SHORE LINE WADERS

These include Plovers,oystercatchers and stilts,all of which

nest on the ground or beach,making them vulnerable to

pedestrians,dogs,foxes and feral cats.

BLACK-FRONTED PLOVER Charadius melanops

Not common in this area but sighted occasionally on local

beaches in small groups resting and bathing.Size;17Cm

RED-CAPPED PLOVER Charadrius ruficapillus

The smallest of the plovers,prefers the water line of beaches

and swamps moving with short bursts of speed.Size;15Cm

MASKED LAPWING Vanellus miles

Also known as Spur-wing plover,prefers open spaces including

parks & ovals,an agressive bird when breeding.Size;35Cm

BLACK-WINGED STILT Himantopus himantopus

Also called Pied stilt and often confused with the Banded stilt,

it is a common wader,feeding on aquatic insects.Size;32Cm

SOOTY OYSTERCATCHER Haematopus fuliginosus

Often seen with Pied oystercatcher,but prefers rocky areas where it

overturns rocks feeding on small crustaceans.Size;50Cm

PIED OYSTERCATCHER Haematopus longirostris

Also named Redbill for obvious reasons,prefers intertidal zone of

beaches and mud flats where it searches for shellfish.Size;50Cm.

RUFOUS NIGHT HERON Nycticorax caledonicus

As the name implies,a night hunter,peering out from a

favourite day time roost in a Aleppo pine tree.Size; 60cm

WHITE FACED HERON Ardea novaehollandiae

Also known as Blue crane,a common shoreline wader.

Size; 60-70cm

GREAT EGRET Ardea alba

The largest wader to visit the area,hunting small

fish at Billy Light's Pt. Size; 1M

RAISING A FAMILY

Sping is a busy time of the year for most of the

birds that frequent My backyard

Young Western silvereyes help each other

with mutual preening

A Willy wagtail sits on eggs in a nest constructed

of cobwebs and fibres

A group of young Dusky wood-swallows enjoying

a preening session in the early morning sunshine

A male Yellow-rumped pardalote checks the vicinity is clear

before entering the nesting burrow to relieve the female

A Grey currawong keeps a beady eye on the camera

from the nest as she sits on the eggs

A Crested tern with a juvenile bird which has

been banded by N.P.W.S on a nearby island

A young Black-faced cuckoo shrike waits patiently

for the parents to arrive with food

COLOURS OF SPRING

Spring brings a variety of colours to the remaining

bushland of My Backyard

TWIGGY GUINEA FLOWER Hibbertia virgata

Ht-50Cm, Flowers-Spring, Photo-Billy Light's Pt

ERECT GUINEA FLOWER Hibbertia riparia

Ht-50Cm, Flowers-Spring, Photo-Billy Light's Pt

WOOLLY GOODENIA Goodenia robusta

Ht-30cm, Flowers-Spring, Photo-Billy Light's Pt

STICKY GOODENIA Goodenia varia

Ht-1M, Flowers-Spring, Photo-Billy Light's Pt

GOLDEN TIP CLOVER BUSH Goodia latifolia

Ht-1-3M, Flowers-Spring, Photo- Lincoln Cove

EGG & BACON FLOWER Daviesia asperula

Ht-1-2M, Flowers-Late winter, Photo-Parnkalla Trail

MALLEE BUSH PEA Eutaxia microphylla

Ht-75cm, Flowers-Spring, Photo-Parnkalla Trail

BRISTLY PEA FLOWER Pultenaea acerosa

Ht-75cm, Flowers-Spring, Photo-Billy Light's Pt

DROOPING VELVET BUSH Lasiopetalum baueri

Ht-75cm, Flowers-Spring, Photo-Billy Light's Pt

COAST VELVET BUSH Lasiopetalum discolor

Ht-1M, Flowers-Spring, Photo-Billy Light's Pt

BUSH TUCKER

There are many plants in my backyard which were used as

food or medicine by local Aborigines and early settlers

NITRE BUSH ( Nitraria billardierei )

Berrys eaten by variety of birds,also local Aborigines.

Flower ; Spring. Photo ; Billy Light's Point.

COAST BALLART ( Exocarpos syrticola )

Also called Wild cherry,was eaten by local Aborigines.

Flowers ; Spring. Photo ; Parkalla trail.

COAST BEARDED HEATH ( Leucopogon parviflorus )

Also known as currant bush,the white berrys are very sweet

Flowers ; Spring. Photo ; Billy Light's Point.

QUANDONG ( Santalum acuminatum )

Also called wild peach,the seeds are eaten and spread by Emus

Flowers ; Spring. Photo ; Parnkalla trail

THE HONEYEATERS

These noisy,active birds have a brush tipped tongue

which enables them to extract nectar from blossoms,

but they will also eat fruit and insects.

BROWN-HEADED HONEYEATER ( Melithreptus brevirostris )

The smallest honeyeater in this area,it usually travels in groups of

10 or more,constantly calling to stay in touch when feeding.Size;12Cms

NEW HOLLAND HONEYEATER ( Phylidonyris novaehollandiae )

A common garden bird,it is always noisy and aggressive to other honeyeaters

and will utter a harsh warning sound when danger approaches.Size;18Cms

PURPLE-GAPED HONEYEATER ( Lichenostomus cratitius )

Can be identified by the pinkish purple strip between the grey and

yellow on the cheek although this is not always visible.Size;18Cm

SINGING HONEYEATER ( Lichenostomus virescens )

A cheeky bird with a melodious call,having a thick,straight beak and

striated breast to distinguish it from the Puple-gaped.Size; 20Cm

SPINY-CHEEKED HONEYEATER ( Acanthagenys rufogularis )

Resembles a wattlebird but smaller,having a red beak with a black tip

and no red wattles,also aloud pleasant call.Size;25Cm

RED WATTLEBIRD ( Anthochaera carunculata )

The largest honeyeater here,an aggressive and territorial bird,

it will attack any intruders,especially other honeyeaters.Size; 33Cm

Migratory waders

These visitors travel vast distances to escape the Northern

Hemisphere winter,often flying non stop for several days.

They usually arrive without their breeding plumage,making

identification difficult.The birds posted here were all taken

at the former wetlands.I have to photograph them from a long

distance due to the terrain and apologise for the quality.

Bar-tailed godwit ( Limosa lapponica )

Our largest and least common visitor from N.E Siberia

it has a long upcurved pink beak.Size;45Cms

Common greenshank (Tringa nebularia )

A regular visitor from temperate Eurasia,it has long green

legs and a large blue bill with a dark tip.Size;30Cms

Common sandpiper ( Actitis hypoleucos )

A rarer visitor to Lincoln Cove area,usually a solitary,

secretive visitor from Europe & N Asia.Size;20Cms

Curlew sandpiper ( Calidris ferruginea )

From N Siberia,it is common visitor to Australia,but scarcer

in this area.Identified by the larger down curved beak

and dark legs.Size;23Cms

Sharp-tailed sandpiper ( Calidris acuminata )

The most abundant visitor from N.E Asia,it can be distinguished

from other sandpipers by the green legs.Size;23Cms

Red-necked stint ( Calidris ruficollis )

The smallest visitor,only 13Cm,migrates from N.Asia and Alaska.

It displays salmon pink plumage around neck when breeding.

A Red-necked stint foraging for insects with 2 Sharp-tailed

sandpipers demonstrates the size difference.

The day the tide stopped flowing

A confused group of birds waiting for the tide to return

the morning after the inflows were blocked

A view of remaining vegetation,photo taken from Lincoln Cove.

A typical example of saltwater vegetation

Beaded glasswort ( Sarcocornia quinqueflora )

Inhabits mid to high tide zone,a succulent edible plant to 50Cm.

Often confused with similar samphires.inset;leaves

Shrubby glasswort ( Sclerostegia arbuscula )

A large samphire to 2M,usually amongst smaller glassworts,

seeds eaten by Rock parrots.inset;leaves

Austral seablite ( Suaeda australis )

A small succulent shrub usually among samphires on the high

tide mark.Leaves edible.inset;flowers

Marsh saltbush ( Atriplex paludosa )

Similar to Coast saltbush with finer leaves,found on the coast and

margins of saline areas.Height 1-1.5M.insets;male flower & female fruit