Monday 15 March 2010

Lesser Sand Plover

The Lesser Sand Plover are getting ready to leave our shores for their northern migration and are showing lots of beautiful colour. So when we next count this site the numbers of birds and species should be well down. Overall count for this day was 15 species 1650 birds.

Click on photos to enlarge


Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus) Little tern (Sterna albifrons)

Lesser Sand Plover & Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris)

Lesser Sand Plover, Little Tern & Grey-tailed Tattler (Heteroscelus brevipes)

Decided not to kayak this time due to strong winds. With plenty of runoff from the creeks because of the heavy rain we have had the water was coloured tannin instead of clear as it normally is. Usually there is at least a metre of sand on the walk up to the wader site, but with the weather the way it was strong winds were pushing the waves up to the edge.

The Samphire looks a lot healthier now that we have had lots of rain.

5 comments:

mick said...

Great photos there, Neil

Neil said...

Thanks Mick.

Lana Gramlich said...

That samphire is beautiful stuff! Thanks for all of the great shots of the birds, as well, of course!

Neil said...

Thanks Lana.

eileeninmd said...

Wonderful shots of the all the birds.