Waders at Inskip

After receiving a phone call from Mick to tell us about all the waders at Inskip Point on Wednesday afternoon, it was decided that Thursday's high tide at 6 in the morning would be a good time to meet up and check what was out there. Most were in various stages of breeding plumage.

Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis)

Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)

Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris)

Bar-tailed Godwit

Great Knot

Bar-tailed Godwit

Great Knot

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)

The deciding factor for our early morning start, leaving in the dark, was Mick's report of a Curlew Sandpiper in breeding plumage. But trying to find such a small bird in a flock of over 4000 mixed waders was easier said than done. After much waiting and patience it finally paid off, and we managed to get quite a few Curlew Sandpiper in different stages of breeding plumage. We even managed to see the red starting to show on the front of the Red-necked Stint.

Bar-tailed Godwit

Great Knot

Curlew Sandpiper (Front)

Little Tern (Sterna albifrons)

Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus)

Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis)

Thanks Mick for the great morning out, without you we would not have been able to have a chance of seeing a Curlew Sandpiper with breeding plumage.

Straddie Birds and Boat

With less than ideal weather of late for Birdwatching or Photographing them it is time to go back over what photos I have that are on standby for times like this.

All these photos were taken while on Stradbroke Island in February this year. The Crested Tern were taken on Main Beach and the Double-banded Plover, Ruddy Turnstone and Red-necked Stint were taken on Flinders Beach which is sheltered from the strong wind.

Click on photos to enlarge

Crested Tern (Sterna bergii)

Double-banded Plover (Charadrius bicinctus)

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis)

The photo of the Sailing Boat is to show you how rough it was. We measured 40km winds on Main Beach, not the best conditions for counting birds and very hard to take photos as well.

Glad I was on the beach and not out at sea.