Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Inskip at High Tide

I went out to Inskip late last week. It was a high tide early in the morning and I was out there before anyone else - even before the barge to Fraser Island arrived! Although the tide was high it was not the highest tide of the cycle. However, there was water washing over most of the sand spit.

There were still a few places where the shorebirds could roost out of the water and they were packed onto these bits of higher sand. As the waves came over the sand there was fairly constant movement as the birds jostled for room and even flew up for a few moments.




The waves left a thin film of water over the sand and there were a few Bar-tailed Godwits that kept busily hunting for food in this wet - and softer - sand. Birds with long slender bills like Godwits need the sand to be softer before they can probe into it for food.

Some of them reminded me of the game children play when they see how close they can get to the breaking waves.

There were a few Godwits showing early breeding plumage. Males usually change into breeding plumage first. The male is in the foreground of this photo and the female is walking behind him. Male Godwits are slightly smaller than females and their bill is slightly shorter.

For more photos from around the world visit Our World Tuesday 

and for more bird photos visit Wild Bird Wednesday.

32 comments:

  1. great shots. i can imagine them skittering back and forth in the waves. :)

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  2. Wonderful early morning captures ... they convey the solitude of the moment. A beautiful post!

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  3. Great post!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  4. we saw birds very similar to this ding the exact same thing on the beach at Hopetoun in Western Australia.
    I have just joined Our World Tuesday. It is great to meet another Aussie! Have a wonderful week.

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  5. Wonderful images Mick - thanks for sharing.

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  6. Love those Godwits! Your closeup shots are wonderful. The beach looks gorgeous, so nice to have it all to yourself. Beautiful photos, thanks for sharing.

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  7. So many gorgeous shades of blue!

    Happy Tuesday. ☺

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  8. Oh my just beautiful...outstanding!

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  9. Lovely serie of photos!
    Nice to see!

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  10. I dream of living near the sea... wonderful images

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  11. What a sight! Wonderful photos, Mick. I would love to be able to see that.

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  12. Beautiful series hope to get down there soon.

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  13. Great pictures! My favorite one is the next to last one with the ocean spray behind them.

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  14. A beautiful series of shots!
    'Packed in' might be an understatement. :)
    I too like the subtle serene blues.

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  15. love the godwits and you have some gorgeous shots of them. :)

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  16. Such beauty you share with us! I love the shore birds and the sea, can never take enough photos! Yours are wonderful.

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  17. Those are such sweet-looking birds. :)

    Beautiful shots!

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  18. Terrific shots and a lovely beach!

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  19. Great image series showing. Wish you a good day :)

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  20. Super shots of the feeding godwits. And to think we get the same species here, half way around the world from you. Amazing travellers aren't they?

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  21. Great pictures. Nice to see the birds coming into breeding plumage.

    I always look closely at your pictures - one day I will find a leg flag!


    Cheers and thanks for linking to WBW

    Stewart M - Melbourne

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  22. Very interesting and how amazing to see so many birds at the same time. Nice shots, Mick! We don't have tide in Sweden. /Pia

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  23. Awesome photos of the shore birds. Especially enjoyed the gadwalls.

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  24. Love the crashing waves and great pictures of shore birds.

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  25. Beautifule pictures ;-)
    Céline & Philippe

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  26. I can almost smell the salt air!

    Super shots of the Godwits feeding and nice to see that male beginning to show his breeding plumage.

    Regards, -Wally

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  27. the godwits make a transit stop to New Zealand, or they find austra;ia better.

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  28. High tide was especially kind to you! The godwit photos are spectacular. Thanks for dropping by Rosyfinch Ramblings. I have had connectivity issues while visiting Illinois and each page may take minutes to load, so I am far behind in browsing.

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  29. the high tide almost herded them into the dry spots! Lovely to see so many at once. Thanks for getting up early and for sharing!

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