Bastion Point 11 February 2019

Quite a few interesting birds around on the dunes of Bastion Point today.  The blue line is our route and the underlying image is from some time ago.

All the sandbars in the middle of the Inlet are now underwater.

So are some of the dunes on the seaward side of the Inlet, which made nice habitat for the birds.

There were even a few flowers on the vegetation holding the small hummocks together.

The obvious sight was a large flock of Crested Terns (53) and Silver Gulls (~100).

Behind the big flock (and a Great Cormorant) were some Little Terns.  My high count was 11 of this species, and there could have been more are they became quite active with several birds in the air and others on the ground.

I believe this to be a juvenile from the reduced black on the head.

Here are half the large waders: I believe them to be Bar-tailed Godwits.

An adult Red-capped Plover.

I got quite excited about this bird as it seemed to be performing a distraction display (which implies it has a nest).

However when it posed nicely it was clearly "only" a juvenile Red-capped Plover.

There were 6 Red-necked Stints feeding on the waters edge.

The full eBird checklist is here.  The unphotographed birds of interest were 3 Australian Gannets, fishing well out to sea and a White-fronted Chat which briefly appeared on top of some reeds.