So keen to line up in front of the best height window for me, feeling almost as if any bird out there might be gone before I managed to zoom out onto the wetlands, that I totally forgot to take any photos of the inside.
So, what was out there? I certainly wasn't expecting what I did see at x50 through my viewfinder; lots of wonderful Red-necked Avocets mostly; such a treat!
Signage read in part, that this refuge was created in the 1950's as a result of unfinished works to reclaim land from estuarine mudflats.
Tidal flushing was reintroduced to this Waterbird Refuge in 2007 through a solar powered gate, programmed to open and close automatically.
Tidal exchange normally occurs twice daily, with maximum and minimum levels controlled by gate settings that are changed seasonally.
These seasonal changes in water height are required for nutrient inflow and can be used to set boundaries between different habitats.
Sharing with Nature Notes
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Wild Bird Wednesday
HI Carole What a a wonderful place and hide. I think I would sit in it all day. It was great that you saw the Red necked Avocets. When I was visiting friends at Redhill, one day I came upon 500 of them. It as a magnificent sight and it was the only time I ever saw them. Your shots of them bring back the memories of that day so many thanks.
ReplyDeleteThats interesting info about the gates. They are fabulous birds. I haven't seen any before.
ReplyDeletei must need some "red velvet cake" ... that is what i thought you wrote at 1st ... i had to re-read your note there. ha. ha!! gorgeous coloring. neat barns. ( :
ReplyDeleteWell constructed hides (or blinds as we call them) are a great boon to birding. What a great treat to see the avocets.
ReplyDeleteThose are amazing looking birds. What interesting beaks they have. Think you have gotten me really hooked on birds and how lucky you are to live close to this! Lovely and what a surprise that you saw these
ReplyDeleteMarvelous photos of this special area. I like this birds with the long legs and this wave in the beak.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous !
Those Red-necked Avocet are lovely birds Carole.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes a good bird hide.?
Well, at this time of year here, somewhere out of the wind and rain and a flask of tea.{:))
Hi Carole - Love this place you visited. The Red-necked Avocets are really striking.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Avocets, Red necked. And I guessed, was the Teals, ha ha. Great photography Carole.
ReplyDeletejust beautiful birds!
ReplyDeleteThey are quite different from our American Avocet.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful birds! Love their long beaks.
ReplyDeleteOh great habitat for many different kinds of birds especially these waders. And how neat are those bills..Thank you for linking into Nature Notes this week..Michelle
ReplyDeleteA great area! Such interesting looking birds. Those beaks are really neat!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely habitat for the birds. I love these beautiful red-necked Avocets. The upturned beak is neat looking. Very pretty photos, thanks for sharing your WBW. Have a happy week!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous place. The avocet is a new bird for me. Great shots!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous shots, Carole! I love the curved beak. We don't have hides (or blinds as we call them) here in the states like you have there in Australia or they have in Europe. I wish we did have dedicated bird hides.
ReplyDeleteOh so pretty...great color on their heads...beak must be curved to scoop up dinner in the mud???
ReplyDeleteJan
What wonderful red necked avocets ... I've never seen them before and love those long curved beaks. Very pretty birds.
ReplyDeleteHi Carole
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures of this area, the red necked Avocet is a lovely type, which is not in the Netherlands.
Perfect! The bird hide is obviously well designed and definitely in the right place to be able to see all those beautiful birds. Great photos.
ReplyDeleteSuch funny beaks they have. Yes, must be fun to watch these birds. Looks like a relaxing place to be.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice area! I love the Avocet and the headless ducks too!!
ReplyDeleteThe Avocet are spectacular .
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing .
Would love to spend time birding here. Looks so wonderful Carole.
ReplyDeleteThose birds are lovely, and the red-necked one is new to me. Great photos!
ReplyDeleteFabulous birding place. WE used to see avocets in Oregon but must not be there at the right time of the year now as I haven't seen any for years. Beautiful pictures and thanks for the memories.
ReplyDeleteNice birds.. Cheers!!!..
ReplyDeleteI do believe you have a Black-Winged Stilt in one of the pictures as well.
ReplyDeleteI really like Avocets - but they are hard to get close too - the hide looks rather splendid.
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
glad you each enjoyed the Red-Necked Avocets too; thanks for your comments.
ReplyDeleteStewart, yes a few of the Blacked-Winged Stilts were out there too. My latest post is a Blacked-Winged Stilt one :)
beautiful birds! They look fierce with that beak! Wonder if they also use it as a weapon...
ReplyDelete