Eastern Australia - November 2008
Waders: page 1
Cairn's Esplanade gave me my best photo opportunities of any of the waders in Oz. All other species, apart from the Thick-knees, were distant and not photographable. Red-capped Plovers were commoner on my first visit than my second, perhaps pushed of the beach areas by the increase in overall wader numbers coming in from the north.
Both Sandplover species were present along the Esplanade in equal numbers though Greater Sandplover, depicted below, were a little easier to get decent shots of. Lessers were photographed but tended to be more wary and less approachable.
Masked Lapwing in the north lack the dark neck and shoulder patches of those birds found further to the south of the country. These birds were along the Cairn's Esplanade where very close approach was often possible. They were often found on the grass verges next to the parking areas.
Cairn's Esplanade was kind to me in respect of getting two Dotterels that were subsequently only seen distantly at inland wetland where they were by no means photogaphable. The first Red-kneed Dotterel that I had during the trip was found on the same patch of mud, give or take a few metres, where I photographed the below Black-fronted Dotterel ten days earlier, both crackers.