Go North -- 06 -- Chill on the Beach

After picking up Erica's car we ventured to the eastern coast of the Cape into the Iron Range NP and camped for several nights at Chilli Beach. During springtime there is a constant and consistent on-shore easterly trade wind. This has the disadvantage of driving, and keeping, algae on the shore hence the edges can be a bit squishy underfoot, the odour can be offensive and you generally want to avoid it. But once the tide has gone out, the exposed sand banks are a delight. Quite a few birds about, 4WDs on the beach, folks fishing and birders birding. A delightful, restful place.

Australian Pied Oystercatchers Haematopus longirostris

Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus

Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva

Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleusos

Eastern Reef Egret Ardea sacra light and dark morphs

Beach Stone-curlew Esacus neglectus

Two Beach Stone-curlews came winging in, did a small amount of courting for several minutes then go down to it.

Magic. f8, t1250 and be there.

Go North 03 -- Seisia

Leaving one car at Weipa, all five of us loaded into the 76-series and made our way north to the tip of Cape York. We stopped the first night at Bramwell Resort [cattle station]. Best bird was a Palm Cockatoo. The image below was taken in the relative dullness of early morning and against a cloudy sky. I exposed the image +1-stop and applied a lot of exposure compensation [+3.5] in Photoshop.

Palm Cockatoo Probisciger atriums

The second night was spent at the "caravan park" at the Jardine River ferry which we used first thing the next morning on our way to Bamaga and its neighbours of Injinoo, Umagico and Seisia. We stopped at the Seisia Caravan Park, right on the beach, for several nights. Ethan and I visited Injinoo and its creek on the first night.

Masked Lapwing Vanillas miles miles the race in northern Australia

Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea ruficollaris northern Australian race

Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos

Eastern Reef Egret Ardea sacra white morph

Striated Heron Butorides striatus
"Going ..."

"Going ..."

We were gone before we found out if the Striated Heron actually managed to get the fish down!