On the Beach (again)

 Sorry Neville Shute for stealing your title!

Some days one gets a little embarrassed for choice in selecting an entry for Bird a Day.

I went for an exercise ride along to the mouth of the Narrows this morning and was delighted to see 15 Straw-necked Ibis. They are a code 5 at Mallacoota so that was a good start.

In the afternoon we went to see what a slightly higher tide would do compared to yesterday. All was pretty similar until Frances drew my attention to a 'larger bird' amongst all the small plovers and stints. With a long bill and a pretty relaxed jizz that was the Great Knot which has been hanging around since at least March. Goodbye Ibis.

I also tried a shot of the bird in flight!

I don't think that helps with the ID.

Then things got a bit complicated with a small tern appearing. It landed on the beach and going to take a look there were two of them. Photos taken. Put down 2 Little Terns. Begin attempting to strategise between the Tern and the Knot, with Great Tern half a wheel in front on the Champs Elysee.

On checking the photos at home one seemed to have some yellow in the bill and black splodges on the crown.

I remembered the other, with an all dark bill, had a white crown.

I think the one with yellow in the bill is a Fairy Tern. I have put the photos on Mallacoota Birds and the Bird-a-Day Facebook Groups and so far no-one has disagreed with my IDs.

The stewards disqualify the Great Knot for something and the Fairy Tern gets the Maillot Vert and becomes BAD.