Monday, March 28, 2011

WADER WEEKENDS

I had a chance to do some wader watching while having a picnic lunch with family at Scarborough on the Redcliffe peninsula just north of Brisbane. I wandered over to some exposed rocks on the shoreline not expecting much, when I saw these birds, mainly roosting. 

Eastern Curlew

They blended in very well and without my binoculars would have been difficult to pick up.

Top to bottom - Eastern Curlew, Pacific Golden Plover, Whimbrel.

Some people exploring the rocks put the birds to flight, causing the lone curlew to join some local gulls in the deeper water nearby. 

Eastern Curlew and Silver Gull

Silver Gull preening.


A couple of weekends ago I went out specifically to do some wader watching with a friend. Our favourite place is at Toorbul about halfway between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.

Southern roost at Toorbul


It has a large area for the waders to rest on the high tides and is well sign posted to minimise the disturbance of this important habitat. With the on going reclamation of many of their resting and feeding sites in Asia
these birds need all the help they can get.


Assorted waders


A couple of kangaroos decided to have a sun bake on the sand between the mudflats.The birds didn't seem to mind.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Whimbrels.

Bar-tailed Godwits

Australian Pied Oystercatchers.

Australian Pelicans.


This little critter made itself welcome on our back verandah recently and I've been trawling the net trying to identify it. I think it is one of the Litoria species, maybe a Rocketfrog type.

Litoria sp.?

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