Friday 29 March 2013

Walk along the beach

29th March
  After unusually hot weather (for us) and then a strong Westerly change swinging to the South at the same time there is a full moon, made for an interesting walk. The water reached the dunes leaving behind large deposits of seaweed.
 Did not expect any birds to have survived these conditions so left camera home. Just took binoculars and a GPS to verify positions of some previous sightings.   A VERY BAD MOVE.
 First sightings 2 adult Hooded Plovers and 5 fledged chicks which flew a short distance when disturbed by an unleashed dog.
 Second sighting a little further down the beach 2 more adults this time with 4 fully mature chicks. Hard to distinguish from parents.
 We could see both groups so it was not double counting. The second group was disturbed by a local noted for her liking of skinny dipping.

Other birds of note at the moment  -- Nankeen Night Heron feeding on a plague of black field crickets along the wharf area. There is now quite a colony nesting in trees close to the water. Pied Oyster catchers have juveniles and Ruddy Turnstones for some reason in breeding plumage.

Family of Hooded Plover

Juvenile & adult Pied Oystercatcher

3 adult and 4 young chicks

Nankeen Night Heron

Ruddy Turnstone

Sooty Oystercatcher

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