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

Coast saltbush ( Atriplex cinerea )

Also known as bluebush and usually found above high tide mark.

Grazed by stock and reaches 2M. insets; male (L) & female flowers

Swamp paperbark ( Melaleuca halmaturorum )

A salt tolerant tree to 8M,the bark peeling and hanging like paper

on mature trees.insets;flowers & bark