Stilts, Plovers, Coots and a lot of rain

I was fortunate to spend the day at a Birdlife Australia / Barwon Estuary Project workshop on shorebirds today.

The morning was spent with presentations from Birdlife Australia ornithologists on the life-cycles and environmental challenges faced by both migratory shorebirds (those that breed outside Australia and travel here in their non-breeding season) and indigenous shorebirds (those that breed, feed and generally hang around permanently within Australia - although several species migrate around Australia depending on weather conditions), and sessions on hints to ID shorebirds.

We spent the afternoon (or as much of it as we could bear given the persistent rain) at Lake Victoria in Point Lonsdale.

I arrived a little early so spent a few minutes photographing a pair of Eurasian Coots on the delightfully named 'Emily's Pond' nearby.

Eurasian Coot, Emily's Pond, Point Lonsdale, Victoria
Panasonic Lumix G9 with Lumix-Leica 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 lens @ 400mm
ISO 400, 1/1250 second @ f/6.3

Once everyone had arrived we walked through the salt marsh to a viewpoint across one of the small lakes adjacent to Lake Victoria where we suspected there would be Avocets and Stilts. Despite the gloomy and 'damp' conditions, we were not disappointed as there were several small flocks of Red-necked Avocets in the middle of the shallow lake

Avocet, Lake Victoria, Point Lonsdale, Victoria
Panasonic Lumix G9 with Lumix-Leica 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 lens @ 400mm
ISO 400, 1/1000 second @ f/6.3

and a large flock of Banded Stilts sheltering beside a small island in the lake.

Banded Stilt, Lake Victoria, Point Lonsdale, Victoria
Panasonic Lumix G9 with Lumix-Leica 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 lens @ 137mm
ISO 400, 1/1600 second @ f/4.5

Several smaller groups of Stilts took off giving us fleeting glimpses of them in flight

Banded Stilt, Lake Victoria, Point Lonsdale, Victoria
Panasonic Lumix G9 with Lumix-Leica 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 lens @ 400mm
ISO 400, 1/1600 second @ f/6.3

before landing on the small ponds on the shore of Lake Victoria proper, giving us a closer view of these beautiful birds, many of which were in breeding plumage displaying their brown chest band.

Banded Stilt, Lake Victoria, Point Lonsdale, Victoria
Panasonic Lumix G9 with Lumix-Leica 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 lens @ 400mm
ISO 800, 1/4000 second @ f/6.3

Banded Stilt, Lake Victoria, Point Lonsdale, Victoria
Panasonic Lumix G9 with Lumix-Leica 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 lens @ 400mm
ISO 400, 1/2000 second @ f/6.3

 There were a few (unphotographable) Red-necked Stints doing their sewing-machine impersonations feeding on the sand banks and a flock of Red-capped Plovers sheltering amongst the Bearded Glasswort on one of the small, semi-inundated islands.

Red-capped Plover, Lake Victoria, Point Lonsdale, Victoria
Panasonic Lumix G9 with Lumix-Leica 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 lens @ 400mm
ISO 400, 1/1250 second @ f/6.3

So, not a great day photographically but it's always great to see Avocets and Banded Stilts, both of which migrate around Australia chasing the wet so we don't always get to see them.

Kerang Lakes - Part 1 Lake Tutchewop

Having enviously read reports of sightings of the first recorded Long-billed Dowitcher in Australia at Lake Tutchewop while I was travelling overseas and keeping up family and domestic duties during November and December, I finally bit the bullet and decided to head north this weekend to see if I could find and photograph this bird. I initially planned this trip for yesterday but, with the predicted high winds and temperatures in the 40s, dedicated Saturday to painting deck rails and furniture and decided to wait for the cooler weather today for birding.

After a few hours sleep to prepare for the long day of driving, I was woken by the alarm at 4:00 and was out they door by 4:11AM, arriving at Lake Tutchewop just on 8:30AM to find large flocks of Australian Pelicans, Australian Shelducks and small waders resting around the water's edge.

Australian Pelican, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/800

Australian Shelduck + small waders, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1000

I spent two hours searching the south end of the lake, particularly around the area of salt marsh, grasses and reeds surrounding the inlet channel (Lake Tutchewop is a drain for irrigation water) where the bird had most often been reported) but no Dowitcher in sight.

I did manage to get a few shots of other birds making the most of the inlet channel. White-Fronted Chats were flitting about the vegetation, the males occasionally perching long enough for me to catch a shot, where the females stayed low in the vegetation.

White-fronted Chat (male), Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/320

There were many Red-capped Plovers racing around the mud flats looking for food

Red-capped Plover (male), Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/800

Red-capped Plover (immature), Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/640

along with a few Red-necked Stints, one of which walked closely past me as I was photographing the Plovers.

Red-necked Stint, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1000

By far the most numerous waders were Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, most of which were congregated a few hundred metres 'offshore'

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1000

but a few flew in closer,

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/800

some feeding along the water's edge,

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1000

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/8 1/400

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/8 1/400

others 'hiding' among the vegetation,

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/8 1/640

and two posing for portraits.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/8 1/320

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/8 1/400

Further out on the lake, among the pelicans and ducks, was a pair of Great Cormorants and a solo Gull-billed Tern

Great Cormorant, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/400

Gull-billed Tern, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/640

and several Black Kites were circling over the lake picking up thermals.

Black Kite, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/2000

A little disappointed but not to be beaten, I called it quits at this location and headed around the lake to check out the northern shore but there was very little bird life anywhere else I could get to on the lake and, more importantly, no Dowitcher. 

It was early afternoon by the time I got back to the southern end of Lake Tutchewop and by now there were several other birders out on the mudflats scoping the offshore flocks for the odd one out. The water level in the lake was receding quickly (the water's edge was now at least 100 metres further out than it had been this morning) so the flocks of Australian Shelduck and small waders were further away. The distance and heat haze made it difficult to photograph much

Australian Shelduck, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/2000

Small waders, Lake Tutchewop, Kerang
Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8 (x2 adaptor), ISO 400, f/5.6 1/1600

but there was nothing larger or different from what I had seen this morning so I headed for the Reedy Lakes Ibis Rookery to see what I could find before returning here for one last attempt later this afternoon.

A Long Weekend in SW Victoria: Part 4. Shore birds

Driving home from Cape Bridgewater today, we decided to stop at some locations that we'd never visited before and we were rewarded with some great shore bird spotting and photography.

Shelly Beach (on Bridgewater Bay)
This beach is accessible from a short track off the main Bridgewater Road opposite the intersection with Bridgewater Lakes Road.

Shelly Beach, Bridgewater Bay

The highlight here was a pair of Australian Pied Oystercatchers that turned on a great show:

First chasing each other around in circles with one bird latched on to the scapular feathers of the other

Australian Pied Oystercatcher, Shelly Beach, Bridgewater Bay

then taking off in flight,

Australian Pied Oystercatcher, Shelly Beach, Bridgewater Bay

one landing again just in front of me to pose for a portrait

Australian Pied Oystercatcher, Shelly Beach, Bridgewater Bay

The other wandering off purposefully down the beach in the other direction

Australian Pied Oystercatcher, Shelly Beach, Bridgewater Bay

Before flying back,

Australian Pied Oystercatcher, Shelly Beach, Bridgewater Bay

landing on rocks close-by and calling loudly.

Australian Pied Oystercatcher, Shelly Beach, Bridgewater Bay

Mouth of the Fitzroy River
The Fitzroy River drains into Portland Bay a few km SE of Tyrendarra. Access is via Thomsons Road. There's a car park with boat ramp and picnic tables at the end of Thomsons Road but you can continue on past the car park driving along the firm sand bank of the river estuary stopping a hundred metres or so short of the river mouth and beach.

As we walked out onto the beach we spotted a solo Hooded Plover on the water's edge among some washed up kelp.

Hooded Plover, Fitzroy River Mouth

I managed to get a little closer by staying low and crawling slowly while the bird was feeding, stopping every time it looked up. This was as close as I was willing to get so not to scare the bird away.

Hooded Plover, Fitzroy River Mouth

While there I also spotted several Double-banded Plover

Double-banded Plover Fitzroy River Mouth

including this one just starting to develop breeding plumage.

Double-banded Plover Fitzroy River Mouth

Belfast Beach

A stretch of beach due south of Tower Hill, about half way between Warrnambool and Port Fairy, can be accessed from Gorman's Road. If you drive as far as you can there's a small car park with a short sand track to the beach. Immediately we got onto the beach we spotted Red-capped Plovers sheltering in tiny sand scrapes at the lee side of the sand ridge along the beach.

Red-capped Plover (male), Belfast Beach

I gave them a wide berth and headed over the ridge towards the sea. Closer to the water's edge, each small pile of kelp was surrounded by footprints where small wading birds had been feeding on the collection of invertebrates that make their home in the kelp.

I spotted several female Red-capped Plovers feeding along the water's edge so I crouched down and crept as close as I thought I could get without disturbing the birds.

Red-capped Plover (female), Belfast Beach

It's possible to get quite close to shore birds, while they are concentrating on feeding, providing you stay low. It helps having dunes in the background so your outline doesn't break the horizon. I tend to sit/kneel and wait for a while so I can see what the birds are doing and let them get used to me. I then crawl up on my knees leaving behind a turtle track...

Photographing Plovers, Belfast Beach
Photo courtesy of Joanne Smissen

...and then wait for the birds to come closer to me.

Red-capped Plover (female), Belfast Beach

It helps if the tide is coming in as most wading birds feed along the water's edge and the incoming tide will bring them closer to you.

Red-capped Plover (female), Belfast Beach

...but sometimes, they look straight down the barrel at you...

Red-capped Plover (female), Belfast Beach

As the waves recede, you can get some nice reflections.

Red-capped Plover (female), Belfast Beach

Red-capped Plover (male), Belfast Beach

A handful of Red-necked Stints were also feeding along the beach, having obviously opted to brave the Victorian winter in preference to the return flight to Siberia.

Red-necked Stint, Belfast Beach

A pair of Double-banded Plovers marched by

Double-banded Plover, Belfast Beach

and, as we were leaving, we found a solo juvenile Hooded Plover on the edge of the lagoon.

Hooded Plover (juvenile), Belfast Beach

The rest of the weekend:
Part 1. Cape Nelson
Part 2. Sunrise at Bridgewater Bay
Part 3. Lower Glenelg National Park