Inskip Point

All set to go kayaking. Good tide early morning, only one problem, the wind was blowing a gale. Plan B, go for a drive instead to Inskip Point to see what birds were around.

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)

Little Tern (Sternula albifrons)

 Not very often you get a clear photo showing different species nicely lined up, in this case four terns.

 Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) 

Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae)

Great Knot

Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris)

 A large flock of Pelicans and Godwits were on the little sand island out from the point.

Australian Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longiristris)

Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus)

Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis)

For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday

Wader Count

Though most of the waders have left for the Northern Hemisphere, there are some that stay behind. What was a surprise for us was to see a Bar-tailed Godwit, (on the left in the photo below), that looks to have a white flag on its right leg.  

Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)

Silver Gull

  Silver Gull (Larus novaehollandiae)

As we waited for the time to start counting the waders, this Striated Heron flew into a mangrove not too far away, and started fishing in front of us. Somebody walked out near to were it was, and the heron flew away. Just as we started counting, the heron flew back and landed in a big mangrove tree, so I went and tried to get some photos of it.

 Striated Heron (Butorides striatus)
 Before it flew away it was in this small mangrove.

After it came back it landed in a big mangrove.

Some people getting ready to kite surf from the sandbar where the waders normally rest.

For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday.

Tin Can Bay - Cooloola Cove.

Just a selection of birds we came across during a recent wader count at Tin Can Bay and Cooloola Cove, not all that many in number as we are waiting for the waders to return from their Northern breeding grounds. Not too much longer to wait.

Click on photos to enlarge

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)

Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva)

Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae)

As we were walking back from the count site we came across a fever of stingrays feeding close inshore. We do not normally see this many, there must have been a lot of food for them in this particular area.

Stingrays

Silver Gull & Black-winged Stilt.

Stradbroke Island again. This time the weather was less than perfect, this Silver Gull must not have much feeling in it's legs as the water was quite cold.

Click on photos to enlarge

Silver Gull (Larus novaehollandiae)

But more like our "Sunny Queensland" the last day was perfect. Near the end of the final beach survey for this trip as we approached the Jumpinpin Bar, we came across this trio of Juvenile Black-winged Stilt. They did not seem to take much notice of the 4wds going past, for as I was taking the photos a couple of vehicles went between us and the birds, but they stayed for more photos.

Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

Not sure if they were blown off course during the bad weather the day before as we had not seen them over the previous three days.

Koala (Phaskolarctos cinereus)

The couple of time I have been over to Straddie I have seen the signs saying about Koala's in the area but have not had the time to go and look for them, not that this time was any different. As we walked down a track to the beach one of the locals who came down to walk his dog asked us if we saw the Koala in the tree and he pointed it out to us.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)

I always find it interesting to watch kangaroo's when they are on the beach as I am not used to seeing them there, being more likely to see them in a paddock somewhere. These ones were picking at the seagrass that had been washed up during the high tide.

During one of our trips down the beach we watched this rainbow.