photo but when I looked at the photo I realized I had also photographed a female on the left hand side of the photo - even though she is a little out of focus.
This male came closer as I stood still watching him and eventually walked right past me.
Often other birds are less wary when they see the Red-capped Plovers running around quite close to me. This morning there were two Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) which were also walking through the shallow water. I don't know if these birds have stayed here all winter or if they have just arrived from the northern hemisphere.

Red-capped Plovers

Red-capped Plovers are one of the smallest waders that we see around here. They are an Australian wader and are here all year round. They make a shallow depression in the sand just above high tide mark for their nest. Because they are so small they are very hard to see out on the sand. Often I hear their piping cry before I see them. A photo as close as this is always great.
This morning I heard their calls well before I could see movement out on the sand banks. They were quite a way off and it hardly seemed worthwhile to bother with a photo. However, I am so glad I did because what I saw in my very distant photos was a family - male, female, and very tiny juvenile! This is only the third time that I have seen a juvenile - and the only photos I have taken of one. The little one looked like a little colored ball of fluff on tiny long legs. The parent birds made sure I did not come too close and I didn't even try to get any closer! The parents either followed the little one or called it to follow them - which it did sometimes! They snatched the occasional bit of food off the sand but the baby was constantly feeding. It pecked bits off the sand and also ventured into the shallow puddles of water to probe for food there. The photos I took are not great but they record a really great bird sighting!
For more bird photos visit the Bird Photography Weekly.