On the move! Birds of Phillip Island

It's one of those times of year when movement of migratory birds is imminent. Some of our non-breeding visitors are starting to get colour such as some of these Bar-tailed Godwits below. Numbers of Double-banded plover are increasing as they arrive from New Zealand and I have seen my first sightings of Cattle egret for the year.

Bar-tailed godwits, Observation Point, Phillip Island, 22 March 2014. We can play Spot-the-whimbrel!

Landing gear down! More godwits on the move.

Three of the small group of five whimbrel seen at the weekend.

Caspian terns and Pied oysterctachers

"Godwits at front, Pied oystercatchers at the back please and … Smile!"

Now what do we have here - brown, big and fat among the stints & Double-banded plover?

Why it's one of three Curlew sandpiper getting a little breeding colour

Curlew sandpiper, Observation Point, Phillip Island

Arrived at high tide to a different shaped spit than what I was used to - many Black Swan awaited

iPhone view of the main spit attracting the swans, godwits, oystercatchers and terns

Stints, Double-banded plover and the three Curlew sandpiper found a home on a second "mini spit"  (above and below)

I'm not a cat person - greeted by a neighbour's cat on the loose on return from my walk.

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday!

Bird on!

Red-capped plovers nesting, Observation Point, Phillip Island

These teensy little fellows are found throughout Australia. Measuring in at 14-16cm the Red-capped plover is the smallest shore bird I see. It is my understanding that they are at the end of their breeding season for Victoria. I have certainly noticed many distraction displays over recent months. On this day I walked right into a nesting site on my walk towards Phillip Island's Observation Point.

Red-capped plover Caharadrius ruficapillus

Pizzey describes the nest as a scrape in the "sand, shingle or bare ground; scantily lined with shells, stones, plants". This nest then, must be some sort of mansion!

With the bright sunlight affecting the screen, I didn't check this iPhone photo which is bizarrely totally out of focus. I have still included it as it shows the clever location of this nest.

Red-capped plover eggs - hopefully not hard-boiled after Victoria's recent heat wave.

The usual summer collection of birds at the end of the spit.

Bar-tailed godwit 

Crested tern and Pacific gull

Crested tern

The "red-billed" birds seem to be sticking together - Pied oystercatchers and Caspian Tern

It was Race 6 at Rhyll Inlet when this group ran along the mudflats to join a bird that was calling loudly

I missed out on Hooded plover, Eastern curlew, Whimbrel and recently seen Fairy Tern but I'll be back!

 Bird on!

The Observation Point beach walk

Every few weeks or so I found myself trudging along the sand heading east from Cowes to Observation Point. The aim is to walk either side of the high tide when waders and other shorebirds are brought closer together.

I remember several still, sunny late afternoons, walking along with the sun at my back looking forward to seeing what birds are roosting or feeding at the end of the spit. Today's post features the walk as I saw it last Sunday morning 10th November.

We start with one of the many bush tracks through to the beach from the streets of East Cowes or Silverleaves. From the eastern end of the residential area it is still 2.5km of beach walking to the Point.

Surrounded by the calls of Grey fantail, Rufous whistler and Grey shrike-thrush

A little way along the beach, the first bird I catch up with is my "Hoodie Hero" Thinornis rubricollis.

This couple were among several groups of Red-capped plover seen 

I caught up with them again on the way back - with the sun out! Red-capped plover Charadrius ruficapillus

iPhoto geotags - the blog post is tracking from left to right!  This next photo of the beach is taken at the "2nd-from-left" stickpin & looking back west (from where I have come)!

Every few months the shoreline changes. I love the tidal lagoons we have at the moment - they make for great toddler pools! This is a good two hours after high tide (note the high tide level is marked by seaweed and also the tracks from the Nature Park staff quad bike - out to check their feral cat traps)

Observation Point and this section of beach are designated part of the Phillip Island Nature Reserve. As one approaches the spit there is signage indicating its importance as a refuge for migratory waders. It is important to not disturb the birds and good views can be obtained with binoculars and long lenses without a single bird taking flight. Well before the spit care must be taken during the beach walk as local shorebirds may be nesting above the tide line.

Pied oystercatcher - now we are at the end of the spit looking in towards the Rhyll Inlet

Caspian tern (and Pacific gull)

Pacific gull

iPhone shot of the end of the spit (the black dots are the group of godwits shown below)

Incoming! Red-necked stint join the Bar-tailed godwits

"OK fellas, I think we got this lot all rounded up!" Red-necked stints appear to be herding Bar-tailed godwits, Observation Point, Phillip Island

Bird on!

Greenshanks & godwits - Port Albert treats

Lunch on a cold and bleak day at Port Albert in Victoria became quite a treat when this Common greenshank and its companion Bar-tailed godwit were seen close to the wharf.

At close range the Common greenshank has the most gorgeous plumage!

Bar-tailed godwit, Port Albert

Although I failed to nail a decent shot of the godwit before it moved further away I did enjoy reviewing photographs taken of a flock of about 250 birds as they re-positioned. I have not had the opportunity to photograph a flock in this way and enjoyed the to and fro. I was also thrilled to see that a handful of birds were developing breeding plumage. I have very little experience with godwits. Breeding plumage in these southern climes is something I'd become accustomed to not expecting to see.

Bar-tailed godwit. First passed the post! I am reminded of a horse race or cycling pelleton in these shots.

One bird at the back of the head group showing some breeding colours.

Bar-tailed godwits developing breeding plumage, Port Albert, Victoria - 5/5/2013

On this grey day even the grebes looked cold! A single bird rested in the sheltered, still waters of the wharf. This gifted views of those greeby webbed feet! I noted that a group of four Hoary-headed grebe stuck together and dived together. I was curious as to how well they may be able to interact under water!

Cute as a button - Hoary-headed grebe showing propulsion device!

OK, on the count of three guys .... Hoary-headed grebes synchronised swimming

A Great egret also flew in and happily hunted right below where our group lunched.

Great egret, Port Albert

I generally find Great egret to be nervous - but not this character! Tidal mud flats with sea grass. Much more of this habitat can be seen beyond the wharf.

Mangroves and mudflats, Port Albert. The flock of Godwit seen above settled at water's edge in the top left of this picture. The hills of Wilson's Promontory can be seen on the horizon.

I have experienced a few incidents of discovering fishing tackle injury when reviewing photos at day's end. I was attracted to this Pacific gull by its unusual colouring as it progresses to the next maturity phase of its plumage.

Pacific gull, fishing tackled snared around right leg

I conclude with a pale pelican and a policeman....

At 200m away and through the viewfinder I wondered if I was viewing some sort of albino pelican at right (not to be - just a trick of the viewing angle!) 

New-holland honeyeater overseeing traffic (KEEP LEFT in Australia!)

Bird on!