Trio of Stilts

It seemed like a great evening to explore the lake margins between the old Kaituna quarry site and the mouth of the Kaituna river, so after a spot of grocery top up shopping, I headed down to see what was occuring lakeside.

As I walked out to the point I was amazed by the numbers of Royal Spoonbills to the right of me, out towards the point just before the cut on the road by Prices Valley. I took some images of the birds from a distance (and no, I can't wait for my teleconverter to arrive at the end of the week) and counted 58 - which is the biggest line of spoonbills I've seen on Ellesmere.

Not quite as imposing in presence (but no doubt here in greater numbers) are these wee fellas - poaka, or pied stilts. This trio were spied around a hundred metres distant but seemed a little stressed by my presence. Here's hoping I still have my birding mojo as I head out to Hart's Creek tomorrow...